rather be in Hawaii

We will be doing our first MSC YC cruise in a few weeks. Looking forward to it. Our most recent cruise was NCL haven this past May. The bartenders were amazing. Even if I was drinking basic vodka sodas I was amazed at just watching them make spectacular cocktails (no blender involved) We had a premium beverage package . My husband surprised me with the upgrade for my 60th so I could enjoy the Veuve. NCL  stopped it being included on the first day  our cruise. Fortunately they hadn’t stopped Johnny walker blue yet so he made up for it on his end. 😊😉

3 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

 

 

Seafood extravaganza
 - Was this really removed due to others sneaking in to YC area? Seems like an excuse - Yes, it's been stopped; yes, there were a lot of interlopers and "guests" who came and flooded the experience

This is concerning to me. Is it easy to sneak into the YC area? Enough so that they had to get rid of the perk because they couldn’t control people sneaking in? 

Are elegant/formal/gala nights more or less the same attire? Our previous recent cruises were NCL Haven which is fairly casual every night. Haven’t done a cruise with formal nights in many years. 😊

I was on getaway May 1st -11. Though the nice Haven bartenders were able to find me a few glasses during my cruise it is not offered on the premium plus program anny longer  and grey goose was definitely only on the premium plus program. 
I was just reading a post about some UK/Europe ports where NO alcohol can be served in port at all so things could be worse😊😉

On 5/14/2023 at 3:43 PM, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

Thanks. Very much interested in more posts. Every ship I am sure is in a different situation, inventory, etc. Holding on hope for Joy in July but not optimistic.

You were in haven and purchased vibe? Curious why. We were on the same cruise and haven sun deck was never busy. I confirm that the Veuve appeared on day five at haven bar. 😊🍾 

On 5/7/2023 at 11:26 AM, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

Now that your sailing is done, can you report back your experience with veuve/haven and veuve throughout the ship.

Still on my cruise. It is a 10 day. Veuve mysteriously showed up by the glass for me midway through the cruise. (Haven only) pommerey has been available but they haven’t been bringing a bottle. They just will refill it as much as you want to indulge. Ocean blue Veuve was only available to purchase by bottle ( 40% off if you have premium plus. Even though the Veuve has not been available as I had hoped my husband is making up for it with the Johnnie walker blue. I have tried lots of cocktails I don’t usually order. All I drink at home is red wine. If you ever have the opportunity to do Haven it is amazing. It is a splurge. The ship is crowded but not at max. Zero children in haven very few on the ship so early May might be a good time after the spring break crowds and pre summer crowds. 😊🍾

Currently on the getaway. Veuve is available by the bottle in haven and le bistro but is is NOT included in the premium plus beverage package. I have been happy with the Pommery that I have only seen in the Haven bar or  atrium bar. 

2 hours ago, justhappy said:

So I asked the bartender in the Haven, not Francis as he wasn’t there yet, and he said as far as he knows it’s true that for now the Veuve will not be there as of May 1. 
He did say that NCL will often reverse decisions based on guest feedback.

Please folks it’s not the bartenders decision and fault so direct your outrage to guest services or better yet NCL corporate!

Thank you for checking just happy. Since I cruise May 1st when new list is implemented I doubt anything will change. I will survive without it. 😉😊

4 hours ago, 22KristenB said:

Yes, the “such as” seems to be the loop hole. However, could that mean they just want to open up to other vendor contracts? Like, maybe they will have some better options, but they don’t want to promise one brand? When is everyone cruising? I won’t be able to report back until after my cruise on the bliss August 12-19.

I will be on the getaway on Monday 😊

40 minutes ago, Arrow34 said:

I am just going to screen shot this from the app and point it out when I ask for veuve and what are they going to sub it with....

Good point. It was promised at our booking but now I’m really wondering if the “such as” will be the loophole for the change. 

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Pommery is a really excellent champagne.  

 

I have to say, I don't get the almost cult-like devotion to Veuve.  It's good, yes, but so are many other champagnes.  

I have never had the Pommery but very happy to hear it is excellent.  😊🍾🥂

4 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

Pretty soon, the package will probably only include the crappy prosecco that Carnival serves... I bet there's going to be an uproar over this. I'd hate to be one of the poor bartenders or servers bearing the brunt of the complaints.

4 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

Pretty soon, the package will probably only include the crappy prosecco that Carnival serves... I bet there's going to be an uproar over this. I'd hate to be one of the poor bartenders or servers bearing the brunt of the complaints.

I sail Monday May 1st on getaway when these changes start. I agree that I feel sorry for the bartenders that. Will be hearing complaints when it is out of  their control. My husband upgraded to the premium plus package as a gift to me since I really wanted the Veuve. We will be in Haven so I’m curious if they will have any leftover from current cruise. A current passenger on getaway said that they were still pouring Veuve. (Though changes would not have been in place yet)

1 hour ago, singleflyer said:

Veuve is still in the image for the Plus package, though no longer listed on the long list of drinks.

 

Grey Goose is listed under Plus.  Did it used to be included in the standard open bar?

Yes grey goose was in the regular premium beverage package before. The also removed Belvedere completely. 

1 hour ago, Arrow34 said:

Kinda angry about this...  I also upgraded for the higher end scotchs.  But for them to pull it just as I am about to go on my sailing on Monday.... Not happy 

Did they change the premium plus scotch/whiskey’s? 

1 hour ago, gmbhardy said:

Major changes, fleet wide, starting May1/2023.

We just saw this on the new list. We sail May 1st.   😬

6 minutes ago, Arrow34 said:

Well crap, you are right the latest premium plus doesn't list vueve, even though it does in the app. I signed up for the package because it does have Veuve for my wife. Wth, calling tomorrow to see what can be done. This is dumb

My husband also upgraded for me for the Veuve. 😢

9 minutes ago, justhappy said:

I just asked Francis the Haven bartender  and he said the Veuve Cliquot and the Pommery Rose and they are both available at the Haven bar.

Thank you!!!! I look forward to spending a lot of time with Francis!😉 I appreciate that you asked and relied back to me.😊💕

Looking forward to your post. I will be on getaway haven deck 16 May 1st. If you drink champagne would you mind posting the haven champagne options in haven on the premium plus beverage program? My husband upgraded us as a bday gift to me for my birthday. He would have been fine with the regular package but was sweet enough to upgrade us just for me.

Have a great time! love your large balcony😊

I hope you drink because you deserve one!

They look amazing but cost more for a half day excursion than we paid to upgrade to a 2 bedroom 2 bath haven suite on a ten day cruise. 😊😊

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

6 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

This is correct.  If you tip cash it goes to your server who also shares with the back waiter.  If you leave a tip on the slip it goes to NCL

I wish more people knew this. We tipped too many people on the slips for good service not knowing they would never personally get the tip. Cash only on our next cruise in May. 
 

We were told by a server in Cagney’s that if tip is added on signing that they will not personally get the tip. I asked him upfront. He was an amazing server and I was disappointed that we had left him great tips on previous nights that he would never get. From now on I will tip in cash for special service. (I asked him about the tipping. He did not offer that info unsolicited)

6 hours ago, Sydneyberlin said:

Just won an upgrade today to the Haven will be our first ever Haven experience and we’re so excited! We’re still over 2 weeks out so we will surely have some questions over the next couple of days for the “experts” here. If anyone wants to know more about the bidding process and how we got it, I’ve posted about that in all detail over in the “Any upgrade Bits accepted recently” thread.

 

In the meantime, it’s a Courtyard Penthouse suite with large balcony on the Encore so if anyone has traveled on one of those before (or has any fotos or tips), please post them on here! ☺️

 

So so happy and excited!!!

Enjoy the upgrade! I will be on the getaway Haven May 1st. We were booked in forward facing Haven and had bids in to upgrade. I saw that haven was almost sold out on our sailing so I called and just paid for the upgrade to a two bedroom family (we are just a couple but it was less expensive than the owners suite) Too bad we aren’t on the same cruise. We could wander the ship in search of bottles of Veuve😉

11 hours ago, p&lcruisers said:

I was on the Getaway this month. They had Vueve in the atrium bar. We had the premium plus package.  You could get as many glasses during the day. You could get bottles at dinner. We had 2 bottles. My husband and I could each get one. Try the Pommery Rose. That was available only in the restaurants. 

I will be on the Getaway May 1st. I want to upgrade to premium plus for Veuve only. This ship charges $125 per bottle or a $15 supplement per glass. The additional $350pp to upgrade to premium plus would pay for itself over a 10 night cruise. Problem is my husband thinks it is ridiculous to pay the upgrade just for the Veuve. He is a whisky/vodka drinker and fine with the offerings on the regular drink package. We did an Alaska cruise in October. All I drank was grey goose/Belvedere soda with an occasional glass of wine with dinner, Bloody Mary with breakfast, and maybe an IPA now and then with lunch. One time I thought the bartender at the mojito bar was going to hug me when we ordered two grey goose sodas. He actually said thank you for the easy order😉 

we are 30ish days out from our cruise. We will see who wins the premium plus upgrade battle. We already upgraded from forward facing Haven to 2 bedroom Haven so what’s a little bit more. My 60th and his retirement so it is a splurge trip. Go big or go home😊

Vueve is only included by the glass and no longer included by the bottle with meals on the premium plus beverage program. If I am incorrect please let me know.😊🍾