MsTabbyKats

@Bazody1990 What I find (and hear) is that MSC gets a lot of "large foreign groups" who, culturally, differ in manners than Americans (cutting in line, pushing, crowding elevators, hoarding in the buffet)...which, imho, is why "going with the masses" may not be pleasant. This was true in 2019 when I had a regular balcony on the Mera and this was true when I was in the Mera YC. If you can deal with a smaller cabin I'd go for the YC interior. I don't know your budget...but it's a lot less than the YC deluxe balcony! And you get all "the extras" (drinks, wifi, spa etc)

Neither DH nor I drink (ok...maybe he has 2 per cruise), we didn't use the spa (spa is included in YC) and I really don't like dining room food or specialty restaurant food (I get enuf of that at home).... Despite all this...the YC was just so worth it for the peace and quiet and the service. The pool deck, breakfast/lunch buffets were wonderful......and the pizza delivery upon demand! For the record...we just got off a Carnival cruise with the masses...it was much better than expected. And ditto for an NCL with the masses in Sept. But, from now on, it's YC. Pre-YC I did Mera with the masses...and was happy with it. But, unless you try something, you don't know what you're missing.

Good for you! It's always the religious people who impose on the non-religious, never the other way around. I cannot tell you how many times I've been in situations.....

Oh well...I guess OP will be disappointed. I'm happy with the lunch buffet and pizza delivery.....pile on that gluten and give me some carbs!

The offer is so vague. I'm wondering if I purchase an excursion for myself. and one for my husband separately....will I get two $44 credits. And a massage for the same sailing....a third credit.

DH and I took Airborne before our 1/14/1/24 cruise....and while on board. We both had "a cold" when we got home. That was Tuesday. I took Zicam; DH didn't. We're both fine now (3 days later). Don't know what it was, don't care what it was. Everyone is responsible for his own health. If someone wants to wear a mask and wash their hands multliple times a day....that's their choice. You get sick...you built up immunity.

I'd think they could afford some "paperware"....

The point of the $50 credit is an incentive for you to book early. Not crazy at all....it's marketing.

Venizia has a cover on the LIdo pool. We stayed on board for the "private island day"....had the place to ourselves. It was beautiful, sunny and warm. I told DH...this is just like YC....peace and quiet. Enjoy your trip!

Truthfully, YC in Jan out of NY wouldn't be good. Our #1 thing is the "breakfast/lunch" by the pool...and it would have been too cold...so even if we could have upgraded our free cruise offer to YC...it wouldn't have worked. Anyway, when you "try other things", you appreciate YC even more.

That theatre was the most poorly designed theatre I've ever been in. No raise in the ochestra level and weird angles from the sides. MarrQ invited the early show attendees back to see that later show, so space wasn't an issue (9 day Jan cruise).

Since it's on the same subject....To Cancel or Not to Cancel I had a very good offer for CCL Venezia....and booked with a non-refundable deposit. The initial reviews were awful...and I was going to just cancel before final payment. Then the reviews got a bit better....so I paid it off. And then I got a "free cruise" offer from MSC (non YC)....for the same week as my CCL cruise!!! Since I prefer MSC (even out of YC) I was tempted to just lose all the money on CCL and take the MSC cruise. Well, I finally decided that maybe I wouldn't be too happy "with the masses" on MSC....so we went on the Carnival cruise. I had set the bar really low.... As it turned out....it was a very good cruise, way above expectations. The point is....don't go by what other people say. Experience it yourself, and then decide!

I know they wouldn't like "main buffet food" in the TS Lounge....but why not on the pool deck? OP is aware of YC buffet...he said that the choices keep repeating. It sounds like he wants to take lunch from the YC restaurant and eat it by the pool...... Just an opinion....but I don't see why not

We had excellent service...cabin, MDR, buffet...no complaints. As a matter of fact, DH was using his cane, and staff in the buffet went out of their way to bring him beverages when I was off getting food for him. We absolutely never had a problem with buffet seating....always lots of room. And never long lines....we at at the rear buffet. My only critique, probably not important to most....is that there is NO incline in the theatre, so if you're short, run to get first row seats. In general...whomever designed that space needs to go back to "Theatre Design 101". We had a balcony on the Lido....quiet and convenient, with lots of storage room. The brunch was excellent, much better than the breakfast buffet. Dinner in the MDR wasn't for us...much preferred the lunch/dinner buffet. Also....sharing a table with strangers is ok for 30 minutes, but then small talk is awkward. Hamburgers (my first in about a decade) was great. A note about my husband's cane: On the last night he left it "somewhere" and nobody turned it in to lost and found. Why would someone keep a cane??? Anyway, it was a miracle in disguise...I was panicking about him getting off the ship. But was like an instant rejuvination (think "Elmer Gantry"....he walked perfectly (fast too) without it. To sum it up....based on the initial reviews I set the bar really low. We were both so pleasantly surprised about what a nice cruise this turned out to be!

Just got off the Venezia an hour ago! There were a lot of kids...I call them "the gifted kids" because they don't need school. Parents probably sitting on a bar stool and the kids do their thing. But I really didn't see any bad behavior. Some were generally considerate and courteous. Anyway...as a NYC native, I can tell you, very few people on this sailing were from NYC. So those "bad apples" aren't from the Big Apple. It's pretty easy for me tell who's from here....by accent and general appearance.

You charge to your cabin...and the OBC is used to covedr the cost.

Thanks!

Going on the Venizia tomorrow....! So, your room card is for the slot machine Your pin # is (I forget)? You can charge to the cabin You need to log out and transfer the credit to your card Is all of this correct? What is the pin #..?

@GACruiseDadI suppose they can make up the loveseat as a bed. Is the third person large? If so, that would concern me. I don't know if the TA or MSC rep would have more to go by than what we have.

@GACruiseDadI don't see any indication of "a tub". Why do you think there's a tub in this cabin?

I actually didn't mean "MSC Specific"....I meant the whole cruise industry, when you go with "the masses". And the issue could be with certain groups, who culturally don't wait in lines. We are going on a Carnival cruise tomorrow....gen pop....(I booked it a long time ago at an "almost nothing" price). Not sure how it's gonna be....I'm bringing a tray with me just to make it easier to get DH his food in the buffet (he's using a cane....so carrying a plate could be an issue). We also did a post-YC NCL cruise with the gen pop. I was DH's butler for the week. It was a good cruise, but not he calm and serenity of YC. After this cruise (and another week of being DH's butler)....it's just gonna be YC! We're older than Mr & Ms @morpheusofthesea. We also paid our dues, and now just want comfort and convenience.

I used to feel that way until I sailed in the YC! We only tried it because my husband was having mobility issues...but now I could never go back. YC vs gen pop is like being in the eye of the tornado....peace and calm....out of the storm: no waiting on lines, no running to get seats in the theatre, no crowded elevators etc When you have "more people per sq ft" and more people per "crew member".....you're gonna get more people "fighting for space and service". That's the difference. Nobody in YC has to cut the line for the buffet or shove others aside to be seated for shows.......

I don't think Plan 2 would work because you'd have to cancel the initial booking and do a new booking.

No need to walk...threre's a dedicated elevator in the YC. It took about one minute to leave our cabin and get up to the pool deck!

I was in 16010....didn't hear a peep.