MSC Yacht Club, Feb. 16-23 2019 compare to NCL Haven

[xznwfd]

4 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

 

Hi Cathy!

 

Thanks for the compliment - we also had a great time!

 

Fantastic and comprehensive review - it's such a good product.

 

Hopefully you are both fully recovered by now.

 

Regards,

 

P

Hi Peter!  I never knew you were the famous Dr. Cocktail, I've read many of your posts!  We had such fun talking with you both, you are a wealth of knowledge.  

 

The MI and I are finally better, although I had to do 5 days of steroids to get rid of the coughing (I have asthma).  Still had a fabulous time. 🙂

 

Cathy

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

 

Friends of ours in YC on Preziosa 3 weeks ago had no problem getting champagne, SC.  As they said "No question at all!" 

 

It seems that the only problem was on Divina.  That's the problem with MSC, the policies aren't uniform across the fleet.

 

It's also a problem that the policies doesn't seem to be uniform on the ship! In Divina bar it was no problem to order Champagne but in the Top Sail Lounge I couldn't order it until the Yacht Club Director and the bar manager had discussed it!

 

It's also strange that during the cruise I never saw anyone else drink Champagne anywhere on the ship. I assume that most people in the Yacht Club booked the cruise when Champagne was included but I guess they didn't cared about it.

 

I saw lots of people drink Prosecco and it's really easy to see the difference!

[Beamafar]

Not everybody is a champagne connoisseur like yourself, SC!  I wasn't a fan of Nicholas Feuillate 'til I ended up having it as an aperitif every evening in the restaurant on Splendida, served by the sommelier as a result of me relating to him my experience of having it refused to me in the Top Sail Lounge one day.  I developed a fondness for it after that.  

[sverigecruiser]

4 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Not everybody is a champagne connoisseur like yourself, SC!  I wasn't a fan of Nicholas Feuillate 'til I ended up having it as an aperitif every evening in the restaurant on Splendida, served by the sommelier as a result of me relating to him my experience of having it refused to me in the Top Sail Lounge one day.  I developed a fondness for it after that.  

 

I understand that but maybe one more (except for my wife!)?

 

Why were you refused in the Top Sail Lounge?

[Beamafar]

It was last April (so long before the changes).  The barman was new to YC and didn't know that it was included.  It actually became a major discussion when a couple of butlers, then the head butler, got involved.  It then came down to the point that I couldn't have a bottle but I could get a glass (which was all I'd requested in the first place).  This was at the beginning of a 28 night cruise.

 

To clarify the matter, I asked the sommelier later that evening in the restaurant what the position was regarding NF as I was sure that it should be included, to which he affirmed that it certainly was.  Every evening from then on he produced a glass for me as an aperitif.

[nednrom]

21 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

OP, I agree with every word. I would also note that the butler system on MSC is highly superior. Yes, you are assigned a butler (like on NCL), but the MSC butlers have general duties as well, for example serving in the lounge - it seems there are always a half a dozen around eager to help.  On NCL, if you have a dud for a butler you are SOL. We couldn’t even get ours to bring us ice on our last NCL cruise, and room service would not deliver as it was the butler’s “job” so we had to fetch ourselves. (Yeah, first world problem!)

 

I totally agree with you about the NCL butlers -  we had a dud and my sister had the most wonderful butler ever - he was so nice that he brought us the steak house menu so we could order room service - I couldn't get our butler to bring us the menu which was missing from the cabin. When I asked for more Earl Gray tea he said we don't have anymore - the concierge and the other butler brought me all that I needed for the rest of the trip the next day.

 

[nednrom]

22 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

The drinks menus (and prices) will be different when Meraviglia sails in the US.  In the Med, the currency onboard will be Euros;  it'll be US$ when she sails from New York and, subsequently, Miami.

 

Thanks Beamafar -  I knew that but I'm not interested in prices so much as what's available.  I can't really see them keeping track of cruise bookings to adjust drink packages, we're not into champagne or gelato but I am particular about my bourbon and vodka and my husband of his tequila. I'm not sure the list of liqours they had still applies.  I have also heard that you get two different packages - Premium Plus at the YC but Premium everywhere else?? I thought the menus might help a bit. I find the wine/champagne options may change but the liqours don't really change between the continents.

Edited March 5, 2019 by nednrom

[Beamafar]

6 minutes ago, nednrom said:

 

Thanks Beamafar -  I knew that but I'm not interested in prices so much as what's available.  I can't really see them keeping track of cruise bookings to adjust drink packages, we're not into champagne or gelato but I am particular about my bourbon and vodka and my husband of his tequila. I'm not sure the list of liqours they had still applies.  I have also heard that you get two different packages - Premium Plus at the YC but Premium everywhere else?? I thought the menus might help a bit.

 

The drinks menus will be different (which was the main point I was making).

 

You'll get more of an idea of what's on the menus by checking Seaside reviews with pics of menus - or for any US-based cruises.  We were on Armonia in Jan - I've posted menus here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2631573-notes-from-armonia-miami-havana-jan-2019/

 

YC guests get the Premium drinks package;  they, too, have to pay for Connoisseurs' Selection (PremiumPlus) inclusions.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Beamafar

[nednrom]

1 minute ago, Beamafar said:

 

The drinks menus will be different (which was the main point I was making).

 

You'll get more of an idea of what's on the menus by checking Seaside reviews with pics of menus - or for any US-based cruises.  We were on Armonia in Jan - I've posted menus here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2631573-notes-from-armonia-miami-havana-jan-2019/

 

YC guests get the Premium drinks package;  they, too, have to pay for Connoisseurs' Selection (PremiumPlus) inclusions.

 

 

 

This is great! thank you!

[Beamafar]

I am so sorry ... I don't think the menus are posted on that thread. I had a quick scan through to find the relevant post numbers for you to save you trawling through it!

Anyway ... I'll post them here to make it up to you:













Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Beamafar]

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[nednrom]

20 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

I am so sorry ... I don't think the menus are posted on that thread. I had a quick scan through to find the relevant post numbers for you to save you trawling through it!

Anyway ... I'll post them here to make it up to you:













Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 

17 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

NP, thanks for the drink menus - , Your review is wonderful - we went to Cuba last August with NCL - I would like to go again and stop at other ports besides Havana.  I will look into MSC for that trip.






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[MarkusToe]

great shoes :)

[Beamafar]

2 hours ago, MarkusToe said:

great shoes 🙂

 

You weren't supposed to notice them!  😮  I went to great lengths for the first few pics to avoid having them in the frame;  I obviously stopped checking that they weren't in it later on - I hadn't even noticed 'til I'd posted the pics on here that they were in a couple of the shots. 🙄

[MarkusToe]

they are nice..., no need to excuse...

the only drawback - I can't show this tread to my +1😂

 

you know there is the typical "wanna have" ....women stile

[Beamafar]

Unlike a lot of nice-looking shoes, these are actually very comfortable, too!  Win-Win.  

[jcathers1]

I agree with virtually everything here. We have three Haven cruises (GA and Escape) and one in the YC (with two more coming this summer).

 

The room goes to NCL (we were in the two-bedroom suite), but the price was no comparison. We were perfectly happy with the YC deluxe last summer, and this includes two kids.

[jes1941]

Thank you, so much, for the drink menu; it's a great help. We're trying to figure out the drink packages too. My husband is just a beer drinker would like to know if anyone knows how much the beer is, and I didn't see that.  Thank you again.

[thecruisers6]

On 3/6/2019 at 4:39 PM, jcathers1 said:

I agree with virtually everything here. We have three Haven cruises (GA and Escape) and one in the YC (with two more coming this summer).

 

The room goes to NCL (we were in the two-bedroom suite), but the price was no comparison. We were perfectly happy with the YC deluxe last summer, and this includes two kids.

It really is ok to compare the prices as it helps people understand the difference. I don’t think it’s against the rules. 

Man example of what you had or similar....

9th June NCL Breakaway haven 7 night cruise for the suite you quoted is £3,816 per person. 

MSC Seaside yacht club 8th June 7 night cruise £2,399 per person. 

That’s almost $4,000 more 🤪

[Captain-John]

£2400 p.p for a week is still 'ouch' territory for me - I usually ballpark the YC at £15-1700 p.p per week and not sure I would go awfully much above that. NCL pricing is nuts!

[Yinster]

Having stayed in NCL haven in the epic and breakaway, we too have booked on the yacht club on the Grandiose in May 2020 

 

Looking forward to comparing our experience as we are going on the Epic again next week to the Western Mediterranean. So similar route, price spent and around the same time.

 

Can I ask what the dress code is like in the yacht club. One of the things I like about NCL Haven is shorts are acceptable at all times of the day in the restaurant and bar area. 

Edited May 6, 2019 by Yinster

[Beamafar]

58 minutes ago, Captain-John said:

£2400 p.p for a week is still 'ouch' territory for me - I usually ballpark the YC at £15-1700 p.p per week and not sure I would go awfully much above that. NCL pricing is nuts!

 

Sadly the days of those prices for YC are passing/passed, Cap'n - especially on the new-builds, where you'll be lucky to get a YC inside for that price range.

 

Having said that, we've managed to book a 14 night Preziosa YC1 for the first week in September 2020 for the grand total of (approx) £2500 pp!!!   That's the equivalent of £1250 pppw!  (Our price is in Euros and is coming in at €2833 pp).  We managed to book it under the Voyagers' Club 5+15% discount Selection.   😃  Strangely, YC is not being quoted on the UK site for the 14 night (not from Southampton, anyway - it's showing as "Sold Out" which is just another expression for "we're not releasing this category to your market at present"!)

 

Weather should still be good then - especially in the Southern ports:

 

[Beamafar]

38 minutes ago, Yinster said:

 

Can I ask what the dress code is like in the yacht club. One of the things I like about NCL Haven is shorts are acceptable at all times of the day in the restaurant and bar area. 

 

Shorts are not acceptable in the restaurants at dinner - this rule is especially enforced on Med sailings.  In fact, you may be refused entry to the Top Sail Lounge (YC private bar/lounge) after 6pm when wearing shorts.  DH was last year on Splendida.  YMMV (which is always the case when discussing all things MSC  🙄)

Edited May 6, 2019 by Beamafar

[Captain-John]

7 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

Sadly the days of those prices for YC are passing/passed, Cap'n - especially on the new-builds, where you'll be lucky to get a YC inside for that price range.

 

Having said that, we've managed to book a 14 night Preziosa YC1 for the first week in September 2020 for the grand total of (approx) £2500 pp!!!   That's the equivalent of £1250 pppw!  (Our price is in Euros and is coming in at €2833 pp).  We managed to book it under the Voyagers' Club 5+15% discount Selection.   😃  Strangely, YC is not being quoted on the UK site for the 14 night (not from Southampton, anyway - it's showing as "Sold Out" which is just another expression for "we're not releasing this category to your market at present"!)

 

Weather should still be good then - especially in the Southern ports:

 

 

That looks an interesting itinerary - you may recall a few weeks back I mentioned wanting to pull the trigger on a last minute deal on Prezisoa - just a week's cruise, leaving April 27 - and it would have done basically that same route down as far as Lisbon - I didn't do it. 😞

 

Good price on that one - especially as I thought advance bookings weren't priced favourably compared to last minute. The Splendida Middle East sailings were around the £1200 mark I seem to remember - never pulled the trigger on one of those either, to my regret.

 

Still, we board Meraviglia on Sunday so can't be all bad! We're paying a very reasonable sum for this cruise in YC (about the same as we did for an Aurea Suite on Orchestra) and same again on Preziosa in October. But I'm flexible with dates and itineraries - I'd hate not to have that flexibility as you are truly gouged on the price if you are locked into specific dates.

 

P.S - did you have any luck with the 10% code - don't think we've caught up since? 🙂

[Beamafar]

5 minutes ago, Captain-John said:

 

P.S - did you have any luck with the 10% code - don't think we've caught up since? 🙂

 

I emailed you at the time with the outcome, Cap'n.  The code couldn't be applied in conjunction with the VC discount, unfortunately.

 

Hope you report back on your Meraviglia trip - we're boarding her in New York in October so I'm especially interested in others' experience onboard.

Edited May 6, 2019 by Beamafar