LIVE report MSC Seaview Yacht Club, 27th Sept-4th Oct 2024, Palma, Mallorca Med Cruise (with pre and post cruise stays).

[ConnieTact]

You know when they make your eggs just the way you like ‘em?! Then, you know it’s a good day! Beautifully cooked hot, runny yokes and butter shavings! 
It has rained earlier so decks are wet but our sever told me he had ordered sunshine- just for me! 😀

[ConnieTact]

Eggs cooked to perfection on Top Deck this morning.
It rained a bit and cloudy so we abandoned our plan to go to visit a garden and opted for another day of relaxation! 

[ConnieTact]

Two hot tubs at front of ship. Really warm today and we decided  jacuzzing in Genoa is the only way to go!

[ConnieTact]

Enjoyed great service and food in restaurant at lunchtime. Had a good chat with restaurant manager who served us our wine too. 
mushroom soup was delicious and the lasagne too. 
Came downstairs for our tea and mini desserts again. It’s more comfortable. 

 

[ConnieTact]

We went along to see a few games on the ship. 
We saw the ladder game which seemed popular and then a ‘guess the city’ quiz with pictures on large screen above pool. 

We walked around different areas of the ship and I talked Mr CT out of pizza in the buffet! 😂🍕

we went in the panoramic lift and saw a full view of the ‘Bridge of Sights’ from underneath.

 

[ConnieTact]

Next, we went to the YC pool and how noticed much quieter it was. Although, having said that, we did have a little ‘loungergate’ drama! 
This was mainly caused as today had been very varied with weather. One minute it was rainy and the next cloudy and lastly sunny. Consequently, most loungers spent the morning either in a stack or the few that were out had the cushions folded and upright rather than down and ready for use.

When the sun came out strongly, there seemed to be a sudden rush for the beds at the very front of the ship by the two hot tubs. We happened to be already using two, so unknowingly, had front row seats for the show (but no popcorn! 😅)

Another couple had been lying on their sunbeds just a few beds along and, when the sun came out they decided to go in one of the hot tubs. No sooner as they left the beds a woman came along and dragged one lounger away to another area to join her friends. The man whose lounger it was, stood aghast at the scene unfolding! 
Eventually he called over to the woman demanding the lounger be returned and asking ‘What’s going on?” 
The woman shook her head and shrugged and replied “You left it, so I took it!”

I was preparing to be a referee but as the wife of the man told him to walk away and get in the hot tub, I opted to play the Peacemaker. I went and asked the Pool attendant to put some more loungers out to keep the usual decorum of yacht club! He was happy to do so and thanked me for alerting him. 
After his relaxing soak the man’s wife told us they had never had this happen before and, the man smiled at us and said “We have to learn to be patient!”

 

Reminds me of a dad joke..  

“Too the person who stole my bed! I won’t rest until I find you!”😂

 

[ConnieTact]

Dinner was the best tonight! Fabulous attentive service from Jay and sommelier Alessandro. Dishes were created to our preferences. 

[ConnieTact]

As I write, we are on a coach for an excursion today! At last, we have left the ship! It’s overcast but hoping the rain stays away! I asked for rain ponchos as I didn’t pack a raincoat for this trip! 

[ConnieTact]

We waited around on the coach for a young couple who were 15 minutes late but came without apology! Then the guide announced that “as we knew the commentary would be in three different languages!” Nobody did know this and I guess the trip wasn’t fully booked enough to do separate tours for each. There was little content but just ‘okay’. The weather was a decidedly inclement and dull. 

The rain did not hold off and the disposable rain ponchos I had requested from the butler came in handy! 

First we left the coach and walked to our place for the two occasions we had free time. This was outside a WC! Next we were told we had 15 minutes free time. (The cost of the WC visit was €1 and having been directed into a cubicle that was already occupied I hurriedly retreated to another! A very strange set up with a woman at the door handing out one piece of paper towel for dripping wet hands. Good job she weren’t rationing the loo roll! )

We took a short walk up the pretty little cafe and shop lined street, that later we would be led up with the guide. It felt very typically Italian and attractive.

Then, curiously we felt as if we had been escorted back to our schooled days when the guide took a register calling all our names. Then we waited even longer, for no apparent reason and then after 15 minutes she announced we were going to the lion fountain and the church. 

We saw the fountain, made of local marble. The same marble is found in famous landmarks of the tower of Pisa, in Florence in the statue of David and also in Taj Mahal. 
 

Then we went on to the path leading St Peter’s church that sits on a rocky headland, and were told “That’s the end of Porto Venure and you have until 11.40 to explore.”

The colourful stone walkway up to the Gothic church although beautiful was treacherously slippy with the rain. Most people were careful and I was actually surprised that nobody fell.

 

Next we walked beside the water and saw the coloured houses and shops that make the village so unique and worthy of being called the ‘sixth village of Cinque

We had a couple of rounds of tea and water in a cafe overlooking the bay and sheltered from the rain. It rained heavily while we were inside and we were glad we chose the place as it filled up quickly with the cafe owner chiding any newcomers if they brought their dripping wet umbrellas inside on his wooded floor. They were directed to leave them outside. 

We timed it just right and got to the meeting point at 11.40 exactly and, the whole group seemed there. I stood in front of the guide and we all waited again for 10 minutes and eventually she looked up from her phone and, to my surprise, she called out our surname! I said “Yes” (but resisted adding Miss!) and then she said, ‘we can go!’ I can only imagine she’d done another register earlier and we were ‘missing’. We were there exactly on time but she was very preoccupied with her texting and hadn’t even bothered to glance up! 

We led further along the sea front to another set of brightly coloured fishermans’s houses and the coach was waiting for us.

Note a new fashion above- introducing the “MSC towel look! “

If you’re going to get wet in the rain -here ‘s one way to get dry, and look stylish at the same time - I wonder if it will catch on?! 
(excuse my ‘dry’ sense of humour! 😝).

 

Lastly, the guide when she bode is farewell, asked in all three languages to tip the driver. She told us she always asks for this! This set some people near us into a panic as they didn’t have small change on them. My tip would be, ‘don’t ask for tips!’ People will tip if they want to and, although she treated us children, we didn’t appreciate that particular lesson! 😅 

[ConnieTact]

I had lunch solo today as MrCT needed to sleep. Here’s the view and my three courses. I actually had two of the starter cheeses dishes as one of my YC favourites! 
All staff were brilliant and attentive, checking back regularly and filling my water. Lots of jokes about MrCT needing his Beauty Sleep! 😂 Will he live it down tonight?! 

[ConnieTact]

Did I mention it was white night last night? Nearly a full complement of people dressed in white in YC.

It was so good listening to the music in YC that we didn’t go to the show- yet again! Last night the show was songs from Tina Turner but MrCT got chatting to another guest and I requested 80s music so I was happy to sing along or dance to that. We really enjoyed ourselves and others took to the floor too. 

[ConnieTact]

This entertainer plays even louder than his shirt! 😅 Really not relaxing at all!

So, we left what was a relaxing Top Sail lounge, to seek solace somewhere else! Spa or hot tub if top deck is open. 

[ConnieTact]

We took a nice long hot tub soak and then down to the Thermal Area for a salt room session.

[ConnieTact]

Great food and service in restaurant last night’s Mediterranean themed evening. 

 

[ConnieTact]

Mostly spending time in top sail lounge we did also wander to see other events going on later in the evening. 
There was a ‘talents game’.

Music with Duo Soul Brazil in the Atrium.

Italian Disco party at the aft of the ship.

Lots of smoking on the aft deck outside and next door, a Glow Disco party was about to start. Some were getting faces decorated.

As we walked back we saw a few people had started dancing in the atrium but it wasn’t busy. 

[ConnieTact]

Some more photos of the ship from last night. 
 

[ConnieTact]

Had a lovely chat with concierge Eduardo last night. We talked about hair colour and he told me too enjoyed bright colours. MSC’s dress code for staff won’t stretch to him having colourful hair and we both agreed that was a shame. Especially as the ship heads for colourful Brazil for party season later this month!
Us passengers want to see staff reflecting our styles too! Hopefully these rules will get less strict as time goes on. 

 

[ConnieTact]

Both breakfast and Lunch by the pool was delicious. It’s a sunny day with warm wind. Lots off the ship seeing Rome and a few newcomers welcomed into YC today. 

We are moored beside a Virgin ship and a Marella one too. I believe we are on the best!

 
News from home that our boys are being good! We are updated with photos from both sets of carers!

[ConnieTact]

Lots of children in yacht club tonight! Never seen so many! Great to see the Italian family culture of welcoming all ages onboard. They all seem happy and wow, what an experience for such young people! I had to wait 40 years after my first cruise at the age of ten,(one night Le Havre to Southampton on the QE2) until my next one to celebrate my ‘special birthday!’ 
40 cruises later….I’m not stopping yet!! 😂

 

 

[ConnieTact]

Is that hides judging my meal choice?

What would you choose?

 

[ConnieTact]

We seem to be leaving late- maybe late passengers as there have been called a few times with names being announced. Not sure if Italian or Spanish. 
Engines firing up for a second time after first aborted earlier. 

I’m enjoying the tunes of Fernando pre dinner and the virgin ship looks prettier now it’s dark and lit up. I‘m not convinced by it’s grey/red look! 

[George C]

4 hours ago, ConnieTact said:

Both breakfast and Lunch by the pool was delicious. It’s a sunny day with warm wind. Lots off the ship seeing Rome and a few newcomers welcomed into YC today. 

We are moored beside a Virgin ship and a Marella one too. I believe we are on the best!

 
News from home that our boys are being good! We are updated with photos from both sets of carers!

We also get daily pictures of our Siamese kittens from cat sitter while on vacation.

 

[Watchworksuk]

5 minutes ago, ConnieTact said:

We seem to be leaving late- maybe late passengers as there have been called a few times with names being announced. Not sure if Italian or Spanish. 
Engines firing up for a second time after first aborted earlier. 

I’m enjoying the tunes of Fernando pre dinner and the virgin ship looks prettier now it’s dark and lit up. I‘m not convinced by it’s grey/red look! 

Yes it's beautiful. Lovely balmy evening leaving Civitavecchia heading to palma Majorca 🙂

[ConnieTact]

52 minutes ago, George C said:

We also get daily pictures of our Siamese kittens from cat sitter while on vacation.

 

I wanna see ‘em!!! 🙏

[George C]

Siam and Loki there 6 months old