Valkyrie

2 hours ago, Reds4life said:

We ended up doing something similar last summer. I'm Silver and Wife is Diamond. We wanted to book 2 cabins on the Voyagers selection and had to put down she was in one cabin and I was in the other, even though we swapped around the cards and my wife and I stayed in the same cabin.

Hey Reds4life,

I thought that may work. Thanks for verifying it may work.

Hello,

 My DW and I are both diamond status. Can I get the 5% off the second cabin booked if it is their first cruise? If not, should I be able to book two cabins with her in one and me in the other?

Thanks

11 hours ago, Bluewake said:

Valkyrie - Thank you for the update. It is encouraging because we are in exactly the same situation as you were in that we "bid" for an upgrade from a balcony to a YC inside on Seaside.  We have been assured by our PCC that we will receive all YC privileges and our reservation materials do state we have the plusgrade "YC Experience".  However, given the known gap between MSC-USA and the ships, we cannot be certain until we board.  As others have asked, did you feel the upgrade was worth it?  Honestly, I am having second thoughts about giving up our balcony but we wanted to try the YC.  I was surprised from your post that people simply wait by the door and follow YC passengers into the area. Do you mean non-YC passengers? If so, does that mean they also grab the free drinks, use the pool,  and eat in the YC restaurant?  If so, no wonder it's so crowded.

Hi Bluewake,

Our documents also said plusgrade on them. So I am sure you will be upgraded. It is a good way to try the Yacht Club at a cheaper price. It was our first inside so it was a little different not having  any outside reference to gauge night and day. You spend most of your time outside the cabin and that makes it a little easier. I would take a tablet or clock since there is no clock in the room.

It was non-YC passengers coming in. They probably have been on MSC before and knew the tricks. Inside the YC they do not ask for a card\bracelet to get drinks. So, once in it's free drinks.

11 hours ago, Até said:

Thanks for reporting back.

 

ETA: Do you think giving up the larger cabin with a balcony was worth the Yacht Club benefits?  And more specifically did you get the full YC drinks package, throughout the ship?

That's a good question. On our cruise it would have been. The ship was sold out, hot and it seemed like thousands of kids on board. We did get YC drinks everywhere on the ship.

Ok, I am back from the cruise. We did indeed get the Yacht Club Benefits. So, I guess the shore side reps do not know how it works. 

We ended up in cabin 16023. We usually do balcony cabins. The other cruise we took on Divina on a forward facing balcony cabin that was very nice. This was our first Inside cabin. It was very small cabin with a shower that was tiny. I think the restaurant was above us because every night about the same time there was a lot of banging and moving around of items.

A few notes:

Carry some tip money for the porters when you get there. They were pretty vocal about getting a tip for moving your bag 5 feet to put on a cart.

Try to keep up with the butler when getting on boarding. They move fast and you are mixing in with the other passengers. There were about 10 - 15 in our group going up and I don't think everyone made it.

On lobster day (Thursday) get to the Yacht Club grill early. They ran out of lobster or quit serving pretty quickly. We were limited to 1 each. There were people from other parts of the ship eating there also.

For breakfast, the Yacht Club grill is OK. For a little more variety, the buffets had a few more choices. We never tried the Yacht Club restaurant for breakfast.

You can get items from the Venchi bar included. I had a banana milk shake and many marrochino's. The hot chocolate was very rich. It was like drinking hot fudge, very thick.

We played the slots and charged to the room. There was no extra fees added.

Gelato bar was also included. I had a chocolate covered bar that was pretty good.

Don't waste your time going to the Yacht Club grill when it is raining. The overhang is too small for a spot for the tables. We were up there when it started and they moved the tables up next to the buffet. It would have been great to sit at one of these. You didn't even have to get out of your chair to refill your plate.

If you can't decide between the Butchers Cut and the other restaurant that list the filet mignon, we were told it is the same steak. It was very good. The sides were not. We would do the other (maybe it was Ocean Cay) since we could get crab cakes there.

For more varieties of beer, the sports bar had more.

They do allow a certain number of people into the Yacht Club from other parts of the ship. I am not sure if it is a day or week long pass. There were quite a few that got in using the glass door on the top deck by tailgating. It got quite crowded at times.

That all I can think of now. But, we had a great time. If anyone has questions, I will try to answer them.

Just now, Valkyrie said:

This is a second bid for a YC balcony. I had 2 upgrade offers.

It technically could still be 2 days since we don't get on until saturday.

11 minutes ago, Até said:

To me that seems to violate their own FAQ that states the decisions are made by two days out.

 

ETA: Are you talking about another bid?  I thought your YC interior bid was accepted.

This is a second bid for a YC balcony. I had 2 upgrade offers.

Mine shows pending and I am 1 day out.

2 minutes ago, MrMike45 said:

 

So I guess I'm not getting it 😞 

I wouldn't give up yet. They could move people around when closer and you still get a chance🙂

1 hour ago, ivy23kris said:

I was curious how quickly you received an email back that your bid was accepted? We already booked the YC deluxe suite, so we bid on the royal suite back in May 2019 a few days after we booked the cruise. We leave on 8/24 and still haven't heard anything. Thanks in advance! 

It was about 1 month later. Good luck.

5 hours ago, MrMike45 said:

We're 9 weeks out from our cruise.  When do the bid emails go out?  And are the random like NCL, or does everyone receive them?

Ours was about 2 1/2 months out.

6 days till we get on the ship 🙂 We were assigned YC cabin 16023. The minimum bid for a upgrade from our YC inside to YC Balcony is now $340 per person. I will post if we really do get the yacht club benefits.

On 7/29/2019 at 9:19 AM, Dr. Cocktail said:

I think we have a winner!

Would a clamp like this work on the chairs? It would open up a lot of umbrella choices.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Metal-Clamp-Holder-Clip-Beach-Fishing-Umbrella-Mount-Chair-Clamp-1-1-Pole/273820944020?hash=item3fc1000694:g:CncAAOSwbURcwVjx

OK, I got a reply from the second rep. Here is what she wrote:

Yes, so sorry for the late response. So you will be upgrading the cabin and not the amenities is what I was advised. Also that if you wanted further information on the bid up upgrade program you would have to contact 9549581079 if there is anything else I can assist you with please let me know

 Everyone, I called again and the Rep said send her the email and she would forward it to someone else(maybe they have to ask the CEO). That was yesterday. As soon as I hear back, I will post it.

20 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Evidently you got some bad information.  If you were to receive an inside Yacht Club cabin then you would be in the YC and you would receive all the benefits...period.

Don't believe everything you are told by an MSC rep.  You received bad information.

Thank you, I hope you are right. We have been in the Yacht Club before and really enjoyed it. 

50 minutes ago, kodesthemoose said:

I am hopeful that this is a situation of MSC shoreside having no practical idea of what happens once you are on board, or even checking in. (not unheard of.)  I could be wrong, for sure.  But there would be zero reason to consider it an upgrade to go from a fantastica balcony to an inside room with no amenities.  The only reason that inside room is an upgrade is b/c it's in YC.  I suppose it's a few decks higher, but it's an inside room.  I would probably feign total ignorance, show up at the YC tent, get my YC luggage tags on, and enjoy the ride from there.  If someone said to me "Oh i'm sorry you don't get the perks" I would simply remind them that I paid to upgrade, not to downgrade my cruise.

 

Best of luck!! 

Thanks, I hope shoreside didn't know either. But the agent ask her supervisor 2 times and said no. We will just have to make the best of it and have a good time.

37 minutes ago, Até said:

Thanks again for providing valuable information about this new program.  I was wondering if you did the minimum bid or more, I'm kind of surprised they would let go one of the coveted YC insides a month and a half before sailing.  Please keep us informed as to how this all works out and I hope they at least give you some of the YC perks.

We bid $250 per person.

18 minutes ago, Até said:

I wonder if the concierge and butler will refuse their services?  What about priority embarkation, tendering and disembarkation?  Will her card work for priority elevator service?  If not, considering the loss of space and a balcony it seems barely worth even that small sum just for the possible YC dining room and maybe Access to the One pool deck.  It sure leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

 

YC interiors commonly sell for $2500 to $3000 per week with all the benefits.  If you take away it's main perks like drink package $868 (used Premium) and thermal spa access $200? for two I'd say the upgrade cabin is worth like $1500 to $2000.  With the $115pp minimum bid and already being in an "Escape" rate Fantastica balcony of currently about $1730 that seems way overpriced vs. just booking the cabin outright to get the perks.

 

The YC Deluxe at $2120 + $1730 = $3950 (minimum) without the valuable benefits is equally bad.

They also told me no butler and no priority embarkation. We are black card. The room is on the same deck as topsail, right down the hall.

3 hours ago, Até said:

What drinks package did you have?  Can you post a screenshot of the emails you received?  Also can you tell us basic pricing for what you paid for the balcony and what the accepted bid for the YC inside was?

We didn't have a drink package.

I originally booked a Fantastica Balcony room on the Seaside in August. I then got an email later about a MSC Upgrade program. So I bid on a Yacht Club inside room assuming it came with the Yacht Club experience.  Well, I got an email saying the offer was accepted. I called to verify that it came with the Yacht Club experience and was told it didn't come with anything. So for others looking at this program beware, we "upgraded" from a balcony room to an inside cabin for more money. They did say I could go back to my original cabin but would lose the upgrade money.