dining at cruising yacht club

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Disney Yacht Club Dining: 2022 Guide

Disclosure: This Disney Yacht Club dining page contains affiliate links. Read  full Disclosure Policy .

Dining at the Disney Yacht Club is the ideal blend of upscale and convenient, with plenty of options. Fitting with the feel of the resort, the dining locations have that county club vibe, even the quick service spots. All the while, the food is high quality and delicious!

The Disney Yacht Club also shares a few of our favorite dining locations with its sister, the Disney Beach Club . Get the best of both worlds with dining at this resort, Yacht Club providing class and Beach Club providing fun.

Table of Contents

• Disney Room Service
• The Market at the Ale & Compass

Bars and Lounges

Ale & compass restaurant, yachtsman steakhouse, shared dining with the disney beach club.

• Hurricane Hanna’s

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

The galley is always open – disney resorts room service.

Enjoy a meal in the quiet and privacy of your own room with the Disney Resorts Room Service, excellent food options delivered right to your door. Just press “Dining Options” on your in-room phone, place an order, and the food comes to you.

At the Yacht Club, you’ll find typical Disney food options along with some nautical favorites, fitting with the theme of the resort. A delicious lobster and corn chowder or yummy local baked fish are perfect for seafood-lovers, or splurge on a fabulous Maine lobster roll. If you prefer landlubber cuisine, a brick lemon-herb chicken or a bacon cheeseburger will match your tastes. Buffalo wings and fries are always a good choice too if you need something quick and simple. Kids have plenty of their favorite options as well, like chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers.

There are also some awesome dessert options on the menu! If you missed the chance to hit Beaches & Cream, you can order ice cream up to your room. You can even get an entire cake to share, which is nice for a special occasion.

An 18% gratuity, $5.00 delivery charge and 6.5% sales tax will apply to all delivery orders.

The Market at Ale & Compass

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, The Market at Ale & Compass is the main quick service dining option at the Disney Yacht Club. Simply referred to as The Market , you can get a fast and filling meal any time of the day, and take a few minutes to peruse the souvenirs in the adjoining shop.

Especially if you’re in a hurry, The Market is a great place to take advantage of Mobile Order . This awesome service allows you to use the My Disney Experience app to order ahead at quick service locations. That means your food will be ready when you arrive! Pick up your food as you walk in, and head right back out, or stay and enjoy your meal. Either way, it will save you the time of waiting for the food to be prepared.

One of our go-to items at any quick service location is the Breakfast Bowl, with scrambled eggs, a Mickey waffle, bacon, and potato barrels (tater tots). I like to get these sorts of combo meals because they are easy to split, and definitely filling. A top tip is to avoid overeating, especially at breakfast, so splitting this meal is ideal. Also available, try different breakfast sandwiches and a healthier egg-white wrap if you want something of your own. Plain Mickey waffles are always a delicious option!

Snacks are well stocked at The Market, so pick up fruit, yogurt, or milk and cereal if you like to breakfast light. Plenty of yummy treats await you at the bakery as well, the chocolate-hazelnut croissant being one of my breakfast favorites.

Don’t forget to fill your mug with coffee, juice, tea, or milk!

Lunch and Dinner

For these times, a variety of hot or cold sandwiches and salads make for nice, light meals. The Cuban sandwich is one of the most popular hot items, with ham, slow-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, and mustard all on a hoagie roll served with house-made chips. You can also grab a foot-long chili-cheese hotdog, similar to the gourmet hotdogs served at the Beach Club Marketplace.

Cold sandwiches are great to grab in the morning to take to the parks, or to bring out to eat by the pool. You could even pick one up before you leave, giving you a portable lunch if you’re driving home. Among these are the roast beef sandwich, slices of roast beef topped with horseradish cream, caramelized onions, and arugula all on multigrain bread. Vegetarians will love the roasted vegetable sandwich with roasted Portobello mushrooms, zucchini, red bell peppers, and cauliflower dressed with roasted red pepper hummus, topped with slices of fresh tomatoes and grilled onion served on herb Focaccia bread. Both sandwiches come with house-made chips.

Other Options

Kids have the additional options of grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, a ham sandwich, and an Uncrustable. The children’s meals come with a choice of sides and beverage, making these items a great deal.

The bakery is open all day, so don’t forget to snag something sweet! Sticky buns, chocolate twists, and brownies are all amazing. The bakery also has seasonal cupcakes , each with their own amazing flavor profile and fun decoration!

In the evening, stop by The Market for a variety of beer and wines, which you can enjoy there or take back to your room. If you want something to go, I suggest getting a bottle of wine rather than wine by the glass. You’ll have it for your whole trip, and get more value for your dollar.

There are two main lounges at the Disney Yacht Club – the Ale & Compass Lounge and the Crew’s Cup Lounge. Both are excellent places to relax in the evening, and enjoy a delicious beverage. These are both full bars, so only overage guests are permitted.

The Ale & Compass Lounge

Grab a drink while you wait for your Ale & Compass reservation, or simply lounge in the relaxed atmosphere. The Ale & Compass Lounge is ideal for a relaxing evening or quick bite, all while enjoying a refreshing drink. Opening at 4:00pm and staying open until 10:00pm, this lounge is a great place for an evening hangout.

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Healthy-sized appetizers comprise the food options, giving you filling snacks or lighter meals, depending on your plans. Items like the Parker House rolls with assorted spreads – bacon jam, pub cheese, and citrus butter – are great if you just want something to nibble while you drink. Flatbreads and a bacon cheeseburger are perfect for dinner in the lounge, both options are full sized meals.

In addition to the full-bar offerings, the Ale & Compass Lounge has several original cocktails. A twist on a class, the Maple Old Fashioned will give you that New England feeling. Made with Jim Beam Black Extra-aged Bourbon, maple syrup, orange juice, and angostura bitters, this is a great way to change up your regular. For those in a spicy mood, try the Spicy Pomegranate Margarita. Mix Tequila, Ancho Reyes Chile liqueur, pomegranate juice, and simple syrup together to create a zesty and delicious cocktail! A squirt of fresh lime juice on the top adds a bit of tang and cuts the heat.

Enjoy nonalcoholic mixers as well, like a grapefruit spritzer and the No-Kick Mule, just with ginger beer and lime.

Crew’s Cup Lounge

Outside the Yachtsman Steakhouse, the Crew’s Cup Lounge is a nice alternative if you can’t get a reservation at the steakhouse. The Crew’s Cup is also a good place for one of those appetizer as dinner nights, when you’re up to your ears in delicious (but rich!) Disney food.

On the appetizer menu, share a savory and delightful charcuterie and cheese board, coming with different accompaniments depending on the season. For something a little more substantial, the prime rib sliders are perfect, topped with horseradish cream and served on house-made onion rolls. Jumbo shrimp cocktail are always a great option as well, a light snack with just enough protein to get you to your next meal. Have the shrimp with the Yachtsman signature bread to round out a meal.

Crew’s Cup also offers full entrees, so you can add this to your dinner spot list. After 5:00pm, you can get an amazing ten-ounce prime rib, served with mashed potatoes and horseradish cream. For something a little different, try the Twice-fried Green Circle Chicken. Smoked Feta spoon bread and chicken croquettes come with pickled rhubarb and fiddlehead ferns, an interesting take on fried chicken.

You’ll come for the food, but stay for the drinks! Along with an extensive beer, wine, and bourbon selection, Crew’s Cup offers a large variety of signature cocktails. Literally Walk the Plank with an amazing blend of rye whiskey, orange juice, almond liqueur, and lemon juice garnished with Maraschino cherries. Combine the elements of country and tropical vacation with a Whiskey Breeze – Jim Beam Black Extra-aged Bourbon, Cointreau, and lime juice shaken with guava and mango for that aloha vibe. You could also choose to drink your dessert with the Godiva Chocolate Martini. A divine concoction, this martini mixes Godiva chocolate liqueur, Stoli Vanil vodka, Bols White Crème de Cacao, and Frangelico. This sweet treat will warm you from the inside out!

Available for breakfast and dinner, the Ale & Compass Restaurant is a great option for a nice family meal. Especially if you’re looking for a quality table service breakfast, you have to try out the Ale & Compass!

Think breakfast favorites, with an upgrade. The American Breakfast has the right balance of breakfast foods – two eggs any-style, breakfast potatoes, and choice of breakfast meats. Eggs benedict get the added decadence of smoked pork loin, along with herbs and spices in the hollandaise sauce.

While these dishes are amazing, the quick bread breakfast items change the game. No plain French toast here, but instead, we see salted-caramel apple French toast. Two massive pieces of French toast, sliced horizontally, and stuffed with delicious caramel apples. A buttery brown sugar crumble and salted-caramel drizzle tops the slices, completing the picture. However, that isn’t the end. The Dark Chocolate Waffles are to die for! Three thick, circular waffles hold a dried cherry compote, on top of which sits huge dollops of espresso-mascarpone cream, finished with chocolate shavings. It’s a good thing these richly incredible waffles come with a side of breakfast meat to cut through the sweet deliciousness!

Kid’s Meals

For your kiddos, they can get their favorites Mickey waffles or blueberry pancakes if in the mood for something sweet. Scrambled eggs and a mini-breakfast sandwich are great options if they want a savory dish instead.

As always, I recommend splitting an adult meal between two kids. Especially if they want to try something like the chocolate waffles or the French toast, the split is perfect. It actually works out to be cheaper than a kid’s meal!

Ale & Compass does specialty brunches for Easter and Mother’s Day, a great way to treat yourself or Mom! Going to be dining at the Disney Yacht Club during these holidays? You might want to consider an Ale & Compass brunch.

A great mix of surf and turf, Ale & Compass has a dinner menu that will please everyone in your group. To start your meal, try the amazing lobster and corn chowder or roasted garlic shrimp, both coming with house-made items to dip. Smaller plates are available in the form of salads and flatbreads, both meat and vegetables options to fit all dietary needs.

Of the main plates, our favorites would have to be the New England Seafood Pot Pie, braised short ribs, and the brick lemon chicken. For the potpie, it is stuffed full of a plethora of different seafood – shrimp, scallops, lump crab, and the catch of the day. Mixed in are pearl onions, peas, and potatoes, all coated in a creamy seafood cream sauce. The flaky pastry on the outside completes this delectable dish. The short ribs are fall-apart tender, accompanied by a flavorful roasted vegetable mash and barbecue demi sauce for dipping. Alongside the lemon chicken, you’ll love the duck fat-roasted potatoes and veggie sauté. Add truffle fries with a house-made shallot mayo for extra decadence!

If that weren’t enough, the three dessert options will send you right over the edge. Completely plant-based, the mango torte layers mango mousse and spiced lemon pound cake, covered with fresh berries and a raspberry sauce. You could also try the warm apple cobbler served with frozen vanilla custard, or a rich flourless chocolate cake covered in chocolate ganache and offset by a coffee Chantilly cream. Basically, if you’re not rolling out of Ale & Compass, something went wrong with your meal!

Kids have the ability to build their own meals, choosing from a selection of main dishes and sides. Kids that are more adventurous might like the pasta Bolognese or catch of the day, while a cheeseburger is there to save the day for pickier eaters. Side options include sautéed broccolini, macaroni & cheese, corn, and red potatoes, and kid approved! The side menu includes two dessert options – mini ice cream sandwiches and honey-marshmallow s’mores. Kids can choose to get one savory side and one sweet, working their dessert into the price of their meal.

Open only for dinner, the Yachtsman Steakhouse is the signature dining experience at the Disney Yacht Club. Designed to be elegant, upscale, and a true yacht-country club experience, this steakhouse has high quality dishes and a fabulous atmosphere. Yachtsman Steakhouse even has a dress code, heightening the fancy feel of the restaurant.

I recommend making this a date night or adults-only meal. Of course, you can bring your kids, but they need to adhere to the dress code as well. Between that and the sophisticated style of the place, you need to decide if this is the best place to bring your kids.

First Course

Yes, they even refer to the stages of the meal as courses!

First course items include steakhouse staples like a wedge salad, Caesar salad, and French onion soup, all of which are perfect ways to start your evening. If you want to try something a little different, consider the Ahi tuna tartare with a poke vinaigrette and wasabi, or the creamy lobster bisque. You could also get a charcuterie or cheese board to share if you don’t want to fill up before the main meal.

Chef’s Signature Offerings

These three dishes come recommended by the Yachtsman’s chef, and designed to be truly delicious experience. The first is the Chilled Captain’s Tower, a combination of jumbo shrimp, mussels, oyster shooters, scallop ceviche, and charred octopus salad. As the name suggests, the tower is served cold, and is ideal for the true seafood lover. If you prefer your seafood hot, I recommend you try one of the Land and Sea entrees instead.

Both of the other signatures dishes are made to share between two people. The first is a 28-oz prime porterhouse steak, 21-Day dry-aged, with accompaniments of bone marrow, green onion brioche bread, garlic butter, and your choice of two sides. Second is the Chilled Admiral’s Tower, and upgraded version from the Captain’s Tower. In addition to the Captain’s Tower seafood, the Admiral’s Tower also has Maine lobster, snow crab, and tuna tartare. Again, this item is served cold.

Butcher’s Cuts

It is a steakhouse after all, and these steaks are the main event. Filet mignon, prime rib, rib-eye, and New York strip all come cooked to order, with their own incredible seasonings and sauces to bring out the flavor of the meat. Of these, the filet mignon is my personal pick, covered in a cognac-truffle butter that adds to the unctuous nature of the steak.

Each steak comes with your selection of mashed potatoes, potato-leek gratin, sweet potato casserole, house-made French fries, or broccolini. You can also choose to add to your meal one of the signature Steakhouse Sides – truffle macaroni & cheese, creamed spinach, loaded hasselback potato, house-made truffle fries, or braised mushrooms. I suggest getting the broccolini with your meal (you’ll be glad for a vegetable!) and then adding one of the richer steakhouse sides.

Yachtsman Steakhouse offers further enhancements if you want to add to the luxurious nature of your meal. Get your steak Oscar-style, with asparagus, lump crab meat, and a rich béarnaise sauce. You can also add a half lobster, bone marrow, or thick-cut bacon for a little extra richness.

Land and Sea Entrees

Here’s where the hot, succulent seafood pairs with the delicious steakhouse offerings. Whole Maine lobster and Georges Bank Scallops are paired with incredible sauces and accompaniments to bring out their delicate flavors. If you want something unique, you might enjoy the Cervena Elk from the land side, with a parsnip puree and blueberry sauce.

You can also add the bone marrow or half a lobster to the items, or get them Oscar-style.

Yachtsman has several amazing desserts, but my picks would be the chocolate lava cake and the banana bread pudding. Using high quality chocolate, this lava cake is unlike any you’ve ever had. In addition the cake itself, it comes with a refreshing coconut ice cream to cut through the richness and is topping with a raspberry-Chambord Sauce and gingersnap crumbs.

The banana bread pudding is warm, comforting, and delicious. Caramelized bananas have the right touch of sweetness, as does the caramel rum sauce on top. A side of butter pecan ice cream ties the whole dessert together.

Disney Yacht and Beach Club Dining

While two separate resorts, the Disney Yacht Club shares a few dining locations with the Disney Beach Club. Of course, if you’re staying at either, it is easy to pop over to the other resort to enjoy the dining options. After all, the resorts share a pool area, they’re that close together!

However, two dining spots are right in the middle of the Disney Yacht & Beach Club that you’ll want to check out!

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill

Out by the pool, Hurricane Hanna’s is the main pool bar and eatery for Stormalong Bay. This is a great place for you to get a poolside lunch or refreshing beverage, especially if you don’t want to have to trek back to your room. Don’t let the fact that this is a pool bar fool you, Hurricane Hanna’s has some delicious options!

Much like other pool bars, Hurricane Hanna’s has lighter fare, which is what you want out of a meal by the pool. Grab a cool Greek or Caesar salad, perfect for a hot day and a light lunch. If you want to make your salad a bit more substantial, you can add chicken for that extra protein. The rest of the savory items are sandwiches, again ideal for poolside eating. The Italian Focaccia and turkey and Swiss sandwiches are both delicious, but our favorite is the seafood roll. Fresh seafood comes tossed in a citrusy mayo dressing, with just the right amount of zing. All three sandwiches come with house-made chips, which gives just the right touch to the meal.

What would a bar be without amazing drinks! Hurricane Hanna’s has two specialty cocktails you’re going to love – the Category 5 and Storm Chaser. Category 5 has that pirate feel that will have you singing Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me! With Captain Morgan spiced rum, crème de banana, peach schnapps, you’ll be feeling the island vibes in no time; add in a mix of orange and pineapple juices and a splash of grenadine to balance out the drink. If that wasn’t enough, the Category 5 also comes with a float of Gosling’s 151 Rum.

Meanwhile, the Storm Chaser is made with vodka, Bacardi superior rum, blue curacao, and sweet-and sour. A splash of Sprite brings a touch of sweetness and effervesce for a tropical buzz. Between these drinks and the beaches of Stormalong Bay, you’ll forget you’re not on a cruise !

Aside from these drinks, enjoy plenty of other cocktails on the rocks or frozen, as well as a wide variety of beer and wines. We recommend the Sunshine Margarita, a Disney poolside staple, or the Frosé, a frozen concoction of rosé mixed with vodka. Both are refreshing, and perfect for a sunny day by the pool.

For the kids and nondrinkers in your group, there are sweet and cool smoothie options as well as some virgin version of your favorites.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember, and it is still one of my favorite places to visit. I can’t tell you how many fond memories I have of sitting out in front of the quick service window, waiting for our No Way José to appear. And then watching it disappear in a matter of minutes! Our family is decided ice-cream lovers, and Beaches & Cream never disappoints.

Beaches & Cream opens every day at 11:30am, providing a place to get a fun and delicious diner meal for lunch or dinner. You can always skip straight to dessert…many people do! Beaches & Cream is also open until 9:00pm, making it a great place to stop after a day at Epcot or on a walk around the boardwalk. This is usually when we stop by, after touring through the other resorts in the area or playing a round of mini-golf. It’s a great way to finish an evening!

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Beaches & Cream has a reputation for fantastic and fanciful desserts, but that’s not all there is to this location. The menu features delicious savory foods as well, combining diner favorites with a touch of table service sophistication. A nostalgic, 1950s diner feel makes this bright and fun location just a great place to hang out. Especially with the recent remodel, the larger space and new décor adds something to the atmosphere.

Diner Delights

Start with a classic cheeseburger, grilled cheese, or French dip sandwich. You could also go for two of the most popular items, the cheddar bacon-ranch chicken sandwich or house-made Reuben. It wouldn’t be a diner if you couldn’t get French fries or onion rings on the side, but Beaches & Cream added tater tots to their menu with the reopening! All your favorite loaded fry options now come in tot form, so if you’re a tot lover, you have to check these out.

Even though they are not listed on the menu right now, in the past Beaches & Cream has had a variety of salads to balance out the sandwich options, as well as a few seafood dishes. What’s great about Disney dining is that they are always rotating your options to keep things fresh, so be on the lookout for new additions!

You can always swing by the pickup window and take your lunch back to the pool, or enjoy your meal at the limited outdoor seating. However, if you definitely want to sit inside for the whole experience, a reservation is a must. Beaches & Cream is quite popular!

Soda Shop Marvels

Alright Mom, I had my dinner, now can I have dessert?

These incredible sweet treats will have you feeling like a kid again, and cause the actual kids in your group to go bananas!

To begin, you can get a classic strawberry shortcake or brownie a la mode. While both are delicious, these items are definitely elsewhere around Disney World , so we suggest going for one of the unique options that makes Beaches & Cream special. You’ll find these delicious delights on the Sundaes on the Beach section of the menu, and you’re going to be overwhelmed by your choices!

As I mentioned before, we are partial to the No Way José, an out of this world peanut butter and hot fudge masterpiece that features both chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Not enough? How about some chocolate pieces and whipped cream on top? Perfect.

The Fudge Mud Slide and Snickers Sundae are both similar to the No Way José, with three scoops of ice cream each, covered in chocolate, and topped with cookie pieces and Snickers bars respectively. You can also go for classics like a banana split or three-scoop sundae, giving you the chance to build your own delicious dessert

Even with all these other choices, the real star of this show is the infamous Kitchen Sink . Getting its name from the phrase “everything but the kitchen sink,” you won’t believe it until you see it. With eight scoops of ice cream, all the toppings in the store , huge chunks of cake, and an entire can of whipped cream , this sundae is no joke. The menu says that it serves four, but it really feeds more like six or eight. Recently, Beaches & Cream has added a Chocolate Lovers and Neapolitan option as well, which focuses more on these flavors.

Grabbing something to go? You can get a plain scoop of hand-dipped ice cream on cone or in a cup, or slurp up a rich milkshake. These are great if you’re planning to eat or drink as you walk, while meeting the need for a sweet treat.

No matter what dining option you choose at the Disney Yacht Club, you’re going to leave satisfied…and wanting to come back for more!

Grace Hoyos, Staff Writer Grace is a life-long lover of all things Disney, particularly the parks at Walt Disney World. She is also an avid Disney Cruise Line enthusiast who regularly dreams of the white sands of Castaway Cay. Grace loves the fact that her Disney trips give her time to spend with her family, enjoy incredible food, and try new experiences.

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The Complete Guide to Eating at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts

By Leigh Caldwell 2 Comments

There are LOTS of Disney resorts , and it can be hard to choose which one to stay at.

Disney’s Yacht Club

If you’re a big Disney food fan (like we are!), the restaurants at each resort may influence your decision. Allow us to make that decision easier for you! Let’s head over to Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts for The Complete Guide to Eating at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts!

There are 10 places you can eat at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. Let’s take a look at the tried-and-true favorites at each location!

Ale & Compass Restaurant

Ale & Compass is known for its New England-inspired comfort food. It is part of a larger complex that includes the Ale & Compass Lounge and a small market. If you’re a fan of sweet breakfasts, don’t miss the Dark Chocolate Waffle, which is served with Cherry Compote and Espresso-Mascarpone Cream.

So much yum!

At dinner, the New England Seafood Pot Pie (with shrimp, scallops, crab and vegetables in a flaky crust) is a favorite. You’ll also find classics like steak, roast chicken, and burgers on the menu.

Click Here to Read Our Latest Review of Ale & Compass

Ale & Compass Lounge

The Ale & Compass Lounge just off the Disney’s Yacht Club Resort lobby is a great place to grab a drink and an appetizer. It was remodeled a few years ago, and the look now is modern and sleek, with nautical touches.

It just seems right to drink a Dark & Stormy or a Regal Manhattan in this classy space. Food is served here from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly, and while it is labeled as appetizers, you can get a burger or a flatbread that is definitely large enough to serve as dinner.

Click Here for Our Latest Review of Ale & Compass Lounge

The market at ale & compass.

This quick-service location has a focus on grab-and-go items such as cold sandwiches, fruit cups, and salads. But there is a coffee bar, and there are hot items available here, as well.

Chilled Options

Best bets here include the Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich served on a Pretzel Roll , or the Cuban Sandwich for lunch or dinner. The Market is also a great place to find special, themed cupcakes and other treats around the holidays.

Click Here for Our Review of a Seasonal Cupcake from the Market at Ale & Compass

Cape may cafe.

Cape May Cafe is home to a popular character breakfast — the Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast. You can usually find Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy here — and they are all dressed up in adorable beach wear! The buffet is pretty standard breakfast fare, with the Salted Caramel “Beach Buns” as a highlight.

Minnie is ready for a day at the beach!

At dinner, the Cape May dinner buffet features New England seafood favorites, including Clam Chowder, snow crab legs, and fried seafood. Do not miss the Oreo Bonbons among the dessert selection here. They are a cookies-and-cream mousse-filled bonbon on top of an Oreo cookie, and they are a perennial DFB favorite!

Click Here for Our Latest Review of the Cape May Cafe Character Breakfast!

Beaches and cream.

There’s one place to go when you want large and over-the-top ice cream treats, and that’s Beaches & Cream ! We particularly love the No Way Jose Sundae and Kitchen Sink offerings.

Kitchen Sink Sundae

We suggest grabbing the Kitchen Sink only if you’re with a group because it’s a LOT of ice cream to finish! This giant treat includes a scoop of every ice cream on their menu, along with every single one of their toppings , so it really is a challenge! While you do need a reservation to dine inside the restaurant , the to-go window offers ice cream to take with you to your final destination. You can also grab a burger and fries here for lunch or dinner!

Learn more about Beaches & Cream here!

Beach club marketplace.

Like The Market at Ale & Compass, Beach Club Marketplace is a quick service location where you will find both hot food and grab-and-go options. The Steak and Egg Breakfast Sandwich with Swiss Cheese and Garlic-Peppercorn Ranch Dressing is a specialty in the mornings.

Rainbow Mickey Caramel Cheesecake

This is another good place to look for fun seasonal treats, like this Rainbow Mickey Caramel Cheesecake we found there for Pride Month. If you’re looking for an inexpensive dinner option, the Half-Roasted Chicken Dinner with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and cornbread is big enough to split and less than $15.

Check Out These BEAUTIFUL Cupcakes We Found at Beach Club Marketplace!

Martha’s vineyard lounge.

We suggest the wings and mussels at Martha’s Vineyard . And if you’re a fan of out-of-this-world drinks, this is a place you will want to check out. The space is designed to be reminiscent of a New England beach house, but we will say that the theming here isn’t great compared to other lounges on the property.

It’s a Candy Cane Mimosa!

We’ve seen candy cane mimosas and jelly bean cocktails at this location before , so Martha’s Vineyard may be a fun place to check out.

Are These Drinks at Martha’s Vineyard a Little TOO crazy? You Tell Us!

Hurricane hanna’s .

Hurricane Hanna’s is the pool bar for the Yacht and Beach Club’s Stormalong Bay pool. You should know that you cannot swim in the pool unless you are a guest of the Yacht Club or Beach Club, but anyone can enjoy a drink or a snack at Hurricane Hanna’s.

Storm Chaser and Souvenir Cup

The food here will not be the best thing you eat on the trip, but it is decent for a day enjoying the sunshine. Kids’ meals are served in a plastic sand bucket with attached shovel, which is a fun treat that can then be put-to-use playing in the sand! We DO love a good blue drink, and the Storm Chaser — made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Bacardi Superior Rum, Blue Curaçao and Sweet-and Sour topped with Sprite — is a fun reason to spend some time watching the action in the pool here.

Click Here for Our Review of the Stormchaser!

Yachtsman steakhouse.

We highly recommend Yachtsman Steakhouse as the place you can find some of the best steaks on Disney World property. You will get a traditional steakhouse experience here — one that caters to nearly all tastes.

Filet Mignon at Yachtsman Steakhouse

We definitely recommend ordering the Cognac-Truffle Butter for your steak, and the Truffle Mac and Cheese is a side dish that would please just about anyone. We find the size of the side dishes to be big enough for two — so keep that in mind when ordering here!

Click Here for a Recent Review of Yachtsman Steakhouse!

Crew’s Cup Lounge

The Crew’s Cup Lounge is right next door to Yachtsman Steakhouse. We love the cozy vibes here! While you won’t find a lot of specialty drinks, the Crew’s Cup Lounge is a good place for beer or a glass of wine, and stocks several scotches and cognacs . It’s also a good place to watch a game if you’re missing watching sports while on vacation.

Starting at 5PM, Crew’s Cup serves a limited menu of favorites from the steakhouse next door. We recommend the Yachtsman Signature Bread (especially the onion pull-apart rolls!), and the Lobster Bisque .

Click Here for a Recent Review of Crew’s Cup Lounge!

Epcot festivals.

You can walk to EPCOT from this resort, so we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that some of best eats available to you could be right inside EPCOT’s International Gateway if there’s a festival going on!

EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

EPCOT festivals truly have a plethora of different options , so it’s great if no one in your group can decide on one place to eat, or if you have many items to check off your festival list anyway! Check the pages below for the latest dates, menus and information on EPCOT’s festivals:

• EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
• EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival
• EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
• EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

Walking around Disney’s BoardWalk is also a great option, as it’s really close by and has some great restaurants as well .

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World . We have reviews, pictures and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. We’ve got a special discount code for DFB readers, too! Use WDW2022 at checkout for 25% off !

The DFB Guide to Dining

If you’re looking for all the latest Disney food news, be sure to stay tuned to DFB!

Beware — these will be the hardest dining reservations to get in 2023!

Need disney restaurant advice we’ve got everything you need to know, the only disney dining planning tool you’ll need is here – get the dfb guide to walt disney world dining, see our complete disney world restaurants guide, the best magic kingdom restaurants, the best epcot restaurant restaurants, the best hollywood studios restaurants, the best animal kingdom restaurants, the best disney springs restaurants, check out dozens of disney dining tips and tools, learn all about tipping at disney restaurants, how to use mobile order in disney world, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest disney food news right in your inbox click here to subscribe.

What’s your favorite thing to eat at a Disney World hotel? Let us know in the comments!

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It is hard to beat Ale and Compass for a delicious breakfast and we love lunch at Beaches and Cream…especially the tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. Yum! Both of these restaurants are good reasons to stay on the Boardwalk as far as we are concerned!

January 31, 2023 at 11:56 am

Looking forward to our lunch at Beaches and Cream next month. Lunch choices will probably be chicken sandwiches, followed by dessert (No Way Jose and Strawberry Shortcake). We usually order burgers or grilled cheese, but the chicken sandwich sounds so delicious, so we decided to be a bit different; but we need our favorite desserts.

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What to Eat at Disney’s Yacht Club

Have you ever stayed at Disney’s Yacht Club ?

If you have, you know how well-located this beautiful resort is and you probably have discovered that there are a LOT of food options in the area. But did you know that the resort itself has some great food ? Let’s take a look at what you should eat there!

As we touched upon, when you stay at the Yacht Club, you also have access to all the food in the EPCOT resort area. That includes everything at Disney’s Beach Club Resort , Disney’s BoardWalk Inn , and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin .

But if you’re staying at the Yacht Club and don’t want to stray too far, you’ve still got a lot of great food to choose from. Here’s everything you should eat there!

The Market at Ale & Compass

The Market at Ale & Compass is the Yacht Club’s grab-and-go meets gift shop location. The food here isn’t a lot to write home about, but you’ll find some great seasonal snacks here! If you stop in here for breakfast, you can also get some Mickey waffles to take back to your room.

Need a refillable mug ? Here’s where you would buy it AND refill it.

Crew’s Cup Lounge

So you didn’t get reservations at Yachtsman Steakhouse? No problem! The menu at Crew’s Cup Lounge features a lot of the Yachtsman Steakhouse favorites, including the Yachtsman Signature Bread Service , which includes Sourdough, Onion Pull-apart Rolls, Roasted Garlic, and Butter.

You can also get the delicious  14-oz Roasted Prime Rib and  Truffle Fries here.

Ale & Compass Lounge

Likewise, if you can’t get reservations at Ale & Compass Restaurant or just want to grab something from the menu of that restaurant without the actual table service experience, head to the Ale & Compass Lounge. Here, you can grab the Parker House Rolls and Spread,  which includes Bacon Jam, Pub Cheese, and Citrus Butter.

You can also get one of the best burgers in Disney World here, the  Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger .

Yachtsman Steakhouse

If you do manage to snag a reservation for Yachtsman Steakhouse, you’re in for the best steak in Disney World. The 8-oz Filet Mignon is downright incredible here, but we’ll also tell you to order those  Truffle Fries , we previously mentioned.

For starters, the  French Onion Soup  here is also really good.

Ale & Compass Restaurant

One thing you CAN’T get at the Ale & Compass Lounge is breakfast and there are some standout breakfast items at Ale & Compass Restaurant. If you love chocolate, do NOT miss the  Dark Chocolate Waffles , which are served with Dried Cherry Compote, Espresso-Mascarpone Cream, Chocolate Shavings, and your choice of Sausage or Bacon. However, you’ll probably also want to try the Blueberry-Bacon Pancakes . The  Breakfast Buffet here is also pretty solid.

For lunch and dinner, this is also where you can get those delicious  Parker House Dinner Rolls  and that  Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger with  Truffle Fries .

When it comes to dessert, though, the  12-Layer Chocolate Cake is another must for chocolate fans — it’s a Flourless Chocolate Cake and Ganache served with Milk-Coffee Chantilly.

So if you’re staying at the Yacht Club or somewhere nearby, now you know about even MORE dining options in the area. If you’re looking for even MORE dining options, be sure to check out our reader reviews of EVERY restaurant in Disney World.

Planning a trip to Disney World and don’t know where to start? Be sure to visit our planning section — we’ve got all the resources you need to plan the perfect vacation!

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Have you dined at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort? Let us know where you ate and what you had in the comments!

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Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Dining Options

Make Dining Reservations

Plan ahead for delicious dining experiences during your stay. Read More

Plan ahead for delicious dining experiences during your stay.

When to Book Guests may make advance dining reservations at select restaurants.

• Guests with a Valid Disney Resort Hotel Reservation: Make reservations for your entire length of stay (for up to a 10-night stay) up to 60 days in advance of your arrival! This can help you enjoy streamlined vacation planning , since you can make all your reservations on the same day—rather than checking availability day after day.
• All Other Guests: Make reservations up to 60 days in advance.

Explore dining experiences available for booking during your vacation.

Dining in the Theme Parks To dine at an in-park, table-service restaurant, you need a confirmed dining reservation for the total number of Guests—regardless of age—along with a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on that same date for each Guest ages 3 and up.

Dining reservations do not guarantee access to a park, and Park Hopper availability may change daily. We recommend that Guests book in-park dining at the park where they have a park reservation.

View a full list of the dining options at Walt Disney World Resort.

Review important updates to dining experiences at Walt Disney World Resort.

Ale & Compass Restaurant

Set your sights on Yankee comfort food and seafood classics at this cozy gastropub-inspired eatery.

Ale & Compass Lounge

Bar Service Navigate your way to a cozy lounge with a great wine list, light snacks and overstuffed chairs.

The Market at Ale & Compass

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Find hot and cold offerings with grab-and-go convenience for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cape May Cafe

Breakfast, Dinner Start your day with a hearty buffet breakfast or visit later for signature seafood and turf dishes.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

Lunch, Dinner Satisfy your sweet tooth with old-fashioned ice-cream favorites or savor delicious hot-off-the-grill items at this 50s-themed eatery.

Beach Club Marketplace

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Enjoy a hot, made-to-order meal, grab a quick bite or stock up on snacks before heading out for a day of fun in the parks.

Martha’s Vineyard

Lunch, Bar Service, Late Night Gather for a glass—or bottle—of wine at this casual lounge reminiscent of a New England beach house.

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill

Bar Service Brace for frosty beverages and beautiful bay views at this not-so-blustery walk-up bar.

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Dinner Relish premium dry-aged beef, fresh seafood and signature drinks at this New England-style steakhouse.

Crew’s Cup Lounge

Bar Service Ready all, row! Race to a place where refreshment awaits—serving beer, wine and cocktails.

Nearby Restaurants

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is conveniently connected by water taxi, bus or walking paths to numerous Disney restaurants within the EPCOT Resort area.

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Hotel Address

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Disney’s Yacht Club Resort {Dining + Recreation}

UPDATED 5/13/19 in this post:

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

It’s taken me forever, but I’ve finally uploaded and sorted through ALL of the pics from our amazing week in Disney.  We stayed at the Yacht Club Resort and loved every second of it.

The Yacht Club was just meticulously manicured and so well appointed.  I have read reviews that it is stuffy and not as kid friendly as other resorts and I have to say neither of those is true.  We booked the resort for about half off of normal rates through a bounce back offer.  I would jump at the chance to stay here again.

I did online check-in and had our room number texted to me when it was ready.  With our Magic Bands, we skipped the front desk and headed straight to the room on arrival.  It was SO nice!  Our room  seemed larger than most of the others we’ve stayed in.  It had two queen beds and an extra twin bed that the littles alternated using, sleeping five total.

The view from our room was just amazing.  We had the doors open whenever we were in there and used the grassy lawn and boardwalk as an extension of our “living” space.  The littles loved throwing the football out here and playing cornhole on the boardwalk outside of the Bayside Marina.  Honey and I adored sitting here with a book and just soaking it all in.  We also had a good view of Illuminations from Epcot right from our patio!

I would not stay in a deluxe resort if I didn’t have time to enjoy it all!  Over the course of the week we were there, we ate in all the restaurants and enjoyed nearly all of the amenities.

Stormalong Bay is hands down the most incredible pool in Disney!  It is shared between the Beach Club and Yacht Club and they are very strict about only allowing resort guests in.  There is a (very) lazy river, volleyball, awesome slide, three hot tubs AND sandy bottom zero entry pools!!!!

Stormalong Bay is now offering cabana rentals, which is wonderful!  Learn more here:

Disney World Deluxe Resorts Cabana Rentals

The fun, fast and TALL waterslide is water park worthy!  I can’t count how many times the four of us did it!

There is also a quiet pool at Yacht Club that was quite close to our room.  We only dipped our toes in one morning while our room was being cleaned because, let’s face it, it couldn’t hold a candle to Stormalong Bay :-)

I think we covered all of the onsite dining at Yacht Club (and some Beach Club) during our stay.  We also walked into Epcot almost daily for a light meal or snack.  I will say that there is no quick serve at Yacht Club and the one at Beach Club was the worst of the worst, in my opinion.  It was VERY limited and not very good.  Hurricane Hanna’s at Stormalong Bay has a small but decent menu.  Our problem there was that the hours are limited.  But, if you don’t mind taking a lovely walk or boat around the Boardwalk or into Epcot, there are more wonderful choices than anywhere else.  Something to consider.

We had a lively dinner at Beaches & Cream.  I’d definitely recommend going, and would also recommend having a reservation.  It was SUPER yummy and we all enjoyed our food (burgers, chili and grilled cheese).  The highlight is absolutely the Kitchen Sink ice cream dessert to share between four people!  In addition to the restaurant area, there is also a walk up ice cream counter.

Honey LOVES to send the littles to the kid’s club (I think every deluxe resort has one) for a night on longer trips so that we can do a Disney date night.  And who am I to say no to that?!  So, while the littles lived it up in the Sandcastle Club, we had an amazing night out at the Crews Cup Lounge and dinner at the Yachtsman Steakhouse.

Our meal at Yachtsman was verrrrry good!  The bread was super yummy, the steaks were perfection and I loved the truffle mac & cheese.

We walked over to Cape May Cafe for the character breakfast one morning, with Donald, Goofy and Minnie.  The buffet food was VERY good in comparison to most of the others.  We loved the crepe station and chorizo sausage eggs in particular.

The littles ventured off on a Pirate Adventure Cruise one morning, so Honey and I enjoyed a lovely, quiet and lingering breakfast for two at Captain’s Grill.  The lemon ricotta pancakes were out of this world.  I’m still thinking about them!  Honey was very happy with the buffet.

Like all Disney resorts, Yacht Club had a bonfire and movie under the stars each night!  We always try to see at least one during our stay.  This one was particularly lovely on the sandy beach with all the lights in the background.

You really cannot beat the location of the Yacht Club.  It is a 5 minute walk or boat ride into Epcot via a (special entrance called International Gateway between Paris and Great Britain, and a 5 minute boat ride to Hollywood Studios.  There are loads of restaurants and recreation between the Yacht Club, Beach Club and Boardwalk.  It’s just really an outstanding location!

There is so much to do on the Boardwalk!  We loved walking over for food.  And margaritas.

“Look Mommy, a hidden Mickey!”  LOL

I sure hope to be back!  Stay tuned over the next week for the full trip report. xoxo

Everything Disney  |  Walt Disney World  | Disney Resort Reviews

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27 thoughts on “ Disney’s Yacht Club Resort {Dining + Recreation} ”

Absolutely our favorite place to stay!! Looks like y’all had an awesome time!!

I have been researching Disney resorts for our next stay – although I am not sure when that will be…but this one is on my list. So glad you confirmed how great it was. I just have to convince my husband because he gets Westin points from travel and thinks we should stay in the Swan or Dolphin. Sounds like the Yacht Club is the perfect location for what we want to do next time. Once again, it looks like you had a blast! Shelley

I have tons of Starwood points from work travel as well, so I get how it’s really hard to justify paying for a hotel when you can stay somewhere for free! For what it’s worth, we have stayed 2 times at the Swan/Dolphin and I would totally recommend it. Both times we didn’t have a ton of time to really kick around the resort, so that was fine. They have a restaurant that does character dining which is OK, but they also have some really awesome grown up restaurants too! Their pool/water slide are awesome, and you can walk to the Disney Boardwalk (which we actually prefer over Downtown Disney). They have a ton of other activities, like beach bonfires and stuff, that we never have enough time to take advantage of. You basically get all of the benefits of staying on property, but for free. I was totally hesitant to stay here the first time because it wasn’t an “official” Disney property, so I just wanted to share my experience. You could always stay at the Dolphin/Swan while you are doing the parks all day, and then splurge a couple of days at the end of your trip on a deluxe hotel if you have time to use the amenities like Amanda recommended:)

The swan and dolphin are literally next door. They are on the same boardwalk and have the same walk/boats to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can still do the rec stuff on the boardwalk I’m sure – like bike rides, boat rental, etc. and you can DEF dine in the restaurants. The only thing you couldn’t do is the pool. If I could stay there on points I totally would!

I love reading your Disney posts! We are staying at the Polynesian in December and I have never considered anywhere else because of the convenience of the monorail but the Yacht Club sounds wonderful (and the rooms do look roomie!) and would be a good place to stay in the future especially when we have plans to go to Epcot.

I think the parks you will spend most time in is key here! Poly and Contemp for MK and Epcot; Yacht, Beach and Boardwalk for Epcot and Hollywood; Wilderness is a good option for MK. I want to try the renovated Poly!

When we were at the beach club for our Cape May reservations, we admired the resort AND the pool… we were totally digging Stormalong Bay. We were definitely considering a future stay there or at the yacht club…. but it would have to be for a long stay, because, like you said, to justify the cost, we’d need to be at the resort for a few days on top of going to the parks. — Although, we REALLY loved the access to Epcot… that was awesome. :)

We loved the breakfast at Cape May too! They went above and beyond there to make our anniversary and birthday celebrations special… They brought out cakes and special cards, etc. for us! just a little bit of that “extra magic” that we all love!

I still can’t believe that we just missed each other. I can’t wait to read the rest of your recap. I’m still in “disney” mode a little– I keep wanting to wear my magic band… ha!

I can’t believe we missed you too!

well technically, you walked past me and I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure! and then I realized y’all were on Dumbo while we were on the barnstormer! LOL Oh well! Next time, haha!

We just went on our first ever Disney trip and I’m so glad to see lots of pics from another Resort. We stayed at the Contemporary. Can Deluxe resort guests go to any deluxe resort pool? Also, in the picture with pizza where was that from? Our daughter is a picky eater and sometimes we wished for simpler food options for her. I had heard of Beaches and Cream but wasn’t sure if we could go there since its located at a different resort.

As far as I know pool hopping is not allowed outside of some DVC resort stays. I know that Stormalong Bay at Yacht/Beach scanned our magic bands before entering. I’m not sure that the scanning actually did anything to tell you the truth but they made a production of doing it anyway. The pizza was from good old Papa Johns. We got it twice during our stay and were happy for a $16 meal :-) They deliver to all of the resorts. They call you when they arrive and you meet them in the lobby.

Such a smart idea to save a little money! Will have to do that for sure next time!

I love all your photos! I have been waiting for your recap. We leave for Disney right after Thanksgiving and I am so excited. It will be my boys first visit. We debated staying at a deluxe then we realized we won’t be in the room that much so we’re staying at our favorite – Port Orleans Riverside.

I feel in love with the Beach and Yacht Club 3 years ago when we had breakfast at Cape May Cafe. I could not get over the gorgeous view. We want to stay at all the resorts and that one is definitely at the top of mine!

Love the review! We are staying at the Beach Club in June and I can not wait! We love Animal Kingdom Lodge as well!

Yacht Club looks amazing!!! We are already thinking of our next trip which isn’t for almost 2 years LOL but aren’t sure where we’ll stay. My hubby likes the idea of Contemporary because it’s so close to MK and our kids are still little – next trip they will be almost 7, almost 5 and almost 3 so we like that we can just walk to and from MK which is where we spend most of our time anyway. Have you ever stayed there? Yacht or Beach Club is on my list for the trip after nexts for sure!

I have actually never stayed at Contemporary… ever! When we were kids we always stayed at Polynesian. It’s def on my list though!!

I have stayed at the Contemporary and we loved it! It was so nice to have the monorail run through the building and it was perfect for small children who want to go back and forth to the Magic Kingdom. Plus it was Chef Mickey in it which is fun! It was very nice!

Looks amazing Amanda, Its great to read your hotel reviews as they all look so amazing and as we can only come every few years its good to have more of an idea of which ones are particularly special. X

Oh my gosh Amanda this post brought back awesome memories!! We stayed at the Yacht Club this past August and LOVED it!!

The resort looks amazing!

The Yacht Club is definitely on my list of places to stay! I feel in love with Yacht and Beach years ago when we had breakfast at Cape May Cafe and then walked around the resorts and the boardwalk. It was so gorgeous. You just made it look even more amazing than I already thought. I’m always nervous about a ground floor room because I think they’re usually loud. You really seem to have made good use of one though and now I want one! Did you have any noise problems?

We’re headed to Port Orleans Riverside next month. We spent our honeymoon there and now our boys will spend their first visit at the same place. I am SO excited.

We love PO Riverside!! We didn’t have any noise at all! OF course, we were dog tired at the end of the day so I probably would have slept through a freight train. I was disappointed when I saw ground floor until I saw the room. I usually request a high level but this turned out great.

I’ve GOT to know, what nail polish were you wearing throughout this trip ? It is too cute!

I wish I knew! I ended up loving it too. I very rarely get a mani – it was a very very pale pink by OPI.

You referred to a “bounce back deal” with booking the Yacht Club. What is this? Is it something Disney sent you? We just stayed this summer at Port Orleans and have season passes and would love to get a “bounce back deal” to stay at the Yacht Club. Tell me more. Tell me more. :)

It can only be booked from your room while staying at Disney. There is usually a flyer tucked inside the reading materials on the desk. If there isn’t, you can call the front desk and ask them to transfer you to reservations for bounce back offers. It always varies. This last time the bounce back was for free dining when I called.

I am loving your Disney posts. We are headed to the Beach Club at the end of May, and I am excited to finally try an EPCOT resort. I have lots of research to do since that area is all new to me. Thanks so much for the informative posts; they are so helpful and fun to read.

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The body of a man recovered near the Bayesian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat

Six people are still missing after British luxury yacht sank off Sicily on Monday

They include Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer , his wife Judy, British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, and jewellery designer Neda Morvillo

Divers are struggling to reach the cabins of the yacht, with a "world of objects" blocking access to the rooms

Of the 22 people on board, 15 survived, six are missing, and one body, believed to be Recaldo Thomas, has been found

Live Reporting

Edited by Sean Seddon, with Mark Lowen reporting from Sicily

Rescue workers continue the search for six missing people published at 20:28 British Summer Time 20 August 20:28 BST 20 August

Search crews say their efforts to recover the six people still not accounted for after a yacht sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday will "continue without stopping".

As the second day of that operation comes to close, here's what we have learned:

• Friends of Recaldo Thomas , the chef believed to have died in the sinking, have begun to pay tribute to his "smile that lit up a room"
• Three more survivors have been named as Leo Eppel and South African nationals Leah Randall and Katja Chicken - all members of crew that were on board the ship when it sank
• Six people still remain unaccounted for: Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah , Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda
• Divers have been able to reach the lounge of the yacht but their path to the cabins has been blocked by "a world of objects"
• The Italian coastguard says that specialist divers are "evaluating the feasibility of safely entering the wreck", but warn the search is being complicated by its " depth and the position of the hull" around 50m (164ft) below the surface
• Jonathan Bloomer's twin brother has told the BBC his family are "coping the best we can" as they wait for updates from the rescue team's ongoing efforts

We're going to pause our coverage now but you can read more about the second day of the Bayesian search operation here .

This page was edited by Emily Atkinson, Owen Amos and Sean Seddon and was written by Sophie Abdulla, Adam Durbin, Gabriela Pomeroy, Matt Spivey, Barbara Tasch, Jacqueline Howard, Rachel Flynn and Johanna Chisholm.

Who are the six people still missing? published at 20:19 British Summer Time 20 August 20:19 BST 20 August

Technology tycoon Mike Lynch is still missing alongside his 18-year-old daughter

Six people remain unaccounted for after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily, including a father and daughter, as well as two married couples.

UK businessman Mike Lynch, who helped establish Cambridge Neurodynamics and co-founded the firm Autonomy, is still missing alongside his daughter Hannah Lynch , an 18-year-old student.

Jonathan Bloomer , the chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International, and his wife Judy Bloomer were also on the yacht when it sank and have not yet been found.

Chris Morvillo , a partner at the law firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda Morvillo, a jewellery designer, have also been confirmed as missing.

Earlier we reported that the body of a man recovered near the sunken Sicilian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas , a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat.

His friends have described him as having "a smile that lit up the room".

Couple missing from yacht are 'incredibly generous people', says reverend published at 20:07 British Summer Time 20 August 20:07 BST 20 August

Jonathan and Judy Bloomer - who are still missing following the sinking of the Bayesian yacht - are “incredibly generous people”, the reverend of their local church says.

Speaking to BBC South East, Rev Tim Edwards, from Knockholt in Kent, says “at the moment there’s an awful lot that we don’t know”.

He describes the couple as being “very much” part of the village community and active with local charities.

What are waterspouts? published at 19:52 British Summer Time 20 August 19:52 BST 20 August

According to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder, the Bayesian left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on 14 August and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday evening, with a navigation status of "at anchor".

Witnesses later described seeing a waterspout form during a storm that hit in the area overnight, and - as mentioned in our last post - it is believed to have struck the yacht before it sank.

Most are familiar with what tornadoes look like - they are rotating columns of destructive winds, protruding from the base of clouds down to the ground. According to BBC Weather, waterspouts are just that too, but they form over water rather than land.

Instead of dust and debris swirling around the core of strong winds, it is water mist whipped up from the surface.

Like tornadoes, most are only short-lived, narrow columns and are not easily picked out on weather radars, so many will go unreported.

How could the yacht have sunk? published at 19:39 British Summer Time 20 August 19:39 BST 20 August

It is believed the Bayesian was struck by a tornado over the water - otherwise known as a waterspout - causing the luxury yacht to capsize and sink to the seabed.

There are separate reports the boat's mast snapped during the freak storm, while other factors in the boat's tipping over could include water entering through hatches and doors which might have been left open because of warm weather off the Italian coast.

'Easy to talk to with a sense of humour' - friend describes Mike Lynch published at 19:27 British Summer Time 20 August 19:27 BST 20 August

Another one of Mike Lynch's friends has been telling the BBC a bit more about their neighbour's personality.

"He is so approachable and a very easy person to talk to," Richard Smith, who lives in the Suffolk village of Pettistree, says. "A nice sense of humour."

"You might think with all that money that he would be a difficult person to talk to, but in fact he was a very easy person to talk to."

Mike Lynch's neighbour 'horrified' to learn he's missing published at 19:08 British Summer Time 20 August 19:08 BST 20 August

One of Mike Lynch's neighbours says she was "horrified" to find out he was missing and describes it as the "worst news".

"I just couldn't believe it, I thought this can't be right," Ruth Leigh, of Pettistree in Suffolk, says.

Leigh says they have lived near each other for around 15 years and describes Lynch as a "fantastic neighbour" and a "very charitable man".

"Even though he was incredibly wealthy and a very important person he never ever gave that impression.

"Whenever he met you he always remembers your name, he would chat to you - incredibly friendly and down to earth, which we thought was a great quality," she adds.

Did the yacht’s keel play a role in it sinking? published at 18:46 British Summer Time 20 August 18:46 BST 20 August

By Tom Edgington

There has been speculation about the type of keel on the Bayesian and whether it may have been a factor in it sinking.

The website for Perini Navi – the yacht’s builder – is currently not available. However, by searching internet archives BBC Verify has obtained the boat’s 2018 brochure.

In the “features and performance” section, the document gives dimensions for the keel in an "up" position - 4.05m (13ft) - and in a "down" position - 9.83m (32ft) - suggesting it is retractable.

The BBC has contacted Perini Navi but has not had a reply.

A keel is a support structure underneath the boat which projects downwards and helps keep it balanced on the surface.

Certain boats might require a retractable keel in order to enter shallow water without getting stuck.

We don’t know if the Bayesian’s keel was up or down at the time it was struck by a storm.

However, Andrew Fairbrass who runs a large yacht engineering business says “when you're sailing, you have to keep the keel down and it does make a big difference to stability”.

Name of surviving crew member confirmed by coastguard published at 18:24 British Summer Time 20 August 18:24 BST 20 August Breaking

The Italian coastguard has confirmed the name of another crew member who survived the sinking of the Bayesian.

Leo Eppel was on board the yacht when it capsized, spokesman Vincenzo Zagarola says.

Two other surviving crew members were named by authorities a short while ago .

The BBC understands that Recaldo Thomas, who worked as a chef on the boat, was killed and his body has been recovered.

You can read tributes to the Canadian-Antiguan national here .

British investigators arrive but hopes for miracle vanish published at 18:08 British Summer Time 20 August 18:08 BST 20 August

In cloudy skies and on choppy waters, the search has gone on all day, a helicopter scouring the site where the Bayesian capsized as divers plunged deep below.

They’re trying to access the wreckage of the yacht that was hit by a tornado-like waterspout, and is now 50m (164ft) underwater.

Given the depth, each dive can only be 10 minutes, and with the boat still largely intact it’s hard to get access inside.

British investigators are now here to assess what happened during the extreme weather that hit the Bayesian.

Severe heat and violent storms had prompted a weather alert before the yacht went down.

Tonight the search goes on - but any hope of a Mediterranean miracle survival has all but vanished.

'It's still wait and see,' says twin brother of missing man published at 17:50 British Summer Time 20 August 17:50 BST 20 August

Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer's twin brother has told the BBC his family are "coping the best we can" as rescue workers continue to search for him off the coast of Sicily.

The banker is one of six people still missing since the Bayesian yacht capsized.

Jeremy Bloomer tells the BBC he has not received any new updates on the search efforts to find Jonathan, beyond that divers are struggling to access the wreck of the boat.

He says: "It's a slow process and it will take time. So there might be air pockets, but we don't know."

Jeremy continues: "He was my older [brother] by half an hour. So it means a lot when you lose a twin brother. It's still wait and see, so fingers crossed."

Asked how he was coping, he says the situation is "terrible" and something that's "beyond your wildest imagination".

Quote Message I'm just numb, just numb. That's it, you don't know what to think and you can't believe it's happened."

Two members of crew named as survivors of yacht sinking published at 17:39 British Summer Time 20 August 17:39 BST 20 August

We've just heard from the Italian coastguard, which has named two more survivors of the yacht sinking.

South African nationals Leah Randall and Katja Chicken, who worked as crew members on the Bayesian, managed to get to safety after the vessel sank in the early hours of Monday morning.

In total , 15 of the 22 people on board have been rescued . Among them are:

• Mike Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares
• Charlotte Golunski, her husband James and their one-year-old daughter
• Ayla Ronald, who worked as a lawyer for Mike Lynch, and her partner

How Mike Lynch's courtroom joy led to yacht tragedy published at 17:24 British Summer Time 20 August 17:24 BST 20 August

Twelve people were vacationing on Mike Lynch 's yacht, alongside 10 crew members, when it sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily. The gathering was reportedly a celebration.

Earlier this year, Lynch was cleared of fraud and conspiracy charges arising from the sale of his firm Autonomy to US tech giant Hewlett Packard. The decade-long legal battle had led to Lynch's extradition from the UK.

Upon being cleared of the charges in June, the British entrepreneur said he was "elated" and thanked his legal team for their "tireless work". Some of them were on the yacht alongside him when it sank.

Chris Morvillo , a lawyer for Clifford Chance - the law firm that represented Lynch - is among the six people still missing. So is his wife Neda Morvillo , an American jewellery designer.

Ayla Ronald, a senior associate at the same law firm, also worked on Lynch's case. Both she and her partner were invited to the yacht and were rescued when it sank.

Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer - who appeared as a defence witness for Lynch during his trial - and his wife Judy Bloomer were on the boat when disaster struck. Both are unaccounted for.

Charlotte Golunski, the board director of Luminance - an artificial intelligence platform founded by Lynch - was on board, along with her husband and one-year-old daughter. All three survived.

Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and daughter Hannah were also there. Bacares has been rescued but 18-year-old Hannah is still missing.

In pictures: Search operation at wreck site continues published at 17:03 British Summer Time 20 August 17:03 BST 20 August

A search and rescue operation, which includes boats scouring the surface of the sea and divers examining the wreck of the Bayesian yacht on the seabed, is still ongoing.

As we've been reporting, the specialist diving team have been struggling to access the cabins on the wreck - which is around 50m below the surface - because of debris blocking access.

'A smile that lit up the room': Tributes to chef killed in yacht sinking published at 16:52 British Summer Time 20 August 16:52 BST 20 August

The body of a man recovered near the Bayesian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat.

His friends have been paying tribute to him. Gareth Williams, who lives in Antigua, knew Thomas for 30 years.

"I can talk for everyone that knew him when I say he was a well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit," he told me.

The two grew up together in Antigua, where Recaldo spent his time during off-season.

"He would come over to mine over the weekend and he would sing. He had the deepest, most sultry voice in the world, and a smile that lit up the room.

"He told me just the other day that he needed to work two more seasons to fix up his late parents' house. He loved yachting, but he was tired."

Eli Fuller met Recaldo some 25 years ago while out socialising in Antigua.

"He knew everybody and was friends with everybody. He'd always ask how you were doing, how your family was - he was always positive.

"Personality was very important in his job. The world's richest people want to hang out with someone social. He was sought after."

He added that Thomas became an inspiration to young black children who wanted to get into yachting.

"The kids would see all these white people working on yachts. For them to see an Antiguan man travelling all over the world - it was important for our community."

Search efforts complicated by wreck's position underwater, coastguard says published at 16:42 British Summer Time 20 August 16:42 BST 20 August Breaking

The search for the missing six passengers "continues without stopping" but divers have not found anything, the Italian coastguard says.

The coastguard says that specialist divers are "evaluating the feasibility of safely entering the wreck", but that the search is being "complicated by the depth and the position of the hull lying on the seabed" - at 50m below the surface.

It adds there is no trace of "hydrocarbon pollution" - meaning oil or other similar fuel is not leaking from the wreck.

Why is the search and recovery operation for the Bayesian so complex? published at 16:28 British Summer Time 20 August 16:28 BST 20 August

We're well into the second day of search and rescue operations for the six people still missing after the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.

Here are some of the factors which make this a highly complex process:

• The wreckage is currently 50m (165ft) below the surface of the water
• Furniture and a "world of objects" are blocking access to the cabins of the yacht, hampering the divers' access
• Divers can only spend 12 minutes below the surface of the water, meaning by the time they reach the Bayesian, they only have 10 minutes to search the wreck
• The bridge of the yacht - the room where the captain controls the vessel - is full of electrical cables
• Divers are unable to see inside the yacht , though a possible entry point could be through a 3cm (1.2in)-thick glass window
• Specialist divers who are trained to work in small spaces have had to be flown in from Rome and Sardinia

Ex-MP John Gummer on his 'wonderfully kind' friend Lynch published at 16:10 British Summer Time 20 August 16:10 BST 20 August

Helen Burchell Live reporter

Lord Deben says his friend Mike Lynch is "wonderfully kind and companionable"

Lord Deben, former Conservative MP John Gummer, describes his missing friend Mike Lynch as "a wonderfully kind and companionable" man.

"He is the kind of person who carries this enormously clever mind, but carries it so lightly, and is always interested in what others have to say and might contribute," he says in a statement.

"It is a very serious moment... for if we have lost him, we’ve lost a very wonderful man."

He adds: "It is one of the cruellest blows that could possibly be made if it turns out that he hasn’t survived because he had so much to give, and he was giving it.

"This is a man of outstanding ability, but also the sort of person whom we were all very, very fortunate to know."

Water conditions could have led to waterspout, says oceanographer published at 15:54 British Summer Time 20 August 15:54 BST 20 August

Dr Simon Boxall is a senior lecturer at Southampton University

Dr Simon Boxall, an oceanographer from the University of Southampton, says "there's a lot still to be discovered" about what led to the sinking of the Bayesian.

Asked about reports the boat may have been hit by a waterspout , he tells the BBC they are "not normally dangerous" but that would depend on the intensity of the weather system.

Boxall says: "What's interesting is that we saw very light winds up until the time at which the yacht was hit.

"And then suddenly, the wind went from about three or four miles an hour to 30 or 40 miles an hour, and then dropped again. And that was on land.

"So it's a sort of precursor to there being a major sort of squall or even a waterspout that would have hit the ship."

The ocean to the north of Sicily is more than three degrees warmer than it should be at this time of year, he adds, creating a "perfect storm" for waterspouts to occur.

'Yacht sank in two minutes,' captain of nearby ship says published at 15:41 British Summer Time 20 August 15:41 BST 20 August

The captain of the Dutch-flagged ship that rescued Bayesian passengers from the water before emergency services arrived has spoken again to Reuters.

Captain Karsten Borner has previously explained how he worked to keep his ship upright during the storm, before noticing the luxury yacht that had been behind his vessel had disappeared.

"I don't absolutely know what they did. I only know that they went flat with a mast on the water and that they sank in two minutes," Borner says.

He says the sea temperature, which meteorologists have told us was at an extreme high of 30C, is "way too hot for the Mediterranean, and this causes, for sure, heavy storms".

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• Windstar Star Legend Review: My Small-Ship Cruising Experience

Theresa Russell

• August 22, 2024

The Windstar Star Legend is part of the 180° From Ordinary experience. That’s the focus of Windstar, and my sailing on the Windstar Star Legend was an extraordinary experience.

My Windstar Star Legend Review

Windstar Star Legend, previously Seabourn Pride , underwent a refurbishment in 2021. As part of the $250 Million Star Plus Initiative, Star Legend was stretched by 84 feet. This all-suite ship added 50 new suites ship.

Due to its size, the Star Legend stops at many smaller ports that larger ships cannot visit. My trip circumnavigated the British Isles, visiting Dublin and Belfast. The ship sailed from Edinburgh and finished in London, right at the London Tower Bridge.

Our ports included:

• Dun Laoghaire
• Isles of Scilly

Arriving in Leith a day early, we hopped on a double-decker tour bus to explore Edinburgh before starting our cruise. 

With just six passenger decks, Star Legend is simple to navigate, with no distance being far. It’s simple to get between venues without getting lost or spending time trying to figure out where you are. There are elevators at both ends of the ship, but it must be noted that all don’t go to the ship’s upper decks.

I sailed with my husband, and our cabin, Star Ocean View Suite 444, was ideal for our 10-night cruise on the Atlantic Archipelago Adventures voyage.

Upon entering our stateroom, I confirmed that we had made a good choice by sailing Windstar, as this brand was a new experience for us. The room’s layout brought back memories of a long-ago cruise on Seabourn Pride . 

Both of us remarked about the size and comfort of the stateroom. I wondered if I would have preferred the bed near the entry, but after getting accustomed to the room, I knew this was the best arrangement. I recalled a ship designer’s comment that you don’t go directly into the bedroom when you enter a home.

My concern that I wouldn’t be able to see out the window from the living area quickly dissolved. If the bed had been closer to the front door, we wouldn’t have had to squeeze past the foot of the bed to see the view or enjoy the comforts of the living room. 

This stateroom cannot be converted to a two-twin configuration in the SS1 category. However, it worked for us, and we found the layout conducive to our traveling style.

With plenty of outlets in the bedroom area and USB ports, we appreciated the thought that went into the design of this cabin.

Across from the bed, the long vanity/table contained European and North American outlets and USB ports. At the vanity end of the space, there were large drawers. Toward the desk end of the counter, there was a fabric bench that fit under the desk. It was nice to have ample space to recharge electronics. A television hung above the vanity area of the counter.

Separating the living area from the bedroom, a solid drape was pulled out to divide the large suite into two private areas if desired. We had an inviting sofa with a coffee table in the suite’s living area. With such a configuration, we didn’t hesitate to order room service meals on several occasions. Opposite the couch, two additional upholstered chairs provided a comfortable seating alternative.

In the living area, where carafes of fresh water were provided daily, there was also a minibar equipped with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments.

Near the main entry to the cabin, a walk-in closet provides plenty of space for hanging clothes.

A small stand has drawers for extra storage. One of the drawers hides a safe. Triangular-shaped shelfs work for additional storage. In the cabin are life preservers, waffle cloth bathrobes, and slippers.

The bathroom is right next to the closet. To navigate this modern and updated bathroom, one must step up into the toilet, which is typical of most ship bathrooms. Nobody needs a horn. 

Two sinks make sharing the space easy, but there isn’t upper shelf space for the sink near the shower. A long shelf stretches below the sink the entire length of the vanity. Toiletries include L’Occitane products, and it is certainly nice to have various options.

Having one toiletry for each function instead of one pump liquid dispensing a product that works as body wash, hair wash, and who-knows-what-else is a real luxury.

The long shower has grab bars, a rain shower, and a handheld shower. The fluffy white shower rug gave the bathroom a homey feel and a soft landing for my feet.

Star Legend offers a surprising number of dining options for a small ship. The choices of casual, grill, fine dining, and experimental will please the pickiest of guests.

The Yacht Club is a library-like gathering place with beverages and takeaway choices. Grabbing something and enjoying the view from the wall of windows is the perfect way to start the day. 

This is the buffet offering that opens for lunch and breakfast. There is no dinner buffet on Star Legend. I’m not a fan of buffets, but I tried this option for breakfast and lunch. It’s possible to get eggs to order along with other traditional breakfast offerings. Food is scattered throughout the space, including in areas that require climbing down stairs.

For lunch, in addition to choosing from the many buffet choices, you can also get the cooked-to-order dish of the day or a burger or hotdog from Star Grill. You can order these from Veranda, or you can sit out at Star Grill and enjoy these and other dishes at this outdoor venue.

Star Grill 

Head to this casual outdoor space if you are looking for traditional grilled and BBQ foods under the guise of Steven Raichlen. There’s an excellent selection of international foods as well.

This is a traditional main dining room in an elegant setting. Dinner is the only meal served at this open-seating venue. The menu changed daily, and there were vegetarian options. Classics like fish, chicken, and beef are always on the menu.

Veranda transforms into a more intimate space in the evening, becoming a unique dining experience. While dining outside in warm weather is possible, we found it a tad chilly to enjoy the outdoor area. We opted to sit in more intimate side areas of the space and enjoyed the low lighting and quiet atmosphere. Be sure to explore the gourmet salts that come with your meal.

A specialty restaurant included in the fare, this restaurant by Anthony Sasso ranks as my favorite. Cuadro 44 describes itself as an eclectic Spanish restaurant. Tapas-style foods are meant for sharing. The tomato bread offered as an appetizer tantalizes the taste buds. Although a seemingly simple appetizer, the complex flavors made me return for more.

The tapas menu includes pork legs raised on acorns, anchovies, paella croquettes, and octopus. Main dishes include cod, chicken, lamb chops, and more. The menu designates the dishes’ origin in Spain.

The open kitchen allows for watching the chefs in action. Several seats are available facing the cooking area. The chefs’ orchestrated roles, primarily done in silence, added to the enjoyment of our meal.

With only 36 seats, Cuadro 44 requires reservations, as does Candles.

Officially, guests may only dine here and at Candles once, but especially if the ship isn’t full, it’s worth checking to see if space might be available.

Room service is always available with its menu. Moreover, anything offered on the Amphora menu could also be ordered through room service.

Entertainment

Entertainment on Star Legend is primarily self-directed. Small groups sing or play for evening entertainment. During the day, trivia and cooking demonstrations gather guests together. 

The ship has an open bridge policy, and it is worth a trip up top to see how it works.  All Windstar ships now have  Starlink high-speed internet if you need to stay connected .

Public Areas and Watering Holes

In  Star Legend , most public areas also have  watering holes. Yacht Club on the upper deck offers a relaxing space for a snack, reading, or enjoying the view.

Outside at the Star Grill are sofas and chairs to enjoy conversation while enjoying a drink from the bar.

Back inside the ship, Compass Rose serves drinks while guests enjoy pre-dinner music. Demonstrations and other larger gatherings take place in the spacious lounge.

Fitness Center and Spa

The spa and fitness center prioritize wellness and fitness. Guests pay no additional fee for access to the sauna and thermal loungers. The fitness center may be smaller, but it offers everything guests need for a satisfying workout, including a pool and hot tub for post-workout relaxation.

While the sports deck has water toys, it was not open during our sailing. But in warmer weather, it’s something worthy of exploration.

Closing Thoughts

Sailing on a new brand creates excellent expectations, excitement, and trepidation. How closely do the brochure and marketing reflect the experience? Could I survive for ten nights? Being on a ship and sailing guarantees my survival, but would it be an enjoyable experience?

From the minute I set foot on Star Legend , I knew I would be pretty happy to relax in these surroundings for the entire cruise. The space, the service, the food, and the serenity of Star Legend provide the perfect experience for those seeking a leisure trip. But, I immediately recognized this as an excellent opportunity for anybody working remotely.

Then again, the ports are so attractive that they could distract those working on the road. And while this would be a case where I sail for the ship, the ports of call are quite the draw—new ports interspersed with familiar favorites added intrigue to the itinerary. 

Great food, like-minded cruisers, and comfortable surroundings made our Windstar yacht experience 180° from ordinary! I can’t wait to try their sailing ships.

Be sure to check the Windstar sailings . Searching may yield a luxury sailing at a competitive price.

• Renovated Windstar Cruises Yacht Sets Sail From Portugal
• Windstar Cruises Takes Delivery of Newly-Stretched Yacht
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• MSC Cruises

Yacht Club and dining options?

By kaz828 , March 27, 2023 in MSC Cruises

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I'm a bit confused, if we are in yacht club do we still need to add a specialty dining package? Is it worth it? What is the usual cost range?

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Georgia_Peaches

We have only sailed YC and have never added a dining package.  We enjoyed the food on MSC in the YC very much.  We did venture to the Fine Cut steakhouse one night and it was good but no better than what we were eating in the YC and it was pricey!  You can always check it out on board and decide later if you want to book a specialty.

We. have sailed YC 4 times and have never paid extra for a speciality dining meal.

We are diamond so, we do get a meal outside YC with that status. We actually passed on it a couple of times as the food in YC was just as good.

I should also mention  ....on our last cruise, there was a gentleman who arrived at YC restaurant upset. His family had long day with excursion and he just wanted to go to Main Dining room for quick dinner.  He was not allowed entrance and told to have dinner in YC. He kept ranting how he could not believe that a YC guest was not allowed in main dining room. 

Lesson learned. 

To answer the question regarding cost...it can be about $100 per person not including drinks.

Two Wheels Only

On my first Yacht Club cruise, I added the 3 meal plan. When I booked, Teppanyaki was included but it was later removed from the plan. After speaking with the YC concierge, we had Teppanyaki included with the plan. I also went to the Ocean Cay restaurant (not the island) and wasn't impressed. The restaurant was beautiful and we had the entire place to ourselves but my appetizer was better than my main course. 

Since that first Yacht Club cruise, I no longer buy any specialty restaurant plan. If I do a specialty meal for lunch or dinner, I just pay a la carte...usually with OBC.   😉

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