Yacht Club vs Explora Journeys

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, travelwide said:

Your threads are never too long. When can we expect the next live from? Happy new years.

Thank you, you are always very nice. March Spring Break. Due to the 'hordes' of the "wider audience" and the many horror stories that occur on most cruise ships at this time, we decided to try Regent Grandeur in a suite and compare it with our favorite MSC Seaships in the Yacht Club. Got home and in spite of our being 'thrown out' of the Journey Lounge before 8pm (show starts at 8:30 and the performers do their practice an hour before showtime) on Explora, we booked a third cruise on Explora. Called our travel agent lo look into a price. She was able to get an unadvertised special discount off our cabin because we just got off the ship (it appears Explora will give some additional days after ones cruise to make a decision to book another cruise equal to having booked on board). P.S. Just like MSC, if one should call in and receive negative information , call back and speak to another more amenable Explora representative.

  One must have a great butler on MSC to navigate the ship especially outside the YC. And Spring Break the demand for their services is extreme.

Edited January 10 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.

[DaKahuna]

On 1/9/2024 at 4:01 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

To finish off this thread, it is getting "long in the tooth" , even for me

 

 There is no such a thing as too long a thread, as long as new information is forthcoming.  

 Thoroughly enjoying this as chances are slim/none that we'll sail Explora.

 

[DaKahuna]

 Dupe deleted.. 

 

Edited January 11 by DaKahuna

[travelwide]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Thank you, you are always very nice. March Spring Break. Due to the 'hordes' of the "wider audience" and the many horror stories that occur on most cruise ships at this time, we decided to try Regent Grandeur in a suite and compare it with our favorite MSC Seaships in the Yacht Club. Got home and in spite of our being 'thrown out' of the Journey Lounge before 8pm (show starts at 8:30 and the performers do their practice an hour before showtime) on Explora, we booked a third cruise on Explora. Called our travel agent lo look into a price. She was able to get an unadvertised special discount off our cabin because we just got off the ship (it appears Explora will give some additional days after ones cruise to make a decision to book another cruise equal to having booked on board). P.S. Just like MSC, if one should call in and receive negative information , call back and speak to another more amenable Explora representative.

  One must have a great butler on MSC to navigate the ship especially outside the YC. And Spring Break the demand for their services is extreme.

 

Was on Regent Mariner, their old ship, on September 28th and felt we had a better experience than on EJ.  I am saddened to say that. We love the YC experience and thought EJ would be a great alternative.

 

Just did NCL new years family cruise. Never again that time of year. 

Where will you be posting Regent live?

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, travelwide said:

Where will you be posting Regent live?

Here. Yacht Club vs Regent Suite Class. When was your Explora cruise. Had friends on November 4th cruise and they will not return. By our cruise everything changed. We found nothing to complain about, just an over bearing, high and mighty, Entertainment Manager (Cruise Director) who threw us out of the Journey Lounge, only to be seen standing around the closed doors and invited back in by a bar waiter inside the JL (I tipped him $5 for the nice gesture).

[morpheusofthesea]

17 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 There is no such a thing as too long a thread, as long as new information is forthcoming.  

 Thoroughly enjoying this as chances are slim/none that we'll sail Explora.

 

Here is new information coming from friends now on MSC cruise. I think it confirms one of my observations. That more big changes are coming to both MSC and Explora. Explora’s great idea of hiring from the hotel industry is backfiring. Heads are about to roll.

[no1talks]

49 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is new information coming from friends now on MSC cruise. I think it confirms one of my observations. That more big changes are coming to both MSC and Explora. Explora’s great idea of hiring from the hotel industry is backfiring. Heads are about to roll.

 

I'm sorry, Morpheus, but you need to extend and revise your comments on this tidbit. 😉

 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

I'm sorry, Morpheus, but you need to extend and revise your comments on this tidbit

Being told Hotel at Sea concept not working out by hiring mostly hotel staff vs tried and true veteran cruise staff. The word "lazy" was used to describe land based workers. That CEO, Sales & Marketing and top department heads are being encouraged to leave or will be asked to leave in the coming months.

 MSC Food & Beverage Corporate are making the rounds  in the weeks to come on the ships they have in the US market. Emphasis on F & B in order to increase their market share taking it away from Carnival, NCL,Royal, Celebrity, Princess and HAL.

  That World of America will be christened the same day as the new terminal in Miami maybe 4/12/25 ? MSC contracted for World Africa, World Asia and maybe a 2nd World America.  This is all courtesy of friends bending the ear of a top hotel director at the OnePool buffet.

P.S. Explora has opened up last month hiring from MSC positions.

Edited January 11 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.

[Jorhammer]

When I was on our trip in December I was shown the ship build schedule for MSC…. No more Seaships being built, about 3-4 World class left to build. Explora class with 1 ship delivered each year. About 5-6 left to build. The intriguing one was the new Wind powered class coming out in 4-5 years. It showed about 4 of those.

[kelleherdl]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

  That World of America will be christened the same day as the new terminal in Miami maybe 4/12/25 ?

We’re on that inaugural World America sailing 4/12/25.  I hope we get treated a little more thoughtfully than the Explora 1 naming in New York.

 

[morpheusofthesea]

37 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

We’re on that inaugural World America sailing 4/12/25.  I hope we get treated a little more thoughtfully than the Explora 1 naming in New York.

 

We try never to book the first three months from the inaugural. Your post just made me look to see when our first cruise W of A will be and I'm kicking myself....it is a week after yours. We booked 5 on board  Seascape (in the heat of the moment).  These first cruises never go well.  Will be reading closely your impressions.

[no1talks]

30 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"We booked 5 on board  Seascape (in the heat of the moment)."

Enjoy Seascape while it still sails from Florida. According to the Galveston post on this MSC board, that ship is going to Texas.

[no1talks]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"The word "lazy" was used to describe land based workers."

In fairness, most any land-based food/beverage/hospitality worker would be very much challenged to maintain the on-duty pace of cruise ship staff.

 

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"That CEO, Sales & Marketing and top department heads are being encouraged to leave or will be asked to leave in the coming months."

If this is the case, I'll be surprised if word of the shake-up doesn't leak into the cruise blogs.

 

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"MSC Food & Beverage Corporate are making the rounds  in the weeks to come on the ships they have in the US market. Emphasis on F & B in order to increase their market share taking it away from Carnival, NCL,Royal, Celebrity, Princess and HAL."

While none of the mentioned lines are luxury brands, they represent a significant span in both hard and soft cruise product. (I hope you will permit me the appropriation of airline jargon.) MSC cannot possibly steal the lunch money from that much of the cruise spectrum unless they further subdivide the MSC cruise brand. They might find their reach exceeds their grasp. (Apologies to Robert Browning.)

 

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

P.S. Explora has opened up last month hiring from MSC positions.

All well-and-fine for Explora(ers), but I shall be very put out to find our 2024 cruise depleted of skilled service staff for EJ's sake.
 

[morpheusofthesea]

On 1/10/2024 at 7:35 PM, DaKahuna said:

as chances are slim/none that we'll sail Explora.

Took a look comparing the new MSC World of America in the Yacht Club YC1 with Explora GT. The YC 1 cabin is 269sq ft /54 sq ft balcony for a 7 day Miami to Miami cruise $3,159 pp and the GT 301sq/ 118sf balcony for $3,075. Presently Explora is offering 25% off and $400 OBC on top of this.

[travelwide]

On 1/11/2024 at 5:38 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

Here. Yacht Club vs Regent Suite Class. When was your Explora cruise. Had friends on November 4th cruise and they will not return. By our cruise everything changed. We found nothing to complain about, just an over bearing, high and mighty, Entertainment Manager (Cruise Director) who threw us out of the Journey Lounge, only to be seen standing around the closed doors and invited back in by a bar waiter inside the JL (I tipped him $5 for the nice gesture).

December 13 -22. I hope they are learning from prior cruises and making adjustments. I did not pay for a shakedown cruise.

Will wait for future feedback before booking again.

Was the CD/EM  a female Barbie from Cape Town?

[morpheusofthesea]

1 minute ago, travelwide said:

Was the CD/EM  a female Barbie from Cape Town?

Yes. She'd make a good prison guard.

[morpheusofthesea]

25 minutes ago, travelwide said:

December 13 -22. I hope they are learning from prior cruises and making adjustments. I did not pay for a shakedown cruise.

 By the last days of our cruise, they even started offering Acqua Panna still mineral water at the Emporium and Fil Rouge instead of their 'sustainable distilled water'. We are not paying for sustainable if it means a downgrade. Mineral water is better for the body than distilled water. "Though distilled water is safe, the purification also removes vitamins and minerals. This causes it to lose its long-term hydrating ability." Brought up the fact we were afraid to go on this "journey" due to all the negative reports to the Captain at dinner and said how pleasantly surprised not to find one thing wrong with our "journey". This sentiment was echoed by the repeaters from the inaugural "journey". Heard reports that CEO and marketing and sales team are all being asked to leave in the coming months because their 'Hotel' idea is not working with "lazy" hotel industry hires.

P.S. They opened up hiring direct from MSC.

Edited January 13 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.

[morpheusofthesea]

We found the entertainment in the Journey Lounge to be non-stop (15 minute break between sets) from 8:30pm for 14 days from Christmas to New Years. Best New Years party ever. People here drink but do not get drunk. Booked another on board. Was so afraid with all the negative reports prior to sailing. NONE were found, even got Acqua Panna liter bottles of mineral water in cabin every day. By end of cruise they were offering AP mineral water in the Emporium and Fil Rouge. Did not need a butler like one needs in Yacht Club, but butler intimates that he is a "genie" that can get anything one desires (extra reservations even when booked solid). Highly recommend this cruise line. Prices are comparable, even better than Yacht Club for comparable YC1 vs GT with a 25% discount promotion for sailings in 2025 vs World of America. No self service Emporium, no lines, super fast service. Still saw no one using the hand washing stations entering the Emporium. When seen washing our hands we were told 90% do not. That one time there was a problem and the ship was forced to make guests wash before entering or turned away from entering.

[Waltershipman]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We found the entertainment in the Journey Lounge to be non-stop (15 minute break between sets) from 8:30pm for 14 days from Christmas to New Years. Best New Years party ever. People here drink but do not get drunk. Booked another on board. Was so afraid with all the negative reports prior to sailing. NONE were found, even got Acqua Panna liter bottles of mineral water in cabin every day. By end of cruise they were offering AP mineral water in the Emporium and Fil Rouge. Did not need a butler like one needs in Yacht Club, but butler intimates that he is a "genie" that can get anything one desires (extra reservations even when booked solid). Highly recommend this cruise line. Prices are comparable, even better than Yacht Club for comparable YC1 vs GT with a 25% discount promotion for sailings in 2025 vs World of America. No self service Emporium, no lines, super fast service. Still saw no one using the hand washing stations entering the Emporium. When seen washing our hands we were told 90% do not. That one time there was a problem and the ship was forced to make guests wash before entering or turned away from entering.

Fantastic ship extraordinary food. We just ate last week at the 2023 best new restaurant in America and the food and service on EJ were better in every instance and venue

 

Enjoy

[no1talks]

10 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Took a look comparing the new MSC World of America in the Yacht Club YC1 with Explora GT. The YC 1 cabin is 269sq ft /54 sq ft balcony for a 7 day Miami to Miami cruise $3,159 pp and the GT 301sq/ 118sf balcony for $3,075. Presently Explora is offering 25% off and $400 OBC on top of this.

I investigated the EJ website.

EJ's current sales promotion, the Total Luxury Offer, shows only one Miami-based, closed-loop itinerary of 7-day duration and it will be on Explora I. I'm guessing your example uses the cheaper of the two listed dates, Jan. 7th, 2025. If you have based your example on a cruise date not listed on the website, please advise.



However, when I created a trial reservation of a Grand Terrace suite, the category you mentioned, the price was $3185 per person, dbl occ. Furthermore, there are multiple limitations on the $400 "Journey Experience Credit."  

The JEC is applied against charges appearing on the guests’ folio during the booked journey and it has no redeemable cash value if unused.  The JEC is not applicable towards purchases made in the luxury mono-brand shops (Rolex, Cartier, Piaget, Panerai), as casino credits or advances, cash withdrawals, gratuities, donations to the MSC Foundation, and donations to the Host lifestyle fund.  The JEC full amount must be used by 18:00 on the final night of the journey and any portion remaining will be forfeited. Additional terms and conditions may apply.

MSC lets me get cash for my OBC via the casino and I can put that money in tip envelopes. 

Turning our attention to MSC World America, the MSC website has no cruises of the same month or itinerary as the aforementioned Explora Miami-to-Miami. That alone makes the comparison an unfair one, since itinerary and time-of-year figure heavily in cruise pricing.

Nonetheless, if one selects the lowest price 7-day World America itinerary, sailing on Oct. 11th, 2025, the YC price is listed as $3249 per person after fees and such are added. A great many cruisers who are not already in Florida would probably prefer an October cruise, rather than risk a January blizzard messing up their trip to Miami before the Explora cruise even begins.

Finally, it should be noted the above World America price doesn't take into account the Voyagers Club discount. As you know, this is available to anyone who has been on an MSC cruise in the last few years and bothered to register with the program, or someone who gets a status transfer from another loyalty program accepted by MSC. In that case, the cruise would be $2945.87 per person for two in the cabin. Better still, savvy cruisers can book MSC YC through a "preferred" TA and recoup 10% or so, as a rebate or OBC.

Just sayin' 😉.

Edited January 14 by no1talks

[morpheusofthesea]

7 hours ago, no1talks said:

Better still, savvy cruisers can book MSC YC through a "preferred" TA and recoup 10% or so, as a rebate or OBC

A couple of split hairs ("making unnecessary distinctions between things when the differences between them are so small they are not important.) They have a casino on Explora as well to try getting a cash out?  DW had $1000 in OBC and still purchased enough in logo merchandise and perfume to exceed this limit. This is not including $2800 from travel agent. The amount one 'saves' not having a butler in tips $250 - $400 ? So the comparison is within a ballpark and how much would you place on having your space ratio increased?(And for us the no self serve Emporium alone is worth several hundred dollars in value). We are priced out of the Residence category jumping from $30,000 to $60,000 for a Serenity vs the RS/ OS on W of A.The bargains are in the Ocean Terraces.

[Beamafar]

On 12/29/2023 at 4:52 PM, no1talks said:

 

Mauritius must be a great place for sourcing butlers, because Renuka is from there as well. She took excellent care of us back in March. (I seem to remember you mentioning her as your butler on a prior cruise.)

 

MSC has an itinerary out of South Africa that stops at Mauritius. It's on our short list, once we switch to flying for a cruise.

With the trouble in the Red Sea, it may be some time before that comes about.  Did the repo from Venice to Durban a few years ago - amazing itinerary. 

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

"With the trouble in the Red Sea, it may be some time before that comes about."

At this time, Splendida is handling short cruises along South Africa and Mozambique. It is slated to return to the Mediterranean in April, via the Red Sea.

Also in April, Musica is scheduled to return to the Mediterranean from South America. In early November, she leaves Europe for South Africa, via the Red Sea. Then, it's the usual short African cruises, except for a single, 12-day, closed loop cruise, late this December. It includes three days and two nights in Mauritius.

As near as I can tell, this itinerary is a once-a-year thing. The question is whether MSC will leave Splendida in Africa to cover Musica's latter assignment, conduct the needed repositioning cruises along Africa's west coast, or just ditch South Africa and vicinity until ships can be repositioned from the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal without added worry. 

[Beamafar]

I imagine those sailings are currently under review while the ongoing situation is being assessed. 

[perakcruiser]

On 1/11/2024 at 10:01 PM, Jorhammer said:

When I was on our trip in December I was shown the ship build schedule for MSC…. No more Seaships being built, about 3-4 World class left to build. Explora class with 1 ship delivered each year. About 5-6 left to build. The intriguing one was the new Wind powered class coming out in 4-5 years. It showed about 4 of those.

Meanwhile I am not excited about all the new ships from MSC to much. I just hope that the grand old ladies like Armonia and Musica will continue to sail forever.

 

Good thing, MSC is usually keeping it in the family and not hiring these consultants that tell them "oh, the ARPU or whatever number of this old shop is not so good, you better sell it or scrap".

Edited January 30 by perakcruiser