OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK SEASCAPE SEPT 24, 2023

[Até]

12 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Heard that the buffet on World America will not be self serving. Coming from the YC department head I assume he was speaking about the buffet in the Yacht Club. Similar to the Market Place Emporium on Explora. Nice.

Sounds like what they did on World Europa where they took part of the La Brasserie buffet to reduce the load on the overcrowded YC restaurant. 

[jules815]

11 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Tonight we saw a really bad act in Le Cabaret Rouge called "Sweet and Sour Circus". This gentleman was doing a routine reminiscent of a trained seal with balancing a red ball on his nose and head. Doesn't MSC prescreen these acts ? This act can be missed as well as the"Guiness Book of World Records" night which they throw in to give the 'real' entertainers a night off.

Yikes. It's a shame they have this nice venue but can't seem to get some decent acts. 

 

After dinner for the first week of our b2b we'd take a walk into Le Cabaret Rouge just to see what was going on. We had the contortionists doing their same routine each night (BANG! BANG!), a pretty bad prop comic and one female singer that was so bad when she'd go for the high notes we'd cringe. If you saw her doing "I'm Walking on Sunshine" you'll know who I'm talking about. There was another female singer who was from Australia who wasn't bad and a male who was sort of the emcee. 

 

 

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

It is a beautiful and very breezy sea day. We can finally use the pergola on the OnePool Deck. Our butler came to the cabin this morning after breakfast to deliver a newspaper and inquire about where we wanted to lunch, if we would like to attend the Captain's party in the TSL, and after dinner plans. We thanked him for the bottles of liquor and he said he will bring by more Champagne and Jack Daniels later. Service does not get any better than this. Reading that getting even commercially bottled flat water is 'iffy' or out of stock on Explora 1 sailing right now. If we could only change our booking back to MSC Yacht Club.

[morpheusofthesea]

Here I am on the Top Sail Deck enjoying life. Too busy being grateful to worry about interlopers. Today being a sea day have not seen or heard of any interloping, though have witnessed several trying the doors to get into the Yacht Club. There is a nice type of background music being 'piped' on the One Pool deck. Noticed a change to the one piece vinyl roofs of the pergolas is more one foot woven vinyl through the roof slats providing shade but allowing rain not to puddle.

[morpheusofthesea]

A second booked cruise on Explora I was cancelled and we opted to get our deposit refunded $5,800 which we just received back on Sept 23rd instead of rebooking with a 30% bonus. Will use this money to book another MSC cruise on World America. Hearing reports that when seasoned luxury cruisers on board Explora complain the stock reply "Well, we are not other cruise lines." Sounds like something one would hear downstairs at guest services and not what YCers experience when visiting their concierge station in the Yacht Club.

[no1talks]

12 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Will use this money to book another MSC cruise on World America.

 

Beware of World America. As with World Europa, you will possibly encounter more YC guests in less YC space.

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, no1talks said:

 

Beware of World America. As with World Europa, you will possibly encounter more YC guests in less YC space.

Though very true, having lost 50 pounds since covid I find I take up much less space than before. And my 'munchkin' DW even less so. As long as our 'paid' (over tipped) service staff continues to keep the interlopers and other YCers away from our reserved areas we will be fine. Now this brings up a good point near and dear to my heart. Will the top 6 ? suites still get the available reserved pergolas on the YC OnePool deck? This may be the deciding factor that will push us back to the "Sea"ships.

[Two Wheels Only]

14 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Will the top 6 ? suites still get the available reserved pergolas on the YC OnePool deck? This may be the deciding factor that will push us back to the "Sea"ships.

 

 

Looking at the World Europa photos that I have seen, there are signs designating that certain suites (such as 16010) have a pergola reserved. 

 

I don't know the total number of pergolas on the deck, though. 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 minute ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

Looking at the World Europa photos that I have seen, there are signs designating that certain suites (such as 16010) have a pergola reserved. 

 

I don't know the total number of pergolas on the deck, though. 

If you do not know the answer, then the whole question is moot.

[Two Wheels Only]

3 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

If you do not know the answer, then the whole question is moot.

 

Unfortunately, it's important for my World America cruise. I booked a Duplex instead of a Royal or Owner's. The balcony on those 4 suites wasn't appealing to me. At least with the Duplex, the upper balcony is more open instead of the more enclosed balcony of the Royal Suite. With that being the case, I won't have a pergola reserved for us. If they are 1st come/1st serve, I'll have fewer available pergolas to fight for. 

[morpheusofthesea]

Here is a photo I was able to airdrop of the new and improves Sports Bar.

[morpheusofthesea]

Discovered another shortfall. This is only for chocolate lovers. The Venchi kiosk is out of the most popular prewrapped flavors. No hope of replenished stock. They were out of the milk chocolate red wrapped truffles last month and now they are still missing along with the Green wrapped pistachio, gold wrapped milk, green creme hazel nut is almost gone, as their empty container spots are filled with the less desirable chocolates.

  Tonight is Gala night. Will be interesting to see how many dress up for the occasion.

Tonight we will repeat the evening showcase of events starting with Le Cabaret Rouge for an hour, followed by the Chora Theatre production "Premiere", followed by the Loft Cafe Jazz Quartet, then more chocolate before bed.

  The over ride key card does not work for the elevators. And the time is no longer given on the key pad as to expected wait time for its arrival.

   The Infinity bridge is still closed on the starboard side of the ship due to damaged glass.

   DW thinks the beginning of dinner time change from 5:30 to 6 pm is important for those that like to get to the 7:30 Chora Theatre production shows. This makes the later show more crowded.

[Match Game 72]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is a photo I was able to airdrop of the new and improves Sports Bar.

This is a downgrade in my opinion. Thanks for the photo.

[Best Cat Mom]

On 9/24/2023 at 3:21 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

We all were greeted in the terminal by the YC director Iancu, who told us that Hotel Director Yannis(who left today to take over the helm of the Seashore is taking him as well to be YC director on the Seashore along with Arthur maitre ‘d, sometime after his vacation in January. Arthur’s replacement is an Italian Gentleman? Who has worked his way up in the MSC ranks.

May I quote this information in another thread, along with Mauricio's name as the "Italian Gentleman?"

[morpheusofthesea]

30 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

May I quote this information in another thread, along with Mauricio's name as the "Italian Gentleman?"

Of course. We should consider everything published on social media to be part of the public domain, whether it is true or isn't.

[DaKahuna]

5 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Of course. We should consider everything published on social media to be part of the public domain, whether it is true or isn't.

 

IANL but I believer that it is true, even if a userID and password are required to access it since anyone can get a userID and password upon request.

 

[lcpagejr]

2 hours ago, Match Game 72 said:

This is a downgrade in my opinion. Thanks for the photo.

Perhaps....but as nice as the Sports Bar is...much unused space for most of cruise ...so makes sense they look at other revenue opportunities. I am ok with this...Sports Bar was overly huge on Seaside and I imagine a similar footprint on Seascape

[morpheusofthesea]

This group is much better dressed than previous summer cruises. 

[Saving Up To Be Eccentric]

5 hours ago, Match Game 72 said:

This is a downgrade in my opinion. Thanks for the photo.

Mine as well. I understand the desire to maximize profits - and the house always wins - and that some people prefer non-smoking venues for said profit centers, but I also appreciate a few more introvert-friendly corners of a cruiseship that you don't have to pay extra money to access. Oh, well, I'll console myself that I will purchase fewer drinks if there isn't a quieter bar location in which to enjoy them.

[morpheusofthesea]

This 19 second video took 4 minutes to upload just before midnight. I tried before at 11;30 and it failed. It reflects my multi daily approach to use the over ride function of the elevator key pad.

[morpheusofthesea]

Here is another short video of the surf at Ocean House beach. The new sand, then the pebbles with seaweed, the the soft sand again.

[morpheusofthesea]

Here is a one minute 360 degree walk around the casino tables I took while waiting for the muster station person to come on duty to scan our cards.

[morpheusofthesea]

This is 14 second video of Matte Kennedy performing his one show in Le Cabaret Rouge.

[blueslily]

12 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 

  The over ride key card does not work for the elevators. And the time is no longer given on the key pad as to expected wait time for its arrival.

 

   The Infinity bridge is still closed on the starboard side of the ship due to damaged glass.

   

 

How was the wait for the elevators (without override - for nonYC folks)? Does it seem like the elevators are working any better or arrive faster than reported during the summer?

 

Have you heard any reports of when the damaged glass will ne replaced do the infinity nrigldhe starboard side can be reopened?

[morpheusofthesea]

34 minutes ago, blueslily said:

 

How was the wait for the elevators (without override - for nonYC folks)? Does it seem like the elevators are working any better or arrive faster than reported during the summer?

 

Have you heard any reports of when the damaged glass will ne replaced do the infinity nrigldhe starboard side can be reopened?

Hit or miss depending on time of day. odd times like 11pm or 7 am immediate. Last night DW could not wait for the elevator to go down to deck 7 from 16 after dinner ion the YC restaurant. As we descended via the stairs there were guests waiting for the same one elevator at every deck. So even if it did come it would have been too crowded to get on. Best time for using elevators is port days after everyone is off the ship.