First MSC cruise

Item: MSC Meraviglia
Rating: 3.9
Author: momiekins1

MSC Meraviglia Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

momiekins1

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 24

Overall rating:

3.9 out of 5

Verified Review

4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: March 12, 2023

Ship: MSC Meraviglia

Cabin number: 10040

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

There are plenty of ours aboard the ship. It was just a matter of finding one that did not have long lines of people waiting for a beverage. The longest lines were always the outdoor pool bars. We found the casino bar was a great place to grab a beverage and chat with other people on the cruise

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Long lines but moved very quickly. It took 30 minutes to get onto the ship

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

2 out of 5

Main dining food was meh at best and never hot. Buffet is poorly laid out and routing of crowds to other lines did not happen. No beverage service at main dining. We stopped at a bar and grabbed two drinks every night that we eat dinner in the main dining. There was a bar, the Buffet, but it was beer and wine, and the line was always horribly long. They had juice and water at self serve but there was never any juice. Pop was also in cans and handed out at the bar if you could get up to the bar.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

We never had a problem getting a chair by the main pool.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

We went to all of the Broadway shows they were very well done. We paid to go to one of the carousel shows, but I would not pay for it again. The quality of the show was the same as the Broadway shows we saw for free.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Despite being shorthanded at every bar and waiters, they went above, and beyond to make sure everyone was served.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5

This is a very beautiful ship. The stair cases between decks 5, 6 and seven are breathtaking.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

We had an interior room, our first one. The room was very spacious. Our only complaint was they were only two outlets in the entire room. They were located at the desk. Thankfully, the cord and the hose on my husband‘s CPAP machine was able to reach to the bed comfortably.

Ship tip

Just go in knowing that the Buffay will be a madhouse anytime you go. There is a line in the very back of the dining room for the Buffay that no one ever is at I would start there. And be aware that the main dining room food is not all that great. The specialty restaurants are supposed to be very good.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Port Canaveral, Florida

4 out of 5

Nassau, Bahamas

4 out of 5

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Bahamas

4 out of 5

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

Next time we will do walk off. Although we were very impressed that they called our group by 7:30 AM when we were told it would be 8:15 AM. They do set up the ropes for cattle routing people off the ship. So if you are able walk off, or be down early and ready to leave as soon as your group is called.