MSC Grandiosa Aurea Suite or Yacht Club?

[MM888]

Hi all, I’m fairly new to cruising and would like your opinions on this please.  
 

We are looking to travel with MSC in Europe summer next year on the Grandiosa.  We are a family of 4, hubby and I plus our 2 children.  Our travel agent has given us some quotes: 1 bedroom Aurea Suite with whirlpool bath or add $1300 USD / £1000 GBP for a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite.  
 

I like the Aurea Suite because it has a separate bedroom and a large balcony.   Hubby thinks we should pay extra to stay in YC because of the added benefits.  A lot of the times the children will be at the clubs so he thinks we can enjoy the YC as well as other facilities.  Could you please chime in and share your thoughts and personal experience?  Many thanks

[Tapi]

We had a similar dilemma when we sailed MSC Meraviglia in the Mediterranean with our two young children. At the time, we could either get an Aurea Duplex Suite or a smaller Yacht Club Suite for about the same price. 
 

We chose the Aurea suite and it was 100% the right choice for us. It was absolutely fantastic to have extra space to spread out. And we loved having our very own jacuzzi tub. We’d sometimes be in it in the morning as we approached a new port. We’d order breakfast from room service every morning and enjoy it in our large balcony. Sometimes, we’d take a late night dip under the stars after a long day sightseeing. 
 

True, we didn’t have yacht club access, but we still had some perks like priority embarkation, access to the Aurea Spa’s thermal suite areas, as well as access to a private solarium deck. We were in a port intensive itinerary (all port days except for one sea day) so we didn’t use these perks as much as we would’ve liked. Outside of checking its location, we never used the solarium, but we did use the Aurea Spa a few times. 
 

The kids did enjoy going to the kids club, but because of the way activities were scheduled, and with so much to do around the ship, kids were never at the club for more than an hour or two. We’d either go pick them up because there would be a break in activities at the club, or there was something else going on around the ship that we really wanted to attend. 
 

In our case, there was no price difference between a larger Aurea suite or a smaller YC suite, and we still chose the larger Aurea suite. But had we been traveling without the kids, we would’ve gone with the Yacht Club suite since we would have uninterrupted time to truly enjoy it. But for a family cruise, having a larger suite to accommodate the entire family was the better decision. Hope you enjoy the Grandiosa! We truly enjoyed our family cruise in the Med. It was the perfect way to introduce our kids to the Mediterranean. 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Tapi

[dexddd]

How old are the kids as the bed for 3-4 isn't that big in a deluxe. YC benefits hard to beat.

 

Welcome to CC by the way.

Edited September 25, 2020 by dexddd

[MM888]

Thank you Tapi and dexddd.  CC is wonderful, information is extensive and great advice from so many members. 
 

1 child is a teenager and 1 is 7.  Are the sofa beds different between Suits and YC Deluxe?

[MM888]

1 hour ago, Tapi said:

We had a similar dilemma when we sailed MSC Meraviglia in the Mediterranean with our two young children. At the time, we could either get an Aurea Duplex Suite or a smaller Yacht Club Suite for about the same price. 
 

We chose the Aurea suite and it was 100% the right choice for us. It was absolutely fantastic to have extra space to spread out. And we loved having our very own jacuzzi tub. We’d sometimes be in it in the morning as we approached a new port. We’d order breakfast from room service every morning and enjoy it in our large balcony. Sometimes, we’d take a late night dip under the stars after a long day sightseeing. 
 

True, we didn’t have yacht club access, but we still had some perks like priority embarkation, access to the Aurea Spa’s thermal suite areas, as well as access to a private solarium deck. We were in a port intensive itinerary (all port days except for one sea day) so we didn’t use these perks as much as we would’ve liked. Outside of checking its location, we never used the solarium, but we did use the Aurea Spa a few times. 
 

The kids did enjoy going to the kids club, but because of the way activities were scheduled, and with so much to do around the ship, kids were never at the club for more than an hour or two. We’d either go pick them up because there would be a break in activities at the club, or there was something else going on around the ship that we really wanted to attend. 
 

In our case, there was no price difference between a larger Aurea suite or a smaller YC suite, and we still chose the larger Aurea suite. But had we been traveling without the kids, we would’ve gone with the Yacht Club suite since we would have uninterrupted time to truly enjoy it. But for a family cruise, having a larger suite to accommodate the entire family was the better decision. Hope you enjoy the Grandiosa! We truly enjoyed our family cruise in the Med. It was the perfect way to introduce our kids to the Mediterranean. 

 

 

Tapi, thank you so much for taking the time and give me so much helpful info to consider.  Your reasons for choosing the Suite are exactly why I am leaning towards the Suite, as well as it’s much cheaper.  Having a dip in the whirlpool in the morning sounds awesome! 
 

are the excursions in the Mediterranean mainly all-day or they vary?  We do want to explore so and do sightseeing so if they are mainly all-day excursions then we might not be able take advantage of the YC facilities all the time because I think there is only 1 sea day on the itinerary.  

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, MM888 said:

are the excursions in the Mediterranean mainly all-day or they vary?  We do want to explore so and do sightseeing so if they are mainly all-day excursions then we might not be able take advantage of the YC facilities all the time because I think there is only 1 sea day on the itinerary.  

 

They vary. We are booked on Grandiosa in July and will choose shorter excursions to be back around lunch. If shall go Into Rome it will have to be an all-day excursion and at least one portday we will stay on the ship. 

[Até]

OP mentions "1 bedroom" which I suspect is what MSC now calls the "Suite with Private Whirlpool", and likely is not the two room true suite that MSC now calls the "Grand Suite with Private Whirlpool".  The smaller one room whirlpool suite will actually have less square footage than a YC Deluxe cabin.  Also all the whirlpool suites have the same small bathroom found in all other regular cabins.  I'd need to know the additional cost for the larger Grand Whirlpool suite, but for the price difference given above I would go for the YC Deluxe, the better drinks package plus all the other YC benefits makes it worth the extra money. 

[MM888]

Yes officially it is called the Suite with Private Whirlpool, a cabin with a lounge, separate bedroom, whirlpool in the balcony.  
 

On the deck plan it looks like the YC Deluxe Cabin is smaller than the Suite with Private Whirlpool.  The Suites have premium drinks package.  
 

Putting the differences between the cabins aside for now, is it worth to pay the extra for YC for a Mediterranean cruise?  Or shall I put the money towards specialty dining, excursions, photo packages etc?  

[emmas gran]

. At the moment due to Covid you can only go on organised ship tours, if that makes any difference to you. Also it is restricted to Schengen countries we have no idea how long this will last.

I have only cruised in YC and if the ship is at full capacity that is the option I would choose . Your youngest can go to kids club the teen may get a little bored, there will probably be some other teens from Europe in YC but the entertainment for them is non existent in YC.

[Tapi]

5 hours ago, MM888 said:

Are the excursions in the Mediterranean mainly all-day or they vary?  We do want to explore so and do sightseeing so if they are mainly all-day excursions then we might not be able take advantage of the YC facilities all the time because I think there is only 1 sea day on the itinerary.  

They vary. Some excursions are only a few hours long while others are day long.

 

Because we were traveling with children, we decided to research each destination, avoid organized excursions, and customize our activities ashore. That way we came up with something that would be appealing to everybody.

 

For example, in Barcelona, we agreed to spend the morning at La Sagrada Familia (for the adults), have lunch, and then spend the afternoon at the FC Barcelona Soccer stadium (for the kids). In Malta, we found a company called Rolling Geeks which operates self guided tours of The Three Cities on golf carts equipped with GPS and audio commentary. It was a fun and easy way to explore. Everybody enjoyed it tremendously. 
 

I do recommend that you don’t try to do too much. You may be tempted to pack your days with activities, but since it’s a port intensive itinerary you may end up exhausted. Pick one or two things you’d like to see at each port, devote your time to that, and then allow yourself to return to the ship to relax and unwind a bit. 
 

Enjoy! 

[Até]

9 hours ago, MM888 said:

Yes officially it is called the Suite with Private Whirlpool, a cabin with a lounge, separate bedroom, whirlpool in the balcony.  
 

On the deck plan it looks like the YC Deluxe Cabin is smaller than the Suite with Private Whirlpool.  The Suites have premium drinks package.  
 

Putting the differences between the cabins aside for now, is it worth to pay the extra for YC for a Mediterranean cruise?  Or shall I put the money towards specialty dining, excursions, photo packages etc?  

MSC can be very misleading with the floor plan pictures which often are not accurate, hence the disclaimer "The image is representative only" .  The smaller Suite with Private Whirlpool does not have a separate bedroom and living area, the larger Grand Suite with Private Whirlpool does have a separate bedroom and living area with fold out couch that becomes the second bedroom.  Their sizes are Suite w/WP @ 290 sq ft, YC deluxe @ 312 sq ft, and Grand Suite w/WP @ 420 sq ft.  I really enjoyed the whirlpool tub on our sailing where we stayed on the ship for several days.  On a port intensive cruise where I planned on spending a lot of time off the ship I think both the YC deluxe and the Aurea WP cabins might equally not be fully utilized.  Both are an extravagance in different ways.

 

For most countries Aurea only gets Easy package.  If you are booking in the UK and getting the Premium drink package for Aurea that is comparable to the YC drink inclusions, the only significant difference is the mini bar and a Champagne available in YC. 

 

Half of my MSC cruises have been in the YC so I don't always feel the YC benefits are needed or worth the cost.  I've sailed Aurea and Fantastica a couple times each and enjoyed the experiences, although the Aurea experience for US bookings has diminished since my sailings.  I don't think I will book Aurea again but I'd perhaps consider it on Seashore.

 

I find little need for specialty restaurants when booked in YC, especially on a one week cruise.  Aurea guests on Grandiosa will be assigned the nicer aft facing restaurant on deck six, but they get the same food as all the MDR restaurants so a specialty meal or two might be wanted.  So for me the extra cost for YC can be subtracted from the cost of needing specialty meals in lower cabins.  YC cabins now include internet if that is something you planned on purchasing.  The other YC perks are much harder to put a price on.  I haven't sailed MSC in Europe yet.  I have two booked, one hectic itinerary and one where I'll stay on the ship more, but both are in the YC.  For me it has more to do with being on a large ship with so many people and crowds, that is where (in the past) the YC private areas and embarking/debarking the ship really paid off to me.

[MM888]

@Tapi, thanks for the advice.  Very sensible approach.  Sounds like I need to find the balance, explore and experience the culture at each port but make sure we enjoy the facilities on the ship as well.  
 

@Até, following what you said, I need to double check with the travel agent.  All info relating to the Suite with Private Whirlpool shows the bedroom and lounge are separate, and the Grand Suite with Whirlpool pool is a bigger cabin on different decks to Suite with WP.  I would be very disappointed if I went for the Suite with WP and turns out it’s not what it’s showing on the website/deck plan.

 

Is it true that in YC all the drinks in YC restaurant/bars etc are included but once you’re outside of the YC, any drinks and inc cream etc you order would be chargeable?  
 

It’s just that in the UK there are premium drinks packages included with new bookings.  Not entirely sure how things work (again need to check) but if premium drinks are not applicable to YC members and we have have to pay for drinks as soon as we are outside of the YC, then the Aurea Suite would be much more suitable and convenient for us.  We can get drinks and ice cream anywhere for the family rather than having to go back and forth to get drinks.  
 

So much research to do to make sure we are making the right choices to get the best cruising experience.

[emmas gran]

We were OK getting drinks outside YC and the premium pkge  is as you say incl in YC So wine at dinner is a choice of a couple of bottles and red or white predominantly Italian. Pre dinner drinks/cocktails included as is your nightcap. The champagne is Nicholas Feuillette.

 

You can get ice cream in YC on the Pool deck and not like the ice cream by the main pool on deck 15 which is soft serve.
 

Liz

[Até]

43 minutes ago, MM888 said:

 

@Até, following what you said, I need to double check with the travel agent.  All info relating to the Suite with Private Whirlpool shows the bedroom and lounge are separate, and the Grand Suite with Whirlpool pool is a bigger cabin on different decks to Suite with WP.  I would be very disappointed if I went for the Suite with WP and turns out it’s not what it’s showing on the website/deck plan.

 

Is it true that in YC all the drinks in YC restaurant/bars etc are included but once you’re outside of the YC, any drinks and inc cream etc you order would be chargeable?

On these class ships MSC initially had all the forward corner Aurea suites in one category called "Aurea Suite with large balcony" and it didn't take long for people to figure out there was tremendous size variation and some were not two rooms.  The deck plans used to show the cabins that had the room divider walls but for some reason MSC changed this.  After probably many hundreds of complaints MSC divided out the smaller one room cabins from the larger two room cabins, much like they have done with the Grand Suites.  The same happened with the slightly larger, more desirable layout YC Deluxe cabins on Fantasia class ships, now they are called YC Deluxe Grand suites.  I don't fault MSC for charging more for the more desirable cabins, I do fault them for not clearly identifying the differences and using misleading pictures because they don't have a clear rendering of certain cabins.   MSC does have pictures of the smaller Aurea suites w/WP yet they use the misleading floor plan instead. Travel agents are only as good as the information MSC provides.  They usually can't tell you things like if you want the main tub seat to face forward, out to sea, then get a cabin on the starboard side.

 

The YC drinks package is a variation of the Premium drink package and actually everywhere outside the YC you will actually have the Premium package.  This creates a few quirks depending on the ship.  One consistent quirk is that in the Top Sail lounge you can get true Champagne, usually NF, but on the rest of the ship it is not covered.  The same has also randomly happened to me with a couple higher end liquors over the years.  Other similar situations will be found like wines included in the YC are often not covered in specialty restaurants.  Unfortunately my YC experience has varied from ship to ship.  Some ships YC include gelato all over the ship, some do not.  On my last YC sailing the YC restaurant pushed a limited wine selection each day and getting what you wanted from the wines officially included became disturbingly difficult.  Never before had that problem in YC on other ships.  You just have to embrace that MSC can be very quirky.  I haven't heard if Grandiosa is still only filling the YC minibar at embarkation and charging after that, but that anomaly was reported earlier.

 

 

[Até]

The change to "Grand" and regular W/P suites has been recent so I looked at a few examples and found that it seems MSC only calls the cabins on deck 12 "Grand Suites w/ private W/P".  Those cabins are the largest square footage but I do know most of the other decks do have a separate bedroom from living area.  So it is very possible to get a two room cabin under the non-grand designation.  From past research I have seen decks 9, 10 and 13 are smaller but still can have the two room design on some of the Meraviglia ships.  Unfortunately MSC changed the deck plans and cabin renderings so that I can no longer tell which cabins on which ships had the one room design, I assumed those were the ones excluded from the grand designation.  It's also possible the one room versions had so many complaints that MSC did away with that design and that is why it is no longer seen on any website plans.  But anyway, I now feel pretty confident that the non-grand W/P suites on Grandiosa will have a separate bedroom and living area.

[sidari]

We had a deck 12 Port side Aurea Suite with the curved balcony and hot tub on Meraviglia Xmas 2019, those are the largest of the then Aurea Suites and have a separate bedroom and living room plus walk in wardrobe as well As bedroom wardrobe, the downside was the vanity unit in the living area was actually smaller than a Bella cabin despite having at least a three foot space at the side of it. The change of name to Grand in my opinion is just a money making gimmick.

As Emma's Gran said in an earlier post currently you cannot leave the ship in ports unless you are on an organised ship tour, whether this will change remains to be seen.

[MM888]

Thanks for all your info and sharing your own experience.  Definitely given me more to consider and research on before deciding. 
 

@Ate, thanks again for the detailed info.  I spoke to my travel agent and he said the Suites in Deck 12 are larger than the Suites on Deck 9, 10 and 13, all have a separate bedroom to the lounge, matching what you said.  This has now given me more confidence to book if I am choosing the Suite with Whirlpool.  
 

@sidari, it does not make sense why the rooms don’t have bigger vanity units when there’s plenty of room.

 

it is very hard to know what it’s going to be like in Summer 2021, what the new normal and cruising experience will be like.  It’s good that the MSC has the Flexible Cruise Programme so bookings can be amended under the programme’s terms and conditions.

[MM888]

Hi all, I have a side question please
 

With a Future Cruise Credit, it is likely that my booking will have some money left for Onboard Spend and Onboard Credit is in £GBP.  I would like to find out how would the Onboard Credit be treated.  Am I correct that on the Mediterranean cruise the spending is all in Euros?  If so does the MSC use a reasonable conversion rate so that I’m getting the best out of the Onboard Credit?  If the exchange rate is poor then I might use the FCC differently.  
 

Please could you let me know or point me to the thread if this has already been answered.  Many thanks 

[korpo024]

On 9/26/2020 at 4:52 AM, Até said:

MSC can be very misleading with the floor plan pictures which often are not accurate, hence the disclaimer "The image is representative only" .  The smaller Suite with Private Whirlpool does not have a separate bedroom and living area, the larger Grand Suite with Private Whirlpool does have a separate bedroom and living area with fold out couch that becomes the second bedroom.  Their sizes are Suite w/WP @ 290 sq ft, YC deluxe @ 312 sq ft, and Grand Suite w/WP @ 420 sq ft.  I really enjoyed the whirlpool tub on our sailing where we stayed on the ship for several days.  On a port intensive cruise where I planned on spending a lot of time off the ship I think both the YC deluxe and the Aurea WP cabins might equally not be fully utilized.  Both are an extravagance in different ways.

 

For most countries Aurea only gets Easy package.  If you are booking in the UK and getting the Premium drink package for Aurea that is comparable to the YC drink inclusions, the only significant difference is the mini bar and a Champagne available in YC. 

 

Half of my MSC cruises have been in the YC so I don't always feel the YC benefits are needed or worth the cost.  I've sailed Aurea and Fantastica a couple times each and enjoyed the experiences, although the Aurea experience for US bookings has diminished since my sailings.  I don't think I will book Aurea again but I'd perhaps consider it on Seashore.

 

I find little need for specialty restaurants when booked in YC, especially on a one week cruise.  Aurea guests on Grandiosa will be assigned the nicer aft facing restaurant on deck six, but they get the same food as all the MDR restaurants so a specialty meal or two might be wanted.  So for me the extra cost for YC can be subtracted from the cost of needing specialty meals in lower cabins.  YC cabins now include internet if that is something you planned on purchasing.  The other YC perks are much harder to put a price on.  I haven't sailed MSC in Europe yet.  I have two booked, one hectic itinerary and one where I'll stay on the ship more, but both are in the YC.  For me it has more to do with being on a large ship with so many people and crowds, that is where (in the past) the YC private areas and embarking/debarking the ship really paid off to me.

The suites with whirlpool all have seperate bedrooms, but the Grand suites are bigger. The grandsuites are on the 12th deck. De rest is on 9th, 10th, 11th and 13th deck...AND ALL HAVE SEPERATE BEDROOMS 

[Até]

On 10/12/2020 at 4:43 AM, korpo024 said:

The suites with whirlpool all have seperate bedrooms, but the Grand suites are bigger. The grandsuites are on the 12th deck. De rest is on 9th, 10th, 11th and 13th deck...AND ALL HAVE SEPERATE BEDROOMS 

Read post #15.  At one point MSC had Meraviglia floor plans/renderings showing some of the smaller "Suite with large balcony" cabins showing a one room design.  I cannot say if they were ever built that way or possibly changed at some point.

 

ETA:  I think this was an old rendering, there was also a floor plan.

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Até