benjaminnicholas

Did you miss the part where I said 'no tank tops, no flip flops?'

It's not challenging at all. I can afford to control most of the environments I'm in. Like right now, as I post this from the YC on the Mera. Everyone in TopSail is dressed nicely, no flip flops, no yelling and screaming, peaceful. I pick my battles and it serves me wisely.

My biggest issue so far on the Mera is Hola! The tacos are shockingly solid, but the tamale is AWFUL. Do not order it. Undercooked and done improperly in an oven, not steamed. It's truly a hot mess.

And to me, it's uncouth when people don't understand the environment they're in.

And this is why I choose elevated experiences when I travel. Ritz, YC, Haven, Aman, Four Seasons, etc. No, people aren't wearing a tux to dinner, but they don't look like schlubs either. With most things in life, there's a time and place for everything. Since COVID, people are showing up in public wearing things they should only be wearing in the privacy of their own home. It's funny, actually, and a little sad. It's the level of entitlement people feel that they can dress however they want, rules and atmosphere be damned. It's selfish, quite frankly. Either respect the space or go somewhere else. Not everything is for everyone.

Because people don't pay large sums of money to dine around those who have no clue about how to behave in nicer places. When you pay $10k/pp on a line like Ritz, you expect people to couth up. Sadly, money doesn't always buy one class.

Unlikely. YC is accessible to YC guests only. That's like buying two seats in coach on an airline and expecting to get the same privileges as first class. It's apples and oranges.

No. As a old New Yorker, I got it with Nova, fresh onion and capers. I don't schmear my salmon.

Pepin? Hell, Fieri is no Burger King.

Nope. They're off. Nowhere near a good bagel. I Ubered out to Wynnwood to a favorite deli and brought back six to keep me happy for the remainder of this cruise.

Getting a stop in Miami was a blessing for this New Yorker. I could get a decent bagel and nova. And I did.

On the Mera now in YC and thankfully seeing guests dressing appropriately. No tanks. No flip flops. No t-shirts. Long pants and a lot of polos/button-downs.

If they allow a add-on YC package, it dilutes the overall actual YC product. It'll never happen. Just like biz class on an international flight, you're paying for not just the bigger seat, but the entire sanctity of the experience. Lounge, meal, seat, service, etc. Thankfully, it's all or nothing.

I can't stand Guy Fieri or his food aesthetic. But for many, he's a known commodity and they're impressed by his shtick.

On the Mera, no. People pay for what YC offers. If you dilute the product, that's a problem. After a week or more, the YC crew are well-aware of who is and who isn't in the system.

MSC's food is fine if you're not expecting great food. Or hot food, to be honest. Or food with any spice or real flavor. It is what it is. Even YC, while plated to look more appealing, is still bland and hit or miss. I was shocked that a meal yesterday in YC saw gnocchi that was highly underdone. I left 3/4 of the pasta on the plate. I expected a little more from a line with Italian lineage.

I've lived in CDMX, which is one of the most expensive cities in MX and even they wouldn't have the gumption to charge this much for simple street food. Always know your money conversion rates. It's easy and quick. It'll save you from making these kinds of decisions. Multitude of apps that can do this in real-time, immediately.

Last night the comic, Dave Konig, was superb for doing mostly cruise humor and had a good late crowd that didn't leave ' in droves.' I look forward to seeing him in the Carousel later this iten.

I'm just shocked at how much you overpaid for nachos in MX. They really do hit the gueros hard.

KPot is fine, but it's a chain. If you want authentic hotpot and KBBQ, hit Flushing. A ton of great choices.

This, exactly. Make the prices low and watch the low-end folks proliferate.

This line is nowhere near 6-star. Just sayin'

I have a friend who's a travel journalist and is sailing on an upcoming Mera cruise. He's contacted their media team to confirm this is an ongoing issue with the ship and what they plan on doing about it. If MSC knows it's someone on assignment for Conde Nast, they tend to want to fix the issue.

VV has had more than enough time to hire the right developers to make their app easy, streamlined and reliable. And they clearly haven't. At least it's not as shitty as MSC's app. It could be worse folks.

I'm hoping to find Krug when I sail in Oct on the Mera. Hope springs eternal.