Yacht Club Beverage Package

[Brendaflamingo]

Hello

I just booked on MSC Margavilla  Yacht Club.  Its state you get the beverage package and I think its Premier but now I see Premier Plus.

Anybody know what it is?

Thanks

Brenda

[dolphin1313]

54 minutes ago, Brendaflamingo said:

Hello

I just booked on MSC Margavilla  Yacht Club.  Its state you get the beverage package and I think its Premier but now I see Premier Plus.

Anybody know what it is?

Thanks

Brenda

The Yacht Club gets the "Premium" drink package but you can upgrade to the Premium Plus for about $17 a day per person.  I put the Premium in quotes because MSC doesn't actually specify the drink package for the Yacht Club but it includes at least all the drinks that are included in the premium.

[hamrag]

13 hours ago, Brendaflamingo said:

Hello

I just booked on MSC Margavilla  Yacht Club.  Its state you get the beverage package and I think its Premier but now I see Premier Plus.

Anybody know what it is?

Thanks

Brenda

 

12 hours ago, dolphin1313 said:

The Yacht Club gets the "Premium" drink package but you can upgrade to the Premium Plus for about $17 a day per person.  I put the Premium in quotes because MSC doesn't actually specify the drink package for the Yacht Club but it includes at least all the drinks that are included in the premium.

 

That is very well put, and was our experience on 3 YC cruises over the past couple of years. We found that drinks at the lower end of the Premium Plus package would usually be served if you ask. Whilst champagne is not shown on the YC drinks menu, there is 1 champagne (nicolas feuillatte ) included in the package!

 

The available drinks are extensive, and premium brands, we saw no reason to upgrade to PP. If you are considering it, my advice would be to see what you think after a couple of days.....you can upgrade on day 3, if necessary, and charged only for the remaining days. We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 Mera cruises! 

[Hlitner]

We love the YC but have concluded that you never know exactly what is included until you try :(.   When it comes to the YC Beverage Package it often comes down to asking the bar tender questions like "what kind of Cognac is included" or "what single malts can I get?"   Sometimes even the bar tenders are not sure and will have to check the system.  None of this has ever been an issue in the YC where the bar tenders know all and there are usually pretty decent drink menus on the tables in the lounge.

On the Divina I actually convinced a bar tender at one of the bars (outside of the YC) to stock a particular VSOP Cognac (which was covered by the drink package) because we would visit that bar every night to see a particular band.  After a few days the bar waiters knew my drink and a smile was all it took to complete the drink order :).

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

As a past YC guest on Meraviglia, I see no need to spend a penny more for an upgraded beverage package.  The only reason I might do so if such would include Villa Maria (a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) and a green Creme de Menthe of any quality.  Both of which were not available in YC or at any bar. 

[Hlitner]

16 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

As a past YC guest on Meraviglia, I see no need to spend a penny more for an upgraded beverage package.  The only reason I might do so if such would include Villa Maria (a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) and a green Creme de Menthe of any quality.  Both of which were not available in YC or at any bar. 

Upgrading is something I considered during our last two cruises in the YC.  But having a package that gives one access to truly premium products is only as good as the inventory of those products.   If I were to upgrade I would want some decent XO Cognacs, better single malts, and some very decent wines by the glass.  What I found was that there were few decent Cognacs aboard and generally nothing available in many of the bars outside the YC.  Decent wines by the glass did not exist outside the YC and the selection inside the YC was too limited.  And it was the same at dinner when waiters were quick to pour their basic included wines (which could be as bad as Mondavi Woodbridge).  We never saw decent premium wines by the glass although one could certainly buy a better bottle of wine (for a price).  As to decent higher end single malt scotch, they did have a few things in the YC but not much once outside the YC.  

 

Accordingly, I found little motivation to pay for an upgraded drink package.   My suggestion to folks is to take a good look and ask questions during your embarkation day and, only when you are satisfied that the products you want exist and are available in a few venues...then consider upgrading.  

 

Hank

[marcoigna]

I think the Premium + package is going to be eliminated as not available next year SEASHORE -  just 2 packages, easy and premium extra  (however the premium extra has increased to $15 per drink from $12)

[Até]

1 hour ago, marcoigna said:

I think the Premium + package is going to be eliminated as not available next year SEASHORE -  just 2 packages, easy and premium extra  (however the premium extra has increased to $15 per drink from $12)

Cruiseguyinorl posted in March that some markets may possibly be getting different packages.  Which sailing did you see the new packages?  Is below similar to what you're seeing?  The below packages were reportedly test priced at $22 and $31pp/day.  I have a September 2021 booking that still shows Easy, Premium and Premium Plus.

 

 

 

[marcoigna]

Exactly - For sure Seashore out of miami 20 Nov, 2021.  We are also doing the T/A prior, so let me check that sailing 

Edited July 2, 2020 by marcoigna

[Até]

40 minutes ago, marcoigna said:

Seashore out of miami 20 Nov, 2021.  We are also doing the T/A prior, so let me check that sailing 

Thanks for the info, as much as I cringe at hearing about new drinks packages I hope MSC adopts these.  The current Easy is too basic and the price to go Premium is currently too high for US sailings.  Hopefully a drinks price increase doesn't negate the higher per drink package limits.

 

I suspect MSC has special plans for November 18th to the 20th.   Most likely just photo ops, but perhaps a show off the ship to the TA's voyage to Ocean Cay?

Edited July 2, 2020 by Até

[sidari]

Our November sailing does not show any drink packages available on Seashore.

[dgparent]

Do I need to upgrade to Premium Plus to get Bud Lite ? 😁

[marcoigna]

3 hours ago, sidari said:

Our November sailing does not show any drink packages available on Seashore.

 Our TransAtlantic in Seashore shows no packages yet either 

[riredsox]

On 7/1/2020 at 9:24 PM, marcoigna said:

Exactly - For sure Seashore out of miami 20 Nov, 2021.  We are also doing the T/A prior, so let me check that sailing 

Just booked the Nov 20th and 27th on the Seashore a few minutes ago.   My Sept Seaside B2B was cancelled so I booked this instead.  I also got the same room which I didn’t have on the Seaside.  

[wnybenefits]

 

[George C]

We loved the premium plus ,paid the extra 17 a day, went thru a few bottles of Johnny Walker blue.

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, wnybenefits said:

 

 

I was pleased with the wines offered other than a lack of my favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc:  Villa Maria.  

 

An oddity that I did find in their bar menu availability throughout the ship was no green Creme de Menthe of any quality.  The bartender could not have made me a Grasshopper if I had ordered it.

[Hlitner]

We are underwhelmed by the YC complimentary wine selection.  Including $5 per bottle wines (MSC's cost would be less) such as Mondavi Woodbridge, is almost an insult.   This certainly makes a good case for upgrading but we would not make that decision until we saw what was actually available in the bars and restaurant.   Wine lists are only as good as what is truly available.

 

Hank

[George C]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We are underwhelmed by the YC complimentary wine selection.  Including $5 per bottle wines (MSC's cost would be less) such as Mondavi Woodbridge, is almost an insult.   This certainly makes a good case for upgrading but we would not make that decision until we saw what was actually available in the bars and restaurant.   Wine lists are only as good as what is truly available.

 

Hank

Agree even with premium plus wine selection wasn’t good, except for the champagne, no really great Cabernet, they did have one that was nice. One waiter in steak restaurant tried to tell us the Mondavi was a Napa wine .

[Hlitner]

10 hours ago, George C said:

Agree even with premium plus wine selection wasn’t good, except for the champagne, no really great Cabernet, they did have one that was nice. One waiter in steak restaurant tried to tell us the Mondavi was a Napa wine .

LOL  You should have told him it was shipped to Napa by stainless steel pipeline :).

 

Hank

[riredsox]

18 hours ago, Hlitner said:

LOL  You should have told him it was shipped to Napa by stainless steel pipeline :).

 

Hank

Am I missing something?  Is Robert Mondavi not a Napa wine?  

[gtaylor]

The wine under discussion is Mondavi Woodbridge, a separate branch with vineyards and winery in the Lodi area, about 35 miles south of Sacramento, in the (hot) central valley.

 

gary

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, gtaylor said:

The wine under discussion is Mondavi Woodbridge, a separate branch with vineyards and winery in the Lodi area, about 35 miles south of Sacramento, in the (hot) central valley.

 

gary

 

May be incorrect because my wine knowledge is limited, but I have the impression that the Mondavi Woodbridge label is quite drinkable (which I have enjoyed), but it is not a quality label.  

[Hlitner]

14 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

May be incorrect because my wine knowledge is limited, but I have the impression that the Mondavi Woodbridge label is quite drinkable (which I have enjoyed), but it is not a quality label.  

Kool Aid is also drinkable :).   The truth is I have no problem with Woodbridge and consider it a step under most of the 2 buck chuck (Charles Shaw) offerings.  But the issue is should folks who pay for the Yacht Club be offered $4-5 bottle "drinkable" wine?  or perhaps since it is the Yacht Club where folks are paying for some quality they should be offered quality wine.  Perhaps the next step will be to give YC folks Hojo Cola instead of Coke/Pepsi.

 

Hank

[wnybenefits]

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Kool Aid is also drinkable :).   The truth is I have no problem with Woodbridge and consider it a step under most of the 2 buck chuck (Charles Shaw) offerings.  But the issue is should folks who pay for the Yacht Club be offered $4-5 bottle "drinkable" wine?  or perhaps since it is the Yacht Club where folks are paying for some quality they should be offered quality wine.  Perhaps the next step will be to give YC folks Hojo Cola instead of Coke/Pepsi.

 

Hank

Did you watch the video?