no1talks

Say it ain't so, Morpheus! We all hope it is merely au revoir and not truly adieu. 😁

That sould come as no surprise, because... Everybody loves Raymond. 🙃

I hate to be a bother, sir, but if it isn't too much trouble, would you be so kind as to post their breakfast menu? Thank you kindly, in advance.

It is nice MSC tries to support the Italian economy by purchasing domestically. I've noticed "Made in Italy" on many things, too. Supply inconveniences that arise from that policy can even be touted as 'solidarity' to Italian passengers. However, passengers from other parts of the world would probably want MSC to have a backup plan for those times the Italian supplier falls short.

The fluidity of MSC policies, from ship to ship and cruise to cruise, can be frustrating.

Mille grazie, Signor Morpheus.

What are you expecting at 10:30 PM? MSC tries hard to keep food waste as low as possible. A full buffet spread that late in the evening would just result in loads of thrown out food.

Morpheus, I shared your reportage with my wife and she was 'pleased as Punch' about it. Please let those in the trenches know we appreciate their firmness in the face of these incursions. Also, if he is still aboard, please extend our salutations to Arthur (He took excellent care of us in March). Just tell him the 'Tall Tuxedo' and his wife, a.k.a. Mr. & Mrs. sorbet intermezzo, say, "Hello and best wishes!"

Because this knucklehead bragged about hooking-up his non-YC friends with a swanky dinner, but he had egg on his face.

This is the most interesting observation if have read about cruising with Explora. Thank you, sir.

In general terms, these were television detective shows from the 70s. Jim Rockford was a private detective. Lt. Frank Columbo was a police homicide detective. 😁

Beware of World America. As with World Europa, you will possibly encounter more YC guests in less YC space.

For myself, that is very unlikely. I'm disinclined to even have a go at World America's Yacht Club, when goes into service.

I can relate. The same situation occurred in the US with Kia's K900 sedan.

That would be risky. Low spenders in a cabin are better than an empty cabin. It really comes down to the likelihood of a sell-out. However, there have already been incidents of over-booking and bumping passengers in the cruise world. Spending history could be used as a selector, but cruise lines would be loathe to let that become public knowledge.

Their website reads: "We don't have a dress code onboard but we suggest an Elegant Resort Casual style." Of course people are wearing their comfy togs. Why would this be a surprise??? Any cruise line that can do no more than just "suggest" will be met with exactly what is being worn.

If the cruise line has a reputation for exemplary service and the ship looks enchanting, that's all we need to do serious research and then make a reservation if the due diligence holds up. We still work and can't be take a cruise longer than 10-11 days, so all we want is an onboard experience that immerses us in excellent service and lovely surroundings. We are far more ship-focused than port-focused.

Quite right, LH. I would definitively communicate my dissatisfaction. We cruise primarily for quality of service and esthetically pleasant surroundings, as it is very important to our relaxation. A beautiful ship and flawless service will more than make up for so-so food, a weak wine list, and even a boring itinerary. Accordingly, we prepare printed service requests beforehand and go over things with the applicable service professionals at the earliest opportunity. This has always worked quite well for us.

No business walks away from a revenue stream without it being: A) Too much trouble in relation to the current business model as a whole and not worth reinventing that wheel. B) Not profitable. I'm fairly confident MSC evaluated the program and decided it was ultimately a loser for them on one or both counts.

Things like the loose vs. bagged tea availability is why preparing a written request list for one's butler, the concierge, the dining staff, etc. makes things go so smoothly. 😉

Unfortunately, in several cases, you touched upon corporate policies outside a YC butler's control. The room-service-food-only rule is in the FAQs on the website. Restaurant choices are brought for sick passengers, however. The gelato and chocolate ships are the purview of the vendor outside of YC. Accordingly, inventory available for YC use is constrained. The gratis ships are pretty much done and replaced with small bars of chocolate, these days. Afternoon tea requests are easily misunderstood. The loose tea service is held in reserve for the YC director's tea party on the last sea day. I don't think this party is held on cruises of less than seven days duration. In our case, we had to clarify that the regular assortment of bagged tea would be fine.

If we share some "yes" examples, you share some of your "no" examples. I'll start. One of the requests on our butler list is to have balcony chairs replaced with chaise-style deck chairs. (Sometimes, there's only room for one swap, though.) Another list item is afternoon tea. We take tea every day, since we skip lunch. The butler meets us in Topsail with the traditional three-tiered assortment of nibbles and tea accouterments. (Unfortunately, the loose tea is only available for the Yacht Clubs "official" tea party, but that's not the butler's fault.)

Little did the they know, you offered him money to have them thrown out! 🤣

Fair enough. ☺️ I preface this example by mentioning we prepare printed requests before the cruise and discuss them with the applicable staff as soon as possible after boarding. This allows for adjustments and clarifications to be made. So, to dinner. Having dressed for dinner, we arrive at YC's dining room at the appointed time and are seated at our appointed table, in the section of our appointed (gold tie) servers. The sommelier then arrives with the surprise apéritifs. I should mention we include in our written requests very general details as to likes & dislikes vis-à-vis alcoholic beverages, leaving the somm with lots of room for creative choices. Along with the drinks comes the amuse-bouche from the kitchen. (No, we don't impose upon the culinary staff to make a special from-scratch nosh just for us.) Sometimes it is as simple as some crostini with a jazzed-up schmear or some Topsail bites, plated nicely. While we sip, nibble, and select the balance of the courses. The servers take the meal orders and share that information with the somm. Next, the one constant of all our YC dinners: shrimp cocktail. This gives the somm a bit of time to choose the rest of the adult beverages. When the starters from the evening's menu come out, the somm pours his & hers wines-by-the-glass to accompany the starters. Even if we order the same courses, we may very well be served different wines, based on the general notes mentioned in the written requests. Following this is the sorbet intermezzo. Lemon or raspberry will do just fine. Sure, an herbal sorbet or even a champagne sorbet would be great, but I know this is MSC and not Le Français. With our palates thoroughly cleansed, bring on the main course! Again, we receive the much-appreciated wine choices from the somm. (Yum!) With dessert, another surprise beverage. This time, it is something from the broad digestif group. Traditionally, a mignardise would follow, but we generally postpone that until after shows/casino and it is time for sweet bites and nightcaps in Topsail. If any of this folderol raises questions for you, GP, ask away. 😃