Saving Up To Be Eccentric

On 10/15/2023 at 7:22 AM, JamieLogical said:

I don't remember seeing an option to choose a currency. I assume that it is whatever the currency of the sailing is, so US dollars for cruises out of the US.

I thought I saw four different currencies to choose from at the kiosk, including Euro, Pound, and Dollar, but don't know if you are required to link a credit card for some of those. 

Also for the shows, if you were alive during the late 80s and 90s, be prepared for well known pop/rock songs to be turned into very, very different arrangements. Some of it worked well. Some of it... "not to my taste."

1 hour ago, paddy1112 said:

Christo sings english. Mainly older stuff before 2000. And he is really good.

When I heard him, I had hope that the In Concert show might feature him and some of the members of the Cabaret band and resemble a concert. But not so much hope that we didn't select seats so that we could bail out without disturbing those around us...

5 hours ago, Tierun said:

Not sure what you’re asking. At the check in counter you will be given your sail cards and then proceed to the gangway. There could be 2 gangways in use (aft and fwd). Generally the ship is docked starboard.

I'd read there were at least two entrances for the current Seascape boarding out of Terminal C. We just got new information, so it's all good. For comparison purposes (if anyone else out there has their old information), ours now says that people with cabins on decks 5-11 to use the West entrance to terminal C and people with cabins on decks 12-19 to use the East entrance.

Okay, I've read enough to know that YC has its own tents, but I assume that the other 90% of the cruise ship checks in at more 'normal' checkpoints. But I've also read on here that not everybody goes to the same side, because they only will have your cruise card at one end. 

Does anyone know which end is which? Or does it change and we will only know when we get there?

11 hours ago, CruisingFox27 said:

Although, last night I looked at general excursions through the destinations page. After clicking on one, it allowed me to log in, see my upcoming cruise and book the excursion. 

Thank you for the suggestion!! Clicked the log in link on the excursions page and it logged me in to the account.

10 hours ago, Toddcan said:

I was able to log in normally about an hour after my original post. Thanks for chiming in! 

I still can't; I get an error 500. Ah, well, I get to not worry about it for a while, I think.

4 hours ago, blueslily said:

 

The Green Wave is the Aurea class MDR that offers Aurea guests any time dining? If yes, please share more about how the Fantastica folks were able to dine in the MDR for Aurea guests? That question is asked here a lot. Thanks 

Short answer, no, Fantastica guests aren't being upgraded to Anytime dining if they're being seated with their Aurea friends in Green Wave. It's simply the largest dining area with the most seating.

The Green Wave (deck 5), Jondal (deck 6), and Agean (deck 7)  are all for Bella and Fantastica guests. Of those three, which dining room you get is based on which assigned dining time you have. Aurea guests are seated via any time dining at Skyline (also on deck 7). All four of these have the same menu and, therefore, probably the same kitchen.  If there was extra seating at one of the assigned dining times, it looks like they were able to accommodate an Aurea guest or two who would otherwise be seated in a different room ordering the same stuff.

The only dining packages I've seen on MSC hasn't been specifically for Butcher's Cut and Teppenyaki, just for "two experiences," so what you're seeing may not be standard.

Of course, I've only seen it under the general information on the webpage because I'm not seeing any dining packages under the "manage my booking" section of their website. 

Well, that depends. How well do you/ does your body deal with scents? Thermal changes? Humidity?

As an aside, I would encourage you to look up deckplans for any largish cruise ship you'll be taking. Google.com, Duckduckgo.com, or any other competent engine will be able to find you several sites if the ones on MSC's homepage is being balky. 

Morpheus' complaint about interlopers is not directed at Aurea-class people going from the forward elevators into Top 19, but those that ascend to deck 19 and then 'tailgate' Yacht Club members, following behind people who open the Yacht Club doors with their wristbands or cards, or just walk in if the doors are propped open.

It should be noted that there is this note now being shared by MSC:

9 hours ago, jean87510 said:

Is there an actual decent reef swimmable from shore?  

The propag... I mean promotional materials make it sound like they hope something can rebuild itself on the East side in a "coral nursery" now that they've done the clean up: https://issuu.com/msc-cruises/docs/msc-cruises-cor-press-kit-ocean-cay-msc-marine-res?fr=sZDU1MjU4NjExMzc

(p. 10-11 of their brochure)

For those of you following along at home, one of the East beaches is the YC beach. If a reef does become restored out there first, that would be a major perk for the YCers.

E.T.A. (Note the conditional bit above. I'd believe the actual experience of the CCer above who said there's nothing up there as of yet.)

TAs are one way to do it... but if you ever need an idea in the future, you can always to go a 'big box' site like hotels.com or hotwire.com - then look at the areas and rankings. It gets pretty obvious if the reviews aren't great which are the better ones to book.

And hotwire, for one, allows you to pick the port in Miami as an area option, allowing for quick access by shuttle, uber/taxi, or the trolley system.

I get that it's per device and not per connection, but out of curiosity, for people who have chosen to have the device be their phone: have you been able to turn said phone into a hotspot?

C is standard, at least until they get the new MSC terminal built, or that's what they've been saying. However, things may change on any given day/week.

1 hour ago, Acadie said:

It seems balconies next to the suites only accomodate 2 people. Am I missing something? 

 

It looks like that's correct for the aft suites. Now you can get more than two people in that aft suite, or go for a whirlpool suite a bit further up the ship with nice aft views and a balcony next door with bunks for the kids. 

41 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

lol, this is starting to remind me of a meme that says "at this point I am afraid to ask", but non-YC people still get pool/beach towels for free, right? we don't have to bring our own, right?

They should be on your bed when you get to your room. You can trade them in on the pool decks if you happen to use them to dry yourself off, but I understand the emphasis here is on the word trade.

5 hours ago, Match Game 72 said:

This is a downgrade in my opinion. Thanks for the photo.

Mine as well. I understand the desire to maximize profits - and the house always wins - and that some people prefer non-smoking venues for said profit centers, but I also appreciate a few more introvert-friendly corners of a cruiseship that you don't have to pay extra money to access. Oh, well, I'll console myself that I will purchase fewer drinks if there isn't a quieter bar location in which to enjoy them.

24 minutes ago, ashleyriley said:

General population. Is that what people who are not sailing in a YC suite really called? Wow. 

That's what a few YC cruisers called it in their reviews. Well, "gen pop" which sounds like particularly dull muzac. I'm not going to be in the YC rooms, so wanted to make sure that it wasn't going to be roped off to the likes of me.

2 hours ago, Anastas617 said:

Ahh! The "I'm happy to share info with third parties" box? That would be the most likely reason I have never seen anything. Thanks for the tip!

I don't have the 'third parties' box and I got an upgrade email. I did have the show me offers from MSC cruises box ticked, though.

On 9/21/2023 at 7:54 AM, JamieLogical said:

 

My husband and I have gone back and forth on this a LOT, because we currently have a YCI bid in for our cruise this Sunday and I keep debating canceling it. 

Total noob question that I shouldn't have needed to ask: How do you cancel a bid? (Sorry, ya'll I filed the bid acceptance email without reading it. *facepalm*)

I put in a bid for a Aurea balcony on an upcoming cruise. If it's not accepted getting down to the week-of, I'm thinking of cancelling and keeping my perfectly good non-Aurea balcony room and instead buying spa passes. 

Would appreciate a report on hearsay after the ports about if we need to bring bugspray. 

Question on the Jungle Pool: Do you have to walk through the buffet to get to the pool, or can the general population take the lifts closer (that are right at the YC rooms) for that pool?

Thank you for the play-by-play.