no1talks

19 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Rick only had one official to ‘pay off’."

"I'm shocked! Shocked to find that gambling is going on in here."

8 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

My third shock was finding no 221b Baker Street.

Long, long ago, not too far a drive from where I lived, there was an upscale pub of that name with the obligatory Sherlockian motif.

It was largely supported by its proximity to a cinema. Unfortunately, the cinema switched to a dollar-movie business model and families on a tight budget replaced the full-price movie fans.

221b Backer Street did not survive the change in customer traffic.

18 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"There was no Rick’s Cafe."

This one has 20 years in business. Maybe it's time you return to Casablanca.

https://www.rickscafe.ma/

5 hours ago, raino144 said:

"Transatlantic itinerary in Yacht Club!"

I'm not confident MSC has enough onboard activities to support my tastes during a long stretch of ocean. I'm quite traditional and I'd want old-school options to be available. 

We are probably going to do a round-trip transatlantic on Queen Mary in '26 and I look forward to dance lessons, learning bridge, and other traditional ocean-crossing activities of classic cruising.

4 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

"Check also Celebrity, who regularly beat MSC´s price on this trip."

They may have better deals in the general vicinity, but the don't have an itinerary that combines Casablanca, Canaries, and Madeira.

4 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

"...and Ocean Cay (which is a logistic nightmare from Malaysia 😄"

It's also a risk with Ocean Cay's cancellation rate. After the closure and upgrades, the chances will be better, though.

4 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

"And yes, Antarctica, of cause."

This is one place in which I have no interest. Expedition cruises do not appeal to me. Drake's Passage doesn't appeal to me either. 🤢

MSC doesn't have the deepest bench when it comes to itineraries. However, there are several I'm eager to book. Of course, one cannot be certain these particular cruises will be around from one year to the next. Nonetheless, here is my list, though somewhat tongue-in-cheek. What's on your list?

#4 10 nights: Las Palmas, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Casablanca, Valencia.
You can never have too many stops in the Canaries and this cruise has four, with Madeira and Fuerteventura islands thrown in. That's a lot of islands, but still not enough for salad dressing. The best part of the whole trip will be stopping for lunch at Rick's Cafe in Casablanca, if it's still in business at the time. I'll be taking my dinner jacket with me to don at the restaurant and pose for a picture near the piano with one of the staff. "You played it for her, you can play it for me!"

#3 12 nights: Durban, Port Louis, La Possession, Inhaca Archipelago, Durban.
MSC doesn't do much in the Indian Ocean, but this cruise looks pretty good. Between you and me, though, my real interest is the three-day stop in Mauritius. With all that time, I'm certain to discover a waddle of dodos that has been keeping a very, very low profile for more than 300 years. 

#2 11 nights: Tokyo, Muroran, Sakata, Kanazawa, Busan, Yatsushiro, Kochi, Osaka, Tokyo.
Even though there are cruises that do a full circumnavigation of Japan, three of the four major islands would still be a fine cruise. One stop in South Korea is included for good measure, too. Do you suppose there would be any problems with US customs if I were to buy some spare parts for my K900 in Busan?

#1 14 nights: Hamburg, Bergen, Molde Fjord, Longyearbyen, Honningsvag, Hammerfest, Tromso, Leknes, Stavanger, Hamburg.
I think it would be fun being able to say I've been to a place (Longyearbyen) less than 12° south of the North Pole. Plus, cats are banned, so I won't need my allergy meds. Most ships going there are smaller, expedition-type vessels but MSC can take you there in YC style, if that's your thing.

4 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Jungle Pool

 

"This pool is best described as what would happen if a regular pool and the Rainforest Cafe had a baby."

You win Cruise Critic today, sir.

1 minute ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

I'm assuming this is the Ocean Cay YC menu?

 

I'm thinking I'll go with the Lobster Roll.

 

Yes! The lobster roll is very popular, though some New Englanders turn up their noses a bit.

Some YCers love getting a burger with a dollop of the lobster salad on it. YMMV on that one.

Just now, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Guess we better make our way there now!

Watch, now that I mentioned it, the policy will have been changed. 🤪

26 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

 

"We won't get to experience our YC cabana in the MSC paradise today."

At least you can still have the Ocean Cay YC lunch, since that menu is served in YC instead, so the prepped food isn't wasted.

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Felt like we were in steerage."

Well, it is Holy Week and Lent is concluding. Are you sure they weren't just wearing sackcloth?

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"I posted a video of the green 3" button everyone must touch to get the door to open. The most touched button besides elevator buttons and no one using the hand washing stations."

You should add this to your cruise gear, Morpheus.

52 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Many would dump their backpacks in their cabins from their complimentary tours and come 'as is' to the restaurants for lunch."

Quelle horreur!

Here's something I find amusing: One of the amenities listed for top suites on Regent ships is included laundry and dry-cleaning. However, I don't think I've seen any photographic evidence of passengers possessing enough applicable clothing to make dry-cleaning even worth having.

This is probably why Regent doesn't lose much in giving it out as an amenity.

It's the first of two breakfasts served to hobbit passengers.

38 minutes ago, travelwide said:

Hope everything is OK. No posts for one day? Your fans want to hear more!

He did post on another thread approximately 18 hours ago, so there is that.

On 3/24/2024 at 9:09 AM, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

"My wife and I mainly played the automated roulette..."

Is regular roulette still available as well? Thank you very much.

12 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"DW says, "Morph! Wake up!'"

Genie agrees!

11 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"They're all here on Cruise Critic. Morpheus's Tales of Cruise Woe."

Better to have cruising Tales of Woe than contemplations on the Tree of Woe. (I can't resist an 80s film reference.)

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Now that is worth paying for....at least once...just for the experience...like this cruise."

Well, Queen Elizabeth is currently available for 9, 12, and 21-day Carribean cruise reservations out of Miami (round trip).

Sailings begin in October of '25 and conclude in April of '26. Presumably, the Alaska itineraries will follow.

42 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Yes, but I figure this audience is too young to remember those days."

My, but you are the raconteur, Mssr. Morpheus.

I think there is a book of cruise tales in need of writing.

2 hours ago, Fogfog said:

"I do think MSC needs to step it up on the wine/bev package offerings in YC."

Unlikely. Once bitten, twice shy, as it were.

Ask the long-term veteran YCers. They will tell you of a time when passengers guzzled the included ultra-premium liquors, hoarded the minibar mini-booze to take home, and generally abused the beverage program.

No more really good alcohol included. MSC learned their lesson about passenger alcohol consumption at a lower cruise fare, relative to what other lines offer to their suite passengers.

It could be worse. The top suite passengers on some lines receive no drink package and still manage to pay way more than YC.

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"...box seats in balcony over looking the stage..."

The Royal Court Theatre on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth has such seating. However, it is not a suite amenity. As I understand it, the boxes are open to all, except on formal nights. On those occasions, they are reserved for a fee.

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

That's called 'Karaoke Night' in the Grandeur Lounge. MSC has it as well.

No, no. I'm talking about the old-school, full-spectrum talent shows of cruising days gone by. Perhaps you experienced this phenomenon in your early years of cruising?

Imagine passengers telling jokes, performing card tricks, and making balloon animals. We're actually lucky the Japanese gave the world karaoke. Otherwise, we might still be getting that passenger show and it might include a really bad harmonica player.

43 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"A show before dinner tonight put on by the crew."

Consider yourself lucky. You might have had your cruise enhanced with a far more memorable passenger talent show.

38 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is a clip, 20 seconds, of tonight's encore performance by Lauren 'Something or Other. Attendance in the theatre was around 75. She actually stopped the show and had the lights put on to see for herself the attendance she garnered.

IMG_3828.mov

I enjoy opera. I've posted my disappointment regarding MSC dropping the one-off operatic matinees from their cruises. (Dropped from Caribbean cruises, at least.)

However, in all honesty, I think I'd rather listen to Yoko Ono than yet another overwrought rendition of "O Mio Babbino Caro." (I'll add "Nessun Dorma" as well.)