Let the Buyer Beware

[cger61]

MSC Yacht Club was originally touted as an exclusive "Ship Within a Ship", with access to this exclusive area of the ship, and its amenities available to only those cruisers wishing exclusivity and willing to pay for having a butler and other benefits. We did a cruise on the Splendida and enjoyed availing ourselves of this level of service. Well, we recently booked the Yacht Club on the Divina and only through due diligence discovered that the cabin they booked us on as a Yacht Club cabin was not located within the confines of the exclusive area. Cabins within the actual Yacht Club are located on decks 15 & 16. MSC has added 3 cabins located on deck 12 (12001, 12002, & 12004) as Yacht Club cabins. They are in fact 3 decks below the Yacht Club, do not have key controlled access to the area of the ship where these cabins are located, require the people booking these cabins to travel a distance through the hallways to the elevators leading to the actual Yacht Club. The booking agent at MSC failed to reveal these facts at the time of the booking, and when another MSC agent was confronted with the situation was quite snippy and generally exuded an attitude of so what. I am certainly glad that I did the due diligence and didn't arrive at boarding to have been extremely disappointed. Any experienced cruiser knows full well that voicing displeasure on sailing date might get you 4 chocolate covered strawberries.

[nursebob]

MSC Yacht Club was originally touted as an exclusive "Ship Within a Ship", with access to this exclusive area of the ship, and its amenities available to only those cruisers wishing exclusivity and willing to pay for having a butler and other benefits. We did a cruise on the Splendida and enjoyed availing ourselves of this level of service. Well, we recently booked the Yacht Club on the Divina and only through due diligence discovered that the cabin they booked us on as a Yacht Club cabin was not located within the confines of the exclusive area. Cabins within the actual Yacht Club are located on decks 15 & 16. MSC has added 3 cabins located on deck 12 (12001, 12002, & 12004) as Yacht Club cabins. They are in fact 3 decks below the Yacht Club, do not have key controlled access to the area of the ship where these cabins are located, require the people booking these cabins to travel a distance through the hallways to the elevators leading to the actual Yacht Club. The booking agent at MSC failed to reveal these facts at the time of the booking, and when another MSC agent was confronted with the situation was quite snippy and generally exuded an attitude of so what. I am certainly glad that I did the due diligence and didn't arrive at boarding to have been extremely disappointed. Any experienced cruiser knows full well that voicing displeasure on sailing date might get you 4 chocolate covered strawberries.

 

I believe in the brochure that it states that the Yacht Club is on decks 15 and 16 so at that point I would have questioned the 3 cabins on deck 12 before I booked. Just saying

[marcoigna]

Cabins were always there. Never - added - and u have the privilege of an amazing size cabin. Can't have it all.

[sfaaa]

Buyer Beware also applies to cruise price. So did you get a deal on your cruise?

[Skier52]

MSC Yacht Club was originally touted as an exclusive "Ship Within a Ship", with access to this exclusive area of the ship, and its amenities available to only those cruisers wishing exclusivity and willing to pay for having a butler and other benefits. We did a cruise on the Splendida and enjoyed availing ourselves of this level of service. Well, we recently booked the Yacht Club on the Divina and only through due diligence discovered that the cabin they booked us on as a Yacht Club cabin was not located within the confines of the exclusive area. Cabins within the actual Yacht Club are located on decks 15 & 16. MSC has added 3 cabins located on deck 12 (12001, 12002, & 12004) as Yacht Club cabins. They are in fact 3 decks below the Yacht Club, do not have key controlled access to the area of the ship where these cabins are located, require the people booking these cabins to travel a distance through the hallways to the elevators leading to the actual Yacht Club. The booking agent at MSC failed to reveal these facts at the time of the booking, and when another MSC agent was confronted with the situation was quite snippy and generally exuded an attitude of so what. I am certainly glad that I did the due diligence and didn't arrive at boarding to have been extremely disappointed. Any experienced cruiser knows full well that voicing displeasure on sailing date might get you 4 chocolate covered strawberries.

 

it's not a case of buyer beware, nor is it of case of MSC "ADDING" 3 cabins to the Yacht Club.

 

These cabin always have been the YC2 suites, as shown in the original deck plans from when she was first commissioned.

 

This proves it is a case of "BUYER DO YOUR RESEARCH". which any experienced cruiser will do.

 

 

It is also good practice not to slag off the cruise line, on a forum full of MSC , and especially MSC Divina aficionados, because of your shortcomings

 

.

 

Pete

[JuneauWhatIMean]

ROTFLMAO!!! :D:eek::D

[Skier52]

ROTFLMAO!!! :D:eek::D

 

That's a new one on me!!

when I looked up what it means, I just had to ROTFLMAO:D:D:D

 

 

Pete

[Iluvcruising2]

Good that you have started this thread so that more would know.

 

For our next MSC cruise, we do plan on taking YC2 cabins. :):)

[Shippy]

These are our favorite cabins. YES......they are on the 12th deck & YES they have no balcony but wait until you see your cabin.

I do hope you have one on either side. The middle on is still nice but much smaller.

We always get the one on the left 12001

It is like having a small apartment We are going again with that cabin in about 7 weeks.

These cabins are very hard to get as there are only 3 of them.

Last year we tried a YC3. The stairs were right outside the door to get to the YC lounge.

I must admit I liked that convenience but the room(s)...yc2 & yc3 are 2 complete rooms...are smaller & a missed the larger bathroom....twice the size in the YC2.

There are definite tradeoffs. We are older so I like the fact there is a separate tub from the shower so I do not have to step over the tub.

But there is the hike so......YC2 this March & the YC3 March 2017 as I am not sure how good my mobility will be then.

We usually book our cruises fairly last minute but must do way in advance to get one of these cabins.

[Iluvcruising2]

For reference, here is a YC3 on MSC Preziosa Cabin 16008.

 

Video 1

[YOUTUBE]m4_A7O2N-ro[/YOUTUBE]

 

Video 2

[YOUTUBE]hzanL6cVCAM[/YOUTUBE]

 

The YC3 is very convenient, but it does sound like the YC2 is more spacious. Next time, we probably want to try the YC2.

[Skier52]

 

The YC3 is very convenient, but it does sound like the YC2 is more spacious. Next time, we probably want to try the YC2.

 

They are !!

 

YC3 is 387 sq ft + balcony of 172 sq ft

 

YC2 are either 495 sq ft (centre cabin) or 570 sq ft (corner cabins)

Edited January 17, 2016 by Skier52

[riclop]

MSC Yacht Club was originally touted as an exclusive "Ship Within a Ship", with access to this exclusive area of the ship, and its amenities available to only those cruisers wishing exclusivity and willing to pay for having a butler and other benefits. We did a cruise on the Splendida and enjoyed availing ourselves of this level of service. Well, we recently booked the Yacht Club on the Divina and only through due diligence discovered that the cabin they booked us on as a Yacht Club cabin was not located within the confines of the exclusive area. Cabins within the actual Yacht Club are located on decks 15 & 16. MSC has added 3 cabins located on deck 12 (12001, 12002, & 12004) as Yacht Club cabins. They are in fact 3 decks below the Yacht Club, do not have key controlled access to the area of the ship where these cabins are located, require the people booking these cabins to travel a distance through the hallways to the elevators leading to the actual Yacht Club. The booking agent at MSC failed to reveal these facts at the time of the booking, and when another MSC agent was confronted with the situation was quite snippy and generally exuded an attitude of so what. I am certainly glad that I did the due diligence and didn't arrive at boarding to have been extremely disappointed. Any experienced cruiser knows full well that voicing displeasure on sailing date might get you 4 chocolate covered strawberries.

 

You did not do your proper research.

[maureencruiser]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Did you cancel your cruise or are you still booked?

[Homosassa]

I am new to MSC (booked for March 2016) have no interest in the Yacht Club, but I still know from looking at the deck plans before booking that there were 3 yacht club rooms on the 12 deck.

[toes_in_sand]

MSC Yacht Club was originally touted as an exclusive "Ship Within a Ship", with access to this exclusive area of the ship, and its amenities available to only those cruisers wishing exclusivity and willing to pay for having a butler and other benefits. We did a cruise on the Splendida and enjoyed availing ourselves of this level of service. Well, we recently booked the Yacht Club on the Divina and only through due diligence discovered that the cabin they booked us on as a Yacht Club cabin was not located within the confines of the exclusive area. Cabins within the actual Yacht Club are located on decks 15 & 16. MSC has added 3 cabins located on deck 12 (12001, 12002, & 12004) as Yacht Club cabins. They are in fact 3 decks below the Yacht Club, do not have key controlled access to the area of the ship where these cabins are located, require the people booking these cabins to travel a distance through the hallways to the elevators leading to the actual Yacht Club. The booking agent at MSC failed to reveal these facts at the time of the booking, and when another MSC agent was confronted with the situation was quite snippy and generally exuded an attitude of so what. I am certainly glad that I did the due diligence and didn't arrive at boarding to have been extremely disappointed. Any experienced cruiser knows full well that voicing displeasure on sailing date might get you 4 chocolate covered strawberries.

 

GASP!!!!! the horror.....thank God for your due diligence, even though I'm wondering why you didn't do your homework before making the booking. My guess you decided to play Travel Agent yourself and now you are blaming others for your lack of research.