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MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven: A Luxury Cruise Comparison

Although MSC first introduced the ship-within-a-ship concept back in 2008, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Haven also offers top-notch services.

So, what will be your pick between MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven?

While MSC Yacht Club offers 6 categories of cabin/stateroom, NCL Haven offers 9 types of suites. Also, NCL Haven’s suits are much larger including 2/3-bedroom villas. Both offer 24-hour concierge and butler services. Moreover, NCL Haven offers more exclusive dining and entertainment options than MSC Yacht. But NCL Haven is more expensive than MSC Yacht Club.

So, what will you choose between these two fine ship-within-ship experiences? Follow the article as we’ll help you judge both.   

MSC Yacht Club Vs NCL Haven: The In-Depth Comparison

Both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven are top of their name. So before diving deep into their services, let’s have a brief look at their competitive offerings. 

So, now we’ll discuss the details of each factor of MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven. You can compare and judge both to pick one for your holiday retreat in these luxurious voyages. 

Stateroom / Cabin Size – MSC Yacht Club Vs NCL Haven

NCL Haven offers 9 types of different suites and cabins while MSC Yacht offers only 6 categories of cabins. 

Compared to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht Club offers smaller cabins. Let’s see what are the categories of cabins offered by MSC Yacht Club .

• The Owner’s Suite: It’s the largest suite offered by MSC Yacht Club. It has 1055 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 269 sqft of balcony with hot tub, etc.
• The Royal Suite: 667 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 355 sqft of balcony with hot tub, etc.
• The Duplex Suite: It has two levels with 635 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 248 sqft of balcony, etc.
• The Deluxe Grand Suite: 269-463 sqft of space, separate living room, 86-129 sqft of balcony, etc.
• The Deluxe Suite: 269-366 sqft of space, and 86 sqft of balcony.
• The Interior Suite: 226 sqft of total space. 

NCL Haven’s suits are humongous compared to MSC Yacht Club. Let’s see what NCL Haven’s suits look like. 

• 3-Bedroom Garden Villa: The largest one in NCL Haven perfect for 8 people. It has 6694 sqft of space, a private dining room, a large living room, and 3.5 baths. Has a hot tub on the balcony.
• 2-Bedroom Family Villa: 504 sqft of space with a master bedroom, a bath, and a private balcony. This is perfect for 6 people.  
• The Deluxe Owner’s Suit: It has 1307 sqft of space with a large dining and living area, a large luxury bath, and floor-to-ceiling windows. A large balcony is also included for 6 people to enjoy.  
• The Owner’s Suit: It has 824 sqft of space with a large living and dining area, one balcony, or two in some ships. This is ideal for 4 people.  
• Aft-Facing Penthouse: This suite has 655 sqft of space with a king-sized bed, a generous living area, and a balcony for all. 4 people can easily enjoy the facilities of this penthouse. 
• The Deluxe Spa Suite: This is the smallest suite in NCL Haven. It has 309 sqft of space with a king-sized bed. Also, there’s a balcony with a hot tub and oversized waterfall showers with jets. It is close to the Mandara Spa Suite and also offers free access to the Thermal Spa Suite.  
• Forward-Facing Penthouse: This is another modest penthouse in NCL Haven. It has 451 sqft of space with a king-sized bed with a forward view. Also, there’s a large dining and living area and a balcony.
• Courtyard Penthouse: The courtyard penthouse of NCL Haven is perfect for a romantic retreat. It has 440 sqft of space with a romantic atmosphere, a private balcony, guest allowance, and living and dining areas.  
• Spa Suite: This suite also has access to Mandara and Thermal Spa Suite. It has 378 sqft of space with a relaxing decoration, a balcony with a hot tub, and oversized waterfall showers with jets.

So, NCL wins regarding stateroom and suite sizes for more room space and additional accommodations. So complete your NCL e-docs and get aboard its luxurious services. 

Concierge Service

Both NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club offer a 24-hour concierge and butler service. With the experienced and capable service of a butler, your every need and assistance will be met on both cruises. 

Moreover, for any additional bookings or purchases, the concierge can help you anytime you need. With the world-class services of the concierge of both NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club, it’ll be worth it.  

Dining & Entertainment – MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven

MSC Yacht Club offers a private dining area for its guests as part of the ship-within-a-ship experience. Their dedicated restaurant will provide sophisticated à la carte menus for you to taste. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven offers priority reservations for all its customers in all dining and entertainment facilities. Compared to MSC Yacht, NCL Haven offers specialty menus brought directly to your suite from any of the restaurants fleetwide. And so, NCL Haven is superior to NCL Suits . 

For entertainment, MSC Yacht Club offers a theater and a casino, a Parisian-Inspired Cabaret, MSC Aurea Spa, and more. Also, you’ll have a dedicated water park and a robotic thrill ride called Robotron. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven offers an exclusive cocktail party with the ship’s officers, Broadway shows, musicals, etc. NCL also offers exotic entertainment options with its variety of comedy and night events. The night is never dull onboard NCL Haven. 

MSC Yacht Club offers a separate pool, restaurant, and lounges for its guests. On the other hand, NCL Haven also offers a dedicated section of the ship for its cruisers. 

NCL Haven’s self-contained area is specifically designed for a one-of-a-kind experience for its passengers. This dedicated space includes special and separated entries, venues, dining, and entertainment facilities. 

Also, both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven offer priority embarkment and disembarkment for their passengers.  

Price Range

In terms of price, NCL Haven is a bit more expensive than MSC Yacht Club . For example, the interior cabins on MSC Yacht Club cost $2800 for 2 people with a balcony that costs $4100. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven costs $3000 per person on an average weeklong trip in its suits. But this price may vary based on availability, time of the year, last-minute sailings, etc. And the larger the suits, the more it will cost you. 

MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven: What Is Best for You?

So, now you have an idea of both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven’s services. It’s time for you to decide which one is best for you. At a glance, NCL Haven offers more freestyle cruising with exciting and exotic entertainment options. 

Conversely, MSC Yacht Club’s Parisian-inspired Cabaret and Aurea Spa are wonderful entertainment options that can compare with the Haven. Also, NCL Haven is a bit more expensive with similar services to MSC Yacht. 

But the exclusive and specialty menu service in your suite can only happen in NCL Haven. So, choose which you like. 

For more luxury cruise options, you can compare Norwegian Cruise Line with Holland America . Holland America also provides many premium and luxury cruise services.  

Can Haven Guests Have Visitors?

Yes, Haven guests can have visitors. But the visitors must be pre-registered with the Haven concierge at the reception. Also, the guests need to provide details of the visitor’s arrival time and departure. 

Are Children Allowed in NCL Haven?

Yes, children are allowed in NCL Haven. Many of its areas are children-friendly while some areas are only for adults. The Haven Sundeck is only for guests above 16 years of age while the courtyard pool is for all. 

Is Room Service Free in The NCL Haven?

The guests enlisted in the NCL Haven suits don’t have to pay for room services. But there’s a 20% gratuity and additional charges for non-complementary beverages through room service. 

So, now choose a pick for your next sailing between MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven. 

There’s always something missing in one while the other has it. Choose a cruise line service that you see fit with your preference and trip goal. But if you’re a solo cruiser and love activities, go for the NCL Haven. You’ll have a much good time. 

I'm a travel writer and content creator who loves to explore new places. I've been to over 20 countries, and I'm always on the lookout for my next great adventure. I love the excitement of airports, the thrill of new experiences, and the feeling of being surrounded by new cultures. I share my travel stories and tips on my website, where I hope to inspire others to explore the world.

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I tried a ship-within-a-ship cruise experience and it was worth it for the endless perks—here’s why

The MSC Yacht Club affords travelers a totally different cruising experience, but you’ll have to splurge.

I heard tales of luxury from people about the ritzy MSC Yacht Club , the ship-within-a-ship concept where discerning passengers enjoy their own area of the cruise ship that includes a dedicated restaurant, private lounge, separate pool and sundeck as well as private butlers and concierges to take of any whim while cruising. The elevated Yacht Club boasts priority everything while sailing MSC.

I sailed on a four-night cruise on the new MSC Seashore, a glitzy ship with Italian flair intermingled with references to New York City at every turn. Although the ship was well-appointed and had amazing dining, drinking and entertainment venues, and a bountiful Top Sail main buffet, thousands of passengers made the ship feel crowded at times, elevators were slow, and as I strolled through the general pools, they were boisterous and crowded.

RECOMMENDED: 10 things about cruising on an adults-only ship that might surprise you

Switch gears to MSC Seashore’s Yacht Club, passkey-protected for lucky guests, and is a 180 from the ship’s general spaces. Once you scan your handy Yacht Club wrist badge, or your room key, you’re instantly given entrance to a breathtaking retreat of 131 staterooms and suites. All this luxury does come at a price. Cruise fares will vary based on destination, time of year, and cabin category, but generally speaking you can expect to pay double for the Yacht Club. And from my experience, it’s worth it. Read more about why you should splurge.

You’re fast-tracked through everything

The Yacht Club’s exclusivity and impeccable service standard started from the moment I got dropped off at the Port Canaveral cruise terminal. There were hundreds of people waiting to board at 1pm on embarkation day. I saw in the distance a canopy that said MSC Yacht Club. My husband and I wheeled our carry-on luggage to the representative under the canopy. I gave her my name and within two seconds, she gave me a sticker to wear and up we ascended on the escalator to check in. Just five minutes later, I was directed to the dedicated check-in area for Yacht Club guests. To my right, I saw about 1,000 people serpentine through ropes to do general check-in. I felt a sense of relief; who wants to wait in that line? Five minutes later, a butler from the Yacht Club insisted on wheeling my luggage to board the ship and I was in my room in a total on 12 minutes from the time I stepped foot out of the car to my stateroom in the Yacht Club.

Relaxing and streamlined

In addition, Yacht Club guests have the freedom to get off the ship first for excursions. Your butler will happily escort you off the ship with a smile. Guests also can disembark on the last morning first, which is a big convenience. Your butler walks you right to the place you disembark, bypassing crowds and hassles. Port Canaveral is about an hour away from Orlando International Airport, and we took a 10 am flight home. We didn’t have to linger around until the afternoon for our flight home.

Another perk is that there’s a special seating area in the theater for shows. All the shows were excellent during my voyage. All other ship passengers have to make reservations in advance for shows but that’s not the case for the privileged Yacht Club passengers. As long as you arrive about 10 minutes before any show you choose, a crew member from the Club will allow you entry into a special roped-off section. Again, no rushing through dinner—you have the flexibility to plan your evenings your way.

Your Yacht Club package is packed with remarkable value

The price tag may sound daunting, but there’s lots of value there. All Yacht Club cabins and suites include a premium drink package that covers beverages up to $15. You can use this perk both in the Yacht Club and throughout the ship. In addition, your package includes a two-device Wi-Fi package, which worked well during my sailing. Finally, you get access to the thermal spa suite, which is a place to indulge after a day in port or a sea day. Commonly, there’s a taboo regarding mini-bars, but not in the Yacht Club. It’s stocked each day with the beverages you want; just tell your butler and consider it done.

You get perks ashore too

If your sailing includes a call to Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island, Yacht Club guests get an elevated experience there too. Yacht Club guests enjoy a private area, and a dedicated restaurant called the Ocean House. While other ship guests were hosted to a buffet of predictable fare, I enjoyed a lobster roll, and my husband chose carne asada. In my opinion, one thing that could be improved was the tram service to the Yacht Club’s private area. We were told the last tram back was 3:30pm if we didn’t want to trek a 15-minute walk in the heat. Since we were docked in Ocean Cay for the evening and weren’t sailing, I was a bit dismayed by this logistical quirk. I felt like I was keeping an eye on my phone to make sure I didn’t miss the last tram.

You have private areas with curated food and drink and outdoor spaces

Within the Yacht Club complex, there’s the Yacht Club Restaurant, Top Sail Lounge and the One Pool Buffet, which are all exclusive to Yacht Club guests. Obviously, the food and service are steps above other dining venues of the ship, I can vouch for that. Although the food is delicious, if you don’t want to pay extra to dine at the specialty restaurants or fuss in the main buffet, eating three meals a day in the Yacht Club restaurant can get a bit monotonous. The breakfast is the same daily, and lunch and dinner offer a menu with daily specials plus a few standby selections like a hamburger or pasta each day. Although the Yacht Club Restaurant concept is desirable, I would strongly suggest dining in other venues on board, especially for dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed specialty dining in Ocean Cay Restaurant, Butcher’s Cut, and Kaito Teppanyaki. I also want to mention that late afternoon high tea is offered daily at the Yacht Club Restaurant. It was one of the nicest I have experienced at sea.

Also available exclusively to Yacht Club passengers is the Top Sail Lounge, which offers panoramic water views and has chef-curated selections from morning through late night. We enjoyed popping into the lounge at all hours to try finger foods and sweets. The One Pool Buffet offers a more casual option for breakfast and lunch by the pool. The buffet has grilled fish, sandwiches and lots of delicious options if you want to dine outside.

There’s also an exclusive area with a private pool and two whirlpools for Yacht Club guests only. The sun deck loungers are very comfortable and I never had to worry about finding a lounger, there are ample. One issue I had was that there was almost no shade on the sun deck; there were shaded day beds for Royal Suite and Owners Suite guests, but beyond those, I couldn’t find any shade, which was disappointing.

You can justify the price at the end of your cruise

Overall, the best way to explain my enthusiasm for my MSC Yacht Club experience is this: it’s better to book an interior stateroom in the Yacht Club than a luxe cabin outside the Yacht Club. It’s worth the splurge and you return home feeling truly pampered and it’s money well-spent. And I make this prediction: Once you try a ship-within-a-ship concept like the MSC Yacht Club, you won’t want cruise any other way. Bon Voyage!

• Erica Lamberg

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MSC Yacht Club Perks: 10 Amenities Worth the Splurge

The luxurious MSC Yacht Club -- where passengers have their separate section of the ship, including a lounge, pool and restaurant -- was introduced on MSC Fantasia, when it debuted in 2008.

Since then, the line has added the MSC Yacht Club to MSC Splendida, MSC Divina and MSC Preziosa, as well as all newer ships since including MSC Seaside, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seaview, MSC Bellissima, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa -- and the ship I am currently on -- the newest in the fleet, MSC Seashore .

Fares can vary, but in general, cabins in the Yacht Club cost double what you'd spend on a regular cabin (see below).

So why should you upgrade?

Overall, you'll find an experience that's more refined and upscale than the frenetic activity and packed pools located outside its walls. In addition to the MSC Yacht Club benefits we'll list below, there's the obvious one: With fewer cabins and lots of dedicated space, the club lends a feeling of serenity, far from the rest of the bustling mega-ship.

We think it's the perfect choice for luxury lovers who want to feel pampered at a reasonable price or families who want the fun amenities of a big ship, while still having an aura of exclusivity.

Read on for a list of MSC Yacht Club perks and our take on why you should be sailing in the Yacht Club on your next cruise.

1. Food Glorious Food: You Will Never Go Hungry in MSC Yacht Club

It's 4 p.m. and like a conditioned Pavlov's dog, my stomach growls. I'm ready for my canapes.

No matter that I already ate an embarrassing amount of shrimp at the seafood extravaganza lunch in the Top Sail buffet, reserved for the guests on MSC Seashore staying in the ship's suite-within-a-suite complex, the Yacht Club. So many shrimp that the Yacht Club waiters, used to anticipating your food and drink needs, brought out extra cocktail sauce.

But that was all of four hours ago and now it's time for canapes. Or a scone with clotted cream and preserves; the Yacht Club has a full English tea in the lounge daily at this hour. Or you can get your tea sandwiches and pastries near the Yacht Club pool and bring them to your plush lounger or daybed. I choose the latter option, knowing it will keep me content until dinner at the Yacht Club's special restaurant.

If you're feeling peckish, there's no reason to leave the Yacht Club unless you want to. A small buffet is set out all day long outdoors at Top Sail, with a rotating list of goodies, ranging from breakfast to lunch to afternoon snacks and tea. Downstairs in the lounge, you'll also find small bar snacks. And I already mentioned the canapes that magically arrive at various hours of the day.

2. All Inclusive: So Much Comes With Your Yacht Club Fare -- Including Your Drink Package

There's no question that the Yacht Club is a splurge. Interior cabins start at around $2,800 for two people and a balcony will run you $4,100 for two people. Expect the cost to rise as your suite gets bigger, as Royal Suites cost around $12,000 and the Owners Suite can get up to $16,000 for a couple (figures are averages, given to me by MSC Seashore's Yacht Club Director Robert Balla).

Look beyond the base cost, though, and notice what you're getting. All Yacht Club suites come with a premium drink package that covers all beverages, alcoholic and non, up to $15. On MSC Seashore, that price limit means you can order almost any kind of fruity cocktail you want, wherever you go on the ship. (The only exception to this we found was in the Hola! Tacos specialty restaurant, where you do pay extra for your margaritas).

The Yacht Club package also includes a two-device WiFi package and access to the thermal spa suite. Before you write off the latter as "nice to have but not necessary" category, know that MSC Seashore has one of the larger thermal suites that we've seen at sea, with not just the usual saunas, steam rooms and thalassotherapy pool, but a Kneipp progression of spa showers, a Himalayan salt room and a snow room.

Wait, you're still thirsty? Don't forget the minibar, which your butler will stock daily with beer, sodas, iced teas and a choice of sparkling or still water. In the upper suites, you also get a bottle of your favorite spirit, along with mixers.

3. Jump the Lines: You Get On and Off The Ship First

Our privileged Yacht Club experience started as soon as we rolled up to PortMiami. We found the white Yacht Club tent, where our names were checked off the list and our vaccine cards, passports and COVID-19 test results were examined and photographed. Then a "land butler" -- a shoreside employee who mimics the butler service that you'll receive once you're on the ship -- escorted us to a separate line for our rapid COVID-19 antigen test.

As we waited for our results, we were introduced to Manoj Pereira, our Yacht Club butler for the week. Right away, I knew that Pereira would take great care of us for the week, taking our hand luggage from us as we went through security and walked on to the ship. While this kind of kid glove treatment isn't something I necessarily seek out -- I'm more of a do-it-yourself-er -- having all the doors magically open and not fumbling in my bag for everything did make the experience less stressful.

Yacht Club guests are also able to get off the ship first, which means we don't have to worry about those late-morning flights home.

4. There's No Membership Fee, Just the Cost of Your Suite

Often, passengers mistake the Yacht Club for MSC's loyalty program, Voyagers, Balla told us. Anyone can buy a suite within the Yacht Club -- you don't have to be a member -- but you'll want to plan ahead, as the rooms tend to sell out early.

Even during periods when the ship was kept at lower capacity for COVID-19 restrictions, the Yacht Club is proportionately fuller than the rest of the ship, and that's because the line invites passengers to bid for upgrades. On our February 2022 sailing, the Yacht Club was 55% full, compared to about 20% for the ship as a whole. By March 2022, Balla expects all 131 suites in MSC Seashore's Yacht Club to be full.

5. The MSC Yacht Club Has So Much Extra Space, Both Indoors and Outside

With every new ship, MSC Cruises keeps improving their Yacht Club, and on MSC Seashore, the space is at the top of its game. The Yacht Club here takes up the front part of the ship on three full decks, encompassing a lounge and restaurant and the Top Sail Lounge with a saltwater pool and two whirlpools.

And unlike the rest of the ship, which famously has staircases made with Swarovski crystals and has a fair amount of glitz, the line has gone for more of a toned-down, upscale look, with neutral tones. It's a little bit Restoration Hardware, with an Italian twist. The balconies on MSC Seashore are larger than many new ships, with more room to spread out than even on quasi-siblings MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview .

The sun deck cushions in the Yacht Club are also posher than what you find on the rest of the ship, and come in a variety of configurations. You can lounge in a partially covered king-sized day bed -- guests in the highest level of suites, the Owners Suite and the Royal Suites, have these reserved for their entire cruise. Or choose a sofa to spread out, a table for al fresco dining or a luxe lounger.

6. The Yacht Club Isn't Adults Only, But Kids Have Lots of Other Distractions

Most people on our cruise were sailing without kids, but make no mistake, MSC Cruises is a family friendly line and the Yacht Club is open to all. Several cabin categories allow kids, and you will see them in the pool and whirlpool.

That being said, Balla said that disruptions are infrequent. MSC Seashore has an entire waterpark with slides dedicated to kids, as well as a large arcade area and a whimsical jungle pool. Most kids prefer to go to those areas of the ship during the day, and grab a hot dog, hamburger or pizza the main buffet, as opposed to the Yacht Club's more sophisticated fare.

If you really want to avoid children on your Sea Day, your best bet is to go down to the ship's Infinity Pool on Deck 8. This pool is marked Adults-Only and has a similar Miami chill vibe as the Yacht Club.

7. The Yacht Club Restaurant Is Much Better Than the Ship's Main Dining Rooms

A cruiser cannot live on canapes alone, and the Yacht Club restaurant is heads above the main dining room that's used by regular passengers. That's by design, Balla said -- the Yacht Club spends more per passenger on food and drink, and the dishes have better quality ingredients.

When you dine in the Yacht Club, your server will give you recommendations from the daily menu -- or if you really want something from the main dining room, they'll get it for you. On lobster night, for example, passengers had no problem turning their entrees into a surf and turf option. Want a smaller portion of another entrée to try? No problem.

The Yacht Club also goes out of its way to accommodate guests with dietary restrictions. Our butler asked us on Day 1 about our food preferences and allergies. Once he knew that we were seafood fans, he made a point of telling us the best nights to go to different restaurants.

8. Your MSC Yacht Club Butler Whisks You Everywhere

Speaking of your butler, you will never know how much you need one until you've stayed in the Yacht Club. Pereira made it clear that while we were on MSC Seashore , he would make it his mission to make our every request come true.

To that end, Pereira made our dinner reservations every night. He escorted us to the Lounge for a nightly cocktail and then delivered us to our restaurant, instructing the servers there to take good care of us. He made sure our daybed on the Top Sail sundeck was set up when we wanted to go, and had a steward fill the jacuzzi on our balcony. Coffee arrived every morning at 7:30 a.m.

Some of this personal attention seems unnecessary when you're on a ship with low capacity. But it's a godsend when MSC Seashore returns to full capacity, particularly when it comes to shows and shore excursions. Even when getting off at the line's private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve , we were gently nudged to the head of the line as Pereira expertly maneuvered the crowd.

The butlers are a key element of the MSC Yacht Club VIP experience and making you feel special onboard.

9. Got a Question or Request? The Yacht Club Concierge Is Around 24-7

On the rare locations that Pereira was not around, I relied on the Yacht Club concierge to get things done. On one windy afternoon, the cabin felt a bit chilly. No problem; a call to the concierge and a blanket arrived at the suite.

The concierge desk also helped us get a cash advance so we could tip Pereira a little extra (while gratuities in the Yacht Club are automatically levied, we believe firmly that during the pandemic, it's good to tip a little extra ). I also noticed the concierge personnel speaking a variety of languages to the international guests, which likely made them feel much more at home.

10. Personal Retreat on The Ocean Cay Private Island

Your Yacht Club perks extend beyond the ship to Ocean Cay, the private island. There is an entire section of the marine reserve dedicated to Yacht Club guests, as well as a separate restaurant with delicious food called Ocean House. As soon as you get off the ship, your butler puts you on a tram and you are whisked away to your private enclave.

On our first day in Ocean Cay, the weather was extraordinarily windy, and the Yacht Club section of the island wasn't actually the best place to be; the conditions were actually better in the non-exclusive part of Ocean Cay. We stayed because we had a cabana that blocked the wind, but you don't have to rent something extra to have excellent service here.

The Ocean House lunch, though, is far above what you find on the buffet elsewhere. Our drink package also extended to the island; this is actually the case for all passengers.

Bottom Line: Is The MSC Yacht Club Worth It?

I am sold on the MSC Yacht Club experience. When you weigh all of the perks and inclusions, as well as the enhanced dining experience, the equation comes out in favor of the Yacht Club, at least according to my priorities of comfort, ease and service.

Put it this way -- I would rather buy an interior cabin in the Yacht Club than a balcony elsewhere on the ship. While I would miss the view, I would be OK with making the most of my outdoor time at the Top Sail sundeck.

Of course, everyone has their own vacation needs and budgets. But if you're looking to be spoiled for a week, while still traveling on a megaship with a variety of activities and shows, it's hard to do better than MSC's Yacht Club.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

How MSC’s private island experience is different for cruisers in suites

Do you enjoy large cruise ships but still want to feel like you're in the lap of luxury? Passengers booked in MSC Cruises' Yacht Club cabins and suites have access to high-end amenities – both on the ship and off.

Butlers, exclusive dining and a private pool delight guests on board, but perks also await on MSC 's private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve , in the Bahamas. You can expect dedicated trams, towel service and a chance to book the nicest cabanas on the island, among other extras.

Read on to find out how the MSC Yacht Club Ocean Cay experience differs from that of the average cruiser.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club beaches vs. regular beaches

MSC's Ocean Cay Marine Reserve private island is home to seven (soon to be eight) beaches, and all are public, except one — Ocean House Beach, which is the Yacht Club's exclusive swath of sand. Beyond its exclusivity, the beach has a few other differences from the island's regular beaches.

There, use of lounge chairs and umbrellas is free. Chairs at the other beaches are also free and available on a first-come, first-served basis; however, umbrellas come with an extra cost.

Passengers must sign out towels on board the ship before heading ashore to Ocean Cay's main beaches. Yacht Club passengers can skip that hassle and ask for towels at the towel tent found on Ocean House Beach.

Interestingly, I found that several of the public beaches were less crowded than Ocean House Beach. At the latter, chairs were positioned much more closely to one another. If you're willing to walk or hitch a ride on one of the island's trams, you'll find fewer crowds on the farther beaches than if you stick close to the ship.

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club food vs. regular dining

Free lunch is included for all cruisers who visit Ocean Cay. For Yacht Club travelers, the Ocean House Restaurant — an exclusive waiter-served dining venue where passengers enjoy their meals on a shaded porch — exudes upscale beach vibes.

During my visit, the menu included starters like crab ceviche, charred octopus and a salad with romaine, tomatoes, jicama, a poached egg and candied bacon in a citrus dressing. Mains featured locally sourced blackened mahi-mahi, lobster roll, carne asada, a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich and one of the best burgers I've ever tasted during a cruise — a blend of Angus chuck, short ribs and grilled brisket with red onion jam and Monterey Jack cheese. Desserts consisted of creme caramel, mango cheesecake and chocolate cake with coffee sauce.

The meals at Ocean House are definitely superior to the fare found at the Seakers buffet, which is where cruisers not staying in the Yacht Club can go for a beach barbecue that serves hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, macaroni and cheese, red beans, roasted potatoes and a slew of salads, drinks and desserts.

The food is tasty, but lines can be long. An alternative is to head to one of several food trucks throughout the island. Some are free and dole out the same items offered on the buffet but with shorter lines. Others sell entirely different menu items — lobster grilled cheese, fried calamari, shrimp with watermelon, Caribbean ceviche and octopus salad — with the cost charged to cruisers' onboard accounts.

Additionally — and also for an extra fee — a stand near the ship offers specialty coffee and ice cream. (If you're a coffee lover, trust me when I say you won't want to miss the Coco-Nilla Latte.)

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club cabanas vs. regular cabanas

There are three types of cabanas on Ocean Cay: Ocean Cay Beach Cabanas, Ocean View Yacht Club Cabanas and Beachfront Yacht Club Cabanas. All three types are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

They can hold up to six people each and include cold water, beach towels and chairs, as well as floating mats for use in the water. As the prices increase, so does the number of inclusions. The last two types are only available for booking by Yacht Club passengers.

Ocean Cay Beach Cabanas, found on South Beach, North Beach and Bimini Beach, are the most affordable on the island at $250 for the day. They've got walls on three sides, and they're outfitted with cushioned couches. They include the basic amenities mentioned above, and anyone can rent them.

Next up are the Ocean View Yacht Club Cabanas, which cost $400 for the day and also entitle you to free lunch and drinks, as well as fresh fruit skewers, four sets of snorkel gear and four floating mats. They're found on the Yacht Club's private Ocean House Beach, so they're off-limits to non-Yacht Club guests.

The most expensive, however, are the Beachfront Yacht Club Cabanas, located in a different section of the Ocean House area. They carry a $450 price tag but offer all the same extras as Ocean View Yacht Club Cabanas.

The draw? They're closer to the water and, therefore, have better views. Although they aren't on the main part of Ocean House Beach, they are still in the exclusive area, near the restaurant, so you don't have to go far to grab food.

Ultimately, the only thing being in the Yacht Club affords you in this case is the option to book more expensive cabanas.

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club trams vs. regular trams

At 95 acres, Ocean Cay is sizable. If you're fit, you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes, but if you don't have great mobility or if you're easily overheated, reaching some of the island's more remote beaches can be difficult on foot. That's why MSC offers tram shuttles.

Passengers in standard cabins will find tram stops with shaded waiting areas throughout the island. However, waits can be long, especially if many other people are also in need of a lift.

Yacht Club cruisers can take advantage of trams exclusively for the Yacht Club. They run between a special tent (with free cold water to sip while you wait) set up just inside the entrance to Ocean Cay and the Ocean House beach and restaurant area.

You can make special requests for stops, which the regular trams usually won't accommodate. For example, you might ask to go straight from the tent to South Beach for a volleyball game without stopping anywhere else first.

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club activities vs. regular activities

This is the one category where the island's public spaces beat the Ocean House area by a mile. If you're looking for something to do other than eating, drinking or lazing by the beach, you'll have to head back toward the ship because there's not much going on in the exclusive areas.

Everything from massages, lighthouse tours and water sports equipment rentals to beach parties, volleyball games and shore excursions takes place elsewhere. However, perhaps that's by design. The Yacht Club is generally quiet, even on board, and the line likely prefers to keep the raucousness to other locations.

Bottom line

The MSC Yacht Club experience is more exclusive than the standard one at Ocean Cay, with extras like butler service, dedicated trams, towel service, access to pricier cabanas and a private beach and restaurant with better food and shorter waits.

However, all of the action — shore excursions, pickup volleyball games, beach parties, the lighthouse show — happens in the areas that are accessible to everyone, which significantly levels the playing field.

Additionally, items like specialty coffee, ice cream and for-fee food truck orders cost extra for everyone — even Yacht Club passengers.

Overall, Ocean Cay offers a great day for anyone who enjoys the beach, regardless of cabin type.

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Onboard Experience

Is a yacht club suite on msc cruises worth it.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Yacht Club cabins on MSC Cruises are more expensive than standard cabins, with prices ranging from $1,709 to $2,740 per person.
• Additional costs for the Yacht Club experience include a premium drink package, internet package, and thermal cruise pass.
• The Yacht Club experience offers extra space, dedicated staff, and upgraded benefits, making it a recommended splurge for a cruise.
• Despite some areas for improvement, the Yacht Club provides value, perks, friendly staff, and considerable extra amenities, with many guests booking future MSC cruises.

Is it Worth the Cost?

Benefits and Perks

Guest experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the size of the yacht club suite on msc cruises, are there any exclusive dining options available for yacht club guests, what are the additional benefits of booking a yacht club suite on msc cruises, can yacht club guests access the amenities and activities available to other passengers on the ship, is there a dedicated concierge service for yacht club guests.

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NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club

Which is better, norwegian’s haven or msc’s yacht club.

Since our trip on the MSC Seaside, this has been the most asked question and I can understand why. They both look similar but which cruise line does it better? In my opinion, after sailing on the MSC Seaside, MSC does the “hotel in a hotel” experience the best and the Seaside has quickly become my favorite ship of 2018. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE the Haven (we have sailed with NCL 16 times) and there are some areas where the Haven shines but keep reading if you want to see why I think the Yacht Club does suite level the best…

Embarkation from Port Miami – (Yacht Club Wins):

Yacht Club:  Embarkation in the Yacht Club was a breeze and is truly a first class experience. First, there is a special loop to drop off your luggage. We simply pulled into the special loop and there was a dedicated Yacht Club porter there waiting to take our bags. After parking the car in the garage, we came back to the same area where we dropped off our bags and a butler escorted us into the terminal. We were escorted through a private security line to the concierge waiting area (the waiting area was huge! Lots of chairs and space for everyone) .  While we were waiting to take our picture for our cruise card, we were handed champagne by our butler and asked if we would like any snacks from the snack table. Talk about a great way to start your vacation. After about 5 minutes, we had our cruise cards and our butler was leading us onto the ship. From there we had a direct butler escort all the way to the Yacht Club lounge (Top Sail Lounge) and again we were handed a glass of champagne as soon as we sat down. First class all the way.

The Haven:  Embarkation on NCL is the same for everyone, until you get past the security line. You drop your bags off with the porters and then proceed to the security line, like everyone else. We have waited in Norwegian security lines for up to 30 minutes. I am not complaining about the wait because it never bothered us but I did want to mention it because it is very different from MSC. After proceeding through the security line, you are directed to a small room dedicated just for Haven guests. It’s a small lounge where they have cookies, water, coffee and juice ( this area is very small. We have been forced to wait outside the lounge many times because there was no seating or space to stand inside the lounge ). After you receive your cruise card, you are then escorted to the ship by an NCL employee with a sign. They take you up to the ship security point and hand off the escort to a ship employee. The ship employee then escorts you to the Haven Courtyard where you gather for a group orientation about Haven perks from the concierge.

Overall Embarkation: Both companies have a completely different view on boarding the ship. MSC seems to take the stance that your vacation starts at bag drop off and NCL seems to believe your vacation begins once you arrive in the Haven Courtyard. Both are acceptable and great perks at the suite level but MSC seems to have embarkation perfected.

Staterooms/Cabin Size – (Haven Wins):

Before I start comparing, I want to point out that we stayed in a Yacht Club Inside Cabin on the MSC Seaside. This is the smallest cabin in the Yacht Club and something that the Haven does not have. We did make friends with a couple who let us tour their Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. I would compare the Deluxe Suite to a Courtyard Penthouse on a Breakaway Class ship so I am going to compare those cabins to each other and not our interior YC suite.

The Haven: Cabin space in a Courtyard Penthouse Suite in the Haven is wonderful. The cabins are a great size for a suite. They are not huge ( we still talking about a one-bedroom room ) but they are large when you compare them to other cruise ship cabins.  You get a king bed, a huge closet and a really nice bathroom. The storage is also plentiful in the Haven Courtyard Penthouse. I love the layout especially with the walk through closet and I love that the bathroom comes with a bathtub. Very nice overall space (except the balcony. The balcony is very small. Enough room for 2 chairs and a small coffee table.)

Yacht Club: Cabin space in the Yacht Club is small. The Deluxe Suite is much smaller compared to the Courtyard Penthouse. There is a queen bed, a small closet and a decent size bathroom. The bathroom has a shower (no tub combination) and the sink is made of marble, which is nice. I believe the Yacht Club bathroom is a little larger than the Haven but the tub is nice to have to soak in and I don’t have to do a split in the shower to shave my legs.

Overall Cabin Size: The Haven wins this category but just by a hair. The rooms may be smaller in the Yacht Club but I don’t really spend a lot of time in the room, so this one is not that important to me. If you can only sleep on a king bed, then the Haven is for you. If you need the tub, then the Haven is for you. I liked our Yacht Club cabin very much (even though it was an inside cabin) because we got access to all the Yacht Club amenities but if cabin size is really important to you ( as in, you never leave your room, EVER ), you may want to stick with the Haven.

Amenities – (Yacht Club Wins):

Let’s talk stuff you get with your suite. This category is all about the extra perks you get with your suite and hands down, the Yacht Club wins this by a mile. There are so many perks that you get in the Yacht Club and here are just a few:

• Private, exclusive area – Stating this is putting it mildly. Not only do you get a private area, you get the whole front of the ship on Deck 16, 18 & 19. Seriously, the entire front of the ship. Deck 16 – You have access to the Top Sail Lounge. This lounge is the largest, private lounge you have ever seen and it is absolutely gorgeous. There is a full length bar, a piano, plenty of seating and to top it all off, floor to ceiling glass windows that overlook the front of the ship. And there is even an outside portion to the lounge. There are loungers and chairs so you can enjoy the sea air and you still get served by the Top Sail Lounge Staff. And I cannot say enough great things about the staff in the lounge. They were always attentive to your needs and very friendly. We always love talking to ship crew and the Top Sail Lounge crew is top notch. Deck 18 – You have access to the gorgeous and huge Yacht Club Restaurant. The restaurant sits on top of the Top Sail Lounge and has views that look out the front of the ship. If you time dinner just right, you will have the most amazing sunset meals and you can even catch a sail away if you leave a port a little later in the evening. We were even able to see sail away from Miami with the wonderful later time that MSC leaves the port ( it was raining when we left Miami but I can imagine how amazing the Miami sunset would be leaving on a nice day. Sail away from Miami is beautiful during the day but a sunset sail away would be even better ). Deck 19 – The pool area in the Yacht Club is the largest area I have ever seen dedicated to suite level guests. The pool area features a nice size pool, a huge sundeck, a full length bar and a grill that serves breakfast, lunch and snacks. If you walk closer to the front of the ship, there are two additional hot tubs (with the most amazing views) and there is plenty of tables and loungers throughout the entire deck. This area is so pretty. Pictures do not do it justice. Again, I can’t believe there was so much space dedicated to the Yacht Club. MSC really got this one right. Plenty of space for everyone to relax and soak up some sun. ( speaking of sun, if you don’t like the sun, there isn’t a lot of shade on the sun deck. They don’t have umbrellas or anything like that to cover you. They do offer private cabanas that have a cover. This is an upcharge but, if you are a pool person, the amenities are pretty cool. There is a sign at concierge that explains al the benefits you get by purchasing a private cabana. )
• Dedicated concierge – the concierge is different from NCL. The concierge is run more like a front desk rather than a private person helping you out. I liked this concept a lot. It added to that “hotel in a hotel” feeling. We have met some amazing concierges on our NCL journeys and they were wonderful. You do not get that same interaction on MSC but we do not use the concierge a lot on NCL so this was a great way to ask questions
• Mini-Bar Included – this was a HUGE perk for us in the cabin. It was really nice to grab an orange juice or soda in the morning or mix a drink later at night. The mini-bar also came with a handful of snacks like mixed nuts, Pringles and assorted chocolate snacks which was so great. I didn’t know I needed the mini-bar until it was included with the Yacht Club.
• Chocolate – Oh the chocolate. So much chocolate. From chocolate ships to chocolate pillow snacks, you had access to chocolate galore. If you love chocolate, MSC is definitely for you.
• Gelato – Yep! All you can eat gelato is included with the Yacht Club. This is typically an up-charge item on a cruise ships but it is included on MSC. And it is truly the best gelato I have ever tasted (yes, I have been to Italy and this is still the best gelato ever) .
• Pizza – Ok, this one is for everyone on the ship but it was hands down the BEST pizza at sea so I consider it to be an amenity. I think the only thing better than pizza on the Seaside would be New York City pizza. Seriously, it was the most amazing snack. The pizza was available at the regular buffet and it was also available at the family buffet during late night. I can’t tell you how many times we ended the night with a fantastic slice of pizza and sat out on the deck in front of the Top Sail Lounge watching the stars. It was the perfect way to the end the night.
• T op Sail Lounge Snacks – there were snacks in the lounge available morning, noon and night and these were in addition to the snacks and food offered at the pool. Breakfast snacks had everything from pastries to mini-pancakes. Lunch had mini-sandwiches, vegetables and fruits. Dinner had sushi, sandwiches, and they would later bring out small desserts. Usually more chocolate. Yum!
• Priority Elevator – MSC allows Yacht Club guests to use their key card to make the elevator a private access elevator that will be called directly to the floor where the card was used. We used this feature time and time again and it was so nice to have direct access to floors, instead of stopping on every floor as you go.  (we are aware of such perks in the Haven but it is not talked about. We have used this feature twice on the Epic. However, we were instructed on how to call the priority elevator from our butler on MSC)
• Afternoon Tea – I didn’t know I liked afternoon tea until we experienced it. It was such a lovely thing to do on a ship. Tea was served at 4pm in the Top Sail Lounge. A butler would come over, offer you a nice selection of teas, you chose your tea and then he/she would proceed with the service. We were also served an arrangement of awesome snacks and pastries with our tea. It was truly delightful and something that I recommend everyone try if available.
• Priority Seating in Theater –  this is a great perk on NCL and one that I wish MSC would adopt. It is really nice to know that you have a dedicated area in the theater that you don’t have to wait in line for. I like how the seats are opened to everyone at the 5 minute mark and I think this could easily be implemented on MSC. Waiting for the shows was the only thing that really made me feel like I was not in a suite level room. I am not above waiting in line for anything but I do not like when I arrive 35 minutes before the show begins, stand in line and then get pushed out of line 5 minutes before the doors open by someone who is impatient and feels like they don’t have to wait.
• Private Concierge – the Haven concierge is a totally personal experience. The concierge knows your name, your schedule, if it’s your birthday, etc. These are important things and a very nice amenity on NCL. The concierge on MSC is like the front desk of a hotel. They are always eager to help with any information or anything you need, but they do not know who you are. It is a far less personal experience.

Service – (Yacht Club Wins):

We absolutely love the crew on NCL and we have made many, many lifelong friends but the service in the Yacht Club was top notch. The servers were always attentive and you were always being asked if there was anything more that you needed. We never had to wait for a drink, food, snack or any cabin related items. It was truly a first class experience. This service is hard to put into words. I guess it was a feeling that we were important and our vacation mattered. Service in the Haven is a little different. We have always received great service but after experiencing MSC, I can now say that service felt a little forced in the Haven comparatively speaking. More like “this is what I have to do” versus “what I want to do for you”.

Service is one of those areas that is not really quantifiable. It is hard because every week can be a totally different experience based on the mood of the crew. Maybe they are having an off week or maybe something happened at home. Whatever the reason, the crew cannot be on their A game all the time. We had a great week on the Seaside but I know this could be different with the exact same crew during a different week. Everything just came together perfectly for our Seaside cruise.

Food – (Yacht Club Wins)

Food is always an interesting topic because it is subjective. What I like, you may not like and vice versa. I want to point out that we are not foodies at all. We like good tasting food but it doesn’t have to be fancy. I just want food that tastes good and is cooked well.

Yacht Club: Food in the Yacht Club Restaurant was amazing. Breakfast was ok (although I was brought Fruit Loops without ordering. That goes back to the amazing service)  in the Yacht Club but lunch and dinner were always wonderful. I especially enjoyed how the dinner menu would change nightly but there was a fixed side to the menu as well. I had always head on NCL people complaining about how the menu never changes. This never bothered me until MSC. It really is nice to have the change but it is also nice to know that there is a fixed menu so I can always have something that I like, even if I don’t like the new menu items. There was also something awesome about being surprised each night for dinner and getting to decide what delectable dish you were going to order (they do have the menus posted by lunch time but I never wanted to read them because I liked the surprise) .

Talking about the food I loved the most – I had the most amazing lobster I have ever had on a cruise ship or even on land. It was cooked to perfection and had the best sides. Sean had an amazing steak that night as well and I saw a bunch of people order them together. Perfect surf and turf!

The Haven: Food in the Haven is great and it is always great. You never have to worry about will my steak be cooked correctly, will I need to send this back or that back. Nope. NCL is consistently great when it comes to the Haven Restaurant. Like I just mentioned, I never knew I would like a changing menu until MSC but now I understand the frustration that the menu never changes. One thing that hands down NCL does better – Breakfast!! The best eggs, bacon, breads, etc. NCL does breakfast right!

Disembarkation – (Yacht Club Wins)

Disembarkation is probably the biggest reason we like to sail at the suite level. There have been more times than we can count where we have been included or have seen some kind of violence while guests are waiting to disembark the ship, standing in the walk off line. Shoo, there is nothing worse than having your vacation ruined by some idiot who is mad at the world and thinks they deserve to get off the ship before everyone else. Priority disembarkation solves all of this. You get to wake up in the morning, leisurely have breakfast and then casually walk off the ship. Both NCL and MSC have great disembarkations but MSC is a little more personal.

Yacht Club: On the last day of our cruise, we walked out to the concierge area (the front desk) and the concierge called our butler. Our butler and room steward took our luggage (we did walk off) and escorted us to the gangway to leave the ship. That’s right. We had a personal walk off from our butler and room steward. It was amazing. They walked us right past the walk off line and we were out the door just like that. It was a nice way to say a final goodbye to these 2 people that took such great care of us all week.

The Haven: Disembarkation begins by everyone waiting in the concierge, lounge area. Once the order has been given, the concierge walks a group of guests down to the gangway. The concierge uses the crew elevator and escorts you down to the security line. This is where you merge into the big line of guests who are doing non-priority walk off. I always feel a little bad cutting in line in front of these people. There are usually words thrown at us like “must be nice” or “why do they get to cut in front of us? We have been waiting for 2 hours”. These comments make disembarkation a little less than enjoyable but you don’t have to deal with it too long and you are off the ship.

Overall Disembarkation: Overall, I really like the way MSC handles leaving the ship. It is a first class experience and you get to go through security by yourself, while they keep the mass line farther back from the exit. There is no mass merge with the crowd and therefore, no harsh words heard at the end of a great week. I also really liked saying goodbye and hugging our butler and room steward at the gangway. It was just a nice way to end our cruise and had me walking away with a smile.

Overall Feelings

We love both NCL and MSC. We have a lot of history on NCL (16 sailings to date) but MSC has opened our eyes to some things that we absolutely love but didn’t know we loved until this cruise. We always like to compare our experiences to other things in life for reference. Overall I would compare the service on the Seaside to be first class and I would compare the Haven to be business class. Both will give you an amazing experience and provide you a great vacation but MSC does the “hotel in a hotel” experience a little bit better than NCL. We love both cruise lines and I cannot wait for our next Haven and Yacht Club cruises!

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Anthony Fontenot

Thanks for this great revue Stef. I love NCL and always stay in the Haven. But in ‘19 I’ll stay in the Yacht Club twice, and I’m really looking forward to it. In addition to the things you mentioned, the Yacht club is apx. $3,000.00 cheaper than the Haven. So while I truly love NCL, MSC just might win me over. Thanks again!

I agree. NCL Haven has gotten WAY too expensive for us. Yacht Club seems to be the same price as the Club Class on Princess. I’ll choose Yacht Club.

Linda Sisco

Looking forward staying in YC on Splendida in Septmber of 2020. Thanks for the wonderful comparison.

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Is MSC Cruises' Yacht Club Worth It?

Dive into the indulgent world of exclusivity and amenities to decide if the premium experience justifies the cost.

Book MSC Cruise

MSC Cruises Yacht Club is a place of luxury among luxury cruising worldwide. The yacht club was introduced on MSC Fantasia in 2008, and later on, all the subsequent ships, including the latest addition to the fleet, MSC Seashore , are premium experiences that have become a staple. Yacht Club is a refuge within a mega-ship, featuring high-class treatment and many privileges for its customers interested in an exquisite cruise.

Does MSC Cruises Provide Value for Money?

The yacht club experience.

The exclusive amenities of the Yacht Club form its heart, along with a separate section of the ship. Passengers have deluxe rooms, including a private lounge, pool, and restaurant. The yacht club concept was first introduced on MSC Fantasia and later extended to newer ships such as MSC Seashore, a place of tranquility amid mega-ship activities.

Yacht Club Across the Fleet

Over the years, the concept of the Yacht Club has been extended to numerous ships such as MSC Splendida , MSC Divina , MSC Preziosa , MSC Seaside , MSC Meraviglia , MSC Seaview , MSC Bellissima . This premium offering continues to be added consistently across the fleet to endorse its popularity and success.

Yacht Club Fares

It is undoubtedly expensive to stay in a Yacht Club, and in most cases, it costs twice as much as a cabin. Prices also differ, with an interior cabin being around $2,800 for two passengers, whereas a balcony can cost up to $4,100 . But the Yacht Club is worth every penny owing to its high-class amenities and ultimate luxury.

Yacht Club Perks

The Yacht Club attracts people because it has many unique privileges. For example, among others, one of the remarkable advantages is the premium drink package, which is added to all Yacht Club suites. The $15 package covers a variety of beverages that are either alcoholic or non-alcoholic. To ensure complete relaxation, there is an extra two-device WiFi package and access to the thermal spa suite.

Embarkation and Disembarkation

VIP treatment from the time the customers arrive at the port is one of the most fascinating characteristics of the yacht club. There is a separate check-in zone, quicker security checks, and priority embarking to make this process smooth. Priority disembarkation is also reserved for the Yacht Club guests who thus skip the crowds.

No Membership Fee

Unlike loyalty programs, the Yacht Club does not charge a membership fee. Instead, they can book a suite within the Yacht Club and become part of this exclusive enclave. This premium cruise experience is trendy, so planning is a must since the suites tend to sell out pretty early.

Yacht Club Design and Atmosphere

The Yacht Club's design philosophy is focused on building a calm and sophisticated setting. It is an enclave that exudes elite sophistication and classiness with neutral tones. Expansive balconies, soft loungers, and chic sun deck cushions help create a luxurious atmosphere inside and outside.

Family-Friendly

The Yacht Club is not restricted to adults. Families get the best of both worlds. The ship provides unique places and facilities for kids to be entertained and have distractions. The Yacht Club maintains its sophisticated atmosphere, with disruptions from younger guests being infrequent.

Yacht Club Restaurant Excellence

The most outstanding feature of the Yacht Club is its particular restaurant, which provides a more elaborate selection than the other main dining rooms. Yacht Club restaurant offers a high-quality dining experience using quality ingredients and a personal approach. The culinary journey in the Yacht Club goes beyond the recommendations to accommodate the dietary restrictions.

The Ultimate Luxury

A personal butler, which takes the Yacht Club experience to another level. The butler sees everything, from making dinner reservations to ensuring your bed on the Top Sail sundeck is ready. The VIP treatment goes beyond the line's ship, including priority access to shows, shore excursions, and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Also Read:   Top reasons to cruise with MSC Cruises

The answer to whether the Yacht Club is worth the splurge is evident as we evaluate its pros and cons. The Yacht club is a category of cabins, but it's much more than that; it is an experience where luxury, convenience, and exclusivity are combined. Yacht Club provides this level of indulgence from embarkation and through the butler's personalized service. The Yacht Club is a fitting purchase for those seeking to unwind in a plush setting amidst the luxury of a mega-ship. A cruise on board will be a lavish holiday of life on the sea. For more information about the Yacht Club, visit CruiseBooking.com .

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• Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Retreat vs MSC Yacht Club

By FamilyAtSea.travel , February 17 in Celebrity Cruises

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FamilyAtSea.travel

We have our first cruise in the Retreat coming up and as I learn more about it, I'm shocked at how much less you get even though it costs double what a comparable cruise in the Yacht Club on MSC costs. 

For reference, we will be on the Equinox for 9 days in June across Italy/France/Spain, staying in a Sunset Sky Suite. I know the Equinox Retreat isn't as nice as the Edge-class ships, but that doesn't change the amenities listed below.

The big things I'm seeing that Yacht Club has that the Retreat is missing:

- Reserved seating in the theaters with an escort from your butler (we don't need an escort, but still)... Sadly you can purchase this additionally with Premium Access even if you're not in a suite.

- Priority boarding/disembarking at the ports (you can also purchase this with Premium Access)

- Dedicated butler service (we are staying in a Sky Suite and as of now, these are not offered on the Equinox, which we'll be on)

- Spa access

- In-room mini bar included + a bottle of premium liquor

I understand the gen pop areas of Celebrity are better than MSC, but it seems like Celebrity really cuts a lot of corners for a service that costs double what it does on MSC.

I'm still looking forward to the cruise, but I was expecting more from Celebrity.

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Share on other sites, sussex cruiser.

As premium access states...

• *YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO THESE BENEFITS: Before purchase, refer to your stateroom category amenities and your loyalty status to confirm.

Just now, Sussex Cruiser said: As premium access states...   *YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO THESE BENEFITS: Before purchase, refer to your stateroom category amenities and your loyalty status to confirm.

That wasn't my question, but our Sunset Sky Suite only has reserved seating on Chic night and it doesn't come with any priority boarding at ports (unlike Premium Access which gets both every day).

Where Premium overlaps is with Internet access (if I could purchase it at a lower price without Internet access I would, but I'm not going to pay full price for something where I already have the main cost).

Ex-Airbalancer

Do a search there a lot of threads about this already 

Just now, Ex-Airbalancer said: Do a search there a lot of threads about this already 

I didn't see anything that specifically called out the differences in a concise list like this.

Figured it may be helpful in the future for people who find it via Google.

One of main reviews 

2 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said: One of main reviews   

Yeah, if you search for "Yacht Club" as a topic in the Celebrity forum there are exactly 3 topics that come up... Mine, the one you just linked, and another that doesn't include much.

It's really not extensively discussed as you implied, but this one is very informative (I'm currently reading through it now).

2 hours ago, CruisematicVA said: The big things I'm seeing that Yacht Club has that the Retreat is missing:

I'm sailing YC for the first time next month, but IMO you missed three of the biggest features missing from Retreat on Equinox: 

- Dedicated YC pool

- Dedicated YC buffet

- YC restaurant open on port days

I would add that the YC lounge looks like it blows any Retreat Lounge out of the water AND has nightly entertainment AND has a true bar that you can sit at if you want to. I'm also looking forward to a true ship within a ship concept where the staterooms are within the YC enclave, not in general population like Retreat.

21 minutes ago, RichYak said: I'm sailing YC for the first time next month, but IMO you missed three of the biggest features missing from Retreat on Equinox:    - Dedicated YC pool - Dedicated YC buffet - YC restaurant open on port days   I would add that the YC lounge looks like it blows any Retreat Lounge out of the water AND has nightly entertainment AND has a true bar that you can sit at if you want to. I'm also looking forward to a true ship within a ship concept where the staterooms are within the YC enclave, not in general population like Retreat.

I didn't include it because I knew that was an Equinox problem vs all Retreats on Celebrity, but you're absolutely right.

With no pool and no bar in the Retreat Sundeck on Equinox I don't think we'll spend more than 5 minutes on there (just enough to see the space and then leave).

I have sailed extensively in Retreat on Celebrity.  I am currently onboard MSC Meraviglia sailing my second Yacht Club cruise.  In my opinion, MSC Yacht Club is a far superior experience than Celebrity Retreat….for half the cost.  

5 minutes ago, CruisematicVA said: I didn't include it because I knew that was an Equinox problem vs all Retreats on Celebrity, but you're absolutely right.

It's not just an Equinox problem, it's all of S-class and M-class, which is the majority of Celebrity's fleet. Only E-class has pools on the Retreat Sundeck. And no Celebrity ship has dedicated buffets.

43 minutes ago, jcpc said: I have sailed extensively in Retreat on Celebrity.  I am currently onboard MSC Meraviglia sailing my second Yacht Club cruise.  In my opinion, MSC Yacht Club is a far superior experience than Celebrity Retreat….for half the cost.  

I wish people would quit talking up the YC…it’s not good people, trust me.   🙂

1 hour ago, RichYak said: I'm sailing YC for the first time next month, but IMO you missed three of the biggest features missing from Retreat on Equinox:    - Dedicated YC pool - Dedicated YC buffet - YC restaurant open on port days   I would add that the YC lounge looks like it blows any Retreat Lounge out of the water AND has nightly entertainment AND has a true bar that you can sit at if you want to. I'm also looking forward to a true ship within a ship concept where the staterooms are within the YC enclave, not in general population like Retreat.

Don’t do it…. 🙂

Stem to Stern

I am only really going to comment here on the food and service in Luminae.  We all already know YC pool deck and Top Sail Lounge blow The Retreat non-equivalents out of the water.  We have not sailed in The Retreat on board Equinox since our return to cruising cruise in October 2021, but Luminae blew us away.  Food and service lived up to and exceeded our pre-pandemic suite experiences on S-class ships.  Luminae on board Summit just this past December was also a mindblower.  The food in the YC on Seascape was just okay for us.  There wasn’t much on the menu that excited and delighted us.  Since the cruise you are doing is Europe, personally I could not imagine myself spending much time on The Retreat Sundeck or partying late into the night at whichever evening venue would appeal most.  Our port days in Europe tend to start early and we return to the ship exhausted.  I would not be too concerned with theater seating on board Equinox.  There are two seatings for the show nightly.  I think many passengers are too tired or too busy maximizing their drink packages to bother attending the shows.  I do not typically find the theaters on board the S-class ships to be packed like the theater was on my recent Seascape cruise.

Bead Pirate

I wish people with MSC Yacht club experience would just not respond to these threads. We sail both lines in retreat (on Connie now) and in Yacht club. We get on MSC for B2B in 3 weeks.

There absolutely is no contest here. Yacht Club wins hands down on every issue / test.

The more we talk about it, the more folks we will have attempting to get our coveted Yacht Club rooms.

Opps, I just did the very thing 🙂  

REDSTRIPETYPE

Did I read somewhere that Celebrity Elite status can get free upgrade to the Yacht Club?

14 minutes ago, REDSTRIPETYPE said: Did I read somewhere that Celebrity Elite status can get free upgrade to the Yacht Club?

I have never heard that..or read it. 

10 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said: I have never heard that..or read it. 

They were doing status match, but not sure I've seen mention of it as of late.  I don't remember reading anything on what that status gave you. I thought YC was equivalent to Retreat Status and only available by type of room book, but I have Zero knowledge of YC

Gordoncruickshank

4 hours ago, RichYak said: I'm sailing YC for the first time next month, but IMO you missed three of the biggest features missing from Retreat on Equinox:    - Dedicated YC pool - Dedicated YC buffet - YC restaurant open on port days   I would add that the YC lounge looks like it blows any Retreat Lounge out of the water AND has nightly entertainment AND has a true bar that you can sit at if you want to. I'm also looking forward to a true ship within a ship concept where the staterooms are within the YC enclave, not in general population like Retreat.

Having been in the Suite experience since it was introduced and having also travelled in the YC in a RS, I can confirm that the YC lounge certainly beats the Retreat hands down. You have a proper bar and enough staff to serve drinks to whoever want one, or more. There is continuing changing entertainment throughout the night which we found enough for what we were looking for. The pool deck does have a buffet with hot and cold offerings although we didn’t try this as in the Med we found the food covered in wasps etc but as long as you watch what you are taking it should be ok.

We have 3 MSC YC cruises booked for 2015 in the Caribbean which will be a slightly different experience as they will not be doing the continuos daily disembark and embarkation at every port.

There are currently two Live Reviews of Celebrity Cruisers that are currently on MSC.   @DaKahuna and @JamieLogical .    Will be interested to read all three comparisons.   We each have our own perspective of a cruise.    

9 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said: They were doing status match, but not sure I've seen mention of it as of late.  I don't remember reading anything on what that status gave you. I thought YC was equivalent to Retreat Status and only available by type of room book, but I have Zero knowledge of YC

You are correct..

12 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said: They were doing status match, but not sure I've seen mention of it as of late.  I don't remember reading anything on what that status gave you. I thought YC was equivalent to Retreat Status and only available by type of room book, but I have Zero knowledge of YC

MSC do a status match. Before we did our cruise in 2019 I think the matched Elite and plus to Diamomd level but that had changed to gold level, the one below black, when we cruised. I doesn’t give much at whatever level you are at.  

What is more important is that you get 5% discount if you are a Voyager club member even if you have not cruised with them before so you have to join that before you book the first cruise although we did get the discount added after the booking. Here is a link to the benefits.

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/manage-booking/msc-voyagers-club/members-benefits

59 minutes ago, REDSTRIPETYPE said: Did I read somewhere that Celebrity Elite status can get free upgrade to the Yacht Club?

Celebrity Elite gets you MSC Gold status.

I got Diamond on MSC by status matching some hotel status that I got from one of my business travel CCs.

Jeremiah1212

The problem with Yacht Club is you’re stuck in Yacht Club. If YC is too sleepy for you, once you pass those doors you find yourself on Carnival 2.0 which is a hard pass for me. 

2 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said: The problem with Yacht Club is you’re stuck in Yacht Club. If YC is too sleepy for you, once you pass those doors you find yourself on Carnival 2.0 which is a hard pass for me. 

That too is my only pause…

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• Destinations

MSC Yacht Club Luxury Experience Aboard MSC Splendida

As our motor coach turned a corner in Toulouse, France, I had my first glimpse of the MSC Splendida. Ei ghteen decks tall, the ship towered over the private boats and yachts docked next to her. Somewhere high at the bow was the MSC Yacht Club, my home for the next week.

MSC Yacht Club May Spoil You for Life

In This Post...

From a distance, MSC Splendida looked like any sparkling white, enormous cruise ship you’d see in most ports. This cruise, however, I wouldn’t be mixing and mingling with 4,000 passengers.

My stateroom, suite actually, was located in the luxurious and private Yacht Club area. That’s where the amazing difference begins between a standard stateroom and Yacht Club.

MSC Splendida (along with 12 other MSC ships) sports an exclusive hideaway that rivals any small luxury ship afloat. If you haven’t already heard the term, MSC calls the Yacht Club concept, “a ship within a ship” and they couldn’t be more accurate.

MSC Splendida Yacht Club Experience

There are only ninety-nine Yacht Club staterooms on MSC Spendida , all located at the very bow of the ship, mostly on decks 15 and 16. Insert your keycard into the elevator and it’s a non-stop ride to your floor. As soon as you step off the elevator and into the Yacht Club, you’ll think you were transported to a small private yacht.

Exclusive Areas Only for Yacht Club Guests

The Top Sail lounge is your private retreat where you are greeted by name upon entering. This was by far my favorite hang-out for my week onboard.

On this ship, the Top Sail Lounge is located on deck 15 and is open 24 hrs. At various times during the day there is a light breakfast and lunch, tea time, pre-dinner snacks, light dinner and midnight snacks.

You couldn’t ask for a more lovely location to relax and unwind after a busy day visiting amazing ancient and historic cities. Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in hand, your view of the city from the Top Sail lounge at sailaway is breathtaking.

Dining in Yacht Club on Splendida

Since I generally travel solo, a conspicuous table for one or a seat at a table for 10 is generally expected. As an MSC Yacht Club guest aboard Splendida , the specialty restaurant, L’Olivo is exclusive, complimentary and a gracious alternative to any cruise ship main dining room.

Marco, my waiter, managed to hold a window-side table for me every night. Each night, a glass of wine was waiting for me at my table, even before I was seated. O’livo, is located at the very aft of the ship, overlooking the Mediterranean. At sunset, the view is spectacular.

Yacht Club Suite Advantages

Did I mention a private butler? Every Yacht Club suite includes a professionally trained butler at your beck and call. Having a butler is wonderful; seems he can’t do enough to make your cruise as pleasant as possible. While always available, they are never intrusive or bothersome.

Insider tip:   Choose a Yacht Club stateroom located on the same deck or one deck above the Concierge Desk and the Top Sail Lounge, if only for the convenience of proximity.

Whether replacing items from my complimentary mini-bar (yes, complimentary!) or just choosing a different pillow from the pillow menu, Vinod, my butler, was delightful, polite and intent on doing his “butlering.” He even re-tied the sash on my bathrobe, which I had left hanging on a hook.

Yacht Club Size Advantages

MSC Splendida is a large ship, right between the size of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and the Carnival Dream. At full capacity MSC Splendida can carry up to 4300 passengers. But the Yacht Club, with only about 200 passengers, gives an entirely different feel to being on a mega-ship.

You’ll never have to search for a seat in the Top Sail Lounge or stake out your pool-side lounge chair at 7am for a place at The One Pool, your private outdoor pool area.

The One Pool also has The One Bar for an alfresco cocktail or even a morning bite, open from 7am to 7pm. Located on Deck 18 at the very bow, this spot also affords a perfect vantage point on a balmy sailaway evening.

You can enjoy the same light snacks and beverages out there as in the Top Sail Lounge.

If you are planning a Mediterranean cruise and want to experience a slice of real Europe and travel in luxury without the typical luxury price tag, reserve a cabin in the MSC Yacht Club aboard the Italian-owned MSC Splendida or any of the other MSC ships with a Yacht Club.

Why Book an MSC Yacht Club Suite

You’ll be pampered and privileged as on no other mass market cruise line. The MSC Yacht Club truly offers the elegance and intimacy of a small ship but with big cruise ship amenities.

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Hi Graham, Thank you very much for reading my MSC Yacht Club article. IMO, the Yacht Club is worth every penny. And wow for you booking the duplex! Enjoy every minute! Thanks again!

Excellent review. We have just booked one of the duplex suites on MSC Virtuosa in 2025. It looks amazing, luxury everywhere. Taken note of the butler will do all for you! Can not wait. Keep up the good work

Hi Tina, Thanks for reading my MSC article. I think everyone would love a free upgrade! Happy cruising!

Would love a free up grade….We are booked for 10th April but now we want to try the Yacht Club experience

Glad to know your MSC Divina experience was so good! And thanks for your honest assessment of your spa experience.

Hi Michele,

Thank you for reading the article and your enthusiastic comment! And thank you for the update on the age for the kids’ club.

Best regards,

Hi Colleen,

Thanks for your nice comment. Yes…sign me up again, too! Truly an excellent experience and even better now since the Yacht Club dining rooms are only for Yacht Club guests now.

Regards, Sherry/Cruise Maven

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Updated on November 27, 2023 by Sherry Laskin

The Traveling Steve's

Our traveling adventure blog.

The Steve’s Review of MSC Seaside’s Yacht Club

Steve (DOS) and I sailed MSC’s Seaside cruise ship for the first time this past week; October 15 – 22, 2023 for a 7 night cruise to MSC’s Ocean Cay (MSC’s private island in the Bahamas), Costa Maya, and Cozumel Mexico. As this was a new cruise line for us, I’ll detail my/our experiences here in a bit more detail, similar to what I did when we first sailed Virgin Voyages this past July. Warning: this is a long post with lots of photos! (Sorry in advance for any typos!)?

First some quick ship stats: for the MSC Seaside (per Wikipedia)

• 153,516 Gross Tons
• Length: 1,059 Feet
• Beam: 141 Feet
• Total Cabins: 2,067
• Passenger capacity: Max 4,961
• Entered Service: December 2017
• Cost when built in 2014: €700 million Euros
• Country of Registry: Valletta, Malta
• Current number of cruise ships in MSC fleet: 23

DRIVE TO THE PORT: As we live in the Orlando, FL suburbs, the Port of Cape Canaveral (where the Seaside is currently sailing from) is only an hour drive from our house, which make it super convenient. Not only that, but Cape Canaveral, in my humble opinion is one of the easiest embarkation/debarkation points we have sailed out of. It is not the closest port, however, to the airport as it’s an hour’s drive via car or shuttle bus, unlike Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) which is a short distance from the FLL airport terminal.

ARRIVAL AT PORT CANAVERAL: MSC currently leaves from terminal 10, which is the former Royal Caribbean (RCL) Cruise terminal. We saw RCL’s Wonder of the Seas docked further down the terminal channel, so I guess they needed bigger space for their mega series of ships.

We arrived at Port Canaveral Terminal 10 around 10:45am, and the luggage drop off and parking were a breeze, thanks to the good signage and uniformed port staff providing directions. There was very little car traffic at this hour, and the tour buses coming from the airport had a drop off point just for them, so they weren’t interfering with the flow of traffic. We parked on the ground level of the garage (shaded area), took a photo of where we parked, and walked the short distance to the terminal with our carry-on luggage, taking a selfie along the way of us with the giant ship behind us. One huge thing that at least the Port Canaveral Terminal Garage 10 does, is collect the parking fee upon entry via credit card. This really expedites the traffic flow upon debarkation, something other port garages such as Miami do not do, which caused lengthy exit delays when we sailed out of there in late July on Virgin’s Scarlet Lady. Ideally Miami’s garage should at least have an EPAS exit, as their garages handle multiple cruise lines out of the same garage, with various lengths of cruises, so pre-paying is perhaps not an option there.

Once at the terminal, we quickly found the Yacht Club (YC) tent area where we were verified for YC, and then sent thru a quick security check line. From there we were directed to a dedicated large conference-type room in the terminal, where we would then check-in for our cruise. We had already completed the paperwork and had downloaded the MSC app, but we still printed out our travel documents per MSC’s website guidelines, which makes it easier should the phone need re-charging or an update when you’re trying to check-in. (I’m old fashioned I guess, but I always print my boarding pass for the airport for the same reason; don’t always trust the phone and/or app when I need it most.)

The check-in process was very quick and we were given a glass of champagne as we entered the room. We then received our room card key which indicated YC access. They did not have the blue wrist bands available at check-in, (which will also allow you to open your stateroom door), but we picked up our complimentary bands two days later onboard at the photo gallery. While we waited a few minutes for our boarding to commence, we sipped our glass of pre-boarding champagne together with the other YC guests, and toasted to an awesome cruise ahead!

After a short wait in the pre-boarding area, we were escorted in small groups aboard the ship where we were led directly thru the main lobby atrium. Here we met our personal shipboard Butler Agus, who assisted us from there. Agus helped us with our carry-on luggage and escorted us from deck five thru a few public areas, until we reached the forward elevators which took us to our “ship within a ship”, the Yacht Club section. The Yacht Club occupies the forward third of the 16th, 18th, and 19th decks aboard the Seaside. (There is not a deck 17 on this ship as it is an Italian ship, and 17 (like 13 in the US) is considered an unlucky number.)

Once in the Yacht Club, we had a seat in the Top Sail Lounge, which is the huge main cocktail lounge exclusive to the 200 Yacht Club passengers. We had yet another glass of the complimentary Champagne in the Lounge (actually Prosecco to be technically correct), and met some of our fellow passengers, while we again sipped our Bubbly. (And it’s not even 11:30am yet!). There was a nice assortment of snacks, nuts and pastries as well, but we skipped over those for now as lunch was in the near future for us. In a few minutes, we were gathered with a few other guests for a quick orientation of the Yacht Club’s services, amenities, meal hours etc, which was lead by the lead Concierge staff person, Raj. After the 10 minute or so orientation, we went to our cabin, which was just down the hall, also on deck 16. We knew from the moment we boarded that the Yacht Club was truly special, and this would be an awesome cruise!

STATEROOM : After the orientation in the Top Sail Lounge, DOS and I headed to our stateroom which was just down the hall. Our room was 16014, with 16 being the deck number, and 014 the room number. The room was quite comfortable, and categorized by MSC as a “Superior Yacht Club Suite”. While our room was not what I would consider a full suite, it was a nice sized Jr. Suite in size, similar to those on other cruise lines and quite spacious enough for us. We had a King sized bed, half open-sided wall adjacent to the bedroom, dividing off the living room sofa, a large bathroom (no tub) with decent sized shower and a large single sink vanity. Robes were provided for use onboard, and the large towels and bed linens were of very good quality.

The outlets for electronic devices were a bit lacking as they weren’t located on either side of the bed, but on the long table with pull out drawers. We brought a cruise-allowed power adapter (not a surge protector which are banned on all cruise ships) we bought on Amazon which is cruise-safe, and handled our other devices, such as our iPhones, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac Book. The is also a European power outlet under the TV, as well a couple USB outlets.

FIRST MEAL ABOARD: LUNCH! After briefly settling into our cabin and unpacking our carry-on items, we headed up to Deck 18 (only one level up due the “skipping” of the 17th floor per Italian superstition) to the Yacht Club (YC) Dining Room. I’ll talk at length about the Yacht Club further down in this post, but for now the relaxing lunch with wine made for quite a friendly welcome aboard and literally a taste of what was to come over the next 7 days. We met our waiter and assistant waiters, who would expertly serve us throughout the cruise.

EXPLORING THE SHIP: After lunch in the Yacht Club, it was time to venture out of the YC exclusive area, and explore a bit of the rest of this mammoth ship. I say “a bit” as even by the end of the cruise we felt like we had only seen some of the major ship venues, and never quite learned our way around the ship, even with the lighted ship maps located near the elevators and elsewhere.

The layout in some places could be a bit strange, such as on Deck 16 towards the mid/aft of the ship, where you needed to go down or up a deck to cross all the way to the back of the ship (due to a galley blocking part of the passageway) or the plethora of mirrors aboard in some corridors that had us saying hi to the “other people” coming towards us, only to realize we were saying hi to ourselves! LOL! ?

Part of the fun of going on a new ship, however, is getting lost finding your way around; it really is a beautiful ship with so many sectional venues that it will take some time to explore even the main parts of the ship by day and night.

MAIN LOBBY : At the centerpiece of the ship are the beautiful Swarovski decorated crystal staircases located in the ship’s main atrium. These staircases lead to several levels, and flank either side of the multi-level stage areas that are used for various musicians throughout the day and evening, as well as on the main open air bottom level of the lobby. The backdrop of the atrium is an ever changing myriad of colors and scenes, depending on the occasion.

There is a huge semi-circular bar which is visible from the staircases and overlooks surrounding them, and serves as a focal point entertainment venue for the numerous onboard events and parties. We even saw Elvis, and Michael Jackson one night!

ELEVATORS: The ship has two primary banks of elevators; one towards the forward of the ship; and one a bit past the middle of the ship. The main elevators are “smart” elevators, although I would say the “smart part” needs a bit of tweaking to them. The idea in theory is great, provide more efficient elevator access by matching groups of passengers going to the same floors, although at peak times that doesn’t work the best. Basically by each elevator there is a mini iPad type device where you select your floor, which is also indicated by the deck’s name; i.e, Miami Beach deck.

The elevator then calculates which elevator will be the quickest, and tell you the elevator (via letter and number, i.e. G5) and the approximate wait time. During slow periods, these worked fine, but when several hundred people got out of a show at the same time or returned from a busy port of call, things got a bit more hectic. Ideally each person in their group, say four people, should enter the floor number, not just one person from the group, so the elevator can calculate the capacity as 4 riders instead of 1. Unfortunately this is not obvious, and I don’t recall seeing signage to tell people to do this which at busy times can be quite crowded and confusing with multiple groups of people trying to ride as a single passenger, instead of their actual group size.

Busy periods aside, though, I really love this concept, as busy elevators on these mega ships in general (most other lines included) face the problem of over-crowded elevators, and people riding up to go down, and not getting off at the correct top or bottom floor; instead just getting on to secure their space in the crowded elevators. These “smart” elevators do not have any floor buttons once you are on board so you can’t change your mind or better yet, don’t have kids pushing every floor button of the elevator!

There is also one small bank of two elevators in the aft area of the ship by the aft pool, which are not the “smart elevator” type. There is also an elevator inside the Yacht Club for exclusive use of the YC passengers, but it only operates on the YC floors 16 – 19.

LOUNGES/BARS: According to the MSC website there are some 19 bars and lounges onboard! And, no we didn’t try all of them out on our seven day cruise! While we primarily used the Top Sail Lounge in the Yacht Club, as well as the YC’s pool bar, we did go to several of the other bars and lounges in the main part of the ship as well. We were concerned the main bars/lounges outside the YC would be jam packed all the time, but that really was not the case most of the time. While many were busy, with the exception of the large main atrium bar, and main and aft pool bars, we didn’t have trouble finding seats or barstools at some of the other bars and lounges. We tried the Sports Bar, which had a large selection of drafts (but oddly no IPAs such as Lagunitis here or elsewhere on the ship I could find), the Seaview Lounge, and the Haven Lounge, both of the latter offered live entertainment, as well as the main atrium lounge.

We didn’t try out the Champagne Lounge on the upper level of the main atrium, but walked by it several times as well as the Chocolate Bar; both of which looked nice but not overflowing with crowds.

There is also a small bar (more of a to-go bar) in the buffet area on deck 8 which is open late while the late night buffet is being served until 1am, which is fine for grabbing a brewski or drink to your table while munching on the midnight food and snacks.

GAME ROOM: We didn’t utilize the game room, but did pass thru the Game Room Arcade a few times when walking towards the back of the ship. There was a Formula One Race Car simulator, complete with an actual size car that can be “driven” around the large virtual screen track directly in front of it. It looked pretty realistic, and we watched a man probably in his early 40s having a ball with his racing skills!

There is also a two lane bowling alley in the arcade room, but we never saw anyone bowling, although we weren’t there very much other than just passing thru. I was hoping to video someone bowling as it must be quite tricky on a moving ship; I’m sure there’s lots of curve and gutter balls even from experienced bowlers!

There are also other video games as well, all of which required payment or a game pass of sorts via the ATM like kiosk or pre-pay on the cruise card.

SPA Area: We’re not spa kind of people (i.e. don’t get massages, use the treatment rooms etc) so we can’t speak for the Spa, other than it was quite large, and people we spoke to really enjoyed their massage and even the “mud treatment”. (I’ve always wanted to try that seaweed wrap treatment but DOS says “that’s phooy”, you’ll gain your weight back as soon as you drink water or alcohol! Possibly, but it does sound like fun!)

Any passenger on the ship can book the “The Thermal Suite Pass” (which is complimentary for Yacht Club Members), and provides access to the Thermal Suite area and and spa deck area; a private section of deck 16, just prior to entering the YC section. We did not use the Thermal Suite on this trip as we seemed to be too busy on this cruise (not sure what we were doing other than relaxing, but we seemed busy all the time!) We did walk thru the spa outdoor deck area on our daily walks around the ship for exercise, which is shown in the next couple of photos, which never seemed to be busy, and was a nice wide area of the deck as well.

We did like the cold towels the Spa staff handed to all guests when they came back from port, on the dock area near the entrance to the ship. The white washcloths were chilled (like Celebrity Cruises and Princess does), but also sprayed with an exotic Eucalyptus mixture that smelled divine. Of course they sell the bottled mixture in the Spa if you like it!

POOL FUN : The main (non Yacht Club) portion of the ship has several pools, divided into different sections. There is an adventure pool area that has a kiddie pool and other water activities, while there are 2 racing water slides that go out over the starboard side of the ship, while on the port side there is a similar, but larger twisting water slide that uses a raft to ride the slide down to the bottom. Scrunched in-between, in the center of the Adventure Club area, is another twisting slide that finishes on the bottom deck of the Adventure Club pool area. None of the slides were overly busy and were complimentary, although you had to sign a waiver and get a wrist band prior to riding them. Adults as well as kids seemed to be enjoying themselves! I’m sure in peak summer or holiday periods there would be hundreds more kids using these facilities, though on our mid-October sailing it was not overwhelming.

SAIL-AWAY PARTY: Sure enough, as quiet and empty as the ship was when we first got on and started exploring the ship, it quickly filled up by sail-away time. There was a big sail-away party at the aft pool deck area, but it was a bit too busy to see the entertainment staff, and a bit too noisy for us to enjoy, so we retreated back to the quite calm of The Yacht Club. I told Steve (DOS) at times leaving some of the crowded main areas of the ship was like being in a busy airport terminal, and then suddenly entering the calm of an airline’s international First Class Lounge! Not really an exaggeration either, as a couple of fellow Yacht Club passengers said something similar.

SHOPPING GALLERY : As expected for a ship of this size, there are several shopping areas aboard the ship, ranging from logo items, to duty free liquors and other items, to Swarovski crystals, jewelry, cosmetics, to men’s face creams to make you look ten years younger. Maybe I should have bought two of the face cremes to shave 20 years off my age!?

We’re not big shoppers except for souvenir type items, but we did purchase the ship’s Seascape model (which I try to collect of ships we have taken), which was priced at $56, and was a nice quality metal model on a wood base. I wanted an MSC cap, but oddly enough they were out of them, and I didn’t see any nice logo T-shirts that I cared for, so we settled for just purchasing the ship’s model.

We had the same issue on Virgin Voyages recently where they were out of their logo caps, and like on MSC, this was only on the second night. Don’t know if ships are having supply-chain issues or people are gobbling them up right away (I think the former as you they would want to advertise their product), so if you see something you want in the gift logo shop, I would buy it early on in the cruise.

CASINO: While we’re not gamblers, we did stroll thru the casino after the theater shows let out, as it was a passageway towards the mid to the aft of the ship, and you really couldn’t avoid it. Although MSC allows smoking in the casino, it really was very well filtered, and this comes from someone who is very sensitive to second-hand smoke. There were definitely plenty of slots for every type play you like, as well as many table games as well.

The huge bar served as a functional and aesthetically pleasing circular sports bar as there were TV monitors mounted from the ceiling pointed down to the bar below.

YACHT CLUB EXPERIENCE: Wow oh Wow! What can I say about this? The Yacht Club (YC) is an exclusive area for 200 or fewer passengers, which makes up only 5% of the ship’s capacity, yet offers the best service, food, and amenities aboard. The YC occupies the forward 1/3 of decks 16, 18, and 19, with YC cabins on decks 16 and 18 (there is no deck 17 on these Italian ships due to superstition of the number 17). The YC offers mostly similar “Superior Suite Balcony” cabins, although there are 2 Royal Suites, and a few inside cabins as well, all which receive the same Yacht Club service, although the Royal Suites do get a reserved onboard pool-side cabana and much larger suite. (There are other cabanas in the YC available complimentary to YC passengers, on a first-come basis, and can be reserved onboard.)

Note there are actually several categories of larger suites aboard the Seaside that are not in the Yacht Club area, and these do NOT include the 5 star Yacht Club admittance and perks; they are basically larger cabins located throughout the ship among the masses of other passengers. Even though we’ve had very large suites on other lines, the room on MSC was almost secondary as the service and amenities in the public Yacht Club areas were far superior than being in a large suite in a non-Yacht Club area, although the larger space would be good for families needing extra space. All of the rooms in the Yacht Club are in the same key-only accessible area, and it was like being at a Country Club as it was such a small group of passengers with such a high staff to passenger ratio. It was easy to meet most of the fellow YC passengers over the course of the cruise, and it really was like a family between the staff and passengers by the end of the cruise.

The Yacht Club is entered via a key-carded entry door, where the 24 hour Concierge desk and staff are located, and glad to answer any questions, assist with shore excursions, specialty dining, and any type special request you may have.

The long hallway internal to the YC is mirrored on both sides, a common design theme used throughout the ship; lots of mirrors everywhere! On the starboard side where our cabin was located, there is also another keyed entrance door which bypasses the Concierge, and lead down a couple hallways to our room.

At the end of the hall on deck 16, is the Top Sail Lounge, a large and elegant cocktail lounge exclusive to the YC passengers. It faces the front of the ship and has plenty of seating on chairs, sofas, and at the bar area as well. It is here where (well actually anywhere in the YC) you can truly relax away from the mass market crowds of passengers in the main parts of the ship. No loud music and shouting, although there is a piano player/singer who entertains in the evening and special events such as the Captains cocktail party, High Tea, etc, and one night there was a saxophone player entertaining as well.

During other times of the day and night there is light and soft jazz or supper-club type music piped in thru the speakers, which makes a subtle background effect, without being overwhelming, even in the pool lavatory! There are always plenty of staff serving the YC, and there is never a wait for a drink, be it bottled water or your favorite cocktail, wine, or beer, and all but the most premium wines and liquors are included both here and throughout the ship (with two exceptions, the chocolate bar and the gelato bar in the main areas of the ship.)

Meals Aboard: Unlike the main part of the ship which has 3 seatings in a couple of dining rooms, which require a reservation time, the YC is open seating, and offers 3 waiter-serviced meals a day, in addition to the YC buffet which is available until 7 -10 am for breakfast and normally 12 – 3pm for lunch. We usually ate at the outdoor buffet for breakfast and lunch as the service hours were later and longer than the restaurant, and it was quite an extensive buffet you could enjoy around the pool, or outdoor seating area.

We did have lunch in the Yacht Club Dining Room the first day, and breakfast in the Dining Room on Debarkation Day; both of which were leisurely and wonderful, but we preferred the casual poolside buffet most days for breakfast and lunch. (The YC buffet is not open for dinner, although they have hors d’oeuvres in the Top Sail Lounge for a pre or post dinner snack.)

We always had dinner in the YC Dining room, which was truly a treat! Dinner is served nightly from 6pm to 9pm, and is open seating with no reservation required for whatever time you like to dine between the posted hours. We requested the same section each night so we had the same wait staff, and normally dined around 7:30pm. The menu selections changed each night with the evening’s theming, but they always had a few classics you could order from if nothing was to your liking, which including a Filet Mignon, Salmon, Cesar Salad etc.

Unlike other mainstream US cruise lines, there are 3 courses offered instead of the usual four on RCL, Celebrity, Princess and others. The portion sizes are also a bit small than other lines, but we thought this was actually a positive thing as many times cruise lines oversize their portions, although that too has changed since COVID in serving size portions. MSC offers a choice of several starters, entrees, and desserts (including selections from the cheese cart which I loved.). If you wanted another entree or like Steve (DOS) another or different starter, the wait staff was only too happy to oblige. As drinks were included, we tried several different wines with different food pairings over the week cruise, and one night the sommelier surprised us with a Beaujolais to try with our starter. We never would have guessed what it was (he didn’t tell us initially) as it was quite complex; like a more full-bodied Pinot, than a Beaujolais which is usually a young and more simple wine. Our wine of choice however, was the French Medoc they freely poured, or the Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon.

The food, presentation, and service were truly outstanding in the YC, and the Chef visited us table-side a couple evenings, while the Maitre D’ always stopped by to check on us. Our waiter and assistant waiter were absolutely some of MSC’s best!

Outdoor YC Pool Area/Bar/Buffet: On deck 19 was the YC Sun Deck, pool, and bar/buffet and outdoor seating area and cabanas. This was a large area, although most of the lounge chairs were not shaded unfortunately. As the YC’s sundeck was in the very front of the ship, umbrellas would probably not work due to the wind, although the area was quite protected by full length window panels, which mostly blocked the wind. On the downside, the large window panels created a bit of an obstacle for taking photos, although for sunset photos or in-port photos such as MSC’s private island, we could get good and unobstructed photos from our room’s balcony, as the window panels did not block the view as they did on the sundeck.

The YC saltwater pool was deeper than it looked, at around 5 feet deep, although the sign said 4’8″. The pool was a fun place to socialize and cool off, and we used it most days due to the great weather.

There are also two whirlpools located a bit further forward of the sectionally partitioned YC club, which are on the forward part of the YC sundeck.

Little extras mean a lot: The Yacht Club includes so many little extra touches with attention to detail, which makes it so extra-special. Your choice of daily newspaper: Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, and others, which are condescended versions of the papers, and printed daily on site.

Evening chocolates on the pillow, and some type of surprise treat each evening, such as white chocolates in a plexiglass box, a bottle of Prosecco one evening, a box of 4 sampler chocolates in a gift box the last night, replenishment of your mini-bar beers, water, sodas per your request etc.

Butler Service is included along with your room attendant, and the Butler will escort you anywhere on the ship and even to the exit for port days and debarkation. This was a huge benefit, especially being led to the reserved Yacht Club section for the Theater production shows. The High Tea service was especially nice and classy, and served in the Top Sail Lounge.

Production Shows: There were FIVE Production shows on this 7 night cruise! (Most 7 and even 10 night cruises only have a maximum of three, filled in with other acts on the other nights). Each show was different and some were better than others, but were all energetic with 4 main singers and 9 dancers, with additional specialty-act performers on some of the shows, such as the Peter Punk and Michael Jackson show.

The show theater itself while very large with two aisles and a center section (with stadium type seating allowing for great views), seemed a bit under-sized for a ship this large, sailing with 4,300 passengers on our sailing, so a couple of the most popular shows actually had 3 seatings (7:30, 9:30, and 10:30pm) instead of two most nights, due to the capacity requirements.

Unlike most other cruise lines, the Cruise Director did not make an announcement forbidding photography or even video taping at each show, and it seemed like quite a few people discretely videoed some of the performance number highlights, including myself, which I have included a few short segments below of some of the shows.

We enjoyed all of the shows, although we did not go to the two comedy shows on the non-production show nights, with the Circus Spectacular and the final night’s Michael Jackson show really extra well-done.

PORTS OF CALL : MSC OCEAN’s CAY was without a doubt our favorite port stop on this cruise. Like other cruise lines, MSC has their own private island in the Bahamas, however on our itinerary we were docked at Ocean Cay overnight, allowing for two full days on their private island, something other cruise lines do not do.

The island is also reachable via a dock area, so there is no need to tender to the port. As our cabin was on the starboard (right) side of the ship, we had an awesome view of the private island, including the landmark lighthouse, which has a light show at night, overlooking the beach party there.

We absolutely loved MSC’s Ocean Cay, and as DOS and I both agreed, it reminded us of Royal Caribbean’s (RCL’s) Coco Cay, before they turned the quiet island into a “theme park” with gigantic waters slips, a hot air balloon, zip lines etc. Not that there’s anything wrong with that if you want a bit of adventure for the whole family, but we much prefer the more pristine and natural look of a tropical island without all the added frills which we could do onboard or at a waterpark back home if we wanted to.

As there is no tendering required, it’s quite easy to debark the ship, and quickly explore the island. Our ship was the only ship in port both days, so it really did feel like a private island without the crowds. As passengers in the Yacht Club, we were escorted down to the exit, and once on land directed to a golf-cart tram, which transported us to the other side of the island, to the exclusive Yacht Club compound on the private beach.

The Yacht Club section includes the only air-conditioned passenger building on the island for the club house bar. There was really no reason to access the bar most of the time though, as the service was exceptional, both on the beach as well as at the adjacent Yacht Club Ocean Restaurant. We did go in there a couple times for a quick bottled water or drink if we were passing by there for a restroom stop or to cool off a bit.

As lunch the first day was from noon to 2pm, (11:30am – 1:30pm on the second day), we were a bit early for lunch, so headed to the gorgeous private beach just steps aways from the restaurant/bar area. The private beach area was huge, and offered plenty of lounge chairs with umbrellas (complimentary). We had read that the beach itself could be a bit rocky, so we brought some waterproof beach shoes which were great for not only the water, but walking on the hot beach.

In addition to the complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas, beachside cabanas could be pre-reserved as well for a fee. As the service was so good to everyone, we really didn’t see a point in getting a cabana, and were quite comfortable with our beach chairs and umbrellas, as servers were constantly coming by on the beach to provide us beverages. The beach chairs were actually closer to the water as well. The Bahamian water was so crystal blue and clear, it invited most passengers in for a refreshing dip.

Snorkeling was not offered at the Yacht Club beach, possibly as there was no protective netting there (more in a moment – yikes! ?), but it was offered at the non-Yacht Club main beach areas for a fee.

We went to lunch around 1pm at the Yacht Club outdoor Ocean House Restaurant, which is covered in most areas, along with ceiling fans to cool off. The food has different menus both days, and unlike a Buffet for the non-Yacht Club areas we passed on the way in, the YC section has full waiter service. It is served by the same wait staff on the ship, so it’s nice they know you, and you know them for the service they provide with a smile.

Steve (DOS) had always wanted a lobster roll (served on the second day on the island) but doesn’t like mayonnaise, so he told that to the waiter, who in turn talked to the chef, and DOS got his lobster roll without mayo and loved it! Later on in the cruise, the chef actually came by our table one evening at dinner and asked him how he liked the lobster roll without mayo! Outstanding service, and passenger memory preferences as well!

After a leisurely lunch, we headed back to the beach to relax for a while and enjoyable the beautiful mid-October day in the Bahamas. We actually got more than we expected, with some “wildlife” viewing, swimming around in the water. Yes, we saw a few sharks really close to the shore! ? These were sand sharks, and I guess when everyone was at lunch and the water was empty of beach goers, they decided to swim close to the shore and feed on the tiny needle or other fish. I could not believe how close the sharks got to the shore; literally in a foot of water! ????

We, along with most our fellow passengers at the beach took photos and video of the sharks swimming around, although I don’t think anyone else got back in the water that afternoon. There is a lifeguard, and he cautioned people about the sharks, but it didn’t take much caution for us to avoid the water after lunch!

The next day, we didn’t see the sharks though, and it seemed safe to go back into the water. I looked up sand sharks when we got back to the ship and Wikipedia had this article on them. They are normally “docile” to humans and are not aggressive unless provoked. They are usually more active at night, so I guess we “got lucky” by seeing them in the afternoon!

In the evening of our first day at MSC’s Ocean Cay, there were two lighthouse shows, and a huge beach party on the sand. We intended to get off the ship and go to the party, but after a big dinner and a few drinks we felt a bit lazy, so watched the show and party from our 16th floor balcony; actually probably the best view from anywhere.

The beach party was adjacent to the lighthouse, and in full view for us as seen from our balcony, looked lively and fun as well. The beach party, and island “curfew” lasted until 11:30pm, at which point everyone rebounded the ship until the next day, while the “island people” who live there freshened up the island overnight.

There were two different light shows; one at 9 and one at 10pm, and in between the shows were rotating light effects; i.e. MSC logo, different color lights etc, and coordinated with music as well.

The second day on Ocean Cay was basically a repeat of the first day, but without any shark sightings.? It was nice to sleep in a bit, have breakfast aboard the ship, and then head back to the Yacht Club Beach Resort; it had a feel of staying at a nice Caribbean land resort. DOS had his lobster roll for lunch, while I had the lunch tournedos of beef, and an ahi tuna salad.

We sailed from Ocean Cay on our second day there, at 5:30pm for our next port, Costa Maya, which we would arrive in two days, after a day at sea on the way there.

COSTA MAYA, MEXICO: This is a newer Mexican port as far as tourism goes, but already it has gotten quite popular, and unfortunately crowded. The day we we docked here, there were a total of 4 mega ships in port, (RCL’s Adventure OTS, Allure OTS, Carnival Pride, and our ship MSC Seaside) and as the ships shared the two long dock areas, it was quite busy just walking down the long perpendicular dock ramps to the Costa Maya cruise entrance.

Once there, it felt perhaps a little less busy than Mardi Gras, with most passengers wandering around aimlessly watching the free show in the town square, going to the many bars there, shopping, some even swimming in the huge pool there, or like us heading down to the “swim with the dolphins” area to have a look.

We skipped on doing Costa Maya’s “Spa Treatment”, which consisted of women (and even some men) soaking their feet in an aquarium filled with tiny fish. Supposedly the fish gently chew on your dead skin, and somehow this “reduces stress” and “makes skin smooth and soft!”. I don’t know, but I got stressed just watching these ladies with their feet getting chewed on by those little fish! To each his own I guess; hey they’re in Mexico enjoying themselves. (At least the lady on the right. The lady on the left kept looking at her watch, like “how much longer do I have to have my feet in this horrible tank!”

We did not do a shore excursion or tour here on our own, as we stopped here last year in March 2022 on a Princess cruise and had gone into town on that trip. While there were mega ships in that day as well, as it was still the trailing part of the COVID pandemic, most of the ships were only sailing half full then, so while the port was busy in places (such as the taxi stand), the port itself was more like a ghost town compared to this trip’s visit to Costa Maya. The one part that was busy then was when we took a taxi into town, and it was a bit of a free-for-all getting a cab. The town itself wasn’t as busy as the hectic cruise port, and offered massages on the beach next to one of the many ocean front beach bars and souvenir shops. The town was worth a look if you hadn’t been, and it had much more of a feel for the “real” Mexico with its rustic sea-side village. You can view our stop in Costa Maya last year on this Princess post if you want to see the village town of Costa Maya.

COZUMEL MEXICO: We’ve been to Cozumel several times over the years, and always enjoy the stop there. While there were three or four ships in port the day we were there, Cozumel has several docks which are spread out by a couple miles, so it’s not nearly as overwhelming with crowds compared to Costa Maya, where the docks are all in the same area. We were docked at the International Cruise Port Terminal, which is the preferred terminal as it’s in town and the port area has some of the fun places to visit; i.e. Margaritaville and Señor Frogs among others. We had no excursions booked here, so basically wondered around the port area and into town for some exercise and bought a souvenir hat, being the big spenders we are!?

I first went to Cozumel in 1987 on my very first cruise, Bahama Star Line’s Veracruz, when Cozumel was not a well known port of call, and the ships that did stop there were much smaller than today’s mega-monsters. That first 5 day cruise on the Veracruz, got me hooked on cruising for life, and I have fond memories of the 3 cruises I took on her the first two years alone, eventually expending my cruise repertoire to now over 75 cruises on various cruise lines with different cruise lengths and regions of the world That tiny ship, the Veracruz was only 10,000 tons or so with perhaps 700 passengers, and there were no balconies, specialty dining, internet (Internet! ??? It wasn’t even invented yet!???), but it brings back great memories to this day, and many former passengers and staff have commented on my Veracruz post from a few years back with their stories down memory lane on her as well.

Anyway, sorry I digress down memory lane. What reminded me of Cozumel and the Veracruz, was the Hotel that you see in port, at the International Terminal where we were docked on the MSC Seaside. That Hotel has been there for years, although has undergone many renovations (even now) due to hurricanes and general upkeep and modernization.

It was formerly called “El Sol”, Spanish for “The Sun”. I never stayed there, or even visited the property, so DOS and I toured the lobby of the hotel and grounds, which although under partial renovation, looked very nice. Even though it was so close and just across the dock area from the cruise ships, it had a secluded feel to it, with a nice pool facing our ship, a nature walk with outdoor spa, whirlpool, bar etc, and was tropically landscaping as well. DOS even went to inquire on room types and rates at the Front Desk before we left, which is now called “El Cid La Ceiba”.

In my younger, “Veracruz” days, (pre-DOS) I would take the old Fiesta party boat as a shore excursion to a private beach, with unlimited rum punch and a piñata party and dancing on the way back to the port.

I’m sure they have something similar to the Fiesta boat now, but we skipped the party scene on this return trip to Cozumel, although did have a look in at Margaritaville and Senior Frogs. I settled for my souvenir cap from Ron Jon’s Surf Shop in Cozumel, and we made our way back to the ship for lunch. It was a beautiful day in Cozumel while we here on the MSC Seaside in mid-October 2023.

MISC/OTHER Onboard Experiences : On MSC Seaside, there were several other optional tours and events, wine tastings, backstage tours, Bingo, Slot Pulls etc you could signup and pay for, although we did not do any of them; not so much out of lack of interest, rather there were so many other activities to do, and hanging out by day at the Yacht Club pool area was one of them! ?

Behind-the-Scenes Tour: I would have loved to have taken MSC’s Behind the Scenes Tour, but it was quite an extensive tour and required lots of walking up stairs and other areas of the ship (per their description) and as I’m still recovering from my heart surgery last year and I didn’t want to over-exert myself, although I’m doing fine walking on level surfaces. The backstage tour includes off-limits areas to guests including the Engine Room, Galley, Bridge, and Backstage of the Main theater among others. The Backstage Theater tour was always my favorite on Celebrity Cruises, and I’m sure this all inclusive Behind-the-Scenes tour would fail to disappoint as well.

Wine Tasting Events: Another event that sounded promising was one of the wine tastings. We walked by the display table for the wine tasting event that was setup adjacent the Butcher Cut (Specialty steak dining venue), and it looked quite elegant with various size Riedel glassware and fine wines. We’ve done many ship wine tastings on many different ships, and have always enjoyed them, so from the descriptions of the wine tasting it sounded very nice; again it was more of a timing thing for us. We enjoyed one wine tasting event on Celebrity Cruises years ago, that got us hooked on the Riedel glassware and use it to this day (after breaking a few glasses over the years and replenishing them obviously!)? A proper wine tasting with Riedel should include a different type glass for each varietal tasted, noting the differences and shapes in the stemware, paired with the appropriate wine for the glass from which you are sampling.

Caviar Tasting : We did not do this, but met a couple of ladies in the Yacht Club who did, and loved it! I believe the cost was $50 for this tasting, which is held at Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse at various times.

Specialty Dining : There are several Specialty Dining venues on board, including the Butcher’s Cut, an Asian Restaurant, and a Seafood Restaurant. The Butcher’s Cut especially looked wonderful for me Steve (UNO) as I’m a steak and potatoes kind of guy, and the cuts of beef (and wines) are on display adjacent to the Specialty Restaurant’s Lounge and worth at least having a look. /

We actually enjoyed the Yacht Club Restaurant so much we didn’t even make it to one of the Specialty Dining’s Restaurants aboard (although I would have chosen The Butcher’s Cut if we had gone) as we had an included complimentary Specialty Restaurant dinner with my (status match) Diamond status on MSC. Passing up on a complimentary meal at Butcher’s Steakhouse tells you how much we enjoyed The Yacht Club’s restaurant. (Actually though, I was getting a bit Filet Mignon’d out by the fourth day!)?

Optic Eye: This was unique to us, and again we didn’t do this, but it was interesting, at least in concept. According to MSC, “it’s all the rage in Europe”, although we’ve never heard of it there either. Basically they scan your eyes with a device similar to one at an optometrist office, and it creates a colorful artwork design of your eyes, enlarged to make a poster, photo, canvas etc. I don’t know maybe it’s me, but I don’t think I would want my eyes staring at me all the time at home in the living room, but it is a unique conversation piece.?

BINGO! Everyone knows Bingo and if you play it, you know it! Onboard every cruise ship.

Zip Lining! This is one activity I definitely wouldn’t do, but was hoping to watch. They only offer it certain times of day, and unfortunately the last sea day was a bit windy so it was closed. I just wanted to video the brave souls that soared high over mid ship’s top deck toward the aft pool area. The zip line, (after you sign your life away waiver) costs $11 a zip. No thank you from the Steve’s, although it’s probably a blast if you’re an adventurer type.

I’m sure there are many other paid events and experiences aboard, but these caught my “eye” so to speak, out of interest even though we didn’t do them. There were plenty of free activities as well such as trivia, karaoke, dance classes, beach parties, pool parties, sail-away parties, etc, etc, etc. Whatever you do, you won’t be bored or run out of things to do, and you certainly won’t go hungry.

Farewell Day at Sea: The last day of the cruise is traditionally sad for us, as you have to pack up and realize the cruise is ending early the next morning. On this cruise, most likely due to the Yacht Club service, accommodations, easy itinerary and mostly casual clothes, we were really able to relax the last day.

Traditionally the first and last night of a cruise are very casual with the idea being passengers just arrived and/or have not unpacked their luggage, or on the last day have already packed up their luggage for the trip home. On MSC in the YC at least, about 50% of the passengers dressed up in semi-formal attire for the farewell Italian dinner on the last night of the cruise. This was the only night I wore shorts to the dining room as we had already packed and were only traveling an hour home to Orlando the next day. I felt a bit uncomfortable although quite a few other Floridians and others were wearing shorts as well. Some of the passengers also wore shorts to dinner on the port days, but mostly it was dress casual aboard except for the one formal night, which was not the last night of the cruise.

We spent a good part of the day by the pool area, having lunch as usual at the outdoor YC buffet. As a nice afternoon treat, the waiters come by and pass out your choice of ice cream too!

For dinner, it was Italian night, and all of the waiters were dressed in tuxes with the Italian flag colors for the tie and vest. Even the tables had alternating colors of red, white, and green of the Italian flag.

Disembarkation: We had our farewell breakfast in the YC Restaurant at 8am on disembarkation day, as the regular pool-side buffet breakfast was not served on the last morning. Having the full breakfast and not being rushed on Debarkation Day was especially nice vs the normal Continental Breakfast you get on some lines as you’re in a hurry to get off the ship and avoid crowds.

After breakfast, we waited for a bit with the other YC guests in the Top Sail lounge as we waited to be called; rather escorted down to the exit one last time. The “walk off” guests were called first; i.e. those passengers aboard the ship (everyone, not just YC) who were carrying their own luggage off the ship (as opposed to checked luggage), which must have been a few hundred passengers. No rush for us though as we were comfortably seated in the lounge area.

We disembarked around 9:10am, and were escorted all the way to the exit, following a roped off line so the passenger mix wouldn’t get in with our flow of YC traffic. Our luggage was waiting for us in the terminal, and we got a porter to assist us (very smart move!), who wheeled our luggage thru Customs and all the way to our parking spot in the parking garage. We were on our way home by 9:30am, and home by 10:35am; quite an easy disembarkation and trip home. Welcome Home!

Final Thoughts on the MSC Seascape after our first sailing:

• Certain areas of the MSC Seascape (more so than allowed on most other cruise lines) allow smoking. This seemed to be the main pool on the starboard side, but even the YC allowed smoking on the front portion (away from the pool though) starboard side. I don’t recall anyone smoking in the YC area however, so it wasn’t a problem for us, although on the main pool area starboard side there were quite a few smokers. The casino allows smoking but it is really filtered well, so wasn’t terrible just walking thru it, as we don’t gamble.
• YC is truly a class by itself, and is so worth it if you can afford it. Compared to booking a suite on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Princess, it’s quite a bit cheaper as well, and RCL doesn’t include the drink package with all but the very top suites, nor their Beach Club access on their private island (an extra $200 a person for the one day there!)
• The production shows in the theater do not allow you to bring a drink into them. Not a huge deal though as the shows are typically 30 -35 minutes. There were actually 5 production shows on this 7 night cruise, plus two comedy shows. The shows were shorter, except for the Michael Jackson show which lasted about 45 minutes vs 30 minutes for the others.
• YC service includes Butlers who will escort you anywhere on the ship, and for disembarking in port as well as final debarkation. While we normally only used this service for the theater shows and going off the ship, it really does save lots of time, and makes it much easier to attend the shows, as you don’t need a reservation for the reserved YC seating area. Main passenger guests need to make reservations for the shows and queue up, while YC passengers are escorted by a butler 10-15 minutes prior to show time in a dedicated seating area which always had seats for us and others, even on the full shows.
• YC guests do not need a reservation for dinner as it’s open seating in the YC Dining Room. Other guests must make reservations for dinner, and depending on the fare level you paid, you may not be able to pre-reserve your dining preference at one of the three seatings.
• To us it seemed a bit of an oddity, but there are ATM-like credit card verification kiosks several places aboard the ship, where you needed to verify your credit card to enable charging on your account. We just thought it was a given to charge your credit card on file, but I guess some people put down a cash deposit, and need to have a card cover their excess charges on board. We just provided a credit card and “activated” (that’s what MSC calls it) when we boarded, and we were good to go for any incidentals.
• The YC covers all meals, 2 internet devices per person, virtually all alcoholic and other drinks, Butler and Room Attendant services, complimentary room service (you can even order a whole pizza to your room!), dedicated Concierge service, nightly turn down service (with chocolates!), daily choice of newspapers, pillow menu, etc: so worth it all! Best of all are the dedicated spaces for it’s own restaurant, lounge, private pool and sundeck area, and the YC Beach section at Ocean Cay, as well as complimentary access to the Spa Thermal Suite.
• The YC does NOT include daily staff gratuities, shore excursions, spa, or gift shop items.
• MSC will “status match” their frequent quest program to another cruise line or an elite Frequent Flyer or Hotel Program. I got status matched with Hyatt Globalist which gave me Diamond status with MSC. It’s not a huge benefit, but provides a 5% discount, and one specialty dinner aboard. The YC restaurant itself was so good, however, we didn’t even go to one of the specialty dining venues, even though we had a complimentary meal at the speciality restaurant of our choice.
• At least on the Seaside out of Port Canaveral, the shipboard announcements were not as many in quantity as we expected. It’s possible these (except for emergency or Captain’s announcements) were muted in the YC area, but we didn’t hear any more than you would on a Princess or RCL ship. This would be different in Europe I imagine due to the many nationalities boarding there, as well as the different length of cruises, even within the same 7 or 10 day itinerary (people may disembark in one port, vs taking the whole roundtrip cruise like on the Seaside out of Port Canaveral).

Finally, If you’re still here reading this; thanks for sticking around! I’ll finish this lengthy post with the finale the MSC singers and dancers concluded the Michael Jackson show with on the final night of the cruise. This song was a fitting sendoff to everyone, and in effect the ship itself is a bit of the United Nations itself with the multiple nationalities from both crew and passengers, that make up this floating city. The video is taken from the back of the theater, so it’s not the best quality, but it gives a happy and bittersweet moment for the end of show and cruise. Thanks for reading, and God bless the crew members here and worldwide that work so hard for us, and are away from their families for months at a time, so that we may enjoy our cruises. Take care everyone, and safe and happy travels!

• ← Welcome Aboard the MSC Seaside’s Yacht Club!
• Happy Birthday to Steve DOS from DISNEY SPRINGS! →

8 thoughts on “ The Steve’s Review of MSC Seaside’s Yacht Club ”

Steves, thank you so much for taking the time to write this exhaustive description of your experiences. It is chock full of useful information that I will make good use of.

My pleasure! We enjoy sharing our experiences and tips with others. Thanks for your comments!

Hi both We are booked on MSC SEASHORE which I presume is mostly identical in October. Yacht Club….. I can’t wait for this top notch experience. Your review brought it to life especially the private island. Your writeup of the boarding experience was very informative and will mean hopefully we wont wait in the wrong queue with no fizz! Excellent and thanks

Hi Graham, glad you enjoyed my post on the Yacht Club. While we haven’t taken the Seashore, from what I’ve read (as it’s based in North America) it should be a very similar experience. As the Yacht Club is such an intimate and enhanced experience, you’ll meet many of your fellow YC passengers there, and everyone we met said they would only do the YC on MSC again it was so wonderful! Enjoy your trip on the Seashore!

Thank you so much for this really detailed review. We were suggested Yacht Club by our travel agent but we haven’t yet made a final decision based on so many negative reviews of both MSC and the Yacht Club. Your review makes me much more likely to give it a try this coming October!!

You will love the Yacht Club if you do it. Yes, MSC itself has had some negatives; mainly due to the ‘nickel and diming’, required reservations for shows etc in the basic MSC lower, non YC cabins.. The Yacht Club, however is in a totally different league. There are only about 200 passengers in the YC, and it feels like a “country club” setting. You are free to explore the ship ship anywhere, however it feels so special coming back “home” to the YC. I really think you will like it. We’ve sailed many cruises on many lines, and we were quite impressed with the level of service and attention to details. Enjoy!

We have been dedicated Celebrity cruisers for a few years now. One of our sons got employed by MSC last Fall, and we took advantage of a “Family & Friends” program to cruise on MSC SEASHORE in March for four nights. Balcony cabin was nice, ship was beautiful, staff was great, but certainly not Celebrity level.

We are going back on SEASHORE in June for ten nights in The Yacht Club, then on Seaside in November out of Miami, and SEASHORE again next April. All Yacht Club, which we can do for the price of a regular balcony on Celebrity.

Really enjoyed this great review, and really looking forward to the MSC Yacht Club.

We have enjoyed the upscale Celebrity experience as well over the years, and are going on the Beyond for the first time in August. We were quite impressed with the service level on MSC’s Yacht Club, and felt it was more personal than many ships we’ve sailed. For the price point you’re absolutely right; the YC is less than a balcony on Celebrity, plus for the Caribbean itineraries at least, many offer an overnight at MSC’s private island which is wonderful! Enjoy your upcoming cruises!

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5 REASONS MSC YACHT CLUB IS THE ULTIMATE WAY TO CRUISE

COURTESY MSC Cruises: Geneva, Switzerland – October 19, 2023 –  The MSC Yacht Club is a ‘ship within a ship’ concept offered onboard many MSC Cruises ships, providing guests with an unparalleled cruise experience full of complete serenity and exclusivity. This private area of the ship is only accessible to MSC Yacht Club guests, offering stylish facilities and lavish accommodations with a host of dedicated amenities, such as a panoramic lounge, high-end restaurant, elegant pool and secluded sun deck.

Guests staying in the MSC Yacht Club benefit from a range of privileges and personalized service. These perks are available around-the-clock and are designed to cater to guests’ specific needs and preferences, ensuring a seamless luxury experience at sea. The MSC Yacht Club also offers numerous dedicated leisure and entertainment possibilities, allowing guests to enjoy the exclusivity of a private club while also having access to the countless recreation and entertainment options available throughout the ship.

Whether guests are looking for a relaxing escape or a lavish vacation, the MSC Yacht Club provides exclusive areas to savor the sophistication and elegance of a luxury cruise experience, ensuring the utmost privacy and comfort where every detail is designed to surpass guests’ expectations and create memories of a lifetime.

MSC Yacht Club is available on more than half of MSC Cruises’ modern fleet, allowing guests to experience the same level of exceptional, personalized services across many destinations.

Highlights of the MSC Yacht Club benefits include:

1. 24-HOUR PERSONALIZED SERVICE

MSC Yacht Club’s all-inclusive experience is fully personalized with dedicated 24-hour butler service and a concierge, making the cruising experience truly personal and tailored to each individual guest’s needs. The butler will quickly get to know each guest’s personal preferences, providing the highest level of customized service to ensure all guests feel pampered and relaxed. Meanwhile, the dedicated concierge is on hand to facilitate any request, from organizing shore excursions and making reservations for the spa, to arranging for a newspaper to be brought to the cabin each morning.

2. PRIVILEGED ACCESS

MSC Yacht Club is sure to exceed expectations with a host of privileges that create an effortless experience, from the moment guests step on board to the moment they depart. This luxurious cruise experience offers a dedicated priority check-in and check-out, ensuring a seamless and quick embarkation and disembarkation, so guests can start enjoying their vacations as soon as possible. They will also receive the full VIP treatment with a variety of offerings including tailored shopping sessions in the onboard boutiques outside regular opening hours, embarking on exceptional private excursions, or the complimentary use of the Thermal Suite and MSC Aurea Spa to decompress while at sea.

These private-access areas extend ashore in a number of destinations:

• MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, The Bahamas – MSC Cruises’ private island, founded on a strong commitment to the preservation of marine resources and the conservation of coral reefs, has a private beach area exclusively reserved for guests of the MSC Yacht Club. With privileged access to enjoy sunbeds and cabanas with butler service, the private area of the island also features a dedicated restaurant to relax, sip a cocktail and enjoy a 3-course dedicated lunch surrounded by sea breezes.
• Sir Bani Yas Island, United Arab Emirates – A beach lover’s paradise just off the southwest coast of Abu Dhabi offers guests a stunning tropical oasis to unwind. The island features an MSC Yacht Club zone with premium sunbeds and dedicated transportation, barbecue lunch and bar service to ensure the utmost comfort and privacy for guests during a day ashore.

3. PRIVATE AND LUXURIOUS LEISURE AMENITIES 

MSC Yacht Club guests have exclusive access to a range of private and elegant spaces to enhance their cruise experience. The dedicated Top Sail Lounge offers panoramic views for guests to sit back and relax in a sophisticated setting, while indulging in an array of gourmet finger foods, delicious drinks and high tea service, as well as live music every evening. The club’s private sundeck, complete with a pool, hot tub, sundeck and bar, offers guests the chance to soak up the sun and enjoy complimentary refreshments in complete comfort, while taking in the best views on board across the bow of the ship and out to sea.

4. LAVISH ACCOMMODATION

Experience the finest luxury accommodation with the MSC Yacht Club’s wide variety of suites to meet all guests’ preferences. The stylish and spacious accommodations set themselves apart and include options with stunning ocean views from the cabin’s private balcony, as well as options like the Duplex Suites, Royal Suites and Owner’s Suites, offering a private hot tub on the balcony. From Myform Memory mattresses and crisp Egyptian cotton bedding to an indulgent Dorelan pillow menu, luxurious marble bathrooms and complimentary minibars, the MSC Yacht Club suites provide unparalleled comfort for an unforgettable vacation.

5. CULINARY DELIGHTS FROM DAY TO NIGHT

With a dedicated restaurant, the MSC Yacht Club offers guests the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of an exquisite fine-dining experience with five-star service. Offering sophisticated cuisines with an à la carte menu, guests can savor an array of the finest dishes served exclusively for them from a dedicated kitchen staff, accompanied by a spectacular selection of drinks, including fine wines from around the world with a dedicated sommelier available to further enhance the food and wine pairing experience. The private restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests can dine at any time that suits their needs.

A toast to relaxation, MSC Yacht Club guests can also enjoy the finest spirits with the premium drink package included in their booking.

MSC Yacht Club is an all-inclusive experience with a host of privileges:

• Dedicated priority check-in and check-out as well as priority departure and return on excursion days
• 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge
• Unlimited drinks throughout the ship with the Premium Extra package
• Unlimited dining within the MSC Yacht Club
• Inclusion of the Browse Internet package with unlimited data for two devices
• Complimentary access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea Spa
• Tailormade shopping experiences
• Private excursions available with priority departures and returns to and from the ship
• Complimentary welcome bottle of either wine, Spumante, Champagne or spirit
• A complimentary personalized mini bar offering juices, soft drinks, water, and beer replenished daily, and complimentary snacks
• Room service available 24 hours
• Other personal touches such as luggage unpacking and packing service, newspaper delivered to the cabin each day and something different delivered at turn down each night – a different selection of sweet or savory canapés each day

  Private facilities on the ship only accessible to MSC Yacht Club guests :

• Suites featuring a pillow menu and Egyptian cotton sheets with memory-foam mattresses for the most comfortable night’s sleep
• Panoramic Top Sail Lounge with bar, afternoon tea service, light bites available day and night and live entertainment in the evening
• Gourmet restaurant with a la carte dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner where guests can dine at a time that is convenient for them
• A private and spacious pool deck that offers whirlpool baths and sunbathing area and outdoor bar

About MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand as well as the market leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa. It is also the fastest growing global cruise brand with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and the Far East markets.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is one of the two brands that sit within the Cruise Division of MSC Group, the world’s leading and privately held shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage. MSC Cruises – the contemporary brand – has a modern fleet of 22 vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels, terminals and other assets. The fleet is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025, with options for six more vessel orders in place through 2030.

MSC Cruises offers its guests an enriching, immersive and safe cruise experience inspired by the Company’s European heritage, where they can enjoy international dining, world-class entertainment, award-winning family programs, and the very latest user-friendly technology on board.

The line’s number one priority has always been the health and safety of its guests and crew, as well as the communities at the destinations its ships serve. In August 2020, MSC Cruises implemented a new comprehensive and robust health and safety protocol to become the first major line to return to sea.

MSC Cruises has long been committed to environmental stewardship, with a long-term goal to achieve net zero emissions for its operations by 2050. The Company is also a significant investor in next-generation environmental marine technologies, with the objective to support their accelerated development and availability industry-wide.

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Review: MSC Yacht Club (Cruise – Business Class)

Cruising is completely different than the rest of the ship when it’s inside of a separate business class or first class portion of the ship. Here’s a look at MSC Yacht Club.

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*Note: I own a travel agency and was given access to this sailing, however, neither my praise nor critiques were disclosed to the cruise line prior to publication.

Ship Within A Ship

Many that aren’t regular cruisers don’t know that there’s a private section of the ship reserved solely for ship within a ship or business class for cruises. I added more color to this in a prior post but a few things I will add. It’s entirely possible to never leave the MSC Yacht Club and have an insulated and elevated experience. Every aspect of the experience is different from the rest of the ship from boarding, to who answers the phone, suites, menu items, even the elevators. Whatever your impression of large ocean cruising has been, if it hasn’t been in a private section like the MSC Yacht Club experience, it’s probably drastically different. If you flew United Airlines in a middle seat at the back of a wide body on a 12-hour flight and decided all flying was just that experience, you’d miss out on Polaris and it wouldn’t really be true.

This is a look at the second of those two experiences.

Concierge Desk

Upon arriving at the Yacht Club, the Concierge Desk on the 16th floor is the first thing to greet guests. Staffed 24/7 with at least one (usually three) Yacht Club concierges, they can coordinate anything throughout the ship if guests choose to explore other areas, or within the club. From shore excursions to massages at the MSC Aurea Spa, the concierge staff, specifically Guillermo, were excellent.

From the first greeting, they called each of my family members by name and started to predict what we’d like.

There are just 131 suites in the MSC Yacht Club section. Some of these are expanded, and most have balconies, but for those who want the expanded features of the Yacht Club but don’t have the additional budget, there are 15 interior rooms available in this section. For those bidding upgrades, these rooms run from $200 more than a standard so if you’re ok with an interior, there’s a lot of added value and it’s probably in the range of the best upgrade you can book on the ship outside of restaurants. Personally, interior rooms are not for me but as an upgrade, it’s objectively the best value on the boat.

Our suite was spacious and large. The ship is relatively new (just over a year old when we sailed in January 2024) so modern amenities were placed throughout. Luggage storage is on the right as soon as you enter the suite, to the left is the bathroom. Along the right wall drawers, a desk, a TV, a mini-fridge, and lastly a closet runs the length of the suite to the balcony.

On the left, is a king bed with full-sized closets. Buttressing the bed were nightstands with additional storage, reading lights, and power outlets including both USB-C, USB, European, and US outlets. The bed was comfortable as was the pull-out. Pillows from the kids club awaited both of our kids and a cookie plate for Lucy, our ten-year-old daughter.

A column with books and artwork separate a pull-out couch, and a glass coffee table before the balcony. Our butler had a welcome amenity that included a bottle of champagne, an array of fruit, and some light bite canapés.

The deck had space for a pair of chairs and a lounger.

The bathroom was one of the more impressive we’ve seen on a cruise ship. The vanity ran the width of the suite with plenty of space for grooming items. The shower was not only large with a rain shower head, but it had enough space for a reasonably large bench. We also enjoyed the Med toiletries.

Yacht Club Dining Room

The Yacht Club, in addition to being a class of service is also a physical place open only to its guests. The Yacht Club restaurant was similar to the concept of a main dining room but rather than specific meal times, MSC Yacht Club guests were permitted to dine any time they like within a number of hours for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Below the YAcht Club restaurant is the Top Sail lounge which is open almost all day and night. I’m not ure if it closes as one night I was there well past 2 AM, and while the bar had long closed, I continued working undisturbed while staff cleaned and readied it for the next day. Drinks in the Top Sail lounge are included, and one of the MSC Yacht Club perks is that you don’t need a drink package to order cocktails throughout the rest of the ship – any drink up to $16 is included.

MSC Yacht Club Pool and Solarium

Exclusive to Yacht Club guests is access to a pool area only for the ship-within-a-ship’s guests. On the 19th is a sun deck (solarium), access-restricted pool, bar, and outdoor buffet. I will first contrast this with a photo of the general pool area and then one from the Yacht Club. During our 7-day cruise, we only saw other people in the Yacht Club pool twice though the loungers around the solarium and hot tub were well-attended.

While most don’t go to the pool to eat, at each meal time there was an extensive buffet of hot and cold food, and staff that would customize anything on it. It was rather convenient to be able to get a snack with plenty of options both hearty and healthy while enjoying the sun.

Specialty Dining

Regardless of the fare purchased, specialty dining (restaurants onboard) incur an additional charge. With all food included either in dining rooms or buffets, many don’t see the need to purchase a dining package. Personally, we wouldn’t go without one and while the Yacht Club restaurant offered an elevated menu, even though it’s included we ate almost every night in a different restaurant onboard. The food was of a very high quality, spaces were less crowded, and it simply wasn’t that much considering what we were able to enjoy. A popular package includes a three-restaurant selection for $99/per person. For $110, the Mexican restaurant is added with an all-you-can-eat menu (but not a buffet) and for $149, five restaurants are available. At minimum, I would recommend the $110 package.

The specialty restaurants onboard we visited included:

• Butcher’s Cut (steakhouse)
• Ocean Cay (seafood)
• Kaito (sushi)
• Hola! (Mexican)
• Kaito (teppanyaki)

With a specialty dining package, travelers are permitted to order off a condensed menu and a single item from the category. For example, at the Butcher’s Cut, I ordered a starter of prawn cocktail (U8), a 14 oz New York Strip, a side of Asparagus, and a molten chocolate cake for dessert.

Here were some other highlights from Butcher’s Cut:

Ocean Cay is a name used for a couple of things with the MSC Cruise family. It’s the name of its specialty dining seafood restaurant (photos below) as well as the name of its private island.

Kaito is both the name of the Teppanyaki restaurant and a conveyer-belt sushi restaurant (Lucky Cat Sushi Bar.) The food was fantastic and at our dinner, there was just one other couple at our table, others were about 75% full.

One more segment that is not specialty dining is the Marketplace, an international buffet with something for everyone open most of the day and well into the evening. On our first MSC cruise, we didn’t have a Yacht Club suite and found ourselves at Marketplace for a slice of pizza. It was incredible and MSC, owned by an Italian-Swiss family, has incredible pizza with a true pizzaiolo. The pizza was so good that until close every night there was a line. I asked to speak with the pizzaiolos and learned that each night, dough for between 1,000 and 1,200 pizzas is prepped and proofed for massive 18″ pizzas. They mix up the ingredients but cheese and pepperoni on a New York-style crust was truly legendary.

Butler Service

For some lines, Butler service is more “in name only” but our Butler, Putu was exceptional. He was offended if we made a dinner reservation or left without him. Any time we had an appointment (spa, dinner, a show – even shopping) he insisted on accompanying us through the ship. He adjusted what was in our suite each day, ensured it was clean regardless of the irregular hours, and saw that our every need was fulfilled.

One of the benefits of butler service is that when you indicate you intend to catch a show, not only will they accompany you to the theater, but they have a special section reserved for Yacht Club and they defend it if needed.

Lastly, as our time onboard came to an end, Putu met us at our room and disembarked with us. While Yacht Club features priority embarkation and disembarkation, guests will flow into a general area upon arriving at a destination port like Miami. In his tuxedo with tails, he politely navigated us through the crowd moving ropes and barriers along the way and cutting the line for us. While we would have patiently waited, he was insistent that this was part of his service and we obliged. He guided us through to our luggage, helped us retrieve them and bid us farewell at customs where we returned to the United States. Outside of extreme elites in unpublished tiers on airlines (United Global Services, American Airlines Concierge Key, etc.) I can’t think of an example where this level of personal assistance is performed. I’ve never been to an airline lounge, where the staff walk you through the airport and carry your bags while shopping. It’s exceptional and just part of the Yacht Club experience.

Ocean Cay (Island)

Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas was converted from a dumping site to a beautiful ecological paradise. Each year, foliage improves, and sealife is benefiting from the island’s new coral reef. Like the rest of the Yacht Club experience, what applied to the rest of the ship didn’t apply to us. Golf carts took Yacht Club guests from a shaded waiting tent on the island to the far reaches where a Yacht Club-only restaurant (Ocean House) and a private beach awaited. The Butler and Yacht Club staff waited on us in the restaurant and in the sand.

Other Inclusions

A bottle of your choice (in addition to welcome champagne) is provided for each guest suite. Room service is also included (an extra charge throughout the rest of the ship) and we took advantage of the amazing pizza rather than heading to the buffet. The Aurea Thermal Suite is more than just a spa. It features a salt room, a walk-through rinse station with seven stages adjusting the light, and water composition as you move through it. While an extra cost for other guests, it’s included for Yacht Club and the massage inside (additional charge for every guest) was exceptional.

While not included for any guest, the onboard chocolatier, Venchi, had unbeatable gelato for $6-8 depending on what was ordered.

What’s not to like? A few things. For one, the ship was enormous (5,179 passengers) and while that offers plenty to do, it also brings with it it’s own set of issues. In the Yacht Club end of the boat we had elevators that reduced time to get to different decks but throughout the rest of the ship, waits could be long.

The marketplace (buffet) was packed all the time and this led to a dining room that was tough to maintain and food quality suffered. Despite the pizza team standing at 4-5 people at any one point in time, there was still almost always a line, and most pizzas that came out were quickly gone as soon as they hit the window.

The onboard waterpark was also busy on hot days and the waterslides closed at 6 PM, a little early on sea days. Some of the elevated arcade games like a 4-D motion theater, were a little expensive for a few minutes of entertainment.

In the Yacht Club dining room, I would have liked an “express meal” option as we traveled with children, and dinners that last 60-90 minutes are a little harder than we’d like.

Another Boarding Area blogger had posted a poor experience in MSC choosing not to opt for Yacht Club or extras. The complaints aligned with a passenger that might fly Basic Economy on American Airlines but then attribute that to the entire experience of American when, in fact, business class is a completely different experience. Perhaps in a standard cabin, issues of drink packages, and dinner times are inconvenient. But if you’re a business class customer, you shouldn’t fly in Basic Economy – it’s a mismatch.

Yacht Club is about double the cost of a similar room category on the rest of the ship. That’s a little less than the premium of flying in the front when comparing business class to economy.  That said, with the extra inclusions and a 4-restaurant dining package, it was a terrific value. MSC’s Ocean Cay island is exceptional, as is the butler service, and the ability to have a quiet experience separated from the rest of the ship but the amenities and comfort that a large boat can offer.

What do you think? Have you cruised in a ship-within-a-ship concept like Yacht Club? How was your experience?

About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: [email protected]

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17 comments.

Kyle, Do you know if all cruise ships have these type of “special” areas and classes?

@Patrick – Almost all lines off something like this, even Carnival. For Royal, it’s Suites Class Neighborhood, Celebrity Retreat, Norwegian Haven, Holland Neptune, Cunard and Princess have Grill Class, and Disney has Concierge.

But in the same range of those prices (right now it might be cheaper because of the ongoing sale) you might also look at Explora Journeys: https://liveandletsfly.com/onboard-explora-journeys-a-five-star-resort-at-sea/

Great review! I’m especially appreciative of all the detailed food photos!! Would love to see a review of Celebrity’s Retreat class next.

@FTer – Ok, twist my arm. I’ll get something booked.

A fair and thoughtful review! I would echo almost everything you wrote, having just gotten off a week-long Yacht Club cruise out of NYC. The butler experience was definitely a highlight, from start to finish. We found the food, even in the Yacht Club, to be disappointing. Next time, we’ll take your suggestion and branch out to the speciality venues.

One additional thing that we noted was the quality (or lack thereof) of the wines. Just really, really bad, especially for a cruise line that calls Italy ‘home’. We actually got into a joking back-and-forth with one of the sommeliers about how cheap and nasty the selections were – when we suggested that most of the bottles could be bought at CVS for $4.99, he shot back that we were wrong, and that wine would only be $2.99 if we used our ExtraCare card. And that price was for a gallon. So at least they have a sense of humor about it! Also found it odd that the selections in the Yacht Club were the same as what was available throughout the ship. Nothing extra or elevated.

Interesting stuff, although those steak prices are higher than what I have paid for steaks at restaurants where I hadn’t even paid for my meals.

As per previous comments on the issue, I really cannot see cruising being for me, although if I do end up on one I will be aware of the tip to check if I can upgrade. Do TUI also have a ship-within-ship concept?

(I obviously meant ‘where I hadn’t even PREpaid for my meals’)

@Kyle, “Our butler had a welcome amenity that included a bottle of champagne…” “A bottle of your choice (in addition to welcome champagne)…” Uh, I’d be pretty peeved if you told me I got Champagne but gave me that $15 bottle of Asti instead. Maybe edit your post and be more accurate in the future?

Anyway, I think your conclusion is in line with what I’ve heard. Yacht Club is a great value compared to other ship-within-a-ship products. The rooms are much smaller (apparently, most YC “suites” are about the same size as balcony cabins), but the exclusive areas are larger.

I just purchased Asti sparkling wine for $5 a bottle. Goes great with Aperol.

I appreciate Rene’s non YC experience won’t be the same but feels a stretch to call it booking basic economy and not knowing what to expect.

If that’s the case MSCis very different for the “average” cruiser – actively basic economy isn’t a thing with cruising right?

@Greg – I like Rene and respect his work. He called the steak he received when he paid for the specialty dining one of the best he’s had in his entire life, not just on a cruise ship. I think that at $110 for four specialty restaurants if you know that’s what you want and expect is a bargain. The price point for the rest of the ship is also lower than other contemporary competitors but probably aligns with that. And we agree the pizza is fantastic.

A good review of a comp’ed / sponsored trip. But I take many issues:

First up, even thought you did not mention me or link, it is clear you are talking about my horrid MSC cruise.

I would not compare a fully paid balcony cabin as “basic economy” but more mile Premium and think others would agree. Also Diamond status, other than a free specialty night, is all but pointless.

Next up the food, outside specialty and YC is horrible. Unclean shrimp and shoe leather steaks are a total fail. Service so slow it takes an hour for breakfast and most times not what you ordered.

In YC you don’t have the limitations the other 5000 guests have regarding drink choices and so much more.

If MSC paid me I would not ever set food on another of their ships unless in YC because the experience truly is BASIC ECONOMY at best with MSC!

@Rene – I found we had very different experiences and perhaps that’s down to Yacht Club vs not. However, you glossed past the strong points too. In this comment you both call your experience both Premium and Basic Economy. I’m not sure that the food on a contemporary ship outside of specialty restaurants is particularly spectacular, but found their specialty restaurants to be a particularly good value. One of the highlights of the latest review I read stated your Buthcher’s Cut steak was the best you’d had anywhere, not just on a cruise ship. Considering they offer 3 specialty restaurants for $99, I’d assume that’s a terrific value unless you’ve never had an entire meal (starter, entree, sides, and dessert) at a steakhouse that costs more than $33.

It’s not a secret that for much of the Boarding Area audience, economy – basic, standard, or premium – is not how they travel. And it’s also no secret that much of our readership was unaware that ship-within-a-ship (cruise business class) exists at all. As I said in the post, if you bought an economy ticket but you’re a business class flyer – that airline might be the worst you’ve ever flown in your mind. But if you bought a lie flat in the front, the experience is entirely different. I recognize that MSC’s Yacht Club is not the broader MSC experience, it’s limited, more costly, and exclusive. But I believe you called he brand “horrid” in your titles which I am not sure is fair. When we interacted outside of the Yacht Club, our experience wasn’t horrid at all. But where we agree is that Yacht Club is generally a completely different experience to the rest of the ship and that’s both where the Live And Let’s Fly readership tends to travel, and also was largely unaware the class existed. I was happy to bring my experience to our readership.

Reading his review and between your lines MSC is providing a ‘basic economy’ kind of product but not advertising it that way

Even more concerning, according to his account ordering a premium drink package leaves you with no real premium wine option onboard. He notes only one wine bar had additional wines for those with the premium package, and in the Yacht Club only one bar offered it. What good is the one decent steak if it’s with cheap wine.

and if yacht club dining is serving sub $15 a bottle wine forget it.

In the last twenty years we have been on ten cruises, with the 6-9 on Celebrity, and the ninth in The Retreat. Really enjoyed their “ship within a ship” but decided the cost just too much for an old retired couple.

Did a short cruise on MSC SEASHORE in early March, in a regular balcony. Not up to celebrity level, but well worth it at the lower cost. Have now booked SIX MSC Yacht Club cruises in the next 12 months, with two suites and four interior. We’ve never done an interior on any cruise, but this is a great way to experience the Yacht Club at a much lower cost. Also have two more Celebrity cruises for November 2024 and 2025.

Oh my! Lucy has grown up (Of course she has!) I still smile when I recall Lucy’s portraits in Thailand. Don’t know if our younger ones appreciate glorious travel, but, darn it, it makes us feel good when we share with them. Thanks, as always, Kyle.

@docntx – Before we know it, she’ll be driving. Thanks for following all of these years!

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• Cruise Podcast

The MSC Meraviglia Yacht Club Experience Review

Doug Parker

• February 3, 2024

Doug talks with Mark and Rocky of TheCruiseLife this week about their nine-night cruise aboard MSC Meraviglia.

They dive into their bougie MSC Meraviglia Yacht Club experience, from exclusive embarkation to dedicated amenities like a butler, private lounge, dining room, and sun deck. They discuss the superior dining options, including specialty dishes and a unique cheese trolley, and the benefits of their status-matching loyalty program status.

One of MSC Cruises’ larger vessels , Mark and Rocky also touch on the onboard entertainment, the ship’s atmosphere, and ports of call, including a visit to MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay.

Find Rock and Mark’s coverage of MSC Meraviglia :

• ThisCruiseLife YouTube channel features their cruises across all lines.
• The MSC Meraviglia playlist has several videos from their sailing.
• Read the MSC Yacht Club experiences on ThisCruiseLife website .

MSC Meraviglia Review Transcript

Doug (00:01:01) – Mark and Rocky had just returned from a nine-night cruise aboard MSC Maravilla. It was out of New York City, in the Bahamas, Florida area, and staying in the yacht club. They join us on the line right now. Hey, guys, how are you?

Guest (00:01:16) – Good, Doug.

Doug (00:01:17) – I’m excited to talk about this because we haven’t had an MSC Yacht Club experience in a long time. We’ve had the ones that were like three-nighters and were fast, but I’m excited to hear what it’s like spending extended time beyond seven nights in that yacht club. So what we’ll do here before we get started, we’ll get some pre-cruise thoughts. You’re in the Phoenix area. What made you want to take this nine-niner out of New York City.

Guest (00:01:40) – Honestly, it was just the idea of getting to check out a new cruise line. We’ve been looking at MSC for a long time, and the idea that sailing out of New York in the heart of January, when it is very cold outside, uh, the pricing was very lucrative to get ourselves onto that ship, as well as to fly across the country to New York.

Guest (00:02:01) – So all the stars aligned and just made it worthwhile for us.

Doug (00:02:04) – Now, there were some, uh, a little bit of weather going through the country about the time when you all boarded. It might have missed you by a day or two. Did that impact your flights going into Manhattan?

Guest (00:02:14) – It did not impact the flights at all. It did impact sail away a bit. Um, as you can imagine, uh, the storms, uh, it was pretty rocky on the seas. Uh, it was really cool because it was the first time ever.

So we’ve been to Alaska several times, but it was the first time ever we’ve actually seen snow on a cruise ship. And so to see the crew, it was the first time many had seen snow on a cruise ship. And they were out running out, uh, TikTok ING and taking selfies. It was a really special experience, uh, being able to see that snowstorm.

Doug (00:02:48) – That is so cool.

Doug (00:02:49) – So did you any pre cruise time in the city before boarding in Brooklyn?

Guest (00:02:57) – You know, we always suggest that the best way to do it is to fly a day ahead of time. Uh, this time we flew in two days in advance to take some time and explore Brooklyn, because that’s where the cruise terminal is for MSC. And then we also took the subway into Manhattan and just kind of hung around Times Square, went to a couple of bars, a couple of restaurants, and, uh, just kind of got ourselves situated in New York before we set sail. We met up with we met up with one of, uh, the solo’s that I met on board, uh, Norwegian Cruise Line. So I did a Norwegian cruise line earlier in 2023. Uh, we met a bunch of solos in our solo cabins, and we actually met up with them to hang out, and they showed us New York, which was a ton of fun.

Guest (00:03:36) – You see.

Doug (00:03:36) – You never know what connections you’ll make on a ship, right? Right.

Guest (00:03:39) – Exactly.

Doug (00:03:40) – Yeah. It’s it’s so awesome. So you make your way to Brooklyn the following day and you go to embark MSC Maravilla. How was that embarkation process? And, did you get any kind of special treatment embarking since you were in the Yacht Club?

Guest (00:03:54) – Goodness gracious. It was an embark like none that I’ve ever experienced. We’ve all been through embark. We know the lines, we know the queues. We know all of the seating areas. Um, the moment that we got there, immediately there was signage for yacht club. And so the, the, the porter, the luggage porter whisked us over and tagged our bags with yacht club tags and pointed us to his colleague standing at the door with a yacht club sign. They literally escorted us through the terminal to our own dedicated security line for yacht club. Um, they didn’t have a they didn’t have us waiting in the general queue.

Guest (00:04:28) – And so we went through that security queue, uh, very quickly. And another, yet another Yacht Club representative whisked us to our private lounge, where they did one on one check ins with us, um, and then handed us glasses of champagne and canapés and sparkling water. Um, and it was a private area, very quiet, very secluded from the rest of the terminal. And we enjoyed mimosas and, uh, sparkling water, uh, that as we waited to board the ship.

Doug (00:04:57) – How long did it take you from curb to ship, then?

Guest (00:05:00) – It took us about an hour and a half. So unfortunately the the sailing before ours was the New Year’s cruise. And so they had a lot of passengers to disembark from that ship. So they were slightly delayed on clearing the ship down to zero counts for us to start the embark process. So yeah, about an hour and a half from when we arrived. Fortunately, the lounge was great. We had butlers in there waiting on us, so it was a really pleasant experience getting to stand around and wait until the ship was ready.

Guest (00:05:28) – Literally. Butlers, butlers, refilling our champagne glasses, walking around with bottles of champagne, saying, oh, would you like a refill on your champagne? Well, okay. Yes, we would love that.

Doug (00:05:38) – It’s like being stuck in an airport and being able to be in an airline lounge instead of in the regular common area, right? Just kind of, uh. Yeah, yeah, living it up in there. So you make your way on board the ship. You’re mentioning this was your first time on the ship. So what were your first impressions of MSC Meraviglia?

Guest (00:05:54) – So it’s kind of funny you ask that we didn’t actually get to see the whole ship for the first four hours that we were on board when they when the yacht club boards, we get priority boarding service. So they bring us into the main atrium, and that’s about the most of the ship we get to see. From there, we walk down a corridor of rooms to the very forward of the ship, where they have elevators that they can badge in, giving you priority access to the elevator.

Guest (00:06:21) – They loaded us into these elevators and took us up to the 16th deck where the topsail lounges, which is the exclusive lounge space for the top or the yacht club. Uh, and they put us in there with, again, more champagne and more canapés and live music that was being performed for us. So we spent most of the first four hours on board in that topsail lounge. Well, they took us from the Topsail Lounge. Then they opened up the Topsail Restaurant, the exclusive restaurant for yacht clubbers. And so we literally went from canapés and champagne up to the lunch in the Topsail restaurant.

Normally we run around taking pictures and exploring the ship. We literally were just kind of in the lap of luxury those first several hours onboard. Oh, we met our butler as well during that time. And so we didn’t actually leave the yacht club as Rocky mentioned, until about four hours after boarding.

Doug (00:07:12) – So a lot to unpack here. So I want to actually take a step back.

Doug (00:07:15) – And I want to ask, um, we were chatting before we started recording here, and you mentioned you had an upgrade offer. So how much of a premium, um, once you accept that upgrade, is it for the yacht club against just staying in a regular balcony cabin?

Guest (00:07:29) – So that’s exactly what we had booked. We booked a balcony cabin and received an offer to bid on an upgrade. Now, because we had already booked that balcony and paid for a balcony, the upgrade amount was not wildly expensive. I think it was. We we could have started the upgrade process offer at $300 per person. Wow. And Rocky was like, okay, should we just start there? And I was like, how often will we get to stay in the yacht club? We are maxing that bit out. And so I think we each maxed our bid out at about $600. So for another $1,200 or so plus tax and all of that stuff, um, we could move from the balcony we had into.

Guest (00:08:09) – We actually dug and bid for an interior yacht club cabin because we were like, okay, we’re just gonna make sure we get into this thing. Well, they were they must have been sold out because our dreams were answered. We got the upgrade and they put us into a deluxe suite.

Doug (00:08:24) – I love it. Let’s discuss that deluxe suite in the yacht club and give us all the details.

Guest (00:08:30) – As you walk in, the first thing that meets your eye is the size of this cabin. I would say that this cabin is the same depth as your standard balcony cabin that you find on any cruise ship. However, the width is probably equivalent to one and a half to anywhere up to two times the width of a standard balcony cabin. Huge space, um, between the foot of the bed and the credenza and wall units that they had where all of the minibar was located. There was probably a good 4 to 5ft of space between those two areas. Um, inside the bathroom, it was upgraded amenities.

Guest (00:09:05) – You had marble tile throughout, a very large, spacious walk in shower with a rainfall head, uh, or the rain shower head. Um, the balcony was the same width as the room, so it was a pretty sizable balcony. They only put two chairs and one side table out there, but you could have easily had another two. Uh, very large and spacious room.

Doug (00:09:29) – So the question is, how do you use the butler on your cruise? Well.

Guest (00:09:33) – You know, because we often have butlers on our cruises. Uh, I kid, um, it was the first experience. And so literally the butler introduced himself. We were in the room. He he knocked and came in and he said, what questions do you have for me? And we said, well, we don’t even know what questions to ask. And so he’s like, well, let’s start with your pillow selections. Are your pillows up to your liking? And Rocky joked, he’s like, well, we’ll sleep on him tonight and let you know.

Guest (00:09:59) – Um, but but the. Butler took care of our minibar, so he asked us specifically for our preferences in terms of sodas, juices and beers.

He asked for our liquor selection because the yacht club comes with a bottle, comes with bottle service, a single bottle. And so we, uh, we shared our, uh, bottle selection with him, and then he just let us know that he would be the person that would escort us to dinners if we wanted. He would escort us to the theater for shows.

He would arrange our bookings if we wanted to go to any specialty restaurant. And so it was, you know, Rocky and I asked as we were getting ready, we’re like, is this just going to be an upgraded room steward, like a room steward that wears a suit? Um, and no, it was it was significantly more than just a room steward. In fact, we had a junior butler as well and, and a third person who helped service the room.

Guest (00:10:50) – So there were three people servicing the room. But that Butler experience was really unique and new to us. Yes, I love it.

Doug (00:10:58) – So you were on there for nine nights. Was there enough space in your room to put everything?

Guest (00:11:01) – Yeah, there was um, I think one of the challenges that we discovered when we were unpacking our room was the closet space was a little bit smaller than what we’re used to on some of the other balcony rooms that we’ve had in the past. Um, the way it’s set up, you walk in and the, the closet space is your entrance to the bathroom.

And so it’s kind of a strange layout. We discovered that there were some challenges with that. However, there was a three-drawer storage space in the main room area that was part of the main. I don’t know what you call it. Credenza. Yeah. And so that actually made up for some of that lost space. And fortunately, these beds were designed to hold luggage under or suitcases under them.

Guest (00:11:41) – It was easy to unpack our room and get moved in for those nine days. Oh, and don’t forget both of the nightstands next to the bed. So there were additional storage tables next to the bed as well. And so there was plenty of storage. But to Rocky’s point that the closet seemed to be a little bit smaller than than other rooms.

Doug (00:11:59) – ThYacht Club is like Norwegian’s Haven, a ship within a ship concept. So outside of your room, what amenities did you have within your ship?

Guest (00:12:07) – I’m telling you, they design it so you don’t have to leave the yacht club. They tell you when you’re going through the booking process. They say it’s exclusive and it’s private. And that is very true. And so the entrance to the yacht club on each of the floors are glass doors. Truly. They look out into the elevator bank. I think MSC has designed it so that people can see in and you can see out, but you have to badge in and out to get in.

Guest (00:12:33) – And so the spaces are beautiful. They’ve got those crystal staircases. What are those crystals? The Swarovski, Swarovski, uh, staircases, the spiral staircases. So we would leave our room and take the staircase up to the next deck. Uh, the 16th deck, which is where the concierge was at the Topsail lounge. Topsail lounge was windows all at the front of the ship.

The view of of New York, we commented that was probably the best view of New York we’ve ever had in that topsail lounge. Oh yeah, the canopy. Like, there’s just so much to unpack in that, um, the full bar.

And then again, you take up another spiral staircase and you are there at the exclusive restaurant, and then one more spiral staircase up, and you are at deck 19, which is your dedicated, uh, lounging space, pool, and hot tub. There’s a daily buffet that they put up there for, for just yacht club guests, along with a bar.

Doug (00:13:23) – Let’s talk about some of the food on MSC Maravilla.

Doug (00:13:26) – Once you get out of your haven complex and go to the buffet with the common folk, how was the buffet and the food throughout the nine days?

Guest (00:13:34) – So we didn’t discover the buffet area until that first night. It was the second day that we discovered it. Yeah. Uh, now that I think back on the experience, um, we like to refer to those areas as Jen and Pop. And, uh, as we walked in to the buffet, we were we kind of felt like we were in someone else’s place. We didn’t feel like we knew that our way around, because we had spent so much time on the ship before we found the buffet. But once we did find it, I’ll tell you, Doug, we spent a good amount of time there, especially for late-night buffets. Uh, this was the first time that we’d really seen a cruise line dedicate a late-night buffet to its passengers consistently. Every night from midnight until 2 a.m..

Guest (00:14:14) – They served food. And we’re not just talking about just, you know, a quick little grab here and there. They have their pizzas available. They have little small sandwiches that you could grab. They had burgers and hot dogs. They sometimes had nachos. Sometimes, they would do a breakfast with some scrambled eggs and bacon every night. I think I got scrambled eggs and bacon every single night of the cruise.

They had the healthy corner like they had salads. And so it wasn’t even just that fried stuff that you sometimes find on the late night buffet. They had salads in a healthy corner. I mean, it was the largest. So we’ve seen late night buffets right on Carnival. We’ve seen it on, uh, we’ve seen it on the other lines. This was the I mean, it was the size of a regular buffet at from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m.. It brought me back to old days of cruising.

Doug (00:14:57) – Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sounds like it. So for your main. You were mentioning.

Doug (00:15:01) – You had your dining room in the topsail area. So how was the dining in the yacht club, and was there much of a selection like, do they rotate the menus? How does that play out?

Guest (00:15:12) – Very much a dedicated menu for the, uh, those that were in the yacht club. Um, the options that they, they had on the menu, there was some mirroring that happened to the main dining rooms on the ship, but they were elevated to a different level with the offerings and the types of food. Uh, there was a selection of classics that were served every night.

For example, you could get your classic filet mignon, or a salmon would be available. And I think they also had a lobster on that classics menu. On the classics menu, you had lobster and filet mignon. I mean, this is this is next level here. Right. And then uh, for the regular offerings every day they had a rotation of several different items. Usually there was a daily result of that was available.

Guest (00:15:53) – There was also a different daily lamb that was on the menu. Uh, so definitely a higher caliber of food offerings on the menu. And the way that they were prepared and plated were very beautiful. Uh, you had, of course, your main waiter and then you had your, your waiters’ assistants and they would all work in harmony together to deliver your breads, appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

Speaking of desserts, don’t forget that the maitre d would flambé the dessert. So we had cherries jubilee one night where he flambé and served that, um, they, they did the cheese trolley where they would literally, they literally had a cheese trolley where you could choose the cheeses and, and jams and jellies that you wanted as part of your dessert option. It was it was definitely. Where do you find a risotto on a cruise on the difficulty to actually prepare that correctly for the masses. Um, you can’t do that. But you can in a private small restaurant that’s dedicated to a subset of your passengers.

Doug (00:16:53) – And how were the lines up there?

Guest (00:16:57) – We don’t know what you mean by lines.

Doug (00:17:00) – Fair enough.

Guest (00:17:02) – Yeah, because there was such a small capacity within the yacht club itself on the ship. Right. And because you only have those people that have access to it, our dining times for dinner was available from 6 p.m. until 830.

That was when you could get seated, and it was open to your time. Whenever you wanted to go in, you would show up. There was one knife that I can think of, and I believe it was the second gala night. We had to wait maybe three minutes, maybe get seated. Yeah. Um, overall, the amount of seating that they have both in the lounge and the restaurant are ample for the number of people that are in there, and they know that they’re going to turn over tables throughout the evening from guests that are doing early versus later dining.

Doug (00:17:42) – Did you enjoy any specialty dining on board this one?

Guest (00:17:45) – So this sailing specifically, we chose to stick to the yacht club so that we could capture each of the menus and actually record some reviews each dinner. We actually are right now looking at booking, uh, another MSC cruise, we committed to ourselves that we would do a yacht club and we would do non-Yacht Club. And so that is where that’s sailing, where we plan to actually explore some of those additional, um, upstairs upcharge specialty restaurants. But for this sailing we literally stuck to the Yacht Club restaurant. That exclusive restaurant.

Doug (00:18:16) – I meant to ask you, before you sailed, did you do the status match with them?

Guest (00:18:20) – Yeah, both of us actually ended up doing status match. Um, with Mark having diamond status with Carnival and I have platinum status, we were both able to match into their gold status or gold level with the Voyagers club.

Doug (00:18:33) – So you stepped right into gold. So do you know, like what that gets you compared to just being a first-time MSC cruiser?

Guest (00:18:39) – Great question.

Guest (00:18:40) – Because, uh, MSC is not known for their loyalty program having the strongest perks, but what it did get us is it it got us a welcome back reception where they had cocktails, which when you’re in the yacht club, it doesn’t really have a huge impact. Uh, because we had champagne up and up in our private lounge.

We also got a little gift. It was a little backpack or drawstring backpack that we got. There’s also when you’re part of the when you’re part of the loyalty program, you get a discount on sailings with MSC, and on future sailings with MSC. And so I think it’s a 5% discount that you get as, as a member of that level. And so there are some perks.

They don’t actually do priority. Like many lines have priority boarding and don’t do that until you hit their very top level, which is diamond. And that’s the only group with priority boarding and demarcation. So that’s our goal. My goal is to hit Diamond on Carnival and MSC.

Guest (00:19:36) – We’ll see how long it takes.

Doug (00:19:37) – Double diamond. There you go.

Guest (00:19:39) – I like it I like.

Doug (00:19:40) – That. How about around the ship like you mentioned Carnival. So we’ll stick with that. Uh, they have the guys burger joint, which is complimentary dining. Does MSC have anything like that around the ship? Kind of a grab and go type place. Yeah.

Guest (00:19:52) – So, uh, it was kind of surprised. And that was one of the conversations that we had at Post Cruise is the fact that there really aren’t those. Types of grab and go quick serve restaurants on board. You do have the buffet, which is very well divided. They have their ethnic corner and they have their pastas, and they have a pizza spot and some burgers, but it’s really only confined to that area as well as the main dining restaurant restaurants. Aside from that, everything is upcharge. They have a Mexican place that’s an upcharge. They have, uh, I can’t remember all of them. There’s a there’s a couple other ones.

Guest (00:20:27) – One thing that I would call out that was unique, that I’ve never seen before on any of our sailings, is they had a kid’s buffet, a dedicated buffet for the kids so that they didn’t have to be in the main area of the buffet. And then the only other kind of separate areas that they had were out on the lido deck.

They had that kind of they had like side buffets. It was the same buffet food on the inside of the buffet, but it was just right outside on Lido, so you didn’t have to go in. But there was no you know, I think about even Celebrity Apex had the burger and fries station and Carnival and all of their side restaurants that they have that are included. None of that. It is focused on the buffet and their and their main dining room for the included options.

Doug (00:21:10) – Let’s discuss the entertainment on board Maravilla. I know that MSC gave up the Cirque partnership located at the back of the ship. What’s going on back there now?

Guest (00:21:22) – So I will say that we were pleasantly surprised with the show performances that were put on in the main Broadway theater, which is their main theater in the forward of the ship. We actually attended one of the Meet the cast type of, uh, presentations, if you will, and we had a really great interaction with them.

We found out that all of the shows in that forward lounge were designed specifically for that cast and this ship. So in all, we were very impressed and enjoyed all of the shows we saw in that forward lounge. Now, going to your question about Cirque du Soleil partnership, you can see that there still is some residual, um, design with the shows that they have in that back lounge that does still exist, they still do aerial acts, and we very much enjoyed those performances. But one thing to be aware of is MSC still continues to consider that an upcharge and add-on type of experience.

Guest (00:22:20) – So if you buy it on the ship, it’s $18 a person to get into one of those shows. The nice thing is they sweeten the deal because they throw a drink at you that you can enjoy during the show, but it’s definitely a bit different of an experience than what we’ve seen on most of the other cruise lines.

Doug (00:22:37) – Gotcha. And did you guys, uh, like, what kind of show was you mentioned? It was like an acrobatics thing, but it was just an MSC-branded show.

Guest (00:22:47) – Yeah. So they put on a magic show. Houdini is the name of the show. And so there’s a lot of singing, dancing, acrobats flying through the air, and a little juggling and jumping out into the audience. And so definitely had, I would say Cirque vibes, but just not with the branding. But to Rocky’s point, they’re still charging that upcharge for the Cirque like show.

Doug (00:23:10) – Gotcha. Okay. Historically, MSC Cruise Entertainment is more visual and less like comedians because of the international audience. Is it like this on MSC Meraviglia?

Guest (00:23:22) – Actually, no. I feel like there was a lot, a lot of the presentations that we saw were done primarily in English, surprisingly. Okay. Uh, the one thing that caught us off guard was the overhead announcements.

Anytime the captain would make his announcements, it would always be done by the captain. Again in Italian. Uh, during the safety briefings when we were on the embark day, they were doing announcements in both English and Mandarin. For safety reasons, there were so many Mandarin-speaking passengers on board. But overall, most of the shows were done and performed in English leading up to the show’s start.

They would do a couple of announcements in Mandarin and Italian and English and German. So they did do several pre-calls for those shows. But overall the actual shows themselves were primarily in English, if there was any speaking at all. Yeah, it turns out it turns out those songs are universal. You know, the journey is universal across all languages.

Doug (00:24:19) – Let’s talk about the sea days. As far as crowds and congestion, I know that you were up there in the yacht club for probably most of it, but as you made your way further south, you mentioned the snow on the sail out, but that it eventually warm up once you got around the Carolinas or Florida.

Guest (00:24:36) – Warmed up is relative. Uh, it was warmer than than the snow, but we there weren’t a lot of folks spending time out on deck or making use of of the water slides. Um, it was still pretty chilly until, honestly, the nicest day we had was in Nassau. And so it took us, uh, five days into the cruise before the weather was, was to a point where you would want to actually be out on deck or layout, you know, you could be out. I mean, we were like, jackets and jeans, uh, throughout the sailing. Uh, but but it wasn’t it didn’t get really warm until we got down into the Bahamas.

Doug (00:25:07) – As far as the crowds and congestion around the ship, was there any of that since everyone was inside?

Guest (00:25:16) – Really? Honestly, the only crowds we experienced were in the Meraviglia Galleria Meraviglia, which is a domed area. If you deck six and deck seven, it’s a two-story area. They’ve got a beautiful dome, similar to the Fremont Experience in Las Vegas, where they’ve got that led that runs almost the entirety of the ship. That’s where they would do many of their dance parties and events, because it was too cold up on deck to do it.

We didn’t feel that space was designed to host those parties. And so it’s a throughput for traffic on the ship. And so you’ve got people trying to make their way throughout the ship and people dancing and singing. And that was really the only time we felt like we were crowded, or that we were kind of annoyed a little bit by the traffic flow of the ship. Otherwise I would I would tell you, we didn’t feel crowds, even the buffet, the buffets, were sometimes a little bit busy, but but not to the point where we’ve seen it wear on other lines.

Guest (00:26:12) – What did you think of that promenade area with the ceiling that lights up?

Guest (00:26:15) – Beautiful. Uh, we were stunned by the design and how gorgeous that space was, and they really maximize the usage of those LED screens throughout the sailing, including on Embark day, when they’re showing you where all of the different muster stations are located. But overall, that space was beautiful.

It was definitely wide enough to walk through it when there wasn’t an event happening, you could easily take yourself up onto the next deck up and look down from the mezzanine and really enjoy the sights and the and sounds and even the smells coming from the chocolate factory. As you were sailing along, so it was very enjoyable.

Speaking of speaking of those multi-use screens, remember, even on the welcome back party, they played the Welcome Back video that that that MSC sizzle reel. They played the video thing. Welcome back. I appreciate your loyalty. They played that up on those screens. And so literally everyone at the Welcome Back party headed to the sky watching them talk about what a great experience MSC is.

Doug (00:27:11) – The casino. How was that as far as the smoking situation in and around it?

Guest (00:27:17) – They had a smoke-free casino. It appears that it was an afterthought based on our conversations with the other passengers on board. The smoke-free casino was nice. However, they didn’t have any gaming tables for the smoke-free gamblers.

Now, the exciting thing was the placement of the Cirque theater. You have to walk through the smoking casino to get to the theater, which was kind of a strange setup, but the way the casino was set up. They put the main bar in the center of it. So you’re not diving into the main casino itself. Overall, the casino seemed like a pretty ample size, comparable to what we’re familiar with on some of Carnival’s Vista ships .

Doug (00:27:59) – Okay. Very cool. So, let’s talk about the ports of call you hit on this nine-night cruise. And what we’ll do here is hit the first one, give us a highlight, then we’ll go to the next one and so on.

Guest (00:28:10) – The first cruise port we visited was the exotic location, Port Canaveral in Florida. We had something else arranged. We have some really good friends that we’ve also met through going on cruises who live in the Orlando area, they ended up picking us up, and we had a fun day at SeaWorld for the day. So, it’s definitely a little bit different. We didn’t book anything through MSC because we’ve been to Port Canaveral before, so we wanted to check it out through the locals.

Doug (00:29:01) – So what was after Port Canaveral?

Guest (00:29:04) – Next was Miami and the day was unexpected. Icon of the Seas was scheduled to arrive in Miami the day before.

However, due to the weather, they kept her out for an extra day. And so we literally got to see icon of the seas sail. And we did a live, uh, we did a YouTube live where we streamed her sailing into Port Miami for the first time. We watched her turn around in the basin, return, and dock at the Royal Caribbean Terminal. There.

We got off the ship, and we hiked our excursion that day. We hiked about a mile up to the Royal Caribbean Terminal, climbed up to the very top of the parking garage, Royal Caribbean parking garage, and we just took pictures and filmed a bunch of stuff up there because it was like such a wow moment for for a couple of cruise nerds.

Doug (00:29:53) – Yeah. No, definitely. So after Nassau, you headed over to the Bahamas. Uh, what was the first Bahamas port?

Guest (00:29:59) – We first stopped at MSC’s Private Island, MSC’s Ocean Cay Marine Reserve. It’s a beautiful private island destination.

You can tell that MSC put a lot of thought and consideration when they were designing this port. It’s huge. It is massive, huge. And it’s nice because the ship can dock directly onto the port there, instead of you having to do a water shuttle taxi service to get in.

It is a very large and sprawling island, with tons of places for people to go out and lounge and layout, grab food, and have a nice relaxing day. Now. Now they don’t have, you know, big water parks and they don’t have hot air balloons that go up in the air like some, you know, private islands do. But but I mean, it had everything that you could want.

Guest (00:30:48) – It had many different beaches. Uh, to Rocky Point food trucks, uh, included food trucks throughout the island, as well as some upcharge food trucks where you could get, you know, seafood, you could get your lobster rolls and some of that fresh seafood.

Doug (00:31:00) – You were in the yacht club, right? So I know they have that yacht club area on the other side of the island, like on the other side from where the ship docks. How was that space, or I guess, did you utilize that space? And would you think of it if you did?

Guest (00:31:12) – Yeah, we actually, uh, as soon as we got off of the ship via escort from our butler. It’s just fun to say that. I’m sorry. Uh, we were escorted over to the yacht club’s meeting point, where they picked us up by golf cart and drove us to that exclusive area. It just made it a little bit easier to get there so we can maximize our time. Uh, the area is referred to as the Ocean House.

And so that’s actually where they serve lunch. And it’s a lovely, large colonial-style building. Uh, the lunch there included amazing bites from a lobster roll to crab ceviche. The ceviche was so good. The beach was delicious. Uh, they also had your standard fare of burgers on the menu, and then a couple of salads and other options.

Overall, it was a great area. As you approached it, there was signage, so you knew it was reserved for the yacht club guests. Uh, there was a private beach. And that’s the one downside that I would say about the exclusive area is the Yacht Club’s Ocean House. The beach is probably the least nice of the beaches that are found on the island.

It’s a little bit rough. Uh, there’s some larger sand bits, if you want to call them that. Uh, so getting in the water makes it a bit tough. And due to the weather that we encountered, we really didn’t even touch the water because we touched the water.

We just didn’t get into the water. It’s it’s rocky, says sand. But I would say sharp rock. So the folks that had been there before had water shoes and were in the water. That was a that’s a great tip. If you’re going to Ocean Cay and in the yacht club, make sure to bring water shoes because. It will make your day better.

Doug: .That’s a good tip. There are a lot of beaches around the island so you get to explore most of them?

We did. We met people on the cruise, as we always do on cruises. And so we went out and we got to explore a little bit with them. In hindsight, I wish we had done the exploration first because it started to pour. Uh, it started to downpour and it was a cold downpour in the Bahamas. And so we we didn’t get to explore as much as we’d like, but we got to see several of the lagoons.

Guest (00:33:15) – We got to see the lighthouse. We got to enjoy one of the food trucks. We did eat at one of the food trucks just so we could say we, you know, ate with our friends. Um, Rocky. Rocky always says we ate with the common people. Um, and so we enjoyed the food on the mainland. And then there’s shops, there’s shops, there’s you can buy ice cream cones and various things on land as well. Before we headed back to the ship. And, and unfortunately, that was the only we were this point spoiled us, Doug. Um, we were looking for our butler escort back onto the ship, but but there was not one on to the ship. And so we had to wait in the rain with the rest of the ship that had all run back to get onto the ship as well.

Doug (00:33:55) – Oh, no. Horrible. Did you get to stay at night to see the lighthouse lit up? Yeah.

Guest (00:34:01) – Back on board wasn’t scheduled until 8:00 that evening. Uh, most of the passengers had embarked on the ship by about 330 or 4 due to the weather, but we stayed docked there, and we were wondering about that lighthouse show because we’d heard about it. And so we went to the concierge, who gave us a great recommendation on where to go to view it, so we could also hear the music playing through the show.

Uh, and so we had the opportunity to watch it and it was impressive. We enjoyed it. And hopefully, we’ll be able to return to Ocean Cay again in the future, where we won’t encounter poor weather. We can be on the beach and see the light show from the ground.

And because of the concierge tip, we know the crew smoking area on MSC Meraviglia. And so it was a great tip and we got to hang out with crew as they watched the light show.

Doug (00:34:54) – He probably know this, but if you’re ever feeling energetic or you want to work out, you can climb that lighthouse. It’s like $15 or 20 maybe, but you got some great views up there and there’s quite a few steps, so, uh, yeah, pack your energy. Yeah.

Guest (00:35:06) – No. And that’s another reason why we want to go back. You know, I don’t think, uh, the weather was really in our favor to be able to do that type of an excursion, but definitely in the books for us to do it again.

Doug (00:35:16) – So your final port of call was Nassau. How was your day there?

Guest (00:35:19) – Nassau was great. Uh, as Mark had mentioned, it was the best weather that we saw on the entire cruise, and we were a little bummed that it was our final port day, but we made the most of it. We were docked in Nassau with four other ships. So a standard busy Nassau day. Uh, nothing unusual there.

Guest (00:35:36) – Uh, we have a tradition whenever we’re in Nassau, where we go visit a rum distillery in a little bit deeper into town. And so we decided to do that at this time. We took the trek and walked around and checked out the updates that they made to the port of Nassau, because that was our first time there since they did all the construction since they finished the construction.

Yeah, we’ve been several times during. Yeah. And then from there we walked up to the distillery and enjoyed a little tasting up there before returning to the port and getting on the ship. It was a pretty quiet day, but we’re looking forward to the opportunity to get to lay out on deck on the cruise ship before sail away took place.

Doug (00:36:12) – Yeah, perfect day for it. So you leave Nassau for a couple of days and you head back to Brooklyn. How were your sea days going up?

Guest (00:36:19) – The weather, I will say, was more cooperative on the way back, but. So it wasn’t as bumpy and rocky, but there were times when you would sleep at night and roll on or you would.

Guest (00:36:31) – You knew you were on a ship. You know, when Rocky and I first boarded, one of the things we commented as we were sitting in, I think it was the topsail restaurant. After spending time in the lounge, we said, we don’t feel like we’re on a cruise ship, but you just felt like you were almost at an all-inclusive resort.

We knew we were on a cruise ship on the sea days out and on the sea days back. The weather was left, the ocean a bit rocky. We had some. You saw some gale-force winds. There were some swells, but they had the magnetic, uh, bags out, the thick bags out in the elevator banks. They had those out for, for all of the passengers. We did talk to several folks who said they might not sail again in January, but but we liked it. But I know the sign us up.

Doug (00:37:18) – So it’s time to get off the ship in Brooklyn.

Doug (00:37:20) – Was the process as smooth and bougie as that embark?

Guest (00:37:25) – I love that you say the bougie because it continued through. Uh, we always go for a very relaxed, dark morning. We try to stay on the ship as long as possible.

We book later flights knowing that there’s always the possibility that a ship could be delayed returning to port. Uh, and fortunately for us, the ship did arrive on time, however. We didn’t end up disembarking from the ship until much later.

We we decided to go down and have breakfast down in the main restaurant, the topsail restaurant, in the yacht club area. And once we were done eating there, we went down to the lounge and enjoyed a quick beverage and a couple of little canapés. You know, just trying to get our last bits in and chatted with the bartenders.

The bartenders were tremendously friendly the entire sailing, and we just hung out with them and enjoyed some coffee and drinks. Yep. And then once we were ready to get off of the ship, we went to the concierge and actually, we ended up seeing our butler at the concierge desk, and he offered to help us get off the ship.

Guest (00:38:26) – And so he took Marc’s two suitcases that he was carrying from his hands and wheeled them to the elevator, took us down to the lower deck, and wheeled us over to where they take you off the ship. Or they scan your card to say you are officially disembarked from the ship. So we continued that experience as long as we could.

And the cool thing about the luggage program, if you decide to put your luggage out the night before the cruise ends, all of the yacht club luggage gets delivered to one specific spot, so you’re not rushing to get off.

You’re not rushing to go find where your luggage was placed. When it’s in that terminal building, it’s very easy to locate and get to pick up your suitcases and you’re on your way. Once again, those yacht club signs. Right this way. Um, a dedicated area, even for your luggage.

Doug (00:39:16) – Awesome. Very cool. Does Brooklyn have facial recognition for the dark?

Guest (00:39:21) – Yes they did. We were very excited when we saw that we’re getting off the ship.

Doug (00:39:25) – Yeah. It sure makes a difference. Looking back here as first-time MSC cruisers and in the yacht Club, do you have any first-time tips to offer anyone sailing MSC or sailing out of Manhattan?

Guest (00:39:39) – Uh, goodness gracious. If you get that upgrade offer and it’s within your means, you bid that upgrade offer up. Suppose you can get into the yacht club from a balcony. That would be my biggest tip because not only does it include all of those amenities that we’ve talked about. They grant you into the premium drinks package as well.

So the premium drinks package on this sailing would have been 790 a person, a person. We paid less for the entire yacht club experience, including those premium drinks. It included Wi-Fi on each of our devices, and it included all of those exclusive amenities that we’ve talked about.

And so that would be my number one tip is if you get that offer to upgrade to the yacht club, really look at what it would cost you to have that experience and just individually and take that for serious take.

Guest (00:40:29) – Be serious about that. And if you can get that upgrade and it’s in your means, do it. Yeah, absolutely. And then I would also say the other thing is that this cruise ship departs out of the Brooklyn terminal.

So instead of paying the 60 plus dollars that it would cost to get an Uber or a lift, you could take the subway, and the train system, all of which will be super easy to get over there. And there’s a water taxi or ferry. Ferry, I guess it is, uh, that takes you from Wall Street.

If you were to go into Manhattan and stay the night out there, you can quickly get onto the ferry from Wall Street over to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Easy. And it’s quite cost-effective.

Doug (00:41:09) – Yeah, that’s one thing I’ve heard over the years is that a lot of people who are doing cruises out of either Brooklyn or Manhattan, they kind of get taken by surprise how much it actually cost to get from the airport to the cruise port.

Doug (00:41:20) – But a little extra research can save you quite a few bucks, and it’s not that bad. I think it’s.

Guest (00:41:25) – Scarier being in New York traffic. Quite honestly. When we the Uber, we took an Uber from the hotel to the cruise terminal. I think that was scarier than the subway was, you know, the night before when we had flown in. And so, yes, I think it’s great.

Doug (00:41:41) – Well, looking back, what was your biggest highlight of this cruise?

Guest (00:41:56) – I would say the biggest highlight was probably being in the yacht club. What a treat it was for us to be able to experience that. Um, it was so exciting walking into the Topsail Lounge in that exclusive yacht Club area, no matter how many times a day we walked in there, we always discovered new canopies that were waiting for us to try.

Guest (00:42:17) – The bartenders and servers in the topsail lounge were all very friendly. They started to get to know us, what drinks we enjoyed the most, and they would start making recommendations based on the spirits we were drinking to make our journey that much more enjoyable. I think for me, um, one of the best bites of food I’ve had on a cruise ship was, uh, in the Eden restaurant onboard Celebrity Apex.

And I would say fast forward. That was a couple of years back now for Thanksgiving. But fast forward to this. To have that daily rotating risotto to me was a surprise and delight that menu in Topsail restaurant. You just don’t see food like that on a cruise ship. And it was fantastic.

And it was included in that experience. It wasn’t we weren’t, you know, dropping 150 for the meal. It was included in that yacht club experience. That, to me was a surprise and delight.

Guest (00:43:10) – I did not expect how good and high-quality that food would be.

Doug (00:43:22) – Well, uh, in closing here, your final thoughts of MSC Maravilla.

Guest (00:43:27) – the MSC Meraviglia is a gorgeous ship. MSC did a great job in designing and developing this class of ship. The size of it was great. We did have a lower capacity on the ship during our sailing, but we still managed to have a great time. We met a lot of great friends.

We found places to call our own that maybe we’re not in the yacht club specifically. Still, we discovered the Sky lounge as a great place to meet people and to be able to enjoy the company of others that were not a part of the yacht club, and really just kind of put ourselves with the rest of the population that was sailing. Very good. The Champagne Bar was another one of my favorites. That the Edge bar.

Guest (00:44:09) – The champagne bar, you know, that looked out over the water as the ship was sailing. That was great. Those champagne cocktails were excellent. And that’s the beauty, right? When you have. We would flash our yacht club bracelets and I will tell you, I joke. I’ve made this joke now lines would disappear and people would just randomly appear.

Servers would appear, you flash that yacht club bracelet and it didn’t matter what bar we were at, if we were at the horizon bar, after the champagne bar, or at the Sky lounge, they just showed up and took such great care of us. You can tell that even the rest of the ship is trained to pay attention to yacht club guests, because it was just such a fantastic experience.

I’m excited to go back on MSC Meraviglia in in the in the standard amenities in the non-yacht club amenities to be able to experience it truly and compare and contrast to be able to talk about what does that value look like and how it feels to sit down in the main dining room each night for dinner versus in your dedicated restaurant? And so I am excited to get back on the ship.

Guest (00:45:10) – We’ve looked we’ve booked on the inaugural on MSC World America, World America. And so it was it was a great experience and great sailing. And so MSC gets a lot of bad rap out there. There’s a lot of negativity about people who love or hate it. And I will tell you from our experience where we’re looking at booking two more already. So it was it was in it was in a really good category for us.

Doug (00:46:34) – Awesome. We’ll link to it also in the show notes at Cruise Radio dot net. Mark Rocky, thank you all so much.

Guest (00:46:40) – Thank you so much, Doug.

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Enjoy exclusivity savoring panoramic views from your private balcony , immersing yourself in a five-stars cruise cabins that brings you closer to the sea while enveloping you in an unparalleled sense of premiumness .

• Surface 26 sqm, balcony 5 sqm, deck 14-18
• Sitting area with sofa
• Spacious wardrobe
• Bathroom with shower or bathtub , vanity area with hairdryer
• Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
• Wifi connection included
• Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar
• ZOE - in-cabin Bluetooth speaker

The image is representative only: displayed cabins from MSC Bellissima, MSC Meraviglia and MSC Euribia Size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category)

• Surface 58 sqm, balcony 39 sqm, deck 15
• Balcony with private whirlpool bath and dining table
• Separate living area and dining room
• Walk-in wardrobes
• Bathroom with tub and shower, vanity area with hairdryer
• Wifi connection included; ZOE - in-cabin Bluetooth speaker

• Surface 59 sqm with a balcony 23 sqm, deck 9-12
• Two-deck-high cabin
• Easy access to the Yacht Club areas
• Open living/dining room with sofa that converts to double bed
• Bathroom with shower

Second level

• Master bedroom with double bed which can be converted into two single beds (on request)
• Two walk in wardrobes.
• Bathroom with tub

Terms & Conditions

• The free cruise change is applicable either on the cruise dates or on the destination. Such change needs to be performed up to 30 calendar days before departure, for a new cruise to sail within 90 calendar days from the original departure. Any cruise change shall be requested through MSC Book or our contact centers.
•  You can discover the ultimate in MSC exclusivity with the MSC Yacht Club, available on board of all our ships except: MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Magnifica, MSC Musica, MSC Opera. MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia and MSC Sinfonia.
• Possibility to organise tailor made excursions depending from itineraries.
• For more information about the premium extra drink package please click here .

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MSC Cruises

This Cruise Life

Msc yacht club menus (2024) with pictures.

In January, we sailed on MSC Meraviglia for a 9-night cruise. Each night, we dined at the private Top Sail Restaurant – exclusive to Yacht Club guests. Because food is such an important part of our cruise experience, we captured every dinner menu to share with you.

To make it easier to digest (see what I did there!!), we’ve split the 9 dinners into 3 separate pages, complete with photos of the food. Scroll down to see just how well we ate during the course of our cruise!

MSC Yacht Club – Night One Dinner Menu

For our first dinner in the Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge, we each enjoyed multiple starters and entrées. We both ended our meal with the Tiramisu.

I got the Nordic Salad and the Fire-Roasted Tomato Cream Soup as my Starters. Because I couldn’t decide on my meal, I got two: the Tortellini Stuffed with Asparagus and Mascarpone Cheese along with the Punjabi Tadka.

MSC Yacht Club – Night Two Dinner Menu

The second night in the Top Sail Lounge was the Gala Dinner (aka, Formal Night). There were so many wonderful options on the menu, and we, once again, each ordered several appetizers!

I ordered the Williams Salad and Burgundy Snails (fun fact: escargot is one of my favorite starters). For my entrée, I ordered the Champagne Risotto. While I won’t rehash our Yacht Club Food Review on YouTube here, let’s just say it was one of the best dishes I had in the Yacht Club. I ended my meal with the Crepes Suzette.

MSC Yacht Club – Night Three Dinner Menu

Our third dinner in the Yacht Club’s Top Sail Lounge was no different than our previous nights; we couldn’t decide what to order! So, both Rocky and I each got several appetizers. I stuck with the risotto for my main as I enjoyed it so much the previous night and I finished off with the evening’s featured dessert.

To start, I had the Cream of Argenteuil Asparagus Soup from the “Deliciously Healthy” section of the menu. Side note: I find it kind of funny that the Deliciously Healthy section is placed directly under the full Desserts menu. haha

I also enjoyed the fried Asiago Cheese Fritters (definitely not from the Deliciously Healthy section). For my main, I ordered the Truffle Risotto. Again, I don’t want to give too much away, but WOW. This was fantastic; I highly recommend. Finally, for dessert I ordered the Cherries Jubilee which was flambéed by the maître d’. Extra points for both presentation and flavor. Once again, another highly recommended dish.

MSC Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge Menus

Keep on eating and enjoying; check out the next set of menus below:

• MSC Yacht Club Menus (2024) | Top Sail Lounge Nights 4, 5, and 6
• MSC Yacht Club Menus (2024) | Top Sail Lounge Nights 7, 8, and 9

Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge Full Review

We’re working on a complete dinner service food review from our time on board. If you haven’t already, subscribe to our YouTube channel so you’ll be notified when that goes live. In the meantime, check out our entire MSC Meraviglia YouTube Playlist !

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