Where are all the "regular folks"?

[Momto3girlsintheCarolinas]

We are sailing MSC for the first time in a few days, so I have been stalking the MSC boards for months.  It has been a terrific source of information, and I am grateful.  There are lots of wonderful and very helpful folks here.

 

However, it seems like there are a lot of very affluent posters here.  Much more so than on other cruise line boards.  There are so many posts about the YC and people mentioning suites that they have spent thousands to enjoy.

 

Don't get me wrong - I am happy for you.  If you can afford it, go for it.  However, where are all the "regular folks"?   The people who travel on a budget.  The people who are glad to just be on a ship, even if they can "only afford" an inside stateroom?

 

I am feeling like I might be a social outcast on this ship in not dining in the "private dining room" or having access to the spa.

 

I am worried that the class differences will be as obvious as they were for Leo and Kate in 1997.  That's not a feeling I want while on vacation.  

 

All experiences and perspectives are welcomed.  Please play nice.

[hapytobehr]

I have been on MSC in both the yacht club and with the "regular" folks.

 

I will say, there is NOTHING like the yacht club experience. 

 

However, we enjoyed our time with the "regular" folks but have another booked in the Yacht club for Halloween because we loved the experience!

 

Just remember, a cruise is what YOU make it.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

[MsTabbyKats]

Don't worry, you won't be an outcast.

We were in the YC last month (2nd time in YC), and truth be told, we spent most of our time "with the masses".  YC "fine dining" just isn't for us, we don't drink and it was too windy for the private YC pool deck...our main source of food was buffet pizza.  Also, in the theatre we prefer first row, so we didn't even sit in our "reserved YC seating" area.

If I sail on MSC again...unless I get a super great deal...it's gonna be in a "regular folks" cabin.

[Best Cat Mom]

Keep in mind that many non-Americans cruise on MSC and not many non-Americans are members of Cruise Critic. You're starting with a smaller universe of potential posters on the MSC board, unfortunately, so it makes sense that the actual number of MSC posters would be less than on other CC boards.

 

However, there is still a good amount of non-YC info here. You might want to search for specific information to find some older threads. The ones that are post-Covid should still have mostly current information.

 

When you cruise in a few days, please share your experiences. I've read other comments where people express the need for more non-YC threads.

 

Buon viaggio!

[cellfree]

37 minutes ago, Momto3girlsintheCarolinas said:

We are sailing MSC for the first time in a few days, so I have been stalking the MSC boards for months.  It has been a terrific source of information, and I am grateful.  There are lots of wonderful and very helpful folks here.

 

However, it seems like there are a lot of very affluent posters here.  Much more so than on other cruise line boards.  There are so many posts about the YC and people mentioning suites that they have spent thousands to enjoy.

 

Don't get me wrong - I am happy for you.  If you can afford it, go for it.  However, where are all the "regular folks"?   The people who travel on a budget.  The people who are glad to just be on a ship, even if they can "only afford" an inside stateroom?

 

I am feeling like I might be a social outcast on this ship in not dining in the "private dining room" or having access to the spa.

 

I am worried that the class differences will be as obvious as they were for Leo and Kate in 1997.  That's not a feeling I want while on vacation.  

 

All experiences and perspectives are welcomed.  Please play nice.

Have a wonderful cruise. We have been “regular” folks for 12+ MSC cruises, every ship that has ever sailed out of a US Port a few times over, and never knew there was a Yacht Club!” 

[MsTabbyKats]

@Momto3girlsintheCarolinasAlthough entitled, we didn't go to the spa.  And once you're out of the YC area...nobody knows what kind of cabin you're in, or cares.

As far as non-Americans, there was a large group of Asians (from Asia).

 

You can ask @JamieLogicalfor her reviews.  She's said with "regular folks" a few times...and is very happy!

Edited May 8 by MsTabbyKats

[Scottdalfonso]

I thought the same thing, seems like for such an "elite and exclusive" area, a whole lot of people use it, or I guess post about it.  I was able to find some live blogs and reviews in here that were really helpful, you just have to look around. I have my first MSC coming up in December and have found plenty of posts about the regular experiences. 

[alserrod]

Hello:

 

Well, maybe I'm one of them.

 

I'm going to travel with MSC in two months and... first of all, I haven't paid for the cruise. My parents, who are celebrating 50 years of marriage, did it and wanted to invite all the children, sons/daughters-in-law and grandchildren. In total we are 14 people.

Now, my brothers and I convinced them to review the budget. It seemed very expensive to us that they wanted to pay for 14 people.

 

So of course
- my daughters will be with me in the cabin with additional occupancy
- all cabins are interior
- the drinks pack is the Easy for everyone
- the trip is on the first date that there is no school (cheaper than in August)
-...

 

They wanted to have booked a cabin at YC and I reminded them that we could not sit together at dinner, we could not go to their facilities and many of the privileges they had could not be enjoyed if they were with us (such as a spa area, in the pool , disembark earlier, etc...), so they just took a cabin next to ours.

 

The purpose of the cruise week is to spend a week together and a ship makes this much easier since it allows you to visit things at your leisure, has a swimming pool and lots of entertainment for all ages. My little nephew is 3 years old, my oldest daughter is 18, and there are cousins of all ages in between.

 

But yes, as I said, we are going with a tight budget. I don't know how much my parents would have but we didn't want them to spend more.

 

The excursions are all DIY and we were surprised because for Rome they booked a private bus for 14, incredibly more expensive than all the options I had found.

 

So... I won't have a butler to take care of the small details of the cabin (as long as I have someone to clean and put a little order in the chaos that will be going with my daughters, the tip has already been earned!!!) , but I will have the opportunity to have a cocktail at night with guaranteed fun with my brothers and nephews. There are many of us and in recent years we have barely all met (we live in different cities). To be able to be together for a week like this we have had to reserve it a year in advance.

 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Momto3girlsintheCarolinas said:

However, it seems like there are a lot of very affluent posters here.  Much more so than on other cruise line boards.  There are so many posts about the YC and people mentioning suites that they have spent thousands to enjoy.

How many more posts would you like? I just did a cursory count of the last 3 pages. Not counting the always present first 7, there are a total of 67 topics. 13 have to do with Yacht Club. That means about 19%.  The bulk of posts 81% are NON YC.

P.S. The Yacht Club with us is very "poopular".

Edited May 8 by morpheusofthesea
ps

[Two Wheels Only]

One of the reasons for so many Yacht Club threads and questions is that the "ship-within-a-ship" concept is new to many people. Even people who are used to the concept (NCL Haven, for example) will ask questions to see how Yacht Club and Haven compare/contrast. 

 

As the "ship-within-a-ship" concept continues to grow with the RCCL Suite Neighborhood, the Celebrity Retreat, and the Princess Sanctuary, there will be others who will compare/contrast the concept with the MSC Yacht Club. 

 

In addition, the "experiences" of MSC lead to a lot of questions. 

 

The vast majority of guests on the ship are not in the Yacht Club nor are they Aurea guests. 

The vast majority of guests on the ship do not have Spa Access. 

The vast majority of guests on the ship aren't eating in the specialty restaurants. 

 

There are "regular folks" in every part of the ship with Bella, Fantastica, Aurea, or Yacht Club experience.  

 

 

 

 

Edited May 8 by Two Wheels Only

[alserrod]

In fact, some of you here have been reading me for a few months. I have learned a lot from you.

 

Which has a lot of merit given that none of the chronicles that have been written in this forum in recent months are about this boat and route and the vast majority are from another geographical area (and many of them in YC). Despite everything, I have learned many things that I didn't even consider and I hope to take advantage of it when I travel.

 

In addition to this forum, I participate in another cruise forum in my country. Much less information but much more precise and local.

 

I don't know if it will surprise you but, if I take into account the forum members who write in that local forum
- no one travels on YC (and most don't even know it exists)
- all but one have Easy pack for drinks. And there are people who ask if a pack of drinks is really worth it
- everyone asks about DIY excursions (way to reduce the budget. I like to plan trips a lot and I have fun but let's not fool ourselves, you also make it cheaper)
- if you can use public transport to get there, it is used
- there are no questions about a specialty restaurant (some have gone and put it in their chronicle but people don't go to them)
-...

 

something that probably won't surprise you:
- Every time a new person enters this forum, the first question is about excursions. Then he will ask something about the boat but it is a fixed rule... what is worrying are the excursions.
That is to say, what is said a lot is that in the Mediterranean people go on cruises to enjoy the ship but that the destination is certain cities, never the ship itself.

 

 

and something that may surprise you
- Despite all of the above, a good number of these people I mentioned, if they go to Venice travel by gondola.
I highlight this because the gondola ride is 90 euros for just 30 minutes.
(when I traveled the last time, a few years ago, it was already 60 euros)

It must also be said that taking into account the different travel and vacation options, a cruise is not the cheapest. I am including the possibility of going to a visit and heritage destination for a week, or going for a week to enjoy the beach or...

 

Not because it is more expensive per se, but because of everything that a cruise includes. Yes, it is worth it but people look at the budget, what a week is worth and the options available.

And this is how (I don't know if you have noticed), but all these "customs" are had by people who travel by cruise ship and live relatively very close to the port with the most cruise travelers in the world outside the state of Florida.

[JamieLogical]

I have sailed Aurea one time and otherwise sails Fantastica on all my MSC cruises. So far I have only sailed the Meraviglia multiple times and the Divina once. Feel free to check out my live blogs in my profile if you want to see more about how I he "regular" people experience MSC!

[alserrod]

2 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

I have sailed Aurea one time and otherwise sails Fantastica on all my MSC cruises. So far I have only sailed the Meraviglia multiple times and the Divina once. Feel free to check out my live blogs in my profile if you want to see more about how I he "regular" people experience MSC!

 

 

 

I will be in Fantastica too.

 

 

I will write my lines post-cruise (not in the cruise, I will switch off for a week).

The issue is.... I do not know what to write and what not to write because ports of call are absolutely different on which everybody seems to be interested (I have read about cruising from Athens and in Northern Europe but nobody has written about Western Mediterranean) and I could upload MDR menus, daily programs and so but.... I think they will not be in English.

 

Nevertheless.... I will try to write about an experience in another recent ship of MSC

[Cruising Lynne]

2 hours ago, Momto3girlsintheCarolinas said:

We are sailing MSC for the first time in a few days, so I have been stalking the MSC boards for months.  It has been a terrific source of information, and I am grateful.  There are lots of wonderful and very helpful folks here.

 

However, it seems like there are a lot of very affluent posters here.  Much more so than on other cruise line boards.  There are so many posts about the YC and people mentioning suites that they have spent thousands to enjoy.

 

Don't get me wrong - I am happy for you.  If you can afford it, go for it.  However, where are all the "regular folks"?   The people who travel on a budget.  The people who are glad to just be on a ship, even if they can "only afford" an inside stateroom?

 

I am feeling like I might be a social outcast on this ship in not dining in the "private dining room" or having access to the spa.

 

I am worried that the class differences will be as obvious as they were for Leo and Kate in 1997.  That's not a feeling I want while on vacation.  

 

All experiences and perspectives are welcomed.  Please play nice.

I think you may see a disproportionate amount of posts about the Yacht Club for two reasons. One being that it is not the "usual" cruise experience so people have a lot of questions about how things work. The other may be that people are excited that they are having or going to have a more exclusive, luxurious experience in the Yacht Club and want to share their excitement (and maybe brag a little).

 

I will be taking my first MSC cruise very soon on Meraviglia. We will be in a regular Fantastica ocean view cabin. I will report back our experience, and may be some comparing to NCL, which has been our most frequently sailed line.

[Cooper30]

Enjoy your cruise!!

 

We're about as blue collar/budget conscious as you can get.....We've spent decades "living like no one else so we can live like no one else", and we are extremely frugal.  Cruising is our escape from real life, and we count pennies to be able to do it.

 

We discovered cruising in 2019 when our youngest moved out.  Most of our bookings have been of the "let the cruise line pick your room" type.  9 out of 10 times, we're staying in an inside cabin.

 

We took our first MSC cruise back in January (on Divina) and were in a gen pop balcony (thanks to a successful upgrade bid).  We had a wonderful time and felt the experience was no better or worse than our usual experience on the other mass market cruise line we've always been on.  Price was definitely the driving factor for our trying MSC.

 

We are always looking at cruise line websites for hot deals, but we've found booking as soon as itineraries are released to be the cheapest way to go.

 

We have a 7-night northern Europe cruise on Preziosa in Yacht Club this October.  We booked in November, 2022.  It's a smoking deal....and I mean unbelievable..$2.2k total.  We originally booked a YC Interior on Euribia (before she launched) based on the itinerary and when the ship was changed, we were put in a balcony since Preziosa has no YC Interiors.  If we had booked a Bella Interior, we would have been paying less than $600 total, but we decided we had enough time to earn the $$ to splurge a bit.

 

We are aware that this YC cruise on Preziosa will be a one-off for us.  As a matter of fact, we have another MSC cruise booked for May 2025.  It's a plain old interior on Divina going to Greece and Turkey from Italy.

 

 

[Essiesmom]

I travel Below the Salt and have done two live threads (October and December 2023).  While I think I would like the YC restaurant and pool grill, I am not a pool person.  It’s a paradox that I want to be out where there is more activity, but not necessarily participate in it.  I have an active mind…the older I get, the more pressure there is to ‘learn’ something.  There is so much interesting culture and history I haven’t encountered yet.  
   I have traveled Bella, Fantastica and bid up to Aurea.  I cruise again in June in a Bella OV.  I wanted an OV and all available was Bella.  
   As far as the plethora of threads about YC, I find the same thing on the other boards I follow here: Celebrity , Carnival, HAL, Cunard… it’s as though they want everyone to know they are in suites.  But I think the first posts for most are about drinks packages.  EM

[yogimax]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

How many more posts would you like? I just did a cursory count of the last 3 pages. Not counting the always present first 7, there are a total of 67 topics. 13 have to do with Yacht Club. That means about 19%.  The bulk of posts 81% are NON YC.

P.S. The Yacht Club with us is very "poopular".

Yet, four out of the top 7 topics deal with the Yacht Club.  That's 57%

 

The OP has a valid point.  I feel the same way.  The implication on this board is that MSC is all about the Yacht Club.

[some_body]

I am on such a tight budget, my home internet only has enough data for me to post a few times every couple years.   😀

[Two Wheels Only]

52 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Yet, four out of the top 7 topics deal with the Yacht Club.  That's 57%

 

Whether 3 or 4 of the pinned threads are Yacht Club related, the Mods determine which threads get pinned, not the members. If the next 100 threads are all Bella related, those pinned threads would still be at the top of page 1. 

 

52 minutes ago, yogimax said:

The OP has a valid point.  I feel the same way.  The implication on this board is that MSC is all about the Yacht Club.

 

On the NCL forum, many of the threads are Haven related. There are probably more threads related to promos and service charges over there because that's what more people ask about. If more people started threads about other experience levels on the MSC forum, there would be a better balance. 

 

 

Edited May 8 by Two Wheels Only

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, yogimax said:

Yet, four out of the top 7 topics deal with the Yacht Club.  That's 57%

 

The OP has a valid point.  I feel the same way.  The implication on this board is that MSC is all about the Yacht Club.

The pinned posts do not represent the entire board, I rarely notice them on any of these boards..

[morpheusofthesea]

This reminds me of a quote by "The Total Traveler" author Ethyl Blum "Those that can afford to travel first class and don't, your heirs will."

[Arizona Sunshine]

Please don't conflate people who don't cruise MSC in YC with people who can't afford to. 

 

Is the Subaru driver next to you unable to afford a Lexus? Is the person you see at breakfast at the Hampton Inn dreaming of the day s/he can stay at the Four Seasons? Are the 16 people at the front of the plane all wealthier than the 160 behind them?

 

I've cruised four or five times with MSC, never in YC, always in inside cabins, and I've never had a bad cruise. Is YC better? Probably? Certainly? I may never know.

 

I do think some --- but by no means all --- of those who post here want to differentiate themselves from "regular" MSC cruisers because of the line's reputation. Fair enough.

 

I cruise almost exclusively for experiences and itineraries. I'm not a "foodie" and I'm happy with the liquor and wine choices available. 

 

For those who prefer to pay extra for the YC experience: good for you, I hope it's great, and I have no judgement whatsoever about your choice.

 

AS

 

 

[bucfan2]

2 hours ago, yogimax said:

 The implication on this board is that MSC is all about the Yacht Club.

To some, it is...and that's OK. 

[PTC DAWG]

44 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

This reminds me of a quote by "The Total Traveler" author Ethyl Blum "Those that can afford to travel first class and don't, your heirs will."

Lots of truth there.

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, yogimax said:

The implication on this board is that MSC is all about the Yacht Club.

Hardly. The dichotomy, separation, division, even polarity between the YC and the rest of the ship is what makes the Yacht Club so much more appreciated. We got back from a Regent Seven Seas cruise on the new Grandeur in a Grand Suite having paid 3 times the price of a Royal Suite on Seaships to get cafeteria food (could not special order a grilled chicken breast without salt or oil) in Compass Rose, no reserved pergola/cabana/lounge chair on any deck, not much entertainment (three nights were only movies in the theatre), no escorts to the front of any line, no reserved table at the once a cruise Grand Barbecue, everyone is FCFS. Nothing beats MSC Yacht Clubs, not even Explora Journeys, its sister company, for butler service. The service I provide is to save you all reading here the cost of throwing good money for suites on so called luxury cruise lines that are anything but luxury when compared to MSC Yacht Clubs.

P.S. Outside the Yacht Club one enjoys the same entertainment. Get up early before 7 am and enjoy the Market Place buffet (I did a 7am video 360 degree walk about showing how beautiful and uncrowded and not picked over by the hordes that are still sleeping). Get any lounger at any pool at 7am. Buffet lunches on port days are just like breakfasts at 7 am. Some of the meals in the buffet are on the YC menu as well (these all come from the same kitchen, like Indian butter chicken). Read my Yacht Club posts. I write about the whole ship.

Edited May 8 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.