Meraviglia August 6, 2021 3 Nts to Ocean Cay - Recap Trip Report

[twangster]

23 minutes ago, funinthsun said:

Great pictures. Thanks.  It brought back lots of memories of this ship...my last cruise before it all it the fan. (11/2019)  We are on 9/10/21 for the same reason as you.  Couldn't pass up the price for a weekend getaway to Bahamas, plus we STILL have not been to Ocean Cay.  Do you know how much the cabanas cost, by any chance?    
What are they using the Cirque Theater for?

 

 

From my cruise...

 

 

 

[Sea Viewer]

Thanks for this review,

I was on this sailing also, thought the staff were very helpful and felt the protocols were followed well. 

You really captured the essence  of the ship with your photos.

I was at Coco Cay Jan 2020 and the improvements and landscaping growth were very impressive.

 

Glad you were able to enjoy some of the Diamond benefits,  I always pack a champagne stopper to keep my prosecco bubbly!!

 

 

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, Sea Viewer said:

I always pack a champagne stopper to keep my prosecco bubbly!!

 

I usually finish mine before the ship leaves the dock. 🤣

[mimi7ccr]

Based a lot on the strength of your review, we quickly booked the Meraviglia for 1/23/22 before the end of the free balcony promotion today.  We are on the Divina next month, 9/19/21, so I am anxious to compare both ships.  We had 2 fully-paid MSC cruises cancel during 2020, so both of these were booked without any additional $$$ spent.  I can't wait to begin cruising again, mask or not!!

 

[lakelorain]

Thanks for the amazing review.  We have cruised MSC in Fantastica and Yacht Club and loved both.  Cruising Yacht Club again in October.  My husband has limited mobility and since Yacht Club is self-contained, it works best for him.  Past cruises on MSC were on Divina and Seaside.  Looking forward to Meraviglia this time.  Wish MSC went out of more ports in the US.  Appreciate you posting the menus and great pictures.  

Edited August 15, 2021 by lakelorain

[Ofmyheart]

Twangster, thx for the AWESOME review. We too will be MSC first timers 

[kruz]

Thanks so much for this great review! I have a couple Divina bookings in September and now want to sail on this beautiful ship! Thanks for the photos, in depth review and hte PDF files!! So helpful!! 

 

[miataman19]

Since we will be in Ocean Cay until 11 pm we booked one of the Beachfront Yacht Club Cabanas. Anyone done one of these? What type of service do you receive from the staff?

Edited August 16, 2021 by miataman19

[robc1972]

On 8/15/2021 at 8:59 AM, SkierRobUMN said:

Is Miller Lite bottled beer included in the Easy package? MSC website says it is, but from the menus you posted it sounds like only Heineken draft. 

I asked the same thing a few weeks ago, somebody posted this link to whats included in each package.

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/-/media/usa/drink-packages/summer-2021-drink-comparison-chart.pdf

[Cruise Gopher]

4 hours ago, robc1972 said:

I asked the same thing a few weeks ago, somebody posted this link to whats included in each package.

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/-/media/usa/drink-packages/summer-2021-drink-comparison-chart.pdf

Thanks, yeah this is the same chart I saw. I was just hoping to get some real world confirmation. @twangster did you happen to order Miller Lite bottled beer by chance?

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, SkierRobUMN said:

Thanks, yeah this is the same chart I saw. I was just hoping to get some real world confirmation. @twangster did you happen to order Miller Lite bottled beer by chance?

 

I did not.  The Easy package only includes Heineken draft.  

[Cruise Gopher]

3 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

I did not.  The Easy package only includes Heineken draft.  

Website says it includes Miller Lite bottled beer also.

[twangster]

On 8/14/2021 at 6:47 PM, travelwide said:

I will go back and read from page 1 but in the meantime do you know who the Hotel Director was?

 

Sorry, I didn't catch their name.

[travelwide]

Thank you for answering. Loved your review. Can't wait to board.

[kidless]

Great review! Well done best I’ve ever seen on cruise critic! Photography was outstanding! We’ve been long time RC cruises as well as several other lines. We did a couple MSC right before Covid hit and we’re very pleased all around. 

[ciabelle]

Thanks for the detailed trip report. Will be on the Divina next month, but you gave me a pretty good idea about what to expect on MSC, and looking forward...  

One thing that really surprised me while perusing the daily activities is that the casino was restricted to vaccinated guests only.  FYI: I am fully vaccinated, and plan to avoid cruise ship casinos with poor odds and reeking of cigarette smoke. I believe the casino is one of the biggest revenue generators on a cruise ship so I'm surprised they didn't want as many people participating as possible. My guess would be that their calculation is that unmasked vaxxed guests would spend more time in there than everyone in masks. Plus trying to enforce mask wearing when folks aren't drinking sounds like a real PITA... 

[twangster]

7 hours ago, ciabelle said:

Thanks for the detailed trip report. Will be on the Divina next month, but you gave me a pretty good idea about what to expect on MSC, and looking forward...  

One thing that really surprised me while perusing the daily activities is that the casino was restricted to vaccinated guests only.  FYI: I am fully vaccinated, and plan to avoid cruise ship casinos with poor odds and reeking of cigarette smoke. I believe the casino is one of the biggest revenue generators on a cruise ship so I'm surprised they didn't want as many people participating as possible. My guess would be that their calculation is that unmasked vaxxed guests would spend more time in there than everyone in masks. Plus trying to enforce mask wearing when folks aren't drinking sounds like a real PITA... 

 

The casino on Meraviglia was not smoky on my cruise. 

 

I understand what you mean though as the casino on Royal Caribbean is a designated smoking area so smokers flock there as one of the only places where they can smoke indoors.  Their ship, their rules, but those rules mean I don't visit Royal casinos.  

 

On this Meraviglia cruise I did visit the casino more than once.  

[Morgsmom]

What an awesome report!

[igorjrr]

Thank you for sharing all that!

I'd like to know if you or anybody else noticed they have soft serve ice cream, and if it is included or require a package?

Thank you.

[Nunagoras]

First of it all, be very welcome to the MSC boards!... And many thanks to what seems for me to be perhaps the best MSC review ever!... As someone has already said, by the lens of your camera, you captured the very essence of what an MSC cruise is about. Surely they're different to the more American experience you'll have with the likes of RCL, but that doesn't necessarily means to be a worse one. As you say, in both ways for MSC or the other lines: Their ship, their rules... Some for the better, some for the worse. Going with an open mind is the first step to have a great time. Yeah, I have some 7 cruises with MSC, just one with RCL on the Allure here in Europe!...

 

Again: Congrats to the very informative and honest review. Let me just to add a few notes as an experienced MSC cruiser:

 

MSC's dinner buffets were ever in the lower side and far below the RCI's one. Being dinner such a social family and friends experience for most the continental European individuals, the MDR is the preferred place. I know they are now trying to sort this out for the American market. The only time I had a better dinner buffet with them was on the Dubai cruise. Obviously all this was before the pandemic. Now things are going in different directions... Time will tell...

 

As you stated the basic drinks package will only give you the Heineken draft beer.

 

Have a nice day!...

[kilkoyne]

Did the Meraviglia have any outdoor movies being shown?

[Oceansaway17]

On 8/11/2021 at 1:47 PM, twangster said:

Ocean Day in full sunshine from the ship:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh boy now I have to book an MSC cruise besides the MG (CCL) that you are on.

 

Ya know the island seems a bit classier than NCL private.  Love the lighthouse show at night too OMG. thanks for telling me you went on this cruise.  Seems like a great ship as well and the island.

 

[Oceansaway17]

On 8/12/2021 at 6:17 AM, kernow said:

Thanks for a great review. 

 

I always enjoy your reviews on the RCL board so pleased to see you here. Glad you enjoyed MSC, we cruised on Virtuosa in June and the ship looks almost identical, very stylish.

And now this week he is on the CCL Mardi Gras.  OMG that ship is also great.

Goes to show it is good to like/love all the cruise lines and not be loyal to just one

[twangster]

On 8/21/2021 at 4:40 AM, kilkoyne said:

Did the Meraviglia have any outdoor movies being shown?

 

Not that I saw.

[kilkoyne]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Not that I saw.

 

😢