Specific Explanation of the Royal Yacht Club

[Nashna]

 Holland America, which we have been tempted to try since they finally got a modern smoking policy, is curiously rated very badly [especially on food, which CC fans claim is great].  We haven't tried Royal Caribbean [and won't, because we don't like amusement park ships unless they have a suite haven], but Berlitz gives it surprisingly strong ratings – and as the only non-premium line I have mentioned it might offer you good value.  [But, seriously, don't take my word for this:  borrow a copy of the 2020 Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships from your local library and read the reviews and ratings for yourself.  It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than any one CC poster's personal opinion.  Even mine..

 

We sailed in a mini-suite on Holland America last January.  The food was horrible.  We did not have assigned seating and the service was rather weak.   The towel hogs were very active and you needed to get your towels on a chair before 8:00am.  What did shine for us was the entertainment.  The Rock in Roll venue, B.B Kings and dueling pianos had us rocking every night.  However, we would not go back on HAL because of the food and service issues.  Several passengers on HAL recommended MSC to us and that is the reason we are taking our first MSC cruise in YC on Divina this January.  

[dexddd]

7 hours ago, cruisingnewtoit said:

I am nervous that MSC doesn't seem to enforce their no smoking policy on the balcony according to reviews and CC posts.

I'm super sensitive to smoking and have been on 3 MSC.  I can smell it a mile away.  Never had any problems on MSC.  Even in the YC pool area where it was allowed on one side never had an issue which I was very surprised by.  On Seaside if you go to the aft pool on the starboard side you have to go through the smoking area.  If we went that way I'd just hold my breath for the short walk to non-smoking.

 

Of course, YMMV.

[Shippy]

21 hours ago, Russ_MT said:

Yacht Club is overpriced and over hyped.  Don't do it.  And it has a weird smell and is crowded and the staff are rude.  No shade, the pool is the size of a postage stamp and I hear people pee in it.  Restaurant food is all weird fish and burned steaks.

 Yea, we've stayed in YC and will never again.  Bad.

 

Stay with Aurea suites

   I could not agree more.

I hear that is not all people do in the pool.

The butlers are always on break. I waited 3 hours for my room service pizza and was quite suspicious when it was delivered in a Domino's box.

But, I have heard that they are going to up the price for the included drinks from $2.99 to $ $3.99 and keep the private lounge open 2 1/2 hours instead of  2.

 They are also going to add another concierge so they will have someone there to help you that speaks another language other than Greek. 

  If you already have a Yacht Club cabin booked, cancel it and get a different category.

That way they will all be freed up and they might lower the price.

[Nashna]

53 minutes ago, Shippy said:

   I could not agree more.

I hear that is not all people do in the pool.

The butlers are always on break. I waited 3 hours for my room service pizza and was quite suspicious when it was delivered in a Domino's box.

But, I have heard that they are going to up the price for the included drinks from $2.99 to $ $3.99 and keep the private lounge open 2 1/2 hours instead of  2.

 They are also going to add another concierge so they will have someone there to help you that speaks another language other than Greek. 

  If you already have a Yacht Club cabin booked, cancel it and get a different category.

That way they will all be freed up and they might lower the price.

Shippy...nice try.  

[rattanchair]

22 hours ago, Russ_MT said:

Yacht Club is overpriced and over hyped.  Don't do it.  And it has a weird smell and is crowded and the staff are rude.  No shade, the pool is the size of a postage stamp and I hear people pee in it.  Restaurant food is all weird fish and burned steaks.

 Yea, we've stayed in YC and will never again.  Bad.

 

Stay with Aurea suites

Dear Russ,  Montana? What is in your water? Even joking, there are too many impressionable souls that take you seriously, especially on the CC. They believe everything. Not everyone is as intelligence as the two of you.

[rattanchair]

21 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

We’ve done 46 cruises on six different cruise lines on 14 different ships, and none of them even comes close to the two great cruises we’ve done on MSC Seaside, in a YC Deluxe Suite in the last 14 months. The Boss says if it’s not in the YC suite, she doesn’t want to go. The crowds and crappy food was in the regular part of the ship according to the many people we talked to in the theater and the bars.

We never felt crowded, the staff was much better than those on ANY of the other main line cruise lines, the food was better and there is all kinds of shade at the bar and grill on deck 19.

The prices have risen dramatically since word has gotten out on how great it is, but you can still find deals cheaper than others such as Celebrity, RCL, NCL, Princess, etc. In August we paid $9,000 for the two of us on Celebrity Equinox, in a Sky Suite. In October we paid $5,500 for the two of us in a YC suite. Both were 14 days.

Dear Geez, I hardly agree with anything you have to say.. But on this RARE occasion  I will accede to this one post.

[Russ_MT]

8 minutes ago, rattanchair said:

Dear Russ,  Montana? What is in your water? Even joking, there are too many impressionable souls that take you seriously, especially on the CC. They believe everything. Not everyone is as intelligence as the two of you.

 

Hey, it was worth a try.    

 

Seriously, it seems MSC has done a good job of getting into the American market.  Between marketing and low fares to get people to try, I think they are filling up ships now.    And with that they also seem to be increasing prices.  It had to happen.

 

As for YC, we've tried to keep it a secret.  But the word is also out as those cabins are selling faster. 

 

--Russ

[rattanchair]

11 hours ago, cruisingnewtoit said:

I am nervous that MSC doesn't seem to enforce their no smoking policy on the balcony according to reviews and CC posts.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but no cruise line enforces their no smoking policy... We immediately contacted our room steward to our neighbor was smoking on the Allure. He came into our cabin and caught our neighbor 'red - handed'. NOTHING... Tips, my friend , tips... nothing was reported.. Lip service.. Grow up. We did.

[Nashna]

1 minute ago, rattanchair said:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but no cruise line enforces their no smoking policy... We immediately contacted our room steward to our neighbor was smoking on the Allure. He came into our cabin and caught our neighbor 'red - handed'. NOTHING... Tips, my friend , tips... nothing was reported.. Lip service.. Grow up. We did.

At the risk of sounding judgmental...I will.  Smoking on the balcony is not a minor issue.  Your room steward is not the proper person to contact regarding a violation of cruise line policy.  Your call should have been made to security.  If I recall correctly, smoking on the balcony was identified as the cause of a Princess cruise fire.  

[rattanchair]

6 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

Through savings and some smart investments, money is not a problem.

Dear Geez, Obviously not everyone is astute an investor as you. My recommendation to all, would be take as many cruises as you desire. ATTITUDE is EVERYTHING. Look for the good, the "silver lining" in everything in life." Seek and ye shall find". A very intelligent poster on these boards told me "Carpe Diem".. Seize the day.. We may not be here three years hence...

[Nashna]

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1576

 

[rattanchair]

18 minutes ago, Nashna said:

At the risk of sounding judgmental...I will.  Smoking on the balcony is not a minor issue.  Your room steward is not the proper person to contact regarding a violation of cruise line policy.  Your call should have been made to security.  If I recall correctly, smoking on the balcony was identified as the cause of a Princess cruise fire.  

Dear Nas,  By the time we contacted the 'proper authority' the smoking infraction would be finished. The moment our cabin steward 'peeked' his head around our balcony partition our neighbor threw his butt over -board in his view. Stealth is not a cruise ship's security mandate. But I thank you for your concern.

P.S. Please never risk being judgemental. How else can we discern right from wrong.

Edited November 1, 2019 by rattanchair
additional info

[rattanchair]

21 minutes ago, Nashna said:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1576

 

Dear Nas,  We were on the Regent Sea, out at sea, when a fire broke out in the engine room. An S.O.S. was sent out. All power was out. It was around 3pm . Crew were running to the pool to fill up buckets of water. Passengers ,that were able to see their way back to their cabins, retrieved their life jackets.This caused panic with those who could not retrieve their life jackets. Luckily a freighter in the vicinity  came along side and we all calmed down and stayed with us for several hours. Rumors ran amuck. Fights broke out over sleeping on deck over the limited number of lounge chairs.

    The fire was put out, power was restored, the freighter left, main sitting dinner was late and late sitting was later still, but who cared.. all was right with the world once again. We learned to always carry a couple of small pocket flashlights to retrieve our life jackets. We all got vouchers for a free future cruise and "all is well that ends well."

[cruisingnewtoit]

2 hours ago, rattanchair said:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but no cruise line enforces their no smoking policy... We immediately contacted our room steward to our neighbor was smoking on the Allure. He came into our cabin and caught our neighbor 'red - handed'. NOTHING... Tips, my friend , tips... nothing was reported.. Lip service.. Grow up. We did.

I would have contacted security or the front desk. Not waste my time with the steward. 

 

I've read on the boards MSC security doesn't enforce the smoking policy that's my worry.

 

I've already grown up but thanks.

[rattanchair]

15 hours ago, rattanchair said:

Please never risk being judgemental. How else can we discern right from wrong.

 

Always risk being judgemental.. Never fear being judgemental. How else can we discern right from wrong?

                         ( I should reread my posts sooner)

Edited November 2, 2019 by rattanchair
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