Mon-Fri 9am - 7pm EST Sat-Sun 9am - 6pm EST

Experience yacht club luxury like this couple who is relaxing in the solarium pool area, attended by a dedicated butler serving refreshing drinks and ensuring a premium level of comfort and service.

MSC YACHT CLUB

Step into the MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive private sanctuary. Here, you can discover elegance with luxury suites offering a 24/7 butler service. Enjoy curated menus in a private restaurant, and unwind on the secluded pool deck. An elevated experience awaits you on a vacation that’s a step above.

Step into the MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive private sanctuary available to you on MSC Cruises. Here, you can discover elegance with luxury suites offering a 24/7 butler service. Enjoy curated menus in a private restaurant, and unwind on the secluded pool deck. An elevated experience awaits you on a vacation that’s a step above.

msc yacht club on all ships

WELCOME TO A WORLD OF LUXURY

A MSC Yacht Club butler in white gloves serves cruises guests tea and coffee with delicious pastries on a tiered.

Experience unparalleled service from the moment you check in. Gain access to priority embarkation and disembarkation, your own concierge team, a dedicated butler available 24/7, and premier room service delivered to you at any hour.

This is the private Yacht Club pool onboard MSC, featuring a spacious pool with easy-access stairs set against a vibrant blue sky with intriguing elements like a dinosaur figure, horses, and more, creating a unique and leisurely atmosphere.

Enjoy access to areas that are exclusive for MSC Yacht Club guests during your cruise vacation. Delight in fine dining at our dedicated restaurant, unwind on a private sun deck, and admire captivating sunsets from the Top Sail Lounge.

A man and woman each hold a glass of complementary champagne as they relax in their luxurious stateroom and enjoy their ocean cruise views through their balcony window.

When you choose MSC Yacht Club, you unlock unique exclusives, all-inclusive packages, and VIP access available only to you including entry to Ocean House Beach on Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, our private island in the Bahamas.

Allow us to indulge you

Step into a world where your suite is just the beginning and where every detail is meticulously attended to.

AT YOUR SERVICE

Our butlers are prepared to meet your needs, whether that be bringing a late-night treat-or turning down your room. From the minute you step on board, your dedicated butler will be by your side for a memorable experience.

Ask your MSC Yacht Club concierge to secure the best reservations at all our incredible venues, including specialty restaurants, and consider it done. Revel in VIP seating for entertainment, partake in private shopping trips, and enjoy curated excursions.

Your journey with us is tailored to perfection, guaranteeing every moment is marked by exceptional comfort and convenience.

A MSC Yacht Club Butler in a distinguished black suit and white gloves serves tea with finger foods to a couple in a private yacht club area. They relax on a couch, savoring the moment while enjoying breathtaking ocean views.

EXTRA TOUCHES

Allow our dedicated MSC Yacht Club team to bring your ultimate cruise vacation to life. We prioritize every detail, from the perfect pillow selection from our exclusive Dorelan® menu to a fully stocked personalized mini bar at your fingertips.

Any questions you may have can always be answered by our 24-hour concierge service, available to you from the moment you step on board.

Young couple entering the Yacht Club's front lobby, where they enjoy the perks of luggage delivery and personalized service from the butler, catering to their cruise needs.

EXCLUSIVITY AWAITS

Immerse yourself in elegant spaces and experience elevated design in a beautiful setting.

In the private Yacht Club lounge, a couple enjoys cocktails, while in the background, a woman sips her drink while listening to a man play the piano on an MSC cruises.

TOP SAIL LOUNGE  

The Top Sail Lounge is the ultimate place to rest and relax after shore excursions or days at sea. Throughout the day, take in crystal-clear panoramic views of the ocean while enjoying crafted drinks, gourmet finger foods, and desserts. At night, relish in exclusive access to live music and after-dinner drinks.   

When you visit the Top Sail Lounge, you'll have the time to unwind and watch the world sail by.

Experience luxury in the exclusive Top Sail Lounge, a private retreat for Yacht Club members on MSC Cruises. The lounge features plush white leather sofas, abundant natural light, and stunning panoramic views.

PRIVATE SOLARIUM

Recharge on a sundeck featuring dipping pools and whirlpool baths where you can cool off and lounge for total relaxation. Take in the sun and the ocean breeze with your preferred poolside beverage delivered right to your chair.

Indulge in the Yacht Club's exclusive Private Solarium on MSC Cruises, where a couple is pampered by a butler, offering personalized service for drinks, food, towels, and more. The image features a crystal-clear, elevated hot tub, epitomizing luxury and relaxation.

YACHT CLUB RESTAURANT 

With a dedicated restaurant on each ship, the MSC Yacht Club offers an elevated menu. Enjoy fine dining served with five-star service and a selection of beverages and wines from around the world.  

You can savor the finest flavors in a space meant for you—no reservations needed.

An elegant moment at the Yacht Club restaurant on your luxury cruise, as a delighted woman smiles while being served a gourmet dinner with a red and white wine pairing by the attentive Yacht Club staff, epitomizing the essence of dining and indulgence in luxury.

MSC YACHT CLUB’S OCEAN HOUSE

The MSC Yacht Club experience continues on land at the private Ocean House Beach on Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. A serene space with ocean views, beachfront cabanas, and complimentary amenities.

COMFORT AWAITS

MSC Yacht Club offers guests luxurious onboard accommodations for the ultimate in comfort. Explore our wide range of staterooms to enhance your MSC Cruises luxury experience.

The Owner's Suite on World Europa offers opulent luxury with a spacious balcony featuring a sofa, hot tub, and breathtaking ocean and sunset views, providing the ultimate in privacy and indulgence aboard MSC Yachts

The Owner's Suites feature a spacious living area, a walk-in closet, a large balcony with a private whirlpool, and a panoramic glass wall. 

Step into the luxurious Royal Suite on Seascape within the Yacht Club, featuring an inviting living room adorned with green couches and a TV, offering an exclusive and opulent experience.

Every Royal Suite has a separate living area and all the comforts you would expect in first-class accommodations. 

The Deluxe Suite on Euribia, is a well-lit and stylish indoor space in varying shades of grey exudes a modern and minimalist vibe. Notable features include a staircase hinting at spaciousness, a versatile table with chairs, and ample natural light through a window, creating an inviting atmosphere for your cruise vacation.

These two-deck suites offer a separate living space with a double sofa bed, walk-in closet, and a balcony with a private whirlpool. 

This inviting indoor living room is part of the Executive Family Suite on MSC Divina. It features a warm brown color theme with two comfortable couches surrounding a central coffee table with a television for everyone to enjoy on your family cruise vacation.

These suites are ideal for families with children. They come with a separate sitting area and a bathroom with a bathtub.

The Deluxe Suite on Seashore, is a well-lit and stylish indoor space in varying shades of grey exudes a modern and minimalist vibe. Notable features include a staircase hinting at spaciousness, a versatile table with chairs, and ample natural light through a window, creating an inviting atmosphere for your cruise vacation.

These suites have also their own private balcony and all the comforts you expect in first-class accommodations. 

An interior stateroom on MSC Europa, featuring a room with a bed and a mirror, a mattress, pillows, and a grey floor with white lines, with no faces or objects detected.

Guests on our newest ships can enjoy all the comforts of the MSC Yacht Club with an interior suite.

ALL-INCLUSIVE, ALL THE TIME

An elegant moment at the Yacht Club restaurant on your luxury cruise, as a delighted woman smiles while being served a gourmet dinner with a red and white wine pairing by the attentive Yacht Club staff, epitomizing the essence of dining and indulgence in luxury.

PREMIUM BEVERAGE PACKAGE

Our Premium Extra Package is included as an MSC Yacht Club benefit. Delight in a wide selection of beers, cocktails, wines, top-shelf liquor, and an array of non-alcoholic beverages.

Stay connected while cruising with MSC as a passenger surfs their cell phone using an onboard internet package, ensuring seamless connectivity and convenience during the voyage.

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET

Stay connected with a premium internet package from anywhere on board, an exclusive benefit for guests. Unlimited Wi-Fi allows you to browse on up to two devices.

Indulge in serene spa moments on MSC Cruises, as a woman in a plush spa robe sits by a window, savoring ocean views and relaxation in the tranquil spa setting.

THERMAL SPA ACCESS

Experience ultimate pampering at the MSC Aurea Spa, where you can enjoy complimentary access to the serene Thermal Suite, enhanced further by an exclusive 10% discount on all treatments.

explore further

Discover the best of both worlds as a guest of MSC Yacht Club. Enjoy VIP access to amenities throughout

your journey, from dining to captivating entertainment, while experiencing the personalized touch that

extends from your suite to every corner of the ship.

SIGNATURE DINING

Savor the flavors of exquisite specialty restaurants such as Butcher's Cut, Kaito Sushi & Teppanyaki, HOLA Tacos, and Ocean Cay.

Elevate your dining experience with exclusive perks like priority reservation times, premium seating, and the luxury of a personal butler escort if you choose.

An image of a couple delighting in an a la carte sushi dining experience at the premium dining venue in the MSC Yacht Club, savoring a delectable selection of sushi dishes.

TOP-TIER ENTERTAINMENT

As an MSC Yacht Club guest, there’s always more to discover. Get priority access to our show-stopping Broadway and Vegas-style shows brought to you by Carousel Productions at Sea.

Plus, you can always explore the myriad of entertainment areas on board, from thrilling water parks to trying your luck at the state-of-the-art MSC Casino.

Captivating top-tier entertainment in the MSC Yacht Club, featuring an acrobatic performer executing mid-air splits while suspended by fabric, delivering a mesmerizing experience.

PREMIUM WELLNESS

Unleash your active side by checking out our sports facilities, including outdoor walking tracks, basketball courts, and a fully-equipped gym boasting Technogym® equipment.  

For those seeking an even more tailored experience, indulge in specialty classes and personal training sessions, reserved by your MSC Yacht Club concierge team.

Enjoy a premium fitness experience on MSC Cruises as two individuals work out on treadmills in the well-appointed gym, offering scenic views of the ship and the expansive ocean beyond.

discover more

Journey to the ultimate destinations on board the MSC Yacht Club, whether it’s crossing places off your bucket list or delighting in quick weekend getaways.

CARIBBEAN CRUISES

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES

NORTHERN EUROPE CRUISES

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

Firefox

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

  • Things to Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Time Out Market
  • Coca-Cola Foodmarks
  • Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

MSC Seashore

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.

Erica Lamberg

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.

MSC Seashore

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.

MSC Seashore

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

Share the story

An email you’ll actually love

Discover Time Out original video

  • Press office
  • Investor relations
  • Work for Time Out
  • Editorial guidelines
  • Privacy notice
  • Do not sell my information
  • Cookie policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Terms of use
  • Copyright agent
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Manage cookies
  • Advertising

Time Out products

  • Time Out Worldwide

scott-thomas-white-logo

  • Fly Private
  • Affluent Traveler Collection
  • MARRIOTT Stars & Luminous
  • IHG Luxury & Lifestyle
  • HYATT Privé
  • Hilton Impresario
  • S&T Reserve
  • AWARD EXPERT

Unveiling the Ultimate Luxury: Inside the Exclusive MSC Yacht Club

Experience the ultimate luxury and exclusivity on MSC Cruises with the MSC Yacht Club, offering private suites, personalized services, exclusive spaces, and all-inclusive benefits.

MSC Yacht Club Overview

The MSC Yacht Club offers an exclusive private sanctuary on MSC Cruises, providing guests with a premium and indulgent cruise experience. This exclusive enclave within the larger MSC cruise ships is designed to cater to discerning travelers seeking elevated levels of luxury and personalized service. For example, guests staying in the Yacht Club enjoy access to luxurious suites with 24/7 butler service, a private restaurant, and a secluded pool deck, ensuring that their every need is taken care of with the utmost attention and care.

MSC Yacht Club guests can enjoy specialty restaurants among the other cruisers onboard, but also enjoy their own designated Yacht Club restaurant.

Moreover, the MSC Yacht Club perks extend beyond accommodations, encompassing priority embarkation and disembarkation, a dedicated concierge team, and room service, all aimed at providing guests with a hassle-free and sophisticated cruise journey. For example, the Top Sail Lounge, private sun deck, and exclusive access to Ocean House Beach are additional features that set the Yacht Club apart, offering an upscale and serene environment for guests to unwind and enjoy their time at sea.

The MSC Yacht Club caters to various luxurious onboard accommodations, ranging from interior cabins to Executive and Royal Suites, providing a diverse range of options to suit different preferences and budgets. For instance, the new 1,600-square-foot Owner Suites and Duplex Suites on the MSC Cruises fleet exemplify the commitment to offering opulent and spacious living spaces, ensuring that guests have access to a truly indulgent and comfortable stay during their cruise.

All-inclusive benefits such as a premium beverage package, high-speed internet, and thermal spa access further enhance the guest experience, allowing them to enjoy a wide array of premium amenities without additional charges. The signature dining, top-tier entertainment, and premium wellness experiences provide an extra layer of luxury and enjoyment, elevating the overall cruise experience and making the Yacht Club an appealing choice for travelers seeking a refined and upscale vacation.

Accommodations and Amenities

The MSC Yacht Club offers a detailed overview of the various luxurious onboard accommodations available, ensuring that guests have access to a diverse range of options to suit their individual preferences and needs. From intimate interior cabins to expansive Executive and Royal Suites, the Yacht Club provides a variety of choices to cater to different budgets and desires, ensuring that guests can find the perfect accommodation for their cruise experience. For example, the availability of spacious suites such as the 1,600-square-foot Owner Suites and Duplex Suites exemplifies the commitment to providing guests with opulent and lavish living spaces, setting the stage for an unforgettable cruise vacation.

In addition to the accommodations, the all-inclusive benefits such as the premium beverage package, high-speed internet, and access to the thermal spa suite add further value to the Yacht Club experience. These benefits are designed to provide guests with a seamless and indulgent cruise journey, ensuring that they have access to premium amenities without any additional charges. Furthermore, the signature dining, top-tier entertainment, and premium wellness experiences offer guests an array of elevated activities and offerings, allowing them to savor every moment of their cruise vacation in an upscale and luxurious setting.

Moreover, the Yacht Club experience is characterized by its personalized services, where dedicated butlers and a 24/7 concierge team are available to attend to guests’ needs and requests. This level of individualized attention ensures that guests’ preferences are catered to at every step of their cruise, creating a truly tailored and indulgent experience. Whether it’s making dinner reservations, organizing shows, or assisting with shore excursions, the personalized services within the Yacht Club set it apart as a haven for travelers seeking a sophisticated and seamless cruise vacation.

msc yacht club on all ships

Yacht Club Perks and Benefits

The MSC Yacht Club offers a host of exclusive perks and benefits that truly elevate the guest experience, making it a sought-after choice for travelers seeking a premium cruise journey. For instance, the priority check-in and checkout feature ensures that Yacht Club passengers can seamlessly navigate the embarkation and disembarkation process, bypassing long queues and delays to start and end their cruise vacation with ease and efficiency. This sets the tone for a stress-free and enjoyable journey, allowing guests to focus on relaxation and indulgence from the moment they step on board.

In addition to priority embarkation and disembarkation, Yacht Club passengers also enjoy free premium alcohol and Wi-Fi packages, providing them with a carefree and indulgent experience throughout their cruise. This all-inclusive approach ensures that guests can stay connected and enjoy a wide selection of beverages without incurring additional costs, adding value to their overall cruise experience. Furthermore, the VIP access to various amenities, dining options, entertainment, and personalized experiences emphasizes the elevated level of service and luxury that Yacht Club guests receive, ensuring that they have access to the best offerings available on the cruise.

Moreover, the Yacht Club experience extends beyond the ship, offering access to Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas. This exclusive destination provides Yacht Club guests with access to a secluded Yacht Club section and restaurant, ensuring that they can enjoy tailored shore excursions and experiences that align with their preferences. For example, activities such as snorkeling, gourmet dining, and relaxation on pristine beaches further enhance the value of the Yacht Club experience , providing guests with unique and unforgettable moments during their cruise vacation.

Exclusive Spaces within the Yacht Club

The dedicated bar, lounge, and restaurant within the MSC Yacht Club provide an intimate and upscale environment for guests to unwind and indulge in top-notch service and amenities. This exclusive enclave within the larger cruise ship ensures that Yacht Club cruisers have access to an elevated level of luxury and comfort, allowing them to enjoy a sophisticated and refined ambiance throughout their journey. For example, the private rooftop deck area exudes a beach club vibe, complete with a pool, hot tub, and complimentary breakfast and lunch buffets, creating an idyllic setting for guests to relax and savor their time in this exclusive sanctuary.

The special access to Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, further enhances the allure of the Yacht Club experience, providing guests with a secluded and upscale environment to create unforgettable memories during their cruise vacation. The private island destination offers exclusive shore excursions and experiences tailored to Yacht Club guests, allowing them to immerse themselves in a serene and indulgent setting that complements the luxury experience they enjoy onboard. Whether it’s unwinding at the exclusive beach club, indulging in gourmet dining experiences, or exploring the natural beauty of the island, Ocean Cay adds a distinctive dimension to the Yacht Club experience, ensuring that guests have access to unique and unforgettable moments during their cruise.

msc yacht club on all ships

Yacht Club Accommodations

The MSC Yacht Club provides an array of luxurious accommodations, catering to different preferences and budgets. Guests can choose from a variety of options, including interior cabins, spacious suites, and new 1,600-square-foot Owner Suites and Duplex Suites on the MSC Cruises fleet. These opulent living spaces are designed to provide guests with a comfortable and lavish stay, ensuring that they have access to a truly indulgent cruise experience.

The cost of staying in the Yacht Club varies depending on the type of cabin, the duration of the cruise, and the destination, ensuring that guests have the flexibility to tailor their experience to their specific needs and financial considerations. Whether opting for a more intimate interior cabin or a lavish suite, guests can find accommodations that align with their individual desires and requirements, making the MSC Yacht Club an attractive choice for discerning cruisers.

The Yacht Club fares, while higher than standard cabins, are justified by the benefits and perks that make it worth the upgrade. The refined and upscale experience offered in the Yacht Club includes all Yacht Club suites coming with a premium drink package, WiFi package, access to the thermal spa suite, and a stocked minibar, ensuring that guests receive exceptional value for their investment. Furthermore, the Yacht Club butlers provide personal attention, making dinner reservations, setting up daybeds, and assisting with shows and shore excursions, adding an additional layer of luxury and convenience to the Yacht Club experience.

Value of Yacht Club Experience

When it comes to the value of the MSC Yacht Club experience, the perks and benefits truly set it apart. The comparison of Yacht Club fares with standard cabins emphasizes the benefits and perks that make it a desirable and worthwhile upgrade. The premium drink package, WiFi package, access to the thermal spa suite, and a stocked minibar for all Yacht Club suites ensure that guests receive exceptional value for their investment, providing them with an array of indulgent amenities and services throughout their cruise.

The Yacht Club experience offers a refined and upscale journey that is complemented by personalized attention from the dedicated butlers and the round-the-clock availability of the Yacht Club concierge. This level of individualized service adds to the overall value of the experience, ensuring that guests can make the most of their time on board and in port. Furthermore, the premium drink package, WiFi package, access to the thermal spa suite, and a stocked minibar for all Yacht Club suites ensure that guests receive exceptional value for their investment, providing them with an array of indulgent amenities and services throughout their cruise.

Moreover, the Yacht Club perks extend to Ocean Cay, the private island, with a separate section and restaurant for Yacht Club guests, providing them with access to a secluded and upscale environment where they can create unforgettable memories during their cruise vacation. This exclusive destination offers an array of unique shore excursions and experiences, enhancing the overall value of the Yacht Club experience and ensuring that guests have access to exceptional and tailored moments during their journey.

Personalized Services

The personalized attention provided by Yacht Club butlers is a hallmark of the MSC Yacht Club experience, ensuring that guests receive individualized and tailored care throughout their cruise. From making dinner reservations to assisting with shows and shore excursions, the butlers are dedicated to ensuring that guests’ preferences are catered to at every step, creating a seamless and indulgent journey for Yacht Club guests. This level of personalization sets the Yacht Club apart as a haven for travelers seeking a sophisticated and stress-free cruise vacation.

The 24-7 availability of the Yacht Club concierge further enhances the value of the experience, providing guests with continuous support and assistance at any time during their cruise. This ensures that guests can receive guidance, information, and personalized service whenever they need it, adding an extra layer of convenience and care to their overall Yacht Club experience.

Butlers can also assist with MSC Aurea Spa reservations and access to the thermal suite.

Yacht Club Destinations

In addition to the exclusive amenities and personalized services onboard, Yacht Club guests also benefit from access to Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas. This secluded destination offers Yacht Club guests a separate section and restaurant, ensuring that they can enjoy tailored shore excursions and experiences that align with their preferences. For example, activities such as snorkeling, gourmet dining, and relaxation on pristine beaches further enhance the value of the Yacht Club experience, providing guests with unique and unforgettable moments during their cruise vacation.

In summary, the MSC Yacht Club offers an exceptional value and enjoyable atmosphere for travelers seeking a sophisticated and upscale cruise vacation. The all-inclusive benefits, personalized services, and exclusive access to amenities, dining, and entertainment ensure that guests have access to an array of indulgent offerings throughout their journey, setting the Yacht Club apart as a haven for discerning cruisers. With its opulent accommodations, unparalleled perks, and access to exclusive destinations such as Ocean Cay, the MSC Yacht Club stands as an ideal choice for travelers looking to elevate their cruise experience to new heights of luxury and indulgence.

  • butler , club , cruise , cruise ship , luxury , msc , ship within a ship , spa , upgrade , yacht

Rectangle (2)

More Posts:

Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Royal Up Bidding Program

Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Royal Up Bidding Program

Magical Moments: A Guide to Disney Cruise Concierge Level

Magical Moments: A Guide to Disney Cruise Concierge Level

Send us a message.

Start your journey by completing the form below and one of our luxury travel designers will be in contact within 24 hours.

Social Media

scott-thomas-white-logo

Discovery Call

msc yacht club on all ships

  • MSC Cruises

Which MSC ship has the best Yacht Club?

By floridian1 , April 10, 2018 in MSC Cruises

Recommended Posts

Cool Cruiser

New to msc, very interested in the yacht club. Which MSC ship has the best Yacht Club?

Is there any big differences between them?

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

riclop

Seaside, they have cushion loungers and a great grill pool side and plenty of room.
So do the other ships I believe.

mafig

I don't think all the ships have a Yacht Club area.

TrinaLC

Divina has a very modest grill, nothing like Seaside. Nor does it have padded chaises. But Divina has its own charms.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

That wasn't the question. I was talking about YC specific ships.

max996

I haven't cruised every MSC ship equipped with Yacht Club amenities, but I'd have to say either Divina or Meraviglia. I've cruised Divina in YC and my family and I had a great time. We've got Seaside booked, but from the reviews from YC cruisers I'm hearing that Seaside YC isn't staffed to the level that Divina is (apparently by design). This is having an affect on levels of service for those who have experienced Divina. But for someone who hasn't yet cruised MSC Yacht Club, I don't think it's a big problem. MSC's Yacht Club offers the most affordable luxury in the cruise industry and my wife and I love it.

Great Review

Cruisergal1208

Reviews from the last few weeks are saying there is a big improvement in the Butler experience on Seaside. Will see for myself in a few weeks. :)

Recent YC Seaside reviews have been Very good.

We as well will know next month . Booked in the Seaside YC May 12th. Last 4 Cruises within NCL Haven.

Looking forward to MSC and the YC ! :cool:

No service issues at all in YC Seaside. Wonderful service all around, all staff.

Fake News...LOL I saw our Butler and other butlers always around the Pool Bar/Grill as well as by our cabin regularly. We even had Pool Attendants...(guys in red shirts who work the deck,move chairs, etc) ask us if we needed anything or offered to get us a drink. I cannot recall waiting once...excellent service and attention. As a fyi....I was on 3/24 sailing

westham1

New to msc, very interested in the yacht club. Which MSC ship has the best Yacht Club?   Is there any big differences between them?
I have only experience on two MSC ships, the Davina and Seaside. I have been on the Divina YC in October and just recently on the Seaside YC in early March. Frankly in my opinion there is no comparison. The YC on Seaside blows the Davina away, in all areas, grill, pool, amenities, butler service, cleanliness, overall service and dining experience. NOT that I find fault with the Davina ( as the Davina blew away anything NCL has within the Haven areas). It was just the surprise on how much the Seaside YC experience was improved over the Davina was impressive. As far as "limited" or "diminished" service goes....Well perhaps in the number of service staff to patron, but with regard to quality, professionalism, and efficiency of service my wife and I were so impressed with the staff, and management of the Seaside. Their attention to detail, and personal service was far superior to their counter parts on the Davina . In the dining room we had multiple waitstaff and were not "assigned" to any particular waitstaff areas or table. So I was able to experience multiple staff in a variety of functions. Each being attentive and professional. The layout of the YC on Seaside is more geared toward patron interaction, and relaxation, Padded lounge chairs, shaded dining areas, and pool attendants who are more than happy to assist you in anyway they can. Plus I did not have to walk the entire length of the ship when i wanted to have dinner as the restaurant for the Davina YC is aft while the cabins are forward. On the Seaside, both are forward . Customer Service personnel were equal, but I found the food a bit better on the Seaside. I hope this helped.

I've never been in the YC on the Davina or Seaside--we travel this June--but I'm curious that you thing the Davina YC "blows away" the NCL Haven. We have been in the Haven three times on two different ships (Getaway and Escape), and those experiences were fabulous. Your point may be true on the older NCL ships without a dedicated Haven area/restaurant, but I'm curious what you are basing this opinion on (new ship vs. new ship).

I've never been in the YC on the Davina or Seaside--we travel this June--but I'm curious that you thing the Davina YC "blows away" the NCL Haven. We have been in the Haven three times on two different ships (Getaway and Escape), and those experiences were fabulous. Your point may be true on the older NCL ships without a dedicated Haven area/restaurant, but I'm curious what you are basing this opinion on (new ship vs. new ship).       Thanks.

I’ve been in NCL Haven on Breakaway. There is no comparison. NCL Haven feels like steerage in comparison. Only equivalent is the dining room.

I’ve been in NCL Haven on Breakaway. There is no comparison. NCL Haven feels like steerage in comparison. Only equivalent is the dining room.     Sent from my iPad using Forums

Please explain this. Amenities, staff experience, etc.?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The real estate: private sun deck, pool, hot tubs on beautiful upper deck, not shoe-horned like Haven. Wonderful meals on deck, including breakfast and lunch full service buffets, grill at lunch, heavy hors d’oeuvres late afternoon. Wonderful service. Lounge many times the size of Haven, bow of ship, great views, and outdoor wraparound (on Seaside). All inclusive without extra service charge. And at a fraction of the cost. I would not do Haven again even if it cost 33% less than YC!

I have to fully agree with TrinaLC. We were in the Haven Escape in Oct 2016. I surprised my husband with the Haven Spa Suite. He loved it and said we’d never cruise again unless it was in that type of atmosphere—ship within a ship. I thought oh great, we’ll never sail again. Then I saw MSC Divina’s YC. So we booked it for October 2017. We have never cruised 2 years in a row. We had the suite on 12, the one without the balcony. I was afraid we’d miss it. The the views we had from the bow was fantastic. On the Davina the Haven cabins are all over the ship, most of them on 16 where the Lounge was. We were blown away with the service and the amenities. The pool area on Divina blew away the little courtyard on the Escape. When on a cruise I like to enjoy the sun and the sea views. On the Escape it was a hot steamy spa atmosphere. The roof was never open. The Haven restaurant was awesome with very attentive staff. However, on the Divina, the waitstaff always greeted us by name. Loretto, our waitress, knew the wine I liked and never let my glass get more than 1/2 empty, but she never assumed. When we sat down she made sure I was drinking the same wine. My DH likes to change his wines up. The food was phenomenal. They change their menu up with a few nightly staples. The Haven restaurant always had the same menu which I think they do that so that you go to the specialty restaurants. My cost conscious DH was so blown over by the Divina that he suggested that we take our DD, her DH, her DD and her DS on on.cruise in summer of 2019 for our 70th birthdays and our 50th anniversary. So we are booked on the Seaside in two cabins in the YC in July of 2019. With the reviews I’m seeing of the Seaside’s YC, I’m so excited looking forward to this cruise. It’s a long way away, but I know the time will fly. We, like TrinaLC, would not do Haven again even if the prices were a lot less than YC. Happy cruising.

We need to stop selling [emoji3]

We need to stop selling [emoji3]     Sent from my iPad using Forums

LOL! I just might agree with you there.;)

The Divina has YC2 cabins the Seaside does not

Some people do not like these because they are 3 decks down from the main Yacht club area and do not have balconies. They were only about $200. more than the YC1

The tradeoff is the size. There are only 3 of these and take the entire front of the ship.

Totally separate bedroom and living room. Both have floor to ceiling windows. They have solid doors to close off.

You can leave the drapes open and wake to the entire sunrise.

Like a small apartment minus the kitchen

Living room has a full size couch and 2 big stuffed chairs and large TV plus other furniture.

off the bedroom is a separate dressing table area which is across from a giant walkin closet. There is a large TV in the bedroom. With the doors closed, you could have both TVs on and not disturb each other.

There is another good size closet when you first enter the cabin. There is a safe in each closet.

The bathroom has separate shower and jetted tub and 2 sinks,

We would usually get the YC2

Felt a bit cramped in the YC1 on Seaside but there is NOTHING like the Yacht Club experience. Once you have done it, you cannot go back.

I finally booked seaside yc for next summer 2019..thanks everyone.

Does anyone remember what time the yc pools/hot tubs were open until?

Also is room service free?

In haven we used the insuite dining alot from the haven restaurant...does yc offer something like this?

  • 7 months later...

CUontheC

I would also like to know about the room service.

mizzoufinal4

Room service is free and you can even order a whole pizza to your room for a late night snack! ( I highly recommend this!)

5,000+ Club

sverigecruiser

On 4/14/2018 at 5:34 AM, floridian1 said: In haven we used the insuite dining alot from the haven restaurant...does yc offer something like this?

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

  • Welcome to Cruise Critic
  • New Cruisers
  • Cruise Lines “A – O”
  • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
  • River Cruising
  • Cruise Critic News & Features
  • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
  • Special Interest Cruising
  • Cruise Discussion Topics
  • UK Cruising
  • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
  • Canadian Cruisers
  • North American Homeports
  • Ports of Call
  • Cruise Conversations

Announcements

  • New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

WAR_icy_SUPERstar777.jpg

Click this gorgeous photo by member SUPERstar777 to share your review!

Features & News

LauraS

LauraS · Started 15 hours ago

LauraS · Started 18 hours ago

LauraS · Started 19 hours ago

LauraS · Started 20 hours ago

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 11:57 PM

DSCF1030.JPG

  • Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
  • Find Your Roll Call
  • Meet & Mingle
  • Community Help Center
  • All Activity
  • Member Photo Albums
  • Meet & Mingle Photos
  • Favorite Cruise Memories
  • Cruise Food Photos
  • Cruise Ship Photos
  • Ports of Call Photos
  • Towel Animal Photos
  • Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
  • Write a Review
  • Live Cruise Reports
  • Member Cruise Reviews
  • Create New...

cruise news

  • Cruise Podcast

The MSC Meraviglia Yacht Club Experience Review

Doug Parker

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

MSC Cruise Ships by Age

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.

Recent Posts

Port clears cruise ship to leave after identifying 69 fake visas, hydration economics: carnival hikes bottled water prices by 25%, holland america extends 2025-2026 sailings on pinnacle-class ships, stranded passengers in africa rejoin cruise ship after nearly a week, share this post, related posts.

Port Clears Cruise Ship to Leave After Identifying 69 Fake Visas

Costa Cruise Ships by Size: Biggest to Smallest

Carnival Gives Glimpse of New Cruise Resort in the Bahamas [IMAGES]

Carnival Gives Glimpse of New Cruise Resort in the Bahamas [IMAGES]

Cruise Radio header

Bringing you 15 years of cruise industry experience. Cruise Radio prioritizes well-balanced cruise news coverage and accurate reporting, paired with ship reviews and tips.   

Quick links

Cruise Radio, LLC © Copyright 2009-2024 | Website Designed By   Insider Perks, Inc

msc yacht club on all ships

Ship-within-a-Ship Cruise Options: Luxury Service on Big Cruises

H ow do you get the luxury and guest-to-crew ratio of a small ship experience but on a larger cruise? The answer is simple: a ship-within-a-ship cruise class.

Major cruise lines have jumped onboard this special class, especially within the last decade. It's easy to see why it's attractive. It offers cruisers upgraded service and exclusive access while also enjoying the ship's entertainment, dining,g and amenities with the rest of the ship's passengers.

If you want to feel like a bigger fish in the pond of people onboard, or if you want to experience more privacy and service than the average cruisers onboard, ship-within-a-ship options are for you.

Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase  at no cost to you . We recommend cruises, experiences, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

What is a Ship-within-a-Ship cruise?

There's no denying that large cruise ships (including some “mega-ships,” as some people call them) can offer cruisers things that smaller ships, like river cruise ships or yachts , cannot. However, if you want multiple restaurants to choose from that are each themed to a specific cuisine, or large-scale stage shows, a casino, ice-skating rink, or a rock climbing wall, for instance, you'll have to cruise big.

Large cruise companies created a fantastic offering that means you can have the best of both worlds in cruising in some ways. Big ships have taken the luxurious and intimate ambiance of small-scale cruises and coupled them with their abundance of onboard offerings, deeming it a “ship-within-a-ship” cruise class.

Though mega-ships can never go into smaller ports that small-ship adventures offer, they have created a nice niche on board for a specific clientele.

Each cruise line has named it something unique to their company to help identify the niche brand within their recognizable cruise name — for example, “ Celebrity Cruises The Retreat .”

Which cruise lines offer this special cruise class?

The major brands that offer this ship-within-a-ship cruise class include:

  • MSC Cruises
  • Holland America Line
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Royal Caribbean
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Norwegian Cruise Line

While Princess Cruises doesn't have something like The Retreat or The Haven, like Celebrity Cruises or Royal Caribbean have, they have their MedallionClass. The device that works with the Princess Medallion class does make it feel like a special experience in its own way.

General perks of Ship-within-a-Ship cruise class

Precise details of each cruise line's ship-within-a-ship offerings differ. However, here are some perks you can generally expect if you choose to book this category:

  • Early boarding
  • Beverages included
  • Included Wifi
  • Separate and more private dining areas
  • Butler service
  • Priority seatings and bookings

Price point for this elevated cruise class

It's nearly impossible to quote exact prices for ship-within-a-ship cruise concepts. This is because each cruise sailing varies, no matter the cruise category you choose. This is affected by the length and location of the sailing, the cruise line, where your stateroom is on the ship, etc.

However, overall, guests can expect to pay a premium for premium service. Below, we've done our best to give you a general idea of what each experience will cost.

MSC Cruises: Yacht Club

MSC's offering is their “Yacht Club.” Guests need to be staying in one of the Yacht Club suites to be part of the ship-within-a-ship cruise with MSC. (In other words, the Yacht Club services are not something that guests can add as an upgrade to a different type of stateroom.)

Suites on the MSC Seashore, for example, which sails to the Bahamas and the Caribbean from Miami, range from 226 square feet to 1,059 square feet in the Owner's Suite. Overall, about 4% of the people onboard MSC Seashore can be a part of the Yacht Club; there are only 122 Yacht Club suites onboard out of 2,270 staterooms.

Of those 122, 107 Yacht Club suites have balconies. About 15 of the suites are interior cabins – the rest have outside views. This variety of interior and exterior cabins makes it possible for MSC to offer various price points to guests desiring a Yacht Club experience.

The suites are all located on the ship's upper decks: 16, 18, and 19. The Yacht Club restaurants and exclusive amenities are nearby on the same decks, also towards the front of the ship.

MSC Yacht Club's included services

  • Priority boarding.
  • 24-hour butler service.
  • Exclusive restaurant and lounge.
  • Exclusive pool and hot tubs.
  • Complimentary drinks.
  • Complementary wifi.
  • Complementary access to the Thermal Suite at the Aurea Spa for the duration of the cruise.
  • Private shopping experiences onboard, with your butler as your shopping escort .
  • Private shore excursions.

MSC Yacht Club Dining

The Yacht Club on MSC ships is both a cruise category and physical area. Within the Yacht Club, there is an indoor Yacht Club Restaurant, an outdoor Yacht Club Grill & Bar, and the Top Sail Lounge, both indoor and outdoor. Those exclusive dining areas are only available to Yacht Club guests and feature sophisticated and unique meals and snack offerings.

Ships to Experience MSC Yacht Club

Book a cruise on the following ships to experience MSC Yacht Club:

  • MSC Seashore
  • MSC Virtuosa
  • MSC Grandiosa
  • MSC Bellissima
  • MSC Seaview
  • MSC Seaside
  • MSC Meraviglia
  • MSC Preziosa
  • MSC Splendida
  • MSC Fantasia
  • MSC Seascape
  • MSC Euribia
  • MSC World Europa
  • MSC World America

Pricepoint of MSC Yacht Club

The Yacht Club is a good upgrade if you're looking for a ship-within-a-ship experience that won't break the bank. It can average to be as little as $1,400 for a 7-day sailing (approximately $200 a day). When you couple that with the drinks and wifi, alone, that are included for that investment, never mind the upgraded dining, it seems like a no-brainer!

If you keep an eye on their website and search the cruise options frequently, you may even spot some bargains for MSC Yacht Club. If one presents itself, lock it in!

Holland America Line: Neptune Suites

Enjoy the perks of being in Neptune Suites on one of the longest-running cruise lines, Holland America Line . You'll feel that extra special care as you luxuriate in the suite class's own lounge and cabanas.

Holland America Line: Neptune Suites included services

  • Access to the Neptune Lounge
  • Dedicated Shore Excursions Desk in the lounge
  • Fresh flowers
  • In-suite espresso machine
  • Premium bathrobes
  • Exclusive tote
  • Priority check-in and disembarkation
  • Priority tendering where applicable

Norwegian Cruise Line: The Haven

The ship-within-a-ship cruise experience aboard Norwegian Cruise Line is called The Haven.

Norwegian's Haven staterooms range in size from 309 square feet for a Deluxe Spa Suite with a Balcony, all the way up to over 6,694 square feet for the 3-Bedroom Garden Villa. (Yes, that's much larger than most people's homes!) The Garden Villa can accommodate up to six guests, and there's even a private hot tub and private dining area.

This is a great way to get that small-ship feeling on a mega-ship with entertainment and amenities far beyond what a small cruise ship can offer.

The Haven suites and its exclusive areas are generally located at the top of the ship.

Norwegian: The Haven included services

Here are just some of the included services you get when you book The Haven category on an NCL ship:

  • Priority boarding for embarkation and disembarkation and at ports of call.
  • Concierge service for anything from booking exursions to dining.
  • Exclusive The Haven restaurant and lounge.
  • Exclusive courtyard and sundeck, reserved for guests of The Haven, which includes an area with a private pool, hot tub and fitness area.
  • In-room dining with white tablecloth service.
  • Evening turndown service and treats delivered to your suite each night.
  • Luxury bath products and fine linens.
  • Invitation to exclusive cocktail parties.
  • Priority restaurant reservations and entertainment seating .
  • In-room bathrobes, slippers and oversized towels.

The Haven Dining

Guests of The Haven have the option to dine at an additional restaurant that other guests on the ship cannot go to unless they're part of NCL's ship-within-a-ship category. This special dining option is The Haven Restaurant. On Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class Norwegian ships, there is a special lounge and bar area for The Haven as well.

The Haven Ships

The Haven is offered on Norwegian Cruise Line's newer ships. This includes the following nine vessels:

  • Norwegian Escape
  • Norwegian Getaway
  • Norwegian Breakaway
  • Norwegian Epic
  • Norwegian Gem
  • Norwegian Jade
  • Norwegian Jewel
  • Norwegian Bliss
  • Norwegian Pearl

Pricepoint of The Haven

In general, The Haven costs about double or triple what a balcony stateroom or club balcony suite costs for the same sailing. However, exact prices depend on the cruise, which often varies with availability depending on your search.

For example, a 7-day Caribbean cruise that costs $700 for an inside cabin or $935 for a balcony, costs $3,000 for The Haven.

Celebrity Cruises: The Retreat

Celebrity Cruises offer modern ships that appeal to all ages, but particularly adults with a penchant for modernity on a luxury cruise line. The Retreat is a resort-within-a-resort, of sorts, taking the ship-within-a-ship cruise concept to a new level.

After you take a plunge in your private Retreat-only pool you can relax in your Celebrity Suite and call upon your dedicated Personal Retreat Host to deliver champagne. You can also dine in Luminae , The Retreat-only restaurant.

Suites range from 319 square feet with an additional verandah for a Sky Suite, to Iconic Suites with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, which are 1,892 square feet. They also include a verandah that's bigger than most staterooms onboard, at 689 square feet and has a private hot tub.

Read our Extensive Review of The Retreat on Celebrity Apex

Some included benefits of Celebrity Cruises The Retreat

  • Priority check-in, departure, and port tendering/boarding
  • Upgraded bedding
  • Upgraded bath products
  • Premium drinks
  • Included wifi
  • A credit for shore excursions
  • Onboard credit to use how you choose (which equates to anywhere from $200 to $400 per person, depending on the length of your cruise)
  • Prepaid gratuities
  • Pre-cruise concierge, available in days leading up to the cruise before you board
  • Reserved theater seating
  • Access to The Retreat Sundeck (available on Edge Series and Revolutionized ships – unavailable on Celebrity Solstice, Eclipse, Reflection, Constellation, and Infinity), cabanas, and hot tubs
  • Entry to The Retreat Lounge (or Michael’s Club, on non-revolutionized ships)
  • Access to The Retreat private restaurant,  Luminae
  • Complimentary beverages at The Retreat Lounge

The Retreat Ships

The Retreat is available on all Celebrity Cruises ships listed below:

  • Celebrity Apex℠
  • Celebrity Beyond℠
  • Celebrity Constellation®
  • Celebrity Edge®
  • Celebrity Eclipse®
  • Celebrity Equinox®
  • Celebrity Infinity ®
  • Celebrity Millenium®
  • Celebrity Reflection®
  • Celebrity Silhouette®
  • Celebrity Solstice®
  • Celebrity Summit®

It's also available on the following Celebrity Galapagos Expedition Series ships:

  • Celebrity Flora®
  • Celebrity Xpedition®
  • Celebrity Xploration®

Pricepoint of Celebrity Cruises: The Retreat

The entry price for The Retreat with Celebrity Cruises depends on what itinerary and location you're booking. For instance, pricing for a 7-day Caribbean cruise with The Retreat starts at just over $2,200 but for an Alaskan cruise, it's over $6,000. Expect to pay in the thousands, as is typical with any ship-within-a-ship cruise experience.

Check out our extensive review of The Retreat and find out all the reasons why we loved it!

Royal Caribbean: Royal Suite Class

Royal Caribbean has an option for the Royal Caribbean International's Suites Program on their ships. However, the Royal Suite Class is an upgraded option beyond their International Suites Program that is available on 10 of their vessels (they have over 25 ships in their fleet, total).

As the cruise line exclaims on its website, Royal Suite Class “embodies the best in luxury travel.” Guests can choose from three tiers of this ship-within-a-ship cruise option. Their Sea, Sky, and Star Suites will give you elite access to luxurious amenities, services, and areas of the Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Sea Class gives you the least perks, yet more than a “normal” Royal Caribbean stateroom. Such upgrades include priority boarding at your port of embarkation as well as a dedicated check-in line, luxury bath products, and a robe in your suite. But the ultimate in luxury lies in the Star Class.

AShips to Book Royal Suite Class

Currently, Royal Caribbean's Royal Suite Class is offered on 10 ships:

  • Oasis of the Seas®
  • Allure of the Seas®
  • Harmony of the Seas®
  • Symphony of the Seas®
  • Wonder of the Seas®
  • Quantum of the Seas®
  • Anthem of the Seas®
  • Ovation of the Seas®
  • Spectrum of the Seas®
  • Odyssey of the Seas ®

A taste of what Royal Suite Class's Star Class Category includes

To reiterate, there are three Royal Suite Classes aboard Royal Caribbean ships: Sea, Sky, and Star Suites. Sea Suites offer the least perks and Star Suites the most. The associated cost to book increases with each class. It's important to note that while the Sea Class has some added benefits above the usual stateroom booking, only the Sky and Star Classes have access to Royal Caribbean's Suite Sun Deck area.

Here is some of what the Star Class includes, above and beyond the usual ship-within-a-ship cruise upgrades like luxury linens and priority boarding:

  • Royal Genie service (a dedicated team member who truly makes the guests of the Star Class feel like celebrities – only available for Star Class, not Sea or Sky).
  • Complimentary deluxe beverage package.
  • Included gratuities.
  • Complimentary mini bar stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Pricepoint of Royal Caribbean's Royal Suite Class

There are so many cruise options with Royal Caribbean that it's nearly impossible to put a number on these cruises without looking up a specific sailing. But if you are looking for a Royal Suite Class experience, be sure you're looking for a cruise on one of their ships that offers it. (The 10 ships that offer it are listed above.)

We did a few searches and saw prices anywhere from $2,000 to $12,000 for a 7-night Caribbean cruise, with a starting price that was approximately $1,500 more than an inside stateroom and about $1,300 more than a balcony stateroom.

Cunard Queens and Princess Grill Suites

Cunard rolls out the red carpet for its Grill Suites guests. This company (which mostly sails in the United Kingdom) sends a clear message of luxury and elevated service. For instance, Grills Suites guests are served champagne and chocolates upon arrival and have exclusive access to special areas throughout the cruise.

The Princess Grill Suites are a step below the Queens Grill Suites but still a step above the usual staterooms onboard Cunard ships.

Included services with Cunard Queens Grill Suites

  • Priority disembarkation in ports.
  • Butler service.
  • Pre-dinner canapés.
  • Complimentary in-room bar.
  • In-room dining from the Queens Grill menu or Princess Grill menu, corresponding to the class you book
  • Access to Grills Lounge and Terrace (on applicable Cunard ships).
  • Included drinks package (for cruises 7-nights or longer, and drinks $12 or below).
  • Included hotel and dining service charges.
  • Personalized stationery.
  • Velour robes and slippers.

Cunard Ships offering Queens and Princess Grill Suites

The Grills Suites are offered on all three of their current ships and their fourth planned ship:

  • Queen Mary 2
  • Queen Victoria
  • Queen Elizabeth
  • Queen Anne (first sailings will be in early 2024)

Pricepoint of Cunard's Ship-within-a-Ship class

You can pay as low as $650 for a Grill Suite for a sailing that's just a few days, to upwards of $14,700 for a Grill Suite on a 32-day cruise.

For example, a 4-night cruise from Southampton (UK) to Hamburg (Germany) is $749 for an inside cabin and $1,599 for a Queens Grill Suite.

Grill Suites on a 7-night cruise off the Atlantic Coast and Iberia start at $2,369 per person, while an inside cabin on the same cruise is $755 per person. A balcony room is $971 per person on the same cruise. All that is to say that a Grill Suite, whether Princess or Queen category, will run at least $1,000 more per person.

Disney Cruise Line: Concierge

Disney Cruise Line's Concierge level gives guests special services and early access to the ship, bookings, and more aboard their beautiful cruise ships. Whether you're traveling on DCL as adults-only or as a whole family, you'll enjoy the best Disney has to offer and then some.

Their “ship-within-a-ship” concept doesn't necessarily equate to many private areas beyond the concierge lounge and a sun deck. Still, it does provide a white-glove service in other areas that are valuable to those desiring special treatment attached to the Disney name.

If you book a suite at their concierge level, the DCL world opens up to you for even more luxury and priority services beyond the minimum of what Disney is well known for.

Concierge suites are on Decks 11 or 12 on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream and Decks 8 and 10 on the Disney Magic and Wonder. On the Disney Wish , Concierge suites are found on Decks 10, 11, 12, and 13, with limited 2-level suites, including the incredible Concierge Wish Tower Suite.

Overall, Disney Cruise Line's concierge-level suites provide more square footage than their regular staterooms. They have custom finishings like teak wood details, crown molding, custom fabrics, and more aboard Disney Magic.

Disney Cruise Line's Concierge suites are offered on all of their Disney Cruise Line ships (but not aboard Adventures by Disney river cruises .)

What's Included with DCL's Concierge Level

  • Requests for onboard activities and services start 125 days out (whereas other guests are usually only able to book 90 days out, depending on the length of their cruise).
  • Dedicated Concierge Services Specialist, available Monday through Saturday for pre-trip planning before you board.
  • Priority boarding when you check-in to embark .
  • Upgraded pillow options (choose from hypoallergenic, feather, or therapeutic memory foam).
  • Feather duvet covers in the main bedroom.
  • Custom robe and slippers for onboard use.
  • Complimentary wifi up to 100MB.
  • The Concierge Lounge has complimentary food and nonalcoholic beverages throughout the day.
  • Sun deck, which is accessible for Concierge guests via a private entrance where there are cooling water misters, cushioned lounge chairs, and a bar stocked with water and refreshments.

Pricepoint of Disney Cruise Line's Concierge Level

Generally speaking, Concierge suites start at double what a verandah stateroom costs on a Disney Cruise Line sailing. For example, an Oceanview cabin on a 5-Night West Caribbean cruise from the Port of Miami, Florida is $2,525, and a verandah stateroom is $3,125, for two guests.

But concierge suites for the same cruise start around $6,600. Often concierge-level costs more than that, depending on the cruise dates and itinerary. (We've seen upwards of 3xs the cost of a verandah room.)

Going on a cruise? Also check out:

  • Awesome Cruise Gift Ideas for Cruise Fans & People Going on a Cruise
  • River Cruise vs Ocean Cruise: What’s the Difference?
  • Helpful Info about Luminae in The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises

Details about how to get that small ship cruise experience on big cruises with their "ship-within-a-ship" concepts, like The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line or The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises.

Mon - Fri 9 - 19 | Sat 9 - 18 | Sun 10 - 16

  • Book your cruise with our Consultants
  • I have already booked my cruise

MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

MSC WORLD EUROPA

Welcome to the future of cruising.

A more sustainable cruise We wanted to set a new standard for the cruise industry. As our first LNG-propelled new cruise ship, MSC World Europa is a huge step forward in that mission. This next-generation power hugely reduces emissions and marks a milestone on our journey to zero emissions operations. Her state-of-the-art design also includes the latest water recycling technology, to purify wastewater, and propellers studied to reduce the underwater noise in respect of marine wildlife.

ITINERARIES

Mediterranean | MSC Cruises

Mediterranean

MAIN FEATURES

Lng-powered.

MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Ground-breaking design

From her stunning silhouette to her signature plumb bow, the futuristic MSC World Europa is as visually striking as she is innovative. Her unique Y-shaped open aft leads to the 104m long outdoor World Promenade , with incredible panoramic ocean views. The promenade also features the record breaking, longest dry slide at sea – the Venom Drop @ The Spiral – an 11-deck high stainless-steel masterpiece, unique in the cruise industry.

MSC World Europa, Ground breaking design | MSC Cruises

Futuristic cruise experience

MSC World Europa, Panorama Lounge | MSC Cruises

On-board experience

MSC World Europa, La Plage Pool | MSC Cruises

MSC Aurea Spa

MSC World Europa, MSC Aurea Spa | MSC Cruises

MSC Yacht Club

MSC World Europa, Sail Lounge| MSC Cruises

CABINS & suites

MSC World Europa also offers an extensive range of accommodation options to satisfy every taste

MSC Yacht Club Owner Suite with Whirlpool bath, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

  • Surface approx. 15- 104 sqm, balcony approx. 5- 65 sqm , deck 15-21 .
  • Luxury suites with premium interiors
  • Some Suites have balcony with private whirlpool.
  • Spacious wardrobe Bathroom with large shower and tub (some cabins feature large tub only)
  • Comfortable double bed which can be converted in two single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, Wi-Fi connection, telephone and safe
  • Mini bar and Air conditioning

Choose the Suite that best suits you:

  • MSC Yacht Club Owner’s Suite n°16002 - surface approx . 104 sqm with large balcony (approx. 48 sqm ),  deck 16 MSC Yacht Club Owner’s Suite n°18001 - surface approx. 78 sqm with large balcony (approx. 65 sqm) ,  deck 18
  • MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite with whirlpool bath (surface approx. 51-58 sqm with large balcony approx 42-51 sqm,  deck 16-18 )
  • MSC Yacht Club Duplex Suite with whirlpool bath (Two-deck high Duplex Suites, surface approx . 46 sqm,   large private balcony approx. 28-31 sqm,   deck 16
  • MSC Yacht Club Duplex Suite (two-deck high Duplex Suites - Surface approx. 46 sqm with a balcony approx. 6 sqm, deck 16
  • MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite (surface approx. 25 sqm with private balcony approx. 5 sqm, deck 15-21
  • MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite (surface approx . 15 sqm, deck 15-16)

Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club including:

  • 24-Hour Butler service and dedicated concierge
  • Premium Extra Drink and Internet packages included
  • Complimentary Access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea SPA
  • Balinese massage package and Specialty restaurants package, available up to 2 days prior to embarkation; 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board
  • 1 Free cruise change

The image is representative only

Size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category)

Grand Suite Aurea with Terrace, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

  • Surface approx. 17-35 sqm,   balcony   approx. 7-46 sqm , deck 9-16
  • Some Suites have balcony with private whirlpool
  • Some Suites have balcony overlooking the Promenade
  • Some Suites have setting area with double sofa bed
  • Spacious wardrobe
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub and hairdryer
  • Interactive TV, Wi-Fi connection (for a fee), telephone and safe
  • Grand Suite Aurea with terrace and whirlpool (surface approx. 35 sqm,   large   balcony approx.   37-46 sqm , deck 15-16 )
  • Grand Suite Aurea with terrace (surface approx. 35 sqm ,  balcony approx.   25-35 sqm , deck 11-14 )
  • Grand Suite Aurea (surface approx. 35 sqm ,  balcony approx. 8-9 sqm , deck 9-10 )
  • Premium Suite Aurea (surface approx. 25 sqm ,  balcony approx. 4 sqm , deck 12-14 )
  • Junior Suite Aurea (surface approx. 17 sqm   with large private sundeck approx. 13-17 sqm , deck 9 )
  • Premium Suite Aurea with Promenade & Ocean View (surface approx. 27 sqm,  private balcony approx. 9 sqm overlooking the Promenade, deck 11
  • Deluxe Suite Aurea with Promenade & Ocean View (surface approx. 20 sqm, balcony approx 7 sqm overlooking the Promenade, deck 16

Size, layout and furniture may vary that shown (within the same cabin category)

Deluxe Balcony Promenade view, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

  • Surface approx. 16-17 sqm, balcony approx 3-10 sqm, deck 9-16
  • Some cabins have balcony overlooking the Promenade
  • Some cabins feature partial view
  • Bathroom with shower and hairdryer

Choose the cabin type that best suits you:

  • Balcony Aurea (best ship positions, surface approx 17 sqm, balcony approx. 3-8 sqm, deck 10-16 )
  • Deluxe Balcony (surface approx 17 sqm, balcony approx. 3-10, deck 9-16 )
  • Deluxe Balcony with partial view (surface approx 17 sqm, balcony approx. 3 sqm, deck 15-16 )
  • Deluxe Balcony with Promenade & Ocean View (surface approx 16 sqm, balcony approx. 5 sqm, deck 9-15 )
  • Deluxe Balcony with Promenade view (surface approx 16 sqm, balcony approx.. 5 sqm, deck 10-16 )

Entertainment

The onboard entertainment offers huge variety and choice for everyone

MSC World Europa, World Gallery| MSC Cruises

RESTAURANTS & BUFFET

The ship will feature 13 dining venues , including an incredible six speciality restaurants , between which the Chef’s Garden Kitchen of  Michelin-starred chef  Niklas Ekstedt , that offers a menu which focus on the natural ingredients and a farm-to-ocean ethos. Guests also have the opportunity to discover three ample restaurant-buffets on board, each offering their distinct ambiance, including a brand-new location open 24/7.

Chef Garden Kitchen, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Chef’s Garden Kitchen

La brasserie buffet.

Le Brasserie, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Les Dunes restaurant

Butcher' s Cut , MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Butcher's Cut restaurant

HOLA! Tacos Cantina, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

HOLA! Tacos & Cantina

Il Mercato Buffet, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Il Mercato Buffet

Kaito Teppanyaki, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Kaito Teppanyaki

Hexagon restaurant, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Hexagon restaurant

La Foglia Restaurant, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

La Foglia Restaurant

MSC Yacht Club Restaurant, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

MSC Yacht Club restaurant

Pizza & burger, bars & lounges, masters of the sea.

Masters of The Sea, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Zen Pool Bar

MSC World Europa, Zen pool bar| MSC Cruises

Elixir - Mixology Bar

Elixir Mixology Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Botanic Garden Bar

Botanic Garden Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Surfer's Bar

Surfer's Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

The Gin Project

The Gin Project, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

TV Studio & Bar

TV Studio Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC World Europa

Zest Juice Bar

Zest-Juice Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Raj Polo Tea House

Raj Polo Tea House, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

The Box Bar

Box bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Dolce Vita Bar

Dolce Vita  bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Coffee Emporium

Emporium Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

Fizz - Champagne Bar

MSC World Europa, Champagne bar| MSC Cruises

Jean Philippe Chocolat & Café

MSC World Europa, Chocolate Shop Jean Philippe Maury - MSC Cruises

MSC Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge

MSC Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar

MSC Yacht Club Sundeck Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

The Lanai Bar

The Lanai Bar, MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises

  • 11. Stockholm
  • 12. Copenhagen
  • 15. Brussels
  • 21. Valletta
  • Studio Interior
  • Deluxe Interior
  • Studio Ocean View
  • Deluxe Ocean View
  • Infinite Ocean View Aurea
  • Deluxe Balcony with partial view
  • Deluxe Balcony
  • Deluxe Balcony Aurea
  • Junior Suite Aurea
  • Deluxe Suite Aurea with Promenade & Ocean View
  • Premium Suite Aurea
  • Grand Suite Aurea
  • MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite
  • MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
  • MSC Yacht Club Duplex Suite
  • MSC Yacht Club Duplex Suite with Whirlpool
  • MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite
  • MSC Yacht Club Owner's Suite

MSC Cruises sofa bed

B:  Cabin with bathtub  | BS:  Cabin with bathtub and shower  | P:  Promenade view |  T:  Terrace 

• 3rd and 4th beds available in all categories except for Studio interior, Studio Ocean View, Deluxe Balcony With Promenade View, Deluxe Balcony With Promenade & Ocean View, Deluxe Suite Aurea With Promenade & Ocean View and MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite. • 5th and 6th beds available in Premium Suite Aurea.

• Our ships offer the possibility of combining 2 or 3 connecting cabins based on the ship class. Call our Contact Center to choose the best accommodation for you.

Ship configuration, data and descriptions may be subject to change depending on the season and on the destination and must be verified at the time of booking. 

  • Gross tonnage: 215.863
  • Number of passengers: 6.762
  • Number of cabins: 2.626
  • Crew members: 2.138
  • Length/Beam/Height: 333,3 m / 47 m/ 68 m
  • Maximum Speed: 22.7 knots

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

Firefox

MORE SECTIONS

  • Social Casino

MORE FROM THE SUN

  • Newsletters

msc yacht club on all ships

Inside the huge new cruise ship coming to the US next year – with waterpark, bumper cars, and 20 bars onboard

  • Sara Alhariri , Lifestyle Reporter
  • Published : 16:28 ET, Apr 4 2024
  • Updated : 17:51 ET, Apr 4 2024
  • Published : Invalid Date,

A CRUISE ship is making waves with those looking to journey the world.

The gigantic traveling abode is set to arrive in the United States next year — including attractions like waterparks and bumper cars.

MSC Cruises is offering a brand new route next year with more amenities than ever (product photo)

MSC Cruises is now introducing the MSC World America ship, complete with sustainable experiences and itineraries.

"A world of sustainable cruising on a ship designed for immersive and enriching experiences at sea," the website reads .

"A world where elegant European design meets American comfort; where cultures unite on a ship designed for the worldly curious traveler.

"Journey on a ship with distinctive international style, full of sophistication and powered by cleaner fuel."

READ MORE CRUISES

msc yacht club on all ships

Cruise ship workers reveal the test every crew member has to do before sailing

msc yacht club on all ships

Why you should always avoid cruise buffet as soon as you board

When do i pack my bags.

MSC World America begins its voyage with routes from Miami to the Caribbean in the spring of 2025.

The ship explores both the western and eastern destinations of the region.

It has interior, ocean view, balcony, and suite staterooms, as well as MSC Yacht Club suites, which have exclusive dining.

The ship boasts 20 bars, cafés, and lounges — providing something for everyone (product photo)

The cruise has room for a variety of amenities and boasts 20 bars, cafés, and lounges.

Most read in Travel

New travel app will pay you up to $10,000 if it rains on your vacation

New travel app will pay you up to $10,000 if it rains on your vacation

I was kicked off a flight over a bizarre little-known rule because I took photo

I was kicked off a flight over a bizarre little-known rule because I took photo

Inside world-famous Las Vegas resort that has closed after 67 years

Inside world-famous Las Vegas resort that has closed after 67 years

Passengers slam major US airline for introducing 'dynamic pricing' for luggage

Passengers slam major US airline for introducing 'dynamic pricing' for luggage

Drinking and dining options promise to suit anyone's taste or mood.

"Other concepts include the Elixir — Mixology Bar with elaborate signature cocktails," according to the website.

FUN FOR ALL

The cruise also has attractions that are sure to thrill such as bumper cars and a waterpark.

"Infinite memorable experiences for kids and families await at the Kids’ Clubs," the cruise line states.

There is also "entertainment for all ages at the MSC SportPlex and roller-skate arena, the multi-purpose Luna Park Arena, the Panorama Lounge, and in the main theater."

The ship has ample space dedicated to kids-based activities, making it a family-friendly vacation option.

The cruise offers several sights to see, including light shows and even an elaborate waterpark (product photo)

It even has a waterpark onboard with several slides and endless good times.

"The award-winning MSC Cruises family offerings feature state-of-the-art facilities for kids," the website adds.

"With a dedicated area of the ship as well as a range of kids’ clubs and custom programs designed for each age group."

Itineraries are made with personal preferences in mind, including trips of up to two weeks.

Read More on The US Sun

msc yacht club on all ships

Sister Wives star Garrison's death ruled a suicide as cops close investigation

msc yacht club on all ships

My 'power play' interior design trick is wow-worthy & makes a room look larger

The cruise offers either one week in the eastern Caribbean, one week in the western Caribbean, or two weeks in both.

It also makes stops in Mexico and Honduras on some itineraries.

The top-tier cruise room is the MSC Yacht Club, which includes high-end services (product photo)

  • United States

How one cruise line will keep kids from running wild on its new, huge cruise ships

Erica Silverstein

It's no small feat to keep the largest cruise ships in the world from being overrun with children.

Megaship sailings are ideal for families with kids of all ages. Do it right, and you're making memories that will last a lifetime. Do it wrong, and you've got moody teens hanging out in stairwells, rowdy kids taking over hot tubs and screaming babies in the dining room.

That's why MSC Cruises is playing it smart with its newest megaships, 6,762-passenger, 215,863-ton MSC World Europa and its Miami-based twin, MSC World America , the latter of which debuts in 2025. (For context, these new World Class ships are similar in passenger count and ship size to Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships .)

After all, the line has plenty of experience with children; it carries 600,000 kids and teens annually. In high season, its largest ships sometimes see 2,000 kids and teens per cruise.

MSC's goal is to give kids and families plenty of options for fun — both together and apart — to keep everyone busy, happy and out of trouble (my words, not theirs).

"We are working every week to surprise them and give them something new," Matteo Mancini, MSC Cruises' senior manager of kids and family entertainment, told me during a Zoom interview. In the highly competitive family cruise market, MSC Cruises is not trying to dominate; its goal is "to be simply different and unique."

MSC Cruises is a privately owned family company, whose top executives are grandparents and parents themselves. So the line's mission to create appealing choices for families and kids is personal.

Here's how the Mediterranean-based cruise line plans to win over the littlest cruisers on its biggest new ships — and, consequently, keep those kids from running wild on board.

More space for kids

msc yacht club on all ships

MSC Seascape , which debuted in late 2022 and currently sails weeklong Caribbean and Bahamas cruises, offers 700 square meters (more than 7,500 square feet) of Doremiland youth space between its Baby Club (for babies and toddlers younger than 3), Mini Club (ages 3 to 6), Junior Club (ages 7 to 11), Young Club (ages 12 to 14) and Teen Club (ages 15 to 17).

When MSC World America debuts next year, it will house more than 1,000 square meters (nearly 10,800 square feet) of youth space, as well as more youth staff members to accommodate more kids.

Plus, its upper decks, at least on the back half of the ship, will be filled with kid-friendly attractions, including waterslides, an arcade with virtual reality attractions, an indoor sports court and the aforementioned kids clubs.

The buffet is also in this area, and Mancini says that the ship will feature a new section of the buffet especially for kids and teens, with different food options daily. The line is also taking a page out of other cruise lines' books and bringing free soft-serve ice cream — a kid favorite — to the buffet.

Related: The 6 types of MSC Cruises ships, explained

Kid- and teen-approved activities

msc yacht club on all ships

But how does MSC Cruises know what kids will like? They go to the source and ask.

"Every three months, both on board our ships and in the headquarters in Geneva, we do a kids committee with kids and teenagers," Mancini revealed. "We talk to kids and teenagers, and we ask them, 'Guys, are you having fun with our Doremiland program?'"

MSC asks what the kids like, what they don't like and which programs and activities the line should cancel.

The line also presents ideas it's toying with bringing to the ships, and its focus group of kids and teens tells them whether the ideas are worth exploring or not.

This process allows the line to continuously adapt and improve its youth programming. Changes that Mancini has seen include shortening activities from an hour to half an hour to get in a wider variety of events and giving kids the choice of joining in the group activity or continuing to do free play in the youth space.

The line has also changed how its staff approaches participation in youth club activities. "Because of social media, Instagram, YouTube, now teenagers want to be the star of what we're offering," says Mancini. "Once upon a time, they were like, OK, let's watch this activity. Now they want to be on stage, they want to be part of something, and we give them the opportunity if they feel like it."

Plus, the line has different options for what it means to participate. "I give you an example — at some point, we were doing dance competitions, but not everyone is comfortable in dancing," explains Mancini. "So we tell them, do you want to be the [judge] of the dance competition, and there we see magic because they say, 'Oh, yes,' and then you give them the microphone, and you discover another talent that you didn't expect."

With a game show-style activity, teens can choose to be the contestant, the judge, the emcee or the audience. Everyone can play a role and have fun in a way that works for them.

Related: MSC Cruises vs. Royal Caribbean: Which big-ship line is right for you?

High-tech activities go beyond video games

msc yacht club on all ships

MSC Cruises knows that kids these days are immersed in technology, but its youth staff wants programming to be more than just video games. So it got creative.

Drone Academy is a new program that takes place in the Sportplex indoor sports court where teens learn how to pilot drones and race them around obstacles. Instead of typical arts and crafts with paper and crayons, kids can create images on computers and print them out on 3D printers. The activities blend innovation with technology, so kids are not just mindlessly playing Mario Kart all day long.

Don't worry, parents of video game-obsessed children — MSC cruise ships do also have PlayStations on board. But the youth staff tries to make the games social. "When you are on our cruise ships, you play together with other kids and teenagers," says Mancini. "You talk to them because you are playing in a group." The games serve as an entree into socializing and making friends, rather than a solitary activity.

Related: 5 best cruise lines for families

Kids clubs are inclusive

msc yacht club on all ships

MSC Cruises is an international brand, and its ships routinely sail with 35 different nationalities on board. While the international vibe might be appealing to adults, it can be intimidating for kids to interact with peers who don't speak the same language.

But MSC has already thought about that.

"Right now, in the U.S., the majority of kids and teenagers we are having in our kids club are from America," says Mancini. "There is no issue to make friends." However, MSC's youth staff members all speak several languages so they can translate for kids if necessary.

Plus, this international vibe is the main reason why MSC pursued a relationship with Lego, whose beloved bricks are now found in kids clubs fleetwide.

"We went to Lego years ago and we say, 'Listen, we are having 35 different nationalities of kids. They are from different cultures and speak different languages, and the only toy that needs no explanation is a Lego brick. So we need you. Can you guys help us?' And they said yes for this reason."

It's not only different language speakers who are welcomed into MSC's kids clubs. The line also welcomes children with disabilities.

"At the end of 2023, we asked all our youth staff fleetwide to follow specific training to work and spend time with children with autism," says Mancini. When an autistic child comes on board, every member of the youth staff knows how to work with them and provide a welcoming environment within the kids club.

No-cost programming

msc yacht club on all ships

When Mancini said MSC wants its program to be unique, he wasn't only referring to the specific activities. He was also referring to its cost — or lack thereof.

All of the Doremiland clubs are open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. free of charge. Other lines start charging for late-night babysitting after 10 p.m., but MSC Cruises gives kids an extra hour for free. In addition, babies and toddlers can be dropped off at the Baby Club for free — unlike on Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line , where parents must pay for drop-off baby care.

In addition, the line has a program where kids and teens can eat lunch and dinner with the youth staff so parents can enjoy a leisurely meal and date night together. Again, this service is provided at no extra cost to families.

It's not just the big ships

MSC Cruises' Doremiland youth program is the same fleetwide, whether you're on the smallest ship or the biggest . You'll find the same Lego partnership, the same range of age-appropriate clubs, arcades and some kind of kid-friendly water attraction. Family programming, such as "Master Chef at Sea Juniors" or the "Guinness World Records" family game show, takes place across different sizes of ships.

When MSC World America debuts in Miami next year, the line hopes it will win the hearts of cruising families with its wealth of attractions and activities aimed at keeping kids and teens busy, not bored. But when MSC's newest fans decide to branch out and sail the line's smaller ships in Europe or South America, they won't have to settle for less-than kids programming.

And the adults on board fleetwide can breathe easier, knowing that the kids will be lured away from the stairwells and into the kids clubs — hopefully leaving the hot tubs free for some adult R&R.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

  • The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
  • A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
  • The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
  • The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
  • A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
  • 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
  • Top ways cruisers waste money
  • The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Advertisement

‘A Lot of Chaos’: Bridge Collapse Creates Upheaval at Largest U.S. Port for Car Trade

A bridge collapse closed Baltimore’s port, an important trade hub that ranks first in the nation by the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles.

  • Share full article

Shipping in the Port of Baltimore

Monthly cargo handled by the Port of Baltimore

Peter Eavis

By Peter Eavis and Jenny Gross

  • March 26, 2024

The Baltimore bridge disaster on Tuesday upended operations at one of the nation’s busiest ports, with disruptions likely to be felt for weeks by companies shipping goods in and out of the country — and possibly by consumers as well.

The upheaval will be especially notable for auto makers and coal producers for whom Baltimore has become one of the most vital shipping destinations in the United States.

As officials began to investigate why a nearly 1,000-foot cargo ship ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the middle of the night, companies that transport goods to suppliers and stores scrambled to get trucks to the other East Coast ports receiving goods diverted from Baltimore. Ships sat idle elsewhere, unsure where and when to dock.

“It’s going to cause a lot of chaos,” said Paul Brashier, vice president for drayage and intermodal at ITS Logistics.

The closure of the Port of Baltimore is the latest hit to global supply chains, which have been strained by monthslong crises at the Panama Canal, which has had to slash traffic because of low water levels; and the Suez Canal, which shipping companies are avoiding because of attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea.

The auto industry now faces new supply headaches.

Last year, 570,000 vehicles were imported through Baltimore, according to Sina Golara, an assistant professor of supply chain management at Georgia State University. “That’s a huge amount,” he said, equivalent to nearly a quarter of the current inventory of new cars in the United States.

The Baltimore port handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year, and it was the 17th biggest port in the nation overall in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Baltimore Ranks in the Top 20 U.S. Ports

Total trade in 2021 in millions of tons

Baltimore ranks first in the United States for the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles, and for vessels that carry wheeled cargo, including farm and construction machinery, according to a statement by Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland last month.

The incident is another stark reminder of the vulnerability of the supply chains that transport consumer products and commodities around the world.

The extent of the disruption depends on how long it takes to reopen shipping channels into the port of Baltimore. Experts estimate it could take several weeks.

Baltimore is not a leading port for container ships, and other ports can likely absorb traffic that was headed to Baltimore, industry officials said.

Stephen Edwards, the chief executive of the Port of Virginia, said it was expecting a vessel on Tuesday that was previously bound for Baltimore, and that others would soon follow. “Between New York and Virginia, we have sufficient capacity to handle all this cargo,” Mr. Edwards said, referring to container ships.

“Shipping companies are very agile,” said Jean-Paul Rodrigue, a professor in the department of maritime business administration at Texas A&M University-Galveston. “In two to three days, it will be rerouted.”

But other types of cargo could remain snarled.

Alexis Ellender, a global analyst at Kpler, a commodities analytics firm, said he expected the port closure to cause significant disruption of U.S. exports of coal. Last year, about 23 million metric tons of coal exports were shipped from the port of Baltimore, about a quarter of all seaborne U.S. coal shipments. About 12 vessel had been expected to leave the port of Baltimore in the next week or so carrying coal, according to Kpler.

He noted that it would not make a huge dent on the global market, but he added that “the impact is significant for the U.S. in terms of loss of export capacity.”

“You may see coal cargoes coming from the mines being rerouted to other ports instead,” he said, with a port in Norfolk, Va., the most likely.

If auto imports are reduced by Baltimore’s closure, inventories could run low, particularly for models that are in high demand.

“We are initiating discussions with our various transportation providers on contingency plans to ensure an uninterrupted flow of vehicles to our customers and will continue to carefully monitor this situation,” Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, said in a statement.

Other ports have the capacity to import cars, but there may not be enough car transporters at those ports to handle the new traffic.

“You have to make sure the capacity exists all the way in the supply chain — all the way to the dealership,” said Mr. Golara, the Georgia State professor.

A looming battle is insurance payouts, once legal liability is determined. The size of the payout from the insurer is likely to be significant and will depend on factors including the value of the bridge, the scale of loss of life compensation owed to families of people who died, the damage to the vessel and disruption to the port.

The ship’s insurer, Britannia P&I Club, part of a global group of insurers, said in a statement that it was “working closely with the ship manager and relevant authorities to establish the facts and to help ensure that this situation is dealt with quickly and professionally.”

The port has also increasingly catered to large container ships like the Dali, the 948-foot-long cargo vessel carrying goods for the shipping giant Maersk that hit a pillar of the bridge around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The Dali had spent two days in Baltimore’s port before setting off toward the 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge.

State-owned terminals, managed by the Maryland Port Administration, and privately owned terminals in Baltimore transported a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo in 2023, worth $80 billion.

Materials transported in large volumes through the city’s port include coal, coffee and sugar. It was the ninth-busiest port in the nation last year for receiving foreign cargo, in terms of volume and value.

The bridge’s collapse will also disrupt cruises traveling in and out of Baltimore. Norwegian Cruise Line last year began a new fall and winter schedule calling at the Port of Baltimore.

An earlier version of this article misstated the Port of Baltimore’s rank among U.S. ports. It was the nation’s 17th biggest port by total tons in 2021, not the 20th largest.

How we handle corrections

Peter Eavis reports on business, financial markets, the economy and companies across different sectors. More about Peter Eavis

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times in London covering breaking news and other topics. More about Jenny Gross

Mon-Sun 9:00 am - 6:00 pm EST

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

MSC YACHT CLUB THE ULTIMATE LUXURY CRUISE EXPERIENCE

Feel the finesse and elegance of luxury cruises with MSC Yacht Club , an exclusive haven of refined indulgence .

Surround yourself in unparalleled comfort and personalized service as you embark on an astounding voyage aboard our finest ships.

Discover a world where  privacy  meets  luxury , where every detail is meticulously crafted to exceed your highest expectations.

Savour the sophistication  and  elegance of luxury cruises from the very first step onboard.

Our  dedicated staff  will cater to your every need, ensuring that your  journey  is nothing but sensational.

Welcome to  MSC Yacht Club , where every moment is designed to surpass all your desires and create memories that will last a lifetime.

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

Attentive butler service around the clock

Enjoy the exceptional service of your butler, who will attend to your every need and ensure unforgettable moments throughout your exclusive cruise. From personalized recommendations to organize services onboard or ashore, from shoeshine to 3am treats, always with a meticulous attention to detail, your butler is dedicated to enhancing your voyage and creating cherished memories. Indulge in a privileged journey of luxury, where your desires are met with impeccable service.

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

The Essence of Luxury, Delivered

Immerse yourself in the essence of luxury aboard MSC Yacht Club. With a private lounge, priority check-in, and seamless embarkation and disembarkation, every moment of your private cruise is tailored to provide exclusivity and tranquility. Experience a dedicated sun deck adorned with a pool, whirlpool, solarium, the possibility to organize a tailored shopping session and private excursions and a curated selection of refreshments. Discover a sanctuary of luxury, where privacy and indulgence harmonize.

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

A Culinary Journey of Exquisite Delights

Embark on a culinary journey like no other within MSC Yacht Club. Delight in gourmet creations and five-star service that will tantalize your taste buds. Our world-class chefs and attentive staff will ensure each meal is an extraordinary experience, where every bite is a moment of pure pleasure. Savor the finest flavors as you indulge in a gastronomic adventure curated exclusively for you during this high end cruise.

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

Endless Privacy and Pleasures Await 

Immerse yourself in a world of endless pleasures and privacy within MSC Yacht Club, where luxury, relaxation, and entertainment converge. Taste our selection of cocktails or other drinks among our offered beverages available in all onboard bars and restaurants. As a guest of The MSC Yacht Club, indulge in exclusive amenities such as the complimentary use of Thermal Suite and MSC Aurea Spa: elevate your luxury cruise experience to unparalleled heights of privilege.

Unrivaled comfort and exquisite luxury

Experience the finest luxury accommodation during your  MSC Yacht Club luxury cruise . Discover lavishly appointed suites designed with meticulous attention to detail .

Immerse yourself in the epitome of comfort with  luxurious amenities and elegant touches .

From Myform Memory mattresses to Egyptian cotton bedding and mattresses and a Dorelan pillow menu ,  marble bathrooms to complimentary minibars, your every need is catered to for a truly exceptional luxury cruise .

Live an high end accommodation on our newest ships , featuring innovative options like  Interior Suites, Executive and Family Suites , Deluxe Suites, Duplex Suites , and our remarkable  Royal Suites and Owner's Suite .

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 .

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

  • 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)

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

  • 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

MSC Bellissima, Duplex Suite | MSC Cruises

  • 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 .

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

Firefox

Mon - Fri 8:00am - 7:00pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm (AES/DT) Closed on Public Holidays.

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

MSC YACHT CLUB: THE ULTIMATE LUXURY CRUISE EXPERIENCE

Feel the finesse and elegance of luxury cruises with MSC Yacht Club , an exclusive haven of refined indulgence .

Surround yourself in unparalleled comfort and personalized service as you embark on an astounding voyage aboard our finest ships.

Discover a world where  privacy  meets  luxury , where every detail is meticulously crafted to exceed your highest expectations.

Savour the sophistication  and  elegance of luxury cruises from the very first step onboard.

Our  dedicated staff  will cater to your every need, ensuring that your  journey  is nothing but sensational.

Welcome to  MSC Yacht Club , where every moment is designed to surpass all your desires and create memories that will last a lifetime.

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

Attentive butler service around the clock

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

The Essence of Luxury, Delivered

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

A Culinary Journey of Exquisite Delights

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

Endless Privacy and Pleasures Await 

Unrivaled comfort and exquisite luxury.

Experience the finest luxury accommodation during your  MSC Yacht Club luxury cruise . Discover lavishly appointed suites designed with meticulous attention to detail .

Immerse yourself in the epitome of comfort with  luxurious amenities and elegant touches .

From Myform Memory mattresses to Egyptian cotton bedding and mattresses and a Dorelan pillow menu ,  marble bathrooms to complimentary minibars, your every need is catered to for a truly exceptional luxury cruise .

Live an high end accommodation on our newest ships , featuring innovative options like  Interior Suites, Executive and Family Suites , Deluxe Suites, Duplex Suites , and our remarkable  Royal Suites and Owner's Suite .

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 .

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

  • 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)

MSC Yacht Club | MSC Cruises

  • 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

MSC Bellissima, Duplex Suite | MSC Cruises

  • 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 .

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

Firefox

IMAGES

  1. What It's Like To Take a Luxury Cruise With MSC Yacht Club

    msc yacht club on all ships

  2. This Brand-new Ship Has One of the Largest Yacht Clubs in Its Fleet

    msc yacht club on all ships

  3. MSC Yacht Club

    msc yacht club on all ships

  4. MSC Cruises Introduces Largest Yacht Club Ever

    msc yacht club on all ships

  5. [4K] MSC Yacht Club

    msc yacht club on all ships

  6. MSC Yacht Club: An overview of what’s included

    msc yacht club on all ships

VIDEO

  1. Is the MSC Yacht Club Suite Worth It? #mscseascape #msccruises #crusiing

COMMENTS

  1. MSC Yacht Club Luxury Cruises

    Experience a luxury cruise with MSC Yacht Club. Our exclusive area offers 24-hour butler assistance and many other services for a unique holiday. Login Hi, {0} Sign out. 877-665-4655. ... With a dedicated restaurant on each ship, the MSC Yacht Club offers an elevated menu. Enjoy fine dining served with five-star service and a selection of ...

  2. What is the MSC Yacht Club, MSC Cruises' luxury suite area?

    MSC Cruises was one of the first lines to introduce this ship-within-a-ship concept, along with Norwegian Cruise Line. Now other popular cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, also have adopted it. The Yacht Club section on several of MSC Cruises' ships offers gated access to semi-private dining, butler service and more, but it comes at a price.

  3. 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.

  4. MSC Yacht Club: Is It Really Worth It?

    The Yacht Club is what MSC Cruises calls "a ship within a ship.". It's a luxury experience that takes your cruise to the next level — and if luxury experiences are something you value as a ...

  5. Luxury cruises MSC Yacht Club: exclusive holidays

    THE ULTIMATE LUXURY CRUISE EXPERIENCE. MSC YACHT CLUB : A WORLD OF LUXURY, PRIVACY AND EXCLUSIVITY. Feel the finesse/elegance of luxury cruises with MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive haven of refined indulgence. Surround yourself in unparalleled comfort and personalized service as you embark on an astounding voyage aboard our finest ships.

  6. MSC Yacht Club: An overview of what's included

    MSC Yacht Club is a special tier of rooms and services within MSC cruise ships. Think of it like "a ship within a ship." MSC Yacht Club is the ultimate in luxury for MSC cruisers. This all-inclusive style of cruising includes ungraded suites, personalized service, and dedicated venues onboard, such as a private lounge, restaurant, and sundeck area.

  7. MSC Yacht Club All Inclusive Cruises

    The MSC Yacht Club is an exclusive onboard sanctuary designed with the highest standard of elegance. This all-inclusive experience includes: UNLIMITED DRINKS in all bars and restaurants of the ship. 24-hour butler and concierge service. Private restaurant with all-inclusive dining at flexible times. Priority check-in and check-out in a ...

  8. Our all-you-need-to-know guide to MSC Yacht Club

    Other MSC Yacht Club-exclusive benefits. There are more excellent benefits to travelling as part of the Yacht Club on your MSC cruise, such as: Priority boarding, including departure and return on shore days. The Premium Extra Drink Package, which includes all drinks up to €13 throughout the ship. The Unlimited Internet Package or 'Browse ...

  9. Five reasons why the msc yacht club is the ultimate way to cruise|MSC

    Geneva, Switzerland - October 19 2023 - The MSC Yacht Club 'ship within a ship' concept offers an exclusive holiday sanctuary on board many of MSC Cruises' ships, providing guests an unparalleled cruise experience with complete serenity, added exclusivity and privacy within a world of choice. This privatised, key-card access area of the ship is only accessible to MSC Yacht Club ...

  10. I Tried the MSC Yacht Club and it Was Worth it for the Endless Perks

    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 ...

  11. I tried the cheapest MSC Cruises Yacht Club suite. Here's what to know

    A repurposed industrial site, it has become a Bahamian oasis with pristine waters and 8 beaches. MSC Yacht Club guests get special access while visiting the island, which I think is one of the significant differences from other cruise line suite programs. At the far end of the island, Yacht Club has its own dedicated area featuring the Ocean House.

  12. Cruise Review: MSC Yacht Club on MSC Meraviglia

    MSC Meraviglia is definitely a mass-market, budget-friendly mega cruise vessel. But it also features the MSC Yacht Club. This is a ship-within-a-ship experience that turns the typical big-ship cruise into a next-level experience that will leave you plenty spoiled and craving this type of cruise again and again.

  13. Unveiling the Ultimate Luxury: Inside the Exclusive MSC Yacht Club

    The MSC Yacht Club offers an exclusive private sanctuary on MSC Cruises, providing guests with a premium and indulgent cruise experience. This exclusive enclave within the larger MSC cruise ships is designed to cater to discerning travelers seeking elevated levels of luxury and personalized service. For example, guests staying in the Yacht Club ...

  14. Which MSC ship has the best Yacht Club?

    The Divina has YC2 cabins the Seaside does not. Some people do not like these because they are 3 decks down from the main Yacht club area and do not have balconies. They were only about $200. more than the YC1. The tradeoff is the size. There are only 3 of these and take the entire front of the ship.

  15. Everything you need to know about MSC Cruises cabins and suites

    MSC Yacht Club Owner's Suites. The largest and most impressive of all MSC's cabins are the Owner's Suites found in the Yacht Club. Offering an impressive 840 to 1,119 square feet — larger than ...

  16. The MSC Meraviglia Yacht Club Experience Review

    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 ...

  17. Cruising on a Ship Within a Ship

    Join us as we spend a week sailing in the Yacht Club on the MSC Seascape, MSC's exclusive, luxury cruise experience. We'll show you everything that MSC's shi...

  18. MSC YACHT CLUB

    The MSC Yacht Club is an exclusive onboard sanctuary... a "ship within a ship" for guests who desire an elevated experience. The Yacht Club journey includes:...

  19. MSC Splendida Review: MSC Yacht Club Experience

    On MSC Splendida, the Yacht Club lounge is on deck 15 all the way to the front. The area is really nice and well-designed. There is a concierge desk that takes care of all the yacht club passengers' needs; more about that later. Next to the concierge, there is a great big lounge with couches and tables.

  20. Ship-within-a-Ship Cruise Options: Luxury Service on Big Cruises

    The Yacht Club on MSC ships is both a cruise category and physical area. Within the Yacht Club, there is an indoor Yacht Club Restaurant, an outdoor Yacht Club Grill & Bar, and the Top Sail Lounge ...

  21. Luxury cruises MSC Yacht Club: exclusive holidays

    Feel the finesse and elegance of luxury cruises with MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive haven of refined indulgence. Surround yourself in unparalleled comfort and personalized service as you embark on an astounding voyage aboard our finest ships. Discover a world where privacy meets luxury, where every detail is meticulously crafted to exceed your ...

  22. MSC Cruises Unveils 7 Unique Districts on New Mega Ship

    MSC Yacht Club, the line's ship-within-a-ship luxury area, is among the districts. The popular concept was introduced in 2008 and is offered on about half of the line's 23 ships.

  23. MSC World America seven districts

    MSC YACHT CLUB For those in the know, discover an unparalleled cruise experience in the MSC Yacht Club. MSC Cruises' ship-within-a-ship experience opens up to guests staying in this secluded retreat with keycard-only access. On the prestigious foredecks of the ship, this guest-favourite makes up MSC World America's seventh district ...

  24. MSC World Europa

    MSC Yacht Club Owner's Suite n°16002 - surface approx. 104 sqm with large balcony (approx. 48 sqm), deck 16 MSC Yacht Club Owner's Suite n°18001 - surface approx. 78 sqm with large balcony (approx. 65 sqm), deck 18; MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite with whirlpool bath (surface approx. 51-58 sqm with large balcony approx 42-51 sqm, deck 16-18)

  25. Inside the huge new cruise ship coming to the US next year

    MSC World America begins its voyage with routes from Miami to the Caribbean in the spring of 2025. The ship explores both the western and eastern destinations of the region. It has interior, ocean view, balcony, and suite staterooms, as well as MSC Yacht Club suites, which have exclusive dining.

  26. How one cruise line will keep kids from running wild on its new, huge

    That's why MSC Cruises is playing it smart with its newest megaships, 6,762-passenger, 215,863-ton MSC World Europa and its Miami-based twin, MSC World America, the latter of which debuts in 2025. (For context, these new World Class ships are similar in passenger count and ship size to Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships .) After all, the line ...

  27. Baltimore Bridge Collapse Creates Upheaval at Largest U.S. Port for Car

    The port has also increasingly catered to large container ships like the Dali, the 948-foot-long cargo vessel carrying goods for the shipping giant Maersk that hit a pillar of the bridge around 1: ...

  28. Luxury cruises MSC Yacht Club: exclusive holidays

    Feel the finesse and elegance of luxury cruises with MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive haven of refined indulgence. Surround yourself in unparalleled comfort and personalized service as you embark on an astounding voyage aboard our finest ships. Discover a world where privacy meets luxury, where every detail is meticulously crafted to exceed your ...

  29. Luxury cruises MSC Yacht Club: exclusive holidays

    Feel the finesse and elegance of luxury cruises with MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive haven of refined indulgence.. Surround yourself in unparalleled comfort and personalized service as you embark on an astounding voyage aboard our finest ships.. Discover a world where privacy meets luxury, where every detail is meticulously crafted to exceed your highest expectations.