Motegi

Our Cabin:

10298

Bella Balcony, B1

Daily Planner for 12/9

Highlights:

Sea Day

Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle at 10:15 AM

Voyager Club Welcome Back Cocktail at 11:15 AM

Elegant Night

Photos with the Master (Captain) Stefani Battinelli.
 

The Daily Program for embarkation day 12/8.  
 

We received a notice in our cabin that we had to arrange our Cirque du Soliel dinner reservation.  We had the dining plan and our originally scheduled reservation for the Sonor show needed to be changed as they had rearranged the days for the show.   We got it straightened out at the Carousel Lounge. 

Here is a rundown of our 12/8-12/15 cruise on the Meraviglia.   I will be posting the Daily Programs, flyers, and photos from the cruise.

Boarding went very quickly.  We arrived around 1:30 PM and were onboard within 15 minutes.  
 

Our cabin was ready before 2PM.  Our luggage arrived a couple hours later.

As you can see in my sig I've been on the NCL Sky seven times.  The most recent was last month (Oct '19) which was our first time seeing the ship since the dry dock changes.  

The Sky is one of my favorite of NCLs ships and we prefer it over it's sister, the NCL Sun.

While I liked the prior Hawaiian/Polynesian decor as a reminder of its prior life cruising the Hawaiian Islands as the Pride of Aloha, the new decor in the cabins and public areas is more modern and brings it in line with the newer ships in the fleet.  

I did miss the replacement of the old Captain Cook's piano bar on deck 6 between the Bliss Ultralounge (formerly Dazzles) and the Photo Gallery.  We used to spend a great deal of time singing along with the piano player and playing trivia at the Captain Cooks on prior cruises.  But on this most recent cruise we found ourselves hardly spending any time there now that it has been reconfigured into the Sugar Cane Mojito Bar.  

The Photo Gallery has finally been updated with digital image stations and folio racks replacing the old photo walls and is a welcome change.  Gone are the days of having to scan across thousands of photos on the walls to find your own. 

The old Outrigger Lounge on Deck 11 Forward has been renamed into the Spinnaker Lounge but retains its overall atmosphere.  The photos on the walls now depict scenes from Havana, Cuba and it is still a great place to grab a drink, relax, and enjoy the panoramic forward view.   Very few people seem to hang out here so it remains quiet at most times.  The wraparound balcony along the front is a great place to take photos.   We think of the Sky's Spinnaker Lounge as the mini version of the forward observation lounges on the newest Breakaway Plus ships like the Encore, Bliss, and Joy.    

The Great Outdoors on Deck 11 Aft is still one of my favorite spots to enjoy breakfast on ANY ship.  It's usually less crowded than the Garden Cafe buffet and the covered outdoor seating area has great views around the back.  Plus the bar service tends to be faster...  Mimosa's anyone?

The old Longboards Bar on Deck 11 adjacent to the Great Outdoors has been renamed to The Local in order to fall in line with the newest in the fleet.  But just like its prior incarnation it remains the place to go late at night for buffalo wings.  

Finally,  the addition of the full Starbucks on Deck 7 between the Casino and the Duty Free shops was a fantastic touch.   

Sure, the Sky doesn't have the water slides, laser tag arena, or go cart tracks of the newest ships but I find the cruise director staff always puts in a little bit extra to make sure that everyone is having a good time onboard.  Because its a smaller ship we hardly ever wait in line for anything and its ideal size for the shorter length cruises in the Caribbean.   

Thanks for this post!

Besides the elegant night can you tell me what other theme nights there have been for your cruise?

We are trying to pack for our Dec 8th sailing and this information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Koji & Pam

Thanks for this post!  

Sorry to see that your internet speeds are not up to par...  I would've expected better as well.

Can you tell me what the theme nights have been for your cruise?  We're preparing for the December 8th departure and are trying to finalize our packing.

Thanks again!

Koji & Pam

9 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Those of you who speak Spanish might want to consider reading this interesting article I just found from yesterday, which gives some of the reasons Ocean Cay's opening was delayed. Of particular note is the mention of climate-related issues such as strong winds and waves, along with leveling of the sand. Are these the "operational issues" they spoke of? Who knows, but at least it helps to read something more specific. I do not take responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this article, FYI.

https://cruceroadicto.com/ocean-cay-msc-marine-reserve-abre-el-5-de-diciembre.html

Yeah the photos from last Saturday look like it was pretty windy there.  Perhaps too windy for the workers to be out as I don't see any in the photos.

And there are mountains of sand that need to be leveled around the lagoon.

For those that may not know the Joy's history, even though the ship is only a couple years old, Norwegian just spent $50 million USD to convert it back to "western" market specifications after it pulled it out of the Chinese market.

Here are the details:

https://cruiseradio.net/norwegian-joy-is-officially-north-america-bound/

6 minutes ago, Caroldoll said:

What do you mean about the pool?  

 I think this is what he means:

New freestanding Starbucks on the Sky:

Here's a video of a cruise ship engine crankshaft replacement:

https://bangshift.com/bangshiftxl/watching-crew-remove-replace-7-5-ton-cruise-ship-engine-crankshaft-amazing/

Here's an interesting discussion from another forum on the topic:

https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/how-do-they-replace-an-engine-in-a-modern-mega-cruise-ship/16504

26 minutes ago, The Wanderer_112358 said:

 

I'm ok with some missed ports.  Most of the TA days are Sea Days anyway.

 

I just don't want the voyage delayed or even cancelled.

 

I am surprised that the ship would attempt to do a TA with one dead engine.

 

When does the ship find time to do the engine replacement?

Extensive engine work would require a drydock service and would probably take weeks.  

Sadly, although we really liked the Star, she experienced propulsion system issues that resulted in alteration of the schedule when we were on board in 2015.  

If you do a google search you will see that the Star has had multiple propulsion related issues over the years.  More than the other NCL ships and it's sister, the NCL Dawn.  

Yes because of the restrictions we upgraded to the Premium package for our upcoming 7 day on the Meraviglia for about $190 per person.  We called MSC and told them we wanted to upgrade the package and we were only charged the difference.  

Here's what Premium includes:

• Including all Easy Package drinks plus: 
• Draught and bottled beers 
• Wider selection of wines by the glass (sparkling, white-red-rosè)
• Wider selection of cocktails
• All Aperitifs (cordials and liqueurs)
• All Standard and Premium spirits
• Fresh fruit & vegetables cocktails
• Can be consumed in all onboard bars as well as the self-service buffet and restaurants, including speciality restaurants. 

5 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

I have been to GSC and CocoCay with construction going on at both.  Majority of services were operational for guests.  I think if you can deliver 80% of the features and amenities at opening you are in good shape.  

 

Aside:

Not sure why objectively analyzing photos and calling things how they are in reality makes me a pessimist, and it certainly isn't an invitation to have my character attacked in any event on this forum.  I'm more believing of what my eyes show me than the words of a company corp man posting on social media.   

 

 

Hmmm... I didn't call you a pessimist.  

And I most certainly didn't attack your character...  

You must have me confused with someone else.  

We're scheduled to stop on Ocean Cay in early December.  So lets see what happens!

8 hours ago, CoffeeGoddess said:

Maybe it's different on ships that don't have an actual Starbucks store but both Bliss and Encore I haven't had any issues.

We did Bliss last year and it wasn't included.  We used our Starbucks cards from home instead.

Last month on the Sky (which now has an actual Starbucks onboard since the most recent major drydock) we only had a limited selection of coffees that were included with the Premium Plus package.  And the cashier had to manually zero out the charge for the order at the register for those items.  Some of the cashiers did not know how to do it and we had to get those charges reversed at Guest Services.  On a couple of occasions the cashier just decided not to key in the items at all because it was a hassle... which I thought was really strange.  

So it appears that the included items vary by ship.  

To stargard1 I hope that your procedure goes well and that you have a speedy recovery.  

However I must agree with the other respondents here.  You were likely presented with an option to purchase insurance coverage when you were making your reservation with NCL.  If you had voluntarily opted out of that extra option then there lies the problem.  

Some research or a basic query here on Cruise Critic would have also provided the information needed regarding third party travel insurance for your cruise vacation.

It is certainly a disappointment to not be able to take your vacation that you had planned for so long.  

However, you should be thankful that your cardiac condition was diagnosed now before it could have resulted in a debilitating major cardiac event.  I would be grateful that it did not manifest while you were on the 3 week cruise because that would have resulted in a much more serious situation with emergency medical care in a foreign country,  possible delay of care, and a very costly medical evacuation flight back to the United States.  

55 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

One lady is adamant this area is done, they just need a day to remove the odds and ends...

 

sure thing 

Maybe that's what those tarps are for.  They can just cover things up while the ships are in.  

All kidding aside I don't necessarily think that everything needs to be fully completed for it to open.  Just the basic guest areas, buffet, bars, gift shop, and beaches.  

We've visited NCL's Great Stirrup Cay several times while it was being worked on.  Sometimes with construction equipment and plastic construction fencing blocking off large sections.  Last month we spent the day in one of the studio villas and they were still working on the 1 and 2 bedroom villas adjacent to us and the lagoon.  They were also still working on the zip line towers above us.  

And the tentative buffet menu:

The buffet will have much more than hamburgers and hot dogs too.

 

Appetizers and Salads

Trumpet Pasta Salad
Trumpet Shells, BBQ Chicken, Chorizo and Sun Dried Tomatoes, Citrus Garlic Dressing

*Bahamian Ginger and Lime Couscous
Black Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Golden Pineapple, Shredded Greens, Ginger Dressing

*Caribbean Yucca Salad
Marinated Yucca, Peppers, Mango, Pineapple, Lime Rum Dressing

* Island Spiced Corn and Bean Salad
Pinto Kidney, Lima Beans Tossed, Sweet Corn, Jalapefio, Cilantro Dressing

*Herb Vegetable Salad
Cucumber, Onion, Peppers Lightly Tossed in Fresh Oregano, Cumin Seeds Vinaigrette

*Tropical Red Cabbage Slaw
Mandarin, Raisins, Red Wine Vinaigrette

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Arugula, Pecans, Bacon, Goat Cheese and Honey Lemon Dressing

 

Fruit
Carving Station: Pineapple, Watermelon, Seasonal Selection of Tropical Fruit

Island BBQ Menu

Main Courses

Freshly Grilled Island Signature Burger

signature blend of fresh angus chunk, short ribs, brisket meat patty grilled, red onion jam,

monterrey cheese, sweet fries

* Portobello Mushroom Burger
Crispy Plantains, Key West Lime, Avocado, Garlicky Aioli

Pork Ribs
Slow Roasted Ribs, Sweet Tamarind BBQ sauce

Beef Brisket
Special Brisket Rub, Slow Smoked For 12 Hours with Apple Woods

Bahamas Style Jerk Chicken
Sweet Plantains, Island Favorite

Veracruz-Style Red Snapper
Garlic, Lime Rice

*Green Plantains & French Fries

*BBQ Beans
Southern Style BBQ Beans

*Corn Lollipops
Dusted Smoked Peppers Seasoning

 

*Vegetarian Options

Dessert

Creamy Caramel Flan
Tres Leches
Rum Cake
Coconut Macaroon
Guava Duff with butter rum sauce
Spicy Chocolate Cake

Kids Menu

Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Smiling Fish Bites
Tater Tots
Bahamas Mac 'n' Cheese

Here's the tentative MSC food truck menu from another thread:

Thought I had posted this before but maybe it was another thread. Here's the tentative menu for the food trucks:

Cold Food
Bahamian Ceviche
Shrimp Ceviche
Lobster Roll
Quinoa & Avocado Tropical Salad

Hot Food
Beef, Chicken, Vegetable Bahama Patties
Wings 6 Pieces
Tacos - Chicken or Vegetable
Conch Fritters

 

Not a hot dog to be seen! 🙂

Bret

 

These are some photos from the OceanCay Facebook group:

Hello Irene & Peanut!

We will be on the same sailing as you!

Yes the the Easy, Premium or Premium Plus beverage packages will work on the island.  If you don't have a drink package already you can purchase one just for the island.  

Yes the buffet and the food trucks are included on the island.

You can find answers to these questions and more on mscoceancay.com

Also be sure to sign up for the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle party for our sailing date.  MSC usually throws a nice party for us onboard. 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcall/entry_cl.cfm?ship=996

At the onboard Starbucks on our cruise in October only the espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos were covered on our Premium Plus Beverage package.  We were told that frappuccinos or other drinks on the menu were not included.

Since they already had their official Ecuadorian license to operate the ship in the Galapagos temporarily suspended earlier this year I wonder if it there will be a more permanent suspension after this.  

On 11/3/2019 at 12:32 PM, cruiseguyinorl said:

 

Thought I had posted this before but maybe it was another thread. Here's the tentative menu for the food trucks:

Cold Food
Bahamian Ceviche
Shrimp Ceviche
Lobster Roll
Quinoa & Avocado Tropical Salad

Hot Food
Beef, Chicken, Vegetable Bahama Patties
Wings 6 Pieces
Tacos - Chicken or Vegetable
Conch Fritters

 

Not a hot dog to be seen! 🙂

Bret

 

That all sounds great!  I'll take one of each.  Much better than hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza at the buffet.