Currently aboard YC Splendida - questions?

We are currently aboard Splendida Yacht Club out of Dubai.

Any questions specific to YC on this ship?

Dubai Visa.

We are from the UK and did NOT need a visa at all.

You have 2 choices at passport control - smart passport (chip inside) or std entry.

Choose std entry as you can only use the smart passport lanes if your passport is registered (no idea how to do that)

Good quality taxi from taxi rank to port is $25 usd - around 20 mins.

YC lounge - butlers and waiters friendly and always available.

You drink will NOT get empty in YC hic

Food choice in YC lounge changed 4 or 5 times a day (and refreshed in between)

Seating/space is great plus a couple of "hidden" sofa areas on deck 15.

L'Olivo YC Restaurant service exceptional.

Lots of tables for 2 and never crowded.

Hi, Hope you are having a fabulous time. Is the priority boarding area for YC easy to find at the port? There is another splendida YC thread running at the moment with lots of questions....sure you could help. Many thanks

Yippee .............. yes, lots of questions. Thank you so much for giving your valuable time and posting here 'Live'.

Great to know what charge to expect for the taxi to the port. When we sailed last year on Fantasia, we had transfers with MSC. This year we'll be taking a cab.

Have they replaced the TVs in the cabin with more modern ones?

Will you be checking out the new Asian-themed Speciality Restaurant onboard? I'm interested in what's on the menu.

Who is the head butler and maitreD? Will they still be onboard for the repo to Japan?

TIA and have a wonderful cruise!

YC checkin easy with various butlers ashore and outside terminal.

Seperate checkin desk in the terminal at dubai port NOT in the ship as YC suggest.

Easiest ever checkin. No health forms just give cruise ticket, enjoy a nibble and drink and get escorted to YC deck 15 by butler.

Small groups in YC concierge lounge to take your order for morning newspaper and brief info talk.

Lots of chinese/japanese staff on board and all signage changed (bit confusing as too much info)

Our waiter in YC great - Leo

Sorry but probably wont get staff details for repositioning.

They have asian staff "watching" head waiter etc but seem very reserved.

Our cabin 16004 right on front of ship.

Huge murial on wall in front of bed - tiny modern tv and mini sound bar in corner if room and can hardly see it.

Have booked to go in Butchers Cut as free voyager club perk.

Wont book other restaurants as happy in smaller quieter L'Olivo with great service from waiters who know what we like ie drinks are ready for us, length of time between courses, preferred table etc.

Have booked to go in Butchers Cut as free voyager club perk.

 

Wont book other restaurants as happy in smaller quieter L'Olivo with great service from waiters who know what we like ie drinks are ready for us, length of time between courses, preferred table etc.

Butchers' Cut is on Splendida? And there are other Speciality Restaurants onboard? There was only one when I was on Splendida. Same on Fantasia, her sister ship - a Tex-Mex which was to be replaced by an Asian-themed one on Splendida:

Among the new features MSC will add a new signature restaurant curated by famous chef Jereme Leung that said: “It has been my long-held dream to open a restaurant on a cruise ship. MSC Cruises’ passion for the sea, pursuit of craftsmanship, attention to detail and quality and innovative spirit are well matched with my passion for cuisine. It’s a privilege to renew my partnership with MSC Cruises on the MSC Splendida. With our joint efforts, I’m confident that this restaurant will offer a culinary experience comparable to that of any high-end restaurant I have opened onshore”.

CoupleUK - What great news to see you are reporting back to us whilst on the ship. As Anne said there are many questions being asked.

Is L Olivo the restaurant for the Yacht Club cruisers only. Please let us know what Butchers Cut is like. We are black card members so this may entitle us to a meal there.

I drink creamy cocktails. Can you get these in the YC.

What changes have been made to the ship during it refurbishment.

Hope you enjoy your cruise and it is great that you are posting.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Margaret

Any word on when Msc for me will be launched on Splendida

The Butchers Cut has replaced the TexMex (which was always a letdown for us).

The free Black Card meal in Butchers Cut is the same as you get if you buy it as part of a dining package.

The old Wine Cellar place just outside the old tex mex is now a dim sum bar; basically a bar with chinese theme and paid for nibbles.

No sign of the app for splendida yet. But judging on reviews for the app (a lowly 2.1) I dont think missing much.

IF you have option to do status match to black card then do it for the perks.

I have to say that weve been shocked at just how crowded the main bars are and really cherish to peace and calmness of the YC lounge.

Just been told that excursion booklets arent available for our b2b 2nd cruise portion next week as the "prices are changing" so all been binned.

Might be worth prebooking a few excuraions this week as not sure if price changes are fleet wide or not.

Hi Couple UK, Will be joining you in YC on Sat 27th. Thanks for all your info. Anne

L'Olivo is for YC only.

Lifts: The lifts at the front of the ship have a YC Priority function (doesnt work too well when extremely busy). Simply put card in reader, press YC button and call lift direction. Sign above lift changes to "priority lift" and is supposed to ignore other floors and come straight to you. Once inside, insert card again and lift will go straight to the floor you select. Be prepared for the stares and disgusted looks haha.

L'Olivo also features some of the dishes from the defunct TexMex restaurant.

Last night we enjoyed a hot skillet with tasty meaty sausage, lamb chop and steak on top of onions and mixed peppers = yummy !!

I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that Butchers' Cut is now on Splendida. We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 evenings in BC on Meraviglia with our Black Cards. I really wasn't looking forward to an Asian-themed restaurant (which is what was announced would be replacing El Sombrero Tex-Mex) as that is what was onboard on our last 2 cruises. I won't miss Tex-Mex, either. We've only had one decent meal there in all the times we've been. We've had the meal you described being served in L'Olivo in both Tex-Mex and in various YC restaurants. When it's good it's very, very good and when it's bad, it's awful!

Having tried out the MSC for Me app, I won't be disappointed if it's not in operation when we're onboard - it never really worked well on Meraviglia.

I do have a slight whinge about L'Olivo though.

The location is terrible.

Other end of ship from YC is understandable due to kitchen locations BUT the "view" is just the deck piled with stacked loungers or a view of hot tubs.

Im certainly not a slim guy so I question to appeal of eating dinner whilst man mountain outside tries to find the rear portion of his missing budgie smugglers.

Thankfully the service makea up for it lol

Paul and Ann-Marie thanks for keeping us up to date.

Can you get any coctail you want at the bars and Yacht Club.

What is the Yacht Club pool area like.

Do you have to make a reservation for Butchers Cut as soon as you get on the ship. We are only on it for 7 nights.

Is the YC restaurant on the same deck as the YC bar and sun area.

What is your weather like.

Many thanks

Margaret

Some extra premium drinks not included but can get most things at any of the bars and not just in YC

YC Restaurant at back of ship. YC rooms, lounge, concierge and YC pool/bar at front.

Weather is nice 22-24 each day but foggy with breakthroughs of extreme sunshine (we prefer the fog and shade)

We booked Butchers yesterday for tomorrow without issue.

It's articles like the following that lead people to have expectations about innovations such as the MSC for Me app that aren't met when using said technology:

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/18335-msc-takes-digital-leadership-position.html

It would be a fantastic resource if it worked as well as it should!

Cruise companies need to have working websites before they move to apps.

If course, the rest of the business world have mastered both but not cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean have been the worst farce for us in terms of technology to date.

I can confirm that the new Japanese/Chinese restaurant is here !!!!!

It is terrible (location wise).

Remember the orange disco above kids clubs on deck 16?

The prime bit of any ship which has great sea views and views across the pool areas.

Well, they have removed 99% of the orange furniture, leaving a huge open space and an empty DJ desk.

In the other half, they have thrown a few tables and a buffet station in - and viola the new restaurant.

Shocking waste of space and an insult to paying guests who might purchase this dining option.

It will not be there long - unless perhaps they add a high rollers casino up there for the Japanese market.

Thank you so much for that information. I've been puzzling about it ever since you mentioned that Butchers' Cut was onboard. My DH kept arguing that you must have got it wrong. I kept telling him that you knew what you're talking about as you're on the ship! I've experienced that one before - being on a ship and someone contradicting the information I was supplying! :rolleyes:

Sounds like the Asian restaurant is in a similar situation to where Galaxy is on Preziosa & Divina. I wondered if that was what they had done as the decor and layout would have to have been done while she was in drydock.

Really appreciate the updates. Again, thank you. :)

ETA About the waste of space. I imagine they'll add more tables when they actually begin the China season when there will probably be more demand for it. Probably why they positioned it up there.

Butchers Cut definately in place of tex mex though.

That new restaurant in old disco area just looks awful.

Staff suddenly appear as if shell shocked that anyone made it that far lol.

Butchers Cut definately in place of tex mex though.

 

That new restaurant in old disco area just looks awful.

 

Staff suddenly appear as if shell shocked that anyone made it that far lol.

Yep ............ I've experienced that in Galaxy, too!

Hope you enjoy your evening (whenever you go) in Butchers' Cut as much as we did. I included some photos of the meal we had there when on Meragviglia. Posts #100 and #101 on the following thread if you're interested (last post on page 5 so scroll to the end/first post on page 6):

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511337&page=5

Thanks for the link - nice pics.

Hope the sun comes out in the next few days.

Been nice and warm but very foggy/misty since leaving Dubai.