OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK JULY 16-23, 2023 SEASCAPE

[frank808]

On 7/19/2023 at 5:24 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is a photo of the Aurea Top 19 access door to the left of the yellow cone  from the YC One Pool Deck as in post #98. There is an identical access door on the starboard side as well.

MSC solved this problem on Europa. No other entrances to YC from the outside pool deck. Seems like YC has taken what used to be Aurea areas. No problem of interlopers anymore.

[frank808]

On 7/22/2023 at 3:11 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

yes.

   

It all depends on your service. What would you feel you would appreciate for the service you provided if the shoe was on the other foot?

I was unsure about a lot of things, so I went in search of information and found this university study on tipping. "The common feature of all forms of tipping is the voluntary and discretionary nature of the tip: the consumer is free to choose how much to tip, if at all. This definition excludes service charges, imposed gratuities, and imposed tips which have nothing in common with voluntary tipping."

  Being one's first time with no past experience of what to expect from a butler it can be a challenge. Let us take the example mentioned here. Some of us have experienced the assemblage of YC guests meeting in the TopSail Lounge for a 'group' escort off the ship to "fend for themselves" on the pier, while others are approached the night before by their personal butler (a good one) asking one's plans and setting up an appointment to be picked up at one's cabin and escorted (without a group) personally to one's seat (coach or private car). The group butler hardly deserves much of a tip unless it is from the spouse of a late straggler holding up the entire group waiting in the lounge. The "good" butler goes above and beyond and deserves at least $20 per day. We only travel 7 day cruises and tip $200-$400 depending on the level of service provided. One cruise we only tipped our butler $20 for the week, we did not get the service we had grown accustomed to (spoiled by) from other butlers on MSC.

12 sailings with MSC in YC and we have only experienced group escorts off the ship. Our past 2 cruises last month in YC on Divina and Europa, we have finally experienced the personal escort to your bus/car. I thought butlers only did personal service in Europe till your post.

[morpheusofthesea]

11 hours ago, frank808 said:

Is this the same Gusti that is a skinny gentleman from Indonesia with a big smile? Just saw him on Divina in Europe a month ago in June. Met him for the first time on Seaside and then he was on Seaview last year.

I had the same thoughts as you, until we saw this Gusti. Did not think there could be another Gusti. But there is, perhaps MSC promoted the wrong Gusti we both know and love ? Yes, the Gusti we know lives in Bali, Indonesia. I think even Dempasar. Told him were there just before the bombing at a night club in Kuta Beach. The ship we were on was the Marco Polo docked or anchored at Dempasar over night. We spent the night at the Bin Tang Bali hotel and got back to the ship the next day since Kuta beach was 2 hours from Dempasar. Took our passports with us in case we missed the ship. (We were daredevils in those days).

Edited July 28, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

19 hours ago, frank808 said:

12 sailings with MSC in YC and we have only experienced group escorts off the ship. Our past 2 cruises last month in YC on Divina and Europa, we have finally experienced the personal escort to your bus/car. I thought butlers only did personal service in Europe till your post.

The personal escort by ones butler could be to a private car or bus on the pier at most Caribbean ports, but noticed in Miami that they would only go as far as luggage pick-up not through facial recognition and out of terminal.

[frank808]

8 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I had the same thoughts as you, until we saw this Gusti. Did not think there could be another Gusti. But there is, perhaps MSC promoted the wrong Gusti we both know and love ? Yes, the Gusti we know lives in Bali, Indonesia. I think even Dempasar. Told him were there just before the bombing at a night club in Kuta Beach. The ship we were on was the Marco Polo docked or anchored at Dempasar over night. We spent the night at the Bin Tang Bali hotel and got back to the ship the next day since Kuta beach was 2 hours from Dempasar. Took our passports with us in case we missed the ship. (We were daredevils in those days).

OK it is not the same Gusti then. I was chit chatting with him and asked him if he wanted to become head butler since he has so many years with MSC. He mentioned that he has been asked a few times to become head butler but he has turned it down. He went on to say that he likes the personal interaction immensely and would be sad to give it up. Also said that he does not like to do all the paperwork and what not in the back of the house. The head butler on Davina was a Russian woman that was on Seaview last year in June. I think her name was Yanni.

[BDL]

On 7/24/2023 at 10:25 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

A 13 second video of a pergola at Ocean House. There are 14 total equiped with lounge chairs as well as rose color float mats.

 

Are these pergolas on OC free for Royal Suite or is it just the ones on the pool deck?
Thanks!

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, BDL said:

Are these pergolas on OC free for Royal Suite or is it just the ones on the pool deck?
Thanks!

 

On OC, cabanas are at a cost for everyone. Only on the ship is a cabana/pergola reserved for Owner's Suite and Royal Suite guests.

[morpheusofthesea]

3 hours ago, BDL said:

Are these pergolas on OC free for Royal Suite or is it just the ones on the pool deck?
Thanks!

You can 'take it to the bank' anything @Two Wheels Only posts ! He is a 'wealth' of information. Just to add our take on the OC pergolas. It is a real perk to have the complimentary pergola on the ship for us. Having experienced the lunch at Ocean House in the less crowded days of the "restart" we opt to take the trolley over early to see any changes and take photos to post. Then we take the next trolley back to the ship to our pergola and enjoy the same lunch provided at  the buffet on the OnePool deck. On our last cruise there were a dozen of us on the OnePool deck enjoying the ship all to ourselves. It would be too 'over the top' to expect another pergola complimentary on the island, it would be 'chair hogging' in our minds. And we all detest chair hogs......

[BDL]

9 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

You can 'take it to the bank' anything @Two Wheels Only posts ! He is a 'wealth' of information. Just to add our take on the OC pergolas. It is a real perk to have the complimentary pergola on the ship for us. Having experienced the lunch at Ocean House in the less crowded days of the "restart" we opt to take the trolley over early to see any changes and take photos to post. Then we take the next trolley back to the ship to our pergola and enjoy the same lunch provided at  the buffet on the OnePool deck. On our last cruise there were a dozen of us on the OnePool deck enjoying the ship all to ourselves. It would be too 'over the top' to expect another pergola complimentary on the island, it would be 'chair hogging' in our minds. And we all detest chair hogs......

Thank you both.  I've learned a lot over the last several months from both of your posts.  We are relatively new to MSC and love the YC.  Hubby doesn't get around too well so he probably won't get off on OC as he hasn't on our first two cruises. My concern was that if they are reserved on OC for Royal Suites then it would go to waste.  Looking forward to our first RS next year for our anniversary.  We will use the one on the pool deck! 

[mica178]

Did you notice any of this hubbub when you disembarked? I think it trumps the pot smell the 7/30 Seasode passengers complained about!!!  https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/2-sisters-allegedly-smuggle-40k-worth-of-cocaine-on-florida-cruise-ship/

[morpheusofthesea]

14 minutes ago, BDL said:

Looking forward to our first RS next year for our anniversary. 

At our ages we no longer need an excuse to book top suites. If we don't, our heirs will.

[BDL]

16 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

At our ages we no longer need an excuse to book top suites. If we don't, our heirs will.

Just realized our Seashore sailing next May isn't even going to OC due to the work being done there!  More days to spend on board enjoying the RS.

 

Our only heir is our daughter and we spoil her by taking her with us sometimes! (Inside YC is fine for her). She's all for our enjoying the finest things.  😉

[phred119s]

On 7/15/2023 at 11:26 PM, Essiesmom said:

Please come back and report on the atmosphere on the Seaside 3 nite cruise.  I will be doing that one in August, amid the Great Unwashed.  EM

We had a great time! We actually might do it again at the end of the month.