THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE YACHT CLUB

[travelberlin]

On 3/1/2023 at 8:18 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

Don't know if corporate MSC really knows what is occurring on the ship.

Well I have posted about it on the thread of questions to Mr Vago.

Ivi

[odyssyus]

This whole thread is both amusing, and sad on many levels all at the same time. 

[morpheusofthesea]

43 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

This whole thread is both amusing, and sad on many levels all at the same time. 

Yes. Situational irony.

[LiquidWu]

18 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Dear Host/Monitor, Can I change the title of this post to THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE YACHT CLUB ON SEASCAPE?

Unfortunately, I have to confirm that this has been the case for some time and does not only apply to one ship. I had a similar experience already on the Splendida in August 2022.
The Splendida's YC is similarly small as on the Divana, which is why I noticed it. It didn't affect me personally, which is the only reason I didn't post it here last year.

[jean87510]

13 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 

If we all knew the real break down, we all would be more upset. Ignorance is bliss in this case. Just grin and bear it. I am sure they are all very nice people taking up your paid for vacation spaces. Sorry OP and their friends staying in the YC did not get to have lunch at the seafood extravaganza because it was so crowded. Have read reports of some having 3 or 4 lobster tails. Guess they didn't mind standing in line 3 or 4 times (when its free).

I will only be bothered if they make me notice them (loud speakers blaring music, heavy smokers, or face timing talking loudly on phones).  And sorry, very nice people usually don't interlope.  They try to follow rules.  

[hamrag]

20 hours ago, styles27 said:

....In Europe the ships are constantly loading and unloading passengers at every port…some have correctly called it a “ferry cruise ship”

That doesn’t happen on the cruises that depart from the US. So if you are unlucky as we were in January, and you have a few thousand less than stellar fellow passengers, that means you and the crew are stuck with them for 7-10 days until they get off. 

Also there is a very different passenger demographic on US departures especially from Miami, which negatively impacted us and the crew....

Interesting! Presumably the itineraries from Miami are Caribbean, which we have done now on 3 occasions MSC Yacht Club. It's the Antilles cruises we have sailed and boarding ports are (weekly) in Martinique, Guadeloupe and (fortnightly) Barbados. The cruises are during the winter season i.e. late November through early April.

 

There are relatively few North Americans on those cruises, it is a truly International mix and extremely civilised in the YC enclave. I commend these itineraries to you as an alternative to having 'less than stellar passengers' who board in Miami. 😉 

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I will only be bothered if they make me notice them (loud speakers blaring music, heavy smokers, or face timing talking loudly on phones).  And sorry, very nice people usually don't interlope.  They try to follow rules.  

Yes. Now take a look at this scenario I posted above.

  This group of 12-14, with 2 cabins in the Yacht Club and the rest outside the YC. They are told that only those residing in the YC can dine in the YC. They become indignant, make a 'scene', suggest bias, threaten to go higher up. A full paying YC guest enters the YC restaurant at their dinner time to find their waiters now have to cater to 10 more at the same time and there goes one's hopes of getting to the show on time that evening. AND one gets to the One Pool Deck and there are no more non smoking tables available, and the only lounges available are near this group because everyone else keeps themselves at arm's length. And then there are 10 more in front of the line at the seafood extravaganza. It is on these occasions that the YC Director is nowhere to be found.

Edited March 3, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[Nikita4]

35 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Yes. Now take a look at this scenario I posted above.

  This group of 12-14, with 2 cabins in the Yacht Club and the rest outside the YC. They are told that only those residing in the YC can dine in the YC. They become indignant, make a 'scene', suggest bias, threaten to go higher up. A full paying YC guest enters the YC restaurant at their dinner time to find their waiters now have to cater to 10 more at the same time and there goes one's hopes of getting to the show on time that evening. AND one gets to the One Pool Deck and there are no more non smoking tables available, and the only lounges available are near this group because everyone else keeps themselves at arm's length. And then there are 10 more in front of the line at the seafood extravaganza. It is on these occasions that the YC Director is nowhere to be found.

But this ist not your problem, the YC Director or other senior officers have to solve this. I think that's not often like that, this ist an exception. And the rules are clear only YC can dine and stay in the YC otherwise they have to pay a daily fee for this.

For me the hole threat ist exaggerated. We are cruising a lot in the YC and never have seen a scene like this.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Nikita4 said:

But this ist not your problem

But it is all our problem. You are correct about whose shoulders the solution depends upon. When we, the paying for exclusivity Yacht Clubbers, are inconvenienced by all the added non-paying YC entrants, it becomes our problem. We are not paying to be inconvenienced.

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Yes. Now take a look at this scenario I posted above.

  This group of 12-14, with 2 cabins in the Yacht Club and the rest outside the YC. They are told that only those residing in the YC can dine in the YC. They become indignant, make a 'scene', suggest bias, threaten to go higher up. A full paying YC guest enters the YC restaurant at their dinner time to find their waiters now have to cater to 10 more at the same time and there goes one's hopes of getting to the show on time that evening. AND one gets to the One Pool Deck and there are no more non smoking tables available, and the only lounges available are near this group because everyone else keeps themselves at arm's length. And then there are 10 more in front of the line at the seafood extravaganza. It is on these occasions that the YC Director is nowhere to be found.

Wow.  Only question is Why is this allowed?  And what cojones!!

[morpheusofthesea]

9 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

Wow.  Only question is Why is this allowed?  And what cojones!!

Yes. Inquiring minds want to know.

[JAGR]

On 3/2/2023 at 11:04 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

This thread seems to be 'touching someone's nerve". Did I spell "Champagne" wrong again?

 

Well, you did finally catch on to being correct on that!☺️

[JAGR]

21 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I don't know enough of the who or how family members are allowed.  If they are paying customers, then MSC may allow them a special rate.  If it's an onboard officer whose family is enjoying, then no, I do have an issue.  The Seascape is a big ship.  There can be other venues to be used to reward other than the suite area.  I would understand a port day.  But not a sea day or a gala night.  

In the case of an officer's family, they typically have rooms in the YC area already, so for them it's okay.  On every MSC YC sailing we have been on, we have met family of officers (some who were sailing on duty and some who were on leave or vacation).  I have no problem with that.

Edited March 3, 2023 by JAGR

[Gatordad1967]

Does Isaac the bartender get to go in YC in the off chance he is not tending  bar?
 

[JAGR]

3 minutes ago, Gatordad1967 said:

Does Isaac the bartender get to go in YC in the off chance he is not tending  bar?
 

No, unless he brings Julie!

[jules815]

On 3/1/2023 at 1:33 PM, phissy said:

Perhaps you are thinking of this gentleman…

Is that Robbie? I thought he was from Scotland.

 

[morpheusofthesea]

20 minutes ago, Gatordad1967 said:

Does Isaac the bartender get to go in YC in the off chance he is not tending  bar?
 

Isaac from "Loveboat"?

[Gatordad1967]

18 minutes ago, JAGR said:

No, unless he brings Julie!

she is too busy fending off crude advances

[jules815]

This post has me second guessing whether or not we made the right decision to book a B2B on the Seascape for September. 

 

I had no idea that the remaining One Pool cabanas were first come first serve. (We don't mind paying.). When did that change? 

[morpheusofthesea]

22 minutes ago, Gatordad1967 said:

Does Isaac the bartender get to go in YC in the off chance he is not tending  bar?
 

Funny you bring this up. We asked once of the hostess if she had ever seen the show presented in Le Cabaret Rouge. Her reply was she has never seen that part of the ship. It not so much 'fun and games' on these "loveboats".

[jules815]

On 3/1/2023 at 10:28 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

One time he was even threatened by a guest with physical violence had it not been for a retired Miami police captain coming to his aid.

  Interlopers are only part of the problem. It is the family and friends that put up a fight.

What?! OMG

[morpheusofthesea]

1 minute ago, jules815 said:

This post has me second guessing whether or not we made the right decision to book a B2B on the Seascape for September. 

 

I had no idea that the remaining One Pool cabanas were first come first serve. (We don't mind paying.). When did that change? 

I asked the same question of Eva the head concierge on the Seascape. She said other ships in the MSC fleet allow reserving for a fee. But Seascape is "first come, first served". No reports of any change in this policy. Perhaps someone could report. We plan to be back on board in April 2023 before your trip. Just remind me and I will report.

[odyssyus]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

But it is all our problem. You are correct about whose shoulders the solution depends upon. When we, the paying for exclusivity Yacht Clubbers, are inconvenienced by all the added non-paying YC entrants, it becomes our problem. We are not paying to be inconvenienced.

Perhaps if looking for exclusivity, a better choice may be Seabourne, or maybe Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection, vs the low-cost, mass-market cruise line where you have to rub elbows with the unwashed masses.  

[morpheusofthesea]

6 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

Perhaps if looking for exclusivity, a better choice may be Seabourne, or maybe Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection, vs the low-cost, mass-market cruise line where you have to rub elbows with the unwashed masses.  

They are on my list. Thanks. It is more their attitude. No respect for the venue of the Yacht Club nor its paying guests. Abusive language when told to move from reserved seats, smoking in nonsmoking areas right next to one's lounger.

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, JAGR said:

In the case of an officer's family, they typically have rooms in the YC area already, so for them it's okay.  On every MSC YC sailing we have been on, we have met family of officers (some who were sailing on duty and some who were on leave or vacation).  I have no problem with that.

I agree.  I don't include them obviously because they are paying customers.