How to get the most out of your Yacht Club experience

[ConnieTact]

On 9/22/2021 at 1:49 PM, EMc&DrS said:

In the past, the macrons were delivered to each YC room one night during the cruise as part of the turn down service.  You just need to let your butler know that you'd like some in your room on the evening of your anniversary.   We celebrated our anniversary on the Meraviglia back in 2019.  We only mentioned our anniversary in conversation with our butler at the beginning of the cruise, but he didn't forget.  When we got back to the room after dinner on our anniversary, a surprise bottle of chilled champagne awaited and the entire room was decorated, including a mini laser light show that had the room illuminated with thousands of rotating sparkling lights. Although it was a little over the top, it surely was a very thoughtful gesture. Our butler and his assistant couldn't wait to see us the next morning to hear how their efforts were discovered.  

 

This really is setting the expectations high! Our butler knew it was our anniversary but we got….

nothing! 😅😂

With other things he was great.

We went on YC recently again, and had a disappointing experience with a not so great butler.

I don’t think one can expect the experiences but having information will help people to ask for it if anything particularly needed or desired.

 

[CarolnLarry]

On 9/22/2021 at 7:14 PM, cdel71 said:

 

Never sailed in the YC before so these are great tips - Thanks!  Sailing in 3 weeks, so i'm reading / watching everything I can on the YC.

 

Do you know if you can order from the MDR UpCharge Menu in the YC, and if they charge you?

For Instance, I believe they have a Filet (assuming 5oz) is always available, but can you order a lobster tail with that for surf and turf (normally $25 up-charge in MDR), and if you can order it, do they charge you being in the YC?   If they do allow that, and don't charge you, that's a pretty nice perk right there!

My wife loves lobster.  She would tell the Maitre d the night before she wanted it for dinner and he always complied with her request.  Ask for anything you want and they will provide it if they can.  On the Divina they had a wine I liked but they only served it one night.  I asked for it the next night and they got it for me.  Every night after that when I sat down they brought my wine.

The wife doesn't like pringles potato chips, she told the butler in the lounge she didn"t like them.  That night there was a hugh restaurant size bag of Lays potato chips in our room.  Good thing we were on a back to back.

One other thing to mention.  I like Titos vodka.  When my butler found out what I liked he had a glass full of Titos vodka in the room each afternoon.

[shipgeeks]

1 hour ago, ConnieTact said:

This really is setting the expectations high! Our butler knew it was our anniversary but we got….

nothing! 😅😂

With other things he was great.

We went on YC recently again, and had a disappointing experience with a not so great butler.

I don’t think one can expect the experiences but having information will help people to ask for it if anything particularly needed or desired.

 

This is why I decided, years ago, to never post about special things that we received on a cruise.  Once someone says that they got six chocolate ships, or YC bathrobes, or some personal service, or paid only $100 for the whole cruise.......well, everyone will expect that.

It's nice to read about someone's good experience, but it has its downside, too.

[ConnieTact]

8 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

This is why I decided, years ago, to never post about special things that we received on a cruise.  Once someone says that they got six chocolate ships, or YC bathrobes, or some personal service, or paid only $100 for the whole cruise.......well, everyone will expect that.

It's nice to read about someone's good experience, but it has its downside, too.

I agree. It certainly depends on the individual butler you have and how they are at the time. We went on an early sailing on Virtuosa this year and all staff very perky and keen to please but when we returned after a couple of months, most were noticeably tired and  I particularly admired the ones who still managed to show care and kindness despite this.

I keep thinking back to reading a post where a poster was going to compile a list of her requirements to read to the butler while he unpacked for her. She would have got nowhere with our last butler who we didn’t meet until day two and he was pretty illusive after that. If we didn’t know what to ask for we certainly wouldn’t have got it! He even tried to put us at the end of a line to disembark until I asked him to take us to the front as ‘ that is what we paid extra for!’ 
If this had been our first experience of YC it may have been our last!

[Morgsmom]

OH, heavens!  Such varied experiences. We are going on our first YC experience for our Anniversary.  I'd love for some silly recognition cuz, well, if I have to be married to DH then I should get something 🙂  Hoping our Butler will be fabulous.

 

Question- can I call Room Service for Cappucinos? or the Butler? or send DH out to Topsail to get?  Which would be 1) allowed and 2) more efficent ?

[MonsterJoe]

16 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

OH, heavens!  Such varied experiences. We are going on our first YC experience for our Anniversary.  I'd love for some silly recognition cuz, well, if I have to be married to DH then I should get something 🙂  Hoping our Butler will be fabulous.

 

Question- can I call Room Service for Cappucinos? or the Butler? or send DH out to Topsail to get?  Which would be 1) allowed and 2) more efficent ?

Yes you can order Capps from Room Service - you can order pretty much anything except dinner from the Restaurant.

Yes, you can also send DH.  I was DH on our sailing, and that's precisely what I did.  Our room was exactly underneath Topsail, so it was literally a 4 minute round-trip, including waiting for the beverage(s).

Personally - I preferred to get it myself because I don't sit still well...but they will probably remind him that you can just order it from Room Service anyway.

[Huntingdon1701]

On 9/26/2021 at 8:33 AM, ConnieTact said:

I agree. It certainly depends on the individual butler you have and how they are at the time. We went on an early sailing on Virtuosa this year and all staff very perky and keen to please but when we returned after a couple of months, most were noticeably tired and  I particularly admired the ones who still managed to show care and kindness despite this.

 

 

Had a similar experience, although between Virtuosa in June and Splendida last week. My butler on Virtuosa was absolutely amazing and led me to book the Splendida. In contrast, the Splendida butler offered virtually nothing - no escort anywhere, very infrequent snacks in the room (which the steward may have left). I interacted more often with the steward, who showed more concern for me. It's left me less eager to return to MSC - it wasn't a bad experience, but it wasn't a special one either, unlike the trip on the Virtuosa. I had nothing from him that I wouldn't have got in a regular cabin from the steward on another line (although of course you get the topsail lounge and private restaurant which are very significant). 

[GA Dave]

Here are a few videos I made on my Mera cruise back in August that'll give you a taste of the YC.  When I get home from work, I will post some photos as well:

 

MSC Meraviglia YC Deluxe Suite 15009

YC Lounge Entertainment

YC Beach at Ocean Cay

Ride from YC Beach to Ship on Ocean Cay, part 1

Ride from YC Beach to Ship on Ocean Cay, part 2

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, Morgsmom said:

OH, heavens!  Such varied experiences. We are going on our first YC experience for our Anniversary.  I'd love for some silly recognition cuz, well, if I have to be married to DH then I should get something 🙂  Hoping our Butler will be fabulous.

Let MSC know it’s your anniversary before you cruise.  They should organise a cake for you.  
 

It was indicated on our tickets when we had an anniversary onboard.  However, the cake never arrived after dinner on the evening it should have.  I mentioned it to the concierge the next morning.  She checked their system and said that it was there, but it had been overlooked.

 

Well, they bent over backwards for the rest of the cruise making it up to us.  We were treated to a meal in Galaxy (on Splendida, before it became a sushi venue).   The ship’s m’D arrived to our table with a bottle of Moët and served us, himself.

 

Every time we passed the concierge desk, she would run out to us and ask how everything was.  Had a very minor issue one day, so I hesitated ever so slightly, (like it had sprung to mind), before saying everything was great.  She picked up on it and wouldn’t let us go til we told her what it was.  Well, she got onto the dept involved and had it dealt with. 

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Had a very minor issue one day, so I hesitated ever so slightly, (like it had sprung to mind), before saying everything was great.  She picked up on it and wouldn’t let us go til we told her what it was.  Well, she got onto the dept involved and had it dealt with.

 

That's excellent service and what an excellent concierge should do for a guest.

 

2 hours ago, Huntingdon1701 said:

I interacted more often with the steward, who showed more concern for me.

 

I have mixed emotions about my Butler's service vs my Suites Stewardess.  I was not dissatisfied with my Butler, but my interactions with him were not as frequent as they were with the Stewardess.  My problem, I think, was I really didn't know how to well use the services of my Butler.  A negative with my Butler was his escort off the ship in Miami.  That was a joke.  He handed me off to another staff member who handed me off to a shore staff member.  That gentleman performed the best service of the three.  He got a Porter and both of them escorted me directly to my car in the Garage and loaded my luggage into my car.  

[Beamafar]

It’s the luck of the draw whether you get a good butler or a dud!   There are members in both camps lol

[ConnieTact]

6 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

It’s the luck of the draw whether you get a good butler or a dud!   There are members in both camps lol

I sent emails after my last cruise feeding back which staff has shone out as fabulous. I also write one regarding the not so good butler. They thanked me for the first one but said they needed to look into the second one before getting back to me. That was five weeks ago so I doubt I’ll hear back! 

[Beamafar]

When we’ve had great service and let the particular crew members know how much we appreciated them several have asked that we give them a mention on the post-cruise comment form.  They’ve said it helps to ensure they’ll get a call back from MSC when their contract expires.  We’ve been told it only takes one complaint for them to be terminated.  

[GA Dave]

Some photos from my YC cruise on Meraviglia as promised earlier.

 

[GA Dave]

Here is some YC restaurant food porn.

Lunch burger.

Dinner salad.

Dinner Veal Chop.

Dessert Creme.

Breakfast:  Coffee, muffin, waffles, side of ham.

Lunch at YC beach Ocean House:  Salad, lobster roll.

Butler treats:  Chocolate covered strawberries, macaroons.

 

[cafevita]

Thanks for sharing Dave!

[Janet&Carl]

On 9/25/2021 at 3:28 PM, PennyHofstader said:

 

Although there are separate men's and women's changing areas, the saunas are shared, as are their associated showers, even though the intent seems to be for you to use them naked. We had trouble with knobs coming off on the showers and the hot/cold not being labeled. That reminds me that the YC bathrooms are lovely but dangerous - marble floor, deep tub, one small handrail, and strangely, only half of the shower/tub has a glass screen (no curtain), so water gets all over the floor.

 

 

 

Interested to know if you booked an accessible cabin - they have showers with seats in them - my mum cant get in and out of the bath and we had no problems with the  accessible one

[Janet&Carl]

11 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

 

 

Question- can I call Room Service for Cappucinos? or the Butler? or send DH out to Topsail to get?  Which would be 1) allowed and 2) more efficent ?

Yes you can but beware - on my first YC cruise the butler would see me - say "no no no madam I get for you" and I would tell him where I was going and voila !! I went back to my suite and it appeared.  Gin and tonic from the bar, lemon slices, cappuccino, whatever

 

[dexddd]

I think Morgs is going on Divinia which varies a bit from Mera.

 

And yes, butlers will vary.  Snacks in room aren't really a thing at least out of US.  If you want them in room, ask as they aren't daily like NCL.

 

If you are VC, the person on Divinia in charge was asleep at the wheel.

[Morgsmom]

51 minutes ago, dexddd said:

I think Morgs is going on Divinia which varies a bit from Mera.

 

And yes, butlers will vary.  Snacks in room aren't really a thing at least out of US.  If you want them in room, ask as they aren't daily like NCL.

 

If you are VC, the person on Divinia in charge was asleep at the wheel.

For our YC we are indeed on the Mera 🙂

 

[MonsterJoe]

I forgot to mention - any time we ordered Room Service (not often) it was our Butler who delivered it - so they'd probably bring your Room Service coffees, too

[Gatordad1967]

32 minutes ago, Couple-Somerset said:

Due on Grandiosa in late Nov for a B2B - first week YC inside and then YC balcony.

 

They wanted an extra £400pp for balcony the first week so we're staying Inside. Though we can "bid" for the upgrade - bids start at £450pp duh i think not lol

 

Then YC on Divina in January out of Miami

 

LOVE just about everything about YC - did a B2B in The Retreat (Celebrity) late August and it was nowhere near as good as YC but nearly 3 times the price (it was wife's 50th & our 30th Anniversary so splashed out).

 

ANYWAY - our best experience in YC was leaving the ship - no, not like that lol

 

Our Butler insisted that he take us down to disembark but we were happy to go ourselves - until he was more insistent lol

 

We went down the lift, the doors opened and it was HELL - the lines of people with cases stretched as far as you could see, snaking around the ship.

 

Our Butler guided us to the front of the line and off the ship - we think it probably saved us over 1hr of being in that line of people = RESULT.

 

One other YC perk is the "lift line jump" lol - basically, there are certain lifts where you swipe your card and the system ignores everyone else's request and comes straight to you eek.

 

Then, once inside, scan your card again and it ignores everyone else and take you directly to your deck.

 

I was far too embarrassed to do it again BUT you should try it at least once lol

 

priority elevators are the best.  Only once did we commandeer an elevator, but it was cool.

 

[ulster-cruiser]

Is it a once off complimentary visit to the thermal suites or can you go everyday?

[Beamafar]

Just now, ulster-cruiser said:

Is it a once off complimentary visit to the thermal suites or can you go everyday?

You have access to the thermal suite for the duration of the cruise.  

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, Couple-Somerset said:

there are certain lifts where you swipe your card and the system ignores everyone else's request and comes straight to you eek.

 

It's neat when it works and the elevator arrives when I can quickly access it.  More often than not, I was not quick enough to get into the elevator before it was filled with non-YC guests.  This was particularly my experience after the main theater show was over.  

 

9 hours ago, MonsterJoe said:

any time we ordered Room Service (not often) it was our Butler who delivered it -

 

Ordered only Room Service Breakfast once; it was my Butler who delivered it.

 

10 hours ago, dexddd said:

Snacks in room aren't really a thing at least out of US.  If you want them in room, ask as they aren't daily like NCL.

 

Not my experience.  Every evening when I returned to my suite, there was some type of goodie for me to consume.  (If I could.)  The day that my Butler exchanged my original large fruit bowl (of which I had consumed little) for a new one shocked me.  There was nothing wrong with the original fruit bowl!  All of that uneaten fruit going into the garbage!  What a waste!

 

19 hours ago, GA Dave said:

Lunch at YC beach Ocean House:  Salad, lobster roll.

Butler treats:  Chocolate covered strawberries, macaroons.

 

Thanks for your food porn!  Your lobster roll looked like mine and it was so very good!  The side of "fried potatoes" (?) looked quite a bit overdone.  Or was that something else?

 

The Macaroons were delicious as were the strawberries.