Would be great if service didn't lack due to understaffing
by Gelena69440889
This was our first experience with MSC after 15 prior cruises with Carnival, RC, Princess, and Celebrity. Some areas were great (considering the cost), and some areas upsetting to very disappointing.
• Ship is very modern and beautiful, more so in person than in pictures. Sky Lounge is one the best places to be. However, promenade is a bit narrow for this ship size, no front exposure at all in open or close decks, the entire front is given to Yacht club. Due to this, no option to walk around during sail away.
• Casino is large, although, the non-smoking side still smelled with smoke, I believed ppl were still smoking there.
• They really should have added an extra set of stairs/elevators in the aft. Very long walk from the end of buffet to nearest elevator bank.
• Strange location for Ocean Cay venue where the Carousel shows take place. Getting there involves a loooong walk from aft elevators through hallway to casino, through the casino before you find the venue.
• Thermal Spa: Loved all kind of steam and sauna rooms. Lockers are convenient in the changing room; upon entry to spa, you exchange the room card for a locker key that you wear on your wrist. Did not love: both bubbly pools (temp was lukewarm, can’t call them hot tubs) didn’t have steps to enter them. From my group I was the only one with the pass, I never dared to enter them without seeing where I am stepping and nothing to hold on while stepping in them.
• Buffet - we expected something similar to Carnival, but we felt it was slightly better. I would give 5 stars for the value paid, although it was a bit repetitive.
- Tip: Tea Time that is not announced on the scheduling page of the app, but posted states when you enter the buffet 4-5 PM. The treats counter is hidden far back on the right side. Serve treats, ice cream, and proteins too (egg salad, tuna salads, etc.).
- Pizza open until 2 AM
- Burgers/Hot Dogs late, but not sure how late, at least until 11 pm I believe. No such variety of toppings as Guys Burgers on Carnival, but not bad.
- Burgers/Hot dogs and Tea-time are useful in between lunch and dinner times.
• Dining room:
- A bit worse than Carnival.
- Good: menu choices, 2 out 3 dining rooms (Olive ones) are bright. Panorama MDR was just too crowded with tables on top of each other and dark.
- Not so good: everything else.
Drinks were not offered at all.
We went there to Panorama and of the Olive ones together 5 times: 2 dinners, 1 lunch, 2 sea-day brunches. Quality of food was often sub-par, I am not picky at all, but once a piece of meat was so over-salted and dry it was impossible to eat it. Portions for an entree are on a smaller size, sometimes looked like it was an appetizer sometimes in a bigger plate. Can order unlimited appetizers but 2nd entree is an extra $5.
The waiters/Servers were very professional, but did not appear to be happy, obviously overworked, no cheerfulness, which was observed by others; no one had time to stop for a quick chat, which I am ok with, but on prior cruises we observed that at least half of the dining room staff like talking to guests outside of taking food orders.
Service was slow during most of the meals we had. The worst one was on the last sea day brunch. No offers to refill tiny coffee cup. They were so slow in taking orders and serving them, that by the time we were waiting for desserts, even those guests who came after us were gone. The entire crew was cleaning all around us talking loudly to each other, including managers, it felt very wrong and intimidating because we felt that we posed an annoyance to them that they couldn't clean our table because we were the only ones there. No apologies for delays were offered. It felt so wrong that for the first time in my cruising life, I walked out before the desert was served, leaving the young adults traveling with me there by themselves. When my son started complaining after I left, I guest the atmosphere heated, because the other young ones (18-20) some of which were sailing first or second time in their life, left too. Needless to say what impression they will be sharing with their families.
• Stateroom: just disappointing.
- Size was OK for the interior.
- No seating space whatsoever, no chair/stool. Something that looks as coffee table made out metal (aka, it’s cold to sit on) can supposedly function as a stool.
- Not enough shelving with a wasted space around the mirror/counter.
- TV is too small for the distance they placed it from the beds. If beds were placed across the room, and TV on the long wall, it would be watchable, otherwise, useless.
- Location: we had 3 identical rooms in a row 14148 14150 14152. We like the location and would love it again, only finding them is a challenge, if you walk from the bow to the aft, you won’t find them. They are hidden behind the door near aft elevators. For some passengers, this location would be too loud due to lido being above, but they were not right under buffet or pool area, more between staircases and elevator area and we are fine with mild/random noises.
- Cleaning: All 3 rooms were not completely cleaned by 2:15 pm, although the announcement was done that rooms are ready by 1:30. There was no indication on 2 of the rooms that the room steward is coming back to finish anything (from visual signs they still needed vacuuming). The dirtiest room (dirty counter, floor, towels, only beds were done) had a magnet on a door indicating cleaning in progress, but there was no one around. Also, someone else's suitcases were in that room, but that's perhaps because they allow luggage drop-off before rooms are ready, and during that time rooms’ doors are strangely open even if no one is around. When we called customer service, 3 people came in including our room steward, they took away strangers’ luggage and promised to finish cleaning during the dinner time. Never ever this was experienced in my prior 15 cruises.
- Only 1 bath towel and 1 hand towel per person.
- Took 2 days to get pool towels and MSC doesn’t give them out by the pool, only exchange there. Broken laundry was cited.
• Karaoke: this is an important part for us due to a singer in the family.
- Loved:
The consistency as 2 hours every night dedicated to karaoke.
Staff – different team member was leading it each night, all are good.
Song choices (other ships often lack choices for my family singer 😊)
- Did not love:
Equipment setting, as background music was way too loud all nights and the singer’s voice was not almost inaudible, especially when people are loud (you can search "Meraviglia Karaoke" for videos posted in June-2024, we'll upload some).
For a ship this size Studio Bar is way too small for a karaoke, half of the nights, there was a standing crowd). To be honest, RC Oasis class has the same problem.
• Verdict: MSC needs to improve service by increasing workforce, in my observation. We may or may not sail again which will largely depend whether there are good pools or not, convenient for us departure ports / time in ports / destinations.