Best Cat Mom

Welcome home, Morph. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Next one is your Explorer "journey,"  yes?  Will you be writing about that here or on the EJ board?

12 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Tonight being Thanksgiving dinner ought to be eventful, showtime for this group is 6pm

MSC now has Dinner Theatre? Tell us what you think of this new offering. 😉

25 minutes ago, go.without.you said:

There isn't a sommelier on this ship

That is quite disappointing. We usually will ask for a particular grape that we prefer (based on food ordered). Try asking for a grape that is not so common. A shiraz/syrah to go with a burger or a fume blanc to go with seafood and see if that gets you some better choices than Mondavi. At least your server will realize that they have to up their wine game for you. 🙂

22 minutes ago, New2Cruise76 said:

TA is giving ~10% in OBC, they're just also charging me ~10% more

Have you asked the TA why their price is higher? They might not be quoting the exact same thing as you are choosing in the MSC website. The differences may or may not matter, but you should be aware of them.

Apoarently, Iancu is the current YC Director and Raul is the YC Restaurant maitre d. Hope this helps!

We use a TA because we get anywhere from 10% to 20% of the cruise price in OBC from our TA. For YC, this can be $1K or more, depending on the length of our cruise.

@morpheusofthesea Wishing you a wonderful week on the ocean. We've found so many variables in the behavior of kids in YC and hope that you discover only the best behaved ones have joined you. 🙂

Current YC Director on Seascape is Taylan Tanadalan.

Current YC Director on Euribia is Murat Göksel Şengul.

If anyone knows when they are leaving, please tell us. 🙂

1 hour ago, tomthefool said:

Normally we bring safe snacks just in case but at this point, we’ll need an additional suitcase to get home.

I still have one more bag of GF cookies to finish from our September cruise. 🙂

8 hours ago, burdcats said:

We have not needed the snacks we brought with us for the Celiac people in our group. They have been lavishing us with muffins, cookies and treats.

I am so glad that you're having a similar experience to me. 🙂

We are big fans of their risotto - gluten free and yummy. Did you try the Steamed Octopus Carpaccio? Another winner -- and gluten free.

9 hours ago, burdcats said:

We got gluten free chocolate and desserts for fun that we will pack since I’ve read you can’t get them on board besides a cake.

I am highly gluten sensitive and have always been very pleased with the dessert offerings in YC. Full disclosure: I hardly ever order a traditional dessert and usually follow the Italian tradition of a cheese plate whether at home or on holiday. There are other dessert choices on the menu that contain no gluten, such as a flourless torte or a crème brûlée. The staff will tell you which are safe for you or can be altered to be safe for you. And don't be shy about asking for those same gluten free desserts with subsequent YC meals. I'm happy to say that I've never been glutened by a dessert in MSC YC. Enjoy! 🙂

We had water and (Delta) snacks in our carry on luggage. As we put our items on the security conveyor belt, I took them out -- like I'd do for any TSA screening. Security told me that there was no problem with the items, and they allowed us to bring them on board. I put my Miss Vickie's potato chips in the safe just in case, and had them one afternoon on our balcony. 🙂

We've always had it in our turndown service in YC. Also had a bunch of it for special occasions when our butlers decorated our rooms in the evening.

Here's an example from real life: we went to dinner at Morton's The Steakhouse last night. Our bill was just over $450 for our dinner. We go there every 3 or 4 weeks, not that often. If we regularly saw anyone wearing a tank top and flip flops, we would not be dining there again. We expect the same in MSC YC.

6 minutes ago, Seadweller001 said:

I didnt imply that.  We are talking about inviting a fellow passenger to lunch or dinner in the YC and I think it could be allowed in her situation.  I will infact inquire when we are all together in Dec in the YC.  She is 90 years old and would NEVER have a guest in her room.

Good luck to her. It's become less and less likely to invite guests to YC, with a paynent or not. And so sorry to hear that she would not have a guest in her room. I hope that we all would have the potential for guests for our entire lives. 😉

I don't think she could add a passenger to her cabin after she paid and boarded.

If she met the other human in an airplane lounge, she could not bring them to the front of the plane (just saying what would happen in that scenario as a comparison)... 

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

I genuinely cannot understand how what other people are wearing can put people off their food. Why does it matter?

It only matters when we're trying to have a special occasion together. Kinda like expecting a heightened experience and winding up in an Italian cafeteria-type experience. The two are totally different scenarios and we're picking the one we want. Don't get me wrong, the Italian cafeteria choice has its place, but it's usually not YC.

45 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

There's no guarantee that you won't see people wearing shorts in the Yacht Club for dinner.

And I know -- but the cargo shorts with a wallet on a chain are at least less likely. And we've been lucky so far,  versus what we experienced on NCL

44 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

NCL's dress code allows shorts and t-shirts in most specialty restaurants.

I know 😞

8 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I walked out of the MDR behind a family of three. The dad was wearing cargo shorts, flip flops, and a polo shirt.

When we sailed our first time in 2006, this is exactly what turned us off cruising. We waited 10 years to try again on NCL in their Owner's Suites and still saw people in cargo shorts with wallets on chains in the specialty restaurants. Once we found MSC YC, we knew we were in a different place. Just like our land holidays in Italy, people in YC dress to "dine" and we love it! 🙂

I am extremely gluten sensitive and YC has always accommodated me very graciously. When they have an entrée that is not GF, they have adjusted it for me. The pistachio-crusted lamb chops were always an easy change. They would review the entire menu with me as to what they could adjust and what might be already prepped and not able to change. No more having to order the day before and off a separate menu. MSC is much better than NCL Haven in supplying GF meals.

2 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Might just be easier to walk down the hall to the Top Sail Lounge and get hot water from there.

Chances are that a butler will insist on bringing it your room. They like to service. 🙂

47 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

I like bar soap for the shower

I thought we were discussing it for the sink. I bring my own body wash for the shower. When it runs out after 10 or so days, I use the MSC YC stuff.

I guess it must depend on the YC Director then. I'm glad that we had Raffaello to make the extra effort.