no1talks

Not that flying is always stroll in the park these days. We avoid it as much as possible by driving to embarkation ports.

On the subject of butlers... For those who have the "anytime, any place" drink package, are butlers allowed to bring cocktails and such to one's cabin?

You get the gold star today for that film reference. (Truth be told, I liked the film Valmont just a bit more, because of my crush on Annette Bening.)

I'm partial to tenderloin cuts and I very much enjoyed the specially-ordered Beef Wellington on Seascape in March. If there is a special steak preparation you really enjoy, do not hesitate to see the YC maître d' and request your steak dinner, allowing a day or two lead time. Steak au poivre? Chateaubriand? London broil? Steak Diane? Steak Tartare? If they have the required steak cut and other ingredients, the YC kitchen is very accommodating.

I very much appreciate that MSC casinos allow OBC to be placed in the slots and then cashed out.

I think your entire loyalty status is wiped out, if too much time passes between cruises. Whether some ranking is matched and some earned is of no consequence. It all goes back to zero, as far as I know. Maybe it is different now, but I would not make the assumption.

Washcloths are available and we've always had them in the room when we arrived. However, MSC is an Italian line and washcloths are not generally used in Italy. Loofahs and sponges are the norm. Accordingly, there are occasional reports on this board of Americans having to ask for their initial washcloths. After that, fresh ones arrive with the towels each time the room is done.

If you have an interest in trying MSC's spin-off luxury brand, Explora, I would suggest keeping the Diamond rating. It may be useful for better status with Explora bookings, once Explora finalizes their loyalty program.

Hard to believe, but a year ago, 1200 points was good enough for 30% off a room up to and including YC deluxe. Only one voucher was needed for the room, not per passenger. One could easily save a few grand on a YC cruise.

While I've little doubt such bypasses can occur, there is still the matter of garnering the entry-level room voucher under the current rules. It's many more points to procure and it's only good for a 10% discount. Although the prior gambling math was very favorable for getting a 30% voucher without losing the cash equivalent of the savings, that's no longer the case.

Thank you for the lively narrative of your cruise. Since MSC tightened the room offerings on their casino rewards program some months ago, I'm curious as to the level of play required these days for a Yacht Club invite from MSC casino management. You mentioned having your first MSC cruise in October of last year. The former, more generous rewards program was still in effect back then (I think). Was that the source of the invitation, perhaps? Also, was pirate night a casino event, or ship-wide? I cannot recall any social media mentions of pirate night, the way white and flower parties are often noted.

For those who recall the attenuated seasons of The Sopranos, it was closer to summer-fall-winter-spring-summer-fall rerun season. Badda bing!

I want to be on an MSC cruise in the alternate universe wherein Tony Soprano is the YC maître d', instead of a "waste management consultant."

For better or worse, the fancy coffee drinks, as well as gelato drinks, are claimed by Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar. They have the most decadent goodies to be found on the ship, but the drinks are not covered by the YC package. The YC's nightly turndown service includes a few morsels of Venchi chocolate, though. On the topic of dinner wine, this is what we do when in YC. Perhaps this is a dining style you would enjoy. Once onboard, I meet with the YC maître d' and ask to have the same table and server duo for dinners. I also ask the sommelier to surprise us each dinner with matching aperitifs or dry cocktails when we are seated. Further, I request that the servers notify the somm of our full meal order, for his or her by-the-glass wine selections, as well as surprise digestif or sweet cocktails with the dessert course. A drink while we decide on our dinner choices, starter & entrée wines by the glass, and a drink with dessert seems like a lot of alcohol, I know. However, we generally don't finish the individual libations and we keep the dinner pace slow. The sommeliers have never disappointed and I'd wager they like being able to do break away from the same old routine dinner service. I print three copies of our requests and provide one for the maître d', somm, and greeter.

On the subject of dining room wear, MSC admits their own capriciousness with regard to dress restriction enforcement. The first sentence on the topic, as explained on their website, begins with, "Specific restrictions may [emphasis added] be enforced . . ." Some skate by; others are called out on their clothing.

Here are varied listings of libations for your perusal. https://profcruise.com/msc-bar-menus-and-drink-prices-2023/

Golly, I hope not.

Oh, come on. Everyone of a certain age fondly recalls her gold record, space-disco debut, "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper." That was one whole husband before Andrew Lloyd. 🎵I lost my heart to a starship trooper Flashing lights in hyper space Fighting for the Federation Hand in hand we'll conquer space🎵 Oh! Sorry, I didn't realize I was audible.

I seem to recall the esteemed @morpheusofthesea posting pictures of new sand on the YC beach, a year ago or longer. However, weather conditions washed it out, down to the cobblestones, yet again. If MSC plans on using their island's YC facilities for Explora visits, I'm confident another attempt will be made before those visits commence.

Slooooowly I turned . . .

What typo?!? I thought all of us Yacht Clubbers brought cars along on Bermuda stay-overs, and the like. (We have the butler discreetly arrange the car snacks for later consumption.)

Not without special preparation, well before the cruise. Deacons cannot consecrate the Eucharist. That sacrament is reserved to priests in good standing. Accordingly, a deacon would need to plan ahead and receive ecclesiastic permission to transport a quantity of consecrated Eucharist, which would require reverential packaging and transport. Hopefully, at any given time, there are a few vacationing deacons who have undertaken this service, for the spiritual benefit of Catholics they may meet on a cruise. A Blessed Easter to all!

You are being cattivo, Morpheus. 😉 You, yourself, have catalogued the changes in YC inclusions. Outside the perimeter, there were the gelato and crepe cuts. In the perimeter, the form of the chocolate gift has changed and now the snacks are comped first serving, only. As I recall, YCers from waaaay back have mentioned the lack of any price cap on liquors while in YC. Now, there is a price limit in place, per the Premium Extra Package. It would not surprise me to find out such MSC cruisers from days of yore can recall other benefits that have fallen away. Of course, this is not just a YC situation. Aurea lost their drink package and massages, yes? World Europa has added new specialty restaurants, but apparently, these new eateries are not participating in Voyagers Diamond Members' tasting menus. New ships, like World Europa, chock-full of innovative à la carte chargeables, will just make Yacht Club shrink in cachet, when it adds nothing.

Depending on the party or parties responsible for that "something," I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the Meraviglia management comes a-callin'.

The accomodations and the perquisites are a package deal. Diminishing those which exist outside the bubble are a diminishment of the total accommodations package. If anyone thinks, "As long as things are status quo inside the bubble, all is well," that person should forego the white-tent intake, the escort to the front of all lines, the reserved theatre seats (even if outside the normal section) and so forth. A big part of YC is the collection of non-bubble benefits. Those benefits have decreased. If every new feature on every new ship is a nickel & dime affair for YCers, too, I'll just stay on the older ships. My YC fare will have more bang for the buck, especially when the fares on newer ships are usually higher.