Shippy

We have been in the YC many times on different ships. We go for the experience. HOWEVER, unless you are in a Royal or Owners suite, I think you will find the cabins a bit small. Not that people do not use the regular YC cabins with kids & find them adequate,, I was just surprised that they were not a bit bigger.

I doubt reward points matter to most YC guests

Any advice on flying to HOU or IAH ? Looking for private transportation if anyone has any recommendations it would be appreciated. thanks

Just the giant ones & softee ice cream

Recently off the Crown. NO crab anywhere on the ship except for a crab cake appetizer one night in the Elite/Suite lounge.

We always get the 30% off coupon. Here is why I say they have the best casino club at sea... Any other cruise line makes you book through their casino dept. MSC lets you make the booking. So... I call my favorite internet agency & book through them. I think MSC is pretty much priced fixed but my TA always though in things like OBC prepaid gratuities, etc. When I get the booking number, I call MSC casino department, give it to them & they apply the 30% discount.....sweet. They used to allow that towards ALL categories so once we got a YC3. They stopped that but still allow the other YC categories....at least for now :O)

They are usually VERY tight about you having the paper. Aside from the discount certificate that we usually get on about the 4th night, on the last night they give you a paper for certain amount of casino cash on your next cruise. They do not advertise that much. If you got the discount coupon, you will also get the cash one. They wait until the last night to base the amount on your play for the entire cruise. It is a game they play ! If you are not in the casino the last night...no $$ paper :O( Our next one is in August. I will get $400. cash at the casino cashier with that. You MUST have that paper or no $$.

Unfortunately, these kind and other issues can happen on any cruise line. We have been very fortunate. Worse problems we have seen is sewage backing up into the cabin... I think the best bet is to ask for some fans

We have been cruising since way before pay restaurants were introduced onboard. This was probably a few decades ago...... we were on a ship with a $5. restaurant charge. When I inquired about it, I was told that this was a special restaurant and that it was a tip for the workers in there. Sounded logical. We did not realize at the time that it was an experiment to see if cruisers would actually pay for a different restaurant. It obviously spread from ship to ship. Eventually they started to hike the prices. Again, I believe as an experiment to see how high people would be willing to pay. I think they reached , or exceeded the limit for the average passenger

But you are not at home... My husbands baked potato was so cold the butter would not melt at all. At least at home I could quickly microwave it for a minute. I am sure this really has nothing to do with my original post about tables being empty...but if people want to talk about service...

I just booked one for November through the casino department....

To book with a casino discount....You NEED to book through the casino department !

THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE WAS.... It did not seem that anyone was going...just mostly people that were comped. I know about how high food prices are where we live but, I do not think that most cruisers will pay that much . Like I said, not even a half dozen tables. Before, it would have been very hard to even get a reservation !

Just off the Crown Ate twice in Prime steakhouse & once in Sabatini's. 6:30pm Both charge $39. with a few upcharges more for certain items. The one most shocking to me was an additional $10. for Alaskan Salmon while we were in Alaska ! There were never more than half a dozen tables with people in either restaurant AND we were there because the casino paid ! Wonder if a few of the others were there on the casino. Main dining room very good. Not that the other restaurants weren't but I think the charge has more than hit its max....

season has been cancelled for 2 years.....

Not exactly sure what you mean... but, I do not think any of that ,matters, just a confirmed paid for booking.

You be more than fine. By Alaska gear, I mean sweatshirts & Jeans :O)

FINAL THOUGHTS... I would say the cruise for us was a success. All crew extremely nice & helpful. Casino was good. My husband & I each got a hand pay ! His on the Wheel of Fortune. Mine on a strange looking Chinese machine with a $2.50 bet. Not to happy with Sabatini's, especially breakfast. But the main dining room was consistently good. Skywalker's on deck 18 was used for the Elite/Suite lounge. Snacks & service was great but the room was VERY cold. Buffet has great bread pudding everyday at lunch. Pizza at Slice was very good. Not thrilled with the Salty Dog grill. We bring Saran & baggies to keep treats from the buffet & International cafe fresh for midnight snacks :O) TV & Internet reception was great the whole time. You may have heard that the Alaska King crab season had been cancelled this year & last. SO, no crab on the ship. Not even in the pay restaurants. One of the people we met onboard said they went to a restaurant in one of the ports. They ordered crab for $65. each. AND, it was not good. He said it tasted like it had been frozen, certainly not fresh.

VERY few tux's. Also,there were jackets & ties & just jackets. Some ladies were very formal. Then there were those still in there Alaska gear :O)

2 I would say about half of the ship was formal

We were….just got off the ship….in cabin R408. The bed was the best ever. Must have been a new mattress. And the linen were soft. BUT…was sad to her from the lady in the cabin next th us. She said her bed was horrible. The second day of the cruise, the crew brought up some kind of boards for more support.

You will not be bored…. jigsaw puzzles, chess, checkers,trivial pursuit, backgammon, scattagories, rummikube, monopoly, Jenga, scrabble, Pictionary

At Coffee & Cones, they make those fancy sundaes. They only use vanilla gelato but you can just ask for that without all the other stuff.

We are mid ship on deck 14. Directly above us is Cones & Coffee and the pizza place, Slice. pizza is very good. Cones & Coffee has very good softee ice cream. They also have specialty coffees and delicious hot chocolate.

We have found the MDR food good. They have great special’s for breakfast. We get up very early and to the international cafe for pastry for the room. They have a fabulous almond croissant which is only available until 10 am. They also have monkey bread which is a cinnamon cake like pastry but you have to ask for it.