Yacht Club Changes

[sidari]

I have read it is also Bellissima as well at the minute.

[Kmkub]

Just now, DCGuy64 said:

If I'm not mistaken, this change only applies to the new Grandiosa, not any of the other ships currently sailing (like the Divina, Seaside, and Meraviglia).

Agree that we don't know, yet. We have cruised a couple of times where something trialed on one ship, and whatever cool thing was gone on our ship by the time we sailed, but after we booked.

 

So, it's a wait-and-see thing. It won't ruin our cruise by any definition of the word, but our balcony time is our favorite thing on a cruise, so we do have cocktails out there daily. Knowing we weren't going to have to run to the bar to get fresh drinks while spending a few hours on the balcony is a very nice thought.

[George C]

18 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

Agree that we don't know, yet. We have cruised a couple of times where something trialed on one ship, and whatever cool thing was gone on our ship by the time we sailed, but after we booked.

 

So, it's a wait-and-see thing. It won't ruin our cruise by any definition of the word, but our balcony time is our favorite thing on a cruise, so we do have cocktails out there daily. Knowing we weren't going to have to run to the bar to get fresh drinks while spending a few hours on the balcony is a very nice thought.

Agree not a huge deal. We sail in less than 3 weeks and will update when we get back from seaside. 

[Kmkub]

7 minutes ago, George C said:

Agree not a huge deal. We sail in less than 3 weeks and will update when we get back from seaside. 

Indeed. We have to pass four cabins to get to the Topsail Lounge. Compare that to other cruises where we walk to an elevator and go up or down several levels and then walk to a crowded bar...  it's usually in the 15-25 minute range.

 

It'll take literally seconds to get the task done in YC. 😉 

[JohnJayJotaJames]

A Toblerone and a bottle of champagne will keep me happy. I'm sure we can survive a week without complimentary Pringles. I don't think we actually ate any Pringles on the Seaview last year. Far too busy going from breakfast to brunch to lunch to afternoon tea to dinner and late night pizza. Looking forward to December 2019 on Seaview again and December 2020 on the Grandiosa. Will be interesting to note the changes. I'm sure that the YC team will pass around a few Pringles to anyone asking.

[DCGuy64]

We got such a good deal on our upcoming sailing, I won't mind shelling out for some snacks. Anyway, if we end up skipping Ocean Cay, they're reportedly giving passengers $100 in OBC so that'll more than handle the food/bev in the minibar, I suspect. We also paid for the Premium+ upgrade so if worse comes to worse, I'll just idle down to the bar and bring stuff back to the cabin. All that being said, I'm not crazy about things like this being changed on the fly. It's not a dealbreaker, but it seems tacky.

[Cruising89143]

30 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

We got such a good deal on our upcoming sailing, I won't mind shelling out for some snacks. Anyway, if we end up skipping Ocean Cay, they're reportedly giving passengers $100 in OBC so that'll more than handle the food/bev in the minibar, I suspect. We also paid for the Premium+ upgrade so if worse comes to worse, I'll just idle down to the bar and bring stuff back to the cabin. All that being said, I'm not crazy about things like this being changed on the fly. It's not a dealbreaker, but it seems tacky.

I think your last sentence sums up the issue that most have. If MSC wants to change the policy then give some notice of the change. I still am scratching my head over the snack charge. Alcohol I can get bit a .50 can of Pringles I do not.

[Kmkub]

33 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

  Anyway, if we end up skipping Ocean Cay, they're reportedly giving passengers $100 in OBC so that'll more than handle the food/bev in the minibar, I suspect. 

We don't typically get off at any private island, because we live about 150 miles from The Bahamas, so the climate and ambiance is very similar. If we don't stop there, the $100 is a nice bonus.

 

It being January, though, I'd feel awful for those from cold weather climates who truly look forward to that, so I'm hoping we do stop there. It's a nice quiet day on the ship for us.

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, Kmkub said:

our balcony time is our favorite thing on a cruise, so we do have cocktails out there daily. Knowing we weren't going to have to run to the bar to get fresh drinks while spending a few hours on the balcony is a very nice thought.

 

Call a butler and drinks will be delivered to your balcony.

 

MSC are still better than NCL. Their drink packages doesn't include drinks delivered to the cabin.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, cruisingator2 said:

I think your last sentence sums up the issue that most have. If MSC wants to change the policy then give some notice of the change. I still am scratching my head over the snack charge. Alcohol I can get bit a .50 can of Pringles I do not.

Wouldn't the photo that accompanied the beginning of this thread suffice as giving notice? After all, it is in writing. Anyway, from a marketing standpoint, I can't say I blame a cruise line for not wanting to shout from the rooftops "look! You're getting less of a bargain now, isn't that great?"  

[Cruising89143]

14 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Wouldn't the photo that accompanied the beginning of this thread suffice as giving notice? After all, it is in writing. Anyway, from a marketing standpoint, I can't say I blame a cruise line for not wanting to shout from the rooftops "look! You're getting less of a bargain now, isn't that great?"  

Yes and no. It is giving notice but how about making the change with more notice than someone boarding the ship and finding the note in their stateroom? I have been cruising long enough that very little surprises me anymore but I have read enough on this very forum that it seems MSC makes changes on a whim. More so than their competition. 

[seahags]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Call a butler and drinks will be delivered to your balcony.

 

MSC are still better than NCL. Their drink packages doesn't include drinks delivered to the cabin.

Butlered drinks are included?  Sorry, question from an MSC virgin🤔

 

[seahags]

8 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

Yes and no. It is giving notice but how about making the change with more notice than someone boarding the ship and finding the note in their stateroom? I have been cruising long enough that very little surprises me anymore but I have read enough on this very forum that it seems MSC makes changes on a whim. More then their competition. 

Absolutely agree with you!

[rkacruiser]

9 minutes ago, seahags said:

Absolutely agree with you!

 

I notice from your signature that you have not sailed on HAL.  Consistency of the cruise product offered from ship to ship was once a hallmark of Holland America Line.  No more;  inconsistency ought to be expected.  And, when one sails on a HAL cruise, if that inconsistently is not experienced, more reason to enjoy one's cruise.

 

MSC seems to becoming no different.  Why?  I have a theory.  The fleet is becoming too large to well manage.  That, in my opinion, is what has happened with Holland America Line.  

[seahags]

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I notice from your signature that you have not sailed on HAL.  Consistency of the cruise product offered from ship to ship was once a hallmark of Holland America Line.  No more;  inconsistency ought to be expected.  And, when one sails on a HAL cruise, if that inconsistently is not experienced, more reason to enjoy one's cruise.

 

MSC seems to becoming no different.  Why?  I have a theory.  The fleet is becoming too large to well manage.  That, in my opinion, is what has happened with Holland America Line.  

...seems to me that MSC is in such a hurry to 'join the crowd' that the proverbial left hand is disconnected from the right!  No, I've not cruised HAL, but have an abundance of both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and am hard-pressed to find such glaring inconsistencies!  ...agree with you!

[gmbhardy]

I wish more people would weigh in on this topic. MSC reads these boards and makes decisions based on the posted comments. For those that are OK with this change, keep in mind that once the product starts eroding, it will surface in many different areas and although one change might not impact you, the next one might have a huge impact on your cruise experience.

[Europeantraveler1]

Interesting thread...

We are set to sail on the new ship, Grandiosa, for a June cruise in the Mediterranean (with our family/a total of five adults and two teenagers) to help us celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary!  ALOT of planning has gone into this cruise/trip as we will be spending several days in Rome pre-cruise!  We are very excited and hope our family has a memorable and incredible time with us old-timers!!  ;0)

 

What I find to be a tad disappointing is that when we booked the cruise (and we booked this 2020 cruise way back in Feb. of 2018),  MSC listed what all would be included in the price of our YC cabins.  Now we are seeing some slight changes....and this particular one is not a ‘deal breaker’ by a long shot.  As many have posted already, if you seriously want a snack, YC travelers only have a short distance to walk to get snacks at the bar and bring them back to their room.

 

I guess we just expected that MSC would honor what amenities/services that were originally included when we first booked and paid our deposit.  My suggestion to MSC would be to post “start dates” as to when the change(s) become effective - and thus everyone is on the same page and no one is unnecessarily upset/disappointed. 

 

What’s most interesting at this posting is that if you access the MSC website,  “unlimited drinks in all MSC areas including a mini-bar” is what they are advertising in YC for their new ship, the Grandiosa.   Hmmmm...

 

 

[2013cruiser2013]

What is also interesting is that communication about the change was done via onboard memo rather than an email ahead of time.  I'm sure there were some disgruntled folks upon embarkation. 

 

We will be on Seaview in YC again in April. If these changes are made, we will be disappointed. It was nice to have a quick salty snack at the end of the night or after returning from a long day in port.  Room service tended to take forever. People mention having their butler deliver drinks to the room. We've been on 2 previous YC sailings and have never done this.  I can't imagine the wait for that. 

[tnt10]

This is a concern at least.  As others have said, if this small change doesn't affect you, perhaps the next one will..... Or the one after that.... until the whole YC experience is diluted beyond recognition.

I, for one, have been watching this thread as a new MSC cruiser, and am concerned that I may not be getting the product as promised when I booked my cruise.  I also, posted, (after first hand communications with MSC),  regarding distilled water and extension cords for CPAP users-was basically told to furnish my own-even as a YC guest, MSC couldn't be bothered.  Is making think that the illusion of the promises and hype of the MSC YC may be just that....  Is the $3000-$4000 more for my cruise over the Area Experience really worth it?

Sadly, I will be watching for other cutbacks before deciding to pull the plug.....

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by tnt10

[reedprincess]

17 minutes ago, tnt10 said:

This is a concern at least.  As others have said, if this small change doesn't affect you, perhaps the next one will..... Or the one after that.... until the whole YC experience is diluted beyond recognition.

I, for one, have been watching this thread as a new MSC cruiser, and am concerned that I may not be getting the product as promised when I booked my cruise.  I also, posted, (after first hand communications with MSC),  regarding distilled water and extension cords for CPAP users-was basically told to furnish my own-even as a YC guest, MSC couldn't be bothered.  Is making think that the illusion of the promises and hype of the MSC YC may be just that....  Is the $3000-$4000 more for my cruise over the Area Experience really worth it?

Sadly, I will be watching for other cutbacks before deciding to pull the plug.....

 

IMO - no way is YC worth $3000-4000 more than Aurea.  I may be in the minority, but that's okay. Having done both, we'll only book YC when the price is right, as in under $1k - total - more than Aurea.. Go Aurea, upgrade your drink package to PP, and do some specialty dining and your set. And PP includes the minibar - with no changes to that one as yet! Lol.

 

Personally, I find this trial both annoying and not well thought out. 

So, what happens to the welcome bottle of Asti/prosecco in the YC room? Is that now cut out, and replaced by the one bottle of spirits? 

What about those who've upgraded to PP in YC? Will the butler continue to stick as requested, without having to hassle over potential mistaken charges? What about longer cruises, and how about those who may be a two (or three or four)  adults in one cabin,  but drink different things? And seriously, €4.50 for a single serve Pringles? €5.50 for one serving nuts? That's insane.  Why would beers be unlimited, but spirits, and the snacks,  limited??  And how about all this times the butler has simply brought the bottle of wine rather than keep delivering by the glass - I'm guessing that would be done away with.. seems to potentially add a lot of work for the already stretched butlers.  And if they're trialing this change for YC, how long till they change the PP package too?? 

 

I understand this is a trial so far, but it seems very fly by night, and comes across as simply chintzy or cheap. While not a drastic, cancel the cruise change, of course, it's one small change here and another small change there that continue to add up, while the price is skyrocketing, that equals death by a thousand cuts and makes the product much less appealing.  We'd simply go back to Fantastica or Aurea and upgrade drinks and dining packages and save a fortune, and enjoy ourselves on the other side of the glass dividers.  

 

While we can hope this trial fails, I'm not optimistic, given they tried on Belissima a few weeks ago, repealed, and are now doing it on Grandiosa.  Lol..

[sverigecruiser]

5 hours ago, seahags said:

Butlered drinks are included?  Sorry, question from an MSC virgin🤔

 

 

No charge for drinks delivered by a butler.

[George C]

YC seems super cheap compared to other lines with somewhat similar perks, while suite is not as large as others. Love there matching perks and there ten percent discount for veterans. Will find out for sure in a couple of weeks when we sail seaside. Really do not need any snacks in cabin.

[grandgeezer]

10 hours ago, Kmkub said:

Indeed. We have to pass four cabins to get to the Topsail Lounge. Compare that to other cruises where we walk to an elevator and go up or down several levels and then walk to a crowded bar...  it's usually in the 15-25 minute range.

 

It'll take literally seconds to get the task done in YC. 😉 

And it'll only take you a minute to get to the dining room, just up the stairs, one flight.

[mnocket]

3 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

I wish more people would weigh in on this topic. MSC reads these boards and makes decisions based on the posted comments. For those that are OK with this change, keep in mind that once the product starts eroding, it will surface in many different areas and although one change might not impact you, the next one might have a huge impact on your cruise experience.

Great comment!  Nail meet head.  Alas I have but one heart for you.

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

 once the product starts eroding, it will surface in many different areas and although one change might not impact you, the next one might have a huge impact on your cruise experience.

 

My opinion is that the product isn't eroding if snacks are not free in the minibar and a bottle of Champagne is included instead. The snacks are still available in the lounge.