Intrigued by MSC.... Will it fulfill our vacation expectations?

[tarheelmjfan]

More questions...

 

How far in advance does MSC release their schedule? I can't seem to find anything for the fall of 2015 & later for Divina.

 

Also, how does Yacht Club's dedicated restaurant compare to the specialty restaurants for quality? What alcoholic beverages are included for YC guests? DH & I have been discussing the possibility of booking YC, & it may be a great deal for us. On our last cruise, our onboard account was over $2,600. All but maybe $500 of it was for food & wine/champagne. :o Those "for a fee" balcony breakfasts & dinners, Chef's Table, & specialty restaurants add up. :eek:

 

You can not have the butler escort you. They are there to help, if you don't want the help you don't have to partake.

 

We did a cruise on NCL and never once ate in the MDR or Buffet. A different specialty every night. La Cucina and LeBistro twice.

We had no regrets as the MDR menu never appealed to us and the lines to get in seemed long often.

 

Some were better than others.

 

That's definitely the way to do NCL. My one cruise with them was on a sister trip & my sisters weren't interested in paying extra for food. Sadly, it was my only cruise that I didn't look forward to meals. If my immediate sailed with them, we wouldn't make that mistake.

 

PS: We moved here from Tampa, so we're sort of neighbors. :) DH did a lot of work in Bradenton.

 

Tarheel, we stayed in the Yacht Club on Divina last week. I can assure you we were never escorted to the restaurant. Our butler Jonathan, escorted us on to the ship during embarkation, escorted us off the ship for shore excursions, and then off the ship for debarkation. He was relatively transparent unless we requested something. We are simple people who just choose to stay in the Yacht Club for the all inclusiveness of it, the other perks are just a bonus.

 

That's good to hear. It sounds like we're like minded people. I hope you can offer feedback for my questions above.

[Mikesa1721]

More questions...

 

How far in advance does MSC release their schedule? I can't seem to find anything for the fall of 2015 & later for Divina.

 

Also, how does Yacht Club's dedicated restaurant compare to the specialty restaurants for quality? What alcoholic beverages are included for YC guests? DH & I have been discussing the possibility of booking YC, & it may be a great deal for us. On our last cruise, our onboard account was over $2,600. All but maybe $500 of it was for food & wine/champagne. :o Those "for a fee" balcony breakfasts & dinners, Chef's Table, & specialty restaurants add up. :eek:

 

 

 

That's definitely the way to do NCL. My one cruise with them was on a sister trip & my sisters weren't interested in paying extra for food. Sadly, it was my only cruise that I didn't look forward to meals. If my immediate sailed with them, we wouldn't make that mistake.

 

PS: We moved here from Tampa, so we're sort of neighbors. :) DH did a lot of work in Bradenton.

 

 

 

That's good to hear. It sounds like we're like minded people. I hope you can offer feedback for my questions above.

 

Divina will be returning to Europe in April for the summer. I'm not sure when they will release the 2015 fall and winter schedule.

Since we were only on a short 3 day cruise, we didn't partake in any of the specialty restaurants. We had dinner at LeMuse, the Yacht Club dining room, and the food was fantastic!! The Alaskan king crab salad, the risotto, and the cooked to perfection filet were all incredible. I wished I would have saved room for desert because I have heard the tiramisu is to die for!!

When it comes to drinks, you can get practically anything you want with some exceptions of course. They free pour in the Yacht Club, so you'll be guaranteed a tasty cocktail. They ran out of St. Germain though,,my girlfriend loves their Elderflower fizz.

[tarheelmjfan]

MSC might not be your ticket - but that's ok. You're doing the right thing by researching and knowing your hot-buttons. Some make it a must that a ship has a Promenade :). It's just me - but I don't care, but if the fitness center is not up to snuff - I'd knock the ship right out of contention. Then there are those that have itinerary as a first cut - I'm usually in that group. But, after this last winter up north - anything warm will do. For us, I love the Musica itineraries, flexible as to port entry (we're still working, so schedule is important), don't care a whit about it being a Euro based ship, but can't deal with it not having flexible dining. Love classical ensembles - MSC has that, but they're not always there on Celebrity anymore (and Celebrity used to put them in a small lounge where they could be enjoyed). Everyone has their own thing that is important.

 

We personally hate announcements by the CD. It's a tie - Celebrity and MSC - very few announcements- but pleasantly surprised by NCL on our last cruise (very little upsell, but it was a European Holylands cruise. Actually, that cruise was our favorite trip out of many, many trips around the world.) As cruisers, we're definitely itinerary driven.

 

Breakfast - if you're absolute hot button is having a hot breakfast delivered to your regular verandah suite - look elsewhere. You would have to ask others on this board if it's possible in YC. And, if you went with Oceania (that I originally recommended for a foodie) you'd have to be in at least concierge. But, if having mortadella on a breakfast buffet rather than cooked to order omelets and waffles you might be on the right track.

 

Guess all I'm saying is keep doing your due diligence and find the right ship. It may be Celebrity and it may be MSC. Or, it may be another line.

 

Thanks for the feedback. :) I know what you mean about the right fit for each individual. Some of the things you consider a deal breaker doesn't matter to us. (We're with you on the announcements though. ;)) The reverse could be true. That doesn't make one of us right & the other wrong. This is why I hate the "food snob" comments. We're not snobs. Far from it. Quality food just happens to be our hot button. As you said, everyone has one. There just not always the same.

 

We're beginning to think MSC YC may be a good fit for us, if the food is as good as some reviews say & we can tone down the special treatment. It appears the butler & concierge feed off the guests personalities & won't be an issue. Now, for the food. :D Since pasta & seafood just happens to be my favorite foods, along with desserts & bread, we may have a winner. Quality would be the only concern.

 

BTW, I'm so jealous that you were able to visit the Holy Land. ;) That's my dream cruise. Someday, I'll get there, if the Lord's willing.

[tarheelmjfan]

Divina will be returning to Europe in April for the summer. I'm not sure when they will release the 2015 fall and winter schedule.

Since we were only on a short 3 day cruise, we didn't partake in any of the specialty restaurants. We had dinner at LeMuse, the Yacht Club dining room, and the food was fantastic!! The Alaskan king crab salad, the risotto, and the cooked to perfection filet were all incredible. I wished I would have saved room for desert because I have heard the tiramisu is to die for!!

When it comes to drinks, you can get practically anything you want with some exceptions of course. They free pour in the Yacht Club, so you'll be guaranteed a tasty cocktail. They ran out of St. Germain though,,my girlfriend loves their Elderflower fizz.

 

That sounds great. I think you all have convinced us to book when the new itineraries are released. :D

[American Bear]

I know it's been a few years, but how did MSC compare with X? Celebrity is also our cruise line of choice. We're mostly concerned with food quality & variety & we do enjoy the opportunity to dress nicely, including formal wear.

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply. I'll check out your review.

 

The first thing you need to do is ignore the Tail, he/she/it is a Divina hater!:eek:

 

Next, if money is no problem, then the more you spend, like on Princess, and RCL Oasis class, (about double the Divina), will net you better food in the specialty restaurants, but not elsewhere!:eek:

 

But if you're looking for the Best Entertainment Value for Your Money, the Divina Wins hands down!:D

 

The Divina Balcony's are less then most ship Ocean Views! And their cabins are terrific!

Edited May 26, 2014 by American Bear

[Skier52]

We live between Port Everglades & POM. I was browsing the other day for cruises & MSC came up with great prices. Naturally, that caught my attention. ;) I've been on here reading a few days & looked at their site, but I'm still confused about a couple things. :o My DH asked me last night, if I had learned any new info on this cruise line. My reply was that I now know enough to be more confused. :p I have learned that MSC appears to be a more formal line than some of the others (we're Celebrity fans for this reason also). That's a big plus in their favor.

 

Anyway, DH & my top priority on vacation is excellent food. We like high quality food with a nice atmosphere & don't mind paying extra for it. From my research, I can't tell if the specialty restaurants on MSC are what we're looking for. For example, I was looking at the dining package & it appears one of the specialty restaurants highlights pizza. Am I miss understanding what I'm reading? We like pizza, but don't consider it a nice, vacation dinner. Would someone be kind enough to explain what each of the specialty restaurants are like? (If it matters, we'd be booking Divina.) Also, we enjoy room service on our balcony for breakfast & lunch. It appears the only way to have a nice breakfast or lunch from room service is to book a suite. Is there a way to pay for a nicer meal similar to Princess' Balcony Breakfast? An expanded room service menu is really the only suite perk we'd care about. Booking a regular balcony & paying extra for better food is preferable, if it's possible. DH can run to the buffet & bring back food, but he'd rather not do that every day.

 

Last question, I checked the MSC site & it appears the fall/winter 2015 schedule isn't released yet. From what I've read here, Divina will be back to POM in November 2015. Is this correct?

 

While we are picky about food, we're not picky about anything else. I'm sure everything else about the ship would be fine, if the dining options work for us.

 

Thanks in advance for clearing up the confusion. :)

Check out my review of my Yacht Club cruise, in the Med, with loads of images including YC menus and food pictures, But do bear in mind this was before she was "Americanised" for the USA market. i.e No Eataly diner.

 

It is a long review, and includes two short videos , one of the suite and one a snapshot of a big production show, along with 30+ images and a link to another 30+ images from areas other than the YC.

 

http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=270&t=4472

 

 

Hope you take the time to read the relevant parts (the ports of call section won't be relevant) and find it useful.

 

 

Pete

[legion3]

Skier 52's review of the YC is a must read!

 

His pictures and account helped sell me to choose the YC and then sell it to my DW. Who was initially shocked at the cost but when I compared prices to the NCL Haven and the NCL suite on Dawn, our last cruise. She was won over.

 

Then I compared the price to other cruise lines Oceanview cabins and that was that.

 

I actually hope the YC food is better than NCL specialty resturants, some were good, some excellent, some OK. None were bad.

[tarheelmjfan]

Next, if money is no problem, then the more you spend, like on Princess, and RCL Oasis class, (about double the Divina), will net you better food in the specialty restaurants, but not elsewhere!: eek:

 

 

Money's always a problem, but we're willing to spend it for above average food. :p

 

Check out my review of my Yacht Club cruise, in the Med, with loads of images including YC menus and food pictures, But do bear in mind this was before she was "Americanised" for the USA market. i.e No Eataly diner.

 

It is a long review, and includes two short videos , one of the suite and one a snapshot of a big production show, along with 30+ images and a link to another 30+ images from areas other than the YC.

 

http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=270&t=4472

 

 

Hope you take the time to read the relevant parts (the ports of call section won't be relevant) and find it useful.

 

 

Pete

 

Excellent review! If you don't mind me asking, what spirits are included for YC guests. I'm a wine drinker (sparkling, riesling, or pinot grigio). DH will also drink wine, but likes an occasional cocktail. I'm wondering how much more we could expect to spend on things not included in YC. FWIW, I'm surprised to see that the mini bar is included. That's a nice perk.

[tarheelmjfan]

I actually hope the YC food is better than NCL specialty resturants, some were good, some excellent, some OK. None were bad.

 

Me too! If the prices for YC don't go up substantially, it could end up being a bargain for us. That is dependent on how good Le Muse & the other YC food is though. If we feel we need to dine in the specialty restaurants for superior food, a regular balcony would probably make more sense.

[Skier52]

Money's always a problem, but we're willing to spend it for above average food. :p

 

 

 

Excellent review! If you don't mind me asking, what spirits are included for YC guests. I'm a wine drinker (sparkling, riesling, or pinot grigio). DH will also drink wine, but likes an occasional cocktail. I'm wondering how much more we could expect to spend on things not included in YC. FWIW, I'm surprised to see that the mini bar is included. That's a nice perk.

Here's a link to the YC bar list used on our cruise.

The first three pages are the all inclusive selection , the remaining pages, the connoiseur's list, are at an extra cost. The prices are in euros

 

 

 

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=1cdc327c72a4c6d9#cid=1CDC327C72A4C6D9&id=1CDC327C72A4C6D9%211230&v=3

 

 

 

Pete

[tarheelmjfan]

Here's a link to the YC bar list used on our cruise.

The first three pages are the all inclusive selection , the remaining pages, the connoiseur's list, are at an extra cost. The prices are in euros

 

 

 

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=1cdc327c72a4c6d9#cid=1CDC327C72A4C6D9&id=1CDC327C72A4C6D9%211230&v=3

 

 

 

Pete

 

Thanks, I'll check it out & show DH.

[Katgoesonholiday]

Hey Pete, I was wondering about the Yacht Club menu you posted.... if we got the Allegressimo package as well would many of the extra cost things be covered? Do you think that the all inclusive selection is adequate? My husband and I enjoy drinking a bottle of wine with our dinner and are a huge fan of a nice glass of liqueur such as Baileys or Limoncello. We are looking forward to indulging ourselves whilst on the cruise - cocktails, wines, liqueurs etc. I don't want to spend the extra money if its unnecessary but on the other hand I don't want to skimp if doing so detracts from the experience.

[Skier52]

Hey Pete, I was wondering about the Yacht Club menu you posted.... if we got the Allegressimo package as well would many of the extra cost things be covered? Do you think that the all inclusive selection is adequate? My husband and I enjoy drinking a bottle of wine with our dinner and are a huge fan of a nice glass of liqueur such as Baileys or Limoncello. We are looking forward to indulging ourselves whilst on the cruise - cocktails, wines, liqueurs etc. I don't want to spend the extra money if its unnecessary but on the other hand I don't want to skimp if doing so detracts from the experience.

Here is a link to the drinks list that applied to the Allegrissimo on the cruise we were on. NOTE any drink, or group of drinks e.g "Trendy Cocktails", that has a red *, next to it is excluded from the Allegrissimo package (however they are included in the Allegrissimo PREMIUM package. (v. expensive))

 

So you'll be able to check out what the type of selection is applicable to each package and compare them to the YC selection.

 

The other thing is that you'll be able to get a drink anywhere on the ship if you have the AI package, and not just in the YC areas, it's just a matter of totting up the cost of drinks that are extra on the YC list and any you would buy outside the YC. (remember that there will be a 15% service charge added if they are not bought via a package).

How much time will you spend in other areas of the ship and not the YC?

 

The prosecco and house wines ( which are drinkable) are free flowing in the YC dining room, but you could always buy a bottle if you want a different one, having the AI package won't change that!!!.

 

 

Limoncello was free in the YC on our cruise :) and there were ~ 12 - 13 cocktails to choose from

 

 

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=1cdc327c72a4c6d9#cid=1CDC327C72A4C6D9&id=1CDC327C72A4C6D9%211367&v=3

 

Pete

Edited May 28, 2014 by Skier52

[Katgoesonholiday]

That's really helpful - thanks Pete. Its good to know the house wines are drinkable and that there is a good selection of cocktails. Do you know if shots are included?

 

I really don't know how much time we will spend outside the Yacht Club. I would like to see some more of the ship but my husband is quite content to stay put. I think we are going to be quite tired from the sightseeing each day though so I imagine we'll end up sticking to the Yacht Club. I understand they have live entertainment there in the evenings?

[Skier52]

That's really helpful - thanks Pete. Its good to know the house wines are drinkable and that there is a good selection of cocktails. Do you know if shots are included?

 

I really don't know how much time we will spend outside the Yacht Club. I would like to see some more of the ship but my husband is quite content to stay put. I think we are going to be quite tired from the sightseeing each day though so I imagine we'll end up sticking to the Yacht Club. I understand they have live entertainment there in the evenings?

I sorry to say I don't know about "shots" and as for entertainment we had , a live piano player; Enzo Trombetta, who did sets at TeaTime (17:00 -18:00) and then 19:15 until late, entitled, " A Touch of Class".

 

 

Pete