Small Change to YC MiniBar Policy

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Interesting to hear no welcome bottle of bubbly in the cabin anymore.  Cutting corners, to me, seems cheap...

It was cheap....the so called bubbly that is, if we had spare air weight we generally brought it home to use in aperol spritz. It certainly wasn't a memorable drink on it's own IMHO.

[sverigecruiser]

4 minutes ago, hamrag said:

It was cheap....the so called bubbly that is, if we had spare air weight we generally brought it home to use in aperol spritz. It certainly wasn't a memorable drink on it's own IMHO.

 

As a Champagnedrinker I agree with you that the "free" sparkling wine isn't memorable but I do think that it's drinkable and nice to drink on the balcony.

 

[Beamafar]

4 minutes ago, hamrag said:

It was cheap....the so called bubbly that is, if we had spare air weight we generally brought it home to use in aperol spritz. It certainly wasn't a memorable drink on it's own IMHO.

I agree, but it just made a nice impression walking into the cabin and seeing it displayed in its ice bucket along with the flutes. 

[hamrag]

Just now, Beamafar said:

I agree, but it just made a nice impression walking into the cabin and seeing it displayed in its ice bucket along with the flutes. 

Indeed it does do that....and they also provide a napkin, which we use to dry the bottle before loading in luggage till cruise end! 😂

[LeCommandant]

As MSC is now providing a real bottle of Champagne in European Market (Jacquart Brut) vs. sparkling wine previously, I don't consider that as a cutback but rather as an improvement 😉 

 

Book your cruise in Mediterranean and cheers! 😅

[LeCommandant]

More generally speaking, there are not only cutbacks, but also improvements, in particular:

• Free WiFi for YC guests (it was sooo expensive before!)
• Drinks everywhere in the ship are included (it was limited to YC areas before)
• Improved bar list with the famous real champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (limited to Europe)
• and so on...

The prices also decreased (in particular Inside Cabins). 

[KennyFla]

7 hours ago, BoundForSea said:

So with the choice of bottle of alcohol, you can choose Sparkling Wine (Asti) as one of the choices, or white, red, or a bottle of spirits (Rum Vidka Gin etc). You don’t receive the bottle of Asti anymore with the YC automatically upon arrival. You do if you are Diamond, as part of the Diamond perk, so for us we chose Gin and they brought Asti and the Macaroons as they Diamond perk. They also don’t provide Macaroons automatically anymore (nor the truffles I showed from the Topsail earlier). You do receive a bowl of whole fruit (not sliced). 

 

There’s just slot of small changes you will notice. We’re on day 3 and the food in LeMuse has been nothing short of amazing, the service spectacular and the ship although dated, just great. These small cut backs are somewhat insignificant but for some, it’s a big deal and I understand that. Overall the experience in YC is more than these small perks, it’s the whole vibe. You don’t get it in Haven, or Celebrity. It’s unique to MSC and YC, just as much as the MSC smell!!! and we love it.  I think for me being of Italian heritage it reminds me of a lot of my childhood in the culture of the ship and experience and that for me is unique. Tonight I had a pasta dish that was out of this world, truth is you’re not going to find that dish on NCL, Royal, Celebrity, Well def the C word, and even some luxury lines, it’s the culture and unique Italian and Euro family influence. 

 

Okay enough of my MSC cheerleading. I fought with the land side through the entirety of Covid and 2020, it’s like a different company when you step on board and enter the glass doors, and for that I deal with the landslide nonsense. 

 

That’s just me though. You’re Mileage may vary and opinions will as well, that’s what drives this platform called cruise CRITIC. 

 

 

An off topic question.  Was MSC making YC guests stick to the embarkation time they are given?  For Oct 17 we have 1:00, but we hope to be able to get on sooner?

[UniPac]

1 hour ago, LeCommandant said:

More generally speaking, there are not only cutbacks, but also improvements, in particular:

• Free WiFi for YC guests (it was sooo expensive before!)
• Drinks everywhere in the ship are included (it was limited to YC areas before)
• Improved bar list with the famous real champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (limited to Europe)
• and so on...

The prices also decreased (in particular Inside Cabins). 

 

Regarding WiFi, it is the "Browse" package for 2 devices per person. Slow, but works.

Drinks outside YC: it is like having bought the premium package (10 EUR limit) and is working in specialty dining venues.

 

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, KennyFla said:

An off topic question.  Was MSC making YC guests stick to the embarkation time they are given?  For Oct 17 we have 1:00, but we hope to be able to get on sooner?

When we sailed on 8/23 you could show up whenever. From other posts here it seems like that is still the policy.

[Sinbadssailors]

1 hour ago, KennyFla said:

An off topic question.  Was MSC making YC guests stick to the embarkation time they are given?  For Oct 17 we have 1:00, but we hope to be able to get on sooner?

We boarded Meraviglia on Saturday. We were upgraded and it moved our time to 2:00.

The rental car still had to be returned before 11, so we showed up at the pier nearly 3 hrs early.

No one batted an eye and we were on board, drink in hand, in less than 30 minutes.

[hamrag]

5 hours ago, LeCommandant said:

More generally speaking, there are not only cutbacks, but also improvements, in particular:

• Drinks everywhere in the ship are included (it was limited to YC areas before)

 

That particular bullet point is not accurate, drinks were not limited to YC areas but available throughout the ship, so that aspect is unchanged!

[LeCommandant]

13 minutes ago, hamrag said:

 

That particular bullet point is not accurate, drinks were not limited to YC areas but available throughout the ship, so that aspect is unchanged!

It changed in 2018. We had to pay for drinks outside YC. I am 100% sure. 

[hamrag]

Just now, LeCommandant said:

It changed in 2018. We had to pay for drinks outside YC. I am 100% sure. 

I sailed YC twice late 2018 and once 2019, and YC drinks were available throughout the ships Meraviglia and Preziosa.

[Beamafar]

There was a time when drinks were only included in the YC enclave.  We used to purchase the Allegrissimo package for use around the rest of the ship.  I think it was a couple of years before 2018 when they extended the inclusion to cover all areas.   I would have said around 2014. 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

I remember it being introduced for sailings from late April and being delighted that we’d have it for an upcoming cruise, which, turns out, was in June 2017 (having checked back through my records).  

[KennyFla]

Outside of Yacht Club we can get any drink up to $12, is that correct?  Does that go for speciality coffees as well?

[LeCommandant]

28 minutes ago, KennyFla said:

Outside of Yacht Club we can get any drink up to $12, is that correct?  Does that go for speciality coffees as well?

Yes $12. It should work also for speciality coffees (no problem for Irish coffee 😉 ). However, chocolate and specialities e.g., in Venchi chocolate maker everything will be charged. 

Edited September 29, 2021 by LeCommandant

[alyssamma]

58 minutes ago, KennyFla said:

Outside of Yacht Club we can get any drink up to $12, is that correct?  Does that go for speciality coffees as well?

No...

 

1) Drink $12 and under, yes you will get it

 

2) Drink over $12, maybe. Some are always included, and others will be included based on what bar and bartender you have. 

 

Basically if the drink is >$12 you have to have them check the computer. Make sure they do that because some will just look at the price and tell you "no". But the reality is many >$12 drinks are included in the YC drink package.

 

I'm unsure about coffee, but I *think* that may depend on the ship.

 

Pre-covid Seaside and Divina had gelato and crepes included.

[cdel71]

4 hours ago, alyssamma said:

 

 

Basically if the drink is >$12 you have to have them check the computer. Make sure they do that because some will just look at the price and tell you "no". But the reality is many >$12 drinks are included in the YC drink package.

 

 

Any examples of a drink more than $12 outside the YC but was actually included that you are aware of, or had the bartender check, and was included?   I remember seeing a menu for signature cocktails (I think they are $15 or 16 each, and would guess are not covered).

[alyssamma]

6 minutes ago, cdel71 said:

 

Any examples of a drink more than $12 outside the YC but was actually included that you are aware of, or had the bartender check, and was included?   I remember seeing a menu for signature cocktails (I think they are $15 or 16 each, and would guess are not covered).

Well, when I was on the 8/23 sailing it was Don Julio Reposado.

 

There are others too. If you look through posts you'll see examples of wine and champagne...I don't really drink either, so...

 

The problem is the YC drink package is its own package...it isn't the Premium. It kind of sits in between Premium and Premium Plus...

Edited September 29, 2021 by alyssamma

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, LeCommandant said:

We had to pay for drinks outside YC. I am 100% sure. 

 

January, 2020 on Meravigila as a YC guest, whatever beverage I ordered outside of YC, the drink(s) were prepared and served and their was no charge.  And, I must say, when the bartender recognized me as a YC guest, the pours were quite generous.  

[LadySpoilt]

6 hours ago, Beamafar said:

I remember it being introduced for sailings from late April and being delighted that we’d have it for an upcoming cruise, which, turns out, was in June 2017 (having checked back through my records).  

Beamafar, I agree with you.  On our 5/16 YC cruise drinks were only free in the YC but by our 9/18 YC cruise they were free throughout the ship

Spoilt

[ocdb8r]

9 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Well, when I was on the 8/23 sailing it was Don Julio Reposado.

 

There are others too. If you look through posts you'll see examples of wine and champagne...I don't really drink either, so...

 

The problem is the YC drink package is its own package...it isn't the Premium. It kind of sits in between Premium and Premium Plus...

 

Yes, and this is still the case (just off Seashore last week).  There is a separate drink menu for each of the Yacht Club locations (Topsail, Pool Bar and Restaurant) - anything on it without a price is included for free when in the Yacht Club area.  If you compare, you will see there are several "Signature Cocktails", well drinks and wine/champagne there that would be above $12 at bars outside the Yacht Club (and thus, in the Yacht Club you can get some drinks free that you cannot outside the Yacht Club).  Based on my experience on the Seashore, there is no "package" within the YC - simply almost everything is included, with a small selection of top shelf liquor, wine and champagne listed on YC menus with an extra charge.  Outside the YC we effectively had the "Premium" drinks package (which in Europe was up to EUR 12 and in the Caribbean is up to USD 12).  On my cruise, we upgraded to the "Premium Plus" package, which gave us access to anything offered by the glass on the whole ship.

 

I would also remind everyone that this is all about to change AGAIN as MSC introduces new drinks packages for the Fall (there is a separate thread here detailing this).  We have no idea what "equivalent" YC guests will be given for use outside the YC (and so the current situation could change). We already know that the new "Premium Plus" will not entitle holders to anything offered by the glass and will introduce a new top per glass limit of USD 15 (EUR 12).

Edited September 30, 2021 by ocdb8r

[hamrag]

9 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Well, when I was on the 8/23 sailing it was Don Julio Reposado.

 

There are others too. If you look through posts you'll see examples of wine and champagne...I don't really drink either, so...

 

The problem is the YC drink package is its own package...it isn't the Premium. It kind of sits in between Premium and Premium Plus...

There were a couple of single malt whiskies also in that category. Absolutely, it tends to sit at the lower end of Premium Plus but in my experience includes nothing over 15 per glass.

[clemsonlori98]

I will truly miss the choco peanuts.   😞     

 

I wonder since Venchi is on the Seashore, will YC guests get gelato/choc martinis/crepes included (not charged)?   We enjoyed that the Seaside in 2019.