LIVE from Seascape YC

[rxlowry]

Back again for another live report.  There were two great lives last week so this might be a little different.  We were on board 45 minutes after leaving our hotel, the JW Marriott Marquis. Fantastic.  It is going to be a full ship for Easter so I’m so glad to be in the YC.  
We were on the Seascape Inaugural for one night and thought she was amazing!

[Knicks1130]

What time did you arrive at port and what time did you board?

[DisneyJen]

Appreciate your taking  us along on your Easter/Spring Break cruise!

[rxlowry]

4 hours ago, Knicks1130 said:

What time did you arrive at port and what time did you board?

We left the hotel at 10:30 and on board by 11:30

[rxlowry]

We waited in Top Sail for our friends to show up and we’re so excited to see them.  Our last cruise together was on the Grandiosa in 2023!  It’s been too long!  After big hugs, we caught them up with some beverages. Our rooms were not ready so we had a leisurely lunch in the dining room.  
We checked on our cabins and found our suitcases waiting so we both expertly unpacked in record time. Neither of us met our butler or steward the first day.  We have inside cabins so I’m sure we are not the same priority on the busy first day.  Hopefully we will meet them today. 
After we explored the ship, we decided to go back to Top Sail for drinks and some games before dinner. We had an early reservation in the dining room that we made before lunch.  They said it was something you needed the first day and our choices were 5:45 or 8 so we took 5:45.  He told us we’d be done in time for the 7:30 show with the earlier time. 
Dinner was nice but very slow.  We didn’t order until after six and even with both starters brought at the same time, we didn’t finish until after 7:30!  Very slow service so we did miss the show.  We did go to Name that Tune, 70s.  Our team won with a score of 37/40!  The prize was some sparkling wine which I might try to give away if I meet someone without a drink package!

We ended the night with some drinks and music on Top Sail!

 

[rxlowry]

Happy Easter to those who celebrate!  There is two Catholic Masses offered on board today.  One at 8am and one at 5pm.  
We are in Nassau, a port most cruisers have been too many times.  Our plan is an early morning walk to see the new to us port area and back to Seascape to enjoy the pool and thermal spa. 
 

[Stem to Stern]

Happy Easter!  I am looking forward to following along.  We were in an inside on board Seascape in December and met our butler as soon as we were escorted inside the Yacht Club enclave.  She was great!  My motto became "Ask and you shall receive."

[rxlowry]

40 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

Happy Easter!  I am looking forward to following along.  We were in an inside on board Seascape in December and met our butler as soon as we were escorted inside the Yacht Club enclave.  She was great!  My motto became "Ask and you shall receive."

Very true!  We did meet her early this morning.  She asked what we would like for our in room spirits and escorted us off the ship.  

[rxlowry]

Chair hogs of YC are in effect.  Not much shade but after an hour I decided to move the destination guide (the tour paper) enjoying the shade. I feel like it’s something the new to a premium experience people do as Oceania had huge offenders (going ashore on a glass bottom boat while leaving a bag on chair for three hours!).  There’s lots of seats albeit not shade so you can get a chair later.  Likely I’ll vacate this for lunch soon before the hogs return from their day in Nassau. Hopefully someone else enjoys it as well.  I think the staff should be more proactive in tiding up as well. Just a difference in luxury vs premium experience. The attendants are sparse as well.  Although as I type our butler appeared to ask how ashore was and suggested an apartif before lunch.  She was apologetic for not meeting us yesterday but we told her we understand the chaotic day of turnover. 
A pic of towels enjoying the pool deck. 

[At Sea At Peace]

49 minutes ago, rxlowry said:

Chair hogs of YC are in effect.  Not much shade but after an hour I decided to move the destination guide (the tour paper) enjoying the shade. I feel like it’s something the new to a premium experience people do as Oceania had huge offenders (going ashore on a glass bottom boat while leaving a bag on chair for three hours!).  There’s lots of seats albeit not shade so you can get a chair later.  Likely I’ll vacate this for lunch soon before the hogs return from their day in Nassau. Hopefully someone else enjoys it as well.  I think the staff should be more proactive in tiding up as well. Just a difference in luxury vs premium experience. The attendants are sparse as well.  Although as I type our butler appeared to ask how ashore was and suggested an apartif before lunch.  She was apologetic for not meeting us yesterday but we told her we understand the chaotic day of turnover. 
A pic of towels enjoying the pool deck. 

 

 

We're following and aboard as well.  The cabanas were all toweled up by 8am this morning with just YC towels and personal clips.  Very little personal items.  Pretty much empty through almost noon. Same for loungers in the shade.  We leave early @ 3pm so should start to get active.

 

The attendants aren't sparse, with so few people on the pool deck, some were reassigned. this morning.

 

The servers are great, as well as the bar and grill crew. We were told very heavy European demographic and just under 100 kids (90+- last week).  No problem at all on the pool deck, they're off outside on the slides.  All well behaved (parented) at dinner last night.  A lot of people really eat late.  We're early, as we rise early, and early dining is definitely the choice for service, ambiance and food quality.  

 

Re: the chair towels, they obviously are not authorized to pull them.

 

Will chime in later.  Our first post pandemic B2B in YC after 70N pre-pandemic 2017-2019.  Lots of thoughts (for later).  

 

 

Edited March 31 by At Sea At Peace

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, rxlowry said:

Chair hogs of YC are in effect

 

2 hours ago, rxlowry said:

Just a difference in luxury vs premium experience.

I guess you missed my posting of the chair hogs on the "luxury" Regent Grandeur last week. We get a reserved pergola on the One Pool deck for our $10,000 Royal Suite on the Seascape and got NO special treatment on any sun deck on the Grandeur for $30,000 Grand Suite. 

[morpheusofthesea]

How was the muster drill? Read reports that it changed? One can check in at one's muster station when one boards, then when one gets to cabin one watches video. Or the old way waiting til 4pm and called by deck ?

Edited March 31 by morpheusofthesea

[rxlowry]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

How was the muster drill? Read reports that it changed? One can check in at one's muster station when one boards, then when one gets to cabin one watches video. Or the old way waiting til 4pm and called by deck ?

It was the easy way.  Check in. Watch video.  Call number

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 

I guess you missed my posting of the chair hogs on the "luxury" Regent Grandeur last week. We get a reserved pergola on the One Pool deck for our $10,000 Royal Suite on the Seascape and got NO special treatment on any sun deck on the Grandeur for $30,000 Grand Suite. 

People suck

[rxlowry]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 

I guess you missed my posting of the chair hogs on the "luxury" Regent Grandeur last week. We get a reserved pergola on the One Pool deck for our $10,000 Royal Suite on the Seascape and got NO special treatment on any sun deck on the Grandeur for $30,000 Grand Suite. 

Not much special treatment outside of cabins on luxury lines. One of the reasons I enjoy. 

[rxlowry]

4 hours ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

We're following and aboard as well.  The cabanas were all toweled up by 8am this morning with just YC towels and personal clips.  Very little personal items.  Pretty much empty through almost noon. Same for loungers in the shade.  We leave early @ 3pm so should start to get active.

 

The attendants aren't sparse, with so few people on the pool deck, some were reassigned. this morning.

 

The servers are great, as well as the bar and grill crew. We were told very heavy European demographic and just under 100 kids (90+- last week).  No problem at all on the pool deck, they're off outside on the slides.  All well behaved (parented) at dinner last night.  A lot of people really eat late.  We're early, as we rise early, and early dining is definitely the choice for service, ambiance and food quality.  

 

Re: the chair towels, they obviously are not authorized to pull them.

 

Will chime in later.  Our first post pandemic B2B in YC after 70N pre-pandemic 2017-2019.  Lots of thoughts (for later).  

 

 

I view leaving used towels for long periods and not circulating as not well attended.  The reason doesn’t matter.  It seemed short staffed.  Not authorized to clean up chairs with just towels?  I guess I’ll just keep moving them myself if need be.  
No one returned the whole time we enjoyed the shade!  I’m glad I moved the towels. 

[rxlowry]

We decided to have pizza at the buffet for lunch. Delicious! After that it was some games in Top Sail. 
The Easter Bunny made a special appearance before dinner for the kids.  Each kid got a little gift as well. Very nice touch,

Easter Dinner had a special menu.  I started with the same scallops from last night.  I also tried the puff pastry with artichokes and fondue.  Both were great.  My husband had beef appetizer with pickled vegetables that he also enjoyed.  Everyone had the lamb entree.  The table agreed the food is much better so far than our cruise on Grandiosa.  We met Mustapha, the YC Director, earlier while playing games and told him this as well. He said MSC is working to improve quality of food. Dessert was chocolate melting cake.  It was a very nice Easter dinner.

I will also compliment the sommelier who executed the change from white to red perfectly and kept the wine flowing. 
The evening consisted of some time in the casino before the show.  The comedian was not great but I did much prefer the seating arrangement compared to two years ago on Grandiosa. It’s better to have a section in the back versus a butler placing randomly.  Way more efficient.  
Everyone wanted to try the caberet afterwards.  What a cool venue!  The performances were great and we will be back for sure.  Our friend thought that style venue would be perfect on NCL for Syd Norman’s.  If you know about Syd’s, you know it comes with a wait to enter if you want a seat.  Not my idea of cruising to have to queue up 45 min in hallway before doors open to see a show.  This was fantastic.

[rxlowry]

Day at sea!  I look forward to meeting the captain later today.  His announcements are the most energetic of almost 50 cruises.  His bye bye is delightful. 

[wolft927]

Following along as well, we will be on the Seascape in an inside YC suite as well. First MSC cruise usually NCL Haven, but wow, the inside YC suites are a steal compared to the cheapest Haven ususally. I know no window or balcony but we love the Haven and assume we will love the YC especially its much larger pool and pool deck then the Havens we have experienced. 

[UWGRAD1]

18 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

How was the muster drill? Read reports that it changed? One can check in at one's muster station when one boards, then when one gets to cabin one watches video. Or the old way waiting til 4pm and called by deck ?

On the Mar 23 sailing, our group was escorted onto the ship by Butler and taken immediately to our Muster Station check-in.  Then all we had to do was play the movie while we unpacked, called the # and we were done.  

[morpheusofthesea]

6 minutes ago, UWGRAD1 said:

On the Mar 23 sailing, our group was escorted onto the ship by Butler and taken immediately to our Muster Station check-in.  Then all we had to do was play the movie while we unpacked, called the # and we were done.  

Thank you. This appears to be only for Yacht Club guests from what I am reading ?

[rxlowry]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Thank you. This appears to be only for Yacht Club guests from what I am reading ?

I think it’s that way for all. Didn’t hear announcements otherwise 

[rxlowry]

Captain morning report told us the Caribbean’s largest iceberg could be viewed from the starboard side.  
 

This captain is hilarious.  
 

I’d put picture but of course it was April Fools!

[morpheusofthesea]

10 minutes ago, rxlowry said:

I think it’s that way for all. Didn’t hear announcements otherwise 

There are not enough butlers or crew to escort everyone directly to their muster station as soon as one boards.

[UWGRAD1]

I can't imagine that this process was for everyone.  But since we were YC and I had zero interest to leave the YC at that time, I have no idea what occurred in steerage 🙂