kidless

1 hour ago, happy cruzin said:

We have been quite successful when in the MSC YC to tell the butler that we will let them know if we need anything. Although they always ask, we rarely use the escort to dinner or the show and they seem to figure that out after the first day or so and stop asking!

I do like the Butler for getting on and off ship. Especially in busy ports and disembarking on last day

5 hours ago, florisdekort said:

The €150 2-hour cooking class was apparently “excellent” and “amazing” - which makes sense if you get it for free 🤣

 

😂 I thought same thing when I saw that post! It took great strength not to comment. 😂🤣😂

In Italy 13 is not unlucky or bad. Italians fear Friday the 17th. 

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

 

Now we have another problem because our loungers are near the gelato place where they have 5 gelatos and 5 sorbets. OMG!  I will not even look at their crepe menu.
 

Hank

Yum, don't look but please post! 😍

1 hour ago, Stickman1990 said:

The cooking classes they run certainly do and you get to eat the dish you prepare - but I didn’t think of that as a restaurant

 

I never saw any promotion or advertising of Chefs Kitchen for dining

 

We just forgot about Anthology once we saw the price and what was on offer at the included restaurants 

 

As I’m sure you know some other luxury lines do charge for speciality restaurants - one from the first visit and another for those after an initial entitlement - supposedly to govern demand and restaurant hogging 

My statement on charges for this restaurant and the other were based on promises made at the time of booking. All eating venues were included. Their own website lists Chef’s Kitchen as a dining venue. We were also told room service we would be able to get a wide selection of meals for dining in the room. Not the limited menu present now. No complaints yet just noticed a difference in what was promised and what is actually applied. 

6 minutes ago, happy cruzin said:

I think our 14-day Caribbean sailing on November 3rd might just be the test case for that concern!

Is that sailing booked at capacity? I've heard it's quite low.

3 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

Which two? Anthology certainly has but not sure what the other one is 

 

Re the number of reservations at Sakura and Marble we were allowed two at each on our 16 night cruise over the last few weeks but more importantly we dined there many nights by simply turning up and being flexible with timing (although I think it only required flexibility one night 

 

So rules and reality often vary - if you’re flexible 

Chefs kitchen I believe had an additional charge. Marble & Sakura require a reservation. Yes, now you can get in additional nights if you are flexible plus because the guest on-board numbers are so pitifully low. What happens when the ship is sailing closer to capacity? 

8 minutes ago, happy cruzin said:

Yes - 100%, but many previous YC guests have balked at the EJ rates. And now are they hearing that the onboard experiences have been less than perfect for some.  That's a lot to overcome!

Very true! Especially since when agents were first selling the product they made promises that EJ did not fulfill. For example, many were led to believe the experience would be like YC on steroids. For example, butlers yet only the residence staterooms have butlers. All dining venues are included yet two have a charge and two more require a reservation with only one reservation allowed. 

9 minutes ago, saminina said:

500 is just a guess.  

 

The new man in charge, from MSC, is an indication of the path chosen.

The majority will be TA’s and other various influencers called in at the eleventh hour. 

16 minutes ago, vistaman said:

Opel tried it as well with an Opel Diplomat ... years ago 

it seems initially they tried that : and then executives of MSC overruled  the people hired for Explora - I was told - with a lot of decisions 

also as bookings were far from good  : they started to send specials to MSC Diamond members

example : on my cancelled cruise for Caribbean I got a double upgrade as Diamond and 500 $ obc 

 

Indeed! I've seen no perks or status matches offered to MSC diamond members booked on Explora.  I personally feel EJ has made a mistake not offering fabulous deals to its MSC YC Diamond members.   I agree with Mr. Luxury on branding. Those who already love MSC, especially the yacht club product will make the leap to EJ. Those however that feel MSC is equivalent to Walmart of cruising will abstain at least for the time being.  

On 9/20/2023 at 7:14 PM, Wheelhouse said:

I noticed the influencer who runs the pages Explora Journeys by MSC Group will be back on Oct 3-13.  Do you think that she will be asked to leave on the 12th?  

It seems that out of the blue last week TA’s and influencers got all excited because they’ve been invited back for another FREE  cruise on board Explora! And now a few days later paying guests lose a day onboard with inadequate notice and compensation! Experience has taught us that those TA’s enjoying their free cruise will be lavished over while those on board who paid will be pushed to the back! 😢 

After reading both reviews posted I am concerned my upcoming EJ cruise will be money mis-spent 

This was from this past April

We just got off Celebrity Silhouette where we spent a glorious 11 nights in a Sky Suite in Celebrity’s Retreat which is like MSC’s Yacht Club. Thought I’d share a few thoughts on retreat vs’s yacht club. 

Let me clarify we have done Yacht club 6 times. Once on Divina and 5 times on Meraviglia all in a deluxe balcony stateroom. We have only done Retreat once on Silhouette which is an older ship where the Retreat area was just recently added. It is my understanding that on new ships the layout is different. On MSC we cruised out of only Port Canaveral on Celebrity; it was out of Ft Lauderdale. Sometimes these little nuances can make a difference.

MSC~ Boarding, drop bags off at tent escort though security then to Yacht club area to check in. Snacks and drinks plus butlers around introducing themselves. Always smooth and easy. Sometimes we have had to wait for a big enough group for Butler to escort on….we can be impatient and rather just go but we wait. You are taken to the Topsail Lounge and offered a drink. Often the Concierge Manager comes around explaining the perks of YC and duties of Butlers/Concierge to enhance your stay. I remember Eric telling guests you want a nightcap at midnight then call your Butler…..you can’t sleep because your pillow is no good call your Butler….24 hours. Luggage is delivered quickly to cabins.

Celebrity ~ Boarding, drop bags off with regular porters our tags did say suite on them. We did not receive our bags as quickly as we do in YC and I noticed regular balcony cabins had their bags on Celebrity long before ours arrived. We then were directed to the left where a young lady checked all our paperwork and pointed to a gentleman at the other end so we walked down to him…..he again checked our paperwork and put us in the elevator. The lounge you wait in for Celebrity is quite lovely, much nicer than Port Canaveral. There were nice snacks and drinks. Once seated a lady came with a tablet and finished our check in was very easy and efficient. No Butlers around I believe either a concierge guy or maybe concierge manager was in there. He never spoke to us but we did see him around Retreat areas on board. Boarding began and they came to each group and said you can board. We must have been invisible that day. They never approached us so we just cue’d and got on board. Once through gangplank they direct you to a door to the right  which leads directly into the Retreat Lounge by what feels like a back door off deck 5 where you are seated and offered a drink. I did not like this at all….there is nothing like boarding a ship for the first time and that moment of awe as you stand in the atrium. We sat there until they said rooms were ready and we could go. It was a little odd to us. 

MSC~Stateroom I’ll go by the Meraviglia stateroom where we find an adequate nice big shower but not enough storage in the bath. Balcony we wish they had a table and chairs so you can properly have a meal. It’s a nice stateroom with no complaints at all. Lovely bottle of Champagne awaits and of course a stocked fridge, snacks and bottle of our choice. 

Celebrity~Stateroom Wow! It blew us away. It was just lovely. I love that they still have throw pillows on the sofa and bed with the bed runner. Gave the room a homey feel. I know MSC removed theirs because of Covid but it looks plain. The room seemed huge at 300 sq foot. Bathroom had a tub/shower combo which I love a bath at night so I enjoyed it but made showering awkward because the tub seems narrow. Lots of storage in the bathroom which we loved. And the mirror had a night light built in it!! This was a big bonus for us because we didn't have to bring my battery night light for those late night trips to the can! Also a very large flatscreen with a big selection of live channels had all major channels and news channels if you are a TV watcher lots of free movies also. The balcony seemed large and had a comfortable reclining chair with footrest and two regular chairs and table great for dining! Celebrity definitely wins here! Also had welcome Champagne but no stocked mini fridge…at least not included had to pay and no snacks. We did get free water and our host did throw in a few cans of ginger ale.

MSC~Butler what can I say we literally had a butler serve Dave his coffee in bed, decorate our cabin for our Anniversary. Pravin once made our room lovely with roses and candles because he is just a sweetheart! We saw our butler everyday either in the hall outside our room, in the Topsail or pool deck. They foresaw our every need and always asked what they could do. Cookies and hot cocoa for night cap no problem! And don’t ever go to Topsail to order a drink to take back to your room. Those wonderful butlers are on it! 

Celebrity~Personal Retreat Host aka Butler. Ours was lovely. She came down on the first day and introduced herself. The mini bar in the cabin IS NOT INCLUDED in our suite only in the top two suites. There is a difference in Retreat depending on the suite. Didn’t care for this. But she empty beer and liquor and put water and a few ginger ales in for us at no charge. She also came and set breakfast for us in the morning which was really nice. We saw her first couple days but that was it. She was never in the hallway or at the Retreat Lounge. If we wanted something we’d have to call and it was hit or miss if she answered. Few times it just rang and rang other times someone else answered. We had read on a website that evening appetizers would be delivered. We never got so we asked so she said she’d bring cheese, crackers, nuts and fruits each evening at 5. First night it arrived, the second night didn’t come till after 6 we were gone then nothing for a few nights, she asked if we still wanted we said No thank you. All in all MSC wins hands down on the Butlers.

MSC~ The Topsail Lounge is a beautiful area to sit and relax, have cocktails, play cards, and enjoy a light snack. We love going in here in the evening before dinner and at the end of the night for a nightcap….or a cookie. They often have entertainment in the evening. It’s also conveniently located near the staterooms making it easy to pop in and out or to run into the same people. The Butlers are in there as well as bartenders and wait staff. Plus always snacks and they change depending on time of day. 

Celebrity ~Retreat Lounge is a pretty room but with no pretty view as it was on deck 5 and no windows. There was only entertainment one evening when they had a little get together for Retreat guests only lasted like an hour and was very crowded. Usually only one person working in the lounge is a bartender. They have snacks but only in the morning and before dinner. I could be wrong, we didn't use this area much as our cabin was on deck 12. And honestly it was kind of a boring area to go to no one was hardly ever in there. Concierge was also located in the lounge. They were not always there if you needed something. And again you’d have to go a long way from the cabin to the lounge. I know I could probably call but honestly sometimes with language differences and face masks it is easier face to face. I really missed the convenience of the concierge desk being right there. 

MSC~Yacht Club restaurant food is good, same menu all the time and sometimes the menu doesn’t appeal to me but they always have a salmon or filet mignon available. They have also let us know if there is something special you want they will do their best to accommodate you. 

Celebrity ~ Luminae restaurant food is good, probably a notch above MSC but same menu all the time and I did not see an option for just salmon or steak. I was not told that they’d fix us something else. We did have the option to eat in Blu restaurant which is for guests in Aqua Class cabins which we did one night. Food was excellent and the dining room was beautiful. You can also order off the mailing dining room menu in Luminae if you request in advance but didn’t find this out till end of the cruise. 

MSC- Pool deck. Love the pool deck with a hot tub and a pool. We like going up for breakfast or lunch and chatting with other guests. This is an area we use a lot of. The only thing it lacked was shade. 

Celebrity~Pool deck. Lovely deck but no pool did have a hot tub. Lots of seating and awnings providing many shady areas. However, they did not place windows properly to block wind so the deck was unusable many days we were at sea because wind was so bad. They do not offer a breakfast grill. They bring around fresh fruit on a napkin and have a limited lunch menu of chicken wraps or burgers. Looked good but I never tried it because it is not usable most days. 

MSC Yacht Club experience is just phenomenal. From being escorted on ship to the detail to attention. I love the little surprises in our cabin every night from a bottle of wine to a plate of chocolate strawberries. Maybe a few cookies or another set of MSC caps…..it was still a treat to see what sat on the table or bed when we returned back to the cabin each night. The service and attention from the butlers and concierge staff made it easy to ask and receive things I’d never thought to ask for. Like being escort off ship on disembarkation day, no waiting in line! Reserved seating at all the shows, reservations for dining and spa. Or walking into Topsail and Grace would have my favorite cookies and hot chocolate ready. 

Celebrity Retreat experience is really nice. We loved the cabin and the nice set up on the balcony. But it seems silly to call the Butler or go down so many decks to ask the concierge to make a reservation for us instead we just booked it on the app or called the restaurant directly. Except for one night we got a tote bag. We never had anything waiting in the cabin at night except the next day's flyer. Our cabin was on Deck 12 aft, the retreat pool deck was on deck 15 forward, Retreat lounge was deck 5 aft and restaurant was deck 3 aft. Seems so disjointed. Only had reserved seating at shows on “Chic” night and they do not escort you off ship or on at least not that we were made aware of. 

We had an awesome cruise and booked another cruise on Celebrity’s new ship Beyond again in a Sky Suite. Retreat is a great experience. Celebrity definitely does a lot right and we loved the cabin. Since this cruise ended up with 5 sea days we used the cabin a lot, especially the balcony. But hands down MSC wins on service and the 5 star treatment that Yacht Club guests receive. 

We stopped cruising Carnival 10 years ago because of the behavior and fights on shorter cruises. We live close to port and we love being able jump on for a weekend. We were surprised when we took a 3 day on Independence this past February not only was service & quality poor for Royal but there were several fights at night. It seems to us over last few years RCI has tried to capture the Carnival crowd sadly it seems they have succeeded. We hoped our cruise was just a fluke but now this. We have a 9 day out of Newark coming soon hopefully it will restore our faith in RC

We have cruised Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and MSC since the restart. Royal and Celebrity seem to have 80% and higher capacity but they are having lots of covid issues. 

On a 4 day cruise playing mostly blackjack my friend won the golden ticket at 900 points. That was back in February. 

You will love the cabin. When choosing an interior cabin on Divina the square shaped ones are very roomy!

I get on board Meraviglia Thursday so we will see what’s up. Hope they open up sitting at bars! 

Our last cruise couple weeks ago. We went to white tent then we were put in an expedited line to get Covid test. We were seated in an area with everyone else. After about 20 minutes a woman came over asked how long we’d been waiting we told her she checked sure enough tests were back & negative. We were then directed to Yacht Club area were we checked in then told to wait so they could wait for others to get checked in so butler could escort us all on together. Really don’t like that either let me go alone or take me now. But is what it is.  It wasn’t to bad just seemed disorganized. Boarding on Thursday see how it goes…. 

36 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Neither bid shows expired?

No they do not

On 1/22/2022 at 10:10 PM, Algebralovr said:

Going on Silhouette for the Feb 14 sailing.  I had bid on the Sky Suite, Celebrity Suite and Sunset Suite.

The Celebrity Suite and Sunset Suite are already showing expired.  The Sky Suite is showing Pending, and it won't let me adjust or cancel my bid, and we are still 23 days out.  

Seems odd - but as of yesterday there were a number of Sky suites available.  Curious - there was one Celebrity and one Royal suite available yesterday.  Haven't checked today.

Did you win the bid? I am 27 days out we bid on a sky suite & celebrity suite. Sky suite shows pending and I can modify or cancel. Celebrity suite shows pending can not modify. Hoping this means our bid is accepted. 🤞🤞

On 1/28/2022 at 9:52 AM, ChattTenn said:

We are looking at a cruise with MSC Meraviglia for later this year and this will be our second with MSC.  Our first MSC gave us 10% because we are black card (status matched) and military discount because my husband is a veteran plus we booked a balcony cabin (TA submitted his DD 214 after a quote).  For this time TA unable to get MSC booking site to apply the military and MSC final quote only shows with Voyagers Club Discount 5%.  Should MSC have my husband info in their data base or we have to submit time after time if we want to cruise with them?.  It is very strange they gave it to us at the first time but this time the TA has to jump over hoop to get this benefit.  She has to submit the DD 214 again and so far we did not hear back from MSC yet.

On MSC site does not show a military discount option, all veterans/military did you book yourself or with TA assistance?.  Is it IT problem or we must go through different way to get this benefits?.

Thank you

We were told you don’t get both. You can get voyager discount or the military discount 

Our TA said it was due to itinerary challenges. Not sure what that means but that’s their story. 

12 hours ago, granddutchess said:

We will be sailing on the Silhouette at the end of March 2022.  Given the supply chain issues is it worth it to upgrade to the Premium Drinks Package?  Those who currently are on board are you finding that the cruise ship has the premium brands?  Want to see before I upgrade from the Classic Package to Premium.  Thank you so much for your comments.

We also just recently booked this cruise. We were offered to elevate to premium drinks and $200 obc per person Wifi and I think something else. At $30 a day pp once you account for the obc it only cost us $11 a day extra for premium package & WiFi.  That’s at least a Martini a day seemed worth it to us

On 1/15/2022 at 1:11 PM, Fla Mike said:

 

That's me!

 

 

Me too! Smack in the middle between Everglades and Canaveral

 

 

Well, I;m old, vaxxed, and boosted and have more wrong with me than right. Really. I do.

I like to say I take more drugs now,  then when I took drugs! 🤫

 

I also understand people are still dying from this. I just lost a dear friend that I worked with for over 20 years to COVID. The proverbial healthy as a horse, hardly ever left the house and worked from home, but unvaxxed. Sad.

 

We are all adults and need to weigh the pros and cons that work for us.

Personally, my wife and I and again,  we are both vaxxed and boosted, never go out. Only to Publix, and Walmart for food shopping and, doctor visits, but only the last few months in person. I am also going back to virtual visits.

 

Avoided the big New Years party in my neighborhood again for the second year. Most people walked away with COVID from it.

 

But when it comes to cruising, I'll take my chances. I spend enough time cooped up and being careful, but I'm not stupid.

Our Carnival cruise in September, we went to the comedy show and turned around and left, place was packed solid.

Our Divina cruise in November was almost a ghost ship, really easy to avoid people if you want.

 

So if my Meraviglia cruise for Valentine's day is a go, so am I.

Most likely I will bid up on a Aurea suite with hot tub. I could spend four days in that room no problem.

 

My wife agrees with me. God forbid if we do get sick, or worse, we have no one to blame.

 

I’m also on Meraviglia Week of February 13 doing b2b for total of 7 days. 
 

I’m vaccinated and had Covid & the monoclonal antibodies! Missed a cruise because of it! I’ve been cruising since restart and will continue to cruise. Life Is short and I plan on living it!