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Ten Of The Best Yacht Clubs In The World

Renowned for their historic sailing traditions and regattas, sumptuous settings and notoriously exclusive membership, the following are ten of the best yacht clubs in the world.  

Discover the best yacht clubs in the world

Yacht club de monaco.

Founded in 1953 by Prince Rainier III and presided over by Prince Albert II, this  Monaco yacht  club boasts a Norman Foster designed clubhouse and a private restaurant, 1909, headed by Michelin-starred Chef Thierry Thiercelin.  A strict dress code is maintained at all times.

Royal Yacht Squadron, Isle of Wight, UK

Founded in 1815, with Queen Elizabeth as its patron and the 16th-century Cowes Castle as its clubhouse,  this is undeniably one of the oldest and grandest yacht clubs on this list. It is also the heart of the legendary Cowes Week regatta.  

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, Italy

In the 1960s the Aga Khan fell for this stretch of Italy’s Gallura region, choosing  Sardinia  as his preferred destination to found one of the best yacht clubs in the world.  Its clubhouse offers a panoramic pool terrace, al fresco dining, a wellness centre and spa, and a member’s lounge and bar.

New York Yacht Club, New York City and Newport, Rhode Island

In 1844, nine friends formed a yacht club and set out on an inaugural cruise from New York City to Newport.  Today, this exclusive club is based over two beautiful spots: a Beaux-Arts building in Manhattan, and a grand waterfront location in Newport.  

San Francisco Yacht Club

For its elegance and exclusivity, this is easily one of the best yacht clubs in the world, established in 1869, and offering panoramic views from its private harbour at Belvedere.  Its annual regattas pass beneath the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, attracting spectators from around the world.

Grand Bahama Yacht Club

With its easily navigated deep-water marina, this Freeport-based club welcomes larger yachts to its turn-of-the-century clubhouse. Guests can also enjoy its Olympic-sized pool and adjacent bar.

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club was established in 1844 in the historic city of Hamilton. Its club house displays an extensive collection of maritime history, and amenities include an elegant terrace restaurant and bar with panoramic harbour views.   

Dubai Marina Yacht Club

What it lacks in history, this yacht club makes up for in facilities. With five marinas, exquisite private member lounges and a dedicated concierge service, as well as restaurants and shopping arcades, this spot ranks among the best yacht clubs in the world.

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club 

Asia’s premier yacht club was established in 1849 as the Victoria Regatta Club, and its principle base in Causeway Bay enjoys some of the most expansive views of the harbour and Hong Kong’s ever-changing skyline. 

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Sydney

Host of the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Australia’s most prestigious yacht club was founded in 1944.  Nestled along the beautiful Rushcutters Bay foreshore, it enjoys stunning harbour views and world-class facilities.

To enjoy access to some of the best yacht clubs in the world, you’ll need to discover the best in luxury  yacht charter .  With their global reach and excellent connections, the Y.CO charter team will be delighted to find the ideal yacht for you. 

Information was sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

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Discover the best yacht clubs in the world

Published 15 November 2023

Renowned for their historic sailing traditions, stunning locations and exclusive membership, the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world offer a unique social hub for like-minded yachting enthusiasts to enjoy. As social venues go, the worlds these clubs inhabit have the upper hand, particularly during some of their regattas. Burgess takes a look behind the scenes at some of the best yacht clubs in the world. 

What is a yacht club: history.

Founded in 1720, the Royal Cork Yacht Club was a forerunner and became the first formally established yacht club in the world. Before this time, yachts were typically owned by royalty, but as non-royals began to purchase or build their own yachts to sail and race, clubs began to form to aid in the organisation of such races and regattas.  

Then, and now, few institutions compete with the exclusivity and prestige of a yacht club. Whether founded by a prince, boasting a rich history and tradition, or as a recent addition to the most highly ranked yacht clubs in the world, being an esteemed member of any of these yacht clubs is the pinnacle of yachting for many. The majority of the clubhouses are located in iconic seaside settings (or in major cities, as is the case for the New York Yacht Club) and have world-class amenities. Upholding sailing traditions to this day, every yacht club will organise regattas and racing, and a few have also become training centres for young sailors.  

Members can also benefit from club facilities which can include anything from grand and stately rooms for entertaining and socialising in, to swimming pools, concierge services, high-end restaurants, and, most importantly, a yachting community to socialise and network with. With all this typically comes a high joining and membership fee and a rigorous application process, including recommendations and meticulous screening, meaning that the resulting membership pool are a close-knit community of generally like-minded people.  

What to wear to a yacht club?

Remaining traditional, most yacht clubs have specific guidelines for dress code inside their clubs. Depending on the time of day or event, the dress code for men is usually collared shirts or polos rather than t-shirts, with trousers rather than shorts and closed-toe shoes. Ties are not usually required for lunch, and, given the locations of most of the clubs, light colours and light fabrics are also advisable.  

For ladies, tops should not be strappy or too casual, while skirts or dresses should be a suitable length. Trousers for ladies are also acceptable at most clubs, while footwear of any style, other than trainers or flip flops, are allowed. Hats of any sort are usually also forbidden inside.  

The best yacht clubs in the world

There are thousands of yacht clubs in the world but only a handful are considered to be elite . Whether famed for their historic sailing traditions, their sumptuous settings or their excellent facilities, one thing all of our selected yacht clubs have in common is their exclusive and respected membership.  

The Royal Yacht Squadron  

Not quite the world’s oldest club, but one of the most famous of the historic ones, the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) was established in 1815. Originally set up as a local club by 42 original members with an interest in yachting, its royal association began just two years after its founding when the Prince Regent, later King George IV, became a member. Later on, when he acceded to become King, it was then renamed the Royal Yacht Squadron and its clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight, UK.

The club has always attracted famous and illustrious members. As well as George IV, Nelson’s Captain at Trafalgar Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy was a founder member, and later the explorer Robert Falcon Scott (Scott of the Antarctic). These famous members and royal associations secured its reputation as one of the most influential yachting establishments. It was RYS’s commodore who originally challenged the New York Yacht Club and their racing yacht America to a round-the-island race in 1851 – a contest now known as the America’s Cup (see NYYC below). The RYS also initiated the regatta racing rule which mandates racing yachts to give way to the vessel on the starboard tack (a rule which must have saved countless accidents since its inception).  

Today the club hosts several regattas, the most famous of which is Cowes Week. There are just over 500 members of the Royal Yacht Squadron, 75 of whom are Naval members and 60 of whom are Honorary members.  Only British yacht club members are permitted to fly the White Ensign on their yachts – a unique privilege for Squadron members only those dates back to 1829 when it was gifted to them by King William, who was himself a member. Membership to the club is by recommendation from existing members and subject to a secret ballot.  

New York Yacht Club

The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) was established in 1844 by John Cox Stevens. He was the owner of the schooner America, with which he triumphed against a fleet of British yachts in 1851 in what became the prequel to the America’s Cup race named after his vessel. Between 1857 and 1983 the NYYC then successfully defended the cup a further 25 times, before eventually losing it to the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s yacht AUSTRALIA II. This was and still is the longest winning streak (in terms of years) in any sport.  

From transatlantic victories to its famous ‘cruises’, the club has been a founder of many of yachting’s great firsts. Since losing the cup to Australia in 1983, the club has welcomed younger sailors to its two clubhouses: one in a stunning Beaux-Arts building in Manhattan and the other in a grander waterfront location in Newport, Rhode Island.  The former is a jacket and tie establishment, and the latter provides members with access to the ideal sailing conditions promised by the deep waters around Rhode Island. Today, the club’s burgee, which only club members are permitted to fly, is recognised the yachting world over. 

Yacht Club de Monaco

Founded in 1953 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the Yacht Club de Monaco is a relatively new entrant to the scene which nevertheless holds a unique position in international yachting. Created from the old Société des Regates, its aim was to promote yachting within the Principality, and judging by the number of yachts which populate Monaco’s Port Hercule it has certainly succeeded. The Club is twinned with several clubs, including two of the world’s leading yacht clubs – the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the Real Club Nautico de Barcelona. Members are therefore able to participate in sporting activities held between clubs and access each other’s clubhouse and facilities.  

The Yacht Club de Monaco’s major focus is racing, but the social scene is not far behind. This is a club with such an exclusive members’ list that although it is the place to be seen, the members remain discreet. His Royal Highness, Prince Sovereign Albert II, has been Club President since 1984 and is also responsible for the clubhouse that opened in 2014.

Located at the heart of the Principality overlooking Port Hercules, the futuristic-styled Norman Foster designed building resembles a yacht with a series of deck-like terraces, all offering spectacular views over the Mediterranean. A fantastic venue for socialising and entertaining with all manner of events for the yachting community, including exclusive parties and events throughout the Monaco Yacht Show , the clubhouse is also home to the 1909 Restaurant, the Sunrise Restaurant, the Aquarama Riva Bar, Observatory Deck, and the Ballroom. Members also have access to a large outdoor swimming pool and lounge deck area.  

Membership is extremely limited and prospective candidates are rigorously vetted. Applications must be supported by two existing members and if successful, they are welcomed with a party and dinner in their honour. Given its exclusive nature, a formal dress code for day and evening wear is mandatory for all.  

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

Founded in 1967 by HH the Aga Khan, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) is one of the leading yacht clubs in the Mediterranean. Amongst the world’s most eminent yachting destinations, Sardinia’s Porto Cervo and the surrounding waters are the club’s main draw. This coastline provides ideal conditions for sailing and as a result the club hosts some of the world’s most prestigious regattas, including the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the Rolex Swan Cup, and the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta.  

Aside from its impressive racing calendar, the YCCS has become one of the most luxurious locations for superyachts throughout the summer season. With an impressive social scene, the clubhouse literally buzzes with high-profile members stepping ashore from their yachts to enjoy its many amenities. The clubhouse itself also offers a panoramic pool terrace, al fresco dining, a wellness centre and spa, and a member’s lounge and bar, while also located within walking distance is the Pevero Golf Club and Cala Granu Beach.  

Membership is strict, with a new member having to be proposed by two current members. A Club Uniform is available for YCCS members and must be worn if participating in certain events when members are officially representing the Club. Evening attire also requires the typical clubhouse attire, with long trousers and a shirt (no t-shirts) and closed shoes for men, while ladies must wear a suitable length skirt or trousers.  Along with the Yacht Club de Monaco, the YCCS is twinned with the prestigious New York Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron.  

St Francis Yacht Club 

The St Francis Yacht Club (StFYC) is one of the world’s most prestigious sailing clubs. It is also one of the oldest American yacht clubs, having been founded in 1927 when a few members from the San Francisco Yacht Club decided to move their clubhouse from Sausalito to Belvedere.  

Today, the Mediterranean Revival-style clubhouse affords dazzling views over the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the infamous Alcatraz. More importantly, it provides access to some of the most spectacular sailing waters in the world, with berthing on the shores of San Francisco Bay and access to the private Tinsley Island in the Sacramento Delta.  

St Francis Yacht Club members enjoy a busy schedule of racing events, including the Rolex Big Boat Series. The Club also hosts a series of social events within its clubhouse dining and multiple event spaces. The dress code for social engagements is formal, with clubhouse attire post 6pm requiring jackets for men and the equivalent evening dress for ladies. Membership to the club is by invitation only, with nominations sponsored by between one and three existing members based on the level of membership required.  

Dubai Marina Yacht Club

It may not hold the historic prestige of the other yacht clubs featured here, but what the Dubai Marina Yacht Club lacks in history it certainly makes up for in facilities and luxury. Located in the heart of New Dubai, the Club is one of the largest yacht clubs in the world, encompassing five marinas located along the Persian Gulf coastline. Enveloped by soaring skyscrapers on either side, the Club House Marina lies at the heart of the Dubai Marina Yacht Club, while the West Bay Marina is perfectly located for ease of access to the sea. 

East Marina and the Marina Promenade offer an array of restaurants and shopping arcades, and the Marina Mall is the entertainment and retail hub. Member lounges are spread across the facility, including the Aquara Lounge and the Yots Sports lounge.  Amenities across all marinas include several member lounges and a 24/7 concierge service. Being a Dubai Marina Yacht Club member allows for berthing perks, a 24/7 concierge service, access to water taxis, pools, and gyms, and invites to yachting events dedicated to showcasing the region’s geography and culture.  

Grand Bahama Yacht Club

With its easily navigated deep-water marina on the island of Grand Bahama, the Grand Bahama Yacht Club in Freeport is one of the most prominent marinas in the Caribbean. Welcoming large yachts to its convenient location just to the north of The Bahamas archipelago, the Club is a designated Bahamas Port of Entry and often the first port-of-call in The Bahamas for yachts coming from Florida.

Membership of the Grand Bahama Yacht Club includes access to the turn-of-the-century modern clubhouse with its European architecture and lush tropical landscaping. It also has an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and 24/7 security.  

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Founded in 1944, The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has become Australia’s most prestigious yacht club. Host to the famous Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the club has world-class facilities for both the sailing elite and its members, who also enjoy access to the club’s comprehensive sailing programme.

Nestled along the Rushcutters Bay foreshore, the modern clubhouse enjoys stunning harbour views, a large 213-berth marina, function rooms, and other clubhouse amenities including a bar and lounge. Membership to the CYCA is on a referral basis.  

Barbados Yacht Club

The Barbados Yacht Club is located on Carlisle Bay and as such it provides access to stunning beaches and ideal sailing conditions that the Caribbean is known for. From the beach bar to tennis to a host of sailing programmes, members benefit from a wide array of both sailing and social activities.  

Like many of the other clubs in this list, the Barbados Yacht Club hosts a variety of regattas, including the Mount Gay Rum Barbados Regatta along with recreational activities like tennis and sailing programmes, while the clubhouse also has a restaurant and bar for socialising. Membership to the Barbados Yacht Club is through a monthly ballot and is based on sailing performance.  

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Sailing in Style: Exploring the World’s Best Yacht Clubs

Yacht clubs hold a unique allure, offering members and visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the world of sailing, fostering a passion for the sport, and promoting boating as a lifestyle. Some of the world’s best yacht clubs, including those in Asia, stand as prime examples of this remarkable commitment.

Read on as we discover the best and most remarkable yacht clubs around the globe that every sailor needs to visit.

The best yacht clubs in the world

Royal hong kong yacht club, hong kong.

Nestled in the heart of one of Asia’s most vibrant cities , the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club boasts a rich history and a breathtaking location. With a variety of programs for sailors of all levels, this club serves as a hub for sailing enthusiasts in the region. The club’s efforts extend to nurturing young talent, ensuring the future of sailing remains bright in Asia.

Singapore Yacht Club, Singapore

The Singapore Yacht Club, situated on the picturesque Sentosa Island, is not only a yacht club but also a lively community for sailing aficionados. With state-of-the-art facilities and a thriving racing calendar, this club promotes a strong sailing culture in the heart of Singapore.

Yacht Club de Monaco, Monaco

The Yacht Club de Monaco is a beacon of sophistication and innovation in the yachting world . Beyond its luxurious setting, the club is dedicated to promoting sustainable yachting, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of the industry while maintaining its traditions.

New York Yacht Club, United States

As one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs in the world, the New York Yacht Club stands as a symbol of tradition and excellence. The club encourages participation in regattas, fostering a competitive spirit that has led to numerous successful American sailing teams on the world stage.

Royal Yacht Squadron, United Kingdom

Located in the heart of the sailing mecca, Cowes, the Royal Yacht Squadron has been instrumental in the growth of boating as a lifestyle . With a history dating back to 1815, it’s not just a yacht club; it’s a custodian of the sport’s traditions and values.

Yacht Clubs: Promoting the Growth of Boating as a Lifestyle

Yacht clubs play a pivotal role in promoting boating as a lifestyle, both in their local communities and on a global scale. Here’s how:

Education and Training

Yacht clubs offer sailing schools, coaching programs, and various certification courses to individuals of all ages and skill levels. These programs not only introduce newcomers to the sport but also ensure that experienced sailors continue to improve their craft.

Community Building

Yacht clubs are more than just places to dock boats. They create communities of like-minded individuals who share a passion for the sea . This sense of belonging helps individuals connect, share knowledge, and promote the boating lifestyle.

Competitive Spirit

Many yacht clubs host regattas, races, and competitive events. These events foster a spirit of healthy competition, encouraging sailors to strive for excellence while enjoying the thrill of the sport.

Environmental Stewardship

Several clubs actively promote environmental awareness and sustainability within the yachting community. This commitment ensures that boating remains sustainable for future generations.

International Collaboration

Yacht clubs often collaborate with one another, hosting international events and promoting the exchange of ideas, experiences, and cultures. This international network strengthens the boating lifestyle globally.

In conclusion, yacht clubs around the world, including those in Asia, are more than just exclusive social clubs; they are hubs of sailing culture and passion. They play a vital role in promoting boating as a lifestyle by offering education, building communities, fostering a competitive spirit, championing sustainability, and facilitating international collaboration. The world’s best yacht clubs exemplify the enduring appeal of the sea and the sense of adventure it offers to all who set sail.

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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.

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.

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.

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

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Which MSC ship has the best Yacht Club?

By floridian1 , April 10, 2018 in MSC Cruises

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

Is there any big differences between them?

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Seaside, they have cushion loungers and a great grill pool side and plenty of room.

So do the other ships I believe.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.?

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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...

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!)

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?

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Review: MSC Yacht Club (Cruise – Business Class)

Cruising is completely different than the rest of the ship when it’s inside of a separate business class or first class portion of the ship. Here’s a look at MSC Yacht Club.

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*Note: I own a travel agency and was given access to this sailing, however, neither my praise nor critiques were disclosed to the cruise line prior to publication.

Ship Within A Ship

Many that aren’t regular cruisers don’t know that there’s a private section of the ship reserved solely for ship within a ship or business class for cruises. I added more color to this in a prior post but a few things I will add. It’s entirely possible to never leave the MSC Yacht Club and have an insulated and elevated experience. Every aspect of the experience is different from the rest of the ship from boarding, to who answers the phone, suites, menu items, even the elevators. Whatever your impression of large ocean cruising has been, if it hasn’t been in a private section like the MSC Yacht Club experience, it’s probably drastically different. If you flew United Airlines in a middle seat at the back of a wide body on a 12-hour flight and decided all flying was just that experience, you’d miss out on Polaris and it wouldn’t really be true.

This is a look at the second of those two experiences.

Concierge Desk

Upon arriving at the Yacht Club, the Concierge Desk on the 16th floor is the first thing to greet guests. Staffed 24/7 with at least one (usually three) Yacht Club concierges, they can coordinate anything throughout the ship if guests choose to explore other areas, or within the club. From shore excursions to massages at the MSC Aurea Spa, the concierge staff, specifically Guillermo, were excellent.

From the first greeting, they called each of my family members by name and started to predict what we’d like.

There are just 131 suites in the MSC Yacht Club section. Some of these are expanded, and most have balconies, but for those who want the expanded features of the Yacht Club but don’t have the additional budget, there are 15 interior rooms available in this section. For those bidding upgrades, these rooms run from $200 more than a standard so if you’re ok with an interior, there’s a lot of added value and it’s probably in the range of the best upgrade you can book on the ship outside of restaurants. Personally, interior rooms are not for me but as an upgrade, it’s objectively the best value on the boat.

Our suite was spacious and large. The ship is relatively new (just over a year old when we sailed in January 2024) so modern amenities were placed throughout. Luggage storage is on the right as soon as you enter the suite, to the left is the bathroom. Along the right wall drawers, a desk, a TV, a mini-fridge, and lastly a closet runs the length of the suite to the balcony.

On the left, is a king bed with full-sized closets. Buttressing the bed were nightstands with additional storage, reading lights, and power outlets including both USB-C, USB, European, and US outlets. The bed was comfortable as was the pull-out. Pillows from the kids club awaited both of our kids and a cookie plate for Lucy, our ten-year-old daughter.

A column with books and artwork separate a pull-out couch, and a glass coffee table before the balcony. Our butler had a welcome amenity that included a bottle of champagne, an array of fruit, and some light bite canapés.

The deck had space for a pair of chairs and a lounger.

The bathroom was one of the more impressive we’ve seen on a cruise ship. The vanity ran the width of the suite with plenty of space for grooming items. The shower was not only large with a rain shower head, but it had enough space for a reasonably large bench. We also enjoyed the Med toiletries.

Yacht Club Dining Room

The Yacht Club, in addition to being a class of service is also a physical place open only to its guests. The Yacht Club restaurant was similar to the concept of a main dining room but rather than specific meal times, MSC Yacht Club guests were permitted to dine any time they like within a number of hours for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Below the YAcht Club restaurant is the Top Sail lounge which is open almost all day and night. I’m not ure if it closes as one night I was there well past 2 AM, and while the bar had long closed, I continued working undisturbed while staff cleaned and readied it for the next day. Drinks in the Top Sail lounge are included, and one of the MSC Yacht Club perks is that you don’t need a drink package to order cocktails throughout the rest of the ship – any drink up to $16 is included.

MSC Yacht Club Pool and Solarium

Exclusive to Yacht Club guests is access to a pool area only for the ship-within-a-ship’s guests. On the 19th is a sun deck (solarium), access-restricted pool, bar, and outdoor buffet. I will first contrast this with a photo of the general pool area and then one from the Yacht Club. During our 7-day cruise, we only saw other people in the Yacht Club pool twice though the loungers around the solarium and hot tub were well-attended.

While most don’t go to the pool to eat, at each meal time there was an extensive buffet of hot and cold food, and staff that would customize anything on it. It was rather convenient to be able to get a snack with plenty of options both hearty and healthy while enjoying the sun.

Specialty Dining

Regardless of the fare purchased, specialty dining (restaurants onboard) incur an additional charge. With all food included either in dining rooms or buffets, many don’t see the need to purchase a dining package. Personally, we wouldn’t go without one and while the Yacht Club restaurant offered an elevated menu, even though it’s included we ate almost every night in a different restaurant onboard. The food was of a very high quality, spaces were less crowded, and it simply wasn’t that much considering what we were able to enjoy. A popular package includes a three-restaurant selection for $99/per person. For $110, the Mexican restaurant is added with an all-you-can-eat menu (but not a buffet) and for $149, five restaurants are available. At minimum, I would recommend the $110 package.

The specialty restaurants onboard we visited included:

• Butcher’s Cut (steakhouse)
• Ocean Cay (seafood)
• Kaito (sushi)
• Hola! (Mexican)
• Kaito (teppanyaki)

With a specialty dining package, travelers are permitted to order off a condensed menu and a single item from the category. For example, at the Butcher’s Cut, I ordered a starter of prawn cocktail (U8), a 14 oz New York Strip, a side of Asparagus, and a molten chocolate cake for dessert.

Here were some other highlights from Butcher’s Cut:

Ocean Cay is a name used for a couple of things with the MSC Cruise family. It’s the name of its specialty dining seafood restaurant (photos below) as well as the name of its private island.

Kaito is both the name of the Teppanyaki restaurant and a conveyer-belt sushi restaurant (Lucky Cat Sushi Bar.) The food was fantastic and at our dinner, there was just one other couple at our table, others were about 75% full.

One more segment that is not specialty dining is the Marketplace, an international buffet with something for everyone open most of the day and well into the evening. On our first MSC cruise, we didn’t have a Yacht Club suite and found ourselves at Marketplace for a slice of pizza. It was incredible and MSC, owned by an Italian-Swiss family, has incredible pizza with a true pizzaiolo. The pizza was so good that until close every night there was a line. I asked to speak with the pizzaiolos and learned that each night, dough for between 1,000 and 1,200 pizzas is prepped and proofed for massive 18″ pizzas. They mix up the ingredients but cheese and pepperoni on a New York-style crust was truly legendary.

Butler Service

For some lines, Butler service is more “in name only” but our Butler, Putu was exceptional. He was offended if we made a dinner reservation or left without him. Any time we had an appointment (spa, dinner, a show – even shopping) he insisted on accompanying us through the ship. He adjusted what was in our suite each day, ensured it was clean regardless of the irregular hours, and saw that our every need was fulfilled.

One of the benefits of butler service is that when you indicate you intend to catch a show, not only will they accompany you to the theater, but they have a special section reserved for Yacht Club and they defend it if needed.

Lastly, as our time onboard came to an end, Putu met us at our room and disembarked with us. While Yacht Club features priority embarkation and disembarkation, guests will flow into a general area upon arriving at a destination port like Miami. In his tuxedo with tails, he politely navigated us through the crowd moving ropes and barriers along the way and cutting the line for us. While we would have patiently waited, he was insistent that this was part of his service and we obliged. He guided us through to our luggage, helped us retrieve them and bid us farewell at customs where we returned to the United States. Outside of extreme elites in unpublished tiers on airlines (United Global Services, American Airlines Concierge Key, etc.) I can’t think of an example where this level of personal assistance is performed. I’ve never been to an airline lounge, where the staff walk you through the airport and carry your bags while shopping. It’s exceptional and just part of the Yacht Club experience.

Ocean Cay (Island)

Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas was converted from a dumping site to a beautiful ecological paradise. Each year, foliage improves, and sealife is benefiting from the island’s new coral reef. Like the rest of the Yacht Club experience, what applied to the rest of the ship didn’t apply to us. Golf carts took Yacht Club guests from a shaded waiting tent on the island to the far reaches where a Yacht Club-only restaurant (Ocean House) and a private beach awaited. The Butler and Yacht Club staff waited on us in the restaurant and in the sand.

Other Inclusions

A bottle of your choice (in addition to welcome champagne) is provided for each guest suite. Room service is also included (an extra charge throughout the rest of the ship) and we took advantage of the amazing pizza rather than heading to the buffet. The Aurea Thermal Suite is more than just a spa. It features a salt room, a walk-through rinse station with seven stages adjusting the light, and water composition as you move through it. While an extra cost for other guests, it’s included for Yacht Club and the massage inside (additional charge for every guest) was exceptional.

While not included for any guest, the onboard chocolatier, Venchi, had unbeatable gelato for $6-8 depending on what was ordered.

What’s not to like? A few things. For one, the ship was enormous (5,179 passengers) and while that offers plenty to do, it also brings with it it’s own set of issues. In the Yacht Club end of the boat we had elevators that reduced time to get to different decks but throughout the rest of the ship, waits could be long.

The marketplace (buffet) was packed all the time and this led to a dining room that was tough to maintain and food quality suffered. Despite the pizza team standing at 4-5 people at any one point in time, there was still almost always a line, and most pizzas that came out were quickly gone as soon as they hit the window.

The onboard waterpark was also busy on hot days and the waterslides closed at 6 PM, a little early on sea days. Some of the elevated arcade games like a 4-D motion theater, were a little expensive for a few minutes of entertainment.

In the Yacht Club dining room, I would have liked an “express meal” option as we traveled with children, and dinners that last 60-90 minutes are a little harder than we’d like.

Another Boarding Area blogger had posted a poor experience in MSC choosing not to opt for Yacht Club or extras. The complaints aligned with a passenger that might fly Basic Economy on American Airlines but then attribute that to the entire experience of American when, in fact, business class is a completely different experience. Perhaps in a standard cabin, issues of drink packages, and dinner times are inconvenient. But if you’re a business class customer, you shouldn’t fly in Basic Economy – it’s a mismatch.

Yacht Club is about double the cost of a similar room category on the rest of the ship. That’s a little less than the premium of flying in the front when comparing business class to economy.  That said, with the extra inclusions and a 4-restaurant dining package, it was a terrific value. MSC’s Ocean Cay island is exceptional, as is the butler service, and the ability to have a quiet experience separated from the rest of the ship but the amenities and comfort that a large boat can offer.

What do you think? Have you cruised in a ship-within-a-ship concept like Yacht Club? How was your experience?

About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: [email protected]

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17 comments.

Kyle, Do you know if all cruise ships have these type of “special” areas and classes?

@Patrick – Almost all lines off something like this, even Carnival. For Royal, it’s Suites Class Neighborhood, Celebrity Retreat, Norwegian Haven, Holland Neptune, Cunard and Princess have Grill Class, and Disney has Concierge.

But in the same range of those prices (right now it might be cheaper because of the ongoing sale) you might also look at Explora Journeys: https://liveandletsfly.com/onboard-explora-journeys-a-five-star-resort-at-sea/

Great review! I’m especially appreciative of all the detailed food photos!! Would love to see a review of Celebrity’s Retreat class next.

@FTer – Ok, twist my arm. I’ll get something booked.

A fair and thoughtful review! I would echo almost everything you wrote, having just gotten off a week-long Yacht Club cruise out of NYC. The butler experience was definitely a highlight, from start to finish. We found the food, even in the Yacht Club, to be disappointing. Next time, we’ll take your suggestion and branch out to the speciality venues.

One additional thing that we noted was the quality (or lack thereof) of the wines. Just really, really bad, especially for a cruise line that calls Italy ‘home’. We actually got into a joking back-and-forth with one of the sommeliers about how cheap and nasty the selections were – when we suggested that most of the bottles could be bought at CVS for $4.99, he shot back that we were wrong, and that wine would only be $2.99 if we used our ExtraCare card. And that price was for a gallon. So at least they have a sense of humor about it! Also found it odd that the selections in the Yacht Club were the same as what was available throughout the ship. Nothing extra or elevated.

Interesting stuff, although those steak prices are higher than what I have paid for steaks at restaurants where I hadn’t even paid for my meals.

As per previous comments on the issue, I really cannot see cruising being for me, although if I do end up on one I will be aware of the tip to check if I can upgrade. Do TUI also have a ship-within-ship concept?

(I obviously meant ‘where I hadn’t even PREpaid for my meals’)

@Kyle, “Our butler had a welcome amenity that included a bottle of champagne…” “A bottle of your choice (in addition to welcome champagne)…” Uh, I’d be pretty peeved if you told me I got Champagne but gave me that $15 bottle of Asti instead. Maybe edit your post and be more accurate in the future?

Anyway, I think your conclusion is in line with what I’ve heard. Yacht Club is a great value compared to other ship-within-a-ship products. The rooms are much smaller (apparently, most YC “suites” are about the same size as balcony cabins), but the exclusive areas are larger.

I just purchased Asti sparkling wine for $5 a bottle. Goes great with Aperol.

I appreciate Rene’s non YC experience won’t be the same but feels a stretch to call it booking basic economy and not knowing what to expect.

If that’s the case MSCis very different for the “average” cruiser – actively basic economy isn’t a thing with cruising right?

@Greg – I like Rene and respect his work. He called the steak he received when he paid for the specialty dining one of the best he’s had in his entire life, not just on a cruise ship. I think that at $110 for four specialty restaurants if you know that’s what you want and expect is a bargain. The price point for the rest of the ship is also lower than other contemporary competitors but probably aligns with that. And we agree the pizza is fantastic.

A good review of a comp’ed / sponsored trip. But I take many issues:

First up, even thought you did not mention me or link, it is clear you are talking about my horrid MSC cruise.

I would not compare a fully paid balcony cabin as “basic economy” but more mile Premium and think others would agree. Also Diamond status, other than a free specialty night, is all but pointless.

Next up the food, outside specialty and YC is horrible. Unclean shrimp and shoe leather steaks are a total fail. Service so slow it takes an hour for breakfast and most times not what you ordered.

In YC you don’t have the limitations the other 5000 guests have regarding drink choices and so much more.

If MSC paid me I would not ever set food on another of their ships unless in YC because the experience truly is BASIC ECONOMY at best with MSC!

@Rene – I found we had very different experiences and perhaps that’s down to Yacht Club vs not. However, you glossed past the strong points too. In this comment you both call your experience both Premium and Basic Economy. I’m not sure that the food on a contemporary ship outside of specialty restaurants is particularly spectacular, but found their specialty restaurants to be a particularly good value. One of the highlights of the latest review I read stated your Buthcher’s Cut steak was the best you’d had anywhere, not just on a cruise ship. Considering they offer 3 specialty restaurants for $99, I’d assume that’s a terrific value unless you’ve never had an entire meal (starter, entree, sides, and dessert) at a steakhouse that costs more than $33.

It’s not a secret that for much of the Boarding Area audience, economy – basic, standard, or premium – is not how they travel. And it’s also no secret that much of our readership was unaware that ship-within-a-ship (cruise business class) exists at all. As I said in the post, if you bought an economy ticket but you’re a business class flyer – that airline might be the worst you’ve ever flown in your mind. But if you bought a lie flat in the front, the experience is entirely different. I recognize that MSC’s Yacht Club is not the broader MSC experience, it’s limited, more costly, and exclusive. But I believe you called he brand “horrid” in your titles which I am not sure is fair. When we interacted outside of the Yacht Club, our experience wasn’t horrid at all. But where we agree is that Yacht Club is generally a completely different experience to the rest of the ship and that’s both where the Live And Let’s Fly readership tends to travel, and also was largely unaware the class existed. I was happy to bring my experience to our readership.

Reading his review and between your lines MSC is providing a ‘basic economy’ kind of product but not advertising it that way

Even more concerning, according to his account ordering a premium drink package leaves you with no real premium wine option onboard. He notes only one wine bar had additional wines for those with the premium package, and in the Yacht Club only one bar offered it. What good is the one decent steak if it’s with cheap wine.

and if yacht club dining is serving sub $15 a bottle wine forget it.

In the last twenty years we have been on ten cruises, with the 6-9 on Celebrity, and the ninth in The Retreat. Really enjoyed their “ship within a ship” but decided the cost just too much for an old retired couple.

Did a short cruise on MSC SEASHORE in early March, in a regular balcony. Not up to celebrity level, but well worth it at the lower cost. Have now booked SIX MSC Yacht Club cruises in the next 12 months, with two suites and four interior. We’ve never done an interior on any cruise, but this is a great way to experience the Yacht Club at a much lower cost. Also have two more Celebrity cruises for November 2024 and 2025.

Oh my! Lucy has grown up (Of course she has!) I still smile when I recall Lucy’s portraits in Thailand. Don’t know if our younger ones appreciate glorious travel, but, darn it, it makes us feel good when we share with them. Thanks, as always, Kyle.

@docntx – Before we know it, she’ll be driving. Thanks for following all of these years!

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Yacht Dreaming

Best Yacht Clubs in the Bay Area

The Ultimate Guide to Yacht Clubs in the Bay Area

Are you a yacht enthusiast looking for the best yacht clubs in the Bay Area? If you are, then you’re in luck because we have compiled a list of the top yacht clubs in the Bay Area. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at what distinguishes these yacht clubs from the rest and what they have to offer.

What is a Yacht Club?

Before we dive into the best yacht clubs in the Bay Area, let’s talk about what a yacht club is. A yacht club is a private club that is typically located near a body of water. They are usually established for the purpose of promoting and organizing recreational boating activities. Most yacht clubs offer their members access to boat storage, rental, maintenance, and repair services.

The Benefits of Joining a Yacht Club

There are many benefits to joining a yacht club. Aside from the obvious access to boats and boating-related services, yacht clubs also offer a sense of community and camaraderie. Members can participate in organized boating events, competitions, and social gatherings. They can also attend educational seminars and workshops to improve their boating skills.

The Top Yacht Clubs in the Bay Area

Now, let’s take a closer look at the best yacht clubs in the Bay Area.

1. St. Francis Yacht Club

The St. Francis Yacht Club is located in the heart of San Francisco Bay. It has a long and rich history dating back to 1927. The club boasts a wide range of facilities including a marina, a dining room, a bar, a fitness center, and a pool. It also has a junior sailing program that is open to kids aged 8 to 18.

2. Corinthian Yacht Club

The Corinthian Yacht Club is located in Tiburon, California, and was established in 1886. The club has a rich history and is known for its beautiful clubhouse which overlooks the San Francisco Bay. It boasts a wide range of facilities including a marina, a junior sailing program, a bar, and a dining room.

3. Tiburon Yacht Club

The Tiburon Yacht Club is also located in Tiburon, California, and was established in 1965. The club is known for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It offers a wide range of facilities including a marina, a clubhouse, a bar, and a dining room. The club also has an active racing season and hosts several racing events throughout the year.

Cruising in Style: Miami’s 6 Best Yacht Clubs

Miami is known for its beautiful beaches and stunning ocean views, making it the perfect destination for yacht enthusiasts.

With so many yacht clubs in the city, it can be overwhelming to choose one to join or visit. That's why we've compiled a list of the best yacht clubs in Miami to help you narrow down your options.

From exclusive and luxurious to laid-back and casual, Miami's yacht clubs cater to all types of boaters. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a beginner looking to learn the ropes, there's a yacht club in Miami that will meet your needs.

Each club has its own unique vibe and amenities, making it important to choose the one that aligns with your preferences and interests.

Many of Miami's yacht clubs offer more than just a place to dock your boat. They provide members with access to top-notch facilities such as swimming pools, restaurants, and fitness centers.

Some clubs even offer social events and activities for the whole family, making them a great way to meet new people and make lasting connections.

So, if you're looking to join a yacht club in Miami or simply want to visit one while in town, keep reading for our top picks.

From the glitz and glamour of high-end clubs to the laid-back charm of more casual ones, Miami's yacht clubs offer something for everyone.

1. Boat Charters in Miami

Boat Charters in Miami is a yacht club that offers an exceptional on the water experience. The yacht is spacious and beautiful, and the captain and boat mate are friendly and accommodating.

The crew is knowledgeable and professional, making sure that everyone feels safe and secure during the trip.

They provide coolers and Bluetooth options for music, making the trip comfortable and enjoyable.

Boat Charters in Miami is highly recommended for anyone looking for a hassle-free boat tour or rental service.

• Set Sail in Style: 16 Must-Try Boat Rentals in Miami!

2. Golden Yacht Charters

Golden Yacht Charters is a top-notch yacht club that offers boat tours, rentals, and brokerage services.

The crew and staff are highly experienced and professional, providing excellent service to their clients.

The boats are well-maintained and equipped with water toys for added fun.

Whether you're looking to watch the sunset or bring in the new year, Golden Yacht Charters is the perfect choice for your next event. Highly recommended!

3. Miami Yacht Club

Miami Yacht Club is a private boating club that offers a peaceful and beautiful setting for sailing and enjoying good food. The club has a bar, restaurant, marina, and ramp.

Members of the club can enjoy a superior location and a casual atmosphere. The food at the restaurant is expertly prepared and absolutely delicious.

Visitors can enjoy indoor seating with a bar or take in the amazing views from the dock. The staff at the club provides excellent service, making it a fitting location for sail sport racers.

Miami Yacht Club is a great place to learn to sail, and its island-like atmosphere and community make it a low-key old-school Miami gem.

4. Biscayne Bay Yacht Club

Biscayne Bay Yacht Club is a must-visit for anyone who loves a good view.

The water views here are simply gorgeous and provide a serene atmosphere for guests to enjoy. The club has a tree-lined, old Florida vibe that adds to its charm.

While the food is good, it is the company that really makes the experience unforgettable. As a yacht club, it offers everything one could need to enjoy a day out on the water.

Whether you're a seasoned sailor or just looking for a fun day out, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club is definitely worth checking out.

5. Coconut Grove Sailing Club

Coconut Grove Sailing Club is a sailing club that offers affordable and high-quality sailing lessons for all ages. The instructors are dedicated and create a terrific learning environment.

The laid-back ambiance is a plus, and the club also offers kayaks and small sailboats for rent at discounted rates.

The kitchen and bar have limited hours, but the food has improved dramatically. The club also offers a fabulous view of the bay and great music.

If you're looking for an affordable way to enjoy the water in Miami, Coconut Grove Sailing Club is definitely worth checking out.

6. Venetian Marina & Yacht Club

Venetian Marina & Yacht Club is a great choice for boaters looking for a convenient location with easy access to the open ocean and the bay.

The staff is friendly and helpful, and the marina is well-maintained with clean bathrooms and coin laundry facilities.

Renting a boat for the day is a breeze, with reasonable prices and even snorkel equipment and water tubes available.

While getting in and out of the marina can be slightly difficult, it's worth it for the stunning views and proximity to downtown Miami. If you're looking for a departure point for day trips, Venetian Marina & Yacht Club is a great option.

• Dockin’ and Rollin’: Miami’s Top 10 Marinas to Set Sail For!

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Discovering the Best Yacht Clubs in Massachusetts: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction to Yacht Clubs in Massachusetts

Yacht clubs have been a vital part of Massachusetts’ maritime history for centuries. With its stunning coastline, picturesque harbors, and beautiful islands, Massachusetts is an ideal location for yacht enthusiasts to gather, socialize, and enjoy the sailing lifestyle.

Joining a yacht club offers many benefits, from access to high-quality facilities and professional services to the opportunity to participate in sailing races and regattas. Yacht clubs also provide a great social environment where members can connect with like-minded individuals and build long-lasting friendships.

In this blog, we will provide an overview of the top yacht clubs in Massachusetts, as well as the amenities and services they offer. Whether you are a seasoned sailor or a novice looking to join a community of boaters, this guide will help you find the perfect yacht club for your needs.

Top Yacht Clubs in Cape Cod

Cape Cod is a popular location for yacht clubs due to its scenic coastline and ideal sailing conditions. Here are some of the top yacht clubs in Cape Cod:

Hyannis Yacht Club

Located in the heart of Hyannis Harbor, the Hyannis Yacht Club offers its members access to a full range of boating and social activities. The club’s facilities include a clubhouse, a waterfront deck, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a full-service marina. The Hyannis Yacht Club is known for its junior sailing program, which has produced numerous national champions over the years.

Chatham Yacht Club

Founded in 1906, the Chatham Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs on Cape Cod. Located in the charming town of Chatham, the club offers its members access to a deep-water marina, a clubhouse, a waterfront deck, and a full calendar of social events. The Chatham Yacht Club also hosts an annual regatta, which attracts sailors from all over the region.

Bass River Yacht Club

Located on the banks of the Bass River in West Dennis, the Bass River Yacht Club is a family-oriented club that offers a wide range of boating and social activities. The club’s facilities include a clubhouse, a full-service marina, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a youth sailing program. The Bass River Yacht Club is known for its friendly atmosphere and welcoming community.

Wianno Yacht Club

Founded in 1892, the Wianno Yacht Club is a historic club located in the village of Osterville. The club’s facilities include a clubhouse, a waterfront deck, a full-service marina, tennis courts, and a sailing school. The Wianno Yacht Club is known for its elegant social events, including the annual Wianno Ball.

Stage Harbor Yacht Club

Located in the picturesque town of Chatham, the Stage Harbor Yacht Club offers its members access to a full range of boating and social activities. The club’s facilities include a clubhouse, a deep-water marina, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. The Stage Harbor Yacht Club is known for its active racing program and its commitment to community service.

These are just a few of the top yacht clubs in Cape Cod. Each club has its own unique amenities and services, so be sure to do your research and find the one that best fits your needs and interests.

Top Yacht Clubs in Nantucket

Nantucket is a beautiful island located off the coast of Massachusetts and is known for its rich maritime history and stunning natural beauty. Here are some of the top yacht clubs in Nantucket:

Nantucket Yacht Club

Founded in 1904, the Nantucket Yacht Club is a premier private club located in the heart of Nantucket Harbor. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a tennis center, and a swimming pool. The Nantucket Yacht Club also hosts a number of social events throughout the year, including cocktail parties, themed dinners, and live music performances.

Great Harbor Yacht Club

Located in the picturesque Great Harbor, the Great Harbor Yacht Club is a private club that offers its members access to a full range of boating and social activities. The club’s facilities include a deep-water marina, a clubhouse, a waterfront deck, and a swimming pool. The Great Harbor Yacht Club is known for its active racing program and its commitment to environmental conservation.

Nantucket Community Sailing

Nantucket Community Sailing is a non-profit organization that offers a range of sailing programs for both adults and children. The organization operates out of the Jetties Beach location and offers sailing lessons, racing programs, and private charters. Nantucket Community Sailing also hosts a number of community events throughout the year, including the Annual Opera House Cup Regatta.

Nantucket Boat Basin

Located in the heart of Nantucket Harbor, the Nantucket Boat Basin is a full-service marina that offers its guests access to all the amenities and services they need for an unforgettable boating experience. The marina features 240 boat slips, a fuel dock, and concierge services. The Nantucket Boat Basin is also home to a number of popular restaurants and shops.

Madaket Marine

Located on the western end of Nantucket Island, Madaket Marine is a full-service marina that offers a range of services and amenities for boaters. The marina features 30 slips, a fuel dock, and a full-service repair shop. Madaket Marine also offers boat rentals, fishing charters, and scenic tours.

These are just a few of the top yacht clubs and marinas in Nantucket. Whether you’re looking for a private club with top-notch amenities or a full-service marina with all the conveniences, Nantucket has something for everyone.

Top Yacht Clubs in Martha’s Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard is a picturesque island located off the coast of Massachusetts, known for its charming towns and beautiful beaches. Here are some of the top yacht clubs in Martha’s Vineyard:

Edgartown Yacht Club

Founded in 1905, the Edgartown Yacht Club is a premier private club located in the heart of Edgartown Harbor. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a tennis center, and a swimming pool. The Edgartown Yacht Club also hosts a number of social events throughout the year, including cocktail parties, themed dinners, and live music performances.

Vineyard Haven Yacht Club

Located in Vineyard Haven Harbor, the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club is a private club that offers its members access to a range of boating and social activities. The club’s facilities include a deep-water marina, a clubhouse, a waterfront deck, and a swimming pool. The Vineyard Haven Yacht Club is known for its active racing program and its commitment to environmental conservation.

Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard

The Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard is a full-service marina located in Vineyard Haven Harbor. The shipyard offers its guests access to all the amenities and services they need for an unforgettable boating experience. The marina features 100 boat slips, a fuel dock, and concierge services. The Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard is also home to a number of popular restaurants and shops.

Menemsha Fisherman’s Cooperative

Located in Menemsha Harbor, the Menemsha Fisherman’s Cooperative is a unique organization that provides a variety of services to local fishermen, including a fish market and a fuel dock. The co-op also offers boat rentals and a variety of marine services to visitors.

Lake Tashmoo Town Beach

Lake Tashmoo Town Beach is a public beach located in Vineyard Haven. The beach is known for its calm waters and stunning views of the surrounding coastline. The beach also offers public boat ramps and parking for boaters.

These are just a few of the top yacht clubs and marinas in Martha’s Vineyard. Each club and marina has its own unique amenities and services, so be sure to do your research and find the one that best fits your needs and interests.

Cape Cod is a popular summer destination located in Massachusetts known for its picturesque coastal towns, stunning beaches, and rich maritime history. Here are some of the top yacht clubs in Cape Cod:

Founded in 1898, the Hyannis Yacht Club is a private club located in the heart of Hyannis Harbor. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a dining room. The Hyannis Yacht Club also hosts a number of events throughout the year, including regattas, social events, and charity fundraisers.

Here is a video related to this post:

The Chatham Yacht Club is a private club located in the town of Chatham. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a dining room, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. The Chatham Yacht Club is known for its active racing program and its commitment to environmental conservation.

Provincetown Yacht Club

The Provincetown Yacht Club is a private club located in the town of Provincetown. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a dining room, and a swimming pool. The Provincetown Yacht Club is known for its social events, including lobster bakes and live music performances.

The Bass River Yacht Club is a private club located in the town of West Dennis. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a swimming pool, and a dining room. The Bass 

River Yacht Club is known for its active racing program and its commitment to community service.

Sandwich Yacht Club

The Sandwich Yacht Club is a private club located in the town of Sandwich. The club offers its members access to a full-service marina, a dining room, and a swimming pool. The Sandwich Yacht Club is known for its active racing program and its family-friendly atmosphere.

These are just a few of the top yacht clubs in Cape Cod. Each club has its own unique amenities and services, so it’s important to do your research and find the one that best fits your needs and interests.

Tips for Choosing the Best Yacht Club in Massachusetts

Choosing the best yacht club in Massachusetts can be a daunting task, especially with so many options to choose from. Here are some tips to help you make the best decision:

Consider your boating needs

Think about what type of boating activities you enjoy and what services you need from a yacht club. For example, if you enjoy racing, look for a club with an active racing program. If you need a full-service marina with access to fuel and other amenities, make sure the club has these services available.

Check out the facilities

Visit the club and take a tour of the facilities to see if they meet your needs. Look for clean, well-maintained facilities, ample docking space, and access to amenities like showers and restrooms.

Research the club’s reputation

Look for reviews online and talk to other boaters to get a sense of the club’s reputation. Ask about the club’s social events, membership requirements, and any fees or dues associated with membership.

Consider the location

Choose a club that is convenient for you to get to and from. Consider factors like proximity to your home, work, or other amenities like restaurants and shops.

Look for a community

Joining a yacht club is not just about boating, it’s also about being part of 

a community. Look for a club that has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, with opportunities for socializing and getting involved in community events.

By following these tips, you can find the best yacht club in Massachusetts that meets your boating needs, fits your budget, and provides a welcoming community for you to enjoy.

For more information on Yachts, we suggest reading this article !

Hope this helps! If you liked reading this article then you’ll surely love reading this article too!

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• Cruise Podcast

The MSC Meraviglia Yacht Club Experience Review

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

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.

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Windstar Cruises Yacht Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know

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Seattle-based Windstar Cruises is a relatively small line, but it offers a big loyalty program that can bring you all sorts of great perks if you sail regularly with the brand.

Dubbed the Yacht Club, the four-tier program, which was massively upgraded in late 2020 , offers its higher-tier members such valuable perks as a $100-per-person onboard credit for every sailing, free laundry service on ships and free Wi-Fi. Higher-tier members also get significant discounts on cruises, beverage packages, shore excursions and more.

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The program was upgraded at the same time that the six-ship line expanded its capacity with a massive makeover and enlargement of three of its vessels. The $250-million Star Plus Initiative, as it was called, brought new suites, restaurants, pool decks and more to the line’s three yacht-like motor vessels — Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride.

All three of the vessels also were lengthened by around 20%.

Ways to earn points

The Yacht Club point-earning system is relatively straightforward. In most cases, members earn 1 point for every day they sail on a Windstar vessel. The only exception is for passengers staying in top suites. Customers staying in Wind Class suites or Deluxe suites on Star Plus Class ships will get 1.5 points for every day they sail. Those staying in Owner’s suites and Classic suites on Star Plus Class vessels will get 2 points for every day they sail, as will passengers staying in the Bridge Suite on the Wind Surf.

Program tiers and benefits

There are four tiers to the Yacht Club program:

• One Star (1 to 15 points)
• Two Star (16 to 39 points)
• Three Star (40 to 89 points)
• Four Star (90 or more points)

Even at the lowest One Star level, the perks are fairly robust, at least as compared to loyalty programs of many of Windstar’s small-ship cruise line competitors.

Yacht Club members at all four tiers get a 5% discount on fares when booking a cruise. That’s a great perk, as it amounts to real money in your pocket. But it gets even better if you book a cruise while on board a Windstar ship or within 60 days of departing one. In such cases, Yacht Club members will get an additional 5% discount on fares — bringing the total savings to 10%.

Related: A beginner’s guide to cruise line loyalty programs  

In select cases, Yacht Club members will be rewarded for their loyalty with even bigger discounts. As part of the program, members can snag an even heftier 20% discount on select Yacht Club member sailings. One caveat: The 20% discount won’t be combinable with other offers.

In addition, all Yacht Club members get:

• Advance notification of new deployments
• Advance notification of sales events
• Members-only private sales
• A $100 shipboard credit when referring a new customer to Windstar. The customer also will receive a $100 onboard credit.
• Exclusive members-only cocktail party with ship officers
• Exclusive onboard tote
• Additional discounts at sister Xanterra Travel Collection brands (more on that below)

Plus, starting at the One Star level, customers get a 5% discount on laundry service, Wi-Fi and Windstar merchandise whenever they sail with the line. Note that the Wi-Fi discount only applies to Wi-Fi purchased individually and not as part of the line’s All-Inclusive Fares.

At the Two Star level, customers get all the above plus a 5% discount on shore excursions and beverage packages (again, the latter discount does not apply to the line’s All-Inclusive Fares). They also get a $50 per person onboard credit for every cruise they take.

The elite level that makes a difference

We’re impressed with all four levels of the Windstar Yacht Club loyalty program. Even at the lowest tier, it brings real savings for loyal passengers. And the shore excursion and beverage package discounts that come with the Two Star level are enticing in our eyes.

That said, we start to get really excited about the Three Star tier. It bumps the discounts for laundry service, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and Windstar merchandise to 10%. If you’re the kind of cruiser who does a shore excursion in every port and regularly uses onboard services, such as laundry and Wi-Fi, this could save you $100 or more on a typical seven-night cruise.

The Three Star tier also comes with an onboard credit of $75 per person for every cruise you take. That’s more real money in your pocket.

Best elite perk

It’s a tough call on the best elite perk of the Windstar Cruises Yacht Club loyalty program. Unlike some frequent cruiser programs, there isn’t one clear standout perk, such as the free cruise that Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society members get after reaching the top Pinnacle Club level.

At the top Four Star tier level of the Yacht Club program, passengers get free laundry service and free Wi-Fi on every sailing, which are both valuable perks. But the most generous perk may be the 15% discount on shore excursions that comes with Four Star status. That’s assuming you are the type of cruiser who signs up for a lot of cruise line-organized shore excursions. If you spend $1,000 a week on excursions, that perk alone is worth $150 per seven-night cruise.

Related: The ultimate guide to picking a cruise line  

At the Four Star level, members also get a 15% credit on Windstar merchandise and a 10% discount on beverage packages. The onboard credit increases to $100 per person for every cruise you take.

One thing we like about the Yacht Club program is that it doesn’t take all that many cruises to reach the top Four Star level. For someone staying in a standard cabin, it would require the completion of 13 seven-night cruises. That’s not all that hard to do in just four or five years, assuming you cruise two or three times a year. But, if you stay in suites, you could hit the Four Star level far more quickly. It would take just seven seven-night cruises.

You can hit the top Four Star level even more quickly if you sign up for Windstar’s longer “Star Collector” voyages of 14 to 60 days. With the right mix of such sailings, you could reach Four Star status in just two or three sailings.

Related: Windstar will let you book a cabin in a crew area

Indeed, someone staying in a top suite on one of the longer Star Collector sailings, in theory, could hit the Four Star level after just a single cruise.

Note that, as is often the case with cruise line loyalty programs, Windstar customers do not have to re-qualify for status each year. Yacht Club members keep their points at the end of each year and continue to accrue points indefinitely. That means that someone who hits Four Star status will remain at that top tier level forever (or until Windstar makes a change to the program).

Such “forever status” is one of the great allures of cruise line frequent cruiser programs. Many airline frequent flyer programs, by contrast, require loyalty members to re-qualify for status each year.

Benefits at Xanterra Travel Collection brands

In addition to discounts and other perks at Windstar, Yacht Club loyalty program members are entitled to special perks at hotels, lodges and other travel vendors owned by Windstar’s parent company, The Anschutz Corporation.

Based in Denver, The Anschutz Corporation owns such iconic hotels as The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Sea Island Resort just off the Georgia coast. It also owns two hotel properties near national parks (The Grand Hotel near the Grand Canyon and Cedar Creek Lodge near Glacier National Park) and is the largest national and state park concessioner in the United States. Among the national parks where it is the concessionaire are Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Glacier National Park.

Related: How to plan a cruise with points and miles

Other Anschutz travel holdings include the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel and tour companies VBT Bicycling Vacations, Country Walkers and Holiday Vacations.

Together, all of the hotels, lodges and travel companies are known as the Xanterra Travel Collection. The perks available to Yacht Club members at Xanterra Travel Collection entities vary but often take the form of credit. At the Sea Island Resort, for instance, members are entitled to a $200 resort credit.

Bottom line

It’s unusual for a cruise line as small as Windstar to have such a great loyalty program. Massively upgraded in October 2020, Windstar’s four-tier Yacht Club loyalty program brings a lot of great perks even at the lowest One Star tier level, including across-the-board discounts on cruise fares. At the highest Four Star level, it brings a significant amount of value.

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SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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A Guide to Miami's Best Yacht Clubs

If you're an avid boater or simply love the sea, Miami's vibrant yacht club scene is a must-see. With so many options to choose from, it can be challenging to know where to begin your search. That's where we come in. Our guide will take you on a journey through Miami's best yacht clubs, highlighting their unique features and amenities. Whether you're interested in luxury marina facilities, sailing instruction, or social events, we've got you covered. So, join us as we explore the top yacht clubs in Miami, including the prestigious Marina Palms Yacht Club, and discover the perfect spot to make memories on the water.

Miami Beach Marina

Miami Beach Marina is a must-visit destination for anyone who wants to experience the vibrant energy of South Beach. This marina is the largest in the area with 400 slips, making it an ideal spot for boaters of all kinds. It is the perfect destination to create unforgettable memories on the water. With exceptional amenities and services, you'll find everything you need for your yacht to dock securely or to rent a boat for an adventure-packed day.

Miami Beach Marina is dedicated to providing the ultimate aquatic experience for all water enthusiasts, making your time on the water an unforgettable one. Its location in the heart of South Beach offers easy access to some of the best restaurants, shopping, and nightlife that Miami has to offer. From fine dining to upscale shopping to world-renowned clubs, Miami Beach Marina is the perfect place to start your South Beach adventure.

With its prime location, Miami Beach Marina offers more than just a boating experience. It's a hub of activity that provides endless options for entertainment, both on and off the water. You can rent a yacht, go fishing, or take a jet ski out for a spin. After a day on the water, head to one of the many restaurants or bars located within walking distance of the marina. With its lively atmosphere and picturesque views, Miami Beach Marina is an essential destination for anyone visiting Miami.

Fisher Island Club

The Fisher Island Club is a one-of-a-kind yacht club situated on a private island just off the coast of Miami. Accessible only by ferry or private boat, this exclusive club offers a luxurious retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. The island is home to a world-class golf course that has been ranked as one of the best in the country, providing avid golfers with a challenging and scenic course to play on. Tennis enthusiasts will also appreciate the club's state-of-the-art tennis courts, which offer a variety of playing surfaces and the latest equipment.

For those who love to relax by the sea, Fisher Island Club also boasts a private beach with pristine sand and crystal-clear waters. This tranquil setting is perfect for soaking up the sun, enjoying water sports, or simply taking a refreshing swim. As a member of the Fisher Island Club, you'll have access to all these exclusive amenities, ensuring a serene and luxurious experience. If you're seeking privacy, exclusivity, and top-notch facilities, the Fisher Island Club is the ultimate yacht club for you.

Island Gardens Deep Harbour

Island Gardens Deep Harbour is a luxurious yacht club located on Watson Island, known for its upscale lifestyle and stunning views of the Miami skyline. This marina is a favorite among those who appreciate the finer things in life, with its location surrounded by some of the most exclusive hotels, restaurants, and shopping destinations in the city. Boasting the ability to accommodate yachts up to 550 feet long, Island Gardens Deep Harbour is the perfect destination for those who want to dock their yachts in a lavish and sophisticated environment.

One of the highlights of Island Gardens Deep Harbour is the breathtaking view of the Miami skyline. The marina's location provides a panoramic view of the city's stunning skyscrapers, especially when the sun sets and the city lights up. This picturesque backdrop is perfect for capturing memorable photos and creating unforgettable moments. The marina is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and services to meet the needs of every yacht owner. Island Gardens Deep Harbour is the epitome of luxury and sophistication. From world-class dining to exclusive shopping and top-of-the-line amenities, this destination has everything you need to satisfy your desires for opulence. Discover the ultimate destination for luxury and immerse yourself in the lavishness of Island Gardens Deep Harbour.

Marina Palms Yacht Club

The Marina Palms Yacht Club is a hidden gem located in North Miami Beach that many locals consider one of the best yacht clubs in Miami. This marina is situated on the Intracoastal Waterway, providing boaters with easy access to the ocean and some of the best water activities Miami has to offer. The marina can accommodate boats up to 100 feet long and offers a variety of amenities to make the experience unforgettable. These include a fully equipped fitness center, a spacious club room, and an infinity pool that overlooks the waterway, providing a breathtaking view that's perfect for relaxation.

What makes Marina Palms Yacht Club stand out is its location. The marina is situated close to some of Miami's top-rated restaurants, bars, and shopping destinations, giving members easy access to everything Miami has to offer. From fresh seafood to fine dining, there's something for everyone in the area. The marina's convenient location makes it the perfect destination for a night out on the town, where you can explore the vibrant Miami nightlife scene.

Miami has a yacht club to suit every style and preference, ensuring that you'll find the perfect fit for your aquatic adventures. So why not take the plunge and explore all that Miami has to offer? For those seeking a top-notch marina experience, Marina Palms Yacht Club is an excellent choice that won't disappoint. With its exceptional offerings and services, Marina Palms Yacht Club guarantees a memorable experience that will leave you longing for more. So, come and discover the wonders of Miami's yacht clubs, and elevate your nautical experience to new heights! 

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We are starting to think about planning a trip for next August when the new U.K. offer comes out Thursday. In a surprising turn of events my DH is looking at the Yacht club on the basis that it’s a great location for our two favourite parks and that we can get a 5th sleeper so our teen boys don’t have to share.

We’ve not done resorts in this area before so welcome input. Also wondered if there’s a good chance of getting a day bed for our party of 4 in a resort view room.

We love the skyliner but we don’t enjoy the rooms at Caribbean beach. Did CS last time and loved the resort but it wasn’t close to anything. If we were to go a moderate then it’s would be POFQ.

We had also looked at the garden wing room at contemporary but weirdly none showing for next August!!

17 replies to this topic

You could consider a family Room at Dolphin. Might be a bit cheaper than Yacht club but in the same area.

We had a five sleeper room at Boardwalks no problem

and same great location.

The issue with swan and dolphin is no free dining plan which is a big saving from the U.K. boardwalk 5th sleeper is a child size according to the site so my teens won’t fit unless that’s incorrect? Thank you.

Can’t say odds of getting the day bed, but we have gotten a cot twice when allocated a king bed room when we wanted two queens. Might be a very tight squeeze if you have to go that route though.

It’s a great hotel, so if it’s in the budget, I’d try and make it work.

Without a doubt, it is my prefered area of Disney.

Fantastic resort fantastic location.

I’d stay there in a heartbeat..

Are you familiar with August weather? It’s brutally hot and humid with a good change of daily thunderstorms. It’s also a busy part of hurricane season so be sure you have trip insurance.

I just want to be sure you know what to expect.

I hear what you are saying re. the dining plan but if Swan and Dolphin have the rooms you need, might be worth sacrificing. And, in my experience, they are usually cheaper room wise so while you don't get the meal plan, you save money and it all hits the bottom line.

Thanks for the feedback,

I looked at the dolphin. Rooms are bigger but still only 2 beds.

We’ve been 4 times before in August. We are ready for the weather!! Even had 2 hurricanes previously but it’s the best time work, school and crowds wise for us.

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Boat Shoes Are Back—Here Are 15 Ways to Wear Them Now

The unlikely yacht club staple is taking the runways by storm.

Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

The High Fashion Trendsetter

Miu miu faded unlined suede loafers.

The School Uniform Staple

Sperry authentic original boat shoe.

Light As Air

Scarosso oprah beige nubuck.

Fuzzy Footwear

G.h. bass hampton shearling boat shoe.

Prep School Ready

Sebago portland fisher boat shoe.

High Fashion, High Reward

Bally plume moccasin.

Distressed Is The Best

Mango leather boat shoes.

The Tried-and-True Original

Lug Sole Realness

Zara shoes with laces.

The Suede Steppers

Prada suede driving shoes.

If you want to get in on the trend, here are 11 options to try, from the runway pair themselves to the classic Sperrys that inspired them. Shop them all below.

This ugly-chic pair from Miu Miu defined the trend for spring/summer 2024 and comes pre-worn, so you don’t have to break them in.

Sizes: EU 34-42

Materials: Leather, rubber

Colors: Tan, White

The classic. Nothing gets more preppy-chic than Sperry’s original.

Sizes: US 5-11

Colors: Tan

This light tan pair from Scarosso has a white sole destined to stand out against a great pair of denim.

Sizes: EU 35-42

Colors: Beige

If you want to stay cozy, go for this shearling-lined option that is functional as a slipper-shoe hybrid.

Materials: Shearling, rubber

Colors: Black, Tan

This rich cognac color harkens back to classic prep school uniforms, in the best way possible.

Colors: Brown Cognac

Bally’s high-fashion pair comes with a slight heel—and in our favorite color of the bunch.

Sizes: US 4.5-11.5

Materials: Leather

Colors: Dark Brown

Mango’s offering takes the best of the driving moccasin and boat shoes to create a more affordable take on the trend.

Sizes: US 6-9.5

The OG is an OG for a reason—which is why we have this option on here twice. Sperry has been making boat shoes for decades now, inspiring this trend to trickle back up to the runway.

Sizes: US 5-12

Colors: 11 options

Zara’s take has a lug sole that will stand higher above the rest.

Materials: Polyurethane

Colors: Brown

Prada, the older sister of Miu Miu, gives its prim take with a blue suede pair.

Sizes: EU 34.5-41.5

Colors: Navy, Pumice Stone

Jacquemus Les Sculptures Les Bateau Pavane Boat Shoes

Why constrict your search by gender? These Jacquemus platform boat shoes come in a large enough size range for the girls with larger feet to get away with.

Sizes: IT Mens 39-46

Colors: Yellow, Dark Green

Eastland Yarmouth Slip-On Loafer

This pair from Eastland has a slight lift in the heel, giving you that extra height all day long.

Sizes: US 6-11

Colors: Tan, Bomber Brown

Sperry Rosefish Boat Shoe

Sperry’s Rosefish silhouette has a patterned fabric contrasting patch to ensure you stand out on the street this spring.

Materials: Leather, wool, rubber

Colors: Linen, Tan, Bone, Grey, Sparkle Linen

Timberland Classic Leather Boat Shoe

Timberland gives its spin on boat shoes with this plain white pair, contrasted by a tan heel and shoelace.

Sizes: US 5.5-11

Colors: White, Blue, Brown

Max Mara Leather Moccasins

These lug-sole options from Max Mara are sure to provide comfort for long city walks and be the ultimate spring accessory.

Colors: Ivory, Tobacco

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• St. Petersburg

One thing St. Petersburg Democrats, GOP agree on: No to Rays stadium deal

• Colleen Wright Times staff

Is there anything Republicans and Democrats can agree on these days?

Turns out, in St. Petersburg, there is.

Both local political clubs have now signaled their opposition to the city’s plan to spend millions of public dollars and sell discounted public land to the Tampa Bay Rays and their development partner, Hines, to redevelop Tropicana Field. In both cases, participation was limited to small groups.

“That must be a once-in-a-million-year occurrence,” said Jim Donelon, Democratic Club of St. Petersburg treasurer and past president.

Donelon last October proposed asking the St. Petersburg City Council to reject the sale of valuable downtown land and instead explore a 99-year lease with the Rays and Hines with upfront payments. Only 15 or so members showed up for that hybrid in-person and online meeting. But while some spoke in favor of the deal, the club ultimately agreed to a resolution opposing the project, which they sent to St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, the City Council and the Pinellas County Commission.

“I don’t understand why they’re willing to sell the land when they could very easily lease it. And I don’t understand why they’re going to spend all this county money and city money for a private enterprise,” Donelon said. “And I love the Rays.”

The City Council and County Commission are both expected to hold votes on whether to approve the deal in the next several weeks, months away from a presidential election.

Then, earlier this month, the St. Petersburg Republican Club held a town hall meeting on the stadium and redevelopment deal featuring County Commissioner Brian Scott and City Council member Ed Montanari. They are both Republicans who lean in favor of the deal. Montanari defended it to skeptical speakers.

They took questions from the audience of about 90, not all of whom were Republicans, before the club held a vote counted through raised hands: 17 said they supported the deal, 26 said they opposed it, and 19 were undecided, including Donald Bowens, a candidate running for John Muhammad’s soon-to-be vacant seat on the City Council.

“The opposition was the largest number,” declared St. Petersburg Republican Club President Barb Haselden.

Haselden said she wasn’t surprised by that outcome. She said some approached her after the vote and said they didn’t think they could participate because they weren’t members, but they would’ve voted no.

“I think we’re being out-negotiated,” she said. “As a resident of St. Pete, I think we’re giving too much away.”

As for how her club aligns with their Democratic counterpart, Haselden joked that the undecided votes show “we’re more thoughtful.”

“As residents of this community, it’s very interesting because issues take away the partisanship, the party lines,” she said. “It strips away the politics.”

Montanari said he also expected that outcome.

“I think a lot of people might not have wanted to share exactly how they’d vote,” he said. “I worked the room before. I talked to a lot of people who were very supportive on a one-on-one basis.”

“I think there’s going to be opposition to this deal,” he continued, but “I think there’s a lot of people who are for the deal. When I go to neighborhood association meetings, there’s a lot of support for this.”

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The Rays declined to comment through a spokesperson.

Much of the business community has come out in favor of the deal. Members of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik have sent endorsement letters to the City Council, as has the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, whose district includes Tropicana Field. Those against the deal include former Mayor Rick Baker, former City Administrator Alan DeLisle, Koch brothers-backed think tank Americans for Prosperity and social justice nonprofit Faith in Florida.

St. Petersburg spokesperson Erica Riggins pointed out that support in a statement.

“We are incredibly proud to have bipartisan support from elected leaders across our county and the region, along with overwhelming support from dozens of local businesses, non-profit groups, community leaders and established organizations — most recently the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP and the Tampa Bay Partnership, which represents numerous regional businesses,” she wrote in an email. “This transformational project will enhance the quality of life for our community for generations to come.”

Democrats are driving this deal. Montanari is the lone Republican on an eight-member City Council and Welch, a Democrat, is the deal’s architect. The Rays and Hines may have the five votes on the council needed to get it done.

“We keep electing these pretend Democrats,” said Democratic Club of St. Petersburg Vice President John Schreiner, who is aligned with opposition group No Home Run.

“I think it’s wonderful,” he said of the shared opposition expressed by both local parties. ”I think it’s one of the few cases where Republicans are actually doing something that benefits the people. On the other hand, I just don’t think they want the sweetheart deal for one company … I think they want some for their cronies.”

The County Commission is more closely split politically, with four Republicans and three Democrats. But their decision is simpler than the city’s. They will consider committing $312.5 million toward the stadium from taxes they collect from people who book hotels and short-term rentals in Pinellas County, most of them tourists.

The city must decide whether to pay a total $417.5 million subsidy toward the stadium and for roads and sewers around it, paid for with land sale proceeds, sales taxes and taxes raised off of new development around the stadium. They would also sell the 65 city-owned acres around the stadium for significantly less than it was appraised to make all that proposed construction happen, though the agreed-upon price was the highest amount offered by any group vying to redevelop the land.

That both parties have expressed concerns about the proposal shows a shared interest in how their community grows, said past Democratic Club of St. Petersburg president Julia Meadows.

“I’d say that that speaks to the nature of our community being one that cares about our future collectively (rather) than partisan politics,” said Meadows, who was president when the resolution passed in October. “Residents care about our neighbors here in St. Petersburg.”

The City Council is scheduled to publicly discuss the stadium and redevelopment on May 9 and May 23 , respectively, to prepare for a vote that is not yet scheduled. If there is a delay, it could run up against an election, with four seats on the council and four seats on the commission on the ballot.

At the very least, it could become a campaign issue.

“Apparently the only thing we can agree on in St. Pete is we’re against this sweetheart deal,” Donelon said. “No matter who’s against it, the people who have the votes are the ones for it, so I guess it’s going to happen.”

“Let the pieces fall where they may come election time.”

Times staff writer Jack Evans contributed to this report.

Colleen Wright is a reporter covering St. Petersburg. She can be reached at [email protected].

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