Seaside YC Spa Questions

[Best Cat Mom]

We have a cruise coming up in late August on the Seaside. It's our first time on MSC, having last sailed in the Haven on NCL. We're looking forward to have complimentary access to the spa for our entire cruise so I've been trying to understand the YC spa privileges. I have some questions regarding the spa access and I've searched the MSC website and MSC boards to try to find clear answers -- forgive me if I did not search thoroughly enough...

 

I saw that YC is allowed unlimited access to the Thermal Area of the Aurea Spa. Does that include all of the common areas? I've seen mention of the various sauna/steam areas, the salt room, the ice room and the whirlpool. Are there other common areas open to YC for free?

 

Locker room access is also allowed. Do we get robes and rubber slippers to use?

 

Are the locker rooms the only single sex area in the spa? Or are some of the sauna/steam/other rooms not coed?

 

Since MSC is a European cruise line, this seems like a reasonable question -- are there common areas other than the locker rooms where clothing is optional?

 

Is beverage service available in the spa? If not, can you bring your own beverages in from other places on the ship?

 

Thanks for any answers -- and your patience while I learn more about MSC. We're so excited about our cruise!

[JAGR]

I embedded responses below. You will love the cruise and the ship!

We have a cruise coming up in late August on the Seaside. It's our first time on MSC, having last sailed in the Haven on NCL. We're looking forward to have complimentary access to the spa for our entire cruise so I've been trying to understand the YC spa privileges. I have some questions regarding the spa access and I've searched the MSC website and MSC boards to try to find clear answers -- forgive me if I did not search thoroughly enough...

 

I saw that YC is allowed unlimited access to the Thermal Area of the Aurea Spa. Does that include all of the common areas? I've seen mention of the various sauna/steam areas, the salt room, the ice room and the whirlpool. Are there other common areas open to YC for free? Yes

 

Locker room access is also allowed. Do we get robes and rubber slippers to use? You will have those in your closet in your room.

 

Are the locker rooms the only single sex area in the spa? Or are some of the sauna/steam/other rooms not coed? I think that is the case. I believe the other rooms are all coed. I only used the specialty ones, though.

 

Since MSC is a European cruise line, this seems like a reasonable question -- are there common areas other than the locker rooms where clothing is optional? Not marked as clothing optional or clothing required, and not used as optional that I saw. .

 

Is beverage service available in the spa? If not, can you bring your own beverages in from other places on the ship? Seaside does not have a bar or dedicated beverage service. You can bring your own drink in, and there are two bard right outside the spa entrance.

 

Thanks for any answers -- and your patience while I learn more about MSC. We're so excited about our cruise!

[Best Cat Mom]

Thanks for the answers!

 

Are the slippers in our room okay around water (rubber, not cloth)?

 

Great to know that I can bring some champagne in for the whirlpool. :):):)

[frank808]

Thanks for the answers!

 

Are the slippers in our room okay around water (rubber, not cloth)?

 

Great to know that I can bring some champagne in for the whirlpool. :):):)

The slippers that are provided are rubber bottom with cloth top. I did not use this as I used swim trunks to go to spa. Did not use the changing rooms but they are seperated by sex. The common area of the spa like hot tub, thallasotherapy pool, steam room, sauna etc are all co ed. I have not seen clothing optional in common areas of spa yet.

 

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[SirWolf]

Since MSC is a European cruise line, this seems like a reasonable question -- are there common areas other than the locker rooms where clothing is optional?

I guess clothing optional is not permitted due to the age policy in the Thermal Area:

As per MSC USA website

“ Thermal area: 13 to 15-year olds may enter accompanied by an adult on signature of a waiver form, while 16 and 17-year-olds may enter unaccompanied on signature of a waiver. “

[Best Cat Mom]

Interesting. I thought I read in another thread about an MSC cruise where the "main" ship pool had clothing optional times. I wonder how they handle that? Maybe it is in the Terms and Conditions and everybody signs waivers as part of the purchase process...

 

I did see some shore excursion descriptions where beaches are clothing optional, but there was not an age restriction for those excursions.

 

Whatever occurs, it is not a big deal to us. I was just trying to find out what to expect and was kind of surprised to not find the question already in a thread somewhere.

 

46 days to go to find out everything about our MSC cruise! :)

[jules815]

Does the YC spa access include use of the thallasotherapy pool?

[frank808]

Interesting. I thought I read in another thread about an MSC cruise where the "main" ship pool had clothing optional times. I wonder how they handle that? Maybe it is in the Terms and Conditions and everybody signs waivers as part of the purchase process...

 

I did see some shore excursion descriptions where beaches are clothing optional, but there was not an age restriction for those excursions.

 

Whatever occurs, it is not a big deal to us. I was just trying to find out what to expect and was kind of surprised to not find the question already in a thread somewhere.

 

46 days to go to find out everything about our MSC cruise! :)

When are the clothing optional times? I might want to participate [emoji23][emoji23]

 

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[frank808]

Yes it does on seaside this week at least.

Does the YC spa access include use of the thallasotherapy pool?

 

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[SirWolf]

Does the YC spa access include use of the thallasotherapy pool?

Yes, the use of all areas of the Aurea Spa is included. The treatments are not included, except two massages per stateroom if you have booked Aurea Experience.

[jules815]

Yes, the use of all areas of the Aurea Spa is included. The treatments are not included, except two massages per stateroom if you have booked Aurea Experience.

 

Is the Aurea Experience something that you would add if you're in YC? I'm new to MSC, and all of these experiences are a little confusing.

 

Did you notice if they have in-port specials for massages or other spa treatments?

[SirWolf]

Is the Aurea Experience something that you would add if you're in YC? I'm new to MSC, and all of these experiences are a little confusing.

MSC calls the different cabin categories “Experience”. You pick a cabin type and one of the four Experiences. Actually there are five Experiences but Yacht Club is not called a Experience because it’s a VIP “ship-within-ship” kind of lifestyle.

Back to the Experiences, here is the link to a chart comparing the Experiences: https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Discover-MSC/Our-Fares.aspx

Access to the Thermal Spa, Top 19 Solarium deck and Aurea Bar is included in the Aurea Experience. Pax with Bella, Fantastica and Wellness Experience can purchase Thermal Spa access per day or for the whole length of the cruise.

The Yacht Club includes complimentary access to the Thermal Spa, Top 19 Solarium deck and Aurea Bar, just like Aurea but without the two massages.

[Best Cat Mom]

This leads to another question we had about a couples massage in the spa. We only want a couples massage but the spa treatment that is available to pre-buy on the website is a couples massage with full access to the Thermal area for the entire cruise. We already have access because we're in YC. The price for two 30 minute massages plus full access to the area is $312 per person. There is nothing listed that is just a couples massage. Since everyone says it costs more to buy when already on board, I'm wondering how much it will cost. We'd prefer a 90-minute couples massage -- does anyone have any idea how much that will cost per person?

[LadyVol1]

This won’t answer your couples massage question but as of 6/15/18 on Seaside, if you book on board, it is $165 for a 50-minute standard Bali massage whereas if you prepurchase that it’s $77. I believe you also automatically get charged a 15% gratuity on the onboard $165 massage. Maybe frank808 can answer your question since he’s on Seaside right now in YC. Find his post and ask him to please track down the onboard couples massage price for you AND to ask if two people each prepurchase a massage can that be turned into a couples massage once on the ship when the couple is in the spa making the appointment.

[frank808]

I precooked the 3 massage package for couples online for $475. To buy on seaside, a 50min massage per person costs $140-$155 per person plus gratuity with spa access day of treatment.

 

Also if you want couples massage book on embarkation day. It was explained to me that there are only 2 couples rooms available.

This won’t answer your couples massage question but as of 6/15/18 on Seaside, if you book on board, it is $165 for a 50-minute standard Bali massage whereas if you prepurchase that it’s $77. I believe you also automatically get charged a 15% gratuity on the onboard $165 massage. Maybe frank808 can answer your question since he’s on Seaside right now in YC. Find his post and ask him to please track down the onboard couples massage price for you AND to ask if two people each prepurchase a massage can that be turned into a couples massage once on the ship when the couple is in the spa making the appointment.

 

 

 

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[DMH15]

Do you pay when you prebook. Or later on ship?

 

 

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[SirWolf]

Do you pay when you prebook. Or later on ship?

Payment is due at time of booking.

[Best Cat Mom]

Also if you want couples massage book on embarkation day. It was explained to me that there are only 2 couples rooms available.

 

Looks like we are headed to the spa before lunch on our embarkation day. Thanks!!

[DMH15]

Payment is due at time of booking.

 

 

 

Thank you. I don't cruise until next May but I am a big planner so good to know.

 

 

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[Best Cat Mom]

Finally found the post I (almost) recalled correctly about 'clothing optional.' It referred to the spa, not the regular pool, and was for a European cruise. It is the the thread entitled "Bravo! Orchestra! Review with pictures of Med Cruise April 18-29, 2018." One of the dailies posted had listed 7am to 9am as the time allowed in the spa without a swimsuit (sorry but I have not figured out how to insert an image yet so I've attached it instead):

 

"Access to the Thermal Area without a swimming suit is allowed from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning. You are highly recommended to use a towel."

 

But other European cruise dailies posted had no such comment added. Maybe it was just a one off. Sorry to interject something in the discussion that can't be proven either way (and sorry to get anyone's hopes up).