**LIVE** from MSC Seascape YC (Yacht Club) - Caribbean & Bahamas from Miami 14 September to 28 September 2024

[no1talks]

12 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So how does the 2015 vintage Nicolas Feuillatte compare to the regular NV?

 

That's a really good question and I'm embarrassed for not asking it. Thank you! 😀

[DaKahuna]

19 hours ago, Best Cat Mom said:

Rodin brought us a DOC Montalcino

 

 I tried to order that wine with my sea bass at lunch today but they wait staff could not find it and the neither of the sommelier’s were available.  I guess they are only here for dinner. 

 

[DaKahuna]

4 hours ago, Best Cat Mom said:

The Thermal Spa has an ice room, I believe. You may want to spend an hour or two there.

 

I think it is called the Snow room and to me snow is a four letter word.  I hate that fluffy white stuff. 

 

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So how does the 2015 vintage Nicolas Feuillatte compare to the regular NV?

 

I could not really tell the difference but then again I do not have a skilled pallet. 

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

6 hours ago, Best Cat Mom said:

We had thought we might sleep in so long that we'd be eating on the One Pool deck. It is usually a little too hot for us up there, but we were willing to risk the heat for a little more sleep

Should one sleep in on a seaday, which is common, and miss the YC restaurant hours for breakfast, there is always air conditioned comfort at the brunch with extended hours (til 1 or 3pm ?). But since the entire ship may take advantage, your personal butler will take you to the head of the line and make sure you are seated promptly at a table you desire. YC has its advantages. But one must use their personal butler for this service. Just being in the YC flashing a wrist band may upset those standing a long time in line and lead to altercation. Have found the presence of a butler indespensable.

[Best Cat Mom]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So how does the 2015 vintage Nicolas Feuillatte compare to the regular NV?

I think it is a bit sweeter. We had joked with Rodin last night that we wish we could do a side-by-side comparison but I guess that can't happen now. It did not seem different enough to even matter. Rodin did mention that the NV was a bit more expensive and we all commented how strange that is.

[Best Cat Mom]

6 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Should one sleep in on a seaday, which is common, and miss the YC restaurant hours for breakfast, there is always air conditioned comfort at the brunch with extended hours

This brunch had intrigued us initially but @MonsterJoe's accounting of his family's experience there kinda killed the dream for us.

[Host Jazzbeau]

38 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

I think it is a bit sweeter. We had joked with Rodin last night that we wish we could do a side-by-side comparison but I guess that can't happen now. It did not seem different enough to even matter. Rodin did mention that the NV was a bit more expensive and we all commented how strange that is.

I'm guessing the 2015 has been in their hold for some time, so he was seeing pre-Covid cost.  It may also be past its prime.  But go ahead and drink it up, and maybe you'll like the next 'upgrade' !!!

[DaKahuna]

11 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But go ahead and drink it up, and maybe you'll like the next 'upgrade' !!!

 

 I am hoping they do not resupply the regular on TAD in Miami Saturday and we get upgraded to the next available champagne on the 9/28 sailing.  Selfish wishes huh!

 

[cruisebeachgirl703]

Is Rodin your sommelier or senior waiter?

[Best Cat Mom]

11 minutes ago, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

Is Rodin your sommelier or senior waiter?

Rodin is the sommelier currently. He also has a protégé that started a few days ago. I think his name is Anakin, but I've been very bad with names on this sailing. I'll try to ask again tonight or maybe glance at his name tag if we spot him close by.

Edited 14 hours ago by Best Cat Mom

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Best Cat Mom said:

This brunch had intrigued us initially but @MonsterJoe's accounting of his family's experience there kinda killed the dream for us.

"With enough butter, anything is good."

Julia Child

[3smithboys]

Thanks so much for your wonderful live review. I loved seeing all of your menus and the pictures of all of the different items you had throughout your cruise. I was wondering what other options are available in the YC area for breakfast and lunch if you do not want a sit down meal? Thanks for any insight you can provide. 

[ConnieTact]

On 9/21/2024 at 11:53 PM, Best Cat Mom said:

Day 5 - Sea Day

 

We enjoyed our coffee and Baileys in the cabin and then proceeded to breakfast in the TS restaurant.

 

Today we ordered our 2 cappuccini and 2 mimosas but "needed" another round of mimosas to face this busy sea day.

 

BCD ordered an omelette with ham, cheese, mushroom and onion accompanied by apple pastry.

 

I again had two 6-minute soft boiled eggs with ham and mixed berries on the side.

 

Today was the first day we've left the sanctuary of the YC except for when we went on our Puerto Plata excursion. That day, the butler escorted us to our excursion so we really did not see much of the ship. Today we had a lunch reservation for our Diamond meal at Butcher's Cut (BC) at 1:30pm and a wine pairing event in the Wine Cellar at 4pm.

 

We try to always use our Diamond meal for a lunch since we really don't want to miss a YC dinner. Today was our second sea day and we have two more next week. We booked this B2B under one reservation so we only get the 1 free specialty meal.

 

We had the YC concierge reserve our meal just this morning, as it was a last minute decision. We weren't sure if anything would be available, but we knew we had a wine pairing at 4pm and thought a big lunch would be a good foundation for all that wine later. We asked for 1pm or later and settled on 1:30pm, figuring we'd be there until around 3pm or so, with plenty of time between that and the wine pairing.

 

At just before 1:30pm, we stopped by the concierge desk to ask where BC was on this ship. She directed us to Deck 8 and to walk aft when we exited the elevators just outside of YC.

 

We arrived there for our reservation and it was surprisingly lively for so late in the day. One table was even seated after us at 2pm.

 

For our wine, we chose the Argentinian Malbec, a favorite of ours:

 

We are familiar with the menu but took a cursory look through it nonetheless:

 

 

 

We both ordered the House Chop Salad, mine without walnuts to make it GF:

 

For his main, BCD chose the filet with a side of Brussels sprouts:

 

I chose the lamb chops (what else?) with a side of cauliflower:

BCD had gladly accepted the bread "bag" and two flavors of butter, smoked and paprika. The entrées come with 4 sauces -- chimichurri, forest mushroom, peppercorn and bearnaise. The only one GF is the chimichurri. Here is the bread and sauces on the table:

 

For dessert, I had grapes (I finished my glass of Malbec) and BCD ordered the banana date cake:

As we left BC, we realized that the Wine Cellar where our wine pairing would be held was right across from it. We meandered back to our cabin for about an hour and then went right back to where we were for lunch.

 

Day 5 continues...

We often did the same and took speciality Diamond meal as a lunch. Then realised we always preferred the service and food in YC so now don’t claim it! We often don’t bother with spa area either as it’s crowded. We always have massages though! 

[no1talks]

7 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

I think his name is Anakin, but I've been very bad with names on this sailing.

Well, if his name is Anakin, I bet he has zero tolerance for interlopers. 🔥

[no1talks]

17 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"With enough butter, anything is good."

Julia Child

"Save the liver!"
- Dan Aykroyd as Julia Child.

[DaKahuna]

21 minutes ago, 3smithboys said:

I was wondering what other options are available in the YC area for breakfast and lunch if you do not want a sit down meal?

 

There is a breakfast and lunch buffet available on the The One Pool deck 

[Best Cat Mom]

24 minutes ago, 3smithboys said:

what other options are available in the YC area for breakfast and lunch if you do not want a sit down meal?

There is also room service. Pizza is awesome and completely customizable for whatever ingredients are on onboard. Other room service offerings appear limited if you look at the menu, but are truly at the discretion of your butler. If you schmooze, you win!

[Best Cat Mom]

Day 11 continues…

 

BCD completed another vehicle today and gifted it to Jerome, one of the YC bartenders, for his exemplary supply chain contributions:

 

A new silver-only car has also recently been completed:

 

These types of variations are difficult because they require the wire cages of 15 bottles to craft. The gold wire cages are much more common and therefore most of the cars are of the gold variety. The silver car is likely to return home with us.

 

We returned the car-making supplies to our stateroom and then went upstairs to lunch at the TS restaurant. @DaKahuna and his wife were already enjoying their well-deserved meal after braving what he now refers to as "Puerto Sweatta."

 

Champagne poured and menus in hand, we decided upon our lunch choices:

 

 

BCD chose the Caesar salad with chicken:

 

I decided upon the salmon:

 

For our mains, we both chose the pork, mine with a GF sauce on the side:

 

We had a delightful (I'm being facetious -- I have no idea what taste components equal "delightful" in a wine) chianti that we also had last week but missed getting a picture then:

 

We headed out of the restaurant determined to get ourselves to the spa to try to reserve a couple's massage sometime this week.

 

Day 11 continues…

[Best Cat Mom]

46 minutes ago, ConnieTact said:

realised we always preferred the service and food in YC so now don’t claim it! We often don’t bother with spa area either as it’s crowded. We always have massages though! 

Totally agree! It is so difficult to miss YC meals. Massages rock, though. We now have one scheduled for Thursday. 🙂

[morpheusofthesea]

2 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

These types of variations are difficult

Good excuse. Here's another auto mogul with the same excuse.

“Any color the customer wants, as long as it’s black.” Henry Ford

[3smithboys]

36 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

There is a breakfast and lunch buffet available on the The One Pool deck 

 

32 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

There is also room service. Pizza is awesome and completely customizable for whatever ingredients are on onboard. Other room service offerings appear limited if you look at the menu, but are truly at the discretion of your butler. If you schmooze, you win!

Thank you both for your quick replies! I don’t think we will be able to do 3 sit down meals a day every day. Maybe once we get onboard, we might change our minds… at least for a day or two!

[no1talks]

13 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

A new silver-only car has also recently been completed:

The Argent Asti, if you will. 🏎️

[Essiesmom]

47 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Good excuse. Here's another auto mogul with the same excuse.

“Any color the customer wants, as long as it’s black.” Henry Ford

And the reason was...Black dries the fastest.  EM

[Dock B]

37 minutes ago, no1talks said:

The Argent Asti, if you will. 🏎️

Or, Mercuric Martini