I spent almost $4,000 on an interior room in MSC’s Yacht Club with 24-hour butler and concierge service.
Some of you may think that’s nuts - $4K for an inside cabin! But hold on for a minute before you dismiss the idea; it comes with some amazing perks.
For those of you not familiar with the Italian cruise line, MSC Cruises is making serious waves in the market, offering a new type of cruising option, a high-end cruise experience in an interior cabin for much less than a standard suite on other cruise lines.
I recently spent a week in a pricey interior cabin aboard the new MSC Seascape to see what it was like, and whether the splurge was worth it.
The cruise
MSC Cruises is still a growing brand in North American markets, offering some outstanding deals to get cruisers to break away from their favorites like Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean. Yacht Club is their premium all-inclusive cruising package, offering upgraded cabins and a whole range of benefits, even in some of their smaller cabins.
Intrigued by the allure of an extensive list of perks, I decided to give MSC's interior cabin a try. I must admit, I was a little nervous about paying that much money for a cabin with no balcony.
I sailed just after Easter break, hoping for slightly less craziness than major holidays typically bring to cruise ships. MSC offers a number of Caribbean itineraries, and I chose a 7-night eastern Caribbean sailing with stops at Ocean Cay, its private island in the Bahamas, as well as Nassau, San Juan, and Puerto Plata.
I paid a total of $3,881, all in. That included the cruise fare, port fees, taxes, and gratuities (at a cost of $14.50 per day). I did not spend anything else while on the ship, but I did leave some extra tips and bought some nice Italian chocolate to bring home to the family.
Embarkation day
I am by planner by nature and always give myself plenty of time to get to the port, and this proved to be useful on my departure day. On a rather sunny Sunday, I left my Miami mid-beach hotel to find an insane amount of traffic along the normal route to the port. The tunnel was closed, lanes were closed, and even some parts of the port, with no clear explanation and police standing by. It took me more than an hour to get to the port. The hot, humid Miami day and cars honking non-stop could not have been more of a contrast to when I stepped out of the vehicle when I arrived at the terminal.
The experience truly does start at the curb. The porter seeing my Yacht Club tag, added a gold sticker onto my suitcase and called an attendant to escort me inside. Staff were waiting to greet us after an extremely brief check-in process. A butler escorted us onto the ship, where we immediately headed upstairs to the lounge to relax.
I met my assigned butler, as well as many other staff members, and was soon in the restaurant having a peaceful lunch. With a crisp, cold glass of Pinot Grigio and a flavourful rockfish stew, I was already sold. After a relaxing meal, I headed to my cabin and was happy to see my suitcase was already there. A great start, indeed.
The cabin
My upgraded inside cabin was 226 square feet, much smaller than many of the deluxe suite options available in the Yacht Club.
My first impression was that it was serene, and the sophisticated design was elegant but not overbearing. Beyond the king-sized bed, all the stuff on the desk immediately caught my eye. Flat and still Italian bottled water, a variety of teas, nuts, sparkly wine glasses, cups, and a number of brochures about my upcoming stay, stretched out across the counter. At one corner was a shiny coffee maker, a real treat for those who like their early morning boost of java.
Another nice perk to Yacht Club is a stocked mini-bar with whatever you like. Water, soda, beer, wine, or hard liquor are all available. The butler caters to your drink of choice.
The bed, it is fitted with soft Egyptian cotton sheets, a memory foam mattress, and a choice of pillows. For some reason, I did not get my pre-cruise survey; however, my butler checked in to make sure all was well and if everything was to my liking. You can even have a newspaper delivered to your cabin while you chill out in a plush bathrobe and slippers.
There was also a small table which was flanked by chairs as well as a good sized tv that rotated to various positions. I did not have much time to watch tv on my cruise, with all the fun I was having. To cater to MSC's diverse international clientele, there are shows in various languages, such as Spanish and Italian.
A rather small bathroom
Perhaps the most lackluster part of my cabin was the “petite” bathroom. It was plainly designed with a small shower and sink. While it was functional, it did not have any pizzazz. I did appreciate the upgraded shampoo, condition, and gel, along with fluffy white towels, but it did not have much else.
Not a deal breaker by any means, and it may be because it was an interior cabin, but usually suite bathrooms have upgraded finishings and additional toiletries like lotions and such.
I was also surprised that MSC had small bottles of products, given their focus on sustainability and environmental awareness.
Cabin location
On my first evening onboard, I was in my room, getting things organized when I heard some bumping and random noises from above. They were a bit jarring, and as I tried to fall asleep, they continued, now and then, occasionally waking me up.
I was confused, and the next morning I woke up and talked to the concierge and found out I was under part of the galley. Although I was on deck 16, I later learned that there is no deck 17 (it is the Italian version of unlucky 13), and what looks like a closet on ship plans is, in fact, part of the galley. As shown on the map, I was 16023, so there are just a couple who are at risk of noise.
Luckily, I was able to move cabins, and this was no longer an issue, but I was surprised that they would have premium-priced cabins in this location.
24-hour service
One of the big perks of booking a Yacht Club cabin is the 24-hour service from your butler and concierge.
I made good use of the concierges, who are like guest services, shore excursion desk, and tech support all rolled into one. They helped me set up my wi-fi, helped me figure out an excursion in San Juan, answered some questions about my bill, and a few other niceties. They were fantastic, and their desk was just a brief walk from my cabin in the welcome area, although I could never hear them with other passengers thanks to solid glass doors to the entryway to the cabins.
I probably did not use my butler as much as some people; I did not need any late evening snacks or specialty requests. He was helpful in moving my cabin and wanted to make sure that I had everything needed to be comfortable. One of the best perks of the butlers is the priority embarkation/disembarkation, This was great when we arrived in Puerto Plata, and it seemed like everyone was getting off at the same time. Also, no scheduled time when you want to disembark the ship on the last day.
My room attendant kept my room clean, stealthily tidying up between my comings and goings. There were no towel animals. I know this is a source of joy for many, but I have never seen them on an MSC cruise. Room service is also available throughout the day, although I was always eating and never needed it. In fact, I could not eat the delicate pastries delivered to my cabin in the afternoons.
Outside of the cabin
MSC Yacht Club guests enjoy lots of dedicated venues throughout the ship. It is reported that the dedicated Yacht Club space covers 32,000 square feet of space for a couple of hundred people. I think of it like your house, it is nice to have a spacious bedroom, but I also like my comfy family room chair and outside space.
The Top Sail Lounge, as it is called on MSC cruises, was open from 6am to 1am throughout the cruise. Whether it be a cappuccino in the morning, some afternoon nibbles, or late night cocktails and music. it was a fantastic gathering point.
The service was excellent, with a wide variety of drinks and nibbles throughout the day. Being so close to my cabin, it was almost like my living room in my house, and I sat out on the patio a lot of time, which was not busy, and was slightly cooler than the rooftop deck. It was a central meeting point for guests throughout the cruise, and in particular, I enjoyed the live music in the evenings.
Dining venue
I am a fairly adventurous eater and always enjoy trying different foods on cruise ships. I am the main chef at my house, and I use this word liberally as I am an average cook, but I like all sorts of foods. Grocery shopping is a pain, and cleaning up the dishes is no fun, so, having good food preparation is one of the best things for me about vacation.
The Yacht Club area has its own dining venue that requires no reservations for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Not being tied down at a specific time added to the relaxing vibe, and I ate extremely well.
My favorite cut of meat, filet mignon, was a classic dish on the menu, along with fish and chicken, in addition to a number of daily specials that spanned a variety of foods.
Rooftop deck
Not to be outdone by the other areas, the expansive rooftop deck was a major perk. There was always a chair or someone there to help. No need to get up early and reserve a chair in advance. In fact, I was surprised at how much space there was.
Guests can enjoy day beds, a choice of loungers, a pool, a hot tub, tables, and chairs. Located on deck 20, the area has amazing views of the front of the ship, which is especially nice sailing into the Caribbean ports we visited.
MSC provides Yacht Club guests with a breakfast and lunch buffet, as well as fun events like a white party with DJ.
Other perks
When we visited Ocean Cay, MSC”s private island for the day, our dedicated teams were on the island, serving up Bahamian cocktails, lobster, mahi-mahi, and other good eats. Not only that, Ocean House was our cottage for the day, as a home base for the suite-only area, private beach, and grounds.
I enjoyed the premium drink package and complimentary wi-fi while onboard. Although I am not a sauna person, I visited the Thermal Spa, where Yacht Club guests enjoy unlimited access.
Guests also get special access to shows, specialty shopping, and other events like a Captain's party.
Would I do it again?
All in all, this was one of the best cruises I have taken. Yes, it was a lot of money, and many people would argue that with the cost of this cruise, you could take numerous trips, which is true. However, this hybrid approach – a smaller cabin with extensive perks is a nice way to try out this type of cruising. A full suite could cost thousands of dollars more and may not be worth it for some.
I also loved that I got to experience all the wonderful things about sailing on a good sized ship – plenty of amenities, live shows, music, shopping, and bars while having a more spacious, relaxed area to retreat to when needed.
If you cruise less often or want to really splurge and relax, this is a fantastic way to go, and for me, worth the money. With a free drink package, basic wi-fi, and thermal spa access, the inclusive benefits almost pay for themselves. The downside of this trip, it spoils you, setting the bar pretty high for future cruises.
Chantal McPhee
Chantal McPhee has a great passion for travel since first venturing to the Bahamas as a child with her grandparents. Today, she loves cruising with her husband and two daughters to new places and aspires one day to do a world cruise. Living on the east coast of Canada, she shares cruising tips and information with fellow Canucks seeking a reprieve from the great white north. She also teaches business studies at a university, with a focus on strategy
