Review: MSC Seashore (Yacht Club) 10/22-10/29/22

[zackarykeef]

Hey, y'all!

 

I just returned a week ago from this sailing, and I've started writing a quick review after my cruises (they are linked in my signature). I don't give you a play-by-play of our trip and what we did, as I don't find that as helpful, and everyone's tastes are different. I try to give a fair, honest review of the cruise by topic, with my final thoughts at the end. I have seen a lot of negative reviews of this ship recently, so I wanted to add another review to the mix. Hopefully, this will help those trying to decide whether or not to sail this ship or with MSC (or Yacht Club), as reviews are always helpful for me!

 

To give you insight into my review’s perspective: I took this cruise with my husband as a little getaway for just the two of us. We are both right around 30. This was our second cruise with MSC. I had never considered MSC in the past, but they were one of the first to start sailing after the pandemic. As I was anxious to get back on a ship, we booked the first (or maybe second) sailing after the restart on the MSC Meraviglia, as it was sailing out of Miami where we live. We won an upgrade to the Yacht Club for that sailing (there were only 800 total guests on board), and we had a BLAST. However, with it only being a short 3-day cruise, it was just a tease for us. We were anxious to get back on MSC again for a full week.

 

*Disclaimer: I do understand that we were in Yacht Club, so I'm sure my opinion is swayed by that...remember, YMMV.

 

I typically sail NCL–I love it. We recently sailed Celebrity for the first time and loved it as well. We are definitely adding that into the mix. I like NCL and Celebrity for fun, groups, and family trips, so we will continue to book with them. MSC (Yacht Club) has become our little treat…a relaxing, spoiled getaway for the two of us when we want/need it. 

 

We departed from terminal C in Miami for a 7-day cruise to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay, as well as two sea days.

 

Feel free to ask any questions...I'm happy to help!

 

Happy cruising!

[zackarykeef]

Booking: We booked a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite via the MSC website directly. I will say, we got an AMAZING deal...it was much cheaper than it should've been. Coupled with $500 on-board credit, it was a definite win. Last minute I decided to bid $100 per person to upgrade to a Deluxe Grand Suite (which basically gives you a walk-in closet), and we had our bid accepted about 5 days before sailing. This may sound silly to some, but $200 on top of the great price we already got was a steal...and so worth it. I never had to deal with MSC's landside customer service (thankfully), so no comments there.

 

Embarkation: Being in Yacht Club, this was super simple. We arrived around 11:00am to terminal C. Our official boarding time was 2:00pm, but we made that mistake the first cruise with MSC--the YC restaurant is closed for lunch by then. Since you can board at any time being in YC, we headed there early. We walked to the white tent designated for YC guests, where we dropped our bags and had them tagged. We were escorted through the line, through security, and straight to the YC waiting area. We handed over our passports, and had our cards and bands in a few minutes. We were then escorted straight up to the boarding area, where they had just called group 1 boarding. We could've walked right on, but chose to sit in the YC area and have a glass of champagne (they had juices, soft drinks, champagne, and snacks waiting) for a few minutes. Then, a butler escorted us through the line to the front, and we were on the ship! From drop-off to ship was about 20 minutes max. I have heard horror stories of boarding taking HOURS, but from what it seemed, the majority of passengers weren't waiting long...there were no long lines, and the terminal wasn't crowded inside with many people sitting. No one on board (or in another social media site's group for this sailing) mentioned any prolonged boarding or horror stories. We did disembark at terminal E...the ship has been flipping back and forth each week, but I'm not sure why. Maybe E embarkation is less organized? I'm not sure the reason, but there didn't seem to be any issues our sailing.

 

Rooms: We were in YC Deluxe Grand Suite 19029, forward port side. The room was GORGEOUS. It was HUGE...they biggest I've had on a ship. The walk-in closet was a game-changer...I don't care what anyone says. It was so nice to have a full closet with so many hangers, and a full set of shelves and drawers. There were still two wardrobes out side of this, so storage in the room was plentiful. The bed was comfortable, and it is separated from the couch/coffee table/sitting area by a nice shelving installation that is all well-appointed. The balcony was huge and provided a nice view, if not completely private due to the shape of the ship (we were two down from a curved balcony, so they could see us, and we could see them). The bathroom was large as well with plenty of storage, and the shower was a nice size, including a build-in marble bench. One of the best things about the room was how dark it got for a balcony. I had a major issue with how light my balcony was on Celebrity, but the way they have the curtain hidden behind a drop down wall and able to retract fully behind a wall not only makes it very dack, but also allows you to fully hide the curtain when it's open. Such a nice touch. The only minor complaints with the room were the bathroom had a slightly musty smell that never went away (it wasn't the towels...they were always fresh) and that outlets were lacking. It's 2022, and there was still only an outlet/USB port on one side of the bed. It would've been nice to have those on both sides. TIP: Bring European converters. We usually do, but didn't this time as we figured there would be enough ports. I think there were maybe 2-3 US outlets, and 3-4 European outlets. Having the extra outlets would've been nice.

[zackarykeef]

Cruisers: We sailed basically at capacity...5700 I think. YC was full, but with it being YC, it didn't feel like it. However, when we did venture out of YC, parts of the ship felt very crowded. This was mainly felt in the buffet (more on that later) and in the evening venue Le Cabaret Rouge. Our sailing seemed about 90% Europeans. The last time we sailed on Meraviglia right after the pandemic, Europeans weren't allowed to travel to the US yet, so...it was all Americans (and mainly Floridians). I am aware MSC is an Italian line and attracts a more European crowd. Our bartenders we became close to mentioned that the week prior to our sailing was mainly Americans and Latin Americans, but the European crowd shot up exponentially our sailing. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe there was some sort of fall break in Europe last week. Regardless, it was nice to see how different the ship dynamics were with such an international mix. The pools/sundecks weren't as crowded as I have noticed in the Caribbean in the past...loungers were always available. Bars weren't as crowded, as people tended to sit in the seating areas conversing in social circles as opposed to at the bar itself. And when you don't know where everyone is...find the smoking section. the entire starboard side of deck 8 is smoking, and it was always PACKED. I know many Americans have been complaining about the "rude" passengers on MSC. They're not rude...they just have different social standards, and that's ok. Were there things that bothered us? Sure, but that's because we have American standards about lines, personal space, etc. Did it ruin anything? Absolutely not. 

 

Entertainment: Honestly…I can’t comment much on this. We didn’t attend a single show…I enjoy them sometimes, but we just had different priorities this cruise. We also tended to eat around 7:45/8:00pm, which is right in the middle of the two show times. We did hear several of the live music acts when sitting at bars, etc, and they seemed just ok. Nothing mind-blowingly amazing that I noticed, but then again, we weren't paying too much attention.

 

Ok, wait...we did briefly go to one of the comedy shows, but left after about 15 minutes. He wasn't that funny. However, I do understand that doing comedy for such an International group where not all speak English as a first language and may have minimal English knowledge must be challenging. Because of that, many of the jokes were extremely basic and superficial in hopes of reaching everyone, I'm sure so...again, take from that what you will.

 

I'm not sure where to put this, but as our cruise finished 10/29, they did decorate a good part of the ship about halfway through our sailing for Halloween. I thought it was fun and very tastefully done, as I had never sailed during a holiday before.

 

Activities: Again, not much to comment on–we were much more of a hang out in a lounge/bar and chat couple than a go to everything couple. We did go to the silent disco, because those are always fun, and this one did not disappoint! It was such a blast, and I was so glad to see they had SO MANY headphones so tons could participate. Nights in the club (Cabaret Rouge) were always packed and tended to have good music when we popped in.

 

Casino: Only played a few slots one night...we each put in $20, and lost it immediately. Like...not a single win. Not 5 cents, not $1...literally pull pull pull until nothing left. It was sad, and we didn't return. I don't know if people won or not, but the casino was always busy. The other thing that kept us away was the cigarette smoke...the entire casino is smoking, and Europeans love to smoke, so...we stayed away other than to walk through.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, zackarykeef said:

 

Feel free to ask any questions..

Did you by any chance use your key cards for express elevator service?

[no1talks]

37 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"...express elevator service?"

Butler: This is the great Swarovski YachtClubvator.

YC Guest: It's an elevator.

Butler: It's a YachtClubvator. An elevator can only go up and down, but the YachtClubvator can go sideways and slantways and longways and backways...

YC Guest's spouse: And frontways?

Butler: ...and squareways and frontways and any other ways that you can think of.

[morpheusofthesea]

10 hours ago, no1talks said:

Butler: This is the great Swarovski YachtClubvator.

YC Guest: It's an elevator.

Butler: It's a YachtClubvator. An elevator can only go up and down, but the YachtClubvator can go sideways and slantways and longways and backways...

YC Guest's spouse: And frontways?

Butler: ...and squareways and frontways and any other ways that you can think of.

COOL !

[zackarykeef]

Food: As I've mentioned in previous reviews, we live in Miami and were previously in NYC, so we’re pretty picky when it comes to food. We are both good cooks and enjoy fine dining. Just throwing this out there so you know where my food review is coming from, as food is 100% subjective and variable person to person. Overall, the food was great! It was on par with both Celebrity and NCL, although offerings were more elevated than other lines being in Yacht Club. Looking at the regular MSC menus, you can definitely see the huge leap to the YC menus. Foie gras, shaved truffles, full lobster tail, numerous risottos, osso bucco...it was all very good. We only had one thing that was "bad" aka not to our taste, which was the hamachi crudo on day 1 lunch. It was just bland and much fishier than hamachi typically is. Stand-outs were the lamb shank, the lobster (we asked for the lobster on top of the champagne risotto instead of what it comes with...so worth it. Do it!), and the pastas. MSC definitely does Italian correctly.

 

Breakfast overall was...fine. It's breakfast. It's the same on every ship IMO.

 

The YC buffet upstairs had good offerings, but overall was underwhelming. I do have to say the seafood buffet on the second sea day was amazing. Fresh seafood that was being cooked to order...we got a ton of shrimp and scallops, and it was delicious and perfectly cooked.

 

My main complaint with the YC was here, however...it was the dining times. The windows for the dining room, and even the buffet upstairs are very short. They also changed day to day without notice. Because of COVID, they are no longer putting a daily activity sheet in your room the night prior. Everything is on the app--or so they say. The issue is, the restaurant times are only on the app for THAT DAY. You cannot check tomorrow's dining times, so we could not prepare for breakfast. We went to breakfast around 9:50am one port day, and breakfast ended at 9:30am. We had to go upstairs to the buffet...which we almost didn't make, as they started taking the food off right at 10:00am. REALLY? At least 10:30am would've been nice. So the next morning we made sure to get to breakfast at 9:15am...only to discover that day it ended at 9:00am. 😑 No warning at all, and no reason as to why it was different that day than others. Sometimes breakfast was 6:30-9:00am, sometimes 7:00-9:30, etc...it just feels very early and short. Same with lunch...only 12-1:30pm. The buffet upstairs closes at 3:00pm every day. This meant that when returning from ports, if we wanted to eat, we had to venture outside of the YC. Not that it was such a big deal, but would be nice to extend the hours on port days to account for those returning to the ship, since we are paying for the YC experience.

 

Again, this didn't ruin the trip by any means, but it was frustrating. The demographic of cruisers and even those in suites is changing, and not everyone adheres to standard early dining hours. I do understand there needs to be some breaks to account for the meal changes, but it did seem too short overall. I know there are snacks always in the TSL, which are pretty good, but they are definitlely not a meal replacement.

 

This was also noted on Ocean Cay...we were in port 7:00am-9:00pm, and Ocean House was only open for lunch from 11:30am-2:00pm. Because of that, it was EXTREMELY busy, and the servers were stressed and overworked. Guests were being extremely rude and unforgiving, and it was overall a meh experience. The food has definitely improved since the last time we were at OC though! The crab ceviche and lobster roll were great!

 

The stand-out was definitely Butcher's Cut. Because we had so much OBC, we decided to dine there one night where the YC menu was underwhelming. AMAZING. Better than the steakhouses on both NCL and X. The bone marrow was HUGE and probably the best we've had. The goat cheese tart also delicious. Our filets were both perfectly cooked and flavorful. BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SMOKED BUTTER. Seriously. This needs to be more widely available 🤣  I would go back and just get the butter. It was so good with the bacon bread they served. Definitely a must in our book.

 

The only other dining experience we had was the main buffet, mainly late night for pizza. The pizza is 💯, including the pizza ordered from room service (ends at midnight...don't miss it!). We did have to go once for late breakfast that we missed in YC, and the selection at that time was limited. The buffet set up on this ship is odd and very claustrophic, which I'm sure is due to the extremely low ceilings. It was bizarre, and I can't imagine it at peak hours sailing at full capacity. Low ceilings + narrow walkways...not for me.

[zackarykeef]

Bars/Alcohol/Drink Package: We had the top drink package included being in YC. This was nice, although definitely not as nice as before the change. The last time we sailed, we upgraded to the top drink package, and could drink WHATEVER we wanted. We are champagne drinkers, so this was so nice. It was definitely much more limited this trip, but we found way around it.

 

The YC bartenders were great...loved having drinks in the TSL. Cocktails were all great. We really only spent time there and the Champagne Bar, which we also loved. After befriending the bartenders (and some good tipping, and chatting about our previous MSC experience, we started being offered some nicer champagnes and bottles that weren't on the menu. They would save things for us for the following day...it was such a treat.

 

Also...it doesn't make sense that if a drink is over the $15 limit, you have to pay full price. It's silly, but it is MSC's policy (for now). Rumor from the bartenders we heard on board is that they are likely doing away with that soon, and you'll only have to pay the difference. This is on par with other lines. This was especially annoying, as they price many cocktails at $16, obviously on purpose. Pay attention though! Many of these were all things that are included in the package. When I was told it was over, I just ordered the things separately and then asked to have them mixed. The bartenders had a good laugh, and as they realized it was silly also, would eventually make the cocktail without charging. Definitely pays to be nice, friendly, and understanding...something some of the a**holes we saw could take note of. Seriously, it will never cease to amaze me how some people talk to the crew. 🙄

 

Staff: What can I say...the staff was great. I know there are some bad eggs here and there, but I've never had overall bad staff on a cruise. Everyone in YC was pleasant and went above and beyond. There is definitely a big shift in crew as the ship prepares to sail to Brazil in a few months. Per Brazilian law, they must sail with at least 60% Brazilian crew. This was very evident, as I have never seen so many Brazilian crew before. Some are new, some are from outside YC, and some came from other ships, so...there are minor hiccups and learning curves, but everyone was extremely pleasant and helpful. I have absolutely no complaints. Our butler Divi was amazing...cannot say enough good things.

 

Our favorite TSL bartender is the only one he knows of so far going to Explora, so that says a lot. We already looked at booking this new ship/concept to see him again! Finally...special shout out to the Champagne Bar crew...we love you!

[zackarykeef]

Ports: I’ve been to these ports numerous times, but my husband had only been to Ocean Cay. For this reason, we did get off and do something at each stop. Everything was done on our own, as I think it is much better value and personalized experience. If you aren't nervous about missing the ship (I never have in all of my cruises), I highly suggest doing a little research and booking your own!

 

Ocho Rios: We took a cab to Dunn's River Falls. I know it's touristy, but as he had never been, I wanted to show him. It really is beautiful, and I recommend everyone do it once if stopping in Ocho Rios. We first ziplined over the falls, which is new since I was there last. It was awesome! Three bridges and seven lines...great staff and great views. We then climbed the falls and relaxed in the water. This was such a good day, and I highly recommend going on your own. We found an awesome taxi driver who dropped us off and set a time to come get us, and he was right on time. We bought out own entrance tickets once there. We were able to climb the falls on our own and at our own pace. This meant not guide and no long lines of hand-holding like the other tours where you have to wait for everyone else. Not to mention...I think in total we spent $80 per person for this day, and the ship excursion was $130-140. This was a win.

 

Grand Cayman: We had no issues tendering here, as I have heard before. This may also be a YC reason lol We decided just to go to Seven Mile Beach, as the previous day was active. I have went to see the stingrays multiple times in the past...several times with the same company on a catamaran, and one other time via jet ski. It's always awesome, and I really wanted to show him. However, many companies still aren't up and operating yet after COVID, as traffic to the island isn't fully back to normal. I couldn't find a private tour I liked, so beach it was. $10 roundtrip to the beach with all facilities...it was nice and relaxing.

 

The tender line to get back on was horrendous, so I was extremely thankful we were in YC and got to bypass that. I highly recommend just being prepared when returning to the ship.

 

Cozumel: I booked a snorkel tour with Mystic Snorkel, as I have sailed with them in the past. Highly recommend! Only $65 per person, and it was just the two of us, our guide, and the captain! Quick $10 taxi to the marina, and we had a private 4 hour snorkel tour. Two reefs, beach/sandbar at El Cielo, as well as the starfish sandbar. We saw so much, including so many stingrays at the beach that we didn't even miss the stingray tour in Grand Cayman! Refreshments, fruit, beer, gear all included. We were able to go at our own pace and do pretty much what we wanted since it was just us. I cannot recommend them enough!

 

Be aware that MSC ports at Punta Langosta as opposed to the International Cruise Terminal. I hate Punta Langosta. It's a maze where they strategically have you walk all the way down and up and over and back down and all the way back through shops, and then you get to do it all over again in reverse when returning. Just plan for some extra heavy walking time.

 

Ocean Cay: It's a relaxing beach day. What can I say...it's a beautiful island, and it was nice to see how much it's filled in since over a year ago when we were there. Yes, the beaches are rocky. They blasted the island out of rock and coral, so it's to be expected. Definitely bring water shoes if you have weak soles. I do think this is something they should remedy in the future...they need to import some more sand for the YC and outer beaches. The best beach is for sure the Lighthouse Beach by the ship, but it is the most crowded.

 

Bimini Beach to the north is beautiful with calmer water, but it is still rocky. Snorkeling to the right by the rocks was amazing. However...be warned: you must be a strong swimmer. It's swim at your own risk, and as always by high rocks, there is a very strong backcurrent. You don't realize how far out you've been sucked, and when you try to swim back, you get nowhere. You need to swim over parallel to the beach towards the middle and then in to shore to go around the current. 

 

We were back on the ship in the afternoon so didn't participate in the evening beach parties, etc.

 

Spa: With YC, we had the thermal suite included. It's very nice, and we went daily. My main complaint was the other passengers. Loud, laughing, obnoxious, chatting in groups in the halls--not very relaxing at all. Many were clearly just there to "try it out" and would go in a sauna/steam room for 30 seconds and leave...in and out, in and out, in and out. We watched one group chat and go in and out of the steam room multiple times for 30 minutes, chatting in the doorway with it open and they kept letting all the steam out. That was frustrating, but the facilities itself are nice.

 

We got a couples massage with our OBC and 10% for YC...the massages were great. The room itself was basic and not very zen-like compared to other lines, as you could hear so much noise from the hallway. Regardless, we left feeling pampered and relaxed.

[zackarykeef]

Ship: The ship is stunning. It really is a masterpiece in design, and I loved the layout. The two-story TSL/YC restaurant is gorgeous, and is a major upgrade from the Meraviglia class. The One pool deck is HUGE, and that was greatly appreciated.

 

Outside of YC, the splendor continues. The pools are designed nicely, including the aft infinity pool and side pools. The Bridge of Sighs and the aft glass elevators are stunning...probably one of the best aft designs of a ship I've seen. The waterslide/kids' area is amazing. The waterslides are FAST and were a blast, even for adults. The inside NYC theme is nice, and the main atrium with its SIX Swarovski staircases is grand and elegant. One of the best places is Le Cabaret Rouge...also one of the best venues I think I've seen on a ship, from the futuristic walkway entrance to the multi-level, dimly lit cabaret vibe of the inside. Loved this ship!

 

Debarkation: In YC, bags needed to be out by 2am the night prior, which was not an issue. We were allowed to get off any time we liked in the morning after having to vacate our staterooms by 8:00am. Again, perks of YC...loved being escorted to the front of the line and off the ship. Slightly confusion landside when getting our luggage, as there is no sign for YC...just numbers from the rest of the ship tags. Note--your luggage will be the first section, group A. Quickly through immigration, as we have US passports, and no customs other than the "are you bringing anything back?" question by the immigration officer. We were off the ship and being picked up within 20 minutes.

 

Final Thoughts: Amazing. Cannot say enough great things about YC. Would I sail MSC outside of YC? I'm not sure. Right now, if the prices are right, we will still sail YC, and look forward to trying Explora (there are some cheaper dates, I checked!). Despite the minor inconveniences, it was much needed and a lot of fun. We cannot wait to return!

 

Again, any other questions, feel free to ask! Happy cruising! 😎

 

~Zack

[zackarykeef]

18 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Did you by any chance use your key cards for express elevator service?

 

Yes! Cannot thank you enough for this tip! It was amazing!

 

Had you not mentioned it, we never would have known. None of the staff mentioned it, and I found it odd that when they would escort us off at ports, they would just push the elevator button like any other guest, causing it to stop at multiple floors. We found ourselves leaving the YC group and going to the other elevator bay to use our card, and always made it before them 🤣

 

I guess that brings me to the elevators, as I forgot to mention them. They seem to be a point of contention for this ship. Yes, the aft elevators are quicker...because not as many people use them. And I don't know why, as the view is stunning. We obviously didn't use them as much being in YC, but if you're not in YC, they are quicker.

 

This is what I'll say about the elevators. The system is smart. It really is, and it's a great system. What's not smart are the passengers. If you press your floor and it tells you a car, IT WILL COME. The problem is that people are impatient and if the car isn't there in 20 seconds, they push it again. And again. And again. And then suddenly, all the cars are being called and it gives you the dreaded "X" with "no cars available." People...just push it once. It will come. If everyone did this, people would rave about the system.

 

The YC perk is nice though. The extra minute you spend waiting for a dedicated elevator is made up for with the express service to your floor. Thank you again!

[bigblue1952]

Wonderful review.  We were in YC on Seashore in April and totally agree with your assessment.  We had a wonderful cruise also.

[lcpagejr]

10 hours ago, zackarykeef said:

Would I sail MSC outside of YC? I'm not sure.

Great review and Totally agree!!  We've cruised YC on Seaside 2x and loved it. YC is a game changer IMO and although th YC pricing has been increasing.....  it still shelters you from all the inconsistencies, crowds, and port day chaos 

[frank808]

Did you use your band and scan underneath the screen for the floor selection for priority?