psmarkle

Just got off the Divina yesterday! Highly recommend Homer and Kaith (like Keith, but with an A) for your Waiter/Ass't Waiter team. Just ask Mehmet and he'll ensure you get them every day!

I saw your update on the MSC board about giving the YC Director a chance to correct things. Did it get posted here, by chance? I'm still reading through this thread, but I found really good info in your post about how to handle things in a tactful way!

For the YC restaurant, we go on embarkation day and talk to the Maitre' d about getting a set dinner time and table with the same table staff. Has worked every time as we prefer a 6 or 6:30pm seating. Once you get past 7:30pm, they hesitate as that gets into peak dinner service time. We've only had great service this way as our servers get to know us, have our preferred bottle of wine waiting at our table when we arrive, know that we like a family-style plate of risotto to share as a side, and learn which dishes to recommend to us based off previous orders/likes/dislikes, etc.

Log into your MSC account and see if it will let you make the payment there. I believe you can.

Oh you are in for a treat! We are setting off on the Divina in 2 weeks. Don't bother with printing luggage tags as the porters at the white YC tent will just rip them off and replace them with those beautiful gold YC luggage tags! And show up when you want...you're in the YC now! You even have a separate line for security and then up to the YC check-in lounge w/ Prosecco and snacks while you wait.

Is that THE Vishnu from Mauritius who's back as the Concierge now?! I plan on future booking the Mera for next April out of NYC when sailing the Divina in 2 weeks. I would love to have him working the YC again!!

JAGR: oh my goodness, I'm sorry to hear about your wife's passing. I did so enjoy reading all of your cruise adventures together here on CC. I think it's beautiful that you got to perform a ceremony to put her ashes to rest at sea. I've asked the same of my family when my time comes. May peace find your soul.

The Seashore is my favorite MSC ship so far! And the YC experience is amazing. One drawback, at the One Pool, if you want shade, you have to move chairs by the "funnel" I guess you'd call it. It's a big a/c air intake, so that also makes for a nice breeze to keep you from getting too hot.

We have just booked one of their spa suite experiences for our upcoming cruise. It looks like total pampering! Pre-Covid, Mr Sanchos was our regular Cozumel stop as we always enjoy our visits there on the all-inclusive side. Now, I came across the 4 spa suites, so we're going to try that for once. $550.00 for the day that includes massages for 2 + butler service 🙂

I agree with what you are saying as about a month ago I dummy booked our cruise on the Divina and there were 15 YC cabins available! Now, just 3. I figured it's all about the upgrades. For our upcoming Western Caribbean cruise, DW and I are only getting off the ship at Cozumel and Ocean Cay. We plan to enjoy the YC pool deck and thermal spa access to its fullest this cruise! I do miss the seafood/lobster grille at the pool, I truly enjoyed that. But it's still the YC...unbeatable for price/service, IMO,O!

If you're wanting a reprieve from the hot sun like my DW, a Cabana is worth it, for us anyways. Just our personal preference. We have done Cabana #7 oceanview and found it was worth the extra $50 to move to oceanfront on our next cruise. Either Cabana #4 or #5 will have the best ocean access. Our last cruise, I forgot to stop by the YC Concierge and request Cabana #4 until the day before. He initially told me we were already assigned to #2, but when we arrived at Ocean House, the butler looked us up and said, "ah, yes, Cabana #4!" I definitely recommend water shoes! Those pebbles hurt until you get out in the water. For the snorkel gear, just go up to Ocean House to get it and tell them which Cabana you're staying in. It's nice having the chilled Prosecco upon your arrival along with the iced down water bottles. They scheduled our jet ski excursion (we're doing this excursion again in a few weeks because we enjoyed it so much!) during the YC lunch time. After being worried, our butler told us "no problem." He wrote down our lunch orders and they were waiting in our Cabana in "bento-style" boxes when we got back! During our visit, the Cabanas had a separate butler tending to them from the YC "gen pop" 🤣 So the cocktail service was very prompt.

Same as Morpheus, I do it on every cruise. I usually book thru the casino dept then send in a transfer form and move it to my TA who's agency offers a 10% obc discount on top of everything else.

Have yet to get to Wyoming and Montana, but have hit the other 48 thanks to the Air Force...and also way past 50!

I usually have the YC Filet at least 3x on a 1-week cruise and have only ever sent one back as it was more med than med-rare. I think on our last cruise, I even had it on embarkation day for lunch. We usually use our free Diamond meal at the seafood restaurant as DW loves Chilean Sea Bass, but might have to go ahead and try the filet at Butcher's Cut so I can do my own comparison and report back.

Do a behind-the-scenes tour and learn how little the "below deck" crew make. Can you live off $900/mo which is what the galley food prep crew make and try to send home to their families? That's what these prepaid gratuities help cover for all the crew, not just the customer-front crew who make more. Oh boy, did I just wade into shark-infested waters here...yikes! I gladly pay the pre-paid gratuities and bring plenty of cash/small bills to tip throughout each day. It's the least I can do for how hard the crew works to make my valuable vacation time an experience! I am now ready for my online pummeling...

IT'S WORTH IT!! (all Caps intended) Butler escort pass all the lines, premium drink package, your private pool deck area with no chair hogs, the YC poolside buffet, the Topsail Lounge with nightly entertainment, the YC only restaurant with higher-end meals (IMO) like the everyday steak is a filet mignon vs NY Strip in MDRs, the YC embarkation tent waiting for you curbside, the YC wrist bands so no need for your room card, the included mini-bar in your room...or just have the cocktails delivered to your room daily as you get ready for dinner, reserved seating for all the shows so no need to be in a rush. If you can swing the YC Interior, it's the best "luxury" value at sea!

Yes! At Ocean House, I usually order 2 lobster rolls and the salad. Then, I scoop the lobster meat onto the salad and toss the rolls aside. Yum! On our upcoming April cruise, in another thread, a poster recommended putting the lobster meat on the burger, so I'm going to try that out!

Sailing in the YC on the Mera back in 2022, my first lobster tail was chewy which means it was overcooked. I called our waiter over and he did not hesitate to take it back to the YC kitchen where he said he stood and watched the cook prepare me a new one cooked properly! I ended up eating 3 of them LOL 😛

In my own experience in the YC, if there's something on the MDR menu, you can ask for it. It just take a few minutes more to go get it, but the YC dining room staff has never disappointed! But YMMV?

1 pair of khakis and 7 polo shirts...leaves plenty of room for DW's "overflow"! 🤣

The Butler service, the YC Top Sail Lounge, the YC private restaurant with it's own menu, butler escort on/off the ship, skipping the lines, YC poolside buffet, the YC hot tubs are rarely crowded (esp the one at the front of the ship)...Aurea does have perks, but YC has da' pampering!! Oh, and it starts with the wonderful white YC curbside check-in tent at the port and separate security line, and YC check-in lounge area with Prosecco! If you can afford the YC, you won't regret it! And you'll never want to go back. From a Former NCL Haven'er ourselves.

What everyone else has said + the YC separate pool deck and outdoor bufffet is totally worth it! Not having to fight the chair hogs!! And the Ocean House restaurant at Ocean Cay with those lobster rolls...yum! So totally worth the upgrade, but you will be spoiled for the rest of your cruising life.

Not sure of the url, but I make casino reservations at 1-844-MSC-PLAY. Cut-n-paste from one of the e-mail offers I got recently

Don't do it. The queue at Miami airport is a holdup, and that's assuming everything goes smoothly with the ship and customs (usually, but not always). We sail YC and do self walk-off. Off the ship by 8am. A noon flight is a pretty safe bet (pun intended in this case!).

You will LUV the YC starting with the white YC tent for embarkation 🤩 keep in mind, the 4-day experience will probably not be as personable as a 7-day experience, but enjoy the pampering nonetheless! Have only done 7-day YC cruises, but basing that off the feedback from our YC crew...they actually said they get frustrated on the shorter cruises as they want to provide a higher level of service, but just don't get enough time to know your personal preferences like my Grey Goose Cosmos as soon as I sit down in the Top Sail Lounge! Luv those people!!