Come Comparisons with MSC Yacht Club

[Hlitner]

Just returned from 21 days on MSC's Divina in their highly regarded Yacht Club.  There were many differences from HAL, whether one is in a Neptune Suite or simply steerage :).  Lets start with the vessel which is about 7 years old.  It was the best maintained ship we have even seen (and this is after 40+ years of extensive cruising).  Everything worked, toilets flushed, cabin A/C could easily be set for any temperature from freezing to hot, and we even had a full size tub/shower in our cabin (they call it a Yacht Club Suite but its basically a deluxe balcony cabin).  The entire ship was spotless and one would have needed a magnifying glass to find any rust or corrosion.  We actually saw a leak (in a pipe running through a public area) that developed after one night of some rougher seas....and that was completely repaired within a few hours!

 

Unlike those in Neptune Suites, we had an entire 3 deck section of the ship reserved for the fewer then 200 souls in the YC.  It took a special cruise card to even access this section of the ship.  Within that large part of the ship (towards the bow and above the bridge) we had our suites, a huge private lounge (bigger then the Crow's Nest on any HAL vessel, a 20 hour buffet in that lounge (changed many times a day from breakfast to snacks). a large private sundeck with more then enough loungers for all in the YC, which had two nice hot tubs and a decent pool.  On that sundeck we also had an eating area with an active bar (all drinks included), a small food buffet, and a cooking station where we could get made to order eggs/omelets for breakfast and made to order pastas for lunch.  Service on this deck was spectacular all day long.  Those in the YC get all their beverages included, exce alpt for Premium wines and a few very high end booze items like Remy Martin XO.   Our cabins had a well stocked fridge (which was actually quite cold) that was constantly replenished at no charge.  If we wanted a certain type booze, beer, soda or water it was in our cabin within minutes.  Room Service (with a very expanded menu) was available 24/7.

 

We actually decided to attend the CC Meet and Greet to see how this was handled.  MSC allowed us to sign-up for the M&G in advance of the cruise and actually sent us an e-mail acknowledgment.  When we arrived at our cabin (a story unto itself) we had an invitation to the M&G.   There were about 100 at the M&G which was held in a private lounge (they did ask to see the invitation).  MSC provided free drinks (Champagne, wine, etc) at the party which was attended by the Captain, many of his senior Officers, the Senior Hotel Staff, etc.  Live entertainment was provided by a terrific guitar player/singer.  The Captain made a very nice speech, introduced some of his staff, and then invited us all to join in a group photo (free 8x10s were later delivered to our cabin).  After the speech the Captain and some of his staff actually hung around for over 15 minutes to chat with any and all.

 

Another  interesting event was our embarkation from the Port of Miami.  We arrived at the port around 11:15 and quickly found the white embarkation tent (outside the terminal) reserved for only those in the YC).  They immediately added a special luggage tag to our bags (which were quickly delivered to our cabin) and then escorted us through security (we bypassed the lines) and into a large VIP Lounge (in the cruise terminal).  Embarkation was delayed for about 2 hours due to a surprise CBP inspection (with drug dogs) so we had to remain in the comfy VIP Lounge.  But MSC provided proseco, mimosas and a few other drinks and also offered a selection of small snacks.  The two hour wait was pleasant and gave us a chance to meet a few other YC  cruisers.  Around 1:30 one of our YC Butlers came and escorted us all onto the ship (bypassing lines) and to reserved elevators to whisk us up to deck 15 and the YC.  We immediately met our butler and had access to the beautiful "Top Sail" Lounge with drinks and small buffet.

 

One wonderful YC perk was having our meals in a private dining room (called Le Muse) which could handle all the YC members without a wait.  This dining room had its own galley, chefs, waiters, etc.  It was open 3 meals a day, even when in port!  Our menus were somewhat different then what they had in the regular MDR.  Everything was served hot with many items prepared to order.  Pastas and risottos were truly amazing...which is expected on an Italian ship.  When they served lobster tail, it was a very large tail (about twice the size we get on HAL) and perfectly prepared.  Meats were generally good, but not great.  But one day, which in a port, DW stopped in for lunch and had some of the best Veal Saltimbocca we have ever enjoyed.  This dish would have been acceptable in the best land side restaurants.  While food was always good, there were quite a few of these moments where the food rose to a level we have not experienced on cruises for many years.

 

Once leaving the YC facilities, we were on a typical overcrowded mass market ship.  The YC truly lived up to its reputation as a ship within a ship and the difference inside the YC versus outside was like night and day.  In the YC we never waited more then 30 seconds for a bar waiter.  Outside it was often difficult to even get a bar waiter.  But going outside gave us access to lots of entertainment and it was fun to mix with the "masses."    To put it simply, nearly everything in the YC was near perfect with the remainder of the ship having plenty of issues with bad service and inexperienced crew.  

 

As a result of this experience we quickly booked a future cruise (same ship and cabin) for next year :).  The shocker about MSC is that the YC only costs about $300 per passenger/day if you are in a YC1 Suite (what we call a deluxe balcony).  Since we booked though our favorite cruise agency we also had prepaid gratutities and a $700 OBC.  The only thing we used OBC for was to purchase Internet ($166 got us lots of gigabytes for 4 devices for the entire 21 days).  Towards the end of the cruise we realized that our on board account did not have a single item other then that Internet..leaving us with over $500 OBC.  A quick trip to our YC Concierge Desk (open 24/7 and about 10 feet from our cabin helped us discover that our OBC was non-refundable.  So DW went to the Effy Jewelry Store (onboard) and managed to spend about $500.  The last night I stopped in the Casino, drew out the rest of the OBC, increased it by about 50% at the Black Jack table...and walked out with the cash.  

 

MSC has many rough edges and would not satisfy some HAL cruisers.  But it is a rapidly growing company (adding about 2 ships a year for the next 6-7 years) that is quickly adjusting to the US Market (where a majority of its passengers still come from Europe).  By 2026 this line will have about 29 vessels of which 4 will be small Luxury Class vessels (completely Yacht Club...competing with Seabourn, SIlverseas, etc).  Other vessels will vary in size from about 3000 to over 4000 passengers.  

 

Hank

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your MSC experience and the Yacht Club.

 

I knew that MSC has been growing, but I didn't realize how much she will be growing over the next few years.

[Barrheadlass]

That’s very interesting!  Thanks for posting!

[bennybear]

Really appreciate your detailed review!  I am drooling over those risottos.  

[kazu]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

Food is primarily Italian, I assume?  Or, simply what they do best?

[cruisequeen4ever]

Interesting; thank you for sharing your perspective and experience. For us, the extra $300 per day cost would pay for another cruise, so it wouldn’t be worth it to us. I can see it being a good option for some, though. 

[frankc98376]

Thank you!  MSC is looking more and more interesting. I understand that my 4* on HAL would be matched at MSC Black.  Even more compelling.

[DaveOKC]

42 minutes ago, frankc98376 said:

Thank you!  MSC is looking more and more interesting. I understand that my 4* on HAL would be matched at MSC Black.  Even more compelling.

I already did that - quick and easy.  Have not yet sailed on MSC yet though

 

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

Interesting; thank you for sharing your perspective and experience. For us, the extra $300 per day cost would pay for another cruise, so it wouldn’t be worth it to us. I can see it being a good option for some, though. 

 

I think Hank said that it was a cost of $300 per day total, not extra.  I have found that Neptunes on HAL generally run more than that.

 

[DaveOKC]

Hank - great report!  I was very close to booking a MSC cruise in the Yacht Club, but when I found out that one couple in our group only wanted the "standard" area, I backed out, as I assumed that this would not work out well (a mixed group).  Was I correct in assuming this?

 

Dave

[*Miss G*]

Thank you so much for your detailed review.  We have been looking at MSC YC with interest so I appreciate hearing about it from your perspective.

 

Could you please comment on how they handled gratuities?

 

Thank you.

Edited December 24, 2018 by *Miss G*

[chill6x6]

Thanks for that review!

 

A couple of months ago I booked the MSC Meravigilia in one of the YC suites/balconies.  If it is NEARLY as good as you and others say, it will me a hit for us.  It LOOKS like it's a bargain.  The balcony and balcony furniture doesn't took to be as nice as I'd like but with all the deck chairs that look to be available, I think we will be fine.  

 

Thanks again for the report....the MSC option is looking better and better.

[Nymich]

Divina is a beautiful ship.  YC experience was excellent but we found the food to be way better on HAL and Celebrity for that matter.

[Hlitner]

A couple of additional comments.  The topic should have been "Some" Comparisons....and I apologize for the typo.  As to the cost issue, the Yacht Club generally costs about $300 per person/day TOTAL.  But what they call a suite certainly does not compare, in size to a Neptune suite or even a Signature Suite.  On the Divina a YC1 "suite" is just a little over 200 sq feet with a small balcony.  But it does have a small walk-in closet and the bath tub (personally we prefer a regular shower).  There are also a few larger suites that are part of the Yacht Club, but nothing on the scale of Neptune suites.  MSC is the only major cruise line that is privately owned (by a single Italian family).  The company is also one of the largest Container Ship companies in the world and has a long history and deep pockets.  They have apparently identified the need for a line that provides exclusive high-end amenities without the necessity to book (and pay the big bucks) a large suite.  Many cruisers (including me) do not have a need for a huge cabin but really appreciate having an exclusive section of a ship and small special dining room.  I once calculated that DW and I spend fewer then 3 waking hours a day in our cabin so could never justify paying the big bucks for a large suite.  On HAL we would actually be paying hundreds of dollars per waking hour for the few hours we spend in our suite.  When we are sleeping it matters little whether we have 200 sq feet or 1000 sq feet.  That being said, one thing we do like with many larger suites are the large bathrooms.

 

DW and I are still talking about the high level of service we received while in the Yacht Club areas.  For example, we had a daily newspaper delivered to our suite every day.  On the first day we simply checked-off which paper we wanted (from a large list of major International papers).  We decided to get the Washington Post.  We were shocked when they delivered a thick printed paper which included color pictures, ads, classified ads, etc.  They actually download and print out these papers every day, bind them, and even personalize them with the recipients name a cabin number.  Our cabin TV was pretty limited (we did have CNN_ but that paper was really nice.  On many mornings I would sit at the outdoor dining area on our expansive sun deck and read the paper while the nearby chef made my omelet to order.  And having unlimited fresh squeezed OJ or Grapefruit juice was much appreciated.  Being an Italian ship, every bar had a large high-end espresso machine (all such drinks were free for those in the YC) and getting a morning latte or cappuccino was simply a matter of asking.  They used Segafredo beans at all of these machine...which is a decent Italian brand of coffee.  I also became addicted to the Irish Coffee in the YC which was made from freshly made cafe americano mixed with Jameson's with a touch of sugar and topped with whipped cream.  Like most things in the YC we simple had to ask and it was at our table in minutes.   In the evening I would often order Scotch on the Rocks (usually JW Black or Glenlivet and they would be bring me a double or triple without me asking.  In the YC nobody even asked to see our cruise card.  If you had access to that special section of the ship, that was good enough for the staff.  At times we thought it actually did feel like being on a private yacht (until we left the confines of the YC).

 

Hank

[ski ww]

Thank you for sharing your experience on MSC.  

[Nymich]

11 hours ago, Hlitner said:

A couple of additional comments.  The topic should have been "Some" Comparisons....and I apologize for the typo.  As to the cost issue, the Yacht Club generally costs about $300 per person/day TOTAL.  But what they call a suite certainly does not compare, in size to a Neptune suite or even a Signature Suite.  On the Divina a YC1 "suite" is just a little over 200 sq feet with a small balcony.  But it does have a small walk-in closet and the bath tub (personally we prefer a regular shower).  There are also a few larger suites that are part of the Yacht Club, but nothing on the scale of Neptune suites.  MSC is the only major cruise line that is privately owned (by a single Italian family).  The company is also one of the largest Container Ship companies in the world and has a long history and deep pockets.  They have apparently identified the need for a line that provides exclusive high-end amenities without the necessity to book (and pay the big bucks) a large suite.  Many cruisers (including me) do not have a need for a huge cabin but really appreciate having an exclusive section of a ship and small special dining room.  I once calculated that DW and I spend fewer then 3 waking hours a day in our cabin so could never justify paying the big bucks for a large suite.  On HAL we would actually be paying hundreds of dollars per waking hour for the few hours we spend in our suite.  When we are sleeping it matters little whether we have 200 sq feet or 1000 sq feet.  That being said, one thing we do like with many larger suites are the large bathrooms.

 

DW and I are still talking about the high level of service we received while in the Yacht Club areas.  For example, we had a daily newspaper delivered to our suite every day.  On the first day we simply checked-off which paper we wanted (from a large list of major International papers).  We decided to get the Washington Post.  We were shocked when they delivered a thick printed paper which included color pictures, ads, classified ads, etc.  They actually download and print out these papers every day, bind them, and even personalize them with the recipients name a cabin number.  Our cabin TV was pretty limited (we did have CNN_ but that paper was really nice.  On many mornings I would sit at the outdoor dining area on our expansive sun deck and read the paper while the nearby chef made my omelet to order.  And having unlimited fresh squeezed OJ or Grapefruit juice was much appreciated.  Being an Italian ship, every bar had a large high-end espresso machine (all such drinks were free for those in the YC) and getting a morning latte or cappuccino was simply a matter of asking.  They used Segafredo beans at all of these machine...which is a decent Italian brand of coffee.  I also became addicted to the Irish Coffee in the YC which was made from freshly made cafe americano mixed with Jameson's with a touch of sugar and topped with whipped cream.  Like most things in the YC we simple had to ask and it was at our table in minutes.   In the evening I would often order Scotch on the Rocks (usually JW Black or Glenlivet and they would be bring me a double or triple without me asking.  In the YC nobody even asked to see our cruise card.  If you had access to that special section of the ship, that was good enough for the staff.  At times we thought it actually did feel like being on a private yacht (until we left the confines of the YC).

 

Hank

you can edit the title of your post

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, Nymich said:

you can edit the title of your post

How?

[kazu]

3 hours ago, Nymich said:

you can edit the title of your post

 

21 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

How?

 

You can edit the title but only within the first few minutes of creating the post. 😉 

 

I think it is still a 20 minute limit.

 

the only other way to edit now would be to ask Host Walt to change the title for you.

[Nymich]

42 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Good to know!

You can edit the title but only within the first few minutes of creating the post. 😉 

 

I think it is still a 20 minute limit.

 

the only other way to edit now would be to ask Host Walt to change the title for you.

 

[kazu]

13 minutes ago, Nymich said:

Good to know

 

It's one of the few good things about the new forum (and I do mean few 😉 )

 

When they switched last time you could no longer edit your title.  Now you can again but you must do it quickly.

 

It's a big help for the BV threads when I muck up on spacing.  LOL.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Thank you, Hank, for clarifying. I’m sorry I misunderstood.

[EMc&DrS]

Enjoyed your review. We’ve sailed in the YC on our last three cruises, but are about to try HA for the first time this coming Friday. We are in a “regular” balcony room and had to buy our drink package (the horror!), but  we’re looking forward to a new experience. Our experiences in YC are right in line with what you’ve described. The level of service is unbelievable!  When we boarded the Seaside in Sept, we were amazed that our former butler and waiter from Divina both remembered us and welcomed us back with big hugs even though it had been over a year since we had seen them. You mentioned how they escorted you onto the ship when you arrived in MIA. We love how they escort you onto the ship in every port so you never have to wait in line. One night on Divina we especially enjoyed one of the many wines we had sampled with dinner that night. When we returned to our room, the sommelier had slipped a complimentary bottle to our butler and it was waiting for us when we returned to our stateroom. Those kinds of special touches happen everyday.

 

The only problem with your review is that those of us who have been enjoying the service and low cost of the YC for a while don’t want the secret to get out!!

[Carlett]

Thank you for sharing your experience with msc yacht club.   I've been reading a lot of positive reviews on various boards and it is really tempting to sail msc in the near future.  The service seems to be of a higher caliber than celebrity's suite class and the food options sound very tempting!

[iancal]

Thanks for the review.

 

Based on your comments, and the comments of others, it seems to me that a YC would represent a significant travel for us give our preferences.  It is good to see an offering like this that has lots of tangible benefits.  We put it on our list.

[whogo]

Thanks for the report, Hank, always good to see a comparison between cruise lines. I spent a frustrating half hour trying to check prices on the MSC website, did not realize that not all their ships have yacht club and sailings with sold out YC cabins (some a year out) don't list prices. The prices I did find were as you reported about $300 per person per day, sounds like a bargain for that level of service. I don't drink enough to be attracted by the included drinks, but hot food served hot would be a nice change from HAL.

 

How was the itinerary?

 

I have heard enough unbiased reports about non-YC cruising on MSC to know that that is not for me.