Got Questions About MSC Meraviglia?

Thank you Bea, would you recommend prebooking these food packages and shows online?

Thank you Bea, would you recommend prebooking these food packages and shows online?

I, personally, would be concerned about how limiting the set menus are for dinner packages. Being a picky eater, I'd prefer to choose items a la carte and order according to my budget. You could find, after buying one, that there were other items on the menu that you would have preferred to order. I think prices are pretty fair in the Speciality restaurants in comparison to going out at home, say, for an evening meal.

There seemed to be quite long queues when booking times opened at the Cirque du Soleil venue. I don't know if you could avoid these by pre-booking unless you can choose the show and time on your booking. This system wasn't available for us on the early sailings. Perhaps someone who has sailed since can give a better idea of what's best.

If you've pre-booked Cirque du Soleil then you get a slip of paper with your cruise card with a number to call to book your actual day and time. You could also do it through the TV or Msc for me app. It was the same with speciality restaurants. In retrospect I think the trio speciality package looks very good value if you just want try the restaurants. I thought the normal menu - for butchers cut - looked very expensive ( although I appreciate you get more choice ).

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We went to The Viaggio Show this week. I booked it on the app the morning of the show.

The show was good and we enjoyed it but I'm not sure it was worth the price. We queued up about 35 mins before the show and still only got the back seats. It was quite short too.

We found the shows in the main theatre to be just as good to be honest. The dancers were great and really upbeat. And we only had to arrive a few mins before the performance and there was no problem bringing a drink in.

We got the dining package and found it a bit of a mixed bag. Butchers Cut was the best. Great food and service with one disappointing dessert. Sushi was nice but they forgot our dessert, we asked a few times but in the end gave up as we wanted to go to a show.

Italian was not enjoyable. Maitre d yelled at us for asking for a table by the window and told us that we couldn't sit there because we were 3 and it was a 4 top? We asked him what other table suited a party of three and he glared at us, picked up the phone and started talking and waved us away towards a male waiter who seated us at a table away for the window. Then our server came out from back of house. She was oblivious to what had happened and suggested we move to the window to see sunset as we were the only customers in the entire place. We told her we would love to but then the Maitre d yelled at her. It was terrible. He was a real nasty piece of work. Then we tried to order 3 courses from menu but it's not allowed. You have to have starter and dessert and only 1 choice from the pasta and the meat course. And then the food was pretty plain in the end. It was an unpleasant experience.

We found the main dining room food to be perfectly pleasant. They were always flexible in the main dining room and let us order as much as we liked. So just like the Cirque show I don't think the package was really worth it.

We had been worried about the main dining room but we ended up really enjoying it. We found all the servers in all the dining areas to be lovely.

Hope I'm not coming across as too negative, we just had one bad experience tbh. We found all the included services to be great.

We haven't sailed MSC (yet... we're booked for next year) but I agree that the a la carte pricing at the specialty restaurants turns me off. I don't want to go to the specialty restaurant and be restricted from what I want to eat by the price; that's not why I go on a cruise. If they are charging a lat carte pricing, I'll be staying in YC dining, where I can order whatever I want, and as much as I want, thank you very much.

What are the themed nights on msc meraviglia or do we only find out once on board?

What are the themed nights on msc meraviglia or do we only find out once on board?

The themed nights are Flower Glory Party (60s & 70s), White, Mediterranean and 2 'Elegance' nights and a Sailaway party on leaving Genoa. They will be advised on page 3 of the Daily Programs under "HIGHLIGHTS/ENTERTAINMENT". Check out the following link for photos of the planners:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2515551&highlight=meraviglia+daily+planners

Bea what would we do without you! our travel agent has told us none of this! would everyone follow the themes for dinner?

Would everyone follow the themes for dinner?

A lot of people usually dress for White night.

For the two 'Elegance' evenings - the first one on our cruise you wouldn't have known it was a formal night. There were very few dressed up. However, on Captain's night, there were a lot more who made the effort.

'Mediterranean' night has no meaning whatsoever except on the menus! It replaced 'Italian' night, where red, white & green were the colours people wore. Mainly Italians used to dress for that. I did, too, and DH used to wear a red tie and white shirt.

'Flower Glory Party' isn't much participated in, either. The 'Party' is usually held on the Lido (pool) deck - weather permitting. The Entertainment (animation) team dress up in paisley and hippy-style costumes for this.

We went to The Viaggio Show this week. I booked it on the app the morning of the show.

The show was good and we enjoyed it but I'm not sure it was worth the price. We queued up about 35 mins before the show and still only got the back seats. It was quite short too.

We found the shows in the main theatre to be just as good to be honest. The dancers were great and really upbeat. And we only had to arrive a few mins before the performance and there was no problem bringing a drink in.

We got the dining package and found it a bit of a mixed bag. Butchers Cut was the best. Great food and service with one disappointing dessert. Sushi was nice but they forgot our dessert, we asked a few times but in the end gave up as we wanted to go to a show.

Italian was not enjoyable. Maitre d yelled at us for asking for a table by the window and told us that we couldn't sit there because we were 3 and it was a 4 top? We asked him what other table suited a party of three and he glared at us, picked up the phone and started talking and waved us away towards a male waiter who seated us at a table away for the window. Then our server came out from back of house. She was oblivious to what had happened and suggested we move to the window to see sunset as we were the only customers in the entire place. We told her we would love to but then the Maitre d yelled at her. It was terrible. He was a real nasty piece of work. Then we tried to order 3 courses from menu but it's not allowed. You have to have starter and dessert and only 1 choice from the pasta and the meat course. And then the food was pretty plain in the end. It was an unpleasant experience.

We found the main dining room food to be perfectly pleasant. They were always flexible in the main dining room and let us order as much as we liked. So just like the Cirque show I don't think the package was really worth it.

We had been worried about the main dining room but we ended up really enjoying it. We found all the servers in all the dining areas to be lovely.

Hope I'm not coming across as too negative, we just had one bad experience tbh. We found all the included services to be great.

Hi Unikitty. This reads like a (very good) review. You could have started a thread with it. Your account of your experiences may be missed by many who may not read this thread.

The experience you had in the Italian restaurant is quite shocking and totally unacceptable. We didn't eat there - Italian is not my thing. We had 2 wonderful evenings in Butchers Cut - apart from the few minutes that they had the children's song playing in the Galleria during the 'Show' times on one night! It came on twice and spoiled the ambiance each time.

The dining packages never appeal to me for the reasons you outlined. I'd rather go a la carte and choose the items I'd prefer, rather than being confined to a limited menu.

It sounds like you had a great cruise, overall, and didn't let the unpleasantness get in the way.

Its my fathers 70th when we are on board and would like to book a table for 8 on the last night for the cirque du soleil show, is this available to book the dinner package in advance and also stipulate the date and time of show we would like, basically get this organ sided now?

Or if it was your choice would you book the Butchers cut speciality restaurant?

Thanks in advance

Its my fathers 70th when we are on board and would like to book a table for 8 on the last night for the cirque du soleil show, is this available to book the dinner package in advance and also stipulate the date and time of show we would like, basically get this organ sided now?

 

Or if it was your choice would you book the Butchers cut speciality restaurant?

 

Thanks in advance

I, personally, wouldn't book the show for dinner for a group when you could make a whole evening of it in a restaurant. Having a show interrupt the flow at dinner would spoil the ambiance built up at the table. I would suggest that (if you really want to see the show and there's one on the day in question) you just do show & cocktail and book dinner at a restaurant for later that evening.

Here's a link to a thread where photos of the Butcher's Cut menu are posted so you can determine if what's on offer would suit your party. See post #100:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511337&page=5

Our experience of the service was top-notch and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the venue for a party.

We have the all inclusive drinks package would this include drinks in the Butchers Cut ?

Yes, the all-inclusive can be used in the Speciality restaurants.

We have Auras experience does anybody know what restrictions there are on the drink package. I am a beer drinker is it restricted to certain beer brands

We have Auras experience does anybody know what restrictions there are on the drink package. I am a beer drinker is it restricted to certain beer brands

All beers on tap are included - there are a number of beers on tap in the Brass Anchor. Heineken tends to be the main beer available in other bars/lounges. Bottled Heineken is also included in your package.

Here's a link to the Infinity bar menu which is the most comprehensive bar list. Not everything on this menu will be available in all bars. Only items with no asterisks are included in the All-Inclusive Restaurant & Bar Drinks package, which is the one that Aurea guests have included in their booking (post # 71, photo #6):

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511337&page=4

Thank you so much for your quick response, it was very good news as we prefer draft beer to bottle.

I've searched but can't find the answer so I hope I'm not wasting anyone's time!

Can you purchase a spa day pass (either before or on boarding). I'm not sure my budget is going to stretch to an Aurea cabin, despite desperately wanting to. :(

I've searched but can't find the answer so I hope I'm not wasting anyone's time!

 

Can you purchase a spa day pass (either before or on boarding). I'm not sure my budget is going to stretch to an Aurea cabin, despite desperately wanting to. :(

The daily pass is €40. For 2 people it's €55.

Cruise pass is €120. For 2 people it's €165.

Thanks Bea

Does anybody know if you can upgrade the drink package that comes with Aurea experience to a premium for an additional fee

How difficult is it to get a table for 2 on the anytime dining Aurea option, and will MSC allow us to upgrade the drink package that comes with the Aurea package to a premium for a fee

Does anybody know if you can upgrade the drink package that comes with Aurea experience to a premium for an additional fee

According to the sign posted on board which I took the answer is YES

at the bottom right there is a price for upgrading from the (old names) Allegrissimo, which is the one that comes with the Aurea experience, to the Allegrissimo Premium

Hi Gina,

Have you heard when they will release dates for Spring 2019?? Last Europe sailing I see is end of March 2019. Boarding next week on the Divina... will the rep have this info.

Thank you so much for the quick response will definitely do that when we board. Do you happen to know if table for 2 are difficult to get. We will be on our Honeymoon.