Specialty dining worth to try if you have Yacht Club, or can you ask to try out the Specialty Dining dishes and ingredients

[HermitageZ]

Specialty dining worth to try if you have Yacht Club, or can you ask to try out the Specialty Dining dishes and ingredients when you're in the Yacht Club?

 

And what is included or not included if that is easier to say, in YC when you go out to eat and drink outside of YC? I take it the buffet and MDR are free as well, but what nice food can you get there, what you can't get in YC? What about the drinks, are the drinks free or only if you're in YC?

 

Apologies if these questions have been asked and answered before, but when I google these questions, I don't get definitive answers. 

[morpheusofthesea]

Well, one can try before one buys. We discovered by accident a free Specialty Restaurant Food tour on board the MSC Seashore. We happened to be at the Champagne Bar and asked a gentleman in a suit what was going on. Our Sailing was July 9 to 16 2022 , and this gentleman was Mustafa the director of Specialty Restaurants. He said this was only the second week. It was unadvertised and only listed in the daily program at 12:30 for one hour. Everyone really should make it a point to read the daily program. Out of 4100 passengers only 250 showed up. I believe a free glass of Champagne was included. Everyone was able to go from each Specialty Restaurant and sample their food.

[morpheusofthesea]

5 hours ago, HermitageZ said:

, but what nice food can you get there, what you can't get in YC?

Food is a personal, deep-seated idiosyncrasy peculiar to each individual. Would it be farfetched to imagine that the same chef is rotating from one kitchen to another, in a confined space as a cruise ship, in response to more anticipated bookings in one venue from another; cooking on similar hardware the same seafood, chicken, meats only presented differently? Perception is reality. The buffet appears to be a free for all, but take the same entrees and put them on a dressed plate with colorful garnish, served in moments by an attentive waiter grinding pepper, grading cheese, and topping up your glass of wine….viola … an upcharge!

[morpheusofthesea]

8 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Would it be farfetched to imagine that the same chef is rotating from one kitchen to another,

But in the case of the Yacht Club Restaurant this is really not the case. The YC on the Seashore has a great special chef brought in to oversee only the Yacht club. She is very well respected among the staff and crew. We can only state that everything we were presented was cooked to our liking and we do not have to take advantage of our free specialty dining perk on any cruise while in the Yacht Club.

Edited July 28, 2022 by morpheusofthesea

[phissy]

We enjoy the variety of cuisines offered in YC restaurant. 
But, for a change of pace, and a chance to explore the ship, we go to buffet for afternoon or evening food trials. Pizza is the main reason.

We are Diamond with MSC and only used specialty meal perk once during b2b cruise.

We have always cruised YC and have not arranged with Concierge to eat in main dining room. This is what is required if you are in YC.

We have gone out on main pool deck to sample soft ice cream, and snacks during activities at main pool deck. 
Enjoy the YC but, go out and explore ship. Your card will get you drinks all over the ship.
Areas not covered by YC privileges include specialty restaurants and Venchi chocolates etc.

[Dbox]

The only time we ventured out of the yacht club for dinner on the seashore was to have dinner at Kaito Sushi.

 

My kids got a kick out of picking their sushi off of a conveyor and we used a OBC so it was worth it. 

[Gatordad1967]

You can get anything served in the MDR in YC restaurant.  As long as you give them notice.  Don't tell them at 6:30 you want it for 6:45.  Tell them early, and they will arrange for it.

 

[rkacruiser]

I looked at the menus of the specialty restaurants.  I compared them with what the YC menus were offering.  Even with a comp dinner, I saw no reason to dine elsewhere.

 

In the afternoon, if I wanted a snack, I patronized a pizza venue outside the YC and was very pleased.  As as been posted, beverages outside of YC will be of no cost to you.  And, in my experience, the pours will be very generous when the bartender recognizes you as a YC guest.  

[Gatordad1967]

14 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I looked at the menus of the specialty restaurants.  I compared them with what the YC menus were offering.  Even with a comp dinner, I saw no reason to dine elsewhere.

 

In the afternoon, if I wanted a snack, I patronized a pizza venue outside the YC and was very pleased.  As as been posted, beverages outside of YC will be of no cost to you.  And, in my experience, the pours will be very generous when the bartender recognizes you as a YC guest.  

we had pizza brought in at the pool one day for lunch on Meraviglia.....Vince our waiter got the biggest kick out of bringing it.  Their pizza always satisfies.....

[dexddd]

Mera last fall no pizza to YC pool.  The work around was order to room and bring up.  Made no sense.

[zackarykeef]

On 7/28/2022 at 6:16 PM, Dbox said:

The only time we ventured out of the yacht club for dinner on the seashore was to have dinner at Kaito Sushi.

 

My kids got a kick out of picking their sushi off of a conveyor and we used a OBC so it was worth it. 

Did you feel it was worth it? Was the sushi good?

 

We are sailing YC in October…we have $500 OBC and are trying to decide what to use it for. Thanks!

 

Also…does anyone have or know where I can find current specialty menus? Thanks!

[phissy]

6 hours ago, dexddd said:

Mera last fall no pizza to YC pool.  The work around was order to room and bring up.  Made no sense.

Aww, you missed out on this by a few weeks.

When we were on in November, plenty of YC guests were having pizza delivered up on YC Pool. 
Perhaps your input influenced this change? 😁

Edited July 30, 2022 by phissy

[dexddd]

17 hours ago, phissy said:

Aww, you missed out on this by a few weeks.

When we were on in November, plenty of YC guests were having pizza delivered up on YC Pool. 
Perhaps your input influenced this change? 😁

Glad they made the change for the better.  No, I can't take credit, never said anything.  At that time, I was just thrilled to be on a ship.

[Shippy]

On 7/28/2022 at 3:02 PM, phissy said:

We enjoy the variety of cuisines offered in YC restaurant. 
But, for a change of pace, and a chance to explore the ship, we go to buffet for afternoon or evening food trials. Pizza is the main reason.

We are Diamond with MSC and only used specialty meal perk once during b2b cruise.

We have always cruised YC and have not arranged with Concierge to eat in main dining room. This is what is required if you are in YC.

We have gone out on main pool deck to sample soft ice cream, and snacks during activities at main pool deck. 
Enjoy the YC but, go out and explore ship. Your card will get you drinks all over the ship.
Areas not covered by YC privileges include specialty restaurants and Venchi chocolates etc.

   We always arrange to eat in the main dining room on Italian night.

I prefer the food offer there that night & it is very festive. Loud Italian music & dancing waiters !

[mafig]

12 hours ago, Shippy said:

   We always arrange to eat in the main dining room on Italian night.

I prefer the food offer there that night & it is very festive. Loud Italian music & dancing waiters !

I have read this before.  Does YC have an "italian night"?  How does it differ?

[Shippy]

2 hours ago, mafig said:

I have read this before.  Does YC have an "italian night"?  How does it differ?

   I find the YC restaurant is more 'reserved'.

Their waiters do not parade around to music.

Although their food is very good, we prefer simpler fare sometimes.

Cannot remember exactly what is on the menu in the mdr for Italian night but they do always have the fried calamari which is one of my favorites.

[Shippy]

MDR Italian night menu

[Shippy]

Not sure but I think this is the YC Italian night menu

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Shippy said:

Not sure but I think this is the YC Italian night menu

 

That does look familiar.  Personally, I like the MDR Italian Night offerings better on the menu that was posted.  I wish I had been more aware of what the MDR menu was as well as the ability of dining in the MDR.  

[Shippy]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

That does look familiar.  Personally, I like the MDR Italian Night offerings better on the menu that was posted.  I wish I had been more aware of what the MDR menu was as well as the ability of dining in the MDR.  

  You can just ask in the morning to see the dinner menu in the MDR. ...Maybe you can for the whole week.

Then you just ask the YC concierge to call them & make the reservation for you.

[mafig]

Is "italian night" the same night in DR and YC?

[Shippy]

2 hours ago, mafig said:

Is "italian night" the same night in DR and YC?

When they have a theme night onboard it is ship wide.

[JAGR]

2 hours ago, mafig said:

Is "italian night" the same night in DR and YC?

The theme is the same ship wide, but the experience is a bit different in YC and MDR.  For "Italian" night (which has often become "Mediterranean" night on US-based cruises), the atmosphere is much more celebratory in the MDR with parading and dancing (think Carnival Cruise!), while it has been much more understated (as usual every night) in the YC.