I am no stranger to cruising. Within the past two years, I've sailed on over 20 cruises. However, it wasn't until a recent cruise aboard MSC World America that I finally splurged on a luxury suite experience.
As someone who cruises for work, I can't always justify expensive cabins. As such, I'll typically book windowless interior staterooms to save money.
When I found a somewhat reasonably priced suite on MSC's newest cruise ship, I decided it was the best way to fully experience everything MSC World America had to offer.
In the end, MSC's Yacht Club was better than I could have imagined. Although it wasn't cheap, it was worth every penny. Here's what my suite experience was like sailing from Miami, Florida.
Read more: Best things about MSC World America
I felt like royalty before I even boarded the cruise ship
When my partner and I arrived at Terminal AA in Miami, which happens to be the largest in the world, we were greeted with a dedicated check-in area for Yacht Club guests.
After the porter took our luggage, we were escorted into the terminal, where we were given champagne while we waited to board the ship.
While we sipped our pre-cruise drinks, a crew member from the concierge team walked us through the benefits of our suite, so we wouldn't have to wonder what was included or how to take advantage of the Yacht Club amenities.
After waiting for another group, we were escorted onto the ship, to our muster stations, and then to the private Top Sail Lounge.
My ocean-view suite was luxurious and spacious
The Yacht Club Deluxe Suite is a step above the Interior Yacht Club Suite and a good balance of comfort, space, and value.
Although there are larger cabins, like the Royal or Duplex Suite, the Deluxe Suite offers tons of room to stretch out and other thoughtful touches that make it feel fancier than a standard cruise cabin.
For example, the bathroom had a large walk-in shower with a rainfall showerhead, ample counter space, and high-quality toiletries.
The bedroom area was a step above normal cruise staterooms, too. The layout was open and airy, with a massive vanity area and more than enough storage for our weeklong cruise.
I'd also be remiss not to mention the large balcony. We didn't use it as much as on other sailings, such as on our scenic Norway cruise, but it was nice to have a private space to enjoy the passing Royal Blue ocean hues and avoid the crowds.
The Yacht Club restaurants were a highlight of the suite experience
One of the perks of staying within MSC's Yacht Club is the exclusive spaces. On MSC World America, there's a private pool and sundeck, bar and lounge, and three restaurants: the Yacht Club Restaurant, the Yacht Club Grill, and La Brasserie (dinner only).
All the food I had in the Yacht Club-exclusive restaurants was incredible, debunking the myth that MSC's food isn't the best. In fact, I'd argue it was some of the best I've ever had on a cruise ship.
Everything from the cabernet-brasied short ribs to the bolognese pasta and lobster curry was tasty, and all my dishes were served warm, indicating how fresh they were.
Although this might seem like a small detail, I've sailed on cruise ships where I've been lucky to receive one or two lukewarm meals.
Not only that, but we never had to wait in long lines or deal with crowded, noisy dining rooms.
The service in MSC's Yacht Club was equally impressive
MSC is one of the cheaper mainstream cruise lines. One way they keep their fares lower than their competitors is by stretching their passenger-to-crew ratio. In other words, each crew member is typically responsible for more guests than on other lines. As such, one of the biggest complaints about MSC is the service.
One of the things I love the most about cruise vacations is the crew members. Most genuinely want to see cruisers have the best trip possible, and their hospitality can make the experience more personal than regular land-based trips.
Despite MSC having a reputation for poor service, the crew in the Yacht Club went above and beyond to make sure everything about our experience exceeded our expectations — think white-glove attention, drinks served on silver platters, and crew anticipating our needs before us.
For example, during the evening's turndown service, the Jr. Butler would leave a fresh glass, a bottle of Acqua Panna water, and chocolate on each of our nightstands.
Another small, but appreciated, gesture is that the dining room staff quickly remembered our preferrable table and servers, Jeffery and Jennifer.
Jennifer would often top off my champagne without even asking, and once Jeffery learned that my partner and I were both fans of seafood, he ensured that we got our fair share of prawns and shrimp.
The private pool deck was another bonus
MSC also boosts revenue by maximizing passenger capacity, which has led to complaints about crowded public spaces.
Although crowds are to be expected on a cruise ship, it's annoying when you can't find a seat by the pool or have to wait a long time for a drink.
Whenever we walked through the main pool area on MSC World America, it was packed. Every lounger was taken, and the pools were noisy. It definitely wasn't our favorite vibe.
Read more: Why are MSC cruises so cheap?
Enter the Yacht Club Sundeck and Pool. Even on sunny sea days, we never struggled to find a seat. While I wish there had been a little bit more shade (I often joke that I get a sunburn just by thinking about stepping outside), the atmosphere was calm with attentive service from the bartenders.
It was also nice not to have to worry about carrying towels from our stateroom, as we could grab fresh ones whenever we needed them.
MSC Yacht Club was worth every penny
MSC Yacht Club isn't cheap. However, it is an affordable way to experience luxury at sea without shelling out money for Royal Caribbean's Royal Suite Class or The Haven aboard Norwegian Cruise Line.
For two people, a weeklong sailing aboard MSC World America in a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite was $7,010.32. The price included more than the average cruise fare, though.
It covered access to exclusive venues (i.e., the Yacht Club Sundeck & Pool, Top Sail Lounge, and Yacht Club Restaurant), Wi-Fi, a premium drink package, butler service, priority embarkation and disembarkation, and more.
Although I won't splurge on Yacht Club on every MSC cruise, it made our sailing feel extra special.
The combination of privacy, attentive service, exclusive amenities, and our spacious cabin turned what could have been another average Caribbean cruise into an upscale and stress-free experience.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Royal Caribbean Blog and Business Insider.
