Live from Meraviglia

[Beamafar]

Thank you, Doc!

 

I've never sailed NCL. I've just never found better value than I can get with MSC - for all its faults. I hope you enjoy your YC experiences as much as we have. We had such an amazing time that we've just gone a little crazy by booking a 28 night cruise in YC on another ship for next year.

 

For us the crew are a huge part of our cruising enjoyment and one of the first things we do when we board is to search out familiar faces. Treat the crew right and they pay you back in spades! After our last lunch onboard, we were literally surrounded by the restaurant staff wanting to say goodbye to us. We didn't tip any of these lads as there were just too many and still they came to see us off - and to thank us! They were the ones doing all the great work and here they were thanking us! Just because we had been friendly to them? It was very moving.

[sverigecruiser]

Thank you, Doc!

 

I've never sailed NCL. I've just never found better value than I can get with MSC - for all its faults. I hope you enjoy your YC experiences as much as we have. We had such an amazing time that we've just gone a little crazy by booking a 28 night cruise in YC on another ship for next year.

 

For us the crew are a huge part of our cruising enjoyment and one of the first things we do when we board is to search out familiar faces. Treat the crew right and they pay you back in spades! After our last lunch onboard, we were literally surrounded by the restaurant staff wanting to say goodbye to us. We didn't tip any of these lads as there were just too many and still they came to see us off - and to thank us! They were the ones doing all the great work and here they were thanking us! Just because we had been friendly to them? It was very moving.

 

We have been on 7 NCL cruises but their suiteprices have gone up a lot so we decided to try something new. Norwegian Epic from Barcelona this summer should cost us $3500 more, in the Haven, than our Meraviglia cruise in the Yacht Club.

 

Even when I read about all small problems they seem to have I'm not worried. If we are disappointed, we can book something more this summer!

[Beamafar]

We have been on 7 NCL cruises but their suiteprices have gone up a lot so we decided to try something new. Norwegian Epic from Barcelona this summer should cost us $3500 more, in the Haven, than our Meraviglia cruise in the Yacht Club.

 

Even when I read about all small problems they seem to have I'm not worried. If we are disappointed, we can book something more this summer!

 

Hope you come back and let us know how you got on - especially how the YC experience compares with the Haven. I've been reading on here about how crazy NCL prices have become. Seems there's a bit of chat over on the NCL boards about MSC's Yacht Club.

 

All I can say is that we thoroughly enjoyed it on Meraviglia. The problems we encountered faded into insignificance over the course of the cruise as the overall positive experience (and the YC director's interventions) surmounted any hiccups we'd had.

 

Meraviglia's YC enclave is a bigger area over more decks than on Fantasia class ships and the fact that the YC restaurant is now within the enclave, unlike on other ships, where it is at the aft of the ships, made it an even better experience.

 

Have a fantastic cruise, Sverige ................. don't let the small stuff spoil the fun! ;)

[sverigecruiser]

Have a fantastic cruise, Sverige ................. don't let the small stuff spoil the fun! ;)

 

Thanks.

 

I will defenitely not let small stuff spoil the fun!

 

I will write a long review when I'm back home and I will also compare the Haven with the Yacht Club.

[macattack1111]

Hi Bea

Thanks again for the info....reason we asked about drinks lists is we normally pay for the inclusive drink packages....but I've noticed in one review.....pax are complaining there's only one drought lager( Heineken)and no

Cider available on the all inclusive....you have to pay for it....for some reason its listed as a premium drink...why I don't know.

So we will probably give this a miss and do the wine package instead.

 

I do have another question for you Bea,

The 30% off voucher you earned in the casino, can you use it with any travel agent world wide or direct with MSC at the time of any future booking.

 

Thanks again Bill

[Dr. Cocktail]

We have been on 7 NCL cruises but their suiteprices have gone up a lot so we decided to try something new. Norwegian Epic from Barcelona this summer should cost us $3500 more, in the Haven, than our Meraviglia cruise in the Yacht Club.

 

Even when I read about all small problems they seem to have I'm not worried. If we are disappointed, we can book something more this summer!

 

I have been on 7 NCL cruises in The Haven in the last three years but the prices are now truly outrageous. They are playing a foolish game as they are pushing people to try something else. This is always a dangerous practice as people may (and we both will hopefully find!) that we like other things as well at a much reduced price!

[Beamafar]

Bill ............... It's usually the case that Heineken is the only draught available on the basic package in most of the bars, (unless it's a specialist bar) and cider only available in bottles which requires a deluxe (premium) package. However, there is a good selection of beers on tap in the Brass Anchor and, IIRC, they are covered with the basic package. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of the bar menu, nor the taps, so can't remember what was on offer. They have Guinness - DH taught Euzabio, one of the servers, to pull a proper pint, but the barman himself wasn't interested and is serving it wrong. We were told that there was a lot of complaints as a result but the guy didn't care!

 

I had such trouble getting correct information about anything that I gave up trying to find out what was included and what was not. Nobody was sure about anything when we were onboard as things were only being implemented officially after we got to Genoa. Apparently, everything had been included for those on the inaugural - including the items with 2 asterisks, which aren't covered in any packages. Hence the confusion among the crew when we boarded as they weren't sure when the 'inaugural' period ended. Turns out we were onboard for 2 of the days that fell in that period. Items that we had included on those first 2 days weren't included for us on the following 5 days!

 

Hopefully someone else will get the information you're looking for and post it - I thought I saw a photo of the Brass Anchor menu posted somewhere else, already?

 

About the voucher - you don't have to book directly with MSC to use it. I've booked cruises through TAs with 2 vouchers without any difficulties. The first time, I had to send the original to the TA for him to forward on to MSC. There was €50 OBC included and that was added to the booking.

 

The second time, I scanned it and forwarded it to the TA by email who sent it on to MSC. There was €75 OBC on that one. They wouldn't put the OBC on and said I had to bring the voucher with me and claim the credit onboard. When I was on Meraviglia chatting with the casino manager, I mentioned that I had a voucher currently. She contacted HQ to get a copy of it as I didn't have it with me. I had thought it was only valid on the cruise you booked the voucher with. A couple of evenings later she told me to go to the cashier as they had the copy and to claim the €75. This was given to me in cash - not added to the onboard account! It didn't matter that this cruise hadn't been booked with the voucher.

 

The voucher that I got this time has €125 OBC (it's based on how much you play). I can bring that along on my next cruise to claim it, even though I haven't used it to book the next cruise.

 

This (third) time I've booked directly with MSC. The rep I spoke with couldn't make the booking as it's handled by someone else - Stuart Chalmers in my case - who can verify the voucher's authenticity. Stuart phoned me back and I just emailed a scanned copy to him as I was making the booking. It was very straightforward. There are no restrictions with this voucher and you get the 5% Voyagers Club discount as well.

Edited June 29, 2017 by Beamafar

[Regguy]

Hi -- I think this maybe already was answered but I just want to be sure.

 

Is the pool in the Yacht Club covered such that it might be suitable for swimming even next summer during a Northern/Norway cruise?

[kikki21]

I'll also vouch for NCL prices being crazy high! I've sailed NCL more than any other cruise ship line & originally thought of doing a Western Med cruise on the Epic but the prices were huge if we wanted to go anywhere near Haven. Somehow I came across MSC & priced up the S3 & nearly fell off my chair as it was massively less price wise & included so many extras. Then I saw it was also a new ship so it was a no brainer. I know NCL is now all inclusive so you have a drinks package in with your cruise ( don't know how all the food options work with that) but even so the NCL prices are ouch high.

 

 

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[Beamafar]

Hi -- I think this maybe already was answered but I just want to be sure.

 

Is the pool in the Yacht Club covered such that it might be suitable for swimming even next summer during a Northern/Norway cruise?

 

If you mean is it sheltered enough similar to an indoor pool, then the answer is no. It's an outdoor pool. The overhead glass panels on the pool deck have gaps between to allow sunlight through for sunbathing so they wouldn't provide shelter from rain or insulate against the cold.

[Regguy]

Gotcha -- ok, thanks very much.

[Beamafar]

You're very welcome. :)

[SNJCruisers]

.............. and one last image which left me bemused. Where should the runners go when they reach the sunbeds that are placed in their lane??

Obviously it is set up as a triple jump course for those practicing for the 2020 Olympics. :)

[ANNA40]

You're going to be even happier (you too, sverigecruiser!) when I tell you that you even have a choice in the Champagne Bar on deck 7. I got a photo of the list last night. It's not a very good one. I'll post it anyway in case I don't get a chance to get a better one. If I do, for sure I'll post it, too.

 

 

This is the one served in Butcher's Cut also included for YC and deluxe package

 

 

........... and this is what's available in the rest of the bars, including the Top Sail lounge.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Forums mobile app

Hi Bea,

I'm really enjoying this thread!

 

Do you remember if there was any choice without asterisk in the Champagne Bar??

 

Thanks!

 

Enviado desde mi XT1032 mediante Tapatalk

[Beamafar]

Hi Bea,

I'm really enjoying this thread!

 

Do you remember if there was any choice without asterisk in the Champagne Bar??

 

Thanks!

 

Enviado desde mi XT1032 mediante Tapatalk

 

Sorry, Anna - I don't. I didn't photograph the complete menu and we didn't drink in that bar, either. There's usually a Prosecco included in the basic drinks package which I would imagine is served here, too.

[ANNA40]

Thank you anyway Bea!!! I will discover in 2 months!!

[Beamafar]

Thank you anyway Bea!!! I will discover in 2 months!!

 

Enjoy .................. have a wonderful cruise, Anna. :)

[Rossco01]

Post #131 on this thread has the drinks menu for the "pub" which seems to show a big selection of beers without an asterisk so I'm assuming in the all inclusive drinks?

 

 

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[ANNA40]

Enjoy .................. have a wonderful cruise, Anna. :)

I hope so, thank you!!

This is my first cruise, and my experience probably will be rather different than yours, and not only for the YC factor. We travel with our disabled DD13 yo and Dd 9 yo, and don't know yet if this way of travel will suit us. So I say again I hope so!

[ANNA40]

Post #131 on this thread has the drinks menu for the "pub" which seems to show a big selection of beers without an asterisk so I'm assuming in the all inclusive drinks?

 

 

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This is what I've been told, and as well what is stated in the menu

[ANNA40]

This is what I've been told, and as well what is stated in the menu

[Beamafar]

Post #131 on this thread has the drinks menu for the "pub" which seems to show a big selection of beers without an asterisk so I'm assuming in the all inclusive drinks?

 

Of course .................... again, a big thank you to Anna for posting the pics on here. I knew I'd seen them somewhere on the forum LOL

 

Anything without an asterisk is definitely included in the basic all-inclusive drinks package. As we had the deluxe (premium) we weren't too concerned about what was included.

 

If you notice in the above post there is one asterisk hand-written against the food items. They have now added another asterisk to indicate that the food is not included in any package:

Edited June 30, 2017 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

 

 

 

The reason the print so difficult to make out is because the menus are printed on paper to make them look like newspapers!

 

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[sverigecruiser]

 

 

 

The reason the print so difficult to make out is because the menus are printed on paper to make them look like newspapers!

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Forums mobile app

 

Do you think that means that MSC got them very cheap? If yes, do you think that they will let me keep one if I ask?

 

I don't know how MSCs policy might be but I have lots of NCL menues, both food and drinks. I have never got a no when I have asked on NCL about keeping menues.

[Beamafar]

Do you think that means that MSC got them very cheap? If yes, do you think that they will let me keep one if I ask?

 

I don't know how MSCs policy might be but I have lots of NCL menues, both food and drinks. I have never got a no when I have asked on NCL about keeping menues.

 

I'm afraid I really couldn't say. I've never asked to keep any of the menus so I don't know what the policy is. I'm sure they're going to have to get the Brass Anchor ones reprinted with the asterisks indicated on and not just hand-written. If they still have the old ones when you sail, who knows, they may have no problem with you having one?