Meraviglia New York-Canada-Miami Oct/Nov '19

[sidari]

Nikki it would take too long to send in a pm to Bea, though we have been discussing the current goings on.

[Fredric22]

On 10/30/2019 at 12:30 AM, trainbuff said:

The stay in Quebec was not cut short because of whales. This is yet another lie fed to some passengers by the reception staff. Nobody could know if whales would be a problem a week before we were to leave Quebec since the whales go where they want, when they want. The real reason as explained to me in a conversation with the cruise director was they wanted to get to NY earlier due to the embarkation fiasco. We arrived back in NY before 2am.

We were given the notice of the itinerary change during NYC embarkation.  The decision to cut Quebec City short was made BEFORE the NY "embarkation fiasco".  So your theory, unfortunately, does not hold up.  The reason why we arrived early in NY was because there was a very strong low pressure system that the Captain was trying to outrun.  We were lucky enough to get into calmer waters by 6pm that evening instead of being stuck in that terrible storm all night.  

[Zephyr173]

That is a more reasonable explanation. 
 

Whales were a concern in Canada, specifically in the gulf of the St-Lawrence, in the spring of 2018 and 2019. Several black whales were found dead, for largely unknown reasons that were nevertheless attributed to navigation of ships. 
 

Speed limits were imposed on ships for some time periods as preventative measures. However, AFAIK, those were no longer in effect when Mera was in Québec, because the black whales have been on their merry way for some time.

[Fredric22]

3 hours ago, Zephyr173 said:

That is a more reasonable explanation. 
 

Whales were a concern in Canada, specifically in the gulf of the St-Lawrence, in the spring of 2018 and 2019. Several black whales were found dead, for largely unknown reasons that were nevertheless attributed to navigation of ships. 
 

Speed limits were imposed on ships for some time periods as preventative measures. However, AFAIK, those were no longer in effect when Mera was in Québec, because the black whales have been on their merry way for some time.

 

For clarification purposes, when we arrived at the port to check-in, we were given a notice with the new, adjusted itinerary along with the explanation of why we needed to leave QC early.  According to the notice, the New York Port Authority required the Meraviglia to arrive in NYC earlier than originally scheduled.  Whether this is true or not is anyone's guess.  However, there was no Whale excuse on the notice. 

Edited November 1, 2019 by Fredric22

[Beamafar]

We had afternoon tea yesterday and chose 'Romeo & Juliet' flavour.  It was really, really nice!  @DCGuy64 this is for you

 

 

We were served by Wayan, our wonderful butler who happened to be on tea duty.

Two nights ago, we dined in Kaito Sushi for one of our tryptic package meals.  Now, we have eaten in the Asian fusion restaurants on 3 Musica-class ships before and never had a problem choosing from the menu for our Black Card meal as there is nothing on the Dining Experience section that we'd eat.  We only ever have 2 dishes and a dessert, instead of the number of items listed on the DE.

Well, the Speciality Restaurant asst manager said no to us on Meraviglia.  We told her about our previous experiences and she said not on this ship!

Now ... the previous evening we had got talking to the head chef for SRs and he had said to ask for him any time we were dining in one.  As it happened he just came out as we were trying to convince the asst manager to facilitate us.  He asked what the problem was and I told him.  I showed them the items we would order if we were allowed.  The asst manager got on the phone to her boss and he said no.  I said I would never have booked the tryptic had I known things would be different to our previous experiences.

In the meantime the chef had made a call, then he gave the nod to herself to go ahead and let us choose from the menu.  🙄

What we had, had we been paying for the meal, would have cost $33 ... the DE price is $34!! 😀

So, we chose the fried rice dish and the terryaki beef one.  This time we had decided to have them served together, rather than as 2 courses.  I had expected the rice and beef to be on separate plates the way we'd had them before ( but, in fairness, we'd always ordered them as individual courses elsewhere).

Here is what we received 

 

Now compare the portion sizes to these from Poesia last year (especially the portion of beef)

 

 

 

We know the SR sommelier from when he was a waiter on Orchestra and he made up for the miserable servings when we mentioned to him how very poor the selection of wines were in Kaito.  He selected a bottle of white which he recommended would complement Asian flavours;  it's available from the dispensers outside Panorama and included in Prem+. It certainly was a very nice wine ... so nice that DH drank half of it 😢 and he never drinks white wine 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Beamafar]

We had the most amazing night in Butcher's Cut last night, compliments of the Hotel Director, Antonio.  We were treated like royalty and Nenad, the sommelier, chose a very special red for us which he decanted with the sommelier flourish 😀.

 

 

I chose the ribeye (which would feed 4 🙄) and DH had t-bone after I'd had my favourite chop house salad;  DH had the crab cakes for starters which, he declared, were delicious 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately the cheesecake was as bad (if not worse 😱) than on Seaview 

 

 

For the first time since we boarded on the 18th, I've just heard some noise from overhead.  Others had said that they wouldn't book this cabin because of the white space above it.  We think it's the best positioned cabin in YC due to it's proximity to the door that leads to the corridor where, when you go through it, if you turn right you're immediately in TSL and if you go left, you are just a short walk to the concierge desk. 😎

 

 

 

[Beamafar]

It's now 8am and I've asked DH is he getting up for breakfast (I've been on my phone for the last hour while he's been snoring away 🙄).  Well, I got a short, sharp "No!"  followed by "I'm too full"  🤣🤣🤣  That t-bone was some beast!  😉

[lakelivin2]

Hi Beamafar,

We are new to MSC and are considering the tryptic meal plan.  Could you possibly post a copy of the 'experience' meal included in Kaito sushi (is it very limited)?  I've seen the one for Butcher's Cut, and Ocean Cay (Ocean Cay seems pretty limited if I understand the options).  Thank you in advance.  I'm enjoying your review (even if I'm not going into the YC in April).

[Captain-John]

We also ordered off-menu in the Asian restaurant on Orchestra, without issue. It's a strange attitude to deny this in the first instance, as you say, cost wise it's pretty neutral (and in my case, I cost them far less than the experience entitled me to as I don't like Asian cuisine!).

 

BC is a delicious meal indeed. Glad it was better than your last experience (cheesecake aside!). I seem to recall you had reservations about going back at all this time around, so bad was your last visit.

 

We made the mistake of having a late lunch before visiting BC (first time around) but made sure not to repeat the error again! The ribeye is massive as well I find (I first thought it was bone-in when I seen it was 14oz).

 

I notice the cutlery is the 'wrong' way round in a few photos - is that your preference, or how the table is set?

[Beamafar]

I'd promised that I would discuss the storage (or lack, thereof) but it had almost slipped my mind.  Seeing as how DH is back in snore language land, I'll do it now.

 

Having seen a video posted about cabin #16012 with the closet only having hanging rails with the safe on the floor of it (which would have been a no-go area for me with my knees lol) and no sign of shelves or drawers, I had serious reservations about our cabin before we came onboard.  I brought several packing cases and some magnetic hooks.

 

So, there 2 drawers in the closet with the safe on top of them (I think I posted photos at the beginning of the thread) and a large, fairly spacious overhead shelf.  I asked the butler for several extra hangers and they, plus the ones provided with returned laundry items, must add up to about 30 at this stage!  I have almost all our clothes hung in the closet, the 2 drawers are full, as is the overhead shelf with sweaters and packing cases - which act like drawers in a way.  Also, I have a couple more packing cases on the floor of the left-hand closet.  The drawer containing the hairdryer is where I store jewellery and medication.  On the floor beneath is where I've stacked my shoes (11 pairs!!! I only discovered the number after our terrific jr butler laid them out more tidily for me one day 🙄)

 

Beneath the table, which is directly under the tv that faces the bed, is where all my evening bags are "stored" (can't get down there to place them tidily lol)

The lockers are very small and I use mine for all the scarves I brought with me for the first leg (more than half of which I never used! Same with my sweaters ... with the weather playing so nicely on our NA leg, I didn't need them🙄)

DH has his camera and heaven knows what else, in his.

All our coats, jackets, hats and a couple of long cardigans I brought are hanging out of the walls.

 

Today we have finally reached land after 3 days at sea and I can now start to root out my Caribbean attire  😁

 

[Beamafar]

Just now, Captain-John said:

I notice the cutlery is the 'wrong' way round in a few photos - is that your preference, or how the table is set?

 

🤣🤣🤣 Geez ... how observant are you?!!! 😁

 

I don't think a waiter would last long in his job if he kept setting the table with the cutlery in that position 😄.  I'm a citeog (that's Irish ... and I'm not sure I've spelt it right 😏) southpaw,  una manchina.  In fact, I'm also left-handed  😂(sinister, as they used to say 😉).

 

[Beamafar]

So ... we have now had 2 Butcher's Cut visits, 1 Kaito one and we have a 'Diamond' card voucher yet to be used, plus 2 more SRs left on our tryptic package - BC and Ocean Cay.  👍

[Captain-John]

Ah, that explains it - hadn't thought it would make any difference when it comes to cutlery (obviously it does!) 🍴🍴🍴

 

Yes, my eye for detail gets me in trouble sometimes when I'm being critical. Other times I am amazed by how close attention is paid to the detail, and those are the venues that get my biggest endorsement.

[mickey89]

 

Where are you on the beach ? (webcam shot a while ago)

[sidari]

4 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

🤣🤣🤣 Geez ... how observant are you?!!! 😁

 

I don't think a waiter would last long in his job if he kept setting the table with the cutlery in that position 😄.  I'm a citeog (that's Irish ... and I'm not sure I've spelt it right 😏) southpaw,  una manchina.  In fact, I'm also left-handed  😂(sinister, as they used to say 😉).

 

Bea ... I am Left handed also but eat with a fork in my left hand, do you have any other things that you do right handed ? I kick a football equally well with both feet, hold a Tennis raquet/ Table tennis bat left handed, bowl left handed at cricket but bat right handed and play golf right handed.

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

Lovely photos Bea, thank you for sharing your experience. The food in BC looks delicious. Are the Speciality Restaurants busy on this sailing? 

 

All the best from norwegian cruiser and enjoy your cruise.

[Zephyr173]

Really enjoying your review, and looking forward to your thoughts about your upcoming ports of call. 
 

We are hopping onto. MSC Divina in 4 days, for a TA that will call to several of your upcoming ports.

 

Also, your review confirms my thought to g9 to BC.  Not so sure about the package; night just prefer à la carte. 
 

Be well and enjoy the rest of your cruise. Regards to Mr. B. 

[Beamafar]

On 11/1/2019 at 1:51 PM, sidari said:

Bea ... I am Left handed also but eat with a fork in my left hand, do you have any other things that you do right handed ? I kick a football equally well with both feet, hold a Tennis raquet/ Table tennis bat left handed, bowl left handed at cricket but bat right handed and play golf right handed.

 

Playing hopscotch, I'd hop on my right leg but would kick a ball with my left foot.  Other than that, everything else is left-handed.

[Beamafar]

We're now at our third Caribbean port.

 

In St Maarten we just roamed around the port doing some souvenir shopping.

 

 

Fort de France, Martinique, is not a very nice port.  A lot of the stores were shuttered with only a few souvenir ones open.

 

We had only just walked into town when the heavens opened and we had a thunderstorm 😱

We got a bit of a soaking but got a bit of shopping done before we headed back to the ship an hour before lunch.  We tried to find a place for coffee to shelter from the downpours;  McDonald's didn't open til 11am and the only cafe we could find was packed with others 🙄

 

 

 

It remained wet for the rest of the day so TSL was busy for the afternoon.

 

We went to see Viaggio last night.  I found the first few minutes very boring indeed.  There were a few acts within it that were great, but a lot of the others weren't any better than what we'd seen in the main theatres on MSC ships over the years which were often better and more entertaining.

The pre-show warmup:

 

We dined in Butcher's Cut last night for the third time this cruise and we received fantastic service again.  I think our cabin number has been flagged which would be due to us having already received a complimentary meal from the Hotel Director due to an incident on the first night of this leg (which didn't involve a crew member or MSC, so I won't go into it) which we spoke with him about.

 

We've arrived in Bridgetown, Barbados, to another wet day.

 

We had no plans to go ashore today and had hoped to have the ship to ourselves.  It doesn't look likely that that will be the case, now.  ☹  DH is watching a movie on the iPad while I'm posting away here.  It's now time for Elevenses 😁

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Beamafar

[perakcruiser]

Cannot wait anymore, please go directly to Ocean Cay now!!! 😁

[Beamafar]

It won't be tonight, P, as we've already booked to dine with 2 other couples in the YC restaurant.

 

[perakcruiser]

16 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

It won't be tonight, P, as we've already booked to dine with 2 other couples in the YC restaurant.

 

Enjoy 🙂

[Beamafar]

Someone asked me for the specialist coffee menu.  It can be found in the Edge bar

 

 

 

[Beamafar]

Have I forgotten any other requests?  Post them here if I have.  I'm literally posting at the end of this thread and reading alerts from it.  Otherwise, I've not been doing anything else on the forum ... I just don't have the time.  We've had a lot of company since we first came onboard so have had very little time to engage elsewhere. 😁

[Beamafar]

@lakelivin2

I don't think I took a pic of the Kaito Dining Experience menu.  I've made a note to get it for you!

 

NC ... Butcher's Cut is busy enough and we got the last table available in Kaito Sushi though there are only a few and they're all outside overlooking the Galleria.