Just booked our first MSC cruise, on the Seaside (Yacht Club)

[CineGraphic]

We normally sail Princess, but we just booked a 7 day jaunt aboard the Seaside in November in case our October California Coastal aboard the Grand Princess is cancelled.

I've watched quite a bit of Youtube videos about the YC, so hopefully, I know what to expect, but I'd love to hear about any MSC-centric policies or quirks that may catch some first-timers off-guard, like not registering your credit card until you are on board. Thanks in advance!

[Até]

The drinks available inside the Yacht Club are different than what is available around the rest of the ship.  For example, you are likely to not have the same wines included in a specialty restaurant that are included inside the Yacht Club. 

 

If you haven't already, do a status match to the MSC Voyagers Club.  You can then get a 5% discount applied to your existing booking and are then also eligible for special Voyagers Selection discounts which MSC has greatly increased lately. 

 

Even in the Yacht Club they tend to like you to be fairly consistent with early or late dining times, it's not mandatory though.

 

Yacht Club bookings may be changing to non-refundable deposits, otherwise deposit loss is at 120 days while final payment remains at day 90.

 

Many of the more subtle YC benefits aren't published and often aren't fully explained upon embarkation.  Read up here on CC to understand all the little perks the YC includes. Some, such as gelato included at Venchi, are Seaside specific.  Many things are subject to change/modification without any notice.

 

ETA: New US bookings may be subject to cancellation refunds only being in the form of a future credit.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Até

[CineGraphic]

Thanks, our deposit was only $49, so I'm not too worried, and we've submitted our documentation for status match and are waiting to hear back from them.

[Georgia_Peaches]

3 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

Thanks, our deposit was only $49, so I'm not too worried, and we've submitted our documentation for status match and are waiting to hear back from them.

Wait, you booked YC on a $49 pp deposit?  Ok checking on it now!!

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Até said:

Even in the Yacht Club they tend to like you to be fairly consistent with early or late dining times, it's not mandatory though.

 

Its dining at any time during a set period, i.e. dinner was 6-9.  I prefer to dine around 8:00 and usually arrived at the YC Restaurant about that time.  Several other guests usually did as well.

Once, I saw a couple arrive just a couple of minutes before 9:00; many of the previous guests had left and tables were being cleared and re-set for breakfast by the staff.  They were seated and served, but I thought this was rather inconsiderate on the part of those guests.  Maitre d' Luis had left for the evening; but Maitre d' Arthur was still just as "bouncy" and "smiley" as ever.  I had to wonder, though, what was he thinking?  (My experience was on Meraviglia.)

Edited May 19, 2020 by rkacruiser

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Wait, you booked YC on a $49 pp deposit?  Ok checking on it now!!

 

I've done the same and that was for a Royal Suite. I have 2 other YC bookings and one was $99pp and the other was $199pp (another Royal Suite). 

 

In other words, it varies. 

[Até]

$49pp deposit is currently available for pretty much all US booking - pretty much any sail date, of any length and in any sailing area.  It's also good for all the promotional rates.  It seems they want new bookings, but I've noticed some prices creeping up.  If I were to re-book my cancelled cruises most are between 20% and 50% higher from what I paid.  The only ones I've been watching that are the same or lower prices are from Summer 2020 to early Winter 2021 Caribbean sailings.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Até said:

Many of the more subtle YC benefits aren't published and often aren't fully explained upon embarkation.

 

And, maybe those benefits differ from ship to ship.  Like the OP, I did much pleasant research to try to prepare myself for my YC adventure.  And, I know I missed some potential benefits.  (I underused the service of my Butler as just one example.)  

 

Be prepared for some in suite perks that I had not expected.  A large--and I mean large--fruit bowl that was changed every 3 days whether it needed to be or not.  Initial bottle of Proseco on ice upon arrival was replaced when it was consumed.  Frequent night time goodies, i.e. a macaroon assortment, along with a different type of pillow chocolate.  The one gift that just blew me away was a chocolate model of the Meraviglia in a plastic case.

 

OP:  I am sure you will enjoy YC!

[capriccio]

We are elite on Princess and did our first MSC sailing on the Meraviglia in the Yacht Club last January (same cruise as rkacruiser) and would do it again in a heartbeat post covid-19. 

 

If you are active or retired military or civil service (local, state or federal) make sure you apply for your 10% discount!

[Av8tor]

5 hours ago, capriccio said:

We are elite on Princess and did our first MSC sailing on the Meraviglia in the Yacht Club last January (same cruise as rkacruiser) and would do it again in a heartbeat post covid-19. 

 

If you are active or retired military or civil service (local, state or federal) make sure you apply for your 10% discount!

 

Can you get the 10% military discount in addition to the 5% Voyagers Club discount?

 

Thanks

[Av8tor]

Never mind.  I finally found it on the website that the military discount cannot be combined with other discounts including the VC discount.

[WH_Cruise]

Why anyone is booking a cruise right now, especially with an organisation with holding refunds for up to 2 years is either stupid or has money to burn.

[Até]

7 hours ago, Av8tor said:

I finally found it on the website that the military discount cannot be combined with other discounts including the VC discount.

The Military Discount Terms & Conditions on the new US website now states "Not combinable with MSC Voyagers Club Discount", but in reality that has never been the case.   MSC has always had confusing verbiage regarding this but in reality Military and Civil Service employees get an extra 5% off inside and ocean view cabins and an extra 10% off balcony and above cabins, above the Voyagers Club 5% discount if you are a VC member.  The confusion comes from the fact that booking agents can only put in one category discount entry into the "Pax Type" discount field on the booking - they cannot enter both Voyagers Club 5% and Military USA, they have to choose only one.  So MSC have it set so the Military discount will include they Voyagers Club discount automatically, I assume only if you are a VC member.  I've always been a VC member and have never had reason to try booking specifically w/o my Voyagers discount so not sure if that can even be done.  So the booking agents can only select one Pax Type and it will only state "Military USA" but if you are a VC member it will be calculated as 5% off the base fare then an additional 5% or 10% off of that.  I've had multiple bookings using this and it has always been calculated 5% off then either 5% or 10% off additionally.  On the booking confirmation it does not show the normal "Voyagers 5%" anywhere but the VC discount has always been applied first in the fare calculation.

Edited May 20, 2020 by Até

[Two Wheels Only]

6 hours ago, WH_Cruise said:

Why anyone is booking a cruise right now, especially with an organisation with holding refunds for up to 2 years is either stupid or has money to burn.

 

The OP has only put down $98. 

[Beardface]

Hope you get to sail

 

My wife and I were in the Seaside YC the week before cruising was canceled.  Its truly wonderful.  Embarking is seriously a breeze.  We went from taxi to Top Sail Lounge on the ship in about 15 minutes and basically only waited as long as it took to process our documents at every stage before we were escorted through security and onto the ship.

 

And yes, you don't have to register your CC until you are on the ship.  And you can do that with the kiosk at the YC Concierge.  First day was really quiet, so that was a breeze to do as well.

 

Drink plan is different as well.  We paid a little extra ($17pp pd) and got the Premium Plus plan (though for some reason even that cost was refunded to us, so we effectively got it for free) and literally drank whatever we wanted for the duration of the trip.  While the rest of the ship was nice, we never really wanted to venture too far from the YC itself, only really going out at night for shows or events.  Do not worry about reservations for shows, there are 2 dedicated rows in the theater for YC guests to use and all you really need to do is show up and you're in (except for the Michael Jackson show, go to the YC Concierge about 20-30 minutes before and they'll escort you in.

 

Dining was easy.  Because its a European line, its busiest around 8:30-9, so for my wife and I, who tend to eat at 7, the YC restaurant was always empty when we went.  No reservations needed, though they do appreciate if you show up around the same time so they can use the same waiters, who make a point of remembering your perferences.

 

The YC Pool Deck is very nice, and the pool is plenty big for how many people are there.  There are 2 hot tubs at the front, but when under sail, they get incredibly windy, and unless you're in ideal warm weather, are fairly miserable because of the cold wind.

 

As for the staff, they were great for us.  Bartenders in the TSL also rotate through the Pool Deck during the day, so they quickly learn your preferences.  Butlers also rotate through waiting at the TSL and Pool, and you'll notice good service if yours is on duty, which is not to say service otherwise is bad, but they tend to be very attentive to their own.

[Beardface]

7 hours ago, WH_Cruise said:

Why anyone is booking a cruise right now, especially with an organisation with holding refunds for up to 2 years is either stupid or has money to burn.

 

If you know you are going to go, book now, and then just push out your sail date to when they are actually back.

 

Personally, I'm waiting for 2 things before I book.

 

1 - Ships to actually sail, so I don't begin my countdown too early only to be disappointed

2 - Prices to fall once lines realize the demand has sharply fallen for tourism & travel coming out of this

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

10 hours ago, WH_Cruise said:

Why anyone is booking a cruise right now, especially with an organisation with holding refunds for up to 2 years is either stupid or has money to burn.

 

How is calling people stupid advancing the conversation?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Another tip which I don't believe has been mentioned here is to look for the Yacht Club Tent when you arrive at the pier in Miami.  Don't give your luggage to anybody else but these folks.  From there, you will be escorted by a shoreside butler to the YC registration lounge in the terminal, where you will get checked in.

 

You can have a conversation with your assistant butler about what you would like stocked in your mini bar.  No point having stuff you won't use taking up space.  For example, we agreed that the Pringles and the chocolate-covered peanuts did not need to be stored in the mini bar 😄 and they were kept on top of the counter instead.

[Beardface]

1 hour ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Another tip which I don't believe has been mentioned here is to look for the Yacht Club Tent when you arrive at the pier in Miami.  Don't give your luggage to anybody else but these folks.  From there, you will be escorted by a shoreside butler to the YC registration lounge in the terminal, where you will get checked in.

 

You can have a conversation with your assistant butler about what you would like stocked in your mini bar.  No point having stuff you won't use taking up space.  For example, we agreed that the Pringles and the chocolate-covered peanuts did not need to be stored in the mini bar 😄 and they were kept on top of the counter instead.

You can let the guys get your bags as you get out of your car, but be very clear you are in the Yacht Club.  We did that and the person escorted us all the way to the right to the YC tent where we began the check in process.

 

It was also nice having our bags ready before muster.  Allowed us plenty of time to get settled in before we left.  Also, the YC Deluxe Suites are large and nice for the price paid, something isn't obvious when looking over it all.  I mean the rooms themselves are 50% wider than a standard cabin.  Gives you plenty of room to spread out.

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Another tip which I don't believe has been mentioned here is to look for the Yacht Club Tent when you arrive at the pier in Miami.  Don't give your luggage to anybody else but these folks

 

I drove to the Port (a mistake that I won't make in the future).  I saw the YC Tent; due to traffic, I couldn't stop where it was without blocking traffic.  My luggage was taken by a Porter in the general drop-off area.

 

2 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

You can have a conversation with your assistant butler about what you would like stocked in your mini bar.  No point having stuff you won't use taking up space.  For example, we agreed that the Pringles and the chocolate-covered peanuts did not need to be stored in the mini bar 😄 and they were kept on top of the counter instead.

 

Did not think to do this.  I tried to be an informed new YC guest before embarking, but, I am still learning and realizing that I missed some things.

 

1 hour ago, Beardface said:

You can let the guys get your bags as you get out of your car, but be very clear you are in the Yacht Club.  We did that and the person escorted us all the way to the right to the YC tent where we began the check in process.

 

It was also nice having our bags ready before muste

 

Because of where I had to leave my luggage, it did not arrive until late afternoon.  My Butler had to retrieve the luggage wherever it was after he asked me if it had arrived.  Because we sailed at 7:00 P. M., I was unpacked before we sailed.

[CineGraphic]

16 hours ago, WH_Cruise said:

Why anyone is booking a cruise right now, especially with an organisation with holding refunds for up to 2 years is either stupid or has money to burn.

 

Who's stupid, a person who puts down a $49 fully refundable deposit, or someone that spells "organization" wrong in the age of spell-check?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I drove to the Port (a mistake that I won't make in the future).  I saw the YC Tent; due to traffic, I couldn't stop where it was without blocking traffic.  My luggage was taken by a Porter in the general drop-off area.

 

I always drive to the port.  There is a separate lane to pull up to the YC tent.  You need to be on the right side of the road (as opposed to the middle or left side).

Edited May 21, 2020 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I always drive to the port.  There is a separate lane to pull up to the YC tent.  You need to be on the right side of the road (as opposed to the middle or left side).

 

I was on the same cruise as rkacruiser and the port traffic was absolute chaos.  The Meraviglia was docked between a NCL and a Carnival ship and all 3 seemed to be still disembarking large numbers of passengers when we arrived around 10:45 am.  Taxis and shuttles were still picking up passengers and taking up all the curb spots.  We just parked in the garage and walked to the Yacht Club tent which took maybe 5 minutes - and even then the sidewalks were tricky to maneuver with disembarking and embarking passengers milling about.

[Beardface]

11 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

 

Who's stupid, a person who puts down a $49 fully refundable deposit, or someone that spells "organization" wrong in the age of spell-check?

 

organisation is an accepted spelling in the UK

[CineGraphic]

Just now, Beardface said:

 

organisation is an accepted spelling in the UK

 

How stupid of me, lol.