Yacht Club vs NCL Haven vs X Retreat.

[ISABELLA]

Question to all who sailed in YC, Haven and / or Retreat.

How do you compare all of them?

Cons and Pros?

Which one you like better?

All information is greatly appreciated.

[sverigecruiser]

 

It was many years since we cruised in the Haven but I really prefer MSCs Yacht Club.

 

Everyone in the YC have most drinks included so no need to show your card when ordering drinks within the YC. I don't know if everyone has to show the card in the Haven when they know you have a package.

 

Not everything they serve in the YC restaurant is perfect but overall I think that the food is better in the YC. Most important, a new meny every day.

 

Minibar included in the YC.

 

Drinks from roomservice included in the YC.

 

(Assume that NCL has a package that include roomservice and minibar.)

 

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by sverigecruiser

[GPPhilly]

I have only sailed in the Haven and YC.  We prefer the YC

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, ISABELLA said:

Question to all who sailed in YC, Haven and / or Retreat.

How do you compare all of them?

Cons and Pros?

Which one you like better?

All information is greatly appreciated.

I would ask this same question on the NCL and Celebrity forum as well. (It would give me a chance to repeat my reply to a broader audience). Might as well add RCCL to the list.

  

That is why cruising has so many types of ships. If exotic destinations are ones 'wish list' like Antarctica or the Society Islands, then smaller ships are the only way to go. If "dancing" is a priority a good travel agent could research which ships and theme cruises would satisfy ones desire. I recall dancing every evening on NCL Breakaway in their 'Manhattan Supper Club'. One just has to make up ones own list'. Here is our list for those that might have missed it, that Yacht Club has all of them.

Never sailed on a MSC ship in a cabin outside the Yacht Club. But we can list now all the things to look out for when booking any cruise ship.

#1 E muster drill is better

#2 Two cabin cleanings per day

#3 No % charge for gambling if using credit card

#4 No extra charge for can sodas vs fountain drinks

#5 Reserved seating in the theatre for all shows

#6 Complimentary bottled water

#7 Reserved or ability to reserve pergola/cabanas on pool deck

#8 'Cushioned' pool lounges

#9 Escorts on and off ship avoiding long lines

#10 First to use tenders off the ship at ports that tender

#11 Dedicated restaurant that is so good one need not book Specialty Restaurants

#12 Service that does not involve 2 hours to complete a meal

#13 An attentive butler not hard to find when needed

#14 Cabins ready upon embarkation/ key cards in hand at checkin

#15 Dedicated restaurant OPEN port days

#16 Dedicated buffet to only suite guests

#17 Dedicated pool and sun deck only for suite guests with ample lounges

# 18 All the advantages of a mega ship with the exclusivity of a gated community

#19 walk-in shower not low profile tub/shower combo

#20 No non-suite paying Pinnacle/Zenith/Diamond passengers taking up prime real estate in the Yacht Club

#21 Elevator over-ride key cards for suite guests

#22 Pristine out island with NO bugs crawling all over cabanas

#23 short distance between cabin and restaurant decks

#24 At least a 100 sq ft balcony accommodating a cushioned lounge chair

ReplyForward

Edited August 8, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[jean87510]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I would ask this same question on the NCL and Celebrity forum as well. (It would give me a chance to repeat my reply to a broader audience). Might as well add RCCL to the list.

  

That is why cruising has so many types of ships. If exotic destinations are ones 'wish list' like Antarctica or the Society Islands, then smaller ships are the only way to go. If "dancing" is a priority a good travel agent could research which ships and theme cruises would satisfy ones desire. I recall dancing every evening on NCL Breakaway in their 'Manhattan Supper Club'. One just has to make up ones own list'. Here is our list for those that might have missed it, that Yacht Club has all of them.

Never sailed on a MSC ship in a cabin outside the Yacht Club. But we can list now all the things to look out for when booking any cruise ship.

#1 E muster drill is better

#2 Two cabin cleanings per day

#3 No % charge for gambling if using credit card

#4 No extra charge for can sodas vs fountain drinks

#5 Reserved seating in the theatre for all shows

#6 Complimentary bottled water

#7 Reserved or ability to reserve pergola/cabanas on pool deck

#8 'Cushioned' pool lounges

#9 Escorts on and off ship avoiding long lines

#10 First to use tenders off the ship at ports that tender

#11 Dedicated restaurant that is so good one need not book Specialty Restaurants

#12 Service that does not involve 2 hours to complete a meal

#13 An attentive butler not hard to find when needed

#14 Cabins ready upon embarkation/ key cards in hand at checkin

#15 Dedicated restaurant OPEN port days

#16 Dedicated buffet to only suite guests

#17 Dedicated pool and sun deck only for suite guests with ample lounges

# 18 All the advantages of a mega ship with the exclusivity of a gated community

#19 walk-in shower not low profile tub/shower combo

#20 No non-suite paying Pinnacle/Zenith/Diamond passengers taking up prime real estate in the Yacht Club

#21 Elevator over-ride key cards for suite guests

#22 Pristine out island with NO bugs crawling all over cabanas

#23 short distance between cabin and restaurant decks

#24 At least a 100 sq ft balcony accommodating a cushioned lounge chair

ReplyForward

love this and have shared with my daughter for our upcoming Meraviglia cruise in June.  I especially agree wholeheartedly with #18 for RCCL as I sailed in a Grand Suite in July and the suite lounge was "taken over" by pinnacles and the concierge and wait staff took care of them primarily.  Also the pinnacles were not happy with us regular suite guests as according to them, they were the more valued customers as they have paid more overall.  🙄  We will be on the Retreat on the Reflection in December 2024, and we will have more to compare.  

[morpheusofthesea]

24 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

We will be on the Retreat on the Reflection in December 2024, and we will have more to compare

As of August 15, 2023 Celebrity is cutting butler/hosts for sky suites and Celebrity Suites? They say one booking these cabins will be assisted by a "team" ....Also I believe the Reflection is sister to the Equinox so Luminae is deck 3 and your suite is deck 12? (Elevators?) Remember all the sweet treats at Cafe Al Bacio are complimentary (try just one "financier", I dare you.)

Edited August 8, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[oceans.calling]

$25 pppd DSC on NCL Haven compared to YC $14.50 pppd. 

YC has no 20% gratuities on a “free drink package”.

NCL’s value of $109 pd for non premium drink package comes to ~ $21.80 per person per day. YC is premium drink package no additional grats.

Free Wi-Fi for 2 devices each person in YC. NCL - 150 minutes in their Free at Sea promo. 

 

Have sailed many times in Haven until we found the YC and never looked back. 6 YC done and 7 more booked. 
 

 

[jean87510]

5 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

As of August 15, 2023 Celebrity is cutting butler/hosts for sky suites and Celebrity Suites? They say one booking these cabins will be assisted by a "team" ....Also I believe the Reflection is sister to the Equinox so Luminae is deck 3 and your suite is deck 12? (Elevators?) Remember all the sweet treats at Cafe Al Bacio are complimentary (try just one "financier", I dare you.)

I did see that re the team of butlers.  This cruise will be after 4 YC experiences and during NYE 2024 so it should be interesting.  I really love Celebrity but it's just too pricy now which is why I am trying YC which is a heck of a lot cheaper.  Plus no Retreat pool, just Michaels lounge...and the elevators.  Should be fun.

[sverigecruiser]

10 hours ago, oceans.calling said:

$25 pppd DSC on NCL Haven compared to YC $14.50 pppd. 

 

The DCS should be much higher on MSC, much more staff!

 

We ate one late lunch in the YC Bar & Grill. I saw six passengers and nine member of staff! Maybe a few more passengers on the sundeck but very few, too hot!

[amygutman]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

The DCS should be much higher on MSC, much more staff!

 

We ate one late lunch in the YC Bar & Grill. I saw six passengers and nine member of staff! Maybe a few more passengers on the sundeck but very few, too hot!

@sverigecruiser cruiser - agree with the staff to passenger ratio. On Ocean Cay day, we walked the island and enjoyed ourselves but then returned to the YC pool for lunch. For 3 hours it was just my husband, myself and son plus 6 staff members. Felt terrible as there was such the spread laid out for lunch - around 1400 more persons came to eat at the YC pool buffet but we felt we had a billion dollar yacht just to ourselves for most of the morning!

Warmest Amy

[sverigecruiser]

 

I don't really remember for sure but I also think that MSC assign more staff to ensure that boarding during the cruise is easy for YC. They seemed to have staff everywhere where a line could form to ensure that YC passengers didn't had to wait!

 

That was worth much on our Mediterranean cruise this summer because it was superhot and very nice to cut all lines! People not in the YC seemed less happy about it!

 

Some people said things, to staff not to us, and some just looked but why should I care, I had paid for that perk!

Edited August 9, 2023 by sverigecruiser

[sverigecruiser]

...

Edited August 9, 2023 by sverigecruiser

[cruisebeachgirl703]

15 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

As of August 15, 2023 Celebrity is cutting butler/hosts for sky suites and Celebrity Suites? They say one booking these cabins will be assisted by a "team" ....Also I believe the Reflection is sister to the Equinox so Luminae is deck 3 and your suite is deck 12? (Elevators?) Remember all the sweet treats at Cafe Al Bacio are complimentary (try just one "financier", I dare you.)

Is this news about Celebrity butler on their website? or a cruise critic board. interested in more info. thanks.

[Essiesmom]

3 minutes ago, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

Is this news about Celebrity butler on their website? or a cruise critic board. interested in more info. thanks.

It’s on the Celebrity board here.  EM

[JAGR]

4 hours ago, amygutman said:

around 1400 more persons came to eat at the YC pool buffet but we felt we had a billion dollar yacht just to ourselves for most of the morning!

Warmest Amy

1400!  Hope you meant it just felt like that!  That's an awful lot of interlopers!🤭

[Georgia_Peaches]

2 hours ago, JAGR said:

1400!  Hope you meant it just felt like that!  That's an awful lot of interlopers!🤭

Lol. I did a double take as well but I think the  1400 was a reference to the time, not number of people. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Have done all three. NCL haven is permanently off my travel list. Service and experience is no comparison to Yacht Club imo but I took DM on Seaside back in June and on NCL Escape (haven) back in 2019. She preferred Haven over YC though has been hard pressed to articulate the reasons. I think it’s because on NCL we were in an aft suite and in YC we were interior. That has to me it bc YC is just a better, more reasonably priced product. 
 

Retreat never disappoints but I recently learned that a veranda stateroom experience is just as nice as the suite life on Celebrity. Meaning, for me, there just aren’t enough distinctions between suite life and gen pop to justify the inflated cost of the Retreat. 
 

I am currently on MSC Seaside on the YC pool deck lounging in a complementary cabana set up by my butler who has showered me with so much personalized service (way more than I require) that I am being spoiled beyond belief!

 

@morpheusofthesea list of inclusions is the most comprehensive I’ve seen!

[JAGR]

40 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Lol. I did a double take as well but I think the  1400 was a reference to the time, not number of people. 

Forgot she's an ER doc.  Only docs and vets use the 24-Hour clock!

[Essiesmom]

33 minutes ago, JAGR said:

Forgot she's an ER doc.  Only docs and vets use the 24-Hour clock!

And those of us who were military and/or lived in Europe…. EM

[JAGR]

4 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

And those of us who were military and/or lived in Europe…. EM

Sorry!  Poor word choice next to docs! Meant veterans! 🫢

And just came back from Ireland and the UK last month, so you are right (as usual!), of course.  Thanks!

Edited August 9, 2023 by JAGR

[amygutman]

5 hours ago, JAGR said:

1400!  Hope you meant it just felt like that!  That's an awful lot of interlopers!🤭

@JAGR

Ah...my "military time" has failed me....I meant at 2pm (aka "1400")...

That being said....see what happens when you leave a cleaning cone in the unlocked YC door. A HORDE OF 1400 INTERLOPERS APPEAR!!!!

[amygutman]

2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Have done all three. NCL haven is permanently off my travel list. Service and experience is no comparison to Yacht Club imo but I took DM on Seaside back in June and on NCL Escape (haven) back in 2019. She preferred Haven over YC though has been hard pressed to articulate the reasons. I think it’s because on NCL we were in an aft suite and in YC we were interior. That has to me it bc YC is just a better, more reasonably priced product. 
 

Retreat never disappoints but I recently learned that a veranda stateroom experience is just as nice as the suite life on Celebrity. Meaning, for me, there just aren’t enough distinctions between suite life and gen pop to justify the inflated cost of the Retreat. 
 

I am currently on MSC Seaside on the YC pool deck lounging in a complementary cabana set up by my butler who has showered me with so much personalized service (way more than I require) that I am being spoiled beyond belief!

 

@morpheusofthesea list of inclusions is the most comprehensive I’ve seen!

@Georgia_Peaches It sounds like you have Arnold or Primus as your butler if you are being over-spoiled. If you have either, please give my love to them both. Such wonderful gentlemen!

Warmest Amy

[ISABELLA]

Thank you so much for all your opinions. Seems that  YC is winning over Haven. We have tried Haven for the first time few months ago and really enjoyed it. Although, I want to point out that we enjoyed Haven's food and service, out butler was very accommodating, but we didn't like NCL perks and didn't care for the ship - way too crowded everywhere outside Haven.

I do agree, since X raised prices so much for AQ and Retreat, it seems that product is way overpriced.

I think we will give YC a try. 

[sverigecruiser]

9 minutes ago, ISABELLA said:

 way too crowded everywhere outside Haven.

 

That can happen on MSC too.

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, amygutman said:

@JAGR

Ah...my "military time" has failed me....I meant at 2pm (aka "1400")...

That being said....see what happens when you leave a cleaning cone in the unlocked YC door. A HORDE OF 1400 INTERLOPERS APPEAR!!!!

Funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time!