Happygcruiser

I once booked the Aurea with Whirlpool and got upgraded for FREE to the YC duplex suite... If you go to a "sunny" itinerary I would go with the Aurea to have a private jakuzzi.

YC amenities are really nice also of course and lovely.

Aurea guests have their own sundeck, reserved for them.

We also got the counter offer for our sailing in Norther Europe. From Aurea to YC Deluxe, the upgrade was 1400 EUR. (Originally we payed 2000 EUR). But we will also be 2 adults, with 2 kids (16,12).

I would do it, if I were you and can afford it.

Last year we were upgraded WITHOUT paying from Aurea Whirlpool suite to the YC Duplex suites... That was amazing!

We will be on the cruise together for 2 days. We disembark after Southampton in Hamburg.

Ususally one gala and one Mediterranean night. 

I never took any drinks on board (as I don't drink alcohol.)

It doesn't sound too good in my opinion either. Too high price.

(I was lucky to be upgraded to YC duplex with Jacuzzi for free. 2 adults+10 and 15 year old kids) For our original cabin we payed 2400 EUR with everything.(Drink packages included.)

On 9/6/2022 at 11:44 PM, Two Wheels Only said:

 

There is another thread where someone was on Virtuosa (Meraviglia Plus class) and was switched to Bellissima (Meraviglia class) but they were also bumped up from Aurea to Yacht Club.

 

The OP of this thread might not get an experience bump up but they won't get bumped down....probably (it's MSC so anything is possible). 

 

Since the OP has so much invested so far, I don't really see a reason to panic. Since the two ships are so similar, I don't really see a reason to cancel. 

Thats me who has been bumped up to Yacht Club. Still feeling lucky.

17 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

They could have given you a YC stateroom without a whirlpool. You actually got a better stateroom than one would expect with your upgrade. 

 

 

The Duplex Suites on the Mera/Mera Plus Class are arguably the best on the ship. When I sailed Meraviglia, I was in the Royal Suite (1 bedroom/1 bath) but I seriously considered the Duplex Suite (1 bedroom/2 bath) for my family of 4. The balcony for either stateroom isn't great but the rest of the stateroom more than makes up for it. 

 

As mentioned above, you get everything "Yacht Club" with the only exception being that you aren't in the actual Yacht Club enclave. It's not a big deal as you can just use your stateroom card or wristband to enter the Yacht Club areas. You still have your Spa access, too. 

 

I'd bet that 100% of people would rather have what you now have on Bellissima vs. what you previously had on Virtuosa. 

I agree with you. I’m more than happy with this upgrade. Especially if it stays like that.

33 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

Yes. Virtuosa has some more cabins than the Bellissima, and possibly they had no other of your same level cabins available now on your sailing date, so they upgraded you, as they are mandated by the European consumer protection acts, if that is the case. Of course, if a same level cabin turns available they will downgrade you for that one. Either way, if that is real your final assignment, you'll exactly receive all the benefits of Yacht Club as if you've originally purchased that. Consider it as one of those rare free upgrades that pop up from quite a while. Cabin location could not be that desirable though, and if an accessible YC cabin is empty that may be the one they'll put you in.

Thank you! I assume that if I booked a suite with jacuzzi, they wouldn’t put me to even a simple YC balcony… at least I hope. 
Anyhow fingers crossed. I am really excited. Especially as I told my wife and kids that this year for saving money I only booked an interior cabin… I want to see their faces! Even more if a butler takes us to our duplex suite…

33 minutes ago, phissy said:

Yes, enjoy your cruise.

. Great upgrade, congrats

Thank you! Let’s hope for the best!

Even if the paid ambience is only Aurea?

So we get all the benefits?

With the changing of ships from Virtuosa to Bellissima for a February mediterranean cruise, today the cabin assignment on the booking switched to the YC Duplex suite on deck 9. Originally I booked the Aurea Whirlpool suite on deck 13. We will be 2 adults and 2 teenagers.

What can we expect in terms of YC perks or amenities? Special boarding? Drink package (we already had Easy package in the promotion)? Butler service? Eating in YC restaurants and being at the YC areas?

It's exciting, though I guess it can change still back to another cabin. (Although I would be disappointed...)

Thank you for your help!

Fantasia between 13-20 February, approx 1100-1200 passengers.

In the casino your location is exactly registered. Either by sitting at the table, or at the slots. 

We were in February on the Grandiosa. We encountered 2 last minute itinerary changes, and also managed to end the cruise in an interesting way, with the activated "COVID measures".

First the order of the ports were changed, then we were not allowed to leave the ship in Naples, so we sailed instead  of a sea-day to Messina also.

We had a test 48 hrs before leaving, and at the  port in Genova. Then one on the ship in Valetta, and an optional PCR test in Palermo (to be able to return home), the PCR costed 80 EUR/person.

During the cruise you HAVE  to wear the wristbands they provide.

Friday night around 23:30 we received a call in our cabin, that one of my family members was indentified as a contact to a"possible COVID" case, and they need to isolate that person. (10 minutes/24hrs close to someone) We can choose whether we join as a family, or let go that person alone. They were not sure what will happen afterwards, so we decided to stick together.

During the night, we had to pack, and we were moved to a closed area of the ship, to another balcony cabin. (We got 2 interconnecting cabins.) We were allowed to use the internet for free, the pay-tv, order room service, and we ordered food from the restaurant. But we couldn't leave our rooms.

We were told that Italian authorities will decide whether we can go home with our car, or they will transport us.

Whatever we ordered they brought to us, by people in full HAZMAT suites...

We noticed, that we left a pair of shoes in the old cabin- we were in a rush to leave- and we asked them to check it for us, but they said that the cabin is locked for 72 hrs... So we left shoeless.

After all for disembarkation we were escorted off the ship as priority, but we had to wear also full HAZMAT suits. Then they brought us to our car with a van. As a nice touch we were given packed lunches, so we didn't need to stop for anything.

And they didn't told me who get "close" to my wife... 🙂 Although I tried...

It was the Grandiosa last February.

We were with kids, and we don’t drink alcohol… And every order came delivered by crew in full HAZMAT suites… so we were moderate.

They check the time. For us the “Exposure time” was 10 minutes in 24 hours.

During quarantine instead of our balcony cabin for 4, we got 2 interconnected balcony cabins. We were allowed to order anything from anywhere, watch pay to for free, got internet packages for all of our devices, and allowed to use the phone in our room for free.

2 hours ago, Explorer525 said:

HappyGCruiser,

How did they contact you to let you know that you were going to be quarantined because of contact tracing?  Did they announce your name on the loudspeaker? Call your cell phone?   Where did they ask you to report to? Did you get a chance to go back to your cabin to get a bag and your medicines, etc.?  

We got a phone call in the cabin at 23:30 in the night. Kids were asleep… they said we can pack, and when we are ready, they will come to help us move. So we packed and in an hour some crew members in full HAZMAT suites came for us, and moved us to the closed part of the ship.

13 hours ago, FrostyJoe said:

oh boy!!!  First of all, hope ya'll had a mild case!!!  But you have photographic evidence that not only do they do take outs, but they do room service too!!!! LOL

 

I see a catch-22 here.  Eat @ MDR, increase exposure to MDR.  Catch covid and finally get the MDR takeouts/room service we're looking for 😄

Thank you! We didn't had COVID at all. They said that according they tracing (with the wristwatches provided), my wife was close to someone for more than 10 minutes over 24 hrs, who was suspected positive. So we had to be quarantined there. (And NO, they didn't told me with whom my wife spent time... 🙂 )

In February we were quarantined on the Grandiosa. We were ordering food from the MDR, from the normal dinner menu. But of course these were extraordinary circumstances.

Came like this:

It was a lanyard for me for GOLD status last week on Seashore... Had to ask from Cruise Consultant.

Also Fruit Basket is forbidden now...

Lots of changes... To the worse...

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

We’re boarding (hopefully 🙄) tomorrow fortnight.  If the question isn’t answered by then, I’ll try and find out. I may even indulge despite not normally one who eats ice cream/gelato.

We are boarding Sunday in Genova!

Valid question. When we would have needed the insurance, we couldn’t have policy number and msc couldn’t provide it…

so no money back…

On 9/29/2021 at 1:57 PM, UniPac said:

 

 #6 dining deals - it is easy to get 20%, sometimes 30% off for specialty dining. Just do the „undecided“ guest. Interested in first, but then undecided… works best with the crew members trying to sell the dining.

Side note: we didn’t enforce this as we have one free dining plus OBC, just learned by walking around the restaurants.

Hello!

can you help me please with “doing the undecided guest”? I would like to take my family to one or two of them. How to get discount?  Thank you!

6 hours ago, CampNCruise74 said:

Now that's a family cruise portrait for the ages!  Frame that puppy and put it on the wall!

 

Did you pass on the extra insurance ?  Was everybody in your party vaccinated, meaning nobody in your party wasunderage?

This was still  in February, pre-vaccination times. I dont think a lot of people was vaccinated at that time.

I payed only the 25EUR insurance.

During the time of isolation our family got 2 interconnected balcony cabins (instead of one), we were allowed to do whatever we wanted... Use the paying movies, satellite phone, order anything... So they were nice. We got calls 3 times a  day from the  kitchen, what we want to eat, etc. We got the MDR menu, and were able to choose from that. also order Pizza or anything.

14 minutes ago, KeepSailing said:

WOW!  If you were just a close contact, did they do follow-up testing to see if you were positive or negative?

They said that my wife was more than 10 minute in the vicinity of someone positive during 24hrs.

and we never heard from them since. 
We even  got hell a lot of food for the road home, so we had salmon for 4days…

10 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

So is that where they refund you if you were quarantined?

We were never refunded… the compulsory COVID insurance was useless… it was only 1,5 days anyhow… and an experience.