YC Concierge - contact prior to sailing?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

We'll be in a RS on the Seashore later this month - should I expect anyone to reach out to us prior to the cruise?

 

THANKS,

 

Tom

[Two Wheels Only]

You might get an email with a link to select some preferences. 

The link will give you some options to select from the drop down menus (mini-bar choices, pillow choices). 

 

Don't be surprised if nobody on the ship has any idea of what you selected, though. 

 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

You might get an email with a link to select some preferences. 

The link will give you some options to select from the drop down menus (mini-bar choices, pillow choices). 

 

Don't be surprised if nobody on the ship has any idea of what you selected, though. 

 

My first YC sailing is next week and I received this email a couple days ago. While I fully expect none of the requests to be communicated to onboard staff, I found it helpful to know what options are available to me. In other words, selecting my preferences was not a completely wasted effort as a newbie.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Thanks for the info.

 

I was trying to book their steakhouse for 15 people (taking my office staff). Apparently that's impossible ahead of time. Hopefully after boarding, they can make some arrangements for us.

 

I guess that's "the MSC way". 🙄

 

Tom

[Two Wheels Only]

10 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Thanks for the info.

 

I was trying to book their steakhouse for 15 people (taking my office staff). Apparently that's impossible ahead of time. Hopefully after boarding, they can make some arrangements for us.

 

I guess that's "the MSC way". 🙄

 

Tom

 

Grab the concierge as soon as you can once you're onboard. Even if he can't give you an answer at that very moment, he'll call you when the reservation is made.

[cruisebeachgirl703]

11 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

You might get an email with a link to select some preferences. 

The link will give you some options to select from the drop down menus (mini-bar choices, pillow choices). 

 

Don't be surprised if nobody on the ship has any idea of what you selected, though. 

 

Would love to hear all the other choices (in addition to mini bar and pillows) if you know. Thanks.

[capriccio]

I found the email we received 6 days before our December YC cruise on the Seascape encouraging us to customize our categories.  The newspaper is delivered daily; the minibar allows one choice (although you can make a second selection in case the first isn't available) and that is what was waiting for us in our cabin upon embarkation. 

Customize your experience by choosing your daily newspaper.

Here are the categories:

 

Newspaper (offered by country; this is the choice of US papers):

• Washington Post
• New York Times
• New York Post
• LA Times
• Wall Street Journal

 

MiniBar:

 

I think there were a few more that got cut off in my print screen.

 

Pillows:

 

 

 

[cruisebeachgirl703]

Thanks

[Brighton Line]

All the times in the Yacht Club I've gotten the email, never had my selections in the cabin. Only when the Butler asked the same questions and it was 50/50 that they would ask without prompting "Where is my bottle of Jack?"

[capriccio]

52 minutes ago, Brighton Line said:

All the times in the Yacht Club I've gotten the email, never had my selections in the cabin. Only when the Butler asked the same questions and it was 50/50 that they would ask without prompting "Where is my bottle of Jack?"

We had a similar experience as you on our 2020 Meraviglia YC cruise.  On the Seascape cruise our butler and his assistant couldn't do enough for us without us even asking.  So maybe it is just luck.

[Best Cat Mom]

Here is the full explanation of the options in the Pillow menu:

[Best Cat Mom]

We always bring up our choices when we meet our butler for the first time. No need to wait for them to ask you -- tell them what pillow you desire and which bottle(s) you'd prefer. Usually we are asked at boarding about the newspaper. If not, stop by the concierge desk or ask the butler. (The concierge desk is where the paper originates each day so it's easier to go right to them vs. having the butler be your go between.)

[ocdb8r]

On 3/16/2024 at 12:13 AM, Best Cat Mom said:

We always bring up our choices when we meet our butler for the first time. No need to wait for them to ask you -- tell them what pillow you desire and which bottle(s) you'd prefer. Usually we are asked at boarding about the newspaper. If not, stop by the concierge desk or ask the butler. (The concierge desk is where the paper originates each day so it's easier to go right to them vs. having the butler be your go between.)

One of the best suggestions I ever read on this Board was to print a small note with all your preferences before you leave (including all the items known/mentioned here as well as anything else critical for your cruise enjoyment - such as being clear if you want ice refreshed twice a day or need an extra blanket...etc).  We then give this to our butler on day one when we meet....we have never been disappointed.  I think the butlers are all very eager to please, but they all have different styles (some don't think to ask some of these questions), they support a variety of cabins (not always easy to remember if you've already asked these questions with all the boarding madness going on) and they rely to varying degrees on the assistant butler (hint, we print TWO of these notes and give one to each of our butler and assistance butler).  Making your (reasonable) expectations clear up front is a recipe for success.

[Morgsmom]

52 minutes ago, ocdb8r said:

One of the best suggestions I ever read on this Board was to print a small note with all your preferences before you leave 

That was ME 😉  you're welcome.  (PS, I keep the file ready just in case a YC adventure pops up... lol!!)

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

T-4 days (Seashore) and so far nothing, nada. Not even the email you guys have been talking about.

 

I must say, I don't care for "the MSC way". 

 

Tom

[mnpurple]

I've been on 3 and never had contact. It's not that big of a deal. I had been contacted by NCL Haven and nothing was followed through with. It will still be great.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

3 hours ago, mnpurple said:

I've been on 3 and never had contact. It's not that big of a deal. I had been contacted by NCL Haven and nothing was followed through with. It will still be great.

 

I've had better luck on both Royal and Celebrity - making contact and arrangements ahead of time. It's the least they could do - given the premium being paid, IMO.

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I seem to recall this addressed on a couple of other threads, but what's a good time to arrive at the port (again, Seashore/Pt. Canaveral) this Sunday? It's my desire to get on as early as possible in order to make our group dining plans with the YC concierge. Our assigned time is 12:00. Can I arrive/board prior to that? What time does boarding typically begin? Apparently things have been changing at PC (no tent?), so this might be a moving target. With only 1 MSC cruise (Seaside/PC) last year - I don't have much experience with them - other than recalling that it did not seem well organized.

 

THANKS

 

[muttley]

I filled out the form and didn't get a choice of any pillow and i finally started getting a newpaper halfway through the cruiseafter constantly asking but not the one i wanted. But they did print the whole paper not just the first few pages. Many top shelf boozes were not available even first day. I had a inside and asked to have the bed pulled apart every day but it didn't happen. I like to sleep with my body against the wall and hate beds centered in a room. 

But i haven't given up on YC. My first was on Meraveglia last year on the first cruise when they repositioned from Miami to NYC so that may have worsened the snafu and i'm going out of Orlando in may.

[Morgsmom]

On 3/21/2024 at 7:31 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

I seem to recall this addressed on a couple of other threads, but what's a good time to arrive at the port (again, Seashore/Pt. Canaveral) this Sunday? It's my desire to get on as early as possible in order to make our group dining plans with the YC concierge. Our assigned time is 12:00. Can I arrive/board prior to that? What time does boarding typically begin? Apparently things have been changing at PC (no tent?), so this might be a moving target. With only 1 MSC cruise (Seaside/PC) last year - I don't have much experience with them - other than recalling that it did not seem well organized.

 

THANKS

 

Yes, there is a tent at Port Canaveral.  Last month the rep only came out around 10:45am (as the parking lot opened at 11am).  

Boarding really varies based on how fast the last group - and the back to backers - go through the process.  11:30 is fairly safe.  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

33 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Yes, there is a tent at Port Canaveral.  Last month the rep only came out around 10:45am (as the parking lot opened at 11am).  

Boarding really varies based on how fast the last group - and the back to backers - go through the process.  11:30 is fairly safe.  

 

Thanks

 

Wow... so, if you drive to the pier, you can't get into the parking lot until 11? There must be quite the line backing up by that time.

 

Tom

[Morgsmom]

13 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Thanks

 

Wow... so, if you drive to the pier, you can't get into the parking lot until 11? There must be quite the line backing up by that time.

 

Tom

YES!  A few weeks ago it was a massive cluster!  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

7 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

YES!  A few weeks ago it was a massive cluster!  

Oh joy !