JAGR

9 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

How many tries to bring a drink to those places? Getting some icecream and needing a drink, really?

I don't know or care! I wasn't talking about that part.  I was simply answering another question in the thread about the difference between specialty and signature facilities!

11 hours ago, tewkewl said:

Where did you get this information. Can you link us the web page? I have never heard that and I have never heard a cruise ship doing this sort of thing. It kind of doesn't make sense to me due to things like economies of scale and the money they can make ripping people off at these restaurants.

Another source (I use drink packages, and then read and research instead of drinking from rum runners or mouthwash bottles) would be a discussion in March on this topic: 

Pay special attention to the wise comments by no greater a source of information than @Beamafar herself:    

11 hours ago, tewkewl said:

Where did you get this information. Can you link us the web page? I have never heard that and I have never heard a cruise ship doing this sort of thing. It kind of doesn't make sense to me due to things like economies of scale and the money they can make ripping people off at these restaurants.

I'm only trying to suggest the difference, which I believe comes from some sort of licensing arrangement.  At any rate, this is is from MSC, and is a guide to all-inclusive packages.  read toward the bottom of page four:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjqppm27cWBAxUNjYkEHXYCBIsQFnoECA4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mscbook.com%2Fpages%2Fsdl%2Fimg%2F%2FALL-INCLUSIVE_GUIDE.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0q3M6vVs7BcmRm5TBKdgzK&opi=89978449

If you don't want to open it, it is: The following exclusions apply: tobacco, souvenir glasses, ice cream menu, retail items, minibar, room service, promotions and signature venues Venchi 1878 establishments or Jean-Philippe Maury venues, MSC Virtuosa Starship Club, regardless of beverage price. The Coffee Emporium and Raj Polo Tea Room onboard MSC World Europa signature venues are included in Easy Plus and Premium Extra packages. Must be of legal age to consume alcohol - see our terms of our guest alcohol policy.

14 minutes ago, BeeeJay said:

understood and thank you for that knowledge, I had no idea!  you may notice in my post I’m doing multiple back-to-backs and expecting at least some leg may not be upgraded to YC.

 

I’ll tip at the end of each of my 6 consecutive weeks aboard.

 

what I really need is a ballpark dollar amount for each week for each position:

Butler:   $75 to $125 The range would cover probably 60% of the tipping

Junior Butler: $40 to $60

cabin attendant (if not YC): $40 to 80, depending on service level

restaurant wait staff: $70 to 100 for the crew, especially if you have the same set all that week.

Sommelier: $20 to 60

Bartender:  $1 or 2 per drink, especially outside of the YC,and $20 or so to any "favorite" or "regular bartender

pool staff:  Varies.  If you ask the attendant to set up towels daily in your desired location, maybe $20-40.  Pool waiter, $1 or 2 per round

 

Thanks so much for the quick responses!!! 

 

If you read the threads, the amounts vary tremendously from guest report to guest report. Above, I just put in what appears to be the "average" amount.  Keep in mind the level of service you receive may vary from week to week.  Also, keep in mind how much service you require.  Daily consults with the sommelier versus only occasional contact would impact the tip amount.  Also, for dining, you will usually have a team with one lead waiter and two or three assistants. The lead waiter will have a gold tie.  I am assuming this would be US-based cruises.  Tipping is less expected overseas.  The offical MSC line is that tipping is not expected.  In reality, the top servers bid for US-based cruises because of the likelihood of tips.

49 minutes ago, dmccadden said:

We like to split our tips. We tip on the first day and once or twice during the rest of the trip. The thought being it may bring the best service possible from the beginning. We tip butler, cabin steward, waiter. We have tipped bartenders and pool staff. 

One minor factor. You mention butler and cabin steward.  Keep in mind that the YC rooms are served by Butler and Junior Butler.  The junior butler distinction is a source of pride to those individuals, as they represent an elite level for the steward position.

17 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I read in another thread that Signature restaurants are ‘branded’ venues, perhaps like a franchise of a chain.  I don’t remember the names, other than Venchi.  EM

I believe Signature venues are essentially vendor-owned operations that lease space on board the ships.  In addition to Venchi 1878, it would include Lavazza Coffe shops, Jean Phillippe, and the Crepes & Gelato operations.  Technically, MSC list Hola! as a specialty restaurant, but they seem more relaxed bout honoring drink packages in some cases.

Butcher's Cut and Ocean Cay.  Years ago when we were on her, you couldn't get dinner at Roy Yamaguchi's.

2 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

It’s dark because it is the one they are assigning to you.  If there were others available and you clicked on one, it would be dark and the original would no longer be dark. EM

You beat me to it! 😁

3 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

ok something is a miss. its not just the one closest to the lounge on 16 is open. it's dark which means it's assigned. but when you see the list of available cabins it is the only ones available

 

 

There's nothing amiss.  You are on the booking page.  When you selected deck 16, it shows 16002 as your "selected" room.  It is dark to show you where your selection is.  If there were multiple rooms on that deck, one suggested for you would be dark, and the other open rooms would be gray.

Yes. I would bring a copy of your email in case anything goes wrong.

1 hour ago, Tierun said:

Somebody decided to poke the bear.

My bad....☺️

Well, we know that @mscdivina2016 is already planning on booking this cruise! 😉🫢

Just now, morpheusofthesea said:

All I remember was watching something that everyone wanted to get a good view of at night on the Divina and a group of gate crashers actually forcing and breaking the lock to over run us.

That makes sense.  Ocean Cay opened December 2019, so I thought you might have been a year off.

13 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We sailed the Divina as well December 2018 in the Yacht Club. While out on deck to view the lighthouse display we were inundated by a group of interlopers that broke the lock to gain entry and crowded us out of our viewing area. By the time a butler saw what had occurred the 'display' was over and they all left and the butler reported the broken lock which we witnessed was forced to the point of breaking.

Was that really a year before guests were allowed on the island, or did you mean 2019? I assume the latter, since you are cutting edge, but that would have been interesting! 😉

22 minutes ago, rollie said:

Thanks for your help.  This is our first MSC cruise.  Looking forward to the Yacht Club.

 

Rollie

Below is a view.  It is maybe a 6-8 minute walk from the garage to YC check in.  Walk through the covered walkway between where it repeats Roland Drive, and then go to the right.  If you wanted to drop of luggage and park, then do a loop from the far right words for Charles M Rowland Drive, then circle around to pull into the drop-off area (the the right of YC tent area, and then circle around to find the garage entry.

There is a parking garage across the street from the terminal (Terminal 10). There is a baggage drop area, but traffic tends to move slowly as you go through an elliptical drive to find a space to unload.  If you don't have too much luggage and you can roll it, you may be better off to use the garage.  The YC tent is right by the escalator up to the terminal.

20 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Wristbands are used by Yacht Club guests to give to their friends and family residing in cabins outside the YC to gain access to the YC and all its privileges.

Hope not, but probably happens all too often!

1 hour ago, tewkewl74 said:

no... but i'd have to ask my friend if he did it.  I recall he did do it on carnival once and they didn't have problems.

Just have your friend remember to get a wine glass from one of the bars to use.  The red Dixie cup wouldn't work on MSC. 😁

Just now, Saab4444 said:

Do you also bring wine to restaurants at home?

It was not him (Tewkewl74).  Remember, he was just "asking for a friend"....😉

17 hours ago, Hydrotx said:

After reading a bunch of y'all damn posts from the ship, I now have a hold for a YC interior for March.  Need to discuss with the wife.  I think it would be much better to do the interior room first and then the duplex vs. the other way around.  She may kill me if we tried out the rooms in that order.

Good choice!  I know I would experience a pain worse than death if I were to downgrade on the second cruise! 🫢

8 hours ago, iwtobek said:

We've got a choice of a complimentary bottle of something, asked for the Champaign, got it delivered a few days later (showing a 0€ charge on the account).

You are French?  Really? 😉

50 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

You can shake your head all you want...but because of behavior displayed by this sub-group....it makes lots of people dislike the entire group.  As a mainstream member, I can only say that their behavior was a complete embarrassment.

 

And re-read his post....he mentioned private school but didn't mention religion until I asked if it was a specific cruise.

I did.  He and I clarified our thinking without any input from you.  Please re-read my post.  To quote you, you said, "Was that the infamous "school break" in January cruise?  If so....I know all about it."  Since you knew all about it, he simply could have said yes it was that cruise.  Or, as he himself stated, he could have simply added to the previous mention of private school that it was religiously affiliated.  By naming the specific religion, the fear is that it could be see as having bias or create a negative consequence.  TMI at best

On 9/9/2023 at 4:37 PM, UPNYGuy said:

that’s why I didn’t mention what the type of school was at first. I didn’t want to make it seem like I was singling them out just because they were a private religious school. To me, that part is irrelevant. The fact they were poorly behaved is the relevant part. 

I'm sorry.  You wanted to avoid mentioning that these were kids from private schools, but didn't want to single them out; yet you had no qualms about mentioning a religious affiliation.  SMH!

5 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Easy to hit a target if you keep moving it 🙂

Here on stateside, our politicians are now adept at moving the target so far out that they can claim they beat the target by months!

For what it's worth, now that you are booked, call the main line, pick YC option, and when the rep comes on, give her your booking number, and just ask her to apply the heroes discount.  It has worked for me with applications of discounts after the fact. Of course, with MSC, YMMV!