*MSC CRUISES - **Use discount code LIFEW10 for 10% off: shorturl.at/pf8t8 (must book by Dec. 31, 2024). Valid for sailings from Jan 1-June 30, 2025 For this promo, bookings must be made directly with MSC Cruises. Valid on all cruises except those with existing promotions or the World Cruise. This video is sponsored by MSC Cruises & I'm so happy to be able to share this amazing discount code!
I've tried using your link a few times and it takes me to yacht club page but when I try to choose a cruise date the link doesn't work. Would you please check on this? Thank you! Great video!
This is an excellent detailed review of the Yacht Club Ilana! My family and I have been cruising in the MSC Yacht Club exclusively since 2016. It is the perfect way to enjoy a luxury cruising experience.
I’ve heard amazing things about Haven, but haven’t tried it so I can’t really share a personal experience. One thing I noticed is that the drink package isn’t typically included in Haven. This & other inclusions made the experience feel more all inclusive
Wondering about daily gratuities- are they included in the fare or do you get charged each day ? Going in Jan. and like to know ahead of time if I will be charged at the end so I can prepare for it, also what is cost if not included.
@@LifeWellCruised I believe the gratuities are included in the quoted price, but it would be great for Illana to confirm. Also, Illana, since you’re collaborating with MSC, it would be good to know if extra tipping is a good idea or not. I’ve read that MSC itself prefers that guests do not since there are many people who create the experience not just the bartender or Butler you interact with. However, other people have said that since it’s such a common practice in America, it’s now becoming expected on the MSC lines in the States. Makes it difficult to determine if we should tip when the Butler or Concierge does something extra. (although what is extra if extras part of the yacht club experience?!). For instance, they deliver pizza to the pool, or get you some other food item or drink that’s not in the yacht club proper… Do you tip for that extra effort? I would prefer not to based on the price on paying for the yacht club experience, but I think personally I would also feel uncomfortable not tipping. Any “tips” Illana of are appreciated!
@@michelehaase5197 If I may give you my personal experience. We are from the US and we chose to have the tips (also known as Hotel Service Charge) of $20 pp/pd paid up front. We were not made to feel we needed to tip. We celebrated our anniversary and the butler and some of the servers at dinner went so above and beyond we wanted to. We wrote a thank you card and included a tip at the end of our trip. It is a personal decision. On many FB pages it is highly debated.
@@LifeWellCruised I think Betsy was asking if the excursions were for a fee or included… I don’t think they’re included and aren’t extra cost, correct?
@@michelehaase5197 You are correct. Excursions are not included. We did book before the cruise on the MSC website, let our concierge know and they handled the details.
Hi Ilana. This is a great explanation of the ship and accommodations (also the 2nd video is very good as well). I’ve only cruised once a few years ago, and don’t have plans yet to cruise (I hope sometime soon though). But I enjoy watching your channel. I also like the way you speak so clearly, positively and explain everything thoroughly. Videos like yours answer questions that many travelers/cruisers have and inspire us to look forward to future travels.
Very interesting. I usually go Viking because of the included ammenities (with the included drink package with the grade of room I chose). This seems like an alternative in ammenities and comfort. I don’t know about the price. I’ll have to look into it. Thank you.
It's not as expensive as other lines' "ship within a ship" areas and you get so much .... if you book a Fantastica or Aurea cabin and add benefits like wifi, drinks package, etc., you can spend just about as much as you would have getting a YC cabin. The inside cabins are the best secret!
We did an interior suite on the Meraviglia out of Brooklyn and cost less than Oceanview on another cruise line out of NYC. Considering all that is included makes it not too far out of reach. We cruises once in June, 2024, loved it so much we did it again November 10th. It is as wonderful as Illana shows.
@@kathleenm6949 that’s such a tough one. You might get some extras for the day. However sometimes I’ve seen prices I’ve been tracking rise. I’d probably book when you’re ready as long as it’s before final payment- and try refaring if it goes down
A cruise was supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience for us, so we booked The Retreat on Celebrity. We obviously got bit by the cruising bug when on that cruise, so had to cruise again, but yes, I can't see myself doing 'normal' cruising after that experience. Our next cruise is in the Yacht Club on the MSC World Europa next summer in the Med.
First cruise recommendations. I’m going to think of my first cruise as a practice cruise so I do think something shorter might be practical and something with lower risk and less complexity. Please do a video on ideas or what is important for planning the first cruise one purchases. Another topic if you have information is West coast departures. They seem to be mainly Mexico and Alaska for obvious reasons. I probably will take my first cruise from the West Coast.
I mock book YC January 2025 and January 2026 with similar dates, interaries , ships, cabins number, etc. 2026 cost more than 2025 by $911 . Why is that? Should’ve been the other way around? Can somebody explain please?
I stayed in the Yacht Club on the Seaview in 2019 Med cruise. The amenities and balcony suite were lovely however, the food was average to good which was disappointing considering that my husband and I aren't foodies. We enjoyed the food and overall experience on Oceania. Even the food on Celebrity's main dining room was better too. Things may have changed since I sailed but for the same price point, I personally would prefer a mid luxury cruise line or trying MSC Explora ships which apparently are fantastic. Thank you for your video and review.
Hello again! I wonder if you could give some good feedback on the beef, prime rib and filet, that you had in YC? Hopefully it is better than other options onboard. But, I hear very mixed reviews from good, to, well, not so good. Thanks!!!
We found the filet mignon very good in YC. I think cuts of beef are subjective depending on what people are used to, but we thought it was very very similar to their steakhouse. I think the prime rib was very good but not necessarily the best I ever had. Hope that helps
So, do you even need to carry your cruise card with you at all onboard, or is the bracelet enough to open cabin door, order drinks, etc.? Also, for my upcoming YC sailing, I see shore excursions, but none of them say specifically YC excursions.
@@LifeWellCruised I believe the gratuities are included in the quoted price, but it would be great for Illana to confirm. Also, Illana, since you’re collaborating with MSC, it would be good to know if extra tipping is a good idea or not. I’ve read that MSC itself prefers that guests do not since there are many people who create the experience not just the bartender or Butler you interact with. However, other people have said that since it’s such a common practice in America, it’s now becoming expected on the MSC lines in the States. Makes it difficult to determine if we should tip when the Butler or Concierge does something extra. (although what is extra if extras part of the yacht club experience?!). For instance, they deliver pizza to the pool, or get you some other food item or drink that’s not in the yacht club proper… Do you tip for that extra effort? I would prefer not to based on the price on paying for the yacht club experience, but I think personally I would also feel uncomfortable not tipping. Any “tips” Illana of are appreciated!
Mi experiencia en Yach Club en MSC. Wordl Amèrica, fue un sueño. Lo repetiremos, si Dios quiere, el próximo enero del 2026. Si sé puede, una vez en la vida....sentir ese lujo, no tiene precio, Bueno sî tiene precio, pero si encuentras una oferta, lánzate.😊😊
Great info! Never considered MSC because I'm a foodie and my friends that have sailed them said the food was sub par, and the staff and other sailors did not treat them well. I may consider yacht club for a better experience than theirs. What beach/resort did you visit in Puerta Plata and what was the exclusive excursion?
We love MSC and have 2 cruises already booked for 2025. We tried Yacht Club once. It was a great disappointment. We did not receive the high level of service MSC advertised and our “butler” wasn’t any better than the cabin attendants in the rest of the ship. Maybe our experience was the exception, but we don’t plan to book Yacht Club in the future.
What a disappointment and sorry to hear of the experience you had! I have seen a lot of sponsorship with MSC Yacht Club and the You’Tuber’s hype up how great it is… Perhaps, because it was funded to them…
I truly hope that’s not the case that the service is extra exceptional for the paid (and non-paid) TH-cam reviewers. I’m not a cruiser, but these reviews have sold me and I am having an MSC yacht club experience March 2025. Fingers crossed - I’ll let you know how it goes!
@@michelehaase5197 I am not a blogger nor do I have any affiliation with MSC. We sailed the first time on the Meraviglia out of Brooklyn in June. We loved it so much we did it again November 10th. I can tell you it is wonderful. As an FYI, if you do not feel you are getting the service you expected, PLEASE go to the conceirge desk, the butler director or the Yacht Club director (all are available throughout the day/evening). I found they truly want you to have the best trip ever. The Matre'd will assist you with any requests (within reason), for instance my husband asked for pasta with white sauce which was not on the menu and they accommodated him.
Been waiting for you and the hubby to make this vid. Family member tokd us about the yacht club. Got a few other cruises booked and then ill be LOOKING HARD at this. Nice to splurge once and a while
It is definitely something special! I think there’s something to feeling like you had a true vacation. Just an FYI, I pinned a 10% discount code in case you can use it
Are gratuities included in YC? Do they ever serve lobster in the dining room? It seems that none of the main stream cruise lines serve lobster anymore so I am curious to know if YC does? One other thing, the excursions are different? Are they included in YC or are you just paying more for them?
I believe the gratuities are included in the quoted price, but it would be great for Illana to confirm. Also, Illana, since you’re collaborating with MSC, it would be good to know if extra tipping is a good idea or not. I’ve read that MSC itself prefers that guests do not since there are many people who create the experience not just the bartender or Butler you interact with. However, other people have said that since it’s such a common practice in America, it’s now becoming expected on the MSC lines in the States. Makes it difficult to determine if we should tip when the Butler or Concierge does something extra. (although what is extra if extras part of the yacht club experience?!). For instance, they deliver pizza to the pool, or get you some other food item or drink that’s not in the yacht club proper… Do you tip for that extra effort? I would prefer not to based on the price on paying for the yacht club experience, but I think personally I would also feel uncomfortable not tipping. Any “tips” Illana of are appreciated!
I would love for you to do a comparison video of the NCL Haven to the MSC yacht club. We always cruise 🚢 with and NCL and stay in the Haven but now looking at MSC yacht club.
Hi, ive seen plenty of reviews concerning YC, however nobody has mentioned if its disabled friendly, i suspect it is? However does it have a public disabled toilet, also do they offer any disabled cabins? By the way it looks great, hence the interest and queries.
I may not be the best person to answer to this. I can share that I met someone staying in YC who was in a wheelchair & she seemed to fare well. I recommend contacting the cruise line or your travel agent for specific information to your situation:)
Here you go. I’ll try to include more in the future in the descriptions. This blog post is updated with current dresses 👗 lifewellcruised.com/cruise-dresses-amazon-resort-wear/
Would like to hear your thoughts about specialty dining. I’m not a cruiser, but based on all the positive reviews of the yacht club, we are booked on MSC yacht club for March 2025. It’s a high price tag for us but we decided to take the plunge and splurge… I’m always surprised when the reviewers talk about the specialty dining. I’m not planning on doing any specialty dining because the price I’ve already paid. I know it’s all personal experience, but do you think the food in the yacht club is quality enough and variety enough for seven days?
@@michelehaase5197 I mentioned in my first video (please go back and watch as you’ll also see the meals) that we enjoyed the YC restaurant so much we actually had lunch (not dinner) at one of the restaurants. I think you could do 7 nights in YC without an issue :)
I enjoyed the video. We have never cruised with MSC but plan to try it out. Everything looked awesome BUT I am disappointed finding out after my wife read the fine print your video was made in collaboration with MSC Cruises. I now am left wondering if everything will be as pristine as it appears in the video. The fact that you worked in collaboration with MSC should have been stated at the beginning of the video. Not everyone takes the time to read the notes and you are sacrificing the trust your followers have in you by failing to disclose these facts.
This was a video that was posted as a Paid Collaboration on TH-cam, so very clearly disclosed. It’s meant to be informative & not a review. That said, I have no reason to misrepresent experiences & I hope the info can be helpful. I would 💯 book this on my own & have no issues recommending it
We can't cruise MSC if it's not YC .... we've been completely spoiled. Strangely enough, we do NCL and don't like their Haven ... YC blows it out of the water.
Wow Ilana, very thorough video. I am a Princess gal but i like seeing what else is out there! I enjoyed it. But guess what i honed into….Toblerone😂 I always buy one of those big bars on my cruises. Thx🙂🚢
This is the most common trend I see with negative comments regarding MSC. No specifics. It's of no use to those of us busy deciding on our next cruise.
The general experience versus the yacht club experience on MSC seems to have a huge divide. Or your friends in the yacht club? This is about the yacht club specifically.
I feel like these cruise ships are making these cruise within a cruise more and more, they're in the process of changing everything around on my NCL Cruise to accommodate the Haven suites. I understand it to a point but what I l oveed about cruising is that I felt included, you're able to do everything anybody else could do the difference is maybe where you're staying on the ship or what class you're staying in. And now this just feels very elitist and if you can't afford it then you have to wait extra long for an elevator that's already a long wait among, seeing people getting taken to priority seats by their butlers among other. Exclusions I'd be interested to hear the views of people on the ship who can't afford the access and how it impacts their Cruise experience
I think you bring up an interesting point. The other question is, are cruisers missing out if there are ship within a ship or suite classes? Conversation to have :)
@@LifeWellCruisedso in a couple weeks I'm cruising transatlantic on NCL and I booked one of the solo cabins I'll give you my honest opinion on it when I get back in December😊 there are changes on board during our cruise I'm hoping we'll be able to utilize it there's an adult space that they're in the process of putting together in the space where they used to have the laser tag. It was a frustrating experience since I first found out through social media when they finally did inform us they let us know that although they're making these changes during the cruise were not going to be able to use the majority of them which is kind of frustrating but I'm hoping that it goes better than my NCL Cruise last year.. I need to Branch out on different solo cruise options 😂
If others are able and willing to pay for additional service, that’s fine. It exists in lots of spaces and cruise ships should be no different. We do it for hotels, airlines, concerts, theater performances, theme parks, spas and salons, etc. Others should not be denied enhanced experiences simply because I can’t afford it or prefer not to utilize the service.
Not worth it for us. Last time we cruised MSC, we compared Yacht Club to standard fare. Yacht Club was roughly FIVE TIMES the price! Several of the Yacht Club features, we would never use or consider it to be of minimal benefit to us. I would say at *maybe* double the price we would consider it? But for five times the price, the value just wasn't there. To each his own.
Is that worth it? Not even close. I'd rather cruise 2 or 3 or more times vs one time in the MSC Yacht Club. And that is the real price differential. I learned to live simpler life and doing so enabled me to retire at 52. That was 7 years ago. Now I do about 12 cruises a year. In Jan 25 I leave the 4 and do 4 cruises. I return Feb 15. No way I could do that in a YC room.
Worth is in the eye of the beholder. You opt for more cruises, while others may value a more premium experience and quiet areas. It’s great to have choices.
To each their own. Most people don’t have the luxury of taking vacations more than once a year for various reasons. So they are able to splurge on a better accommodation. I would if I could. The 5 star pampering is well worth it.
Most online reviews that I’ve seen of MSC are poor. I can see why MSC wants to change that. The butler thing is totally unappealing to me. The idea behind the Yacht Club seems to be you pay a premium to be rescued from the chaos of the cattle class. Seems pointless, you could just go on a premium all-suite cruise.
All I can share is our experience. Both my MSC Seascape cruise a few months ago (better than we expected) and my Yacht Club cruise were great, but they are different experiences 🙂
@ understood, glad you had a great time! I don’t think MSC will overcome the bad publicity they received after the Ben and David fiasco - not for a very long time. I’m sure they are trying.
The thing is, on premium cruises, you lose out on some of the things like production shows and the private islands. With YC and other ship-within-a-ship areas, you get your own oasis from the crowds while still getting to access everything the ship has to offer.
This used to be my thinking as well, but turns out it's not the case. Depends on what type of person you are though. I definitely enjoy the luxury and quiet of the premium section on a large ship, but then also the ability to venture out to the rest of the ship for that party feel some nights, or just to enjoy all the activities, other restaurants, other bars, etc. that's on offer on a big ship. I would get bored on a all luxury cruise like Viking, where the whole thing is just quiet and formal.
I will never cruise ith MSC again. I did my first MSC cruise 11 Nov 24 - 17 Nov 24 on the world europa. The food buffet and main dining rooms was appalling and digusting at time. The same food was available for all 6 days. The speciality restaurants are super expensive except for hola the mexican. The burgers was the worst cheap meat patti i've ever tasted. It was loaded with fillers. Yuck The juice was watered to down to almost no taste. For dinner all drinks were taken away and you had to buy drinks. I will not waste my hard earned money to be treated second class again. Shame on you MSC !
No not tried '''MSC '' ,But the Wife and I both have Good Retirements She 25 yrs Optical & Me 30 Fire Dept... Cruise 4 Pus Times a Year and Don't want to WASTE one ....
OMG! I want to on a MSC yacht club so badly try it out looks amazing and outstanding experience feel like royalty 💛🛳️🛳️🛳️💛💛💛🛳️❤️❤️🧡🤎🤎🤎🧡🦃🦃🛳️🍃🛳️🦃🦃🛳️💛❤️❤️🛳️💛🧡🧡❤️❤️🧡🖤🤎🤎🍃🍃🍃🛳️🦃🦃🦃💛💛🛳️❤️❤️❤️🧡🖤🖤🖤🖤🍃🍃🛳️🛳️🛳️💛
That is going to vary, a LOT. When and where are you hoping to cruise. Start by pulling up some dates that you might want to sail, and see what comes up. High season fares. (for example: February and Holidays in the Caribbean) will be higher. If you can adjust your dates, you might find better fares.
I wish I could say, but it’s like saying how much is a flight? It depends on date, ship, when you book, type of cabin etc. I suggest using the link ( with 10% off) and checking the possible ships you’d be interested in. Remember what is included (drinks, wifi, thermal spa) to calculate worth for you
![ทุกครั้งที่หลับตา (Lucid Dream) - AYLA's [ Official MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4i1OBAQyv58/mqdefault.jpg)
*MSC CRUISES - **Use discount code LIFEW10 for 10% off: shorturl.at/pf8t8
(must book by Dec. 31, 2024). Valid for sailings from Jan 1-June 30, 2025
For this promo, bookings must be made directly with MSC Cruises. Valid on all cruises except those with existing promotions or the World Cruise.
This video is sponsored by MSC Cruises & I'm so happy to be able to share this amazing discount code!
Watching you and Frank sail away on Celebration on live feed Miami cruise port right now!
ENJOY!! 💙🛳
@@wentibbetts7833 so cool! We just got our wifi set up - will post soon. Pretty nice ship!
I've tried using your link a few times and it takes me to yacht club page but when I try to choose a cruise date the link doesn't work. Would you please check on this? Thank you! Great video!
@@jspi98 if you’re within the date window, it should work. I suggest using a different browser (this worked for someone else)
You did a fantastic job at explaining everything! I went on the MSC Seaside and really enjoyed it ! Thanks
Glad you found the video helpful and well explained. Thanks for watching 🙂
This is an excellent detailed review of the Yacht Club Ilana! My family and I have been cruising in the MSC Yacht Club exclusively since 2016. It is the perfect way to enjoy a luxury cruising experience.
Great to hear that you’re experience in Yacht Club has been so good :)
Another great video. My question would be how does this compare to The Haven on Norwegian? It would be great to see a comparison.
I’ve heard amazing things about Haven, but haven’t tried it so I can’t really share a personal experience. One thing I noticed is that the drink package isn’t typically included in Haven. This & other inclusions made the experience feel more all inclusive
Yacht club is much better than the Haven. Many more perks! And much less expensive!
Wondering about daily gratuities- are they included in the fare or do you get charged each day ? Going in Jan. and like to know ahead of time if I will be charged at the end so I can prepare for it, also what is cost if not included.
I’ll find out
@@LifeWellCruised I believe the gratuities are included in the quoted price, but it would be great for Illana to confirm.
Also, Illana, since you’re collaborating with MSC, it would be good to know if extra tipping is a good idea or not.
I’ve read that MSC itself prefers that guests do not since there are many people who create the experience not just the bartender or Butler you interact with.
However, other people have said that since it’s such a common practice in America, it’s now becoming expected on the MSC lines in the States.
Makes it difficult to determine if we should tip when the Butler or Concierge does something extra. (although what is extra if extras part of the yacht club experience?!). For instance, they deliver pizza to the pool, or get you some other food item or drink that’s not in the yacht club proper… Do you tip for that extra effort? I would prefer not to based on the price on paying for the yacht club experience, but I think personally I would also feel uncomfortable not tipping.
Any “tips” Illana of are appreciated!
@@michelehaase5197 If I may give you my personal experience. We are from the US and we chose to have the tips (also known as Hotel Service Charge) of $20 pp/pd paid up front. We were not made to feel we needed to tip. We celebrated our anniversary and the butler and some of the servers at dinner went so above and beyond we wanted to. We wrote a thank you card and included a tip at the end of our trip. It is a personal decision. On many FB pages it is highly debated.
17th November 2024, we are on the Seascape right now. My husband and I were wondering about the club.
@@w.a.stewart3191 so fun!! I hope you enjoy your cruise!!
Thank you for this post. After watching we booked our first yacht club cruise on the Grandiosa
Very exciting!! Hope you have an amazing cruise!
I am NOT fond of large ships but this might make it work. Private restaurant especially
Are those special excursions for fee or included?
I agree, it makes a huge difference, which gives it a small ship feel I guess. All included & no reservations needed
@@LifeWellCruisedThat it is truly all-inclusive enhances the value proposition. Low price does not always equate to value.
@@LifeWellCruised I think Betsy was asking if the excursions were for a fee or included… I don’t think they’re included and aren’t extra cost, correct?
@@michelehaase5197 You are correct. Excursions are not included. We did book before the cruise on the MSC website, let our concierge know and they handled the details.
That looks amazing, Ilana you show cased the Yacht Club beautifully, MSC should have you do there marketing and advertising. Great video x
Haha! Glad you enjoyed the video. We worked with MSC to create this video, so I appreciate that :)
Hi Ilana.
This is a great explanation of the ship and accommodations (also the 2nd video is very good as well). I’ve only cruised once a few years ago, and don’t have plans yet to cruise (I hope sometime soon though). But I enjoy watching your channel. I also like the way you speak so clearly, positively and explain everything thoroughly. Videos like yours answer questions that many travelers/cruisers have and inspire us to look forward to future travels.
Thank you so much! It really means a lot to hear that! 😊
Holy cow! That looks awesome 🤩
@@moelladevil truly a great cruise experience
I’ve watched many other videos of msc yacht club but yours is so detailed and informative thank you
Glad it was helpful! 😊
Very interesting. I usually go Viking because of the included ammenities (with the included drink package with the grade of room I chose). This seems like an alternative in ammenities and comfort. I don’t know about the price. I’ll have to look into it. Thank you.
Yes. Lots included. There is a 10% off code I linked in the pinned comment if you’re checking pricing 😊
Perhaps when my Lottery big win happens I might book
lol we can always hope for lottery wins
It's not as expensive as other lines' "ship within a ship" areas and you get so much .... if you book a Fantastica or Aurea cabin and add benefits like wifi, drinks package, etc., you can spend just about as much as you would have getting a YC cabin. The inside cabins are the best secret!
We did an interior suite on the Meraviglia out of Brooklyn and cost less than Oceanview on another cruise line out of NYC. Considering all that is included makes it not too far out of reach. We cruises once in June, 2024, loved it so much we did it again November 10th. It is as wonderful as Illana shows.
Great video. I love all the helpful tips.
Question-do you think travel Tuesday is a good time to book a cruise or is there another day for best deals?
@@kathleenm6949 that’s such a tough one. You might get some extras for the day. However sometimes I’ve seen prices I’ve been tracking rise. I’d probably book when you’re ready as long as it’s before final payment- and try refaring if it goes down
@ thank you
Are there tons of kids all over the yacht club spaces? And are there adult only spaces on msc?
@@amandahollingsworth8312 families are welcome, but there are only max about 300 people so never lots of kids
How do you go back to regular cruising after such a 5 star experience?
lol, I like to look at every cruise as its own experience, but being spoiled with amazing experiences makes it an adjustment 😂
A cruise was supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience for us, so we booked The Retreat on Celebrity. We obviously got bit by the cruising bug when on that cruise, so had to cruise again, but yes, I can't see myself doing 'normal' cruising after that experience. Our next cruise is in the Yacht Club on the MSC World Europa next summer in the Med.
First cruise recommendations. I’m going to think of my first cruise as a practice cruise so I do think something shorter might be practical and something with lower risk and less complexity. Please do a video on ideas or what is important for planning the first cruise one purchases. Another topic if you have information is West coast departures. They seem to be mainly Mexico and Alaska for obvious reasons. I probably will take my first cruise from the West Coast.
Do you have a link to your 1-shoulder black dress? It’s gorgeous!
Thank you!! Here you go, it’s in this post : lifewellcruised.com/cruise-dresses-amazon-resort-wear/
I mock book YC January 2025 and January 2026 with similar dates, interaries , ships, cabins number, etc. 2026 cost more than 2025 by $911 . Why is that? Should’ve been the other way around? Can somebody explain please?
Prices are higher accross most cruise lines for 26. Demand I guess
Is a stocked refrigerator included too? Is there a laudry room onboard?
@@theresahenderson3534 yes stocked mini bar included plus a bottle of your choice
I stayed in the Yacht Club on the Seaview in 2019 Med cruise. The amenities and balcony suite were lovely however, the food was average to good which was disappointing considering that my husband and I aren't foodies. We enjoyed the food and overall experience on Oceania. Even the food on Celebrity's main dining room was better too. Things may have changed since I sailed but for the same price point, I personally would prefer a mid luxury cruise line or trying MSC Explora ships which apparently are fantastic.
Thank you for your video and review.
Thanks for sharing your experience!!
Hello again! I wonder if you could give some good feedback on the beef, prime rib and filet, that you had in YC?
Hopefully it is better than other options onboard. But, I hear very mixed reviews from good, to, well, not so good.
Thanks!!!
We found the filet mignon very good in YC. I think cuts of beef are subjective depending on what people are used to, but we thought it was very very similar to their steakhouse. I think the prime rib was very good but not necessarily the best I ever had. Hope that helps
So, do you even need to carry your cruise card with you at all onboard, or is the bracelet enough to open cabin door, order drinks, etc.? Also, for my upcoming YC sailing, I see shore excursions, but none of them say specifically YC excursions.
The bracelet is enough unless you get off and on the ship
Do they have solo meetups at the Yacht Club? I really enjoyed the inclusive solo meetups they offered on Oceania
I don’t know I’m sorry to say. That said, it was a friendly & relaxed environment where you’d probably meet others
I will look to book this as a special treat. Thanks for the info 👍🏻
Hope you enjoy it!
Do you tip your butlers and the employees that you were serviced from in the yacht club?
You can
@@LifeWellCruised I believe the gratuities are included in the quoted price, but it would be great for Illana to confirm.
Also, Illana, since you’re collaborating with MSC, it would be good to know if extra tipping is a good idea or not.
I’ve read that MSC itself prefers that guests do not since there are many people who create the experience not just the bartender or Butler you interact with.
However, other people have said that since it’s such a common practice in America, it’s now becoming expected on the MSC lines in the States.
Makes it difficult to determine if we should tip when the Butler or Concierge does something extra. (although what is extra if extras part of the yacht club experience?!). For instance, they deliver pizza to the pool, or get you some other food item or drink that’s not in the yacht club proper… Do you tip for that extra effort? I would prefer not to based on the price on paying for the yacht club experience, but I think personally I would also feel uncomfortable not tipping.
Any “tips” Illana of are appreciated!
Mi experiencia en Yach Club en MSC. Wordl Amèrica, fue un sueño. Lo repetiremos, si Dios quiere, el próximo enero del 2026. Si sé puede, una vez en la vida....sentir ese lujo, no tiene precio, Bueno sî tiene precio, pero si encuentras una oferta, lánzate.😊😊
Sounds amazing!
Great tour
I will love this.. we sail in April.. cant wait.. 😊🫶🫶
That’s awesome! So excited for you 👏
Great job. Especially with your dresses. Msc yatch club is the best way to go. Will be there very soon.
I agree! It really is a great way to travel, and I hope you have a great trip!
Went on our first MSC cruise 3 weeks ago. Not yacht club. Give it 7 out of 10
Great to know your feedback
OMG! Having ur own butler that is so cool! Love that 🦃🦃🧡🧡🧡🦃🦃🧡💛💛🖤🍃🍃🤎💛🧡🧡🤎🍃🍃🛳️🛳️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🤎🤎🧡🛳️🛳️💛💛🦃🍃🍃💛💛💛🖤
lol so not regular life! But I admit nice to feel like you’re truly on vacation
Great info! Never considered MSC because I'm a foodie and my friends that have sailed them said the food was sub par, and the staff and other sailors did not treat them well. I may consider yacht club for a better experience than theirs. What beach/resort did you visit in Puerta Plata and what was the exclusive excursion?
This was really nice & I would definitely consider it. Resort was Casa Colonial
@LifeWellCruised thanks!
We love MSC and have 2 cruises already booked for 2025. We tried Yacht Club once. It was a great disappointment. We did not receive the high level of service MSC advertised and our “butler” wasn’t any better than the cabin attendants in the rest of the ship. Maybe our experience was the exception, but we don’t plan to book Yacht Club in the future.
Appreciate you sharing your experience. We had a great one, but I can understand if it didn't meet your expectations
What a disappointment and sorry to hear of the experience you had!
I have seen a lot of sponsorship with MSC Yacht Club and the You’Tuber’s hype up how great it is…
Perhaps, because it was funded to them…
I truly hope that’s not the case that the service is extra exceptional for the paid (and non-paid) TH-cam reviewers.
I’m not a cruiser, but these reviews have sold me and I am having an MSC yacht club experience March 2025. Fingers crossed - I’ll let you know how it goes!
@@michelehaase5197 I am not a blogger nor do I have any affiliation with MSC. We sailed the first time on the Meraviglia out of Brooklyn in June. We loved it so much we did it again November 10th. I can tell you it is wonderful. As an FYI, if you do not feel you are getting the service you expected, PLEASE go to the conceirge desk, the butler director or the Yacht Club director (all are available throughout the day/evening). I found they truly want you to have the best trip ever. The Matre'd will assist you with any requests (within reason), for instance my husband asked for pasta with white sauce which was not on the menu and they accommodated him.
Been waiting for you and the hubby to make this vid. Family member tokd us about the yacht club. Got a few other cruises booked and then ill be LOOKING HARD at this. Nice to splurge once and a while
It is definitely something special! I think there’s something to feeling like you had a true vacation. Just an FYI, I pinned a 10% discount code in case you can use it
Are gratuities included in YC?
Do they ever serve lobster in the dining room? It seems that none of the main stream cruise lines serve lobster anymore so I am curious to know if YC does?
One other thing, the excursions are different? Are they included in YC or are you just paying more for them?
They did have lobster tail I think gala night (included). I don’t believe gratuity is included
I believe the gratuities are included in the quoted price, but it would be great for Illana to confirm.
Also, Illana, since you’re collaborating with MSC, it would be good to know if extra tipping is a good idea or not.
I’ve read that MSC itself prefers that guests do not since there are many people who create the experience not just the bartender or Butler you interact with.
However, other people have said that since it’s such a common practice in America, it’s now becoming expected on the MSC lines in the States.
Makes it difficult to determine if we should tip when the Butler or Concierge does something extra. (although what is extra if extras part of the yacht club experience?!). For instance, they deliver pizza to the pool, or get you some other food item or drink that’s not in the yacht club proper… Do you tip for that extra effort? I would prefer not to based on the price on paying for the yacht club experience, but I think personally I would also feel uncomfortable not tipping.
Any “tips” Illana of are appreciated!
Is there a similar "ship within a ship" option on Princess (and other cruise lines)?
Would love to see videos on those :)
Princess has Sanctuary class on Sun Princess
@@LifeWellCruised Thanks for that. That's replaced the old "Club Class"???? I'd love to see a video focussing on it :)
Have cruised on the Meraviglia YC, would love to try this ship. The pool is much nicer. We love YC.
The pool area was beautiful! I have heard the Meraviglia is a gorgeous ship overall
Thanks for the video review. Do you remember the name of the resort in Puerto Plata? Seemed beautiful and very private. Thank you
So pretty! Casa Colonial
I would love for you to do a comparison video of the NCL Haven to the MSC yacht club. We always cruise 🚢 with and NCL and stay in the Haven but now looking at MSC yacht club.
That would be great in the future!
Do they have gluten free options at the restaurants and for the pizza?
They have gluten free options, you just have to ask
Great video. Can’t wait for our Yacht Club experience next year. One question: How does one go about booking the YC excursions? Thx.
Really does look nice to think others have access to your room
No one has access to your stateroom other than you & the crew that are supposed to
Hi, ive seen plenty of reviews concerning YC, however nobody has mentioned if its disabled friendly, i suspect it is? However does it have a public disabled toilet, also do they offer any disabled cabins? By the way it looks great, hence the interest and queries.
I may not be the best person to answer to this. I can share that I met someone staying in YC who was in a wheelchair & she seemed to fare well. I recommend contacting the cruise line or your travel agent for specific information to your situation:)
Hello, can I bring a bottle of wine and 12 pack of water on MSC ship, thanks
No you can't. Other cruise lines yes
Liked your dresses but couldn’t find any links.
Here you go. I’ll try to include more in the future in the descriptions. This blog post is updated with current dresses 👗 lifewellcruised.com/cruise-dresses-amazon-resort-wear/
Would like to hear your thoughts about specialty dining. I’m not a cruiser, but based on all the positive reviews of the yacht club, we are booked on MSC yacht club for March 2025. It’s a high price tag for us but we decided to take the plunge and splurge…
I’m always surprised when the reviewers talk about the specialty dining. I’m not planning on doing any specialty dining because the price I’ve already paid. I know it’s all personal experience, but do you think the food in the yacht club is quality enough and variety enough for seven days?
@@michelehaase5197 I mentioned in my first video (please go back and watch as you’ll also see the meals) that we enjoyed the YC restaurant so much we actually had lunch (not dinner) at one of the restaurants. I think you could do 7 nights in YC without an issue :)
That ship looks amazing.
Super nice ship!! 🚢
Were the men able to wear shorts at dinner in the yacht club?
I’m not sure if there was a dress code. People wore jeans but I’m not sure I saw shorts
I enjoyed the video. We have never cruised with MSC but plan to try it out. Everything looked awesome BUT I am disappointed finding out after my wife read the fine print your video was made in collaboration with MSC Cruises. I now am left wondering if everything will be as pristine as it appears in the video. The fact that you worked in collaboration with MSC should have been stated at the beginning of the video. Not everyone takes the time to read the notes and you are sacrificing the trust your followers have in you by failing to disclose these facts.
This was a video that was posted as a Paid Collaboration on TH-cam, so very clearly disclosed. It’s meant to be informative & not a review. That said, I have no reason to misrepresent experiences & I hope the info can be helpful. I would 💯 book this on my own & have no issues recommending it
Again with the adult son in your room. How odd. Get him a room this is your business. It’s weird
My question is, did you think it was worth the extra cost? I got the impression you did.
This was a collaboration with MSC cruises. I think it’s 💯 worth it & would book it on my own without hesitation
We can't cruise MSC if it's not YC .... we've been completely spoiled. Strangely enough, we do NCL and don't like their Haven ... YC blows it out of the water.
So interesting! We met a lot of people that tried other cruise lines similar experiences & loved YC
Wow Ilana, very thorough video. I am a Princess gal but i like seeing what else is out there! I enjoyed it. But guess what i honed into….Toblerone😂 I always buy one of those big bars on my cruises. Thx🙂🚢
It's funny how those little details stand out! 😂
@ yep
What kind of shoes did they have and what was your favorite? We leave in 11 days for our first YC experience on seascape.
I have another video review of the entire cruise with highlights of entertainment. It was pretty good. Enjoy!!
Were there any families with kids in the MSC Yacht Club? Asking as we have 3 kiddos. :)
Yes absolutely! Families are welcome
Friends just went on MSC and did not like it at all.
Every cruise line has its own culture and experience 🙂
This is the most common trend I see with negative comments regarding MSC. No specifics. It's of no use to those of us busy deciding on our next cruise.
The general experience versus the yacht club experience on MSC seems to have a huge divide. Or your friends in the yacht club? This is about the yacht club specifically.
Key!!!!! No such thing as a K!
My understanding is that this private island is pronounced Cay (as per spelling). Hope you enjoyed the video :)
I feel like these cruise ships are making these cruise within a cruise more and more, they're in the process of changing everything around on my NCL Cruise to accommodate the Haven suites. I understand it to a point but what I l oveed about cruising is that I felt included, you're able to do everything anybody else could do the difference is maybe where you're staying on the ship or what class you're staying in. And now this just feels very elitist and if you can't afford it then you have to wait extra long for an elevator that's already a long wait among, seeing people getting taken to priority seats by their butlers among other. Exclusions I'd be interested to hear the views of people on the ship who can't afford the access and how it impacts their Cruise experience
Is that really any different from days of yore when there were clear class distinctions on ships?
@JBM425 yeah good point let's not go back 😁
I think you bring up an interesting point. The other question is, are cruisers missing out if there are ship within a ship or suite classes? Conversation to have :)
@@LifeWellCruisedso in a couple weeks I'm cruising transatlantic on NCL and I booked one of the solo cabins I'll give you my honest opinion on it when I get back in December😊 there are changes on board during our cruise I'm hoping we'll be able to utilize it there's an adult space that they're in the process of putting together in the space where they used to have the laser tag. It was a frustrating experience since I first found out through social media when they finally did inform us they let us know that although they're making these changes during the cruise were not going to be able to use the majority of them which is kind of frustrating but I'm hoping that it goes better than my NCL Cruise last year.. I need to Branch out on different solo cruise options 😂
If others are able and willing to pay for additional service, that’s fine. It exists in lots of spaces and cruise ships should be no different. We do it for hotels, airlines, concerts, theater performances, theme parks, spas and salons, etc.
Others should not be denied enhanced experiences simply because I can’t afford it or prefer not to utilize the service.
Not worth it for us.
Last time we cruised MSC, we compared Yacht Club to standard fare. Yacht Club was roughly FIVE TIMES the price! Several of the Yacht Club features, we would never use or consider it to be of minimal benefit to us.
I would say at *maybe* double the price we would consider it? But for five times the price, the value just wasn't there.
To each his own.
Absolutely!! Love that you know what you like & what experiences are best for you :)
Is that worth it? Not even close. I'd rather cruise 2 or 3 or more times vs one time in the MSC Yacht Club. And that is the real price differential. I learned to live simpler life and doing so enabled me to retire at 52. That was 7 years ago. Now I do about 12 cruises a year. In Jan 25 I leave the 4 and do 4 cruises. I return Feb 15. No way I could do that in a YC room.
Thats's great. Nothing wrong with opting for lots of cruises
Worth is in the eye of the beholder. You opt for more cruises, while others may value a more premium experience and quiet areas. It’s great to have choices.
Sure if you only book the cheapest inside cabin. Having a balcony is non negotiable
@@generynkewicz4871 Yep. And that is why I was able to retire at 52. Plenty of places to view the sights in many many many public spaces for free.
To each their own. Most people don’t have the luxury of taking vacations more than once a year for various reasons. So they are able to splurge on a better accommodation. I would if I could. The 5 star pampering is well worth it.
Most online reviews that I’ve seen of MSC are poor. I can see why MSC wants to change that. The butler thing is totally unappealing to me. The idea behind the Yacht Club seems to be you pay a premium to be rescued from the chaos of the cattle class. Seems pointless, you could just go on a premium all-suite cruise.
All I can share is our experience. Both my MSC Seascape cruise a few months ago (better than we expected) and my Yacht Club cruise were great, but they are different experiences 🙂
@ understood, glad you had a great time! I don’t think MSC will overcome the bad publicity they received after the Ben and David fiasco - not for a very long time. I’m sure they are trying.
How much do you tip the butler😊
The thing is, on premium cruises, you lose out on some of the things like production shows and the private islands. With YC and other ship-within-a-ship areas, you get your own oasis from the crowds while still getting to access everything the ship has to offer.
This used to be my thinking as well, but turns out it's not the case. Depends on what type of person you are though. I definitely enjoy the luxury and quiet of the premium section on a large ship, but then also the ability to venture out to the rest of the ship for that party feel some nights, or just to enjoy all the activities, other restaurants, other bars, etc. that's on offer on a big ship. I would get bored on a all luxury cruise like Viking, where the whole thing is just quiet and formal.
I feel its not worth it because I barely spend any time in the room. I'm out and about all the time.
I hear you! What I love about cruising is that there’s an experience for everyone
Ethan is such a cutie
I will never cruise ith MSC again. I did my first MSC cruise 11 Nov 24 - 17 Nov 24 on the world europa. The food buffet and main dining rooms was appalling and digusting at time. The same food was available for all 6 days. The speciality restaurants are super expensive except for hola the mexican. The burgers was the worst cheap meat patti i've ever tasted. It was loaded with fillers. Yuck The juice was watered to down to almost no taste. For dinner all drinks were taken away and you had to buy drinks. I will not waste my hard earned money to be treated second class again. Shame on you MSC !
I'm not worry if the YACHT CLUB is worth IT $$$ Is MSC even
worth WASTING the MONEY ON IT ??? I have heard some
REALLY POOR REVIEWS .....
Have you tried MSC? I'd love to hear your personal experiece
No not tried '''MSC '' ,But the Wife and I both have Good Retirements
She 25 yrs Optical & Me 30 Fire Dept... Cruise 4 Pus Times a Year
and Don't want to WASTE one ....
@@RaymondMullen-t9jthat makes sense. Honestly, if you like what you’re doing already, no reason to try something else :)
OMG! I want to on a MSC yacht club so badly try it out looks amazing and outstanding experience feel like royalty 💛🛳️🛳️🛳️💛💛💛🛳️❤️❤️🧡🤎🤎🤎🧡🦃🦃🛳️🍃🛳️🦃🦃🛳️💛❤️❤️🛳️💛🧡🧡❤️❤️🧡🖤🤎🤎🍃🍃🍃🛳️🦃🦃🦃💛💛🛳️❤️❤️❤️🧡🖤🖤🖤🖤🍃🍃🛳️🛳️🛳️💛
I would love to know around what's the price range for a week cruise 🛳.
That is going to vary, a LOT.
When and where are you hoping to cruise.
Start by pulling up some dates that you might want to sail, and see what comes up.
High season fares. (for example: February and Holidays in the Caribbean) will be higher.
If you can adjust your dates, you might find better fares.
@@princesssweetpea9205thanks for sharing this
I wish I could say, but it’s like saying how much is a flight? It depends on date, ship, when you book, type of cabin etc. I suggest using the link ( with 10% off) and checking the possible ships you’d be interested in. Remember what is included (drinks, wifi, thermal spa) to calculate worth for you
Always amazing best TIPS! Thanks so much llana 🖤💛💛🛳️🛳️💛🖤❤️❤️🦃🧡🍃🤎🖤🖤💛🛳️🛳️🛳️🍃🍃🖤🦃❤️❤️❤️🦃🤎🍃🍃🖤