MSC Meraviglia Honest Review
I traveled on the MSC Meraviglia (Italian for Wonder) in July 2017. I boarded the ship with my family in Genoa for a 7 day Cruise to Naples, Messina, Valletta, Barcelona and Marseille.
The ship is huge and easily dwarfed every other cruise ship we encountered in the various ports. Despite its size it's relatively easy to navigate. Depending on the position of your room you may have to do a lot of walking. If you get lost there are maps and information touch screens located in key areas around the ship. The screens can be used to book theater shows, get directions and see whats on in the various bars etc.
Due to the number of floors (19 I think) the lifts (elevators) are extremely busy and during peak times there were lines of people waiting to get one. Generally you don't wait long as there are plenty of lifts going up and down. They can get crowded though.
I had a corner suite with a balcony and hot tub. My room was spacious, modern and there were 2 large cupboards for storage, one in the sitting room and one in the bedroom as well as a free safe for valuables. The only negative about my room was the housekeeper emptied the hot tub every morning and it took most of the day to fill it back up and get it up to temperature. This meant we only able to used it a couple of times much to the disappointment of the kids. Because our balcony faced the front of the ship it was extremely windy when at sea and impossible to sit out on.
Beware of the razor blade on the bottom of the bedroom door. The door has a strong self closer and my door had a sharp piece of metal at the bottom which sliced a child's foot open and resulted in a costly visit to the medical center (hopefully MSC have fixed the doors as we submitted an official accident report).
The main reception area has the traditional MSC Swarovski crystal staircase. This is a popular photo location so during dinner times it is usually blocked by groups of people posing for photos. The reception area has live music playing and a lively atmosphere. This area is also where most of the official photographers hang out ready to take individual or group shots if required. There is also a cocktail lounge and champagne bar in this area. Ideal for a pre-dinner drink.
The main spine of the ship is the shopping arcade with a large LED screen as a roof. This area is also used for parades and party nights. The screen also shows various special films during the week including a fireworks display and a dinosaur show. The shops are well equipped with everyday essentials, snacks, toys and designer goods which are pleasant to walk around. The ice cream and chocolate shops are not included in the food package so you have to pay for them. Apparently the ice cream shop did have some free items for the first few weeks after the ship was launched but not any more (the main signage still suggested that certain items were free however the staff were quick to put us right and point out the hand drawn amendments in the paper menus). Same goes for the food in the British pub on the upper level. Although you can get hot dogs etc for free in the buffet area, you have to pay 2 euros for one in the pub. Again these seemed to have been free at some point as the menus had been amended by had to remove them from the free list. Despite the costs they are delicious so worth a little treat.
The main theater is spacious and comfortable however the shows during the week I was on board were very amateur and one "World of Hands" seemed very outdated. You are supposed to book the theater shows however access control on the door seemed a bit hit or miss and many people just walked passed the crew member scanning cards. This resulted in many people sitting on the steps and standing at the back of the theater. You can bring a drink into the show if desired but no one will tell you this.
I tried to book the Cirque du Soleil show before boarding the ship however I was told it was fully booked. On boarding the ship I discovered that there were loads of tickets available however as I was on the ship I had to pay an extra charge for added Tax. The show was stunning however it was very short and felt more like a preview show. There was lots of padding the time out by using a guitarist and singer for the first 15 minutes who were very good. The show also stopped for 5 minutes due to technical difficulties. The free cocktail turned out to be a glass of sparkling wine which was on our drinks package anyway. You do also get a couple of macarons with it. On a plus side the theater has comfortable bucket seats with a round stage in the middle so nearly everyone gets a good view of the performance.
The main outdoor pool also doubles up as a party area and games arena. The large screen is used to show music videos and games such as Bingo. Beware that during the regular pool side games the noise level at this pool is horrendous. It was like being at a concert, not a relaxing area at all but great fun for the kids. As I was on the Aurea package there is a solarium (Top 19) with its own bar, hot tub and plenty of sun loungers my family could use. This was much quieter, had better but limited bar service and no pool. There is also a pool to the rear of the ship that is smaller and more child friendly. This is also near the aqua park, himalayan walkway and indoor sports complex making it a great location for family's. There were lots of sun loungers which were terraced so few had anyone sitting directly behind you. There is a bar here too which can get very busy especially when staff are mixing cocktails and smoothies. This pool area was a real suntrap.
The food on board was excellent however avoid the buffet restaurant at all costs. I've never experienced such a busy and stressful place. I visited for breakfast one morning and it was like trying to eat in the middle of a football crowd. The main table service restaurants were a lot better and the quality of the food was excellent. The only thing letting them down was the tablet computers that staff were using to take orders. According to several waiters I spoke to they said the tablets were useless and sometimes lost orders. This was the excuse they used when it took 2 hours for my main course to arrive one night. Towards the end of my cruise they were using good old fashioned paper and pen to take orders and everything seemed to go smoothly. On one night the main Panorama restaurant was closed due to "technical" problems. We later found out that a section of roof had fallen down. Everyone on the Aurea package got 100 euro ship credit for the inconvenience which was a nice gesture.
For a new ship there seemed to be a lot of maintenance issued still to be ironed out. There was a smashed glass floor panel at the entrance to the Casino, the sign above the outdoor pool food area was held on with duck tape. The aqua park was regularly closed for maintenance, although we later found out that this was usually because a child had had an accident in the pool and it needed to be closed down to be cleaned.
Pros:-
Amazing modern ship
Food is fantastic
Restaurants are clean and have great views (especially the panorama)
Cabins are large, modern and comfortable.
The housekeeping staff are friendly and do an excellent job.
Plenty of well stocked shops
Lots of entertainment, singers, musicians and shows.
Cons:-
Staff need some customer service training (especially the bar and reception staff)
The bars are busy and slow (expect to be regularly ignored and wait 10 minutes or more to be served)
The shows in the main theater are disappointing (at least during the week I was on board)
The main pool is noisy during the day with the large sound system pumping out music and the entertainment team shouting through the microphone in 5 different languages.
The aqua park was regularly closed for cleaning. It also had funny operating hours when it wasn't being cleaned so be sure to take note of them on your first day
Extra items worth noting:-
Each room has European and US plugs, plus 1 USB plug.
The balconies are cleaned at least once a week so there will be times when you cant use it. My one was also washed out by the crew cleaning the windows of the bridge.
Get up early to get a sun lounger.
If you want a snack use the outdoor poolside servery. Its the same food as the buffet area however its a lot quieter and you can sit outside in the sun.
Don't purchase the wifi package. Its slow and most of the time doesn't work at all. Have a digital detox instead or wait until you are in port and use the local phone network.
Be sure to check the restaurant opening hours for breakfast which are noted on the daily itinerary delivered each evening. Not doing this could result in breakfast in the buffet restaurant.
If you or your kids want to use the Aqua Park or Himalayan walkway you need to sign a disclaimer and get a blue wrist band at the desk in the sports area (just along from the F1 simulators).
Please don't let the negatives in this review put you off. The ship is new and seems to still be having some teething problems. The staff seemed to be overwhelmed by the amount of issues and complaints which may explain their lack of customer service. I'm sure MSC will fix this on upcoming cruises.
I hope this review was helpful. Please feel free to post comments below.
A full video walkthrough here:-
The ship is huge and easily dwarfed every other cruise ship we encountered in the various ports. Despite its size it's relatively easy to navigate. Depending on the position of your room you may have to do a lot of walking. If you get lost there are maps and information touch screens located in key areas around the ship. The screens can be used to book theater shows, get directions and see whats on in the various bars etc.
Due to the number of floors (19 I think) the lifts (elevators) are extremely busy and during peak times there were lines of people waiting to get one. Generally you don't wait long as there are plenty of lifts going up and down. They can get crowded though.
I had a corner suite with a balcony and hot tub. My room was spacious, modern and there were 2 large cupboards for storage, one in the sitting room and one in the bedroom as well as a free safe for valuables. The only negative about my room was the housekeeper emptied the hot tub every morning and it took most of the day to fill it back up and get it up to temperature. This meant we only able to used it a couple of times much to the disappointment of the kids. Because our balcony faced the front of the ship it was extremely windy when at sea and impossible to sit out on.
Beware of the razor blade on the bottom of the bedroom door. The door has a strong self closer and my door had a sharp piece of metal at the bottom which sliced a child's foot open and resulted in a costly visit to the medical center (hopefully MSC have fixed the doors as we submitted an official accident report).
The main reception area has the traditional MSC Swarovski crystal staircase. This is a popular photo location so during dinner times it is usually blocked by groups of people posing for photos. The reception area has live music playing and a lively atmosphere. This area is also where most of the official photographers hang out ready to take individual or group shots if required. There is also a cocktail lounge and champagne bar in this area. Ideal for a pre-dinner drink.
The main spine of the ship is the shopping arcade with a large LED screen as a roof. This area is also used for parades and party nights. The screen also shows various special films during the week including a fireworks display and a dinosaur show. The shops are well equipped with everyday essentials, snacks, toys and designer goods which are pleasant to walk around. The ice cream and chocolate shops are not included in the food package so you have to pay for them. Apparently the ice cream shop did have some free items for the first few weeks after the ship was launched but not any more (the main signage still suggested that certain items were free however the staff were quick to put us right and point out the hand drawn amendments in the paper menus). Same goes for the food in the British pub on the upper level. Although you can get hot dogs etc for free in the buffet area, you have to pay 2 euros for one in the pub. Again these seemed to have been free at some point as the menus had been amended by had to remove them from the free list. Despite the costs they are delicious so worth a little treat.
The main theater is spacious and comfortable however the shows during the week I was on board were very amateur and one "World of Hands" seemed very outdated. You are supposed to book the theater shows however access control on the door seemed a bit hit or miss and many people just walked passed the crew member scanning cards. This resulted in many people sitting on the steps and standing at the back of the theater. You can bring a drink into the show if desired but no one will tell you this.
I tried to book the Cirque du Soleil show before boarding the ship however I was told it was fully booked. On boarding the ship I discovered that there were loads of tickets available however as I was on the ship I had to pay an extra charge for added Tax. The show was stunning however it was very short and felt more like a preview show. There was lots of padding the time out by using a guitarist and singer for the first 15 minutes who were very good. The show also stopped for 5 minutes due to technical difficulties. The free cocktail turned out to be a glass of sparkling wine which was on our drinks package anyway. You do also get a couple of macarons with it. On a plus side the theater has comfortable bucket seats with a round stage in the middle so nearly everyone gets a good view of the performance.
The main outdoor pool also doubles up as a party area and games arena. The large screen is used to show music videos and games such as Bingo. Beware that during the regular pool side games the noise level at this pool is horrendous. It was like being at a concert, not a relaxing area at all but great fun for the kids. As I was on the Aurea package there is a solarium (Top 19) with its own bar, hot tub and plenty of sun loungers my family could use. This was much quieter, had better but limited bar service and no pool. There is also a pool to the rear of the ship that is smaller and more child friendly. This is also near the aqua park, himalayan walkway and indoor sports complex making it a great location for family's. There were lots of sun loungers which were terraced so few had anyone sitting directly behind you. There is a bar here too which can get very busy especially when staff are mixing cocktails and smoothies. This pool area was a real suntrap.
The food on board was excellent however avoid the buffet restaurant at all costs. I've never experienced such a busy and stressful place. I visited for breakfast one morning and it was like trying to eat in the middle of a football crowd. The main table service restaurants were a lot better and the quality of the food was excellent. The only thing letting them down was the tablet computers that staff were using to take orders. According to several waiters I spoke to they said the tablets were useless and sometimes lost orders. This was the excuse they used when it took 2 hours for my main course to arrive one night. Towards the end of my cruise they were using good old fashioned paper and pen to take orders and everything seemed to go smoothly. On one night the main Panorama restaurant was closed due to "technical" problems. We later found out that a section of roof had fallen down. Everyone on the Aurea package got 100 euro ship credit for the inconvenience which was a nice gesture.
For a new ship there seemed to be a lot of maintenance issued still to be ironed out. There was a smashed glass floor panel at the entrance to the Casino, the sign above the outdoor pool food area was held on with duck tape. The aqua park was regularly closed for maintenance, although we later found out that this was usually because a child had had an accident in the pool and it needed to be closed down to be cleaned.
Pros:-
Amazing modern ship
Food is fantastic
Restaurants are clean and have great views (especially the panorama)
Cabins are large, modern and comfortable.
The housekeeping staff are friendly and do an excellent job.
Plenty of well stocked shops
Lots of entertainment, singers, musicians and shows.
Cons:-
Staff need some customer service training (especially the bar and reception staff)
The bars are busy and slow (expect to be regularly ignored and wait 10 minutes or more to be served)
The shows in the main theater are disappointing (at least during the week I was on board)
The main pool is noisy during the day with the large sound system pumping out music and the entertainment team shouting through the microphone in 5 different languages.
The aqua park was regularly closed for cleaning. It also had funny operating hours when it wasn't being cleaned so be sure to take note of them on your first day
Extra items worth noting:-
Each room has European and US plugs, plus 1 USB plug.
The balconies are cleaned at least once a week so there will be times when you cant use it. My one was also washed out by the crew cleaning the windows of the bridge.
Get up early to get a sun lounger.
If you want a snack use the outdoor poolside servery. Its the same food as the buffet area however its a lot quieter and you can sit outside in the sun.
Don't purchase the wifi package. Its slow and most of the time doesn't work at all. Have a digital detox instead or wait until you are in port and use the local phone network.
Be sure to check the restaurant opening hours for breakfast which are noted on the daily itinerary delivered each evening. Not doing this could result in breakfast in the buffet restaurant.
If you or your kids want to use the Aqua Park or Himalayan walkway you need to sign a disclaimer and get a blue wrist band at the desk in the sports area (just along from the F1 simulators).
Please don't let the negatives in this review put you off. The ship is new and seems to still be having some teething problems. The staff seemed to be overwhelmed by the amount of issues and complaints which may explain their lack of customer service. I'm sure MSC will fix this on upcoming cruises.
I hope this review was helpful. Please feel free to post comments below.
A full video walkthrough here:-
We were on board a couple of weeks after you and I would say most of your issues were resolved. We are often in the buffet the only busy time was at breakfast the rest of the time was fine. We were easily able to get a sun lounger later on as we didn't go out for the day at each port like many so around 1/2pm there were loads available. The bar staff were extremely friendly and had developed a quest system when we were there to reduce waiting times but there are only so many cocktails the poor staff can make at once �� Delicious they are too !
ReplyDeleteWe had a fab time and are planning to go back again