msc yacht club vs haven

MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven: A Luxury Cruise Comparison

Although MSC first introduced the ship-within-a-ship concept back in 2008, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Haven also offers top-notch services.

So, what will be your pick between MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven?

While MSC Yacht Club offers 6 categories of cabin/stateroom, NCL Haven offers 9 types of suites. Also, NCL Haven’s suits are much larger including 2/3-bedroom villas. Both offer 24-hour concierge and butler services. Moreover, NCL Haven offers more exclusive dining and entertainment options than MSC Yacht. But NCL Haven is more expensive than MSC Yacht Club.

So, what will you choose between these two fine ship-within-ship experiences? Follow the article as we’ll help you judge both.   

MSC Yacht Club Vs NCL Haven: The In-Depth Comparison

Both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven are top of their name. So before diving deep into their services, let’s have a brief look at their competitive offerings. 

So, now we’ll discuss the details of each factor of MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven. You can compare and judge both to pick one for your holiday retreat in these luxurious voyages. 

Stateroom / Cabin Size – MSC Yacht Club Vs NCL Haven

NCL Haven offers 9 types of different suites and cabins while MSC Yacht offers only 6 categories of cabins. 

Compared to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht Club offers smaller cabins. Let’s see what are the categories of cabins offered by MSC Yacht Club .

• The Owner’s Suite: It’s the largest suite offered by MSC Yacht Club. It has 1055 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 269 sqft of balcony with hot tub, etc.
• The Royal Suite: 667 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 355 sqft of balcony with hot tub, etc.
• The Duplex Suite: It has two levels with 635 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 248 sqft of balcony, etc.
• The Deluxe Grand Suite: 269-463 sqft of space, separate living room, 86-129 sqft of balcony, etc.
• The Deluxe Suite: 269-366 sqft of space, and 86 sqft of balcony.
• The Interior Suite: 226 sqft of total space. 

NCL Haven’s suits are humongous compared to MSC Yacht Club. Let’s see what NCL Haven’s suits look like. 

• 3-Bedroom Garden Villa: The largest one in NCL Haven perfect for 8 people. It has 6694 sqft of space, a private dining room, a large living room, and 3.5 baths. Has a hot tub on the balcony.
• 2-Bedroom Family Villa: 504 sqft of space with a master bedroom, a bath, and a private balcony. This is perfect for 6 people.  
• The Deluxe Owner’s Suit: It has 1307 sqft of space with a large dining and living area, a large luxury bath, and floor-to-ceiling windows. A large balcony is also included for 6 people to enjoy.  
• The Owner’s Suit: It has 824 sqft of space with a large living and dining area, one balcony, or two in some ships. This is ideal for 4 people.  
• Aft-Facing Penthouse: This suite has 655 sqft of space with a king-sized bed, a generous living area, and a balcony for all. 4 people can easily enjoy the facilities of this penthouse. 
• The Deluxe Spa Suite: This is the smallest suite in NCL Haven. It has 309 sqft of space with a king-sized bed. Also, there’s a balcony with a hot tub and oversized waterfall showers with jets. It is close to the Mandara Spa Suite and also offers free access to the Thermal Spa Suite.  
• Forward-Facing Penthouse: This is another modest penthouse in NCL Haven. It has 451 sqft of space with a king-sized bed with a forward view. Also, there’s a large dining and living area and a balcony.
• Courtyard Penthouse: The courtyard penthouse of NCL Haven is perfect for a romantic retreat. It has 440 sqft of space with a romantic atmosphere, a private balcony, guest allowance, and living and dining areas.  
• Spa Suite: This suite also has access to Mandara and Thermal Spa Suite. It has 378 sqft of space with a relaxing decoration, a balcony with a hot tub, and oversized waterfall showers with jets.

So, NCL wins regarding stateroom and suite sizes for more room space and additional accommodations. So complete your NCL e-docs and get aboard its luxurious services. 

Concierge Service

Both NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club offer a 24-hour concierge and butler service. With the experienced and capable service of a butler, your every need and assistance will be met on both cruises. 

Moreover, for any additional bookings or purchases, the concierge can help you anytime you need. With the world-class services of the concierge of both NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club, it’ll be worth it.  

Dining & Entertainment – MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven

MSC Yacht Club offers a private dining area for its guests as part of the ship-within-a-ship experience. Their dedicated restaurant will provide sophisticated à la carte menus for you to taste. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven offers priority reservations for all its customers in all dining and entertainment facilities. Compared to MSC Yacht, NCL Haven offers specialty menus brought directly to your suite from any of the restaurants fleetwide. And so, NCL Haven is superior to NCL Suits . 

For entertainment, MSC Yacht Club offers a theater and a casino, a Parisian-Inspired Cabaret, MSC Aurea Spa, and more. Also, you’ll have a dedicated water park and a robotic thrill ride called Robotron. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven offers an exclusive cocktail party with the ship’s officers, Broadway shows, musicals, etc. NCL also offers exotic entertainment options with its variety of comedy and night events. The night is never dull onboard NCL Haven. 

MSC Yacht Club offers a separate pool, restaurant, and lounges for its guests. On the other hand, NCL Haven also offers a dedicated section of the ship for its cruisers. 

NCL Haven’s self-contained area is specifically designed for a one-of-a-kind experience for its passengers. This dedicated space includes special and separated entries, venues, dining, and entertainment facilities. 

Also, both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven offer priority embarkment and disembarkment for their passengers.  

Price Range

In terms of price, NCL Haven is a bit more expensive than MSC Yacht Club . For example, the interior cabins on MSC Yacht Club cost $2800 for 2 people with a balcony that costs $4100. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven costs $3000 per person on an average weeklong trip in its suits. But this price may vary based on availability, time of the year, last-minute sailings, etc. And the larger the suits, the more it will cost you. 

MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven: What Is Best for You?

So, now you have an idea of both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven’s services. It’s time for you to decide which one is best for you. At a glance, NCL Haven offers more freestyle cruising with exciting and exotic entertainment options. 

Conversely, MSC Yacht Club’s Parisian-inspired Cabaret and Aurea Spa are wonderful entertainment options that can compare with the Haven. Also, NCL Haven is a bit more expensive with similar services to MSC Yacht. 

But the exclusive and specialty menu service in your suite can only happen in NCL Haven. So, choose which you like. 

For more luxury cruise options, you can compare Norwegian Cruise Line with Holland America . Holland America also provides many premium and luxury cruise services.  

Can Haven Guests Have Visitors?

Yes, Haven guests can have visitors. But the visitors must be pre-registered with the Haven concierge at the reception. Also, the guests need to provide details of the visitor’s arrival time and departure. 

Are Children Allowed in NCL Haven?

Yes, children are allowed in NCL Haven. Many of its areas are children-friendly while some areas are only for adults. The Haven Sundeck is only for guests above 16 years of age while the courtyard pool is for all. 

Is Room Service Free in The NCL Haven?

The guests enlisted in the NCL Haven suits don’t have to pay for room services. But there’s a 20% gratuity and additional charges for non-complementary beverages through room service. 

So, now choose a pick for your next sailing between MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven. 

There’s always something missing in one while the other has it. Choose a cruise line service that you see fit with your preference and trip goal. But if you’re a solo cruiser and love activities, go for the NCL Haven. You’ll have a much good time. 

I'm a travel writer and content creator who loves to explore new places. I've been to over 20 countries, and I'm always on the lookout for my next great adventure. I love the excitement of airports, the thrill of new experiences, and the feeling of being surrounded by new cultures. I share my travel stories and tips on my website, where I hope to inspire others to explore the world.

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NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club

Which is better, norwegian’s haven or msc’s yacht club.

Since our trip on the MSC Seaside, this has been the most asked question and I can understand why. They both look similar but which cruise line does it better? In my opinion, after sailing on the MSC Seaside, MSC does the “hotel in a hotel” experience the best and the Seaside has quickly become my favorite ship of 2018. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE the Haven (we have sailed with NCL 16 times) and there are some areas where the Haven shines but keep reading if you want to see why I think the Yacht Club does suite level the best…

Embarkation from Port Miami – (Yacht Club Wins):

Yacht Club:  Embarkation in the Yacht Club was a breeze and is truly a first class experience. First, there is a special loop to drop off your luggage. We simply pulled into the special loop and there was a dedicated Yacht Club porter there waiting to take our bags. After parking the car in the garage, we came back to the same area where we dropped off our bags and a butler escorted us into the terminal. We were escorted through a private security line to the concierge waiting area (the waiting area was huge! Lots of chairs and space for everyone) .  While we were waiting to take our picture for our cruise card, we were handed champagne by our butler and asked if we would like any snacks from the snack table. Talk about a great way to start your vacation. After about 5 minutes, we had our cruise cards and our butler was leading us onto the ship. From there we had a direct butler escort all the way to the Yacht Club lounge (Top Sail Lounge) and again we were handed a glass of champagne as soon as we sat down. First class all the way.

The Haven:  Embarkation on NCL is the same for everyone, until you get past the security line. You drop your bags off with the porters and then proceed to the security line, like everyone else. We have waited in Norwegian security lines for up to 30 minutes. I am not complaining about the wait because it never bothered us but I did want to mention it because it is very different from MSC. After proceeding through the security line, you are directed to a small room dedicated just for Haven guests. It’s a small lounge where they have cookies, water, coffee and juice ( this area is very small. We have been forced to wait outside the lounge many times because there was no seating or space to stand inside the lounge ). After you receive your cruise card, you are then escorted to the ship by an NCL employee with a sign. They take you up to the ship security point and hand off the escort to a ship employee. The ship employee then escorts you to the Haven Courtyard where you gather for a group orientation about Haven perks from the concierge.

Overall Embarkation: Both companies have a completely different view on boarding the ship. MSC seems to take the stance that your vacation starts at bag drop off and NCL seems to believe your vacation begins once you arrive in the Haven Courtyard. Both are acceptable and great perks at the suite level but MSC seems to have embarkation perfected.

Staterooms/Cabin Size – (Haven Wins):

Before I start comparing, I want to point out that we stayed in a Yacht Club Inside Cabin on the MSC Seaside. This is the smallest cabin in the Yacht Club and something that the Haven does not have. We did make friends with a couple who let us tour their Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. I would compare the Deluxe Suite to a Courtyard Penthouse on a Breakaway Class ship so I am going to compare those cabins to each other and not our interior YC suite.

The Haven: Cabin space in a Courtyard Penthouse Suite in the Haven is wonderful. The cabins are a great size for a suite. They are not huge ( we still talking about a one-bedroom room ) but they are large when you compare them to other cruise ship cabins.  You get a king bed, a huge closet and a really nice bathroom. The storage is also plentiful in the Haven Courtyard Penthouse. I love the layout especially with the walk through closet and I love that the bathroom comes with a bathtub. Very nice overall space (except the balcony. The balcony is very small. Enough room for 2 chairs and a small coffee table.)

Yacht Club: Cabin space in the Yacht Club is small. The Deluxe Suite is much smaller compared to the Courtyard Penthouse. There is a queen bed, a small closet and a decent size bathroom. The bathroom has a shower (no tub combination) and the sink is made of marble, which is nice. I believe the Yacht Club bathroom is a little larger than the Haven but the tub is nice to have to soak in and I don’t have to do a split in the shower to shave my legs.

Overall Cabin Size: The Haven wins this category but just by a hair. The rooms may be smaller in the Yacht Club but I don’t really spend a lot of time in the room, so this one is not that important to me. If you can only sleep on a king bed, then the Haven is for you. If you need the tub, then the Haven is for you. I liked our Yacht Club cabin very much (even though it was an inside cabin) because we got access to all the Yacht Club amenities but if cabin size is really important to you ( as in, you never leave your room, EVER ), you may want to stick with the Haven.

Amenities – (Yacht Club Wins):

Let’s talk stuff you get with your suite. This category is all about the extra perks you get with your suite and hands down, the Yacht Club wins this by a mile. There are so many perks that you get in the Yacht Club and here are just a few:

• Private, exclusive area – Stating this is putting it mildly. Not only do you get a private area, you get the whole front of the ship on Deck 16, 18 & 19. Seriously, the entire front of the ship. Deck 16 – You have access to the Top Sail Lounge. This lounge is the largest, private lounge you have ever seen and it is absolutely gorgeous. There is a full length bar, a piano, plenty of seating and to top it all off, floor to ceiling glass windows that overlook the front of the ship. And there is even an outside portion to the lounge. There are loungers and chairs so you can enjoy the sea air and you still get served by the Top Sail Lounge Staff. And I cannot say enough great things about the staff in the lounge. They were always attentive to your needs and very friendly. We always love talking to ship crew and the Top Sail Lounge crew is top notch. Deck 18 – You have access to the gorgeous and huge Yacht Club Restaurant. The restaurant sits on top of the Top Sail Lounge and has views that look out the front of the ship. If you time dinner just right, you will have the most amazing sunset meals and you can even catch a sail away if you leave a port a little later in the evening. We were even able to see sail away from Miami with the wonderful later time that MSC leaves the port ( it was raining when we left Miami but I can imagine how amazing the Miami sunset would be leaving on a nice day. Sail away from Miami is beautiful during the day but a sunset sail away would be even better ). Deck 19 – The pool area in the Yacht Club is the largest area I have ever seen dedicated to suite level guests. The pool area features a nice size pool, a huge sundeck, a full length bar and a grill that serves breakfast, lunch and snacks. If you walk closer to the front of the ship, there are two additional hot tubs (with the most amazing views) and there is plenty of tables and loungers throughout the entire deck. This area is so pretty. Pictures do not do it justice. Again, I can’t believe there was so much space dedicated to the Yacht Club. MSC really got this one right. Plenty of space for everyone to relax and soak up some sun. ( speaking of sun, if you don’t like the sun, there isn’t a lot of shade on the sun deck. They don’t have umbrellas or anything like that to cover you. They do offer private cabanas that have a cover. This is an upcharge but, if you are a pool person, the amenities are pretty cool. There is a sign at concierge that explains al the benefits you get by purchasing a private cabana. )
• Dedicated concierge – the concierge is different from NCL. The concierge is run more like a front desk rather than a private person helping you out. I liked this concept a lot. It added to that “hotel in a hotel” feeling. We have met some amazing concierges on our NCL journeys and they were wonderful. You do not get that same interaction on MSC but we do not use the concierge a lot on NCL so this was a great way to ask questions
• Mini-Bar Included – this was a HUGE perk for us in the cabin. It was really nice to grab an orange juice or soda in the morning or mix a drink later at night. The mini-bar also came with a handful of snacks like mixed nuts, Pringles and assorted chocolate snacks which was so great. I didn’t know I needed the mini-bar until it was included with the Yacht Club.
• Chocolate – Oh the chocolate. So much chocolate. From chocolate ships to chocolate pillow snacks, you had access to chocolate galore. If you love chocolate, MSC is definitely for you.
• Gelato – Yep! All you can eat gelato is included with the Yacht Club. This is typically an up-charge item on a cruise ships but it is included on MSC. And it is truly the best gelato I have ever tasted (yes, I have been to Italy and this is still the best gelato ever) .
• Pizza – Ok, this one is for everyone on the ship but it was hands down the BEST pizza at sea so I consider it to be an amenity. I think the only thing better than pizza on the Seaside would be New York City pizza. Seriously, it was the most amazing snack. The pizza was available at the regular buffet and it was also available at the family buffet during late night. I can’t tell you how many times we ended the night with a fantastic slice of pizza and sat out on the deck in front of the Top Sail Lounge watching the stars. It was the perfect way to the end the night.
• T op Sail Lounge Snacks – there were snacks in the lounge available morning, noon and night and these were in addition to the snacks and food offered at the pool. Breakfast snacks had everything from pastries to mini-pancakes. Lunch had mini-sandwiches, vegetables and fruits. Dinner had sushi, sandwiches, and they would later bring out small desserts. Usually more chocolate. Yum!
• Priority Elevator – MSC allows Yacht Club guests to use their key card to make the elevator a private access elevator that will be called directly to the floor where the card was used. We used this feature time and time again and it was so nice to have direct access to floors, instead of stopping on every floor as you go.  (we are aware of such perks in the Haven but it is not talked about. We have used this feature twice on the Epic. However, we were instructed on how to call the priority elevator from our butler on MSC)
• Afternoon Tea – I didn’t know I liked afternoon tea until we experienced it. It was such a lovely thing to do on a ship. Tea was served at 4pm in the Top Sail Lounge. A butler would come over, offer you a nice selection of teas, you chose your tea and then he/she would proceed with the service. We were also served an arrangement of awesome snacks and pastries with our tea. It was truly delightful and something that I recommend everyone try if available.
• Priority Seating in Theater –  this is a great perk on NCL and one that I wish MSC would adopt. It is really nice to know that you have a dedicated area in the theater that you don’t have to wait in line for. I like how the seats are opened to everyone at the 5 minute mark and I think this could easily be implemented on MSC. Waiting for the shows was the only thing that really made me feel like I was not in a suite level room. I am not above waiting in line for anything but I do not like when I arrive 35 minutes before the show begins, stand in line and then get pushed out of line 5 minutes before the doors open by someone who is impatient and feels like they don’t have to wait.
• Private Concierge – the Haven concierge is a totally personal experience. The concierge knows your name, your schedule, if it’s your birthday, etc. These are important things and a very nice amenity on NCL. The concierge on MSC is like the front desk of a hotel. They are always eager to help with any information or anything you need, but they do not know who you are. It is a far less personal experience.

Service – (Yacht Club Wins):

We absolutely love the crew on NCL and we have made many, many lifelong friends but the service in the Yacht Club was top notch. The servers were always attentive and you were always being asked if there was anything more that you needed. We never had to wait for a drink, food, snack or any cabin related items. It was truly a first class experience. This service is hard to put into words. I guess it was a feeling that we were important and our vacation mattered. Service in the Haven is a little different. We have always received great service but after experiencing MSC, I can now say that service felt a little forced in the Haven comparatively speaking. More like “this is what I have to do” versus “what I want to do for you”.

Service is one of those areas that is not really quantifiable. It is hard because every week can be a totally different experience based on the mood of the crew. Maybe they are having an off week or maybe something happened at home. Whatever the reason, the crew cannot be on their A game all the time. We had a great week on the Seaside but I know this could be different with the exact same crew during a different week. Everything just came together perfectly for our Seaside cruise.

Food – (Yacht Club Wins)

Food is always an interesting topic because it is subjective. What I like, you may not like and vice versa. I want to point out that we are not foodies at all. We like good tasting food but it doesn’t have to be fancy. I just want food that tastes good and is cooked well.

Yacht Club: Food in the Yacht Club Restaurant was amazing. Breakfast was ok (although I was brought Fruit Loops without ordering. That goes back to the amazing service)  in the Yacht Club but lunch and dinner were always wonderful. I especially enjoyed how the dinner menu would change nightly but there was a fixed side to the menu as well. I had always head on NCL people complaining about how the menu never changes. This never bothered me until MSC. It really is nice to have the change but it is also nice to know that there is a fixed menu so I can always have something that I like, even if I don’t like the new menu items. There was also something awesome about being surprised each night for dinner and getting to decide what delectable dish you were going to order (they do have the menus posted by lunch time but I never wanted to read them because I liked the surprise) .

Talking about the food I loved the most – I had the most amazing lobster I have ever had on a cruise ship or even on land. It was cooked to perfection and had the best sides. Sean had an amazing steak that night as well and I saw a bunch of people order them together. Perfect surf and turf!

The Haven: Food in the Haven is great and it is always great. You never have to worry about will my steak be cooked correctly, will I need to send this back or that back. Nope. NCL is consistently great when it comes to the Haven Restaurant. Like I just mentioned, I never knew I would like a changing menu until MSC but now I understand the frustration that the menu never changes. One thing that hands down NCL does better – Breakfast!! The best eggs, bacon, breads, etc. NCL does breakfast right!

Disembarkation – (Yacht Club Wins)

Disembarkation is probably the biggest reason we like to sail at the suite level. There have been more times than we can count where we have been included or have seen some kind of violence while guests are waiting to disembark the ship, standing in the walk off line. Shoo, there is nothing worse than having your vacation ruined by some idiot who is mad at the world and thinks they deserve to get off the ship before everyone else. Priority disembarkation solves all of this. You get to wake up in the morning, leisurely have breakfast and then casually walk off the ship. Both NCL and MSC have great disembarkations but MSC is a little more personal.

Yacht Club: On the last day of our cruise, we walked out to the concierge area (the front desk) and the concierge called our butler. Our butler and room steward took our luggage (we did walk off) and escorted us to the gangway to leave the ship. That’s right. We had a personal walk off from our butler and room steward. It was amazing. They walked us right past the walk off line and we were out the door just like that. It was a nice way to say a final goodbye to these 2 people that took such great care of us all week.

The Haven: Disembarkation begins by everyone waiting in the concierge, lounge area. Once the order has been given, the concierge walks a group of guests down to the gangway. The concierge uses the crew elevator and escorts you down to the security line. This is where you merge into the big line of guests who are doing non-priority walk off. I always feel a little bad cutting in line in front of these people. There are usually words thrown at us like “must be nice” or “why do they get to cut in front of us? We have been waiting for 2 hours”. These comments make disembarkation a little less than enjoyable but you don’t have to deal with it too long and you are off the ship.

Overall Disembarkation: Overall, I really like the way MSC handles leaving the ship. It is a first class experience and you get to go through security by yourself, while they keep the mass line farther back from the exit. There is no mass merge with the crowd and therefore, no harsh words heard at the end of a great week. I also really liked saying goodbye and hugging our butler and room steward at the gangway. It was just a nice way to end our cruise and had me walking away with a smile.

Overall Feelings

We love both NCL and MSC. We have a lot of history on NCL (16 sailings to date) but MSC has opened our eyes to some things that we absolutely love but didn’t know we loved until this cruise. We always like to compare our experiences to other things in life for reference. Overall I would compare the service on the Seaside to be first class and I would compare the Haven to be business class. Both will give you an amazing experience and provide you a great vacation but MSC does the “hotel in a hotel” experience a little bit better than NCL. We love both cruise lines and I cannot wait for our next Haven and Yacht Club cruises!

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Anthony Fontenot

Thanks for this great revue Stef. I love NCL and always stay in the Haven. But in ‘19 I’ll stay in the Yacht Club twice, and I’m really looking forward to it. In addition to the things you mentioned, the Yacht club is apx. $3,000.00 cheaper than the Haven. So while I truly love NCL, MSC just might win me over. Thanks again!

I agree. NCL Haven has gotten WAY too expensive for us. Yacht Club seems to be the same price as the Club Class on Princess. I’ll choose Yacht Club.

Linda Sisco

Looking forward staying in YC on Splendida in Septmber of 2020. Thanks for the wonderful comparison.

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NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club Which To Choose

Love the idea of sailing off on a luxury cruise but hate the idea of crowded spaces, long lines at the buffet or elevator and busy pool decks? The ship within a ship experience offered by many major cruise lines is just the ticket to enjoy an exclusive mega-yacht cruising experience without completely breaking the bank. Here we will compare two major cruise lines’ VIP offerings – as we go head to head with NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club.

NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club – The suites

Ncl haven vs msc yacht club – butler and concierge, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – restaurants and food, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – bars and lounges, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – onboard perks, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – private islands, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – other considerations, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – upgrade bids, ncl haven vs msc yacht club – the conclusion.

NCL and MSC Cruise Lines

Before we start with the head to head NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club here is a brief overview of the two cruise lines.

NCL is a US-based cruise line, known for its Freestyle Cruising style, no set meal times in any cabin class, less formal dress codes and excellent vibrant entertainment. On the newer ships in particular you can expect to find exciting features such as karting tracks, vast waterpark areas, outdoor cinema, sports decks and gaming areas. NCL is also renowned for its fine dining speciality restaurants with international flavours, along with numerous bars serving a wide range of beverages including NCL’s famous cocktails. Some of NCL’s older ships do not have Haven but some offer suites with the same perks as Haven. Find out more about crusing with NCL here .

MSC is an Italian cruise line which has grown exponentially in recent years, expanding its sailing from the Mediterranean to the US, Caribbean, South America, Africa and the Middle East. MSC ships are elegant and beautifully decorated, featuring classic Italian marble, elegant artwork and a sumptuous luxurious feel throughout. The new, recently launched ships feature internal promenades with ceiling light and sound displays and to compete with the US lines, waterparks, zip lines and a range of other high-octane activities. The older and smaller MSC ships do not have Yacht Club. All MSC ships have Aurea Class which includes some non-Yacht Club extras including a dedicated sundeck. Find out more about MSC cruises here .

Whether you choose NCL Haven or MSC Yacht club you are going to get a beautiful luxurious suite, spacious and sumptuously decorated, with the best linens, high-end branded toiletries, mini bars and coffee makers. On the newer MSC ships, huge duplex suites are available with private hot tub while NCL’s Garden Villas can accommodate up to eight people. Both lines offer the highest end of luxury with the Owners Suites boasting huge wraparound terraces and spacious entertaining areas. MSC also offers inside suites within its Yacht Club programme, a perfectly cost-effective option.

The Lowdown

So which cruise line has the sweetest suites? NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club. Difficult choice really as much depends on the ship. I personally love the 2-bedroom suites on NCL Epic – the bath tub and separate shower with floor to ceiling windows are something special (careful if you’re in port!) On MSC’s older ships the Yacht Club balcony suites offer excellent value for money while on the newer ships the large balcony suites and duplex suites are simply fabulous.

It’s time for battle of the butlers – NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club, in both you will enjoy the services of dedicated butlers and concierge facilities. This VIP service starts from the moment you drop your bags at the port. You wil be whisked through security into the dedicated check in area. Once you’ve checked in you can enjoy drinks and snack (depending on the port) in the emabarkation lounge and then be escorted to the ship. You will ride up in the special elevator to the Haven or Yacht Club lounge where you can relax or take a tour of the facilities before being escorted to your suite.

The role of the butler is similar on both cruise lines although with NCL the concierge or assistant concierge plays more of a role in escorting guests off the ship on port days and to theatre shows etc. With MSC this is included in the butler’s role.

In both cases the butler is your go-to for any requests, a particular snack you would like delivered in the afternoon, room service delivery, extra pillows or towels, while your room steward is responsible for general cleaning of the suite.

Butlers vary in visibility, some cruisers complain that they never see their butler, others comment that they see them too often! Remember it is hard for them to know exactly what each guest prefers so don’t be afraid to let them know. Have a chat with them and get to know them, having an excellent relationships with your butler can make all the difference.

NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club provide guests with portable phones they can use to contact their butler from anywhere around the ship. Fancy a burger poolside? Your butler will be happy to oblige.

The Concierge desk is the place to go fo dinner and show reservations, questions about your suite if your butler isn’t around, help with setting up onboard wifi, assistance getting on and off the ship on port days. In NCL Haven the concierge and his/her team are more hands on, where on MSC they operate more as a front desk for Yacht Club.

So which cruise line offer the best butler for your buck? It’s a real tough one. I have enjoyed the services of all my butlers on both NCL and MSC. Some have been more visible than others but no big deal for me. A female butler on NCL Epic was amazing when I picked up a flu virus on a cruise, bringing me chicken noodle soup every day. Butlers with MSC also double up as attendants in the Top Sail Lounge so you find yourself interacting with other butlers not just the one allocated to your suite.

As previously mentioned concierges on MSC generally provide a desk-based service, with the butlers escorting guests to shows etc. On NCL the concierge and assistants will perform this duty.

If pushed, I would say the personal attention from the butlers in MSC Yacht Club is possibly more noticable but I think it is more because the specific roles on the two cruise lines is slightly different.

Food is such a subjective topic so I am going to just share my own thoughts here and leave it for you to decide.

NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club and food. Both have dedicated restaurants where you can dine at any time during the opening hours. There is no need to make reservations and you will be seated at a table just for your party – unless you request to sit with another group. The restaurant is located in the main Haven/Yacht Club area in most cases but be aware on a couple of the older MCS ships, the Yacht Club restaurant is at the other end of the ship. Some cruisers do not like this but I always quite enjoy the stroll on deck or through the main decks of the ship on the way to and from the restaurant.

NCL Haven’s dedicated restaurant is calm and serene with no reservation required although at peak dining times (which vary greatly depending on the route) you may need to wait a short time for a table.

The food is excellent and you can usually request small adjustments to the dishes to suit your taste. The menu in the Haven Restaurant does not rotate and is the same every day, although there will usually be a daily special offered. As with other restaurants throughout NCL ships you can order extra dishes or swap appetizers for entrees etc.

The wine list is varied and the staff are happy to make suggestions or let you sample different wines.

The Haven Restaurant is open breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals are table service although at breakfast there is also a small buffet serving pastries, cold meats/cheeses, cereal etc.

MSC’s Yacht Club Restaurant has a similar exclusive atmosphere and again is open breakast, lunch and dinner. There are tables to suit all group sizes and it is all table service.

The menu in MSC Yacht Club restaurant changes daily and often features themed dishes from the port of call for that day. There are also options such as steak and salmon that are offered daily. As with NCL special requests can usually be accomodated and you can order extra dishes.

There is an extensive wine list and most MSC Yacht Club restaurants have a dedicated somelier to help you choose the perfect wine to accompany your meal.

Up until recently NCL Haven restaurant food would have won hands down but on a recent NCL cruise I thought the quality wasn’t quite the same as on previous cruises. Anyway the choice is always excellent, portion sizes are about right and there is usually a tasty fish/seafood option but the same menu every day gets old quickly on a cruise longer than two weeks. We usually intersperse with speciality restaurants to break the monotony.

The fish and seafood on offer can be destination specific and I have been disappointed on NCL cruises in Europe but on a Caribbean or Transatlantic cruise the shrimp dishes are amazing and the chance to eat Mahi Mahi, (a fish not available this side of the pond) every day makes my cruise.

MSC Yacht Club

MSC is a European cruise line and the food reflects that, don’t get me wrong – I am European – but some non-Europeans may find the portion sizes too small, easily fixed, just order a second dish. The variety is great and there has always been a dish to suit my taste and that of my husband.

However, and this is where I get to the subjective part, I like my food packed with flavour, if it’s described on the menu as spicy shrimp, I want that shrimp spicy. To me I think MSC plays it a little safe, erring on the side of bland. Many times I’ve ordered what is described beautifully as though lots of passion has been put into the thought process, but when it comes to the execution it is somehow lacking. The exception is when it comes to pasta and pizza, both freshly made to perfection reminding you that you are on an Italian cruise line.

The above mostly relates to the appetizers and entrees, the desserts however are amazing, Italians know how to make decadent pastries, rich creams, mousses, gelato and of course the Tiramisu is to die for. I rarely eat dessert but on an MSC cruise it’s well worth a few extra hours in the gym not to miss out on a taste sensation.

Other Restaurants Onboard

Guests in NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club can of course eat at the other restaurants on the ship. NCL usually includes a couple of speciality restaurant meals in your cruise package whereas MSC only includes this for loyalty card holders. You can still pay for a la carte though. Suite guests can also take advantage of the main buffet. Personally I find the buffet on MSC ships a little manic and I don’t love the food choice. On NCL ships the buffet is excellent and it’s often where I will head to grab a quick breakfast or lunch rather than opt for the table service in the Haven restaurant (things to do, places to go!)

As I said earlier, whether food is good or not so good is very subjective and depends on a persons taste so no winner or loser here, give them both a try and make your own judgement.

When it comes to recreation areas in the battle between NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club both cruise lines are winners. Both offer exclusive bars, lounges and sundecks. The sundecks are themselves worth their weight in gold especially for sunlovers on a cruise with lots of sea days. No rushing early in the morning to secure a comfortable cushioned sun lounger, dedicated bar staff and drinks served in glass rather than plastic. Located at the front of the ship to make the most of the ocean views. Haven and Yacht Club sundecks are a real treat.

When it comes to the exclusive bar/lounges on both cruise lines, I have rarely found them busy, except on the evening of the officers’ cocktail party. In fact on most MSC cruises, we’ve been the only ones in the Top Sail Lounge for pre-dinner drinks which is a pity as the setting is beautiful and piano music or a singer sets the tone for a wonderful evening. Maybe its purely to do with timing, in southern Europe we eat very late so maybe when we are enjoying pre-dinner drinks everyone else is tucking into dinner.

The MSC Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge has snacks available all day up until midnight, breakfast is pastries, cereal and juices but other breakfast items are available to order. The pool deck has a sit up bar, a small buffet plus a chef cooking a daily special on deck and other items are available to order.

The Haven bar is usually a little busier and has its regulars sitting up at the bar both before and after dinner and the atmosphere is slightly less formal. Any snacks will be in the form of savoury crackers. The cocktails are more elaborate than on MSC. It is unusual to find live music in the Haven bar.

Food and drinks can be ordered in the Haven pool area throughout the day.

Both cruise lines are winners here, the exclusive bars and sundecks are worth every penny spent on the cruise. Elegant and sophisticated and with the feel of a private club. On sea days or when you prefer to stay onboard the sundecks on both cruise lines are a world away from the hectic atmosphere of the main deck.

Disclaimer here! You should check what is included with your cruise fare, offers vary and perks can also vary. Depending on your booking location the info below may not apply to your particular offer.

Guests booking NCL Haven will have similar general perks included to those of guests in the main part of the ship. These can include, two or three speciality restaurant meals, a number of hours free internet, beverage package, a small discount on an excursion and sometimes some onboard credit.

Haven-specific perks include a higher end beverage package, snacks delivered to your room daily, discounted laundry service, bathrobes, high-end toiletries in the bathroom, chocolates on the pillow at turndown service, fresh flowers, priority emabarkation/disembarkation, priority tenders, priority disembarketion on port days, special seating area in the main theatre, the aforemention butler and concierge service, dedicated Haven pool deck, Haven bar/restaurant, stocked mini bar, Nespresso coffee maker, souvenir cruise card wallet and Haven cocktail party with the ship’s officers. Guests who book one of the Owner’s Suites are also able to choose a bottle of spirit for their bar. Guest who book Haven Spa Suites also have access to the Mandara spa.

MSC has fewer general perks outside of Yacht Club. A bonus for those booking in the UK is that gratuties are included, which means there will be no daily charge appearing on your account. Loyalty card holders at a certain level will receive a meal in a speciality restaurant.

Yacht Club-specific perks are plentiful and include, free daily newspaper, chocolates on your pillow, box of macarons, a free bottle of spirit or champagne in your room, daily in-room snacks, bathrobes, pillow menu, priority emabrkation/disembarkation, priority tenders, priority disembarkation and embarkation on port days, high-end toiletries, dedicated seating in theatre, butler and concierge service, priority show and dining reservations, free internet for the duration of the cruise, officer’s cocktail party, room service included, Lavazzo coffee maker (not on all ships), stocked mini bar, still and sparkling water refreshed daily, Yacht Club bar/lounge and restaurant, dedicated pool deck and access to spa facilities.

While both cruise lines offer excellent perks to their VIP guests, MSC has the edge with the free internet and daily water. That being said the free speciality dining is a great offer on NCL although this is for all guests (depending on offer available at time of booking).

Both NCL and MSC have private islands in the Caribbean or Bahamas which are the for exclusive use of their cruise passengers.

NCL Great Stirrup Cay

Great Stirrup Cay is located in the Bahamas. This is a tender port and Haven guests will be given priority boarding. Drinks packages are accepted on the island and there is food available free of charge. There is no dedicated Haven area on Great Stirrup Cay but there is an area called Silver Cove where cabanas can be rented with prices starting at around $450 dollars per cabana.

NCL Harvest Caye

Harvest Caye is NCL’s private Island off Belize. Due to an agreement with the Belize goverment, drinks packages are not accepted on the island and food is not included. The idea is that the island helps the local Belize economy. Food and drinks can be purchased using US Dollars. There is no dedicated Haven area on Harvest Caye.

MSC Ocean Cay

Ocean Cay is MSC’s private island in the Bahamas. There are a total of eight beaches on the island, one – Ocean House Beach, is exclusive to Yacht Club guests along with a restaurant, sun loungers and parasols. Yacht Club guests can also pre-book cabanas from $450 and these include, food, drinks, fruit skewers, snorkel gear and floating mats. A tram will take Yacht Club guest to the beach from the port and back again.

Who doesn’t love a private island? All three offerings are excellent but MSC’s Ocean Cay takes some beating especially when it comes to facilities and services for Yacht Club guests. The service is as great as it is on the ship and the exclusivity is something not offered on NCL’s private islands.

Here are a few tips and things to consider when choosing between the two ‘ship within a ship’ offerings and what to look out for on each cruise line when selecting your suite.

If you want the luxury of the serenity and luxury of the ehanced service and being far from the madding crowd, MSC probably offers the best deals price wise, the Yacht Club inside suite options have a good lead-in price and the perks included such as free internet throughout the duration of the cruise can add to the cost effectiveness.

While I have always been a big fan of NCL Haven, the pricing has gone overboard (pardon the pun) in recent years. A transatlantic crossing in NCL Haven in spring 2023 cost almost double that of a similar crossing in MSC Yacht Club for a comparable balcony suite.

Choosing Your Suite

As I mentioned at the start of this piece, do your research before you book and make sure the research is specific to the ship. On both cruise lines there are suites without a balcony that instead have wall to wall, floor to ceiling windows, great views but if you enjoy the ocean breeze from the privacy of your balcony, these are not the suites for you. Front facing suites usually have balconies enclosed in glass for obvious reasons, again these will not suit some people.

NCL Haven offerings include aft-facing suites, if big balconies and fabulous views are your thing, these are often the lower prices Haven suites but be aware you will be located at the opposite end of the ship to the Haven proper and on the large ships that can be quite a treck.

Haven Spa suites are also usually outside of the Haven proper, instead located on the same deck as the Mandara Spa. On some older and smaller NCL ships including NCL Dawn, there is no dedicated Haven area, instead you can book a large luxury suite, enjoy breakfast and lunch in two of the speciality restaurants and still enjoy most of the Haven perks including butler and concierge service.

Be aware, NCL also has a category of accomodation called Club Balcony suites (formerly called mini suites) these are in the main part of the ship, are often slightly larger and with bigger balcony plus usually a bathtub. These are not Haven suites and include none of the perks.

MSC also has some suites located outside the main Yacht Club area, on some ships the Duplex Suites are in the main part of the ship as are the spa suites.

I couldn’t complete an article on NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club without mentioning upgrade bidding. Both NCL and MSC offer an upgrade programme subject to availablity. A few weeks or more before your cruise you may receive an email offering you the opportunity to bid for a higher category of cabin or suite. There is usually some kind of guideline as to what is a good or poor bid but it’s mostly up to you what you want to offer.

Many cruisers rely on the upgrade programme on all their cruises and are often successful. Personally it’s not for me, I like to hand pick my suite on a certain side of the ship and the anticipation and waiting would drive me crazy. I did try it once and it worked out great but I was probably unbearable to live with while I was waiting to see if my bid was successful!

Things you should bear in mind. If your bid is accepted, the money will be taken from your credit card immediately and there is no going back. You can not specify a particular cabin/suite, deck or location. With MSC if you already pre-paid for internet when you booked a regular cabin, you won’t get that fee refunded even though you now get free internet as part of the Yacht Club perks. On both NCL and MSC, if your bid to upgrade from a regular cabin to a Haven or Yacht Club suite is successful you will receive all the perks related to that.

You will only be offered to bid up to a certain level of cabin or suite, so if you book the lowest cost inside cabin you won’t be offered an upgrade to a Haven or Yacht Club suite. You could bid for a balcony cabin.

Really there is no conclusion to this NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club showdown, it is all down to personal preference, price or even itineraries on offer. Loyalty to a particular cruise line can also play a part especially when it comes to loyalty points and status levels. Bear in mind MSC status matches you from your status level on another cruise line so you can get in at a higher level from your very first booking.

My personal opinion when it comes to NCL Haven vs MSC Yacht Club is I love both and I wouldn’t cruise any other way. Price is definitely a consideration for me when I book, so with Haven becoming further out of reach I am leaning more to booking Yacht Club. That being said, I’m certainly not done with NCL yet and you will definitely see me at a Haven bar in the near future!

Visit Cruise Critic to book your NCL Haven or MSC Yacht Club cruise

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Reader Interactions

September 30, 2023 at 10:24

Those Yacht club premium benefits sound incredible! I have heard any stories about how expensive is the interent during the cruise, so it is good to hear there are offers where this is included along with other perks. I have never been on a cruise myself yet, but your post really makes me want to try it!

September 30, 2023 at 14:45

Thank you! I hope you give it a try!

September 30, 2023 at 14:22

We usually travel on smaller cruise ships. But have been interested in looking at NCL’s Haven. Good to read to read this review of the Haven versus MSC’s Yacht Club. Free internet and water might be a swing factor for us with MSC. And interesting to read that the Haven pricing has gone a bit crazy. Good to now have another option with MSC.

September 30, 2023 at 14:44

We enjoy the ship within a ship experiences as it makes you feel you are on a smaller ship. We are booked in Haven on the NCL Joy transatlantic in January, can’t wait!

September 30, 2023 at 14:56

I’ve never been on a cruise ship and we’re planning to book one. You gave me a lot of idea what to look for. Thanks for the tips!

October 3, 2023 at 07:41

Thanks Gladis! I hope you find a nice cruise!

September 30, 2023 at 21:49

Both look amazing! I do hope to someday try out these ship-in-ship offers – unfortunately they are often a bit out of my price range. But I am definitely keeping my eyes open for a good deal. Thanks so much for this informative post!

Thanks Kitty! Keep an eye on MSC, they often have some good prices.

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• MSC Cruises

MSC Yacht club vs NCL Haven

By david_sobe , January 18, 2017 in MSC Cruises

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Has anyone sailed in a suite with NCL (Haven) and MSC Yacht club?

Anything similar or different?

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Hi David, we have sailed in NCL suites multiple times in both Haven and non-haven cabins. We just returned from our 2nd MSC Divina Yacht Club cruise. We love the YC. In my opinion, the amenities of the YC with the private venues easily out-perform NCL's Haven facilities and the service is superior. If I had any YC negatives, it would be the cabins and bathrooms are smaller. We can live with that when the YC facilities and service are far better that the Haven. We got lucky and scored a YC3 Royal Suite on our first MSC cruise. On our 2nd, we were in a standard YC1. The Royal Suite was fantastic but there is only two on the ship and they book up fast. Hope this helps.

happy cruzin

Has anyone sailed in a suite with NCL (Haven) and MSC Yacht club?   Anything similar or different?

David - I recently asked a very similar question. So - I thought I'd share!! [emoji6][emoji4]

Seaside - February 2018???

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2443524

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I'm quite impressed by MSC's loyalty match program too! As Platinum on NCL - we match to MSC's Black - their highest tier. With all perks applying to our very first sailing!!

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Voyagers-Club.aspx

Does anyone know which is the best program to match from I am Hilton Diamond and AA EXP Marriott Gold etc ? It does not show a list of what program status matches to which MCS status

I'm quite impressed by MSC's loyalty match program too! As Platinum on NCL - we match to MSC's Black - their highest tier. With all perks applying to our very first sailing!!   https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Voyagers-Club.aspx     Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you so much for this posting. I love cruise critic. I just booked my first cruise with MSC and they did not mention anything about this loyalty match program. I just tried to fill out the registration but got stuck when it asked me to attach my photo proof of being a platinum member (I don't have a card). I am not home (we are in Mexico for the winter) but I will call MSC and see what they can do for me.

Thank you so much. This will be very beneficial to my husband and myself. We did pay extra for "all inclusive" but hopefully this will add to the benefits we can have. :):D

Thank you so much for this posting. I love cruise critic. I just booked my first cruise with MSC and they did not mention anything about this loyalty match program. I just tried to fill out the registration but got stuck when it asked me to attach my photo proof of being a platinum member (I don't have a card). I am not home (we are in Mexico for the winter) but I will call MSC and see what they can do for me.   Thank you so much. This will be very beneficial to my husband and myself. We did pay extra for "all inclusive" but hopefully this will add to the benefits we can have. :):D   Wendy

If you log in to the cruise Line? hotel site? that you are using for status match, you can use a screen shot of a page that shows your status.

Thank you so much for this posting. I love cruise critic. I just booked my first cruise with MSC and they did not mention anything about this loyalty match program. I just tried to fill out the registration but got stuck when it asked me to attach my photo proof of being a platinum member (I don't have a card). I am not home (we are in Mexico for the winter) but I will call MSC and see what they can do for me.       Thank you so much. This will be very beneficial to my husband and myself. We did pay extra for "all inclusive" but hopefully this will add to the benefits we can have. :):D       Wendy

I don't have a card either.

I logged on to the cruise line website (NCL) went in to my Latitudes information and snapped a picture that showed my name, points I've earned and my Platinum status. Submitted that and it worked perfectly.

I think a photo of you last sign and sail card will work too! [emoji6]

Thanks for everyone posting!

The new MSC ship coming to Miami looks amazing. It seems like the right time to sail MSC since its growing and offering the customer more unlike the other lines that are drastically reducing perks and raising rates.

I hate all the phony NCL "free" offers that raise the rates $750 pp.

Thanks for everyone posting! The new MSC ship coming to Miami looks amazing. It seems like the right time to sail MSC since its growing and offering the customer more unlike the other lines that are drastically reducing perks and raising rates. I hate all the phony NCL "free" offers that raise the rates $750 pp.

That's exactly what we decided too. Booked the Seaside for February 2018!!

You even get bottled WATER on MSC.;)

Msc is better and much cheaper.

All-ready2cruise

I have to agree with others. We had a fabulous NYE cruise on Divina and enjoyed it so much we've booked another cruise on Divina for next year.

I don't have a card either.   I logged on to the cruise line website (NCL) went in to my Latitudes information and snapped a picture that showed my name, points I've earned and my Platinum status. Submitted that and it worked perfectly.   I think a photo of you last sign and sail card will work too! [emoji6]     Sent from my iPad using Forums

Again thank you for your posting about Latitudes and MSC program. I did manage to get the proof sent to MSC and they have given my husband and I the 5% discount on our upcoming cruise. Thanks to you.

Also thank you for helping me to get the points info forwarded to MSC and to Electro as well for their helpful post. Much appreciated.

:D       Again thank you for your posting about Latitudes and MSC program. I did manage to get the proof sent to MSC and they have given my husband and I the 5% discount on our upcoming cruise. Thanks to you.       Also thank you for helping me to get the points info forwarded to MSC and to Electro as well for their helpful post. Much appreciated.       Wendy

AWESOME....glad I could help!!!

AWESOME....glad I could help!!!     Sent from my iPad using Forums

Has anyone sailed in a suite with NCL (Haven) and MSC Yacht club? Anything similar or different?

I just posted our opinions tonight here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2446917

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Hey, Doug! Welccome back to CC - missed you. I would suggest you just attach a copy of your status with both companies when you email your application, and they will select your status accordingly. When I joined the Voyagers Club, I just emailed a copy of one of my Celebrity Sea Pass cards which showed my status. It's very easy.

I was able to experience the Yacht Club on MSC last April and must say I was impressed with the excellent service by the wonderful and attentive staff.

Come sail with us on the MSC Seaside in April, 2018! In the YC, of course! :D

BermudaBound2014

I sailed divina YC in June and had posh passes on epic in December. Just the facts:

1. Service goes to ncl hands down. I was rarely asked for a drink refill in YC. In posh the drinks kept flowing without me having to ask.

2. Comfort goes to posh. They have double bed loungers, single loungers, and clam shell loungers and all of them come with thick padding. YC had loungers only (no Padding).

3. Shade goes to posh. There is zero shade at one pool unless you are sitting at tables near the bar. There is no shade for Loungers. Posh also had moveable umbrellas that weren't in YC.

4. Food again posh. One pool has a nice little salad bar and some other entries, but one day the other entry was cold meatloaf (I posted pictures in my live June review). In posh you order from a menu and food is brought right to your lounger. We had swordfish burgers and nachos which were excellent, but there was more choices on the menu.

5. Posh is adult only. Not to say that one pool was overrun with kids, but there were kids splashing in the pool each day.

6. Pool goes to YC since posh has no water feature.

With all that said, YC is a better value than haven simply because it costs half the money. But for me, some of the basic extra touches were missing in YC.

I know my opinion is in the minority here, but I'm just posting what I experienced first hand.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi, BermudaBound:)

Were you in a suite and also got Posh passes, or just got the Posh passes?

Before booking Silhouette, I was looking at Norwegian. We have been in suites on them before but now their prices are just crazy. Especially if you book a suite and then have to try to get Posh (mainly to have a little peace and quiet).

Did you have to run to get the Posh pass? On the Norwegian boards people post that they get to the port at 9 am or earlier just to get in line so they can get the passes.

sverigecruiser

Hi, BermudaBound:)   Were you in a suite and also got Posh passes, or just got the Posh passes?   Before booking Silhouette, I was looking at Norwegian. We have been in suites on them before but now their prices are just crazy. Especially if you book a suite and then have to try to get Posh (mainly to have a little peace and quiet).   Did you have to run to get the Posh pass? On the Norwegian boards people post that they get to the port at 9 am or earlier just to get in line so they can get the passes.

No need to be early just to get POSHpasses since they are included for suites.

My last cruise was on the Divina in the YC last year. I have a rundown of my thoughts then (see last line of my sig below).

As I have had a chance to think about it and let my opinions gestate for a bit, I'm leaning more towards the YC vs NCL's Haven (which I've been in twice).

There are some differences, obviously. Free drinks for YC are only avialable in the YC, or Le Muse restaurant. In the Haven, they're available everywhere on the ship.

Le Muse in the YC trumps the Haven restaurant, in taste, quality of food, and in service...by a fair margin.

The Haven restaurant is in the Haven. Le Muse is not in the YC. On the Divinia, it's on the total opposite end of the ship. I didn't mind the walk, but it was a hike and inconvenient.

The Butlers and Servers in the YC are unobtrusive. They won't bother you until you request something of them. I liked that.

From the start of getting to the ship, where there is a special YC area, a Butler takes your luggage, tags it, and hands it off to a porter. From there, the Butler escorts you to the YC registration area and gets snacks, and even champaign, if you want, while you register. Then, you are escorted on the ship the Butler, and handed off to your Butler for the week, who escorts you to the YC.

The Top Sail Lounge is beautiful. Much bigger than the Haven lounge. And, there was private entertainment in the Top Sail Lounge in the evenings, something the Haven Lounge never had.

Top Sail had light breakfast, lunch and dinner "snacks". Personally, I never went to breakfast at Le Muse. There were little quiches, breads, etc in Top Sail which were fine for my breakfast. Great coffee in Top Sail, too.

My newspaper of choice was delivered to my cabin every a.m., which I always took with me at breakfast in Top Sail. That was a nice touch and something the Haven didn't offer.

To me, as good as the Haven is, the Yacht Club is just as good, just different. The concierges' in the YC are helpful, and there are more of them (we had 4 on the Divina, and 2 in the Haven). Butler was there for anything we needed, sometimes even serving us drinks in the Top Sail Lounge. They also stocked our mini-bar with the included beverages.

In short, I never wanted for anything in either the Haven or the Yacht Club.

Subjective, but I'd say the Top Sail Lounge and bar area are nicer than the Haven.

Then, there's the big one....price. And, NCL has really overpriced the Haven comared to the YC....by 2X the times I looked at them.

I'm in the midst of making reservations for their new ship, the Meriviglia, for Thanksgiving in Europe later this year. That's a brand new ship and addresses some of my criticism of the Divina (namely, the location of Le Muse).

My other criticism was entertainment. NCL has had the best entertainment at sea for a long time. MSC Merivigila just contracted with Cirque de Solais for their entertainment. I'm really looking forward to that.

Divina was one of the most beautiful ships I had ever been on, though....maybe the most beautiful.

Free drinks for YC are only avialable in the YC, or Le Muse restaurant. In the Haven, they're available everywhere on the ship.      

As of April 2017, YC will include free drinks everywhere in the ship. This is regardless of promotions.

The Haven itself does not necessarily come with free drinks (except Owners and Garden Villas) and is only included because of NCLs current promotions. You are also required to pay an 18% service charge based on the UBP price, depending on promo received. (Some months covered the gratuity, some months did not.) Yes, this has been a long standing promotion, but that which can be given, can be taken away.

Also, when NCL started their "Freestyle" promos, their prices jumped dramatically. You're paying for it, one way or another.

Two Wheels Only

You are also required to pay an 18% service charge based on the UBP price, depending on promo received. (Some months covered the gratuity, some months did not.)

If you book a suite/Haven, you are not charged the 18% on the UBP nor the SDP.

Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package and/or Soda Package prior to cruise, except when booking a Haven or Suite . - T&C

That's true of every cruise line.

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• MSC Cruises

Ncl Haven VS. MSC Yacht Club

By met195 , November 16, 2018 in MSC Cruises

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Anyone tryet them both .. ? We been on NCL Escape (Haven) is Yacht Club the same or better?

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Captain-John

Haven is significantly more expensive, so from a value for money point of view, the Yacht Club wins, as, although it may not be as good as the Haven, versus the cost I think it's 'better' - depending on your definition of better of course.

Into Cruising

I beg to differ in saying  it is only better due to the perceived value.   I have been in the Haven a couple of times, and also in the Yacht club once.   I now have two more Yacht clubs booked.  

I found the cabins better in the Haven, but the  service, private lounge, and restaurant better in the Yacht club.   The private pool area  with Bar and grill was also better in the Yacht club.

As for service both were good, but I thought the Yacht Club was better.   

I felt the attention from the Butler in the Haven was good, but I felt the overall attention by all of the butlers throughouot the Yacht club was head and shoulders above that.

31 minutes ago, Into Cruising said: I beg to differ in saying  it is only better due to the perceived value.   I have been in the Haven a couple of times, and also in the Yacht club once.   I now have two more Yacht clubs booked.     I found the cabins better in the Haven, but the  service, private lounge, and restaurant better in the Yacht club.   The private pool area  with Bar and grill was also better in the Yacht club.   As for service both were good, but I thought the Yacht Club was better.      I felt the attention from the Butler in the Haven was good, but I felt the overall attention by all of the butlers throughouot the Yacht club was head and shoulders above that.

I definitely agreed with you. Did both Haven & YC. YC much better all around. Lounge is big & gorgeous, food & service excellent, pool area never crowded. After we stayed in Haven we agreed never again, not worth it, but after staying in YC in October we booked another YC next year when we got home. 

I have several Havens under my belt.   In the beginning, there was definately value.   After a change in top management I saw a definate shift.   Haven prices escalated dramatically.  The bid system was implimented.   NCL figured we'd blindly pay the price while discounting to upsellers getting the same for a lot less.  

I heard about MSC YC and the status match.   I have my first booked for May 2019 on Seaside.  The price is definately lower and I will go with an open mind.   Through my research, I have seen which things appear to be different/better on each line.   

 I am a little bit miffed about the recent changes to the drink program and just what will be complementary in the yacht club.  It is still unclear. It's frustrating to have your heart set on something and have the rules changed after you booked but before you cruise.  I will wait and see what shakes out.  

1 hour ago, Into Cruising said: I beg to differ in saying  it is only better due to the perceived value.   I have been in the Haven a couple of times, and also in the Yacht club once.   I now have two more Yacht clubs booked.     I found the cabins better in the Haven, but the  service, private lounge, and restaurant better in the Yacht club.   The private pool area  with Bar and grill was also better in the Yacht club.   As for service both were good, but I thought the Yacht Club was better.      I felt the attention from the Butler in the Haven was good, but I felt the overall attention by all of the butlers throughouot the Yacht club was head and shoulders above that.

Agree 200%. There is no comparison. Even if they were the same price, YC wins hands down, though the rooms are a bit smaller. The public spaces (lounge, pool, sitting) are so huge and luxurious that room size just not an issue. 

And the service in YC is dramatically better. Instead of one often lousy butler, there is a cadre of butlers always “at your service”, though each cabin is assigned a prime butler. They all share service duties in the bar, lounge, pool grill etc. 

And on on principle I will not play NCL pricing game. Price the rooms at a fair rate, don’t make me bid. That cheapens the whole process and given that only one side of the transaction sees the data is inherently rigged in NCL’ s favor. 

But let’s keep this a secret 🙂  

33 minutes ago, TrinaLC said:   Agree 200%. There is no comparison. Even if they were the same price, YC wins hands down, though the rooms are a bit smaller. The public spaces (lounge, pool, sitting) are so huge and luxurious that room size just not an issue.    And the service in YC is dramatically better. Instead of one often lousy butler, there is a cadre of butlers always “at your service”, though each cabin is assigned a prime butler. They all share service duties in the bar, lounge, pool grill etc.    And on on principle I will not play NCL pricing game. Price the rooms at a fair rate, don’t make me bid. That cheapens the whole process and given that only one side of the transaction sees the data is inherently rigged in NCL’ s favor.    But let’s keep this a secret 🙂      

Thank you all for your answers 🙂

Two Wheels Only

Having sailed both, I agree that both are excellent but there are a few differences. Some things favor the Yacht Club while others favor the Haven. I only have 1 Yacht Club sailing (Seaside) but I'm looking to add Meraviglia as well as more Seaside.

Stateroom choices and size - Haven

Lounge - Yacht Club

Pool - slight edge to Haven because of the retractable roof (not all Havens have, though)

Sundeck - Yacht Club by FAR

Hot-tubs - Haven (higher temperatures)

Bar service - Yacht Club (both cruise lines were excellent)

Butler - Yacht Club (we've never had a bad Haven butler but many NCL guests have, apparently)

Concierge - Haven

Room Steward - Even...no complaints at all

Overall staff - Yacht Club

Restaurant breakfast - Haven

Restaurant lunch - Haven

Restaurant dinner - Yacht Club

Overall Restaurant for service, variety, ambiance, etc. - Yacht Club

Priority Embarkation - Haven (a bit more organized but MSC may improve)

Elevator use - Yacht Club (Priority Service Hijack, ftw)

Booking Website - Do I really have to answer? C'mon, MSC. Get your sh** together.

This is not taking price into account. Both Haven and Yacht Club prices have increased rather dramatically but Yacht Club pricing is still better. I'm looking forward to NCL's Project Leonardo and MSC's World Class so I have years and several new ships to enjoy/compare/contrast.

What Into, DMH, and Trina said.  We've only done YC on Divinia but have 3 more booked.  Been many Haven and suites and last Haven was on Escape in June in the DOS.  The NCL rooms are generally bigger and nicer and more variety of room types but MSC has so much more public YC space with things in it.  And as Trina said, your assigned NCL butler could be mediocre or a dud - they really need a system to give feedback on their performance like DCL does in Concierge.

MSC also has the butlers do more and farther escorting on/off the ship than NCL (like tracking you down on the pier when returning and escorting you on the ship).

I have been on both , but not Haven for several years.

The last time on Haven , the menu n the haven was  very repetitive--not so on YC.

YC based on everything is far superior

Thank you all for your reply

And Haven has nothing like the wonderful breakfast and lunch poolside that YC offers, hot and cold entrees, eggs and pasta cooked to order, full bar service with many circulating staff, and an a wide, open deck - not in an enclosed “well’. 

Sadly, we get off Divina tomorrow, kicking and screaming.  The United Airways video of that poor doctor being dragged off a United flight comes to mind. It may just come to that. 

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MSC Cruises Unveils 2025-26 US Winter Sailings

M SC Cruises will have a record-setting seven ships sailing around the United States for the 2025-26 winter season, with ships homeporting in Miami, Port Canaveral, New York City and Galveston.

MSC Grandiosa will make its U.S. debut from Port Canaveral, while the cruise line as a whole will be celebrating its first-ever season sailing from Galveston with MSC Seascape. MSC World America will also have its first winter season sailing from Miami after the ship’s debut in April 2025 .

Most itineraries will visit Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve , which is getting several enhancements and updates at the moment. During the 2025-26 winter, guests will be able to take advantage of new excursion centers, a snorkel and dive center, new food and beverage options and an expanded Ocean House bar and restaurant for MSC Yacht Club guests.

“We are delighted to provide our guests more choices than ever before when it comes to embarkation ports, ships, itineraries and destinations, making it easy to find the perfect cruise,” says Rubén A. Rodríguez, president of MSC Cruises USA. “Combining world-class entertainment, dining and amenities onboard with the fantastic updates coming to Ocean Cay makes for an incredibly exciting future, which is perfect for everyone from first-time cruisers to our most devoted fans.” 

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August was originally named<br />

Sextilis because it was the sixth<br />

month in the original ten-month<br />

Roman calendar. About 700 B.C.E. it<br />

became the eighth month when January<br />

and February were added by King<br />

Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days.<br />

Julius Ceasar added two days when he<br />

created the Julian Calendar in 45<br />

B.C.E. giving it its modern length of 31<br />

days. In 8 B.C.E. it was renamed in<br />

honor of Augustus, (who did not take a day from<br />

February as some theories would have you believe) He<br />

chose this month to take his name rather than his birth<br />

month – which was traditional – as a mark of honor to<br />

the defeated Queen Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt,<br />

this being her birth month.<br />

With a history like that, August has to be special, a<br />

long month in the heart of summer in Marina del Rey.<br />

June gloom is over, Sunset Series is seeing the top<br />

boats in each class competing for the coveted Marilyn<br />

Ritchie Trophy, Catalina will welcome CYC back for<br />

the Family Cruise, and the Junior Sailing program is in<br />

its second session where the kids are having a great<br />

time while learning the fine points of sailing and<br />

sailboat racing.<br />

Out on Santa Monica Bay, August will bring two<br />

exciting events to CYC this year. At the beginning of<br />

the month the Laser National Championship will see<br />

more than 120 of these nimble Olympic-class boats<br />

competing (coming from U.S., Canada, Mexico, and<br />

Virgin Islands). Regatta Chairman S/C Frank Glynn<br />

(no slouch himself when it comes to Laser racing) will<br />

put the competitors through their paces with races<br />

Thursday through Sunday, August 4 - 7. Both standard<br />

Laser and the Laser Radials will compete.<br />

Then at the end of the month, the<br />

Martin 242 North American<br />

Championship will see our strong local<br />

fleet pitting themselves against<br />

challengers from the rest of our<br />

continent. Regatta Chairman Mary<br />

Stuyvesant plans a start clinic and<br />

practice races on August 25, before<br />

the actual races August 26-28.<br />

Looking farther afield, my<br />

<strong>Commodore</strong>s Cruise starts August 13<br />

2/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

From The <strong>Commodore</strong><br />

<strong>Commodore</strong><br />

Ann Ach<br />

from Istanbul, Turkey, where we board<br />

the fabulous Windstar for seven days of<br />

gorgeous Mediterranean weather as we<br />

visit historic archeological sites at<br />

Ephesus and Rhodes, the resort seaport<br />

Bodrum, and enjoy the beautiful islands<br />

Santorini and Mykonos before docking<br />

at Piraeus (port of Athens), Greece.<br />

Many of the participants will start with<br />

a three-day tour in Istanbul, and finish<br />

with two days in Athens. This Cruise<br />

promises to provide incomparable memories.<br />

Back in Southern <strong>California</strong>, the Family Cruise,<br />

hosted by Chairmen Keri and Bill Wofford, takes us<br />

back to Corsair <strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong> on Catalina Island on<br />

August 19-21. Last year’s event was a resounding<br />

success and this year should be even better. Emerald<br />

Bay is a great setting for anything from scuba<br />

diving to hiking or just relaxing with a good book.<br />

The evenings offer a chance to gather around the<br />

grills and fire pit to the share the day’s activities<br />

with both old friends and new.<br />

Looking for a local, relaxing, and fun evening?<br />

The Pool Party on August 14 features a “burn your<br />

own meat” barbecue with music and friends. Check<br />

it out.<br />

The Junior Awards Banquet (August 18) is the<br />

culmination of the Junior Summer program, and the<br />

top sportsmen and racers will be honored. More<br />

then 90 Juniors are participating in this program.<br />

Each year the program draws kids that join the yearround<br />

race team, which compete in Optis, Lasers,<br />

Radials, CFJs, and 420s. A few standout Juniors<br />

may be awarded one of the <strong>Club</strong>’s perpetual<br />

trophies designated for youth sailors (Detroit<br />

Highpoint, Rindge Racing Achievement Award,<br />

Roosevelt Seamanship Award, or the<br />

Zimmer Sportsmanship Award).<br />

Although the banquet marks the end of<br />

the Summer Program, it also marks<br />

the beginning of a new season of<br />

High School and <strong>Club</strong> Regattas.<br />

Young sailors are the lifeblood of<br />

our <strong>Club</strong> and they deserve our<br />

thanks and admiration.<br />

I hope this year at CYC brings<br />

the sun to you.

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4469 Admiralty Way,<br />

Marina del Rey, CA 90292<br />

310-823-4567<br />

Fax: 310-822-3658<br />

www.calyachtclub.com<br />

Volume 47 • Number 8<br />

General Manager<br />

Michele Underwood<br />

Editor-in-Chief<br />

Constance Miller<br />

Managing Editor<br />

Vince Mattera<br />

Editorial Assistants<br />

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Mike Daniels<br />

Nancy Lepe<br />

Vice <strong>Commodore</strong><br />

David Collins<br />

Rear <strong>Commodore</strong><br />

Uta Leslie<br />

Fleet Captain<br />

Richard Mainland<br />

Port Captain<br />

Rick Turner<br />

The Breeze is published to provide<br />

members with announcements of,<br />

and information about, <strong>Club</strong><br />

activities. Deadline for articles is the<br />

first day of the previous month of the<br />

publication date.<br />

To place an ad, please contact<br />

Claudia Moore, at<br />

310-823-4567 x2765 or<br />

[email protected]<br />

Breeze (USPS #016-319)<br />

is published monthly by <strong>California</strong><br />

<strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong>, Inc. d.b.a. <strong>California</strong><br />

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Copyright © 2011<br />

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All Rights Reserved<br />

4th of July Dinghy Cruise<br />

Car Rally and Car Show<br />

Junior Summer Program<br />

POWER<br />

4th of July Dinghy Cruise 5<br />

Car Rally and Car Show 10<br />

Dock Party 16<br />

Engines in High Gear 18<br />

CYCWA<br />

On The Horizon 6<br />

SAIL<br />

Winners’ Circle 7<br />

JUNIORS<br />

Junior Summer Program 13<br />

MEMBERSHIP<br />

New Members 19<br />

From the Manager 22<br />

CALENDAR<br />

August/September Events 23<br />

Front Cover: Summer Sailing Program at CYC – Instructors and participants from<br />

Session I.<br />

-photos by Mike Shocklee<br />

Back Cover: CYC 4th of July Dinghy Cruise<br />

-photos by Pati Etter<br />

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/3

4th of July<br />

Dinghy Cruise<br />

By Don Rothenberg<br />

Adedicated group of 52 CYC<br />

members and guests welcomed<br />

the 4th of July with a rousing<br />

celebration lunch at El Torito<br />

Restaurant. We paraded across the<br />

marina with decorated dinghies in a<br />

flotilla led by Pati and George Etter,<br />

who had made arrangements for us to<br />

tie up in a slip just outside the<br />

restaurant. S/C John Isaksen waved a<br />

huge American flag while standing<br />

precariously in his dinghy while<br />

smaller flags and patriotic bows and<br />

ribbons waved in the breeze from<br />

other dinghies.<br />

Once inside, the happy group<br />

greeted one another, each admiring the<br />

others patriotic get-up. The<br />

complimentary margaritas flowed<br />

freely as the group surveyed the ample<br />

special menu to choose just the right<br />

entree, while overindulging on the<br />

never-ending bowls of chips and dip.<br />

Midway through lunch, our songbird,<br />

Lola Haag, led us through two<br />

energetic rounds of God Bless<br />

America. I’m sure our enthusiastic<br />

singers could be heard all over the<br />

marina as others in the restaurant and<br />

the wait staff joined in.<br />

After lunch we again paraded<br />

around the marina led, this time, by a<br />

fire-boat with a steady stream of water<br />

announcing our arrival, which had<br />

been arranged by Lowell Safir, a guest<br />

at our lunch. Others joined the group<br />

and we got many thumbs up and even<br />

applause from boaters enjoying the<br />

beautiful day in their slips.<br />

Many thanks to my committee of<br />

Maureen and Bill Tieman, and Nancy<br />

Sogg for their help in passing out the<br />

goodies at the guest dock, and again to<br />

George Etter for arranging the slip for<br />

us. Thanks also to photographers Pati<br />

Etter, Carol Watkins, and Jaynee Eitel.<br />

Look at the pictures. They tell the<br />

story of a happy, enthusiastic and<br />

patriotic group having fun celebrating<br />

the 4th of July.<br />

4/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

-photos Pati Etter, Jaynee Eitel, and Carol Watkins

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/5

on the Horizon<br />

BY JOAN ZISLER<br />

YEAR-ROUND EVENTS<br />

BOOK MATES<br />

First Thursday of Every Month<br />

August 4, 2011<br />

11:45 a.m. - Fireside Room<br />

SEO Norma Pratt and Sue Moore,<br />

Cochairmen<br />

Book Mates is an enormously<br />

successful book group with<br />

stimulating conversation that meets<br />

once a month.<br />

The August book is a non-fiction<br />

titled “Tough Without a Gun” by<br />

Stefan Kanfer, the life and<br />

extraordinary afterlife of Humphrey<br />

Bogart. September’s read is “The<br />

Motion of the Ocean” by Janna<br />

Esarey. A pre-discussion buffet lunch<br />

is served at 11:45 a.m. $14 inclusive.<br />

Make a reservation at the front desk<br />

and come join this diverse group. We<br />

welcome all CYC members!<br />

EVENING BOOK CLUB<br />

7:00 p.m. - Gallery Room<br />

Sue Purcell, Chairman<br />

There will not be an August<br />

meeting this month. Our book for<br />

September 29 will be “Gone Fishing:<br />

An Easy Rawlins Novel” by Walter<br />

Mosley. This book is available in<br />

paperback and can be ordered online.<br />

Please keep the following dates open<br />

for our future meetings: October 26,<br />

November 30 and December 28.<br />

Please feel free to contact Sue Purcell<br />

with any future book suggestions.<br />

Cost is $10 which includes<br />

cheese/crackers and coffee/tea.<br />

BRIDGE CLUB<br />

Every Wednesday<br />

from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.<br />

Joan Silver, Chairman<br />

This group meets every week<br />

with a break for a no-host lunch. If<br />

you play bridge and would like to join<br />

as a substitute, or already have a<br />

foursome and would like to play with<br />

the group, please contact Joan Silver.<br />

6/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

PADDLE TENNIS<br />

Every Tuesday and Thursday<br />

10 a.m. to noon<br />

Birgitte Keld and Diane Manzella,<br />

Jeanne Pieper<br />

has returned this<br />

month to paddle<br />

tennis after a tenyear<br />

absence.<br />

A member of<br />

CYC for more than<br />

33 years, Jeanne<br />

and her husband,<br />

Jim, have owned<br />

many boats, the<br />

last being a 50-foot<br />

sail, on which they<br />

spent several years<br />

vacationing in the Isthmus and other<br />

coves in Catalina. Unfortunately for<br />

Jeanne and Jim, they sold their boat on<br />

November 3, 1993, the infamous date of<br />

the Malibu fire. They never imagined<br />

that while they were closing the sale of<br />

their boat, their home would be<br />

consumed in flames. Jeanne reminisces<br />

that while staying at the Marina del Rey<br />

Ritz Carlton, they were served,<br />

complements of the house, charred<br />

salmon while watching their home burn.<br />

Homeless, but undaunted, Jeanne<br />

and Jim moved forward with their lives<br />

with only the clothes on their backs, the<br />

support of their loved ones, and the<br />

kindness and thoughtfulness of Jeanne’s<br />

students in an inner-city school. Jeanne<br />

said the children gave her whatever they<br />

could find around their homes including,<br />

cereal, blankets and clothes. She added<br />

that the experience was life-changing.<br />

Most of us are just getting to know<br />

Jeanne, but clearly she is a woman of<br />

persistence and stamina, a true survivor.<br />

The CYCWA paddle team is a very<br />

fun group of women who love being<br />

together on the courts. For those new to<br />

the game, we have extra rackets for you<br />

to try before you purchase one.<br />

We encourage you to come and join<br />

this wonderful group of social ladies.<br />

Whether your interests lie in getting<br />

some exercise, meeting new friends, or<br />

just getting some fresh air, please join<br />

us every Tuesday and Thursday.<br />

MAH JONGG<br />

Thursdays 11 a.m.<br />

Susan Allan, Chairman<br />

CYC’s own mah jongg maven,<br />

Susan Allan, follows the official<br />

National Mah Jongg League rules and<br />

regulations.<br />

This strategic tile game is great fun<br />

and will keep your mind active. If you<br />

already play mah jongg you can also<br />

help teach the members who are new to<br />

the game. Just come and have some<br />

fun! Questions? Call Susan Allan.<br />

UPCOMING EVENTS<br />

Doheny Mansion Tour<br />

Tuesday, October 4, 2011<br />

If you haven’t been to this<br />

magnificent historic mansion, you won’t<br />

want to miss this guided tour. The bus<br />

will leave CYC promptly at 9 a.m.<br />

$38 includes bus/docent fees.<br />

More detailed information will<br />

follow. Stay tuned!<br />

Cats like Janet leave paw prints in our hearts.<br />

As you may know, a couple of weeks ago Janet<br />

was put to sleep due to her suffering from cancer.<br />

Thank you to those of you who were<br />

responsible for Janet’s good life at the<br />

courts…donating food, making sure she was fed,<br />

keeping the area clean and stroking her when she<br />

allowed us to show her affection, and a very warm<br />

and sincere thank you of appreciation to CYC<br />

member Rick Gunderson who cared for Janet in the<br />

later stages of her life.<br />

Janet was the paddle tennis mascot for the last<br />

15 years and we all miss her.

Winners’ Circle<br />

By DIANE ADLER<br />

CAL RACE WEEK 6/4 – 5/2011 COURSE #1 J/109 1. Grace<br />

O’Malley, Alice Leahey. CYC. 2. Electra, Thomas Brott, SBYC.<br />

3. Persistence, Bryce Benjamin, CYC. J/105 1. Current<br />

Obsession, LBYC. 2. Sanity, Rick Goebel, SDYC. 3. Blink, John<br />

Howell, SDYC. 4. Rock and Roll, Donald Poppe, SBYC. J/80 1.<br />

Avet, Curt Johnson, CYC. 2. DUI, Dan Gribble, BYC. 3. Blue Jay,<br />

Robert Hayward, SMWYC. PHRF C 1. Tigger, Fred Cottrell,<br />

KHYC. 2. Hitchhiker, Doug/Minda Johnstone, CYC. 3. Viral,<br />

Timothy Carter, ABYC. COURSE #2 J/24 1. Take Five, Susan<br />

Taylor, CYC. 2. Bullet, Thomas Tunberg, SBYC. 3. Critter, James<br />

Burley, SMWYC. MARTIN 242 1. All In, Mike George, CYC.<br />

2. Trolleycar, Peter Stazicker/Bill Petersen, CYC. 3. Pau Hana,<br />

Paul Zambriski, KHYC. 4. Three-Oh-Five, Yumio Dornberg/<br />

Barbara Duker, CYC. 5. Dean, Duncan Cameron, CYC. OPEN<br />

5.70 1. Koa, David Brown, CYC. 2. Farniente, Nicholas de<br />

Roulhac, CYC. 3. II Havic, Team Festa, CYC. 4. JBU IV, Team<br />

Open /Sailing, SCCYC. STAR 1. No Name, Alejandro Bugacov,<br />

CYC. 2. June Bug, Rick Peters, CYC. 3. No Name, John<br />

O’Donnell, SCCYC. COURSE #3 FARR 40 1. Far Niente,<br />

Frederic Scheer, CYC. 2. Temptress, Ray Godwin, LBYC. 3. Dark<br />

Star, Jeff Janov, CYC. 4. Piranha, Dave Voss, CYC. FARR 30<br />

1. Groovederci, Deneen Demourkas, SBYC. 2. Huckleberry II, Jim<br />

Murrell, KHYC. 3. Babe, Doug Steele, CYC. PHRF A 1.<br />

Pendragon IV, John MacLaurin, CYC. 2. It’s OK, Tres Gordo,<br />

BYC. PHRF B 1. Flying Fiche, Chris Wacker/Bob Zellner,<br />

LBYC. 2. Cowabunga, Bob Biship, CYC. 3. Plankton, John Staff,<br />

CYC. SCHOCK 35 1. Mako, David Michaels, ABYC. 2. Code<br />

Blue, Bruce Bennett/Bob Marcus, SIBYC/ABYC. 3. Outlier,<br />

Richard Fish, SLBYC.<br />

SUNSET SERIES RACE #9 6/8/11 PHRF A 1. Pendragon IV,<br />

John MacLaurin, CYC. 2. Margaritaville, Jay Steinbeck, CYC.<br />

PHRF B 1. Plankton, John Staff, CYC. 2. Ghost II, Al Berg,<br />

SMWYC. 3. Bravura, Paul Katz, DRYC. PHRF C 1. Spray,<br />

Peter Nelson, CYC. 2. Persistence, Bryce Benjamin, CYC. 3.<br />

Grace O’Malley, Alice Leahey, CYC. 4. Veloce, John Heaney,<br />

CYC. PHRF D 1. Lizzie B., Dick Hampikian, CYC 2.<br />

Hitchhiker, Doug/ Minda Johnstone, CYC. 3. Teaser, Mike<br />

Guillaume/Guccione, SBYRC. MARTIN 242 1. Trolleycar, Peter<br />

Stazicker/Bill Petersen, CYC. 2. All In, Mike George, CYC. 3.<br />

Trophy Blonde, Doug McIntosh, CYC. 4. Dean, Duncan Cameron,<br />

CYC. PHRF E 1. Bandit, Cheda/Thomas/Fleck, SCCYC. 2.<br />

Scooter, Greg Rosenkrans, SMWYC. 3. Ka Holo Moana, Steve<br />

Arkle, SCCYC. 4. Critter, James Baurley, SFVYC. CRUISING A<br />

1. Celerity, Mike Moorhead/ Bruce Bilson, CYC, 2. Duchess, Ron<br />

Jacobs, DRYC. 3. Prometheus, George Biddle, SBYRC.<br />

CRUISING B 1. Lick-A-T-Split, Khan Griffith, PMYC. 2.<br />

Surprise, Larry Travis, CYC. 3. Yassoo, Samuel (Joe) Cohen,<br />

SBYRC. 4.Vita Brevis, Harry/Christiane Johnson, CYC.<br />

2011 BERGER/STEIN SERIES DRYC 6/11/2011 MDR TO<br />

CAT HARBOR PHRF AA 1. Margaritaville, Jay Steinbeck,<br />

CYC. PHRF A 1. Plankton, John Staff, CYC. PHRF B<br />

1.Persistence, Bryce Benjamin, CYC. 3. Trust Me, Duncan<br />

Cameron, CYC. 4. Aquabella, Dan McGanty, CYC. PHRF C 1.<br />

Hitchhiker, Doug/ Minda Johnstone, CYC. CRUISING A Elixer,<br />

Chad Downey, CYC. 2. Prometheus, George Biddle, CYC.<br />

2011 BERGER/STEIN SERIES DRYC 6/12/2011 CAT<br />

HARBOR TO MDR PHRF AA 1. Margaritaville, Jay Steinbeck,<br />

CYC. All other boats did not start because after one hour of<br />

postponement a lack of wind caused the race to be cancelled.<br />

SUNSET SERIES RACE #10 6/15/11 PHRF A 1. Pendragon<br />

IV, John MacLaurin, CYC 2. Margaritaville, Jay Steinbeck, CYC.<br />

PHRF B 1. Plankton, John Staff, CYC. 2. Cuvee Caliemte, CYC.<br />

3. Ghost II, Al Berg, SMWYC. PHRF C 1. Grace O’Malley,<br />

Alice Leahey, CYC. 2. Persistence, Bryce Benjamin, CYC. 3.<br />

Veloce, John Heaney, SBYRC. 4. Aquabella, Dan McGanty, CYC.<br />

PHRF D 1. Avet, Curt Johnson, CYC. 2. Toon Town, Michael<br />

Eisenberg, DRYC. 3. Lizzie B., Dick Hampikian, CYC. MARTIN<br />

242 1. Dean, Duncan Cameron, CYC. 2. Strange Crew, Steve<br />

Hathaway/Craig Leeds/Margie Cate/Stephanie Hathaway, CYC. 3.<br />

All In, Mike George, CYC. 4. Trolleycar, Peter Stazicker/Bill<br />

Petersen, PHRF E 1. Ka holo Moana, Steve Arkle, SCCYC. 2.<br />

Critter, James Baurley, SFVYC. 3. Bandit, Cheda/Thomas/Fleck,<br />

SCCYC. 4. Take Five, Susan Taylor, CYC. CRUISING A 1.<br />

Celerity, Bruce Bilson/ Michael Moorhead, CYC. 2. Duchess, Ron<br />

CRUISING B 1. Sunshine, Lenny Gordon, PSSA. 2. Yassoo,<br />

Samuel (Joe) Cohen, SBYRC. 3. Lick-A-T-Split, Khan Griffith,<br />

PMYC. 4. Sponge Bob, Dylan Pfeifer, PSSA.<br />

SUNSET SERIES RACE #11 6/22/11 PHRF A 1. Margaritaville,<br />

Jay Steinbeck, CYC. 2. Pendragon IV, John MacLaurin, CYC.<br />

PHRF B 1. Bravura, Paul Katz, DRYC. 2. Ghost II, Al Berg,<br />

SMWYC. 3. Plankton, John Staff, CYC. 4. Cuvee Caliente,<br />

Mahaffey family, CYC. PHRF C 1. Grace O’Malley, Alice<br />

Leahey, CYC. 2. Persistence, Bryce Benjamin, CYC. 3. Spray,<br />

Peter Nelson, CYC. 4. Aquabella, Dan McGanty, CYC. PHRF D<br />

1. MisQue, Jerry/Lea Kaye, DRYC. 2. Avet, Curt Johnson, CYC. 3.<br />

Toon Town, Michael Eisenberg, DRYC. MARTIN 242 1. Velerito,<br />

Brack Duker, CYC. 2. Dean, Duncan Cameron, CYC. 3. Strange<br />

Crew, Steve Hathaway/Craig Leeds/Margie Cate/Stephanie<br />

Hathaway, CYC. 4. All In, Mike George, CYC. 5. Blarney, Tom<br />

O’Conor, CYC. PHRF E 1. Take Five, Susan Taylor, CYC. 2.<br />

Bandit, Cheda/Thomas/ Fleck, SCCYC. 3. Scooter, Greg<br />

Rosenkrans, SMWYC. 4. Ho’omele, Scott Tobin, CYC.<br />

CRUISING A 1. Duchess, Ron Jacobs, DRYC. 2. Celerity,<br />

Michael Moorhead/Bruce Bilson, CYC. 3. Avanti, Jim LaBarge,<br />

CYC. CRUISING B 1. First Berth, Alex Shekhtmeyster, BSSA.<br />

2. Not Them Again, Frank Cazares, WSA. 3. Yassoo, Samuel (Joe)<br />

Cohen, SBYRC. 4. Sponge Bob, Dylan Pfeifer, PSSA.<br />

SUNSET SERIES RACE #12 6/29/2011 PHRF A 1. Dark Star,<br />

Jeff Janov, CYC. 2. Margaritaville, Jay Steinbeck, CYC. 3.<br />

Pendragon IV, John MacLaurin, CYC. PHRF B 1. Lugano, Jorge<br />

Benidid, SCCYC. 2. Cuvee Caliente, Mahaffey family, CYC. 3.<br />

Bravura, Paul Katz, DRYC. 4. Babe, Doug Steele, CYC. PHRF C<br />

1. Grace O’Malley, Alice Leahey, CYC. 2. Persistence, Bryce<br />

Benjamin, CYC. 3. Twelve Bar Blues, Chuck Spear, PSSA. 4. By<br />

Design, Oliver Garrett, DYRC. PHRF D 1. Lizzie B., Dick<br />

Hampikian, CYC. 2. Avet, Curt Johnson, CYC. 3. Teaser, Mike<br />

Stazicker/Bill Petersen, CYC 2. Dean, Duncan Cameron, CYC. 3.<br />

Velerito, Brack Duker, CYC. 4. Trophy Blonde, Doug McIntosh,<br />

CYC. PHRF E 1. Bandit, Cheta/Thomas/Fleck, SCCYC 2.<br />

Critter, Anne-Laure Le Ny, SMWYC. 3. Ho’omele, Scott Tobin/<br />

Stephenson, CYC. 4. One More Time, Andrew Hedges, SFVYC.<br />

CRUISING A 1. Prometheus, George Biddle, SBYRC. 2. Avanti,<br />

Jim LaBarge, CYC. 3. Chutzpah, Andy Naker, DRYC.<br />

CRUISING B 1. Not Them Again, Frank Cazares, WSA 2. Vita<br />

Brevis, Harry/Christiane Johnson, CYC. 3. Encore, Rene Hollander,<br />

SBYRC. 4. Surprise, Larry Travis, CYC.<br />

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/7

How To Rig A Dinghy For Scuba – Mike Blecher, Steve<br />

Mendel, Ron Austin, Barbie Blecher, Steve Krug, Bob Davis,<br />

Sherry Davis. - Jim Ach photos<br />

8/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

Full-Service Boat Yard and Marina<br />

Learn more about us online:<br />

www.The-BoatYard.com<br />

13555 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292<br />

Phone: (310) 823-8964 Fax: (310) 821-0569

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/9

Car Rally<br />

and Car Show<br />

CYC’s 3rd Roar<br />

by the Shore!<br />

By S/C Anne Sacks<br />

There was no June gloom at this event. The<br />

CYC Car Rally and Show was a day of<br />

driving, test drives, viewing, camaraderie,<br />

and barbecue with the best SoCal summer<br />

weather.<br />

Rally car number one left the CYC gate by<br />

10 a.m. on a course up the coast to the Santa<br />

Monica Mountains through Malibu. All drivers<br />

and navigators returned to the <strong>Club</strong> by noon for a<br />

lunch and awards presentation on the CYC lawn.<br />

All exclaimed that the route was incredibly scenic.<br />

The winners were as follows: First Place, Bill<br />

Lamm and Yvonne Sininger; Second Place, Paul<br />

Mychnic and Jim Ach; Third Place, Randy and<br />

Dawn Sprout. Seven cars in total rallied. The<br />

other teams were Scott Jarema and Paul Ivy, John<br />

Marshall and Gary Willis, Dave and Diane Lewis<br />

and Holt and Halaine Rose. Port Captain Rick<br />

Turner, who is a national car rally champion, and<br />

wife Ann, ran the rally event for the third year.<br />

Hoorah to the Turners and all!<br />

There was plenty to do for members and their<br />

guests who were not in the rally. Foreign,<br />

domestic, vintage, classic, and major-emphasis<br />

cars were on show at the <strong>Club</strong>. Sylvia McArthur<br />

Tyminski brought her beautiful 1931 Ford<br />

Victoria, now fully restored with the assistance of<br />

Ed Firth. She was joined by friends, Willie and<br />

Darlene Duncan, who showed their beautifully<br />

restored 1931 Ford Sports Coupe. Norman Harris<br />

displayed two Porsches. His own awardingwinning<br />

Porsche 911 and another 911 he restored<br />

for Carlene Murphy. Holt and Halaine Rose’s<br />

Porsche 968, 1992 “Twilight Blue Metallic”<br />

Cabriolet which was one of 2,248 imported to the<br />

U.S.<br />

This was the third year that CYC member Joe<br />

Simpkin arranged for “Evergreen Sustainable<br />

Technology” vehicles, Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagen<br />

and Audi, from LAcarGUY to be displayed and<br />

available for test drives. It was a day of sharing,<br />

looking, and driving.<br />

Attendees enjoyed a barbecue lunch and<br />

music by Hugo on the lawn area.<br />

The planning committee, Chairman S/C Anne<br />

Sacks, P/C Rick Turner, Ann Turner and Power<br />

Fleet Chairman Dawn Sprout thank all Rally and<br />

Car Show participants, CYC catering,<br />

maintenance, and management for their support of<br />

the day!<br />

10/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

Photos by Dawn Sprout, Ann Turner, S/C Anne Sacks, and Halaine Rose

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/11

12/BREEZE AUGUST 2011

Summer Fun<br />

By CARRIE DAIR<br />

The summer is in full swing for the<br />

CYC Junior sailors and rowers. The<br />

beginners have done their capsize test<br />

and are sailing solo, the racer team<br />

members have competed in the Junior<br />

Olympics, and CFJ Nationals, and the<br />

rowers are showing interest in joining the<br />

team in the fall.<br />

From the mouths of the Juniors of CYC:<br />

“I think the summer camp is really fun<br />

and the coaches are nice”<br />

- Grant Janov<br />

“My coach, Ryann, is teaching me about<br />

the box drill and I’m really excited”<br />

–Kieran Shoklee<br />

“I like sailing with my<br />

favorite coach, Kaytlin”<br />

- Lucia Walden<br />

“I like the cool sea breeze”<br />

- Finn Weeks<br />

“My favorite part of the summer program<br />

is swimming in the pool at lunch<br />

with my friends”<br />

– Erin Slagerman<br />

“It’s not a sailing camp,<br />

it’s a sailing experience”<br />

- Gavin Abraham<br />

“Sailing in the summer program<br />

is awesome”<br />

- Ryan Janov<br />

“I think that the best days of<br />

sailing camp are the days we<br />

get to do the fun races”<br />

- Marie Line<br />

“Racing and chilling are the best”<br />

- Richard Hathaway<br />

Upcoming Events:<br />

Laser Nationals<br />

August 3-7<br />

Opti West Coast Champs<br />

August 6-7<br />

Santa Barbara <strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />

Junior Awards Banquet<br />

August 18<br />

CYC Pool Patio<br />

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/13

14/BREEZE AUGUST 2011

- Mike Shocklee photos<br />

Leiter Cup<br />

By SIMONE STAFF<br />

This year, the Women’s Jr.<br />

Singlehanded National<br />

Championships, (aka Leiter<br />

Cup) was held in San Francisco<br />

Bay, at Richmond <strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />

June 27 – July 1. Overall, there<br />

were 58 boats that competed. The<br />

whole six-hour drive there I was<br />

very nervous, because San<br />

Francisco is usually very windy.<br />

Leiter Cup consists of two<br />

days of clinic and three days of<br />

racing. The first day of the clinic, it<br />

was very light, and shifty<br />

conditions—not the sort of breeze I<br />

was looking forward to at all. The<br />

second day of the clinic, the breeze<br />

picked up in the afternoon to a<br />

steady 14 knots. This was the type<br />

of breeze I was expecting for San<br />

Francisco. The first day of racing<br />

there was absolutely no wind at all,<br />

and it was pouring rain. Everyone<br />

was soaking wet and freezing, and<br />

wanted to go in. We were able to<br />

get off one race before they<br />

postponed the rest of the races for<br />

that day. I didn’t do so well in that<br />

race, because I didn’t follow the<br />

shifts. The next day the wind came<br />

back up in the afternoon, and we<br />

were all having a blast! I paid<br />

more attention to the shifts, and did<br />

fairly well. In the morning, when it<br />

wasn’t that windy, my best race of<br />

the day was a 7th. When the wind<br />

came up, I struggled to keep the<br />

boat flat, but I tried to work my<br />

hardest and hiked really hard. The<br />

last day was the windiest yet. By 2<br />

o’clock the breeze was a steady 20<br />

knots, and a little under half the<br />

fleet had gone in for the day. I was<br />

in survival mode with my boat, my<br />

only goal was to cross the finish<br />

line. I was tired, wet, cold, and<br />

exhausted, but I tried very hard and<br />

got a 15th. Overall it was a very<br />

fun regatta, and I learned about<br />

how to sail in different kinds of<br />

breeze. Overall, I ended up in 17<br />

and am looking forward to Leiter<br />

Cup again next year in Chicago.<br />

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/15

16/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

“I SEA YOU” Dock Party

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/17

Atalented group of chaimen have led us through some very<br />

fun events recently at CYC! A big thank you to S/C<br />

Anne Sacks for being Chairman of the Car Show & Rally<br />

and the barbecue lunch on the grass. As one looked across the<br />

channel, the day was gorgeous! Port Captain Rick Turner<br />

designed a beautiful road-rally through the hills of Malibu.<br />

Thanks also to Ann Turner for all her help with the event.<br />

Penelope Cornwall came up with the idea of “I SEA YOU”<br />

dock party. Sporting very silly sunglasses, a large crowd<br />

gathered at the dock to munch on goodies and drink punch<br />

spiked with vodka. Thanks also to Scott Jarema for adding<br />

music to the party.<br />

History continued with the very fun 4th of July Dinghy<br />

Cruise to El Torito. Thank you to Don Rothenberg for being<br />

Chairman of this event once again. (See article on page 4.)<br />

18/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

Power Fleet Engines in High Gear!<br />

Friday, August 26<br />

Champagne Predicted Log race<br />

Chairman Bob Roth<br />

BY DAWN SPROUT<br />

CYC presents<br />

Santa Monica Bay Power Fleet and Southern <strong>California</strong> Cruiser Assoc.<br />

Cruiser Navigation Contests<br />

Mainland to Catalina Harbor<br />

Champagne Cup and Del Mar Perpetual Trophy<br />

Trophy Presentation and Dinner<br />

The trophies will be presented at a dinner to be held on Friday, August 26.<br />

CYC has arranged with Harbor Reef Restaurant to cater a complete dinner<br />

$38 per person.<br />

Entry form must be mailed to arrive no later than<br />

Wednesday, August 17, 2011<br />

MAIL TO: <strong>California</strong> <strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />

ATTN: Front Desk<br />

4469 Admiralty Way • Marina del Rey, CA 90292<br />

If you are interested in this event, contact Bob Roth<br />

SAVE THE DATES:<br />

Sunday, September 18<br />

CYC MdR Fishing Challenge<br />

Chairman: Paul Ivy<br />

Saturday, October 1<br />

Dock Party<br />

Chairman: Sue Purcell<br />

New members: Whether you sail, power, row, or just<br />

walk, call one of these chairmen to help on their committee.<br />

This is a great way to get involved and meet new friends!<br />

What a <strong>Club</strong>!<br />

Skin Problems?<br />

Comprehensive Care!<br />

Mon thru Sat. • A.M.-P.M. Appts.<br />

NORMAN C. STIRLING, M.D., INC.<br />

Diplomate American Board of Dermatology<br />

American Board of Pathology<br />

(Dermatopathology)<br />

Fellow American Society for Dermatologic Surgery<br />

MARINA DERMATOLOGY<br />

SURGICAL-MEDICAL GROUP<br />

Skin Diseases • Skin Growths<br />

Skin Cancers • Skin Surgery<br />

Skin Aesthetics<br />

4640 Admiralty Way, Suite 718<br />

(310) 821-0861<br />

Visit us at:<br />

www.marinadermatology.com<br />

CYC Member Norman C. Stirling, M.D.<br />

CYC <strong>Club</strong> 25<br />

Artwork by Randy Sprout

Benjamin and Evelyn<br />

Alexander were married<br />

at CYC in 2007 and live<br />

in Beverly Glen Canyon<br />

with their 12-year old<br />

rescue pit bull, Madison.<br />

Benjamin is a partner at<br />

Rutter Hobbs & Davidoff,<br />

a Century City law firm.<br />

A sailor in his youth,<br />

Benjamin currently rows<br />

and standup paddles; he<br />

looks forward to sailing<br />

again as a member of<br />

CYC. Evelyn is an<br />

independent college<br />

counselor and owns an<br />

all-natural, hand-crafted<br />

dog food service called<br />

The Hound’s Tooth.<br />

Frederick and Sue Howarth call Pacific Palisades home.<br />

Both have sailing experience and enjoy scuba diving and their<br />

two new rescue puppies. They are active in the family<br />

insurance business specializing in disability and long-term care<br />

coverage. They are looking forward to using the <strong>Club</strong>’s dining<br />

facilities.<br />

Justin Petsche is a financial rep<br />

with the Strategic Financial Group<br />

in Los Angeles. He has experience<br />

in powerboating and wants to learn<br />

to sail. He is excited about joining<br />

CYC to enjoy all that there is to<br />

offer around the water. He sees<br />

himself getting involved in racing<br />

and social events.<br />

New Members<br />

By JOANN MEEPOS<br />

John Franklin Schaller and kids Grace (12) and Matt (9) hail<br />

from Wayzata, Minnesota. John spends his professional time in<br />

the hedge-fund industry. He is joining CYC for the sailing and<br />

social activities.<br />

Mary Lea Wagner is<br />

general sales manager at<br />

KSWD-FM and lives in<br />

Venice. She grew up<br />

sailing in San Francisco<br />

and is also a member of<br />

St. Francis <strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong>.<br />

She wants to sail here at<br />

CYC as well as take part<br />

in all the various<br />

<strong>Club</strong>house social<br />

activities and paddle<br />

tennis.<br />

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/19

CYC-MDR<br />

Annual<br />

Fishing Challenge<br />

Weigh-in 4 p.m.<br />

Enjoy a day of fishing<br />

Barbecue and Party to Follow<br />

Get your Reservations into<br />

the Front Desk or Call<br />

20/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

Chairman Paul Ivy<br />

[email protected]

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/21

From The<br />

Manager<br />

By MICHELE<br />

UNDERWOOD<br />

We are halfway through the<br />

summer, but don’t dismay<br />

– there’s a lot of fun still<br />

coming your way! On August 14, we<br />

have our first CYC Pool Party with a<br />

“Burn Your Own Meat BBQ.” We<br />

will have games for the kids in the<br />

pool followed by a barbecue on the<br />

patio. You bring the entrée and we<br />

will provide soup, salad, and<br />

dessert, along with a full bar. It will<br />

be like a Friday night on Ballast<br />

Point, except we don’t have to go to<br />

Catalina.<br />

We will continue with our third<br />

installment of our Pool Patio<br />

Cocktail Parties on August 19. This<br />

month we will enjoy complimentary<br />

rum tasting, along with some music,<br />

dancing and conversation around the fire pits. Our yearly wine<br />

tasting extravaganza on the front lawn will have an Italian<br />

theme on August 26. This event gets bigger and better each year<br />

with dozens of great wines to try, and delicious food too. All of<br />

these events are great opportunities to invite friends to see how<br />

much fun it is to be a member at CYC.<br />

We have two championship regattas in August coming to<br />

CYC. We will be welcoming back the Laser and Laser Radial<br />

Classes to compete in the 2011 Laser U.S. Nationals on Santa<br />

Monica Bay the first week of the month. Regatta Chairman S/C<br />

Frank Glynn has put together an experienced Race Committee.<br />

With the support of the CYC staff, it should be a great week for<br />

the racers. During this regatta we will have no Sunset Series on<br />

Wednesday August 3. The last weekend of the month, we will<br />

be hosting the Martin 242 North American Championship. CYC<br />

has a number of competitors in this fleet, so come and support<br />

our sailors whether it’s volunteering for Race Committee or<br />

cheering them on when they pick up their trophies. Regatta<br />

Chairman Mary Stuyvesant has worked hard to plan a great<br />

regatta, so plan on coming down to enjoy the party.<br />

Family Cruise has grown to be one of the biggest cruises<br />

of the year and this year is no different. Corsair <strong>Yacht</strong> <strong>Club</strong> on<br />

Emerald Bay will be the destination. This was such a big hit<br />

with members last year that as soon as they returned from last<br />

year’s cruise, Chairmen Bill and Keri Wofford said, “We want<br />

to go back next year!” So grab the kids and head on over to<br />

Catalina for a fun family weekend. We also say bon voyage<br />

to our <strong>Commodore</strong> Ann Ach as she sets sail for Greece on<br />

her <strong>Commodore</strong>s Cruise. We wish her and all the CYC<br />

members traveling with her a wonderful cruise and look<br />

forward to the pictures and stories afterward.<br />

Over the last three months, we have lost one bicycle,<br />

four dock carts and the main gangway came off its hanger<br />

because someone left a dock cart or other item under the<br />

gangway. The gangway moves with the tide and anything<br />

stored under it becomes crushed when the water level<br />

changes. Please do not put anything under the gangways,<br />

and return the dock carts to the area designated for them.<br />

See you ‘round the <strong>Club</strong>.<br />

Michele<br />

22/BREEZE AUGUST 2011<br />

CYC Members!<br />

Did you know that your sons and daughters who<br />

are between the ages of 21 and 29 can join the <strong>Club</strong><br />

as Intermediate Members with no initiation fee?<br />

They can enjoy all the privileges,<br />

amenities, and benefits of being<br />

a CYC member for just<br />

$76 a month.<br />

For more information, please contact Claudia<br />

Moore, Membership Representative<br />

310-823-4567 or [email protected]<br />

In Memoriam<br />

Carlton M. Rogers<br />

Member since 1937<br />

Milan Colich<br />

Member since 1963<br />

William R. Cabeen Jr. MD<br />

Member since 1977<br />

Bunny Ripple<br />

Former Member

AUGUST 2011<br />

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday<br />

Brunch<br />

Laser U.S.<br />

Nationals<br />

Pasta<br />

Bar<br />

7<br />

<strong>Club</strong> Closed 1<br />

Junior Summer<br />

Session Two<br />

<strong>Club</strong> Closed 8<br />

Junior Rowing<br />

Session Four<br />

Begins<br />

<strong>Club</strong> Closed 2<br />

<strong>Club</strong> Closed 9<br />

3 Book Mates 4 Junior Summer 5<br />

NoSunset Series<br />

New Member Mtg. Session Two<br />

Junior Summer Fleet Council<br />

Junior Mtg.<br />

Laser U.S. Laser Nationals<br />

Registration Junior Session Two<br />

Seafood Buffet<br />

Prix Fixe Special<br />

Sunset Series 10 Sail Comm. 11 Jr. Summer 12<br />

Mtg.<br />

Junior Summer Junior Session Two<br />

<strong>Commodore</strong>s<br />

Session Two Flotilla 12-42 Mtg. Cruise<br />

Starlight Series<br />

Prix Fixe Special Seafood Buffet<br />

Paddle Tennis 6<br />

Dinner for Two:<br />

Chateaubriand<br />

13<br />

Cruise<br />

Brunch 14<br />

CYC Pool Party<br />

“Burn Your Own<br />

Meat”<br />

Pasta Bar<br />

<strong>Club</strong> Closed 15<br />

<strong>Club</strong> Closed 16<br />

Sunset Series 17<br />

Junior 18 Family Cruise 19 Family Cruise20<br />

Session Two Ends<br />

Pool Patio<br />

Jr. Awards Banquet Cocktail Night <strong>Commodore</strong>s<br />

<strong>Commodore</strong>s <strong>Commodore</strong>s<br />

Seafood Buffet Chateaubriand<br />

Brunch 21 <strong>Club</strong> Closed 22 <strong>Club</strong> Closed 23<br />

Div 12. Business<br />

Family Cruise Mtg.<br />

Junior Seminar Junior Seminar<br />

2012 Calendar<br />

Sunset Series Starlight Ser. Champagne 26 Power Fleet<br />

24<br />

25<br />

Cup/Pabst/Del Mar Breakfast<br />

27<br />

<strong>Yacht</strong> Luncheon<br />

Log Race<br />

Bridge Mtg.<br />

Martin 242 North<br />

Martin 242 Champ.<br />

Junior Seminar Martin 242 Champ.<br />

American Champ.<br />

Registration Wine Appreciation<br />

Prix Fixe Special Seafood Buffet Dinner for Two:<br />

Bunch 28 <strong>Club</strong> Closed 29 <strong>Club</strong> Closed 30 Sunset Series 31<br />

AUGUST HIGHLIGHTS<br />

CYC Awards<br />

Comm. Mtg.<br />

4-7 Laser U.S. Nationals<br />

12-20 <strong>Commodore</strong>s Cruise<br />

CYC Bridge Game<br />

19-21 Family Cruise<br />

26 Champagne Cup/Pabst/Del Mar Log Race<br />

26-28 Martin 242 North American Championship<br />

SEPTEMBER 2011<br />

Book Mates 1 2 3<br />

New Member Mtg.<br />

Fleet Council<br />

Ends<br />

Lobster<br />

4 <strong>Club</strong> Closed<br />

Labor Day<br />

Barbecue<br />

5 <strong>Club</strong> Closed 6<br />

Sunset Series<br />

7 Sail Comm. 8<br />

CYCWA Board<br />

First Mates 9<br />

Junior Barbecue<br />

(Youth Program)<br />

First Mates<br />

10<br />

Flotilla 12-42 Mtg.<br />

CALIFORNIA YACHT CLUB<br />

4469 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 • 310-823-4567 • Fax: 310-822-3658<br />

Always check www.calyachtclub.com for the most current event information.<br />

AUGUST 2011 BREEZE/23

• More documents
• Recommendations

• Page 2 and 3: August was originally named Sextili
• Page 4 and 5: 4th of July Dinghy Cruise By Don Ro
• Page 6 and 7: CYCWA on the Horizon BY JOAN ZISLER
• Page 8 and 9: How To Rig A Dinghy For Scuba - Mik
• Page 10 and 11: Car Rally and Car Show CYC’s 3rd
• Page 12 and 13: 12/BREEZE AUGUST 2011
• Page 14 and 15: 14/BREEZE AUGUST 2011
• Page 16 and 17: 16/BREEZE AUGUST 2011 “I SEA YOU
• Page 18 and 19: Atalented group of chaimen have led
• Page 20 and 21: CYC-MDR Annual Fishing Challenge Su
• Page 22 and 23: From The Manager By MICHELE UNDERWO

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