We board a CONTROVERSIAL Cruise Line- MSC Cruises

In this video we embark on our first #msc #cruise onboard MSC #Meraviglia. We booked this cruise, knowing the mixed reviews of this cruise line, but we wanted to find out for ourselves why that is.

Also new for us is embarkation out of the #brooklyn cruise terminal. We had the convenience of being able to drive to this #port and although convenient, it was expensive to park at $45 USD per day.

We had a late boarding time so fewer people were in the cruise terminal when we headed inside, although we were still in line for about 25 minutes. Despite the online check-in, having to stand in line to speak with an agent to confirm information was quite cumbersome. Once onboard, MSC Meraviglia was a stunning cruise ship inside, if you like modern shiny things! With a length of around 1,034 feet and a capacity to accommodate over 5,700 guests, it's one of the largest vessels in the MSC fleet. Meraviglia, meaning "wonder" in #Italian, lives up to its name with an array of amenities and entertainment options. Onboard we were excited to check out gourmet dining experiences, “Broadway-style” shows, lounges, pools, the water park, and the #carrouseltheatre.

We booked a standard inside #cabin for the sailing and overall the cabin was well laid out and quite spacious. Actually, there appeared to be enough room for a small chair or loveseat, which would have been good considering there was nowhere to sit except on the bed or on hard stool at the small desk. The bed was firm and there were no power options except at the desk so we recommend bringing long charging cables if you wish to have a device near your bed.

We sailed during #saintpatricksday, which led to some St. Patrick’s Day activities happening on board, including a parade along the promenade which MCS calls the "Galleria" which we still haven’t figured out what it was all about. The whole thing was quite frankly… #weird!

It became apparent quite early that there was quite a bit of live entertainment, mainly singers and musicians playing at various times around the public areas. This we enjoyed.

Some of the areas that stood out to us the first couple of days includes:

The ship offers a variety of entertainment options, including “Broadway-style” shows in the #broadwaytheater, featuring singers and dancers. We would have loved to see a more diverse and engaging program to perk the interests of those who like variety. The up-charge option at the #CarouselLounge was a better quality than our first few shows in the main theatre but having to pay extra is a negative in our eyes.

Meraviglia offers a diverse range of dining options. It was clear to us that the included food options were of a lesser quality than the paid options, including specially restaurants being much superior. The buffet in particular was a recipe for dissatisfaction and frustration, particularly with crowds. It’s the worst #buffet set-up we’ve experienced. Our advice…. pack your patience! During these first days we had lunch at #Holatacosandcantina and dinner at the British Pub The #BrassAnchor. We also had our first dinner in the main dining room and first impressions were okay at best.

The ship features a #promenade lined with boutiques, offering a variety of luxury goods, fashion items, souvenirs, and duty-free shopping opportunities. We found the prices comparable to other cruise lines but the staff were not pushy and we actually found a few items to buy which we would normally avoid doing while onboard other lines.

There are spacious outdoor decks, which feature swimming pools, whirlpools, and sun loungers, however finding a place to relax was next to impossible with not enough options for passengers and the smallest hot tubs we’ve seen on a cruise ship.

Overall, the ship appeared clean and well presented, although a few things stood out, including dirty mops and cleaning supplies left out in view in the bathrooms and it became clear that there was little enforcement of handwashing upon entering the buffet, even though there were sinks available.

In our upcoming episodes, we will experience more of what MSC Mergaviglia has to offer to help decide whether the reviews have been fair. So far we’re pretty neutral on whether there is true value for money.

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