1st Time MSC Cruiser Reviews Seascape YC

[Av8tor]

17 hours ago, killsport said:

There’s some unknown space on 19 (above the cabin). It’s the space just “north” of the lift. Not sure what it’s used for and if it generates noise. 

 

We're on deck 16, so I can't say for sure, but looking at the deck plan for 19 you posted I wouldn't worry about it since the "white space is actually across the hall then above from from your cabin...

[Av8tor]

Embarkation Day!!  Oh so glad it's over and the cruise is under way.  Sitting in Top Sail lounge now trying to post this update before they close at 1am and in time to get some sleep before a hopefully sunny and relaxing day tomorrow on Ocean Cay!

 

The transportation options from our hotel to the port were MUCH worse than we expected due to the marathon.  Due to the race route itself, streets around the hotel were closed for at least 4 blocks in every direction.  Trying to get an Uber would have been very problematic.  Prices were about 4 to 5 times higher than expected and whether or not we could determine a suitable pick-up location to walk to  and whether or not the driver could actually get there, was in doubt.  At 10:50, we opted to take a shared shuttle arranged thru the hotel concierge rather than try to continue with the Uber option.  Our check-in was at 11:30 (not too important since we're YC) but the 11:00 shuttle was full.  We booked the noon shuttle and waited in the hotel lobby for an hour and a half.  We "only" had to walk 2 blocks to meet it, but due to traffic tie-ups, the actual shuttle arrival was at 12:50.  So much for the early boarding.  Didn't reach the ship until past 1:30, again due to traffic.  Once off the shuttle, check-in processing was fairly quick & smooth.

 

No temperature checks at all and they didn't even ask to see the health forms.  While moving to board the ship after check-in, they asked our group if we wanted to stop in the pre-boarding lounge for champagne/sodas before proceeding up the gangway.  While I think that's great for those arriving before actual boarding begins, that late in the day, who would really want to sit in the terminal for a drink when they could go onboard to the top sail lounge or one pool bar and have more drink choices there?  Everyone said no thanks and we went right onboard.  Escorted to Top Sail lounge for drinks and then to the cabin by 2:20...

 

It's now 12:45am and I'm the last one in Top Sail lounge.  Crew says they have to stay until 1am, but if I leave, maybe they can get some rest early. Think I'll call it a night.  TBC...

 

 

 

[mackfam]

Looking forward to following along with the rest of your review.

I just booked the Seascape YC for next January and am realizing it will also be the marathon weekend. Any advice on where the best location to stay is based on ease of getting to port with the street closures?

[Td6462]

2 hours ago, mackfam said:

Looking forward to following along with the rest of your review.

I just booked the Seascape YC for next January and am realizing it will also be the marathon weekend. Any advice on where the best location to stay is based on ease of getting to port with the street closures?

We disembarked yesterday and it took 2 hrs to uber 4.5 miles. He's not kidding about it being crazy. As he said we also ended up paying $162.00 due to "surge pricing" from uber. Our quote when we called for the car was originally $39.00.

Also be aware there are signal jammers all around the terminal and it can be difficult to call and have a car find you. It worked but also took 50min for our car to get to us because of the marathon.

[go.without.you]

Following since I booked my 1st MSC cruise on Seashore for November in YC. I usually do the Retreat on Celebrity but thought I would check this out.

 

Also, when in YC you can check in anytime just like the Retreat? Asking because my check in is listed for 3pm and I usually board around 1130.

[L1211]

What a crazy start to your journey!  First flights then a marathon!!  Super excited to follow along and are lookin forward to your experiences and any suggestions for the YC!! 

[Stem to Stern]

13 hours ago, Av8tor said:

It's now 12:45am and I'm the last one in Top Sail lounge.

Welcome aboard!

Can you tell us if there are any late-night snacks in the Top Sail Lounge?

Or will we have to venture into the GenPop for something to eat late at night?

[sabres431]

How much does it cost to play pool at the Sports Bar?  Also, is there darts?

[L1211]

3 hours ago, Stem to Stern said:

Welcome aboard!

Can you tell us if there are any late-night snacks in the Top Sail Lounge?

Or will we have to venture into the GenPop for something to eat late at night?

Good question!  I’ve heard they no longer deliver snacks to the room nightly…

[Av8tor]

Nice day at Ocean Cay today.  The weather was great with light breezes and fair seas.  After a quick breakfast up by the One Pool I headed off the ship around 9 and got to Ocean House beach around 9:30.  Some of the carts that shuttle YC passengers around actually have large solar panels on their roofs - nice.  The beach wasn't crowded then and never reached full capacity all day. After setting up loungers under an umbrella and a small palm tree for my DW and me I went for a swim.  It was a bit rough off the YC beach so I started over at the east end of Bimini beach and swam CCW around the north island.  Smoother water in the lagoon but had to go over the nets at each end.  Lifeguards were present at most beaches I saw except for Bimini.  Not sure about Paradise Sands or Sunset beaches.

Lighthouse beach has free umbrellas and adarondack style chairs but no loungers.  There are some what look like beanbag type sacks available that I THINK are also free.

 

Drink service at YC beach was OK.  Even though the servers worked their hearts out, the set up is less than ideal.  Only one or two bartenders at Ocean House were making the drinks for 8+ servers.  The servers had a hard time getting to the bar & the folks on the beach because people kept stopping them to place more orders.  Another bar at  the other end of the beach would really help or maybe have a plan where the YC area has geographic sectors each served by a wait staff team cycling between the bar(s) and the passengers.

 

Lunch was good and there wasn't really a wait for tables.  Besides the tables on the patio of Ocean House, they also had tables on the lawn area next to the kitchen building and in front of OH itself.  Lobster roll was too "mayonaisie" for my taste and I was told they couldn't make it mayo free as it was prepared in advance.  Salads used fresh ingredients.

 

Nothing very interesting in the shops on the island.  Local Bahamian shop items must be purchased with cash instead of using your cruise card.  Not sure if credit cards were accepted.  All on-island purchases were subject to Bahamian tax (13% I think).  I've seen various mention of scuba being available on OC and even though there is a so called Scuba Center building on the island, there is NO scuba available - only snorkeling.

 

Back aboard we relaxed for a while reading on the One Pool deck (nice cushioned loungers) and then got ready for dinner.  Watched the Lighthouse light/music show from our balcony at 7:15 and while it was something fairly unique, the pulsing lights weren't in sync with the music. That was only for the 1st :15 minutes because then the real show started and it was actually quite good but that only lasted 5 minutes then it was back to the "disco" music and non-sync'd pulsing lights.  Supposed to be another show in an hour and I'm expecting the same or similar.  Sailaway is sometime between 9 and 10pm.

 

Anyway, going to dinner now and see the comedian later in the theater.  Seaday tomorrow & I'll try to get answers for some of the questions that have been asked...

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Av8tor

[Avatar345]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:45 AM, sabres431 said:

We'll be 2nd time MSC cruisers sailing Seascape in the YC at the end of March in 19003.  Will be following this.

 

Is there something particularly intriguing about 19003? Have an opportunity to book that cabin and I just want to make sure I'm not missing something! 

[jules815]

8 minutes ago, Avatar345 said:

 

Is there something particularly intriguing about 19003? Have an opportunity to book that cabin and I just want to make sure I'm not missing something! 

When I booked this cabin a few weeks ago, we had 3 or 4 on deck 19 to choose from. My husband and I actually like being forward on a ship, so we went with the most forward cabin available for that category. 

[sabres431]

26 minutes ago, Avatar345 said:

 

Is there something particularly intriguing about 19003? Have an opportunity to book that cabin and I just want to make sure I'm not missing something! 

 

There was nothing in particular.  We do like being near the front of the ship. Also, typically in Miami, the port side is facing the water, which in my opinion is a nicer view while you're waiting for sail away.

[Avatar345]

Haha well that's reason enough I suppose! :)

Edited January 31, 2023 by Avatar345

[jules815]

21 minutes ago, sabres431 said:

 

There was nothing in particular.  We do like being near the front of the ship. Also, typically in Miami, the port side is facing the water, which in my opinion is a nicer view while you're waiting for sail away.

Agree about the port side having the better view while in Miami. Wish we didn't have to wait until September. 😭

 

 

[pbhandari1996]

On 1/27/2023 at 4:16 PM, gordyde said:

Will be waiting to read your review.  We leave on the Seascape, Feb 26th.  Not a Yacht Club member.  Booked on the 13th floor

Us too! We are leaving on the 26th and booked on the 13th floor!

[Avatar345]

Here's a quick question I can't find the answer to readily, but is stuff like the gelato at Venchi included with YC? From what I've seen it's not included with the premium drinks package separately

[Av8tor]

On 1/31/2023 at 2:22 PM, Avatar345 said:

Here's a quick question I can't find the answer to readily, but is stuff like the gelato at Venchi included with YC? From what I've seen it's not included with the premium drinks package separately

No

[Av8tor]

On 1/27/2023 at 2:52 AM, killsport said:

After a hectic start, enjoy your cruise!

I’m interested on whether 18029 has any noise from above. If you happen to find out, that’d be great. Also, the quality of food is of interest. Safe and happy sailing!

Walked by 1809 and 19009 and can't imagine noise would be a problem, especially since the "blank space" you are worried about is across the hall and is the One Pool.

 

Food quality is good but taste is subjective...

[Av8tor]

On 1/30/2023 at 3:38 AM, mackfam said:

Looking forward to following along with the rest of your review.

I just booked the Seascape YC for next January and am realizing it will also be the marathon weekend. Any advice on where the best location to stay is based on ease of getting to port with the street closures?

The NE 5th St entrance & exit to/from the port probably won't open until after 11am abd access to anything east of Miami Ave from the southern Wynwood area down through Brickell to Coconut Grove will have very limited to no access.  Best bet would be to stay out of those areas and stay somewhere that has access to I95 & I395 so you can use the tunnel entrance to the port.

[Av8tor]

On 1/30/2023 at 7:00 AM, go.without.you said:

Following since I booked my 1st MSC cruise on Seashore for November in YC. I usually do the Retreat on Celebrity but thought I would check this out.

 

Also, when in YC you can check in anytime just like the Retreat? Asking because my check in is listed for 3pm and I usually board around 1130.

I don't think those in YC are held to the automatically generated check-in times.  Ours was 11am, then changed to 11:30am, but due to the marathon we didn't check-in until about 1:30 and there was no problem.

[bundtkate]

19 minutes ago, Av8tor said:

Walked by 1809 and 19009 and can't imagine noise would be a problem

Don't suppose you noticed 19016 along the way and have thoughts on that? It looks bigger than the other YINs, but is both below and surrounded by unknown space. Above looked like maybe the grill's kitchen, which could be rough, but it's hard to tell for sure.

[Av8tor]

On 1/30/2023 at 11:26 AM, Stem to Stern said:

Welcome aboard!

Can you tell us if there are any late-night snacks in the Top Sail Lounge?

Or will we have to venture into the GenPop for something to eat late at night?

They have "Sweet Temptation" snacks in TS lounge from 9pm to 1am.  Just little dessert type stuff with maybe some nuts.  I did ask for and got some potato chips though.

 

Out in "GenPop" the Market Place buffet closes at 9pm and the Pizza area there is open until 1am.  Venchi Chocolate (extra cost) is open until midnight.  No other late night food venues that I know about unless you can get snacks at various bars (but I don't think so)

[Av8tor]

On 1/30/2023 at 1:54 PM, sabres431 said:

How much does it cost to play pool at the Sports Bar?  Also, is there darts?

The Pool Room has one table with a card reader attached to it but it wasn't operative and those playing said it was free for them.  A pinball machine in there costs $2.50.  There is also a shuffle board table, but I didn't see any pucks (perhaps you need to ask for them back in the sports bar)...

[Av8tor]

10 minutes ago, bundtkate said:

Don't suppose you noticed 19016 along the way and have thoughts on that? It looks bigger than the other YINs, but is both below and surrounded by unknown space. Above looked like maybe the grill's kitchen, which could be rough, but it's hard to tell for sure.

I went by the other YINs there (19019 & 19022?) and those could be OK, but I'd didn't check out 19016.  Looking at the diagram I'd be very suspicious of that one...