A Brit’s eye view on Seascape YC - 6th - 22nd June

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, Corriegr said:

The guys in YC are just so amazing in many cases so far way from home away from their own families for months on end just wanting to make everyone's vacation/holiday just so special...and sometimes they will never know how important that is.. Two year's ago we experienced the nightmare no parents should ever face when our 28 year old son decided everything was too much for him. So on a serious note far from from the pampering, these trips are both a chance for us to heal as much as we can and an opportunity to experience places and things our son never will.  So I just say a big big thank you to all those guys that are doing these jobs day in day out making us have the time of our lives never knowing fully how much you are helping us.

Your outlook and appreciation for all things big and small is a true inspiration.   One never truly knows what others face each day and I am reminded of this in your remarks about your dear son as well as the perfect strangers you encountered on your vacation who felt like family by the end.  Your recounting of the YC personnel is, as you say, a reflection of strong leadership but also a reflection of the caring, family atmosphere that must exist behind the scenes in order for kindness and joy to spread outwardly to the YC guests.  I have been on cruises in the past, though only a few, where the crew we encountered seemed stressed, overworked, or generally unhappy.  Again, a reflection of leadership, IMO...

 

Thank you for the detailed review!  I am excited more now than before about our upcoming Seascape cruise.  And I might add, just a tad jealous of the fact that you were able to meet the legendary @morpheusofthesea and his lovely wife!

[DaKahuna]

2 hours ago, MonsterJoe said:

I quite enjoyed the YC interior suite...precisely for its absolute darkness.  The wife has assured me, however, that we will never not have a balcony ever again.

 

 I was told that before we took our first cruise. 

 I was also told Retreat only on Celebrity.

 Grand suite or higher on Oasis and Edge Class Royal Caribbean 

 and now YC only for MSC, with a balcony of course. 

 

 I can live with all those decisions. 

[MonsterJoe]

1 minute ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I was told that before we took our first cruise. 

 I was also told Retreat only on Celebrity.

 Grand suite or higher on Oasis and Edge Class Royal Caribbean 

 and now YC only for MSC, with a balcony of course. 

 

 I can live with all those decisions. 

That's a fair point!

[Bgwest]

3 hours ago, Corriegr said:

Part 3

 

YC Perks

Beyond the actual facilities there are the YC perks to consider. Other than the butler service which I will talk about towards the end, there are those little added extras that make YC so special from the moment you are whisked aboard to the final adieu, you are always at the head of the queues. I know some on here have felt a little intimidated by this, but to be honest my attitude is I've paid for it therefore I deserve it. Yes you do get the odd negative comment from those in steer.. oops outside YC, but most people just take the fatalistic attitude of "oh its Yacht Club". The only time this didn't work so well was getting back on the ship at Cayman by tender whereby you firstly had to fight through two checkpoints just to get into the port area and then the YC rep took you so far up the queue until you were on the jetty. Once back onboard our good ship, normal service was resumed though as we are able to bypass any security queues and then use our YC wristbands to boss it by commandeering a lift (or elevator as my good friends across the pond would say) back to paradise on the 16th floor.

 

Nightime treats were also always looked forward to whether it was delicious mini lemon meringue tarts and  chocolates or no so edible but much desired branded lanyards and baseball caps. On this occasion I also regaled myself of using the 4 items pressing option with previously travel wrinkled shirts and linen suit returned in pristine condition.

 

Beyond the YC.....

As much as it may surprise one in their cossetted world inside the YC there is another land inhabited by distant kinsfolk and if one was very cautious, you could visit this other land if great care was taken.

 

As previously mentioned DW enjoyed her evening ventures to the area dedicated to the god of Mammon...the casino and then spending on her ill gotten gains on treasures with exotic fragrances and trinkets made with gold and diamonds. 
 

Ahem...As we were also Diamond members we did try the tasting menu at Butchers & Co as our  complimentary dining option and whilst it was a nice meal it was underwhelming compared to the fare in the YC restaurant, particularly with regards to my fav the shrimp cocktail which looked stunning on a bed of ice but flattered to deceive being all sparkle no substance compared the the rich flavoursome offering in YC.

 

Again the ship's layout is very different from the Virtuosa and belies it reputation as a party ship, as on the Virtuosa the main thoroughfare becomes party central at night and anyone wanting to negotiate the ship is caught in an epic journey threading through a massed drunken throng. Seascape seems much more laid back with lots of different venues and seating always available. Something we couldn't do  on the Virtuosa, due to this overcrowding in public areas, was being able to visit small bars and enjoy the entertainment especially the jazz quartet in the Loft Cafe, a delight we discovered late in the cruise.

 

People

What really sets Seascape YC apart though is the people that look after you in the YC, who just go that extra mile to make your time aboard so very very special. There is a smile in every corner to brighten your day and nothing is too much.

 

For all my joking we are pretty self reliant and never make much use of the butlers and this again was true on this trip but Putra our butler was always there checking in to see if everything was ok, In fact it became a bit of a running joke with us and anyone else from UK of a certain age may remember a children's TV show call Mr Benn which always had the line "as if by magic the shopkeeper appeared" and it was a bit like this with Putra. On the last night though we did make use when DW found out that the beachbag we had bought at beginning of trip from the logo shop has a small, and so she left a note on our bed asking if it could be replaced. To be honest I thought it was a bit cheeky and it was quite late so I thought nothing would happen but lo and behold late when we returned to do our final pack there as was lovely new bag to pack.  

 

Last but by no means least there is the legend that was our Cruise Director Mustafa, a true colossus of customer service. Where this guy get his enthusiasm and energy from I don't know, but as a service director myself he is a true inspiration. He must check on everyone and everything multiple times a day to just make everything is right no matter the tiniest detail, leading by example and imbibing the whole team with a service ethic and pride that Seascape has been top of the YC satisfaction rankings for two months in a row.

 

The guys in YC are just so amazing in many cases so far way from home away from their own families for months on end just wanting to make everyone's vacation/holiday just so special...and sometimes they will never know how important that is.. Two year's ago we experienced the nightmare no parents should ever face when our 28 year old son decided everything was too much for him. So on a serious note far from from the pampering, these trips are both a chance for us to heal as much as we can and an opportunity to experience places and things our son never will.  So I just say a big big thank you to all those guys that are doing these jobs day in day out making us have the time of our lives never knowing fully how much you are helping us.

 

Finally a big thank you to the legend that is @morpheusofthesea for encouraging me to drop a few lines on our trip and was so great to meet you and your lovely wife onboard on this trip.

 

Anyway I hope people have enjoyed this and please AMA if there's is anything you would like to know especially around the infamous inside cabins... In the meantime I  hope to do few more of these as we have trips planned into 2026.

 

As a great man from the great seafaring city of Liverpool one said " Life is what happens to you whilst you're busy making other plans"

 

 

 

Thank you for your detailed review. Clearly, you invested a great deal of time in this effort and I want to add my appreciation for devoting all of the time you did to create such thoughtful and interesting commentary. 

Wife and I are so very, very sorry for your heartbreaking loss. I hardly have the words to express our sympathy. 

You have identified two true legends both here on CC and on the ship. We too have experienced the genius of Mustafa. He seems to be everywhere at once. On our last cruise, he expertly solved what we believed was going to be an insurmountable problem. Not for Mustafa. We will be on the Seascape later this year and hope that he is still there. Of course, without @morpheusofthesea and his ongoing sterling insights we would all be the poorer. 

Thanks again!!!

 

 

[MonsterJoe]

6 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

. We will be on the Seascape later this year and hope that he is still there.

Today I read a thread from a while ago where someone reported that he will be on until September.

If that is the case, I am thankful, as we sail on 8/17 - and a few of you have made the prospect of a Mustafa experience very enticing!

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3002374-seascape-yc-our-thoughts-so-far/?do=findComment&comment=67236499

Edited June 25 by MonsterJoe

[lgdesign]

And I am so sad to know I will miss the amazing Mustafa in November on our B2B.  😪

 

Thanks to the OP for a wonderful, informative and funny review!

Edited June 25 by lgdesign

[morpheusofthesea]

6 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

And I might add, just a tad jealous of the fact that you were able to meet the legendary @morpheusofthesea and his lovely wife!

"It is my peculiar happiness that I scarcely ever found a stranger whom I did not leave a friend; likewise I must add that I had not a friend long without them obliging (me) to become a stranger." Dr. Samuel Johnson

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Of course, without @morpheusofthesea and his ongoing sterling insights we would all be the poorer

Why is it I feel I am just one comment away from being banned?

[Bgwest]

2 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Why is it I feel I am just one comment away from being banned?

Why is that?

[Corriegr]

9 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Why is it I feel I am just one comment away from being banned?

Never!

[Corriegr]

4 hours ago, MonsterJoe said:

Today I read a thread from a while ago where someone reported that he will be on until September.

If that is the case, I am thankful, as we sail on 8/17 - and a few of you have made the prospect of a Mustafa experience very enticing!

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3002374-seascape-yc-our-thoughts-so-far/?do=findComment&comment=67236499

From talking to some of the guys on board there will be a big staff change around in September 

[morpheusofthesea]

14 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

Why is that?

A couple of the synonyms I used for steerage, when I run into ill mannered cruisers, soiled plates in the corridors, bare feet on the upholstery, or question how a guest on Explora Journeys was able to upgrade to the Owners Suite at no cost. His answer was "because he is nice people." What? The rest of us are not nice people? Use of the word 'officious'. These are just a few that stick in my craw.

Edited June 25 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

11 minutes ago, Corriegr said:

Never!

It is not the first time.

[Bgwest]

41 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

A couple of the synonyms I used for steerage, when I run into ill mannered cruisers, soiled plates in the corridors, bare feet on the upholstery, or question how a guest on Explora Journeys was able to upgrade to the Owners Suite at no cost. His answer was "because he is nice people." What? The rest of us are not nice people? Use of the word 'officious'. These are just a few that stick in my craw.

I stand by my “sterling insights” observation. 

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, Corriegr said:

From talking to some of the guys on board there will be a big staff change around in September 

 

 I hope it goes smoothly as from what I hear will be happening around the time we board for our B2B.