If you would like to know more about the benefits of the MSC Yacht Club, you have come to the right place!
I had a truly unforgettable travel upgrade experience when I went on my first-ever MSC Cruise aboard the Seashore in January. I wasn’t familiar with this brand, but now that I’ve traveled on one of their cruise ships, I would highly recommend MSC to anyone.
When I originally booked the cruise, I booked an inside cabin and then got randomly upgraded from an inside room to a balcony room on the 12th floor. I was ecstatic about this, but my good fortune didn’t end there.
When we got to the check-in counter at the cruise terminal, the agent said, “Oh, you’ve been upgraded to the MSC Yacht Club.” We were bewildered, but then we learned that the company’s CEO had upgraded us because I was traveling with a veteran in the cruise industry who knows him personally.
Wow! What a way to start a cruise! From that moment until the day I got off the ship, I was totally spellbound by the personalized service offered to us.
We were immediately escorted to a private check-in area and offered snacks and a beverage. “Champagne?” asked the steward. “Why yes,” I said. After the champagne toast, the Yacht Club experience commenced. A man in a black tuxedo took my carry-on bag and we were whisked through the endless sea of people to the front of the line and stepped upon the ship.
What is the MSC Yacht Club?
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The Yacht Club is like taking a first-class flight, but much better. It’s like a small ship within a massive ship. What you are paying for is an intimate experience where you share a small space of the ship with other discerning travelers who like to have privacy and luxury-end amenities.
The MSC Seashore can accommodate 5,632 passengers. However, the Yacht Club only takes up four levels and is located at the front of the ship. There’s an elegant lounge, restaurant, pool, and sundeck area on the front of the ship just for this distinct group of guests.
On top of all that, the MSC Yacht Club also offers some great benefits, which you will find below.
What are the Benefits of the MSC Yacht Club?
1. Large Rooms
The Yacht Club Staterooms are larger than regular rooms on The Seashore. What was absolutely amazing about mine was the size of the walk-in closet. I could have housed a single bed in that space and actually stayed in there the whole week!
Our balcony suite consisted of a small living area with a sofa that is separated from the bedroom area by a bookcase that serves as a room divider. The bathroom was oversized and the shower was large.
When we arrived, an extravagant tray of chocolates and champagne awaited us as well as a note from Malania Mauro, the Yacht Club Director with this greeting:
“We invite you to savor the exquisite Mediterranean and international recipes at your private a la carte restaurant. Enjoy your favorite beverage, gourmet bites, and afternoon tea as you take in the panoramic views from the comfort of the Top Sail Lounge. Soak up the sun at The One Pool sundeck while sampling a wide selection of refreshments. Unwind and recharge at the MSC Aurea Spa with complimentary access to the Thermal Area.”
The mini bar inside our room was definitely a notch above most hotels. It contained four kinds of fruit juices, a couple of brands of beers, several sodas from Fanta Orange to Coca-Cola, and bottled water.
I loved the chocolate gift in the room too! A large Toblerone chocolate treat was located on the side door…a wonderful, triangular-shaped Swiss chocolate bar.
2. The Top Sail Lounge and Restaurant
There’s nothing better than to be at a cruise ship’s forward (front) in the early morning and look upon the horizon. It’s my favorite thing to do on a cruise. The alone time, my “coffee time,” allows me to reflect on the promises of God and the possibilities of what lies ahead.
In the Top Sail Lounge, there are rich, leather-barrel chairs and small dining tables set up at floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s a quiet space, but as the day evolves it becomes a lively space to meet new friends for nibbles and drinks or join people before dinner for great conversation.
You never know who you might meet on a cruise. One night while sitting in the Lounge, we started a conversation with a woman. I learned she was Gwendolyn Briley-Strand, a professional actor on stage, television, and in film. Her TV credits include Netflix Production House of Cards, national commercials, HBO Productions, MGM Pictures, PBS-TV, and NBC Television.
The private dining room is on the floor above the lounge and a beautiful Syvraski crystal winding staircase leads you from one area to the other. With the two-story view and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the forward aspect, all tables have an excellent view.
You can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Yacht Club dining room. From dawn to dusk, we found exceptional culinary experiences. I particularly loved that you can find healthy salads at lunch which included a protein since often I didn’t want a heavy lunch before getting back into a bathing suit.
For travelers with a more hearty appetite, however, items such as grilled tournedos, roasted potatoes, and grilled asparagus were available too.
Although you have your own dining room, you still can get your butler or the concierge team to make reservations for you at the specialty restaurants that dot all locations of the ship. You can read about my second cruise on MSC where I explored the dining options.
>> Read: Are MSC Cruise Drink Packages Worth It? 4 Things to Ask Yourself
3. Butler service
After this trip, I believe everyone needs a butler just once in their life. Sigh…
Well, I got mine on this trip. His name was Carlos and he was so sweet, helpful, and joyful and did everything possible to make our week memorable. I had no idea what a butler does, so I was tickled to death at any small gesture he provided.
During the week, we never had to make reservations at the specialty restaurants on board. Carlos did it. When we went to shows at night, he escorted us past the lines and to a special section of the theater where we enjoyed the entertainment.
Anytime we disembarked the ship at a new port, he escorted us to special exits where we quickly got off the ship. He would then walk with us the length of the pier to make sure we arrived safely.
When we spent the day at MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay, it was a rather windy, overcast day. After escorting us to our private cabana, Carlos delivered extra large towels to me since I was a little chilly. I didn’t even ask for these!
He also served us champagne and a gorgeous plate of rainbow fruit skewers. Here’s something really cool about the cabanas on Ocean Cay: they all come with a wooden box cooler with bottled water.
All in all, the butler service is one of my favorite benefits of the MSC Yacht club!
>> Click here for last-minute MSC Seashore cruise deals.
4. The One Pool Sundeck
While on the cruise, this area became the enclave we retreated to the most. It is serene and spacious and offers hot tubs and a gracious-sized pool for the number of guests in the Yacht Club.
You can eat breakfast and lunch outside in this area and throughout the day, amazing appetizers are added to the bar area if you need a snack. Breakfast included made-to-order omelets, scrambled eggs, bacon, pastries, and bread. All of your drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are included in the Yacht Club.
The design of this area also ensures you’ll not get sunburned. There are plenty of covered areas as well as full-sun areas for sunbathing and reading.
As a fair-complexion woman in her 60s, I have my sun protection down to a science. If you want my go-to best products ever to prevent sun damage, check out my list full of unique things to bring on a cruise and you will thank me. I recommended one product for everyday sun coverage to my friend Becky Newton and just last night, I saw her in Savannah, Georgia and she thanked me for the expert tip. She has fallen in love with the Aveeno product as well.
5. Access to the Spa’s Thermal Area
Maintaining wellness is always important, but I think sometimes its impact can be even greater when we are traveling.
Spending time in new cities and exploring the world is exciting, but it can wreak havoc on our feet, muscles, and joints.
With the Aurea Spa on MSC, there is a large, exclusive thermal spa area where most passengers pay $80 a day for entry. With Yacht Club privileges, unlimited use of the Thermal Spa is included, though.
The spa offers a myriad of benefits that can significantly improve your overall well-being. From alleviating headaches and enhancing sleep quality to promoting relaxation, this spa has a multitude of areas to explore to achieve restoration.
The transition from hot water to cold water in thermal spas is not only invigorating but also incredibly beneficial for your health. This contrast therapy can boost circulation, reduce inflammation, and even strengthen your immune system.
I moved from dry saunas to large jacuzzi pools in the thermal bath area. I found the various types of jet sprays and cascading water in the spa provided unique therapeutic benefits.
Additionally, the serene and quiet atmosphere of the heated salt room was exquisite after I experienced the dark sensory steam bath.
For those brave enough to weather it, the snow room is a MUST because it provides the sense of being in a winter wonderland after all the heated offerings. It’s totally quiet in the snow room and it was as if I was in a forest somewhere sitting on a teak bench and staring into a beautiful, white serene wilderness.
Indeed, the entire Thermal Bath ritual allowed me to further unwind, destress, and rejuvenate both mentally and physically.
>> Read: What to Wear on a Cruise
Excursions on the MSC Seven-Day Cruise
We started our journey at the Cape Canaveral Port in Florida, spent two days at the Ocean Cay Private Island in the Bahamas, and then went to Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico before we returned to Cape Canaveral.
Cruise lines always have gazillions of excursion trips planned, but I also like to utilize Tripadvisor to compare prices because I find they are often more affordable.
For instance, on Tripadvisor, there’s an awesome chocolate-making and wine-tasting experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend to couples. It was so educational and enjoyable and it’s located at Stingray Beach which Total Gusto owns. You can swim with the stingrays and have a beach club experience all in one place, plus eat some decadent chocolate. 🙂
MSC Seashore Yacht Club: Final Thoughts
With all the extra perks you receive, the dedicated, private spaces, and the perks that you experience in the Yacht Club, I think it is definitely worth the investment.
I’m all about luxury for less so what I would do next time is book an interior room and forgo the cost of a balcony suite. The bathroom size is a bit smaller but sufficient. There’s plenty of closet space and cubbies to store your clothes. You still have a desk space and the room is still nice and wide. You have access to the secluded top deck areas and as I have said before, my cruise cabin is simply a place to lay my head at night.
All in all, the MSC Yacht Club offers some great benefits and I had an amazing time on the ship!
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