karmamule

It's great to follow along on this post for the Mardi Gras and really good to see comments like this! We'll be sailing on Carnival for the first time this October and it'll be on the Mardi Gras. "Just" 149 days to go 😄

I hope you have a wonderful time, enjoy!

That was our first experience with the YC: We were booked on the second sailing of the Joy after her post-China redesign, but it got canceled because the refit wasn't done yet. For less than the price of the minisuite we had on the Joy (not even in the Haven!) we got a YC balcony cabin on the Seaside and had a marvelous time. The Seaside is a lovely ship, and has the same sort of outward-ocean-focused design the Prima will. The YC on it is wonderful and I think you'll really enjoy the space. I have only been on the Escape and Joy, but they're breakaway--plus class so very similar. The Seaside will be slightly smaller, but IMO a much more stunning atrium and overall look to the ship. Not quite as many activities and key attractions, it feels like a more relaxed atmosphere. (They usually have a white party one night, so bring some appropriate white shirts/shorts/pants/dress if you like that sort of thing). They do have a zipline and slides. The usual MSC/NCL differences apply: specialty restaurants weren't as good, shows are more language-agnostic acrobatics etc rather than big broadway-style features, and MDR and other complimentary food (outside of YC) is a very mixed bag, but DO try the pizza. Also, be sure to try the chocolate martinis at Venchi. They were our favorite drink! A few pics from the Seaside. (A couple shiny atrium pics, a couple yacht club pics, and a couple outdoor area pics)

I really like Buffalo Gold, though if I'm ever on a ship with Buffalo Grand I'll be in trouble 😁 I also like Lockitlink, lightning link, and almost any machine by Aruze, though they have the cruelest ways to tease you. 😋

I'm looking forward to hearing your impressions! Which MSC ship will you be on? The main thing to remember on embarkation day: head to the white tent/awning for Yacht Club at the entrance area. Don't let someone grab your luggage before you get to that. 🙂

I just realized I forgot to mention one topic: the rooms. Both YC and Haven rooms are wonderful. The Deluxe Owner's Suite was spectacular. The closest comparison is to the Royal Suite we stayed in on the Seashore, and there's still no comparison. The Royal Suite was a great space, with a hot tub on the balcony we really enjoyed, but the DOS is in another league. From glancing in to other rooms in the Haven when they were being cleaned they seemed very similar to their YC equivalents, with the only point I'd mention being that I like NCL's decor choices more than MSC's. They're more colorful and warm.

To summarize: YC has better facilities (at least for the ships we've been on) in terms of style and wow factor, but Haven felt warm and cozy and was very enjoyable too. Food is slightly better for the Haven vs YC, but overall we prefer NCL ships outside the Haven to their MSC counterparts outside the YC. Service is equivalent, with YC having a more consistent experience but Haven feeling a bit more friendly vs formal. Both are great experiences. For the prior few years YC was significantly cheaper than Haven and if that were still true we'd still highly recommend that, especially for people who find the Haven a bit out of reach. That does seem to be changing however, with MSC YC prices on the rise, at least the last few times I've checked, and they're now much closer to Haven equivalents.

We just finished our second cruise with NCL and our first in the Haven on Joy May 8th NYC - Bermuda. 3 of our past cruises were on MSC in their Yacht Club and we've always been curious how that compared to the Haven, so this is our impressions from that cruise with an emphasis on that comparison. Our MSC cruises were on the Seaside, Meraviglia, and the Seashore. The first 2 were in standard YC balconies, and the 3rd was in the Yacht Club Royal Suite on the Seashore. Because we booked early when COVID was still at its peak and NCL had super-low prices we were able to book a 2-bedroom Haven suite then upgrade to to the Deluxe Owner's Suite on the Joy, so it was a (probably) once in a lifetime opportunity for us. Embarkation: We stayed at Ink 48 which is a 1 block walk from Pier 88 and we had a 9am arrival. We got there, turned in luggage, then stood in line 30 minutes because security didn't open until 9:30. After going through security I noticed a woman off to the side helping people but most were going straight ahead. I asked where to go for the Haven and it's a good thing I did because that woman was for Haven check-in. Some signage would have been helpful! In any case, we were quickly through the remaining steps then into the Haven waiting room to get our ship cards then wait for boarding to begin. Haven/YC: For Yacht Club MSC has a special tent before you even get in to the terminal for YC guests, and they make sure to express you through all lines, including security, right from the start. The YC waiting areas in Miami and Port Canaveral were much nicer than the Haven room in NYC which was just lots of seats in a row like an airport gate with a small buffet. YC areas had couches and chairs and much more space. For embarkation, we felt much more pampered by YC than Haven. Ship-within-a-ship areas: the Haven areas on the Joy were very comfortable feeling and enjoyable. The Haven indoors pool was tiny, but the observation lounge was impressive. The restaurant was also a very enjoyable space. MSC YC areas are more stylish, with a common layout being the restaurant overlooking the bar/lounge area below. YC outdoor areas were significantly better, especially on the newer Seashore with a substantial outdoor buffet and larger sundeck. General Food: After being spoiled by YC and Haven restaurants the buffets for both lines are underwhelming. MSC's quality is more extreme, with pizza, pastas and coffees generally being very good, but burgers and some other items being very bad. We really liked having the Local open 24/7. Food was generally ok to good, and MSC has no equivalent. We've always been underwhelmed by MSC's specialty restaurants, almost always leaving them saying "that was good but not great". NCL, on the other hand, has wonderful specialty restaurants. We went to Q, Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, and La Cucina. We were pleasantly surprised by Q after seeing lots of negative comments about it, absolutely loved both Le Bistro and Teppanyaki, and were only (slightly) disappointed by La Cucina. Haven/YC restaurant food: The Haven menu was larger but didn't change much, vs smaller menus that changed every day for the YC. YC food tried to be more adventurous, but they always had filet/burger/chicken if nothing appealed. While it was fun to have some new options every day, we found the Haven's menu and food to be more consistently enjoyable and had some truly delicious meals there. The small breakfast buffet (and those almond croissants!!!) was a nice supplement to the breakfast menu. Service: We loved our room steward Windsor and butler Roland. Both were outstanding and always had a smile and were eager to help in any way. We had a couple meals in-room which Roland made seamless, and he made excellent choices in daily snacks for us based on our initial conversation on embarkation day. Truly outstanding. Our YC butlers and room stewards have been a touch more formal. They still provide great service but weren't as warm and friendly overall. Other than those two, we were used to people in the YC restaurant quickly getting to know us and not needing to ask for room number after the first day. We were consistently given the same waiter every day in the YC restaurant and on each cruise got to know them well, especially on the Seashore when our waiter Henry was quite the character. The Haven restaurant and staff were very friendly, but didn't have quite the same personal touch. As @sthrngary has said in prior posts, being kind to the staff almost always rewards you with warm/friendly behavior and excellent service in return. This is true for both cruise lines.

Walking up the gangway is like a fantasy doorway that takes you from everyday life to a place where there’s no work, limitless food and drink, and you can completely relax. I love that last moment when your entire cruise is still before you.

American Diner should be open because that’s free for lunch for Haven guests on embarkation day.