Generally speaking, are MC cartridges more delicate than MMs?

Technically MC are ever so slightly less robust than MM. This is due to the reason for MC in the first place is to reduce moving mass as low as possible. Less moving mass means a lighter cantilever and suspension. But while this is major in terms of tracking ability and sound quality it is so slight a difference in absolute terms as to not really matter in terms of what you are talking.

For being willing to do this you have my utmost respect. What I would do, have someone make a little peg out of wood or something, cut to almost the height of the platter and stuck to the plinth with blue tack or maybe double sided carpet tape. Have them stick this in just the right place so when you cue up a record you can feel it with your little finger and in no time you will know exactly where to drop the arm. As long as it is cut below the top of the platter, and as long as you use the arm  lift to cue, there will be no risk of hitting it even if you do miss a drop.

Cheers!

Setting aside the notion that MC cartridges are always superior to MM cartridges, which is patently absurd anyway, and accepting the notion that it is possible to obtain perfectly acceptable performance from either type, your special circumstance seems to me to weigh heavily in favor of choosing a cartridge from among those that have a user replaceable stylus.  The idea of a SoundSmith MI, which is relatively painlessly repaired, is also a reasonable suggestion.  I own an Experion and it does perform near the top.  But this is me, if I were in your shoes I would probably prefer my 2M Black, or my AT150 ANV, either of which is very satisfactory.

Thanks so much for your well-considered responses, which have provided me with much to think about. I'll likely be getting my retirement 'table in the spring, so I'll have some more time to think. Thanks, again.

-- Howard