This was overall a great cruise. Not happy we had to miss Ocean Cay. But that was out of the Captain's control since it was weather-related. I would have liked to see some kind of compensation for missing this port since it is regarded as one of the highlights of this cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
MSC/Meraviglia has steadily made improvements to the embarkation process and I hope the upward trend continues. Much to my surprise for this cruise the embarkation process was extremely well-coordinated & organized. The ship was sold out at 5200 + passengers and the lines were long, but efficiently handled. Considering how the BK cruise terminal is structured, this was a very good experience. Even the DOT port traffic agents handled the in/out passenger flow with great efficiency.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
This time we were assigned to Waves MDR. First time there & I can say the service was amazing! The food was very good as well and served promptly, except for one night's dinner which was a little disappointing, but everything else was great. There were so many birthday celebrations it always seemed like a nightly party. This restaurant is well managed, with extremely nice wait staff & ambiance. The buffet was always packed but moved well. Another great improvement noticed was an attendant ushering the "dessert line" which in turn allowed everyone to visit & ENJOY the dessert buffet, instead of just the dessert hoarders. People seem to forget they are sharing space w/ 5,000 other cruisers. Well done MSC! Huge shout out to WAVE head waiters Mylyn Laroza & Johnlester Rabang/Philippines & WAVE MDR Managers - very pleasant, extremely thoughtful and accommodating. Excellent customer service!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Great time to rest & relax at the pools. The indoor evening entertainment was very lively & fun. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
All the shows were great. Love the comedy show.
Children's Programs
No young children
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Both the Service & Staff were very pleasant and well accommodating. Huge shout out to Waves MDR staff, to the Jewelry shop attendants, to ALL the bartending staff for their never-ending patience. Thank you Mr. Kais Hedhli/Tunisia & to The Horizon Pool Bartenders!! Big shout out to the CruiseNext Staff Lassen, Daniel & Mr. Pedro Sanchez for their excellent customer service in handling my concerns. The Promenade entertainment crew were all amazing & funny!! Thank you all!!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Always clean and well maintained. One point I'd like to raise is that most hand sanitizing dispensers were empty. That is not good practice, especially when no ushers are enforcing "hand washy-washy" at the buffet and other eating areas like on other cruise lines. Another issue is that some elevators were out of service, including the Panoramic Lift/Starboard side. I reported this elevator several times during my last cruise, and it was still out of service 3 months later. Is it time for dry-dock to complete all repairs? The Maraviglia was launched in 2016 and is probably due for refurbishing by now since this is not a new ship, it arrived in NYC in 2023 which will make a year in April. No record is listed of any refurbishing done on this ship. The Meraviglia is a beautiful ship, but some repairs need more extensive maintenance.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a great cabin. Even though it was close to 2 elevators of opposite ends it was quiet and peaceful, just a few times we heard kids running down the hall. Unfortunately, some parents think a cruise ship is a giant playground and do not control their kids. Our cabin steward was amazing!! Kept our home away from home spotless and was so accommodating & cheerful!! Huge Huge shout out to Ronald Salaver/Philippines. Excellent!!
Ship tip
Plan your day ahead & book your entertainment early. Shows sell out fast. Their pizza & baked goods are delicious! Try the Pesto Pizza!
No excursions N/A - this port is located in a very industrial-looking area of Brooklyn. However, once on board, the views are amazing! The cruise ship docks right across from Governor's Island and you will have a picture-perfect view of the Statue of Liberty.
It was our best disembarkation on MSC yet! Seamless, relxed breakfast, skipped buffet. Disembarked by 8:30 without any issues whatsoever. This was extremely shocking & totally the opposite of what we were expecting. This is actually the worst part of the cruise in my view, and i have to say I was so surprised and pleased to see a great improvement here.
Glad you had a good cruise and that MSC is improving. I don’t think any lines pay guests when missing a port -especially due to weather. That’s a pretty common occurrence. Sorry you had to hear kids running.
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