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OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK SEASCAPE FEB19-26 2023

morpheusofthesea

By morpheusofthesea,
in MSC Cruises

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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I was going to start this topic a little earlier, but was stunned by the news of cruise director Gene Young's death. We did not know the gentleman personally. We sat through two of his weekly coffee chats in the Loft Cafe the end of December '22 and again in January '23. The first was attended by 7 guests and the second had 30 guests. They were the best most entertaining talks on board any cruise ship and we were looking forward to his honest answers to all questions once again. This trip will be a melancholy one indeed.

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Bobbiegentry

Bobbiegentry

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21 minutes ago, no1talks said:

Morpheus, we're three weeks away from Seascape, so I look forward to reading about the state of affairs in YC, as well as the ship at large.

Staff recommendations (and warnings, if needed) are much appreciated.

Looking forward to your missives. 
And your observations on interlopers!

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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7 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I seem to remember some confusion as to whether or not Gene Young was of MSC or another, more elderly gentleman with the same name. I’m saddened to learn he was indeed Gene Young of MSC. 

Yes. Tragic. Loosely I am reminded of Pagliacci "A MAN GOES to a doctor “Doctor, I’m depressed,” the man says; life is harsh, unforgiving, cruel. The doctor lights up. The treatment, after all, is simple. “The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight,” the doctor says, “Go and see him! That should sort you out.” The man bursts into tears. “But doctor,” he says, “I am Pagliacci.”

"Hindsight is 20/20". He joked about his retirement all in Carnival Corp stock and how his assistant cruise director wife left him for the ship's doctor, "How could I compete ?" he said. One would think by turning ones problems into a joke would be a healthy thing?

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no1talks

no1talks

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3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Yes. Tragic. Loosely I am reminded of Pagliacci "A MAN GOES to a doctor “Doctor, I’m depressed,” the man says; life is harsh, unforgiving, cruel. The doctor lights up. The treatment, after all, is simple. “The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight,” the doctor says, “Go and see him! That should sort you out.” The man bursts into tears. “But doctor,” he says, “I am Pagliacci.”

"Hindsight is 20/20". He joked about his retirement all in Carnival Corp stock and how his assistant cruise director wife left him for the ship's doctor, "How could I compete ?" he said. One would think by turning ones problems into a joke would be a healthy thing?

 

This apocryphal anecdote was originally associated with a real clown, the English stage comedian, Joseph Grimaldi.

 

Grimaldi's life was fraught with sorrows. He was said to have joked about his sad life, "I am GRIM-ALL-DAY, but I make you laugh at night."

 

Grimaldi is considered to be the father of the modern clown. So much so, clowns are known in theatre vernacular as "Joeys," for Joey Grimaldi.

 

https://daily.jstor.org/here-we-are-again-how-joseph-grimaldi-invented-the-creepy-clown/

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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Got to port at 8:30am and slipped past crossing guard stopping all traffic from entering terminal C except for taxis, buses and official vehicles and pulled up to the white tent and unloaded. They split the checkin process. Only decks 12 to 19 checkin at the east entrance, where the white tent is located. All others checkin at west end. Terminal opened at about 10 am. Only one security X-ray was open and there was a line. The first 26 YC guests that congregated by 10am were escorted to the front of this line. Once through we were escorted to a checkin room to get our photos taken and keys, then escorted up the escalator to boarding area for Champagne popcorn and nuts.

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jules815

jules815

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Sitting here in Chicagoland looking out my window at the snow on the ground. Feeling butterflies just reading about your boarding experience because I know what a great feeling that is and wishing we didn't have to wait until September. 

 

Can you find out what bubbly is included with the now YC package? When we were on Meraviglia in 2021, we had lots of OBC and did the upgrade. (I understand now there's no upgrade available.) With that upgrade we were able to drink Moet in the lounge and dining room. There was a Moet Rose' that was quite tasty. 

 

 

 

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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2 hours ago, paddy1112 said:

Hi Morpheus

So you don't have to wait for the "zero" ship when embarking?

Just as JAGR says, 'you can always take what he says  'to the bank'. Just don't misspell a word.

   We waited seated in the terminal lounge in the YC section when just after 11:30 am the zero count was completed and the B2Bs were processed and allowed back on board just in front of us.

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jules815

jules815

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1 minute ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Just as JAGR says, 'you can always take what he says  'to the bank'. Just don't misspell a word.

   We waited seated in the terminal lounge in the YC section when just after 11:30 am the zero count as completed and the B2Bs were processed and allowed back on board just in front of us.

Is that were the YC B2B's wait? The YC lounge in the terminal? Our September cruise is a B2B. We've done a couple of B2B's on RC, and it's been a while so I don't remember everything about it. I do remember the entire process didn't take too long. 

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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We have a different butler. Glen left 2 weeks ago after his contract was up. They said his next contract will be on the Euribia. What was unique about Glen was his background was as a butler at a 5 star hotel in Bali. We have a new Yacht Club Director Taylan Tanadalan. checked out the YC entrance door on deck 19 and gave it the push test from inside the YC and it did not push open. Will go back later and try to enter from outside.

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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Just now, jules815 said:

Is that were the YC B2B's wait? The YC lounge in the terminal? Our September cruise is a B2B. We've done a couple of B2B's on RC, and it's been a while so I don't remember everything about it. I do remember the entire process didn't take too long. 

No. The B2Bs generally wait in some lounge or theatre and those in the YC wait in the Top Sail Lounge at 10 am and wait till the 'zeros' are 'rustled' up and off. Then they are herded down to CBP Customs and Border Protection to go through facial recognition after the 'zeros' casually pick their luggage up and do it first.

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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48 minutes ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Interloper check!!

Yes. Love this muster drill. Watch video in comfort of ones cabin, dial #881 on cabin phone to receive our acknowledgement  of watching video go down at 4:15 to muster station and have our cards swiped by pink ball cap staff at muster station and claw our way back up to deck 16 as the elevator overrides are still not working. If an elevator should open and it looks empty quickly view inside and saw it was going to deck 10 so we hopped on (half way up to 16 is better than waiting). Got off and tried again key card override and got the default deck 19, hopped on and took the opportunity to give this YC entrance the key card test to get from outside into the YC enclave. It is fixed ! Should be a better 'interloper' free cruise.

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morpheusofthesea "Live from...." Rare

morpheusofthesea

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Took these photos while standing in front of the YC white tents of the guarded entrance to Terminal C Port of Miami. Today they parked 3 vehicles blocking the entrance with the remaining 2 lanes on the left with the guard only allowing taxis, buses and delivery trucks. So instead of trying to cut across we drove further to Terminal B and came back down and slipped past the guard like the white pick-up with the blue stripe on the drivers door.

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