OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK JUNE 2024

[DaKahuna]

 We are interested in how getting ashore and back again at Grand Cayman works on Seascape as we will be going there in September.  We've been to Grand Cayman many times and have no plans for any excursion but will most likely take an early tender ashore and then be back onboard for lunch.  We both just like walking around the port area - window shopping for my DW and people watching/taking pictures for me. 

 

[momofmab]

5 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

DW and I both come from upstate NY where we walked to school, uphill in the frigid snow, both ways. When the the temperature rose to 36 degrees and the ice and snow began to melt it was t-shirt weather.  Our families moved to South Florida 50 years ago and we've never been back. A burn those bridges moment. Now we break out the long johns and thermal underwear when the South Florida temperature drops below 70 degrees. It's called acclimatization.

 

Also from upstate NY.  Been in the hot & humid south for 30 years.  Thermostat always hovering around 69-70 degrees.  A/C on most of the winter (can go down into the 30's here on occasion).

 

Like you, I will never go back to the snow but I still keep a cold house.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

15 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 We are interested in how getting ashore and back again at Grand Cayman works on Seascape as we will be going there in September.  We've been to Grand Cayman many times and have no plans for any excursion but will most likely take an early tender ashore and then be back onboard for lunch.  We both just like walking around the port area - window shopping for my DW and people watching/taking pictures for me. 

 

When I was on In April doing our own thing we just went to the Top Sail Lounge and they escorted us to the tender. 

 

On the way back they brought us to the front of the tender line, but we still had to wait for it to fill up before we headed back to the ship. 

 

It was a quick and easy process!

[momofmab]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Coming back is the rub for YCers. They have to be grouped with steerage all fighting to get back with one line (last time, have yet to hear what happens later this afternoon).

We opted not to get off in Grand Cayman but rather enjoy a nearly empty YC pool area.  I heard them calling tender numbers for hours.  I can't recall what time in the a.m. we docked, but they were still calling numbers after lunch.  Maybe that was with only 5 tenders.

[Corriegr]

Well we made it back. Great tour of the island even if the wife said go to Hell so we did!! 
 

Coming back onboard was was not so

much fun - two checkpoints where most of steerage were looking for ID then fast track to front of queue to tender back although still waited for boat to fill. Manage to beat the stampede off as sat on top at front. Once back onboard passed the queues and was back up

on deck 16 in three minutes. Now a grandstand view watching the stragglers return. 

Edited June 18 by Corriegr

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

As we all know, the YC only makes up 5% of the total ship population. 

 

I wonder what it is about CC that all of us seem to sail in the YC.

[Georgia_Peaches]

28 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

I wonder what it is about CC that all of us seem to sail in the YC.

I've read plenty of live reviews from folks who say in categories outside YC.  But for the most part, if you read CC, then you know that YC is the way to go if one can swing it.  I find that most MSC cruisers on this board started out somewhere else and out of curiosity for MSC, migrated over here to get the scoop.  I will also note that the MSC board has far fewer followers than say, RCI or Celebrity.  As MES continues to grow it's footprint in the North American market, I expect that number to increase.  With more people comes more variety of stateroom categories.  

[seasickphil]

On 6/17/2024 at 3:37 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

Then just let him escort you to the end of the line. Our butler on the Regent Seven Seas did just that for us. There are many avid cruisers of Regent that like this egalitarian way of cruising. 

 

I have cruised with Regent a few times but i'm not sure what lines you are talking about, [ unless you mean where the butler come and escort you to your chosen restaurant ] Regent ships are not like the MSC ship within a ship concept, all guests on Regent are equal and have free access to everything [except spa treatments ] and everywhere. Guests only pay more for a higher grade of suite.

[morpheusofthesea]

35 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

As we all know, the YC only makes up 5% of the total ship population. 

 

I wonder what it is about CC that all of us seem to sail in the YC.

To be analytical only 5% of CC reads this thread. 95% of CC loves @JamieLogicaland @Essiesmom threads (I do too), because they write to the masses in steerage (I like to know what those in steerage are saying about us. And generally those things about us are just as negative as my posts about them, @JamieLogical  & @Essiesmom excluded, they are just too nice.

[morpheusofthesea]

28 minutes ago, seasickphil said:

 

I have cruised with Regent a few times but i'm not sure what lines you are talking about, [ unless you mean where the butler come and escort you to your chosen restaurant ] Regent ships are not like the MSC ship within a ship concept, all guests on Regent are equal and have free access to everything [except spa treatments ] and everywhere. Guests only pay more for a higher grade of suite.

Exactly correct. Thank you. We tried out Regent Seven Seas Grandeur in a Grand Suite for 10 days $30,000 with a butler and compared (see Yacht Club vs Regent Grandeur March 14 2024 live from). We went from full service YC to no service Regent. On Regent the entire ship is steerage. Except the officers and staff, they take very good care of themselves (referring to the once a cruise Grand Barbecue held on the pool deck, see photos of the reserved tables. Not enough for all the paying guest that wanted to attend. FCFS even for suite guests. There were reserved tables...for staff and officers only).

P.S. The Grand Barbecue was all self service buffet style except for the lobster tails. There the ship stationed a server, 2 tails maximum. The guests couldn't be trusted. Steerage is the same no matter what cruise line.

Edited June 18 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"We tried out Regent Seven Seas Grandeur in a Grand Suite for 10 days $30,000 with a butler and compared (see Yacht Club vs Regent Grandeur March 14 2024 live from)"

 

That's a bundle of cash to spend on a suite if one is not taking full advantage of the included amenities, Morpheus. I fear you risk a similar outcome on your planned Cunard Queen Elizabeth cruise if, for example, your butler won't reserve a theatre box for you on the first-come-first-served evenings. (I'm assuming you will be in a "Q" suite, so as to have a butler.)

Of course, Cunard is a cruise line with three classes and there may be enough "suites only" action to satisfy your standards. At least you can avoid the afternoon tea mob in the Queens Room and take tea in a less busy suites-only venue.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

Do the luxury lines feel like a step down if you're in one of the smaller rooms since you're now the steerage?

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

That's a bundle of cash to spend on a suite if one is not taking full advantage of the included amenities, 

There are no amenities to take any sort of advantage of. The butler couldn’t reserve us a table at the once a cruise Grand Barbecue because the whole ship is FCFS. The most important aspect of suite life is ability to have a reservation at any venue offered by a hotel or ship.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

I fear you risk a similar outcome on your planned Cunard Queen Elizabeth cruise 

Regent is NCL. Will not try NCL product again. Never been on a Carnival owned ship. This will be our first on Queen Elizabeth. We booked A Grand Suite and will compare with our favorite Yacht Club. Will see about reserved seats in theatre. 

[DaKahuna]

@morpheusofthesea i was wondering if I could beg a favor and ask you if you could take a minute or three and locate and post a copy of the wine list for the YC Restaurant on Seascape?  Interested in what wines are being offered by the glass as well as by the bottle.  

 

Thank  you sir !!

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Do the luxury lines feel like a step down if you're in one of the smaller rooms since you're now the steerage?

I do not understand your question. But I can tell you that a supposed luxury line Regent Seven Seas in any cabin is a step down from the MSC YachtClubs.

Edited June 19 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

8 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

@morpheusofthesea i was wondering if I could beg a favor and ask you if you could take a minute or three and locate and post a copy of the wine list for the YC Restaurant on Seascape?  Interested in what wines are being offered by the glass as well as by the bottle.  

 

Thank  you sir !!

 

 

👍 . This is a first for me, I never use these stupid emojis. 

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Do the luxury lines feel like a step down if you're in one of the smaller rooms since you're now the steerage?

Steerage never thinks of itself as steerage.

[Corriegr]

2 hours ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Do the luxury lines feel like a step down if you're in one of the smaller rooms since you're now the steerage?

Not on Explora, other than a few extras perks in Residences, around the ship, it’s the same egalitarian approach as you see in YC. We had the smallest cabin (suite) and were pretty blown away and don’t get me started on the DW and the Dyson hairdryer…

Edited June 19 by Corriegr
Comma

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

10 minutes ago, Corriegr said:

Not on Explora, other than a few extras perks in Residences, around the ship, it’s the same egalitarian approach as you see in YC. We had the smallest cabin (suite) and were pretty blown away and don’t get me started on the DW and the Dyson hairdryer…

Blown away in a good or bad way?

[no1talks]

36 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Will see about reserved seats in theatre. 

From website FAQs:

To book your box, visit the Purser's Office on board. Reservations close at 3pm on the day of the performance. An additional charge (plus a 15% Service Charge) per couple applies, which will be added to your on board account.

Please note that private boxes will only be available for selected performances on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. Please also note that Queen Mary 2 and Queen Anne do not have Royal Boxes. It is not possible to reserve a box or any seat in the theater prior to embarkation.

If the theater is showing a comedian, film or other such entertainment the boxes are complimentary and available on a first come first served basis.

[morpheusofthesea]

36 minutes ago, Corriegr said:

Not on Explora, other than a few extras perks in Residences, around the ship, it’s the same egalitarian approach as you see in YC. We had the smallest cabin (suite) and were pretty blown away and don’t get me started on the DW and the Dyson hairdryer…

Quite true. The only perks were the unlimited complimentary laundry and dry cleaning, which they did a fabulous job with it, brought everything dry cleaned in a zippered suit bag and the laundry came back packaged so gift wrapped I thought they were presents. The other perk I thought was worthwhile was the unlimited restaurant reservations, even for Sakura and Marble &Co.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"There are no amenities to take any sort of advantage of. The butler couldn’t reserve us a table at the once a cruise Grand Barbecue because the whole ship is FCFS. The most important aspect of suite life is ability to have a reservation at any venue offered by a hotel or ship."

I would take the suite's single, in-room caviar service (a listed amenity) to enjoy during the hoopty-doo barbeque. It's hard to find a place that will offer a traditional caviar service on land these days, let alone one where a preparatory request for freezer-chilled, quality vodka can be accomodated. Getting it on a ship would be a singular treat compared to a barbeque and lobster rabble.

[Corriegr]

44 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Blown away in a good or bad way?

In a very good way but maybe we are easily pleased 🤔

[morpheusofthesea]

8 minutes ago, no1talks said:

I would take the suite's single, in-room caviar service (a listed amenity) to enjoy during the hoopty-doo barbeque. It's hard to find a place that will offer a traditional caviar service on land these days, let alone one where a preparatory request for freezer-chilled, quality vodka can be accomodated. Getting it on a ship would be a singular treat compared to a barbeque and lobster rabble.

Thanks. You have an uncanny ability to put the important things back into the proper perspective.