Access to the Solarium

[kids-in-2-centuries]

I was on the Divina recently sitting in the aft pool and talking to the pool attendant.  He informed me that I could use the Top Solarium if I wanted.  I was surprised so I asked him if he was sure, and he pointed to my gold card and said that was all I needed.  I used the solarium several times after that, and they would check my card and let me in without issue.

I was not aware that Gold card holders had access to the Top Solarium area, and it is not listed as a "perk" on the Voyagers Club level descriptions.  I was not Aurea and did not have any sort of Wellness package.

I have an upcoming cruise on the Seascape and I am wondering if they will let me use the Solarium area, or if that gold card access was only on the Divina.  Can anyone tell me if the Top Solarium area is a gold card perk?

[sidari]

The Aurea sundeck is for those guests, having Gold level in the Voyagers club does not give you access to it nor does any other level. Yacht club guests are allowed there.

Edited February 20, 2023 by sidari

[kids-in-2-centuries]

5 minutes ago, sidari said:

The Aurea sundeck is for those guests, having Gold level in the Voyagers club does not give you access to it nor does any other level. Yacht club guests are allowed there.

Why do you suppose they let me use it on the Divina? I was solo, and the people I hung around with were all gold and black and also allowed up there. I never tried to go up there on other ships because I didn’t think it had anything to do with Voyager level. 

[sidari]

40 minutes ago, kids-in-2-centuries said:

Why do you suppose they let me use it on the Divina? I was solo, and the people I hung around with were all gold and black and also allowed up there. I never tried to go up there on other ships because I didn’t think it had anything to do with Voyager level. 

Cannot understand why they would either, had a supervisor found out that staff had done that I am sure they would have been off the ship at the next port.

[JT1962]

1 hour ago, kids-in-2-centuries said:

Why do you suppose they let me use it on the Divina? I was solo, and the people I hung around with were all gold and black and also allowed up there. I never tried to go up there on other ships because I didn’t think it had anything to do with Voyager level. 

It may have to do with the number of people on the ship, or at least in the Aurea cabins. I was on B2B cruises on Divina in October and went to the Aurea sun deck several times during the first 7 days. I had no idea it was a special deck. I never saw any signs or anyone checking. There were only a few people up there anytime I was there. The following 12 night cruise had more passengers. When I went to go to the sun deck, there was a rope across the stairway and a sign that said “Aurea Guests Only.”

[elmsliebev]

Is there a part of the Solarium that us poor Bella level folk can use (on Virtuosa). We have the alcohol free drinks package and I've been told ice cream is available any time in the Solarium as part of that package. Thanks. 

[Tierun]

My guess is that it has to with Gold VC getting the hour of thermal access. Which basically ties into Aurea 

[Markanddonna]

17 hours ago, kids-in-2-centuries said:

I was on the Divina recently sitting in the aft pool and talking to the pool attendant.  He informed me that I could use the Top Solarium if I wanted.  I was surprised so I asked him if he was sure, and he pointed to my gold card and said that was all I needed.  I used the solarium several times after that, and they would check my card and let me in without issue.

I was not aware that Gold card holders had access to the Top Solarium area, and it is not listed as a "perk" on the Voyagers Club level descriptions.  I was not Aurea and did not have any sort of Wellness package.

I have an upcoming cruise on the Seascape and I am wondering if they will let me use the Solarium area, or if that gold card access was only on the Divina.  Can anyone tell me if the Top Solarium area is a gold card perk?

Could it have been related to the overcrowding situation seen recently on the Divina?  Something really weird is going on with the Divina. I just read the most recent review and it was even worse than ours from Jan 27- Feb 6. We noted the pool attendant in the aft pool enforcing the chair hog situation. I was there at 7 AM one morning, and he confronted a man who was trying to "reserve" five loungers. There was a verbal argument and the attendant won the day. This attendant did the same to anyone who dared to monopolize chairs with their towel and no person.

[CruisingFox27]

On 2/21/2023 at 11:05 AM, elmsliebev said:

Is there a part of the Solarium that us poor Bella level folk can use (on Virtuosa). We have the alcohol free drinks package and I've been told ice cream is available any time in the Solarium as part of that package. Thanks. 

The Aurea sun deck/solarium is for Aurea guests, aside from the currently discussed anomaly. The ice cream is available at the pool deck. The pool decks are available to all experience levels. 

 

We've only ever seen non Aurea passengers on an Aurea sun deck if it's not busy and they've opened it as a chargeable visit, for the day or the afternoon. 

Edited February 22, 2023 by CruisingFox27

[elmsliebev]

1 hour ago, CruisingFox27 said:

The Aurea sun deck/solarium is for Aurea guests, aside from the currently discussed anomaly. The ice cream is available at the pool deck. The pool decks are available to all experience levels. 

 

We've only ever seen non Aurea passengers on an Aurea sun deck if it's not busy and they've opened it as a chargeable visit, for the day or the afternoon. 

many thanks. As long as I get my ice cream I'm happy. Even in March in the North Sea/English Channel!

[jkhneuber]

Containers are not complaining.

 

That’s my thought about MSC. I have a special relationship to them because it was my first cruise. Before that, I thought cruises are only for old people, now I’ve booked my 19th and 20th cruise since 2011.

 

One thing I learned already on my first cruise with MSC: it’s useless to complain. Take it or leave it. So I’m still booking cruises with them on a cheap basis (now 7 cruises), but they are not always cheap. But I’ve always a few things in mind:

 

- Food is like a cantina (my companies cantina is better)
- Too much people on the cruise with declining room (especially pool deck of newer ships)
- Officers have there nose in the air. Don’t think you’re the customer
- Nickel and diming especial for shuttle
- Take or leave it. No complaining (it hurts only your nerves)
 

I’ts useless to write comments, no one at MSC is interested. But to be fair, I haven’t been to YC, there are good and hard workers especially the waiters, room service, service, just everyone who is not in higher ranks. The ships are special and beautiful. And its cheap in some occasions.

 

But always have in mind. They earn most of their money with containers, not passengers. And they are not complaining.

 

[jkhneuber]

5 hours ago, jkhneuber said:

Containers are not complaining. 

 

 

Sorry wrong topic 🤔

[kids-in-2-centuries]

On 2/21/2023 at 8:41 AM, Markanddonna said:

Could it have been related to the overcrowding situation seen recently on the Divina?  Something really weird is going on with the Divina. I just read the most recent review and it was even worse than ours from Jan 27- Feb 6. We noted the pool attendant in the aft pool enforcing the chair hog situation. I was there at 7 AM one morning, and he confronted a man who was trying to "reserve" five loungers. There was a verbal argument and the attendant won the day. This attendant did the same to anyone who dared to monopolize chairs with their towel and no person.

I was on 1/16/23-1/20/23 and it was not crowded at all; I heard one crew person say we were at 60% capacity.  SO, it seems more likely we were allowed up there because there wasn't as many guests onboard.  They did have an attendant up there checking cards though.  The pool attendant at the Aft pool when I was there was named Abraham and he was on top of it! Didn't let anyone get away with holding chairs, etc.  Even told people that they couldn't have their beverages by the pool.  He was a nice guy and I enjoyed talking to him, and he sort of looked out for me because I was solo.