Generally speaking, MSC Cruises wouldn’t be considered an ultra-luxury cruise line. It’s a mainstream cruise brand known for its modern ships, family-friendly atmosphere, and increasingly impressive onboard experiences. However, MSC has made a serious play for the luxury market with MSC Yacht Club, its exclusive “ship within a ship” concept that promises a more refined, personalised way to cruise.
So, does MSC Yacht Club deserve to be called six star? And should you cancel your next Regent Seven Seas sailing and book MSC instead?
Well, before we get carried away, it’s worth noting that “six star” isn’t actually an official cruise industry rating. It’s simply a term often used to describe ultra-luxury cruise experiences that offer exceptional service, highly inclusive fares, spacious accommodations, and a high degree of personalisation.
With that in mind, let’s see how MSC Yacht Club measures up.
1. Accommodation: A Step Above (Well, Sort Of)
Suites
MSC Yacht Club offers a range of suites that feel a world away from the standard cabins elsewhere on the ship. From Deluxe Suites to the impressive Royal Suites, guests can expect elegant décor, marble bathrooms, premium amenities, comfortable bedding, and spacious balconies with ocean views.
The design is modern, sophisticated, and certainly feels more premium than what you’d find in MSC’s standard accommodation.
However, MSC Yacht Club also offers Interior Suites on some ships. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s worth mentioning because many ultra-luxury cruise lines are entirely suite-based, with even their entry-level accommodation offering generous amounts of space.
Verdict
The suites are genuinely impressive and offer excellent comfort and value. However, the difference between Yacht Club and ultra-luxury lines isn’t always about square footage. It’s more about exclusivity, personalisation, and the overall luxury experience. MSC Yacht Club delivers a premium suite experience, but it doesn’t quite reach the same level as Regent Seven Seas or Silversea.
2. Dining: A Gourmet Journey
Exclusive Restaurants
Yacht Club guests enjoy access to a private restaurant reserved exclusively for Yacht Club passengers. The atmosphere is calmer, the service is more attentive, and the menus offer a noticeable step up from the ship’s main dining venues.
Guests can also take advantage of complimentary room service and access to exclusive lounges serving drinks and snacks throughout the day.
Specialty Dining
Elsewhere onboard, MSC offers a range of specialty restaurants, including steakhouses, seafood venues, and Asian-inspired concepts. These can be excellent, but they generally come with an additional charge.
This is one of the biggest differences between MSC Yacht Club and many ultra-luxury cruise lines, where specialty dining is typically included in the fare.
Verdict
The dining experience within Yacht Club is excellent and feels genuinely premium. However, it doesn’t quite match the fully inclusive dining experience offered by many ultra-luxury brands.
3. Service: Personalised and Attentive
Butler Service
Every Yacht Club suite comes with access to a dedicated butler service. Whether it’s helping with reservations, delivering room service, or taking care of special requests, the butler team is there to make life easier.
The Yacht Club also benefits from a higher crew-to-guest ratio than the rest of the ship, helping create a more personalised experience.
Concierge and Priority Access
Yacht Club guests enjoy priority embarkation and disembarkation, concierge assistance, and priority access to many onboard experiences. On many ships, there are also reserved seating areas or priority access for entertainment venues.
It’s these little touches that make the experience feel smoother and more exclusive.
Verdict
This is arguably where MSC Yacht Club comes closest to ultra-luxury cruising. The service is often excellent and many guests rave about their butlers. That said, service levels can vary slightly between ships and regions, whereas the most exclusive luxury lines tend to deliver an almost frightening level of consistency.
4. Amenities: Luxurious but Limited
Private Spaces
One of Yacht Club’s biggest strengths is its collection of exclusive spaces.
Guests enjoy access to private sun decks, dedicated pools, exclusive lounges, and the Top Sail Lounge, offering panoramic views and a welcome escape from the crowds elsewhere onboard.
If you’ve ever found yourself playing dodge-the-sun-lounger on a busy sea day, Yacht Club can feel like a sanctuary.
Spa and Wellness
Yacht Club guests have access to the MSC Aurea Spa, which offers a range of treatments and wellness experiences. However, the spa isn’t exclusive to Yacht Club guests and treatments come at an additional cost.
Entertainment and Activities
MSC offers an impressive entertainment programme, including theatre productions, live music, family activities, and attractions that vary by ship.
However, these experiences are largely shared with the rest of the ship. While Yacht Club guests enjoy certain priority benefits, there isn’t a separate entertainment programme reserved exclusively for them.
Verdict
The private spaces are excellent and genuinely elevate the experience. However, some luxury travellers may feel that the experience becomes noticeably more mainstream once they step outside the Yacht Club enclave.
5. Price Point: A Different Approach to Luxury
Value Proposition
One of the hallmarks of ultra-luxury cruising is inclusivity. On lines such as Regent Seven Seas, fares often include drinks, speciality dining, gratuities, shore excursions, and more.
MSC Yacht Club includes a generous range of perks, including premium drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, butler service, and concierge support.
However, additional costs still apply for items such as shore excursions, spa treatments, and some specialty dining experiences.
Affordability
Here’s where Yacht Club becomes particularly interesting.
In many cases, a Yacht Club suite can cost significantly less than an entry-level suite on an ultra-luxury cruise line. For many travellers, that makes Yacht Club one of the best luxury cruise values currently available.
Verdict
MSC Yacht Club delivers an impressive amount of luxury for the money. It may not be as inclusive as the most luxurious cruise lines, but it’s often considerably more affordable.
Conclusion: Is MSC Yacht Club Six Star?
The Verdict
MSC Yacht Club offers one of the most compelling luxury experiences in the mainstream cruise market.
The suites are impressive, the private areas are excellent, the service is often outstanding, and the overall experience feels noticeably more refined than the rest of the ship.
However, it stops just short of what most cruise enthusiasts would consider ultra-luxury. The experience remains attached to a large mainstream cruise ship, and it doesn’t offer the same level of inclusivity, personalisation, or exclusivity found on brands such as Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, or Silversea.
To put it another way, Yacht Club is a bit like flying business class on a large commercial airline. It’s a fantastic experience and you’ll probably never want to go back to economy, but it’s not quite the same as having your own private jet.
Who Is MSC Yacht Club For?
MSC Yacht Club is ideal for travellers who want a luxury experience without venturing into eye-watering luxury cruise prices.
It’s perfect for those who enjoy larger ships, varied entertainment, and plenty of dining choices, but who also appreciate private spaces, personalised service, and a few extra perks.
If you’re looking for the absolute pinnacle of cruising luxury, there are more exclusive options available.
But if you’re looking for one of the smartest upgrades in cruising, MSC Yacht Club makes a very convincing argument for itself.