We recently concluded our 7-day Christmas cruise aboard the MSC Meraviglia. Despite having sailed with MSC multiple times (five times with Divina, two times with Seaside, and two times with Meraviglia, with four of those being during Christmas), we experienced significant disappointment on this occasion. The experience was completely different from what we had before. I highly recommend those who have booked a Meraviglia cruise departing from Brooklyn to reconsider their trip. Here are some of the key reasons:
1. Cabin - Contrary to our previous experiences, during which the steward would clean the cabin multiple times, especially after returning from the pool or other activities, this time our steward only did so once on most days. The bathroom had a persistent unpleasant odor, making it intolerable for anything other than a quick shower. I tried to call the service desk for helping but never had anyone answered. The entire family had to cut short their teeth-brushing routine due to the pervasive smell in the bathroom. Additionally, the carpet was noticeably filthy. Even attempting to open the door to our balcony did not alleviate the issue. Despite these challenges, we considered ourselves "lucky" compared to our cousin, who encountered a toilet plumbing problem. Unfortunately, they were relocated from their balcony cabin to an inside cabin without any compensation or apology.
2. Dining - The food left much to be desired, but we could tolerate that. What made the experience terrible was the crowded and chaotic atmosphere. The buffet was consistently packed, except for early mornings. On multiple occasions around 9 in the morning, I encountered long queues and struggled to find a table for my family of six. The lengthy lines led to frustration, with several instances of arguments breaking out over line-cutting or taking excessive amounts of food. People were even blamed for taking food for their kids or elders, creating a tense environment. Personally, my search for pancakes for my son at the designated section proved futile.
One port day, we decided to dine at the buffet, which turned out well as it was less crowded. However, we noticed three waiters in our dining area, none of whom seemed inclined to clear our empty plates. Consequently, my dad took the initiative to bring the plates to them multiple times. Due to the hectic environment, we opted to frequent the Wave (formal dining room) for most breakfasts and lunches, where the experience was relatively better. However, during dinner, we encountered some peculiar situations. Has anyone ever experienced a waiter refusing to provide an extra spoon because you already have one? My aunt's request for an additional spoon to share food with her son was denied, and I had to approach our very friendly head waiter (the only amicable person in the dining room) to obtain one. Moreover, our waiter declined to bring me another appetizer, citing that there were two more seatings to follow, despite my parents skipping dinner that day. The dining experience seemed absurd, but fortunately, it improved after I spoke to our head waiter. I believe these peculiar incidents were a result of the venue operating at full capacity, akin to the bustling dim sum restaurants in Chinatown.
3. Entertainment - I might have a high expectation because we were so in love with the kind of shows in MSC Divina and seaside before (nice vocal, high quality acrobatics, etc), as well as the show in other cruise lines we loved (Princess and Norwegian) the show this time were mostly disappointing. The singing and dancing were just okay. there were two magic shows and you know what, even my 10 year old can can simply find out what is going on. the magician who played poker were good though, very interactive and funny.
4. Family - nothing really exciting. The pool were packed, again. Jacuzzi has 15 minutes limit most of the days. Meaning you have to get out of the jacuzzi and go back to the end of the line after 15 minutes. My kids never liked their kids club so I cannot provide much information.
5. Fitness - We used the fitness center daily. 25 minutes limit on the treadmills but if there is nobody waiting, we can do another 25 minutes. Bring your own water though because the only fountain there is weak.
6. Sanitization - Despite my kids never falling ill on any previous MSC or Princess cruises, this time was an exception. Both my son and our cousin developed fevers between days 2 and 5 of the cruise. The prevalence of coughing was noticeable everywhere – in the buffet, main dining room, theater, and even the elevators. While we acknowledge it's flu season, we cruised in 2022 during a similarly challenging time, and no one got sick. We suspect insufficient sanitizer measures may be a contributing factor.
I observed that several public bathrooms lacked adequate water pressure, and some sinks were without soap. Outside the main dining room, two out of three sanitizer machines were consistently empty, with no effort made to refill them. In the past, crew members would typically sing "washy washy" outside the buffet, reminding guests to use sanitizer, but such reminders were absent this time.
7. Service - There was a noticeable lack of attention to guest needs during this cruise. The shift in service was perplexing until we attended the welcome back party. The event was brief, and the captain appeared for only five minutes before disappearing with other officers. There was no effort to engage with repeat guests. In contrast, in numerous past instances, the captain not only stayed to converse with us but also took pictures and occasionally even danced. If the management team is indifferent, it seems likely that the crew would follow suit. We chat with people and found there were some guests flew back home in the first port due to dissatisfaction of this cruise. I also found the lead customer service were very unfriendly and unpleasant. Perhaps that's why I feel compelled to write this extensive review. I might be wasting my time by writing this review, but delaying and dismissing them wouldn't be fair. I hope my review reaches the cruise line and our fellow cruisers because we all anticipate a fantastic or at lease a pleasant sea experience. No one should have to endure a prolonged wait and pay for an experience that totally suffering.
Attached image description:
After enduring a lengthy line to return to the ship from Ocean Cay, our cousin discovered a plumbing issue in his cabin. Clad in a wet suit and now running a fever, he faced the challenge of having no suitable cabin to retreat to. Despite his mom's efforts at the reception, it wasn't until 11:46 PM that day that they reluctantly decided to assign him a nicer inside cabin. Initially, we all had balconies on the same deck.
The reception staff, specifically Kim and Dave, were notably unfriendly throughout the ordeal. They initially insisted that the only available cabin was one beneath the pool. After an hour of discussion, they mysteriously "discovered" another inside cabin, although it came with the caveat that the ceiling-hanging beds couldn't be fully secured. Frustration mounted over the next two hours as they declared we were wasting their time. Eventually, they conceded and provided my aunt with another inside cabin that presented no additional issues. Throughout this ordeal, our cousin lay in the lobby, visibly unwell, but received no sympathy; the staff seemed more intent on expediting our departure than addressing our concerns.
Well, as I mentioned earlier, we've never returned to our cabin to find the towel still dirty or the bed unmade. This has been our consistent experience over the past so many years. Perhaps we've been fortunate to have diligent stewards. During the first few cruises, we were pleasantly surprised by how promptly and efficiently they managed to clean up the cabin. And later on, we thought that's a standard practice till this time.
