What is the MSC Yacht Club? Take a look at MSC Cruises' luxury suite area
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MSC Cruises sails nearly two dozen beautiful ships from home ports around the world, but its inviting sundecks can get crowded, and you’re likely to encounter queues for dinner, shows and guest services.
The trick to creating a more luxurious experience on this big-ship cruise line is to book a stay in the line’s Yacht Club. This upscale enclave within MSC Cruises' larger ships offers guests more spacious accommodations, butler service and dedicated restaurants and lounges — even coffee delivered to your room each morning, just the way you like it.
It's this sort of pampering that makes passengers feel special when they sail with MSC. That's why the MSC Yacht Club has won the 2024 TPG Award for Best VIP Ship Within a Ship.
Because of the Yacht Club, MSC can offer an inviting experience for cruisers who like big-ship cruising but crave more elevated accommodations, dining and amenities. MSC Cruises, along with Norwegian Cruise Line, was one of the first lines to introduce this ship-within-a-ship concept. Now, other popular cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, have also adopted it.
The Yacht Club section on several MSC Cruises ships offers gated access to semiprivate dining, butler service and more, but it comes at a price. Find out how much you can expect to pay and what you’ll get for your money.
What are the MSC Yacht Club perks?
All stays in the Yacht Club include priority check-in and checkout; priority disembarkation and boarding on shore excursions days; free premium alcohol and Wi-Fi packages; a bathrobe and slippers; complimentary access to the Aurea Spa thermal suite; 24-hour concierge and butler services (dining and spa reservations, unpacking and repacking, morning coffee delivery, etc.); a free daily in-cabin newspaper of your choice, delivered; and the ability to change your cruise one time without penalty.
Yacht Club cruisers are also entitled to discounts of 10% on spa treatments, 20% on specialty dining packages and 40% on spa packages.
Additionally, passengers booked in the Yacht Club have access to their own dedicated bar, lounge and restaurant, as well as a semiprivate outdoor bar, pool and hot tubs, all on an exclusive sundeck. When ships dock at the line’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Yacht Club passengers have private beach and restaurant access.
In their cabins, Yacht Club cruisers will find a pillow menu, memory foam mattresses, high-quality linens, bathrooms with marble floors, a specialty coffee maker, complimentary open minibar access, one gratis bottle of spirits (choose from a list of available options), free one-time snacks, 24-hour room service and nightly turndown chocolates from Venchi, an Italian chocolatier that partners with the cruise line.
Which MSC cruise ships have the Yacht Club?
Currently, 14 ships in the MSC Cruises fleet have the Yacht Club on board, with a 15th on the way:
- MSC Bellissima
- MSC Divina
- MSC Euribia
- MSC Fantasia
- MSC Grandiosa
- MSC Meraviglia
- MSC Preziosa
- MSC Seascape
- MSC Seashore
- MSC Seaside
- MSC Seaview
- MSC Splendida
- MSC Virtuosa
- MSC World Europa
The upcoming vessel MSC World America (2025) will also have the Yacht Club.
The largest Yacht Club in the fleet is on MSC World Europa, offering 152 suites. The second-largest Yacht Club is found on the line’s two Seaside EVO Class ships, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape, which each have 131 suites.
MSC Yacht Club cabins
All accommodations in the Yacht Club are labeled as suites, even though some are standard cabin categories. The specific room types offered will vary by ship, but in general, they range from windowless interior cabins and deluxe balcony rooms to Executive and Royal Suites with more space, walk-in closets and bathrooms with both showers and bathtubs.
New to the fleet with the line’s World Class are 1,600-square-foot Owner Suites, which include multiroom layouts, walk-in closets, bathtubs and balconies, each with a whirlpool and an alfresco dining area.
Also new are Duplex Suites, offering two decks of space, with the bedroom and bathroom upstairs and a dining area, a living room and a guest bath downstairs. These also include two private sundecks with loungers. One of the sundecks holds a whirlpool.
How much does it cost to stay in the MSC Yacht Club?
As you might expect, the cost to stay in the Yacht Club depends on several factors, including cabin type, the length of the sailing and where you’re going and when. However, in line with the rest of the brand’s pricing, a stay in the Yacht Club is an excellent value when you compare it to stays in other lines’ dedicated suite areas or to luxury cruise prices.
I priced out several sailings departing over the next two years on some of the line’s newest and largest ships. This is what was available at press time. (Note: MSC Cruises’ website will only allow me to choose a general Yacht Club designation when booking. That means a guaranteed suite within the Yacht Club, but you won’t know what type it is until closer to sailing.)
- Four-night South America cruise on MSC Seaview: $2,457 (including taxes) for two adults, round-trip from Santos (Sao Paolo), Brazil, from March 16 to 20, 2025
- Seven-night Bahamas cruise on MSC Meraviglia: $3,567 (including taxes) for two adults, round-trip from Brooklyn, New York, from Oct. 5 to 12, 2025
- Seven-night Mediterranean cruise on MSC World Europa: $5,018 (including taxes) for two adults, round-trip from Barcelona, from May 1 to 8, 2026
- Fourteen-night Eastern and Western Caribbean on MSC World America: $14,850 (including taxes) for two adults, round-trip from Miami, from June 6 to 20, 2026
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
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- The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.