Last Updated on 10/09/26 by Rose Palmer
Is the MSC Yacht Club worth the extra cost? The short answer is ABSOLUTELY!
On my recent cruise on the MSC World America, I was fortunate to stay in a Yacht Club suite and enjoy all the benefits that came with it. This was my first time on an MSC ship, and this experience really spoiled me.
I describe the MSC World America in full detail in my post, MSC World America Review – A Beautiful Ship With Something for Everyone. Staying in a Yacht Club suite gave me the best of both worlds: a secluded, private setting whenever I wanted it, plus the chance to try the many specialty restaurants and performance venues throughout the rest of the ship.
My MSC Yacht Club review
What is the MSC Yacht Club?
MSC’s Yacht Club is the cruise line’s ship-within-a-ship concept, offering a private, more secluded space on a ship with a capacity of 6700 or more guests.
Spanning the front of the ship from deck 15 to deck 22, the dedicated Yacht Club space on the World America had only 152 suites, with a capacity of just over 300 guests. This made the experience comparable to high-end small-ship luxury cruises I’ve sailed on, like the Windstar Star Seeker or the Ponant L’Austral.
Besides offering large suites, the Yacht Club also included dedicated spaces accessible only to Yacht Club guests. The Top Sail Lounge, the Yacht Club Restaurant, the Yacht Club Bar and Grill, and its own dedicated sundeck turned a big ship into an intimate experience.
The Yacht Club also provided outstanding personalized service. Each suite came with its own butler (as well as a room steward) who was available all day. There was also a 24/7 concierge desk that helped me get specialty restaurant reservations, made spa appointments, and booked shore excursions.
My Yacht Club suite
My cabin on board the MSC World America was a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite and, at 269 square feet of indoor space, was about one and a half times larger than a regular Deluxe Balcony cabin. I thought this was plenty big for two people, though much larger suites were also an option.
My suite came with a king-sized bed that could be split into two twins, along with a comfortable sitting area with a couch, an armchair, and a coffee table. Both sides of the bed had small nightstands with drawers and personal lights. There were also Type-C USB outlets.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much storage space the suite had. There were two large closets on either side of the room with plenty of shelf and hanging space. Since I was traveling with a friend, we each had our own closet without getting in each other’s way.
A credenza ran the full length between the two closets and had additional drawers, a cabinet with the safe, cups, plates, and glasses, and a stocked mini fridge. There were also additional charging outlets here as well.
The bathroom was a little bigger than what I was used to on a cruise ship, with a very comfortably sized glass-enclosed shower. It also had shelves for storage, a lighted mirror, and bathrobes.
My suite’s balcony was not large but was adequate with two chairs and a small table. Some of the larger Yacht Club suites came with really big decks that included a whirlpool.
The MSC Yacht Club public spaces
One of the nicest Yacht Club benefits was having dedicated public spaces that were not crowded or busy.
Top Sail Lounge
At the front of Deck 19, the Top Sail Lounge was a large space with a huge wall of windows where Yacht Club guests could relax, get a drink, or listen to an evening musical performance. Afternoon tea was also served here on sea days.
Yacht Club Restaurant
The dedicated Yacht Club restaurant on deck 20 looked out over the lounge with large windows facing the ocean. The restaurant offered à la carte menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since this restaurant was for Yacht Club guests only, I never had to wait to be seated or get waited on.
Yacht Club Bar and Grill
At the front of deck 21 was a more casual eatery for Yacht Club guests with more wonderful forward views out toward the ocean. I enjoyed eating here al fresco for breakfast and lunch.
Sundeck and Lanai
At the very top of the ship on deck 22 was the dedicated, private open deck space for Yacht Club guests only. With plenty of loungers and sunbeds, a pool, and a whirlpool, this was the perfect spot to chill out or sunbathe. The staff was also very good about keeping me supplied with my drink of choice.
The many benefits of a Yacht Club booking
Access to the Yacht Club was via a dedicated key card, which made this a very exclusive experience. Yacht Club suites also automatically included many additional benefits: the premium drinks package, high-speed Wi-Fi, and access to the Thermal Spa with its warm pool and a variety of heated room experiences and saunas.
Having the drinks package was also very nice because it meant I never had to worry about the cost of any drinks I ordered throughout the ship, and it also included items in my suite’s minibar, which were replenished daily.
Each suite also came with a personal butler who was very personable and attentive all week. He helped me get reservations to the secret speakeasy, made sure I had everything I wanted in the cabin, and escorted me to the specialty restaurants.
This personalised service actually started at embarkation with a dedicated spot to drop off the luggage. We then went through priority embarkation as one of the butlers guided us through the onboarding steps. Yacht Club guests also enjoyed priority disembarkation.
The Yacht Club also had a dedicated concierge desk that was available 24/7. There was never a line so I could get my questions answered easily. The staff also made reservations for my specialty restaurant dinners and the spa.
Yacht Club excursions
Yacht Club guests also have access to unique excursions that are not available to other guests on the ship. In Roatan, I booked a private beach villa for the whole day at the Turquoise Bay Beach Resort, and on MSC’s private island, I reserved a private cabana for the day.
Technically, there were plenty of loungers at both locations, so I didn’t really need to reserve them, but it was nice to have my own private retreats.
Yacht Club dining
Yacht Club Restaurant
Another significant benefit to being a Yacht Club guest was the dedicated Yacht Club restaurant. It was nice to know I could just walk in and be seated for a meal without having to wait.
I tried breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Yacht Club restaurant and thought the food was quite good. The service was also attentive and efficient.
I especially liked the cheese trolley selection, which was a nice light lunch option.
Yacht Club Grill
For less formal, al fresco meals, I ate at the Yacht Club Grill, which was open for breakfast and lunch. I liked the Eggs Benedict I had for breakfast, and the lobster roll I had for lunch.
Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge
The Top Sail lounge also offered a menu of light bites throughout the day.
La Brasserie specialty restaurant
During the day, the La Brasserie restaurant is a buffet open to everyone on the ship. In the evening, this space turns into a dedicated specialty restaurant for Yacht Club guests only. This was a very popular venue, and reservations were required, which the staff at the concierge desk easily made for me.
The menu here had a nice, diverse selection, but my favorites were the 20 or so appetisers. I chose three, which was more than enough for a full meal.
Afternoon Tea
One of my favorite experiences was afternoon tea in the Top Sail Lounge. This was only available on sea days, so I made sure to attend when I had the chance. The butlers did a very nice job presenting and preparing the teas. With sandwiches, scones, and sweets, afternoon tea is always a lot of food, so I skipped lunch beforehand.
Room Service
I also enjoyed a room service breakfast, one of my favorite indulgences on a cruise, especially on a sea day. MSC provided a breakfast card, which I filled out and handed to my butler. The next morning, my tray was delivered at the appointed hour, and I sipped my tea while watching the ocean roll by.
Yacht Club guests could also take advantage of a special Room Service menu all day.
The Yacht Club experience on MSC’s Ocean Cay Marine Reserve
Ocean Cay Marine Reserve is MSC’s private island in the Bahamas. The island had been an industrial site used for sand mining. MSC purchased the land and cleaned up the rusted equipment. They put in beautiful sandy beaches, restored the coral, and planted thousands of trees and shrubs, turning an eyesore into a tropical paradise.
For Yacht Club members, MSC provided a secluded, private beach called Ocean House Beach. Dedicated electric vehicles took us there and then back again to the ship at the end of the day.
The beach was very quiet, and the water was extremely pleasant. Entry into the water was rocky for the first few yards, so water shoes would have been helpful.
Even though there were plenty of loungers and umbrellas available, having a cabana for the day provided more room to lounge and spread out. Our butler had filled the cooler with our favorite drinks and also a bottle of champagne. Just like on the ship, he was available all day and took great care of me.
Lunch was at the nearby Ocean House restaurant, where the menu was very similar to the one at the Yacht Club Grill.
I really enjoyed my MSC World America cruise, and I especially loved the Yacht Club experience. The secluded Yacht Club was a wonderful retreat when I didn’t want to be in the more crowded public spaces throughout the rest of the ship.
Please note that my cruise was hosted by MSC. All content and opinions are my own.
Links to all my cruising content are available on my Experience-Cruising page.
Thanks for visiting
Rose