no1talks

1 hour ago, Whipsnade said:

"But there seem to always be another larger cohort of fossils who appreciate and can afford luxury."

The upcoming cohort is Gen-X and there are far fewer of them than the cohorts that supported luxury cruising these many years.

Also, if the financial projections are even somewhat accurate, Gen-X will have significantly less disposable income in their golden years than their predecessors.

9 minutes ago, Gamppy said:

And they really let you take home what you don't use??

@morpheusofthesea can comment on that topic. He and his wife return home with all their bottles, if I recall correctly.

1 hour ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

"All YC rooms on MSC are in the YC."

Meraviglia and ships of the same class have duplex suites well outside the YC perimeter on decks 9 and 10. As I understand it, these were originally Aurea suites, but they were "annexed" into YC.

The duplices are back in the World ships and they look even better. Compare the videos.

Here is video of the earlier version. 
https://youtu.be/WwDbjk4TDRg

Here is a duplex on World Europa, now inside the YC on decks 16 and 18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coOjBChiCWs

2 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

"It has been the Italian aspect of MSC that has never caused us to look back.
 

An aspect that I suspect will be even more diminished on World America. 😟

8 hours ago, Best Cat Mom said:

"One full bathroom and one half bath (we only sailed the suites with 1.5 baths)"

There's always the ships with the YC duplex suites, having a full bath on the upper level and half on the lower. It's worth mentioning the duplex suites are back on World Europa (and presumably on World America) and the rooms look much nicer and have more outside space.

Lastly, even though they are Aurea and not YC, MSC offers two-bedroom grand suites with both a full and half-bath.

On 5/2/2024 at 11:15 AM, Lonedaddy said:

We should bring back Hooped skirts corsets and petticoats for the ladies and men should were laced ruff or jabot and lace shirts though it might be hard to navigate the halls in hooped skirts let alone compass rose.    But it would be cool if they had a masquerade night during carnival.  

I would be quite happy to comply with your proposed dress code revision. However, if Security won't permit the wearing of a rapier, I don't see a reason to bother with the rest. 😆

56 minutes ago, chrisgp999 said:

"She was not happy with me."

3 hours ago, GA Dave said:

"Ocean House at the Yacht Club Beach had a different menu for lunch on day 2 vs day 1."

I'd like the opportunity to enjoy that. Years ago, our one overnight had the same menu for both lunches.

12 minutes ago, capriccio said:

"Considering that we were using the delivery system multiple times a day I thought that was very good."

Are food and beverage options limited to the normal room service choices and standard nonalcoholic/alcoholic drink list?

In other words, I assume you can't order custom sandwiches or an unusual cocktail that requires an explanation.

12 hours ago, Torfamm said:

"The ability to order food and drinks wherever you are is a huge plus with their medallion technology."

We've not been on a Princess cruise. My wife and I are MSC fans and we are curious about the medallion system.

How are the delivery times? Drinks still fresh and food still hot? Thank you.

20 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

"The repetitive menus are fine for a week but not for longer cruises."

That's all they will need.

Given EJ's promotion of, "Multi-generational journeys," and "Family-friendly destination experiences," I don't think they plan on offering the long cruises seen on Regent, Seabourne, and the rest.

MSC is mostly running week-or-less cruises for the same reason: It's easier to get kids, parents, and grandparents coordinated for a week or less.

9 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"MSC wants to run every cruise with the YC full?"

This would be good rehearsal if they can manage it. A full Seaside-class YC allows for troubleshooting in preparation for the potentially packed World America YC.

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"We are so apprehensive before every cruise."

Isn't your TA providing you with solid intelligence on the topics of concern? They are supposed to minimize the apprehension of their clients, n’est-ce pas?
 

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Will there be any problems getting to the port on time?"

Have you weighed the pros and cons of driving to the port a day early, staying in a hotel with suitable cruise parking, and taking an UberXL to the port? Of course, I realize you don't need the extra day because you live in Florida. However, it might be just the ticket to address some concerns you mentioned. (I specifically suggested UberXL, rather than UberX, because of the extra suitcases of cleaning supplies you bring. 😉)

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Will DW not pass out while waiting in the hot South Florida sun for the air conditioned terminal to open?"

This is largely a port management issue and the cruise lines are stuck with the overheated passengers. Short of legally mandating a linkage between expected heat index and opening the doors to passengers, I can only suggest a proper sun umbrella and wearing a neck cooler.
 

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Will we get sick on board from the other passengers?"

One of the best ways to reduce the chance of catching something is to cruise on ships with fewer people as well as more public space per person.

The ships of Explora Journeys will certainly offer good space per passenger if the current sales figures hold. But, if EJ gets the upscale families they claim to be targeting, those ships will go 1000+ counting the kids in the sofa beds.

The best ships to select for the specific purpose of not getting too close to other passengers are the luxury ships, topping out at 600 to 750 guests and nary a sofa bed in use.

Fortunately, YC experiences a better space-per-passenger ratio than outside YC and probably most mass-market ships generally. (This can probably be said of all the ship-within-a-ship settings.) When World America is open for business, I think YCers on that ship will feel a bit of a squeeze. 

3 hours ago, chisoxfan said:

"We subsequently just booked YC as part of a cruise trifecta next Jan. Sun, HAL Niuw Statendam, Seashore."

Seaside-class ships can provide great YC experiences.

The jury is still out, however, for YC in the new World-class group. There have been reports of too many YC passengers for the available space and staff on World Europa. 

We shall all have to wait a bit for World America's YC report card.

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Have heard of the RS going for $5000 total for 2."

That's very competitive with Favog's poultry quote. (Most people do not know how expensive swans are.)

6 hours ago, rather be in Hawaii said:

"Fortunately they hadn’t stopped Johnny walker blue yet so he made up for it on his end."

JWB is priced higher than MSC's best drink package. This means you would have to pay the difference in price.

Mathematically, however, the JWB is still a better deal on MSC unless you drink several JWBs per day.

The NCL per-day cost for the package upgrade to get JWB is more money than just buying a few per day, at the price difference, in YC.

7 hours ago, CruiseDawg5772 said:

The bottle of liquor choice…

If I recall them correctly, your options are listed below. Choose one and inform your butler. As a YC passenger, you will likely receive a message before your cruise, asking for your choice of alcohol, pillow, and newspaper. However, the responses are usually not forwarded to the butlers and you'll have to let them know in person anyway.

Absolut
Ketel One
Tanqueray
Bombay Sapphire
Glen Grant
Jack Daniel's (Old No.7)
Two unexciting white wines
Two unexciting red wines
Champagne/sparkling wine

Perhaps, if you are fortunate and your butler thinks it will fly, you may be able to request and receive a choice not on the list. However, if it is a pricier ask, probably not.

 

48 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"So someone in the YC goes to the concierge desk immediately upon boarding and asks how much to get into this RS, please post back what your good fortune cost you."

Just hope The Mighty Favog isn't working the concierge desk.
(Tip o' the cap, if you know this one without Google-fu.)

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"You are a wealth of information."

Thanks to inflation, a wealth of anything isn't what it used to be.

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"I always thought Wally Cox was an intellectual watching him answer questions on Hollywood Squares." 

Not burst any bubbles, but the quips & witticisms were written for the questions by the production team. The competitive game itself was on the level. The comedy was not.

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"I guess you are alluding to those beneath steerage ?"

No.

As the 19th century was transitioning to the 20th, milk toast became very popular as what we would call a "super food" for the convalescing and infirm. It was the deemed a wonder of nutrition for anemic & sickly children as well as the superannuated & dyspeptic folks feeling the heavy hand of Father Time. It's still around in some regions as a warm thing to eat on a cold day dish.

Thus, "milquetoast" was coined as a slam at the timid, nervous "ninety-eight pound weakling" in the mold of Caspar Milquetoast.

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"When it comes to checking for interlopers the entire staff are Milquetoasts"

"Milquetoast" is, of course, a perjorative riff on the breakfast dish milk toast.

Those of you who know for whom milk toast was usually prepared may wonder why it is not a modern feature on the breakfast menus of some ships.

16 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Some will hold out for only a position in the Americas."

Cash tips.

17 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

This is the "stuff that dreams are made of."

In my case, I wouldn't put it that way regarding Explora Journeys.

It really would require an alternate reality for me to be on one of those ships, assuming the overly subdued color palette becomes a fleet-wide phenomenon.

When the time comes for us to "cruise bigger" it will likely be in a Queens Grill suite on a Cunard ship, assuming Cunard continues to HQ one ship in North America.

35 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

(maybe because they do so little on Explora for the Residences compared to what our butlers do for us in Yacht Clubs).

Ah, but that is just your "butler mileage" my dear Morpheus. Others may need their Explora butler more.

In an alternate reality, wherein the missus and I are already retired, living in Florida, and not dissuaded by the ship's blasé color palette, we would be in a Residence suite and our butler would be more busy than in YC.

Unlike the priciest YC suites, the Apontes had the good sense to put guest bathrooms in some of the Residence categories. That means we would be entertaining fellow passengers in our suite for at least pre-dinner drinks and hors d'oeuvres if not in-room dinner service.