I have looked at MSC cruises, Yacht Club in particular, and it does look like a pretty good deal. Some of the comments on CruiseCritic complain about crowding, food, and long waits, but I'll admit one can find similar complaints about Royal as well. We are, however, moving closer to Pinnacle, which is arguably one of the better top tier levels in the industry, so it seems more sensible for us to book Royal over others.
Joeyancho, could I trouble you for a few more details on that $3100 price you quoted? Did you book a Yacht Club cabin? May I ask how you were able to get all those perks for that price (premium drink package, private lounge, private pool, private dining room with upgraded offerings, unlimited access to thermal spa, 24 hr concierge, personal butler, etc.)?
$9K for 9 days in a Grand Suite is not a crazy price, considering what is included. I was only making the point in my original post that the discounts were not applied. But even had they applied them, the price would not have been reduced by that much. That price is generally competitive with other similar suites on mass market ships. As everybody on these Boards knows, pricing depends on length, time of year, cabin size, etc.
Again, I appreciate all your replies. Thank you for taking the time.