msc cruises from brooklyn reviews

MSC Meraviglia review: What it's like to cruise on MSC's 1st New York-based ship

For the first time, MSC Cruises has based a ship in New York. Given that the vessel, MSC Meraviglia, is the fifth-largest in the line's fleet of two dozen ships in terms of tonnage and the sixth-largest by passenger capacity, the ship's presence in the Big Apple is a big deal. As one colleague astutely pointed out, when it's docked there, it's the largest hotel in the city .

I recently sailed on MSC Meraviglia out of its Red Hook homeport in Brooklyn, and I have mixed feelings. Overall, the ship is lively and aesthetically beautiful. Its specialty restaurants and nightly shows are some of the most consistently superb on any vessel, and it offers one heck of a luxury product in its Yacht Club suite enclave .

However, passenger flow is an issue, with many public spaces so crowded they're uncomfortable, and service is painfully slow in some bars and restaurants. You'll likely end up paying a lot more than you originally planned because some of the most enticing things to do come with added fees. And, as my travel companion so succinctly put it, I've never been told "no" so many times on a cruise.

Here, I'll take you through some of the activities I tried, the places I ate and the experience I had so you can better determine if MSC Meraviglia is right for your next voyage.

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Overview of MSC Meraviglia

MSC Cruises' Meraviglia was the first in the line's Meraviglia Class of ships. When it debuted in 2017, it became the line's largest vessel, with space for up to 5,655 people at capacity (4,475 at double occupancy). It has since been overtaken, in terms of passenger capacity, by subsequent vessels in the Meraviglia Class, as well as those in the World Class.

The ship exudes the same glitz that's typical of other MSC vessels, despite its mass-market appeal and penchant for attracting budget travelers. Lavish artwork, chrome accents and bold jewel tones convey a sense of opulence throughout public spaces, and no ship in the fleet would be complete without an atrium staircase adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals.

Like MSC's other modern ships, MSC Meraviglia has an extra-fee chocolate shop on board — this one through a partnership with chocolatier and pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury — where you can purchase chocolate, macarons, candy and specialty coffees.

There's also a sizable water park on the top deck, a shopping mall-style promenade area and several decks of cabins that are part of the line's Yacht Club, which affords passengers exclusive access to a dedicated restaurant, lounge, bar and pool deck just for them, as well as butler service.

What I loved about MSC Meraviglia

Largely, my onboard experience was great. Crew members were friendly, my cabin was comfortable, and the daily activity options were plentiful, varied and fun. At night, most shows fell into the "excellent" category, and the food in every extra-fee restaurant and the Yacht Club was phenomenal.

Specialty dining

MSC's food consistently receives less-than-stellar reviews from passengers, particularly regarding the line's complimentary dining experiences. Much of the main dining room fare is indeed so-so — palatable but largely underseasoned and mass-produced, so that it often looks like it's been sitting under a heat lamp when it reaches you. Food in the buffet is varied and tasty, but it can also become repetitive after a week, and the space is frequently crowded and confusing to navigate.

So why am I including food under the "what I loved" category? I think that MSC's alternative, for-fee restaurants — including the ones on MSC Meraviglia — are some of the best. If you're willing to shell out the money, you can have a fantastic meal on this ship.

Of the ship's specialty restaurants, my favorites are Hola! Tacos & Cantina and Kaito Teppanyaki.

Even though Hola! levies extra charges, passengers have the option of paying a la carte for items individually priced as low as $2.95 or paying $17.99 for unlimited menu items. The salsa and guacamole are wonderful, the tortilla soup always hits the spot for me, and the tacos are small, so you'll be able to try several to find your favorite without feeling overstuffed.

If you know me, you know the fact that I'm recommending Kaito Teppanyaki is shocking. I'm notoriously not a fan of this type of cooking, particularly when it comes with a side of cringeworthy performances by the chefs. However, the food there on MSC Meraviglia was so great that I didn't mind the cook's jokes.

The MSC Yacht Club is a private section on select MSC ships that offers cabins across several categories, including suites. Passengers booked in those cabins have special keycard access to a dedicated guest services and concierge desk; an exclusive pool, sun deck, lounge and bar (with free drinks); and complimentary anytime dining at a special restaurant just for Yacht Club cruisers.

Cabins are outfitted with higher-quality materials and furnishings, and each comes with the services of a butler. Meri was mine, and she was the best. She was able to make dining and spa reservations for me, escort me to priority seating in the theater for nightly shows and have crackers and green apples delivered to my cabin when the second night's rough seas made me feel seasick.

I absolutely loved the special touches MSC provides to Yacht Club passengers, including a special afternoon tea service and a private, intimate final-night performance by Lorraine Crosby — the female vocalist from Meat Loaf's "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" — who sometimes makes guest appearances on board. (She also put on two larger shows for the entire ship earlier in the sailing.) Additionally, I had access to Yacht Club perks at private island Ocean Cay Marine Reserve , including dedicated trams, a shaded waiting area with cold water and access to a private beach and restaurant.

Although the Yacht Club comes at a premium — at the time of publication, rooms on MSC Meraviglia started at $1,199 per person for a Yacht Club inside cabin on a six-night Bermuda sailing — fares include drinks and tips, along with Venchi pillow chocolates, free room service and minibar selections, plus one round of in-cabin snacks and a choice of one bottle of vodka, gin or whiskey delivered to your room. (I normally drink rum, and they were able to substitute it for me, even though it's not one of the spirits normally offered.)

Above all, the most valuable component of the Yacht Club for me on this sailing was the ability to escape the general chaos that is the rest of the ship. Don't get me wrong: I immersed myself in the buzz outside of the Yacht Club as often as possible, but as an introvert who dislikes crowds and noise more and more the older she gets, I found it essential to have a separate area to which I could retreat.

Galleria Meraviglia

One of the most fun and flashy locations on MSC Meraviglia cruises is the Galleria Meraviglia, a central indoor walkway similar to the Royal Promenade on Royal Caribbean ships. It's a long space flanked by bars, restaurants and shops with a feel similar to a shopping mall. However, the highlight for me is the giant LED screen, which runs the length of the space and hosts what the line calls "dome shows."

During these shows, themed scenes — including deck plans for the muster drill, dinosaurs and volcanos during the "Jurassic" dome show and even famous ceilings — appear overhead. They're the metaphorical heartbeat of the ship, and you can't help but stop to watch.

The nearby chocolateria, Jean-Philippe Chocolate & Cafe, is an excellent place to grab a cuppa, and the adjacent Meraviglia Bar & Lounge is home to trivia, live music and more. Mix in a shore excursion desk; shops that sell high-end jewelry and purses; a counter serving for-fee gelato, crepes and smoothies; and Hola! Tacos & Cantina (one of the best Mexican restaurants at sea), and Galleria Meraviglia feels like the place to be.

There's little I enjoy more than a relaxing arcade day , and MSC delivers with its Sportplex gaming complex. It features a small traditional arcade with air hockey, alien shooter games and first-person driving games, as well as prize machines; several immersive virtual-reality pods (most of which were down for maintenance during my sailing); two Formula One racing simulators; a 4D cinema where several players attempt to take out zombies and killer clowns; and a sports court that hosts basketball, pickleball, dodgeball and other activities.

But my ultimate favorite was the bowling alley. My travel companion and I inexplicably wound up in Sportplex after dinner on formal night. We played for half an hour — enough time for two games if it's only two people and you move quickly — and were ultimately joined by the Yacht Club director, Craig (who won easily). It was a ton of fun, but I don't recommend bowling in a ballgown.

The drawback is that, like lots of other cool pastimes on MSC Meraviglia, it all costs extra (except for sports court use). The arcade charges per game with the tap of your keycard. The simulators can be purchased on a per-ride basis, and bowling is charged in chunks of either 30 or 60 minutes.

To save money, passengers can purchase packages where you get a certain dollar amount free. (For example, if you prepurchase $150 worth of gaming credits, your card will be loaded with $220.)

What I didn't love about MSC Meraviglia

As with all things, in travel we take the bad with the good. While most experiences on this sailing fell in the latter category, it wouldn't be a fair review without calling attention to the things that I think the line needs to address.

The departure port

When MSC first announced that MSC Meraviglia would be sailing from New York, the ship's homeport was Manhattan. I groaned when I heard its docking spot had changed to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood.

Brooklyn's terminal is difficult to reach, particularly if you don't have a car. Anyone venturing to the port from Manhattan will need to take the subway, followed by a ferry — not an easy feat if you're toting luggage. Park-and-ride-style buses also seemed to be an option, according to several passengers on my sailing who arrived from outside of the city. If you're like me and decide to drive to the port, know that parking is at a premium, and fees are steep. (At $45 per night, I paid $360 to park there for eight nights.)

Waits on embarkation day are another concern. When I arrived, lines snaked outside the terminal and down the sidewalk in front of the building. I had multiple passengers throughout my voyage tell me that they waited between two and three hours in line to board the vessel.

It's unclear whether the terminal is ill-equipped to deal with passenger flow for such a large ship or if MSC hasn't quite brought its embarkation processes up to speed, but if you don't have priority boarding privileges, either through a high loyalty status tier or a Yacht Club booking, expect the process to take a while.

On the plus side, you'll have great views of the Statue of Liberty as you sail away, assuming the weather isn't rainy or foggy.

At 19 decks, MSC Meraviglia is huge. On my voyage, the ship was only sailing at about half capacity (about 3,000 passengers out of a possible 5,655, or 53%). However, a perfect storm of events converged to create a situation that was less than pleasant for anyone not booked in a Yacht Club cabin.

A large group booking of about 1,000 people overtook many of the public areas on a daily basis, which drew complaints from cruisers who weren't in the group. For example, trivia was standing-room-only on several days, and the buffet was so continuously crowded that I ate there only twice on the entire voyage.

Additionally, it rained during our first two days on board — embarkation day and the following sea day — meaning that the ship's outdoor spaces weren't utilized. Because everyone was stuck inside, the ship felt even more crowded. (I shudder to imagine what it would have been like if the ship had been sailing completely full.)

Although the weather certainly isn't the cruise line's fault, it seems that the ship should be better equipped to deal with situations where passengers are stuck inside. I also thought that, perhaps, the large group booking was a one-off and that it wouldn't be the norm on other sailings. However, I spoke with one of the officers on board who told me that the cruise line is actively recruiting similar large group bookings.

One of the biggest contributing factors was the ship's layout and flow. Some areas lead to dead ends, while others force you to enter busy areas — like the massive Marketplace Buffet — to find stairs to go up or down a deck. In several bars and lounges in the main atrium, tables and chairs are scattered so close to the main staircase that it's difficult for two-way passenger traffic to move through the space.

The feeling of overcrowding was exacerbated by service inconveniences like long waits for drinks, meals and elevators.

Confusing policies and procedures

Some of the things MSC does truly confuse me, and they began almost immediately after boarding.

When cruises first returned following the 18-month COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, many lines decided to go digital with their muster drills. Passengers watched videos on their mobile apps or on their cabin TVs before reporting, at their leisure (to maintain social distancing), to their muster stations for verification. MSC has chosen to institute a bizarre version where all passengers watch a video and then report to their muster stations at the same time.

If everyone is going to the same place at the same time, why not do the muster drill in person? On the flip side, if you're going to make people watch a video instead of doing a live demonstration, why make everyone go to their stations simultaneously? The process creates a chaotic environment where, in my case, people were required to walk into the theater, do a lap around it (for reasons nobody ever actually explained) and immediately exit again.

Speaking of the theater, no drinks are allowed in there, which is odd, given that all other cruise lines allow passengers to order drinks during shows or at least carry them in with them to enjoy while they watch. We saw several surprised cruisers being told they had to dump their beverages or drink them before they'd be allowed inside.

The drink situation gets worse when you try to order cocktails in the ship's restaurants. When I did so in one of the main dining rooms, I was told that only wine was available. When I visited the alternative eateries, I was told I could only order from what was on the menu, some of which wasn't included with the beverage package. What's the point of selling pricey beverage packages (which can cost more than $70 per person, per day, for the most expensive) if there are so many exclusions?

Specialty coffee from the onboard chocolate shop also isn't included with the packages, nor are coffees on private island Ocean Cay, which leads me to my next head-scratcher. I had the single best coffee drink of my life when we called on Ocean Cay. The Coco-Nilla Latte is espresso, vanilla flavoring and coconut milk, and I loved it so much that I tried to have it replicated on board.

I went to three of the ship's regular bars, each of which is equipped to make espresso that's included in the line's beverage packages, as well as the specialty coffee bar at the for-fee chocolate shop. At each location, I was given some sort of excuse:

"We don't have vanilla syrup at this bar."

"We don't have coconut milk here."

"Oh, those are only made at Ocean Cay."

It's likely if this happened on a ship in any other fleet, the response would have been, "We don't have the ingredients, but let me see if we can find them."

The crew culture on MSC Meraviglia seems to be one that either doesn't encourage them or doesn't allow them to go the extra mile. My request wasn't a lavish one; vanilla syrup and coconut milk are standard accouterments at most cafes on land. The ship has a passenger-to-crew ratio of 3:1, which is better than that of other cruise lines with fares at a similar price point, so I don't feel like I'm asking too much from an affordable cruise line.

I must also mention some weird food-related practices I saw on board. Both times I ate at the Marketplace Buffet, I witnessed crew members stopping adults from taking food from a particular section of kid-friendly foods. "No, those are for children only," a crew member behind the counter told a parent who was trying to grab dessert for his son, who was outside by the pool.

"You mean I can't take this out to my kid?" the guy asked in shock. The crew member told him he would have to go to the pool, get his son, bring him inside and have him pick out the dessert, which he grudgingly did. But talk about a disruptive experience.

On the other occasion, I saw a couple of adults eyeing the chicken nuggets that were on offer. They were forbidden by a crew member from taking any. I have never seen something so absurd on a sailing in my life. Children aren't the only ones who enjoy chicken nuggets, nor are they the ones who pay the cruise fares. Adults, whether they have kids on board or not, should be allowed to eat whatever they wish from the buffet that they paid for — even if it comes from the children's menu.

Another head-scratcher is you might still have to pay a supplement to eat in certain restaurants, even if you booked a dining package that includes a set number of specialty restaurants for a set fee. It depends on what you order.

For example, I had a dining package, but when I dined at Kaito Teppanyaki, the waiter informed me that there would be an extra $10 surcharge to order the Geisha and Samurai options and a $30 upcharge for the Emperor option. Again, what's the point of selling dining packages if they don't cover what they're supposed to?

Additionally, on a ship of 3,000 people, MSC Meraviglia had only one of four main dining rooms open for lunch on a rainy sea day when everyone was stuck inside. It was open for one measly hour, from noon to 1 p.m. I saw the hours posted as I was passing by the line that was quickly forming, so I decided to eat there to evaluate the situation. Spoiler alert: It wasn't great.

Finally, MSC Meraviglia's sports equipment is kept under actual lock and key. You have to sign out everything from pickleball paddles to basketballs for use on the indoor sports court and volleyballs for the pits on Ocean Cay. However, when I tried to sign out a basketball during posted rental hours, the person working told me no and offered no explanation. When I checked with guest services, they told me that shouldn't have happened. But it did. Twice.

On a separate occasion, when my travel companion and I showed up for scheduled volleyball time, the attendant cut the game off at 45 minutes because he said he had to leave. When we asked if we could keep the ball to continue playing, he refused. There seems to be no flexibility, and staff members are not empowered to deviate from protocol on the fly, even when it makes sense.

Most cruise lines' ships have unmonitored equipment available for passengers to use when the courts are open. It's often stored in unlocked chests that passengers can access at any time. Sign-out, which seems like an unnecessary step, is not required with most other cruise lines, which brings me to this: To quote one of my TPG colleagues when she referenced an MSC sailing on a different ship, "I have never said, 'No other cruise line does it like this,' as much as I did on [my cruise]. And it wasn't a good thing."

MSC Meraviglia cabins and suites

MSC bookings can be confusing for first-timers because, in addition to selecting a cabin type (inside, outside, balcony or suite), passengers must also choose from one of three experience packages. Dubbed Bella, Fantastica and Aurea, they all come with different perks and inclusions, as noted below.

Bella: This is the most basic, bare-bones package. It includes accommodations, free meals in the main dining rooms and buffet, and free daily activities and nightly entertainment. Passengers with this package will be assigned to set-seating dining times after they board. They also will be charged for any room service orders, as well as changes to their cruise booking reservations.

Fantastica: This package includes everything listed under the Bella package, plus the ability to change sailing date reservations one time for free, complimentary delivery of room service breakfast and the ability to choose a preferred set-seating dining time for dinner prior to embarkation.

Aurea: Aurea comes with everything in the Bella and Fantastica packages, as well as free access to the ship's top-deck Solarium area, a welcome package that includes prosecco and chocolates, anytime dining (go whenever you want with no set seating time), a 10% discount on spa treatments, priority boarding and free 24-hour room service (not just at breakfast).

MSC Meraviglia houses 2,244 rooms in various types with several configurations, some of which sleep more than two passengers. Of those staterooms, 55 are accessible for cruisers with mobility issues. In those cabins, passengers will find additional space for maneuvering things like wheelchairs and scooters, as well as zero-entry door thresholds and shower grab bars. (Theaters and most public areas are also accessible, but unfortunately, I didn't see a single lift at any of the ship's four pools.)

Cabin types are the standard ones found on just about all cruise ships: inside or interior (no windows or balcony), outside or ocean-view (a window or porthole that doesn't open), balcony or verandah (a sliding glass door that opens onto a small balcony, usually with chairs and a small table) and suite (cabins with balconies and more square footage and/or special perks like those afforded in the Yacht Club).

On my Meraviglia sailing, I was booked in an MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite — a balcony cabin in the Yacht Club suite area — on Deck 18. At about 280 square feet, plus an additional 54 square feet of balcony space, the room felt generously sized for two people. (Note: Yacht Club has all types of cabins, from insides all the way up through massive Royal Suites and two-deck duplexes.)

The room was furnished with a king-size bed that converts into two twins on request, a couch and a desk/vanity area. It featured a closet and cabinet space for storage and an en suite bathroom.

Standard amenities included a hair dryer and a TV (with a random smattering of TV channels, for-fee movies and ship-created programs like jewelry and port seminars and navigational information). My cabin had several electrical outlets, including three 110-volt North American outlets, three 220-volt European outlets and one USB port at the desk/vanity area. One USB port is not enough, and there were no outlets near the bed, which was frustrating.

Special for Yacht Club guests, the suite was equipped with a Nespresso machine, free minibar drinks restocked daily (including bottled water, San Pellegrino, juices, flavored iced teas, soda and beer), one complimentary round of snacks (Toblerone chocolate, Pringles and mixed nuts) and a choice of one complimentary bottle of spirits (whiskey, gin or vodka).

My cabin came with a pillow menu, which I only discovered after two nights of neck pain, thanks to mismatched pillows. The bed was topped with a memory foam mattress, which was like sleeping on a cloud.

Closets in my cabin were just the right size for two people. There were two, one with a bar to hang clothes and another with cubbies for shoes, intimates and the cabin safe. I did find the closets' location in a small enclave that led to the bathroom a bit awkward.

Underbed storage was perfect for hiding empty suitcases. Bathrobes and slippers were provided, and I made good use of both when I went for a massage at the spa.

Cabin bathrooms in the Yacht Club are stocked with MSC's own brand of toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, bar soap, a shower cap and sewing kit. Fluffy white towels and elevated fixtures like marble countertops and floors and showers with both standard and rainfall showerheads add to the air of elegance.

However, some of that was offset by the fact that the shower in my bathroom had no lip, so water leaked all over the first time I used it. Each time after, I put towels outside the door to sop up the mess. The toilet also often smelled like sewage, even when not in use.

The storage space for toiletries could also have been more generous. There were only two small metal shelves, which weren't enough for two people's things. The rest had to be stored inside cabinets where the garbage can was located.

Gratuities, room service and premium alcohol and Wi-Fi packages are included in all Yacht Club fares. You do not need to purchase add-ons or pay added fees like you would in cabins outside the Yacht Club.

A Yacht Club booking also entitles you to priority embarkation, disembarkation and tender access; 24-hour butler and concierge services; complimentary spa thermal suite access; luggage unpacking and repacking services; daily newspaper delivery and one free pre-cruise booking change.

I made good use of the free Wi-Fi inclusion (for two devices per person). The free room service was handy when I just had to order late-night pizza. Plus, the priority boarding perk meant we went from shore to ship in less than 10 minutes while other passengers waited two to three hours in rainy conditions to embark.

My butler, Meri, went above and beyond to help me make spa and specialty restaurant reservations, and she met us each evening to escort us to dinner and to the theater, where reserved Yacht Club seating was waiting. She did her job superbly, but I generally like to do things for myself. Having someone else handling the minutia felt frivolous and unnecessary; it took a few days for me to acclimate.

Concierge service was generally good. However, on the first day, when I had questions about dining, the person who assisted me waived me off in the face of a long line at the desk and told me to ask my butler. My interactions there improved markedly after the stress of the first day calmed down, and all of my subsequent questions were answered promptly and cheerfully.

The exclusive Top Sail Lounge was a great place to relax with a drink and view, read or get some work done. The Yacht Club sun deck was a lovely space, but it was often too hot for me, so I didn't spend much time up there. The area was home to a pool, a hot tub, tons of seating, solarium access and a daily outdoor buffet at the Yacht Club Grill. Although the food looked tasty, it was, unfortunately, often surrounded by flies.

The indoor Yacht Club Restaurant, however, was a dream. Everything I ordered was fantastic — flavorful, well prepared and cooked to order instead of looking like it had been sitting out for a while. I particularly enjoyed the breakfasts there and highly suggest the omelets and pancakes.

Overall, I found my Yacht Club experience to be a great way to escape when other areas of the ship felt overwhelming, which they often did.

MSC Meraviglia restaurants and bars

Included in the price of each sailing is free dining at the massive Marketplace Buffet, in one of four main dining rooms or in the Yacht Club Restaurant (depending on your booking). The four main dining rooms often felt crowded, and service was inconsistent. The buffet was even worse.

The quality of the complimentary food was unremarkable — not great but not terrible, either. Waiters in the dining rooms often seemed rushed and unwilling to fill drink orders. (I found out later it's because the galleys don't have bars, so waiters have to run all over the ship to fill drink orders, which often take an inordinate amount of time to arrive.)

Due to its size, MSC Meraviglia can offer lots of different cuisines. While the Marketplace Buffet has an "ethnic" section typically serving Asian and Indian fare, the largest variety and the highest quality come from the specialty restaurants. They include seafood, steak, Mexican, sushi and teppanyaki, and all cost extra.

MSC offers dining packages, which allow passengers to pre-purchase a set number of meals in alternative restaurants. When those meals are cashed in, cruisers can choose from a preselected list of menu items designated for package holders. Generally, if you're planning to eat at more than two or three specialty restaurants, booking a package will save you money.

There's at least one bar in every public space, so you won't have to go far to whet your whistle.

Restaurants

Free restaurants

Waves, Panorama, L'Olive Dorée and L'Olivo D'Oro are MSC Meraviglia's four main dining rooms, where passengers can eat dinner for free. (Specific restaurants will also be open on certain days for breakfast and lunch, depending on the day's schedule.) Menus, which change daily, are the same across all four.

Waves, on Deck 5, is the smallest. The largest — L'Olive Dorée and L'Olivo D'Oro, which are mirrors of one another — are found on Deck 6, across from one another and flanking the hallway that eventually leads to Panorama. All four dining rooms offer set seating, except Panorama, which also accommodates passengers with Aurea bookings who have anytime dining.

As mentioned above, I was booked in the Yacht Club and dined in either the Yacht Club Restaurant or one of the specialty restaurants for dinner each night.

However, I did try lunch in Waves twice, as it was the only main dining room open to the ship's 3,000 passengers for lunch. The first time, we were seated at a table for two that might as well have been a table for six; it was so close to the tables for two on either side of it that there were only about 2 or 3 inches separating them.

After we sat, it took 15 minutes for someone to bring us water. We never received bread. It was another 10 minutes until our waiter took our food order, and not once did anyone ask us if we'd like something other than water to drink. When my travel companion finally requested a beer, the waiter's response was, "Be patient, sir." My jaw dropped.

The pacing between courses was silly. Our appetizers arrived shortly after we ordered, which was great, but mine — spinach and artichoke dip — arrived looking dried out and crusty with five broken chips on the side. (The waiter obliged when I requested a few more.) After the starters were cleared, it was another 10 minutes until our mains were delivered. I thoroughly enjoyed my cobb salad, but my beef burrito was build-your-own style, and it was largely flavorless.

My companion never did see the beer he ordered. Eventually, we gave up and left, as did the man at the table next to us, who said he had been waiting half an hour for a dessert that didn't materialize.

The second experience was significantly better, with our waiter seating us at a table for two near a window and asking if we wanted drinks (which arrived quickly). The food was still just OK, and both experiences were crowded and exceptionally loud.

MSC Meraviglia's buffet, Marketplace, spans the entire aft of Deck 15. It has a decent variety of stations, but the food is often the same from day to day. The layout is confusing to navigate, too, with lots of nooks and crannies that can make it difficult to find what you're looking for. It was crowded beyond reason during mealtimes, so I avoided it whenever possible, only eating there twice during the voyage for research purposes.

Stations include bread; salad; soup and pasta; a rotisserie section with a carving station and sides like mashed potatoes, rice and baked beans; cold cuts and cheeses; an "ethnic" counter, which tended to serve Asian and Indian cuisine; and outposts for desserts and both hot and cold drinks.

The pizza was both a highlight and a pleasant surprise. It comes out hot and fresh, and it's available by the slice in several types from two separate counters in the buffet.

There are some other small complimentary food locations throughout the ship, too, including a poolside grill with burgers, fries and hot dogs and an ice cream counter with free soft-serve in cones or cups and optional toppings.

Restaurants that cost extra

Hola! Tacos & Cantina is the Mexican restaurant on MSC's newest vessels. It offers tapas-style small plates; I highly encourage you to order a few, as there's a lot on the menu that's delicious. My favorites are the guacamole, tortilla soup and cheese quesadillas. For tacos, I highly recommend the Chipotle Carnitas (pulled pork with chipotle, black bean salsa and cilantro), Barbacoa (ancho-chili beef, chipotle and red cabbage) and Ancho Tingo (shredded chicken, poblano peppers and pico de gallo).

You can pay a la carte if you're in the mood for something light or go with the all-you-can-eat option if you've worked up a serious appetite.

Margaritas are also a must if you're craving an adult beverage. Basic margs are included in the line's alcohol packages, but specialty ones — featuring frozen flavors like mango and strawberry and on-the-rocks selections with smoky salt or sweet berry sugar rims — cost extra, ranging from $11.99 for a single drink to $30 for a 1-liter pitcher. There's also a selection of Spanish beer, fresh fruit juices, spiked milkshakes and other fun concoctions. The service was so great there that I returned on a different night just to order drinks.

If you've done one teppanyaki restaurant, you've done them all. Or at least that's what I thought when I grudgingly made a reservation at Kaito Teppanyaki, another of MSC's extra-charge dining choices.

Yes, the cheesy jokes, singalongs, "catch this food in your mouth when I throw it" challenges and other performative cooking are standard, but the actual dishes are so much tastier than any of a similar variety I've had on land. Top-notch quality and expert seasoning make the dishes stand out. (For context, I usually skip meat when I order teppanyaki, but the sirloin steak looked so good that I ordered it. I'm glad I did.)

Every person who orders receives miso soup and a small salad as starters, along with sushi and sashimi with tempura vegetables. Then they choose from one of several prix fixe menu options: Geisha (sea bass fillet and chicken breast), Samurai (Scottish salmon, tiger prawns and sirloin), Emperor (yellowfin tuna tataki, scallops and half of a Maine lobster), vegetarian (egg wash roll and sesame tofu steak) and a kids menu (spring chicken teriyaki with vegetables).

I ordered the Samurai, and the salmon and sirloin were absolutely delicious. All options include egg fried rice and a dessert of caramelized pineapple, ginger ice cream and mint. The latter was underwhelming. Drinks are limited to what's on the Kaito-specific menu (Japanese beer, whisky and sake, plus a small selection of wine by the glass and Champagne by the bottle).

Kaito also has a separate sushi bar with an a la carte selection of sushi, sashimi, nigiri, tataki, yakitori and other items, including combo platters and desserts.

Butcher's Cut, MSC Meraviglia's a la carte steakhouse, is heaven for meat lovers, but vegetarians beware: As expected, there's not a lot on the menu for you to eat, with the exception of some of the starters.

When you arrive, your waiter will bring a breadbasket for the table. Ours included baguettes, raisin walnut bread and bacon cheese rolls, but what stood out to me were the smoked maple and paprika butters served alongside them. They were so good.

Appetizers include burrata and beet salad, Caesar and house salads, hearts of palm, a goat cheese tart, shrimp, crabcakes and oysters Rockefeller. Or, if you're feeling extra-spendy, try one of the featured starters, such as caviar, a shellfish platter, bone marrow, Kobe sliders and foie deviled eggs. For soups, choose between smoked tomato and lobster chowder.

Non-steak mains consist of roasted chicken, scallops Benedict, halibut and sockeye salmon. However, if steak is what you're after, you can choose from a 36-ounce dry-aged tomahawk for two, 24-ounce dry-aged T-bone, 12-ounce flat iron, 8-ounce filet mignon, 20-ounce rib-eye, 14-ounce New York sirloin, 16-ounce American bison and 13-ounce double lamb chops.

I ate there on one night of my sailing and decided to go big by adding jumbo lump crab to my filet mignon. However, I misread the menu and didn't realize it was actually jumbo lump crab Oscar, which meant it arrived mixed with hollandaise sauce. It looked like scrambled eggs, and I'm not a hollandaise fan, so I didn't eat it.

The steak, however, was phenomenal, particularly with the accompanying sauces (mushroom, peppercorn, chimichurri and bearnaise). Each steak comes with one side; additional sides cost extra. Choose from Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, French fries, asparagus, onion rings, macaroni and cheese, and more.

Among the dessert options, the best are the chocolate lava cake, the New York cheesecake and the peanut butter and milk chocolate cookie.

I'm not a huge seafood fan, so I avoided Ocean Cay, but I heard rave reviews from other passengers. This intimate restaurant, found on Seaside-class ships and MSC Meraviglia, offers a menu of fresh fish and seafood dishes, as well as a selection of wines for appropriate pairing.

For a between-meal treat or a caffeinated pick-me-up, snacks and coffee tied to chocolatier and pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury are solid options. The cookies-and-cream gelato at the Jean-Philippe Crepes & Ice Cream counter is to die for, as is the Green Goddess smoothie, made with coconut juice, spinach, fresh mint, banana, passion fruit and lemon sorbet. They didn't have the lemon sorbet when I ordered, but I asked to substitute mango instead. It was exceptionally good.

At the cafe just across the way, you can buy chocolate replicas of the ship, chocolate bars with fun toppings like nuts and berries, macarons and candy by the pound, as well as gift boxes of sweets. It also sells coffee drinks that include espresso, cappuccino, Americano, lattes and spiked coffees.

If you're a coffee lover who's heading ashore at MSC's private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve , you won't want to miss the extra-fee Coco-Nilla Latte, found at The Smiling Fish. A combination of espresso, vanilla syrup and coconut milk, either hot or iced, it's far and away my favorite coffee drink anywhere, ever.

A more affordable option than most alternative restaurants is room service. My pick is the pizza, which will be delivered to your room hot and fresh, with a variety of options available, including Margherita, vegetable, pepperoni, four cheese, marinara, MSC style (tomato sauce, ham, arugula, mozzarella, Grana Padano cheese and olive oil) and supreme. It's free if you're staying in the Yacht Club. A la carte pricing and delivery fees will apply to other cabin types, depending on the experience package you book.

As with most cruise ships, you don't have to go far to find a stiff drink on MSC Meraviglia.

My go-to was the Brass Anchor Pub, reminiscent of an English local where you can snag a bottle or a pint and some extra-fee pub grub. TVs throughout the space broadcast a variety of sporting events (subject to satellite availability), and trivia and live music take place there throughout the sailing.

I also spent some time at the Casino Imperiale bar, which was open on my sailing longer than any of the other onboard watering holes. It serves a selection of beer and cocktails.

The centrally located Meraviglia Bar & Lounge, found along Galleria Meraviglia (the ship's promenade) next to Jean-Philippe Chocolate & Cafe, is also home to trivia competitions, live music and dancing throughout the day. It's the bar often frequented by passengers before and after shows in the nearby Broadway Theatre.

Sky Lounge is the place to be for sweeping views through floor-to-ceiling windows. It provides a comfy and often quiet space to read, work or gather with friends.

If you're seeking the oft-missed cigar lounge, look for the entrance on the starboard (right, when facing forward) side of the Sky Lounge entrance, or enter the lounge and follow it around to the starboard side.

Edge Cocktail Bar is another centrally located place to grab beer, wine and specialty cocktails — including the delicious Purple Rain, a combo of vodka, white rum, blue curacao, gin, peach schnapps, sweet and sour, and grenadine that turns a shade of purple when you mix it. One deck above it is the Champagne Bar, which sometimes also serves seafood. One deck below is the Infinity Bar, so named because it's found at the base of the Infinity Atrium.

The ship's TV Studio & Bar is where you can find the cruise director filming the ship's daily morning show the night before. It's also the site of trivia competitions, several of which were standing-room-only.

There's a Sports Bar in the ship's Sportplex, but I never saw it open, even when the area was crowded. Three bars (Atmosphere Bar North, Atmosphere Bar South and Bamboo Bar) by the main Atmosphere Pool serve up classic umbrella drinks, as well as beer and other libations. You'll also find bars in the Marketplace Buffet, on the Yacht Club sun deck and in the Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge.

MSC Meraviglia activities

MSC Meraviglia hosts a variety of activities to keep you busy when you're not ashore. You might start your day with a free guided morning stretch or aerobics, or pop into the gym for a self-led session or a for-fee class like yoga or spin.

The daytime schedule features plenty of options for those with a competitive spirit. They range from golf putting, foosball, Ping-Pong soccer and pickleball tournaments to giant darts and trivia (visual trivia like airline logos and "name that place," as well as "name that tune" and general knowledge trivia).

If you'd rather get your groove on, keep an eye out for dance lessons and themed parties hosted by the entertainment team. My favorite was the Snow Party, when the crew blasted fake snow (which appeared to be suds of some sort) as we danced on the blazing hot pool deck.

Napkin folding, bingo, movie screenings, arts and crafts, and passenger talent shows (yes, you have to audition) round out the list of pastimes.

As you pass back and forth between events, don't miss the regularly scheduled dome shows along the Galleria Meraviglia promenade. You'll see the LED projections on the ceiling, covering topics like famous ceilings, dinosaurs, space and the changing of the seasons.

Beware of seminars on jewelry, health and wellness, and other topics that are thinly veiled sales pitches.

Feeling like a day of swimming or sunbathing? Pull up a lounge chair by the main Atmosphere Pool. If you're looking for a more sauna-like experience, head to the Solarium's covered Bamboo Pool; check out the aft Horizon Pool for better views and more peace and quiet. There's also a small pool on the private Yacht Club sun deck.

Looking to relax in a hot tub instead? You can find two of them one deck up from the Atmosphere Pool, as well as two at the Bamboo Pool and one on Deck 18's aft sun deck (behind Sportplex). There's also one at the Yacht Club Pool.

The Polar Aquapark on Deck 19 aft offers plenty of wet fun for kids and adults. Attractions include three slides — a bowl slide, where riders awkwardly end in the bowl and then exit via a flight of steps, and two twisty slides that require rafts — and a splash area with sprayers and dump buckets. There's no fee to use the space, but you'll need to sign a waiver and obtain a wristband before riding the waterslides.

Speaking of children, the ship has a dedicated kids club, called Doremiland (named after the cruise line's mascot, Doremi, as in the first three notes of a musical scale). The club is divided into Baby Club (infants and toddlers up to 3 years), Mini Club (ages 3 to 6 years), Junior Club (7 to 11 years), Young Club (12 to 14 years) and Teen Club (15 to 17 years).

Each group has age-appropriate activities scheduled, and all — except the tweens and teens, who can come and go as they please — are heavily supervised by qualified staff. Sample activities might include storytime, arts and crafts, and Lego playtime for younger children, while tweens and teens enjoy less structured pastimes like video games and dance parties.

MSC Meraviglia shows

As with most MSC ships, MSC Meraviglia's entertainment is stellar. From free live music, theater shows and promenade dance parties to extra-fee Cirque du Soleil-style performances, the options are varied and feature talented singers, dancers, magicians, acrobats and more.

Each production show is offered once per sailing, at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in the Broadway Theatre. Some are staples, while others rotate.

"Born to Rock," "One Day More," "Cool" and "Journey" are the ship's recurring shows, which each appear once per weeklong cruise. They focus on popular songs in the rock 'n' roll and pop genres, Broadway hits, music from the '70s and '80s, and cultural favorites from Spain, Italy, France and more.

As part of a rotating selection of limited-time performers, English duo The Conjurors performed two shows during my sailing, featuring numbers games, mindreading and pre-show predictions that impressively came true by the end. The duo is scheduled for more than a dozen sailings. Other limited-engagement performers include comedians and pianists.

Speaking of limited-time performances, on the second-to-last night of the voyage, I sat in the theater unsure of what to expect from the headliner, Lorraine Crosby. "You might be thinking, 'She sounds like the lady who sings that Meat Loaf song.' Well, that's because I am the lady who sings that Meat Loaf song," Crosby joked. Her biggest claim to fame is that she rocked the female vocals in Meat Loaf's "I'd Do Anything for Love, But I Won't Do That."

What followed was a vocal performance that gave me chills. Crosby's range and ability to adapt to different genres are astounding. She belted out favorites by Queen, Tina Turner and Celine Dion and arguably did a better job of it than they did.

On the final night on board, she held an intimate performance for Yacht Club passengers in the suite area's private lounge. Again, I shivered as she took on the likes of Adele, AC/DC and others.

Another free entertainment option worth mentioning is daytime street theater that includes contortionists, roving musicians, magic workshops and flash mob-style performances by the onboard singers and dancers. If you happen to be passing through the promenade area when a flash mob happens, you're likely to see a punk rock-themed song-and-dance routine or, perhaps, one where the cast is dressed up like flowers, insects and birds.

Shows for a fee

Carousel Productions, MSC's own brand of Cirque du Soleil-style shows, are offered six days a week on MSC Meraviglia, with each of two shows — "House of Houdini" and "Rock Circus" — running three nights, on alternating days, with two performances each night (8 p.m. and 10 p.m.). Originally designed to house dinner theater, the Carousel Lounge is set up as a theater in the round and no longer serves food. (That ended when the cruise line shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the line has no current plans to bring it back.)

The for-fee performances levy a nominal charge for attendance and include a welcome drink for each showgoer.

"Rock Circus" is a mix of acrobatics, aerial performances, and song and dance to some of rock's greatest hits, including songs by Guns N' Roses and AC/DC.

"House of Houdini," which follows a clearer storyline than "Rock Circus," loosely tells the tale of Houdini's great underwater escape from a straitjacket and chains. A group of singers, dancers, acrobats and aerialists dressed as circus performers show Houdini the ropes as he prepares for his greatest feat.

MSC Meraviglia itineraries and pricing

Through at least September 2024, MSC Meraviglia is sailing seven- and eight-night voyages to Nassau and Ocean Cay Marine Reserve in the Bahamas from Brooklyn.

It also features six-night Bermuda cruises that spend three days docked at King's Wharf, as well as 10- and 11-night Canada and New England sailings that feature calls on Boston; Portland, Maine; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Saint John, New Brunswick. The 11-night itinerary also visits Newport, Rhode Island.

A couple of 11-night Western Caribbean voyages visit Port Canaveral (the port for Orlando) and Miami in Florida, Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico and Ocean Cay.

MSC Meraviglia offers some of the lowest prices in the industry. At the time of publication, inside cabin prices were starting from $299 per person ($43 per person per night) for a seven-night Bahamas cruise, $379 per person ($63 per person per night) for a six-night Bermuda sailing, $449 per person ($41 per person per night) for an 11-night Western Caribbean voyage and $619 per person ($56 per person per night) for an 11-night trip to Canada and New England.

What to know before you go

Required documents.

As with a sailing on any ship, there's certain paperwork you'll need to cruise on MSC Meraviglia. If you're a U.S. citizen sailing from and returning to a U.S. port, you can sail with either an official copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license (both are required) or a passport. I recommend the latter, and it must be valid for at least six months.

MSC Cruises adds an automatic service charge of $14.50 per person, per day, to final bills on all sailings. For children 2 and older, the daily charge is half, or $7.25.

Also, a 15% gratuity is added to bills at bars for cruisers who do not have a drinks package. If you have a drinks package, you'll pay a 15% service charge when you purchase the package, but not on individual drinks. A 15% service charge is also added to items in minibars, salons and spas.

MSC Cruises' Wi-Fi, available through the MSC for Me app, is fast enough to be competitive with all of the other major cruise lines. But pricing varies, based on the number of devices you use and whether you're OK with simply browsing the web and checking e-mail or would prefer to use Netflix or other streaming services.

Expect to pay about $72 for one device with unlimited data on a basic package. A two-device plan for the same runs about $109. There's also a four-device plan for about $223. If streaming video is what you're hoping to do, you'll need one of the more expensive plans, which range from about $100 to more than $300.

Be warned that plans are tied to specific devices, and you cannot switch between them. For example, if you buy a one-device package, you cannot use it for your cellphone, log out and then log back in with your tablet. In that case, you would need to purchase a two-device package.

MSC's MSC for Me app allows passengers on the same ship to chat with one another for free without purchasing a Wi-Fi package. The app also lets you make dining reservations, check the daily schedule and view your onboard bill.

Carry-on drinks policy

MSC does not allow passengers to bring any of their own alcohol on board.

Smoking policy

Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is permitted in a few designated areas, including the port side of the main pool deck. It's also allowed on one side of the casino. Nonsmokers, beware: The separate sides do nothing to keep the smell from wafting. It was enough to keep me away from the area for the duration of my sailing. Smoking isn't allowed in cabins or on cabin balconies; violators will receive a $250 fine.

MSC Cruises does not offer self-service laundry facilities on any of its ships. However, passengers can send their clothing out to be washed, folded, pressed or dry-cleaned for a fee.

Electrical outlets

MSC Meraviglia's cabins all have a mix of 110-volt North American outlets, 220-volt European outlets and USB ports. In my Yacht Club balcony stateroom, I had three North American outlets, three European outlets and one USB port, all at the desk/vanity area — none near the bed.

The onboard currency for MSC Meraviglia when it sails from New York is the U.S. dollar.

Drinking age

You must be 21 to consume alcohol on MSC Meraviglia's sailings from the U.S.

Passengers on MSC Meraviglia's warm-weather itineraries from Brooklyn can be found in T-shirts, shorts, bathing suits and cover-ups during the day, when there's no set dress code.

The line's American clientele tends to dress more casually at night, as well, but the line suggests "smart casual" attire for dinner. That might include khakis with button-down or polo-style collared shirts for men and sundresses or nice pants with a flowy top for women. Dark, unripped jeans are also acceptable for both men and women.

On "gala" evenings (usually one per weeklong sailing), the dress code is more refined. Passengers might choose to wear tuxedos, suits, khakis with button-downs and blazers, cocktail dresses or sparkly ball gowns.

On my sailing, the ship also had "tropical" and "white" listed on the daily schedule as suggested attire. Pack accordingly.

Bottom line

MSC Meraviglia is a beautiful ship with great food, shows and public spaces, but it has a few pain points.

In addition to feeling crowded, the vessel charges extra for many things that will make your overall cruise better. If you're on a strict budget, either resign yourself to doing only the free activities and eating in the main dining room and buffet, or plan to sail with a different cruise line.

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6 Reasons to Take a Cruise from New York City on MSC Meraviglia

I was an invited guest of MSC Cruises last week and had a chance to explore MSC Meraviglia shortly after she arrived at her new home in Brooklyn, New York .   From this iconic region the ship will offer something very rare out of New York: year-round sailings to several popular destinations.

Meraviglia is the first of the Meraviglia-class ships built by the family-owned cruise line, and she is known for her sparkling Swarovski crystal stairways and a curved 262-foot-long LED screen built into the ceiling of the Mediterranean-style Galleria.

But this was not my first time on this beautiful ship.  During the summer of last year, I booked a short 4-day cruise on Meraviglia when she homeported in Port Canaveral.  So, I was already very familiar with the layout of the ship and felt right at home, instantly.

And yes, getting a crepe from the crepe station on deck 6 was high on my priority list.

MSC Cruises has made a bold move in moving the 171,598 GRT ship to a homeport in NYC , and strategically speaking it’s a smart move.   Meraviglia will sail to three key destinations: the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Canada/New England.

These itineraries will vary with the season, but all year round the ship will offer sailings out of this region, giving cruisers who are new to the brand a taste of what the fastest-growing cruise line in the world has to offer.

MSC Meraviglia ship tour:

So why should you consider booking a cruise on this ship?

It’s New York City

Sure, it’s obvious from the title, but after taking a few cruises out of the Big Apple now, I can see why it’s the perfect place to start a cruise vacation.  Not only does MSC Meraviglia in the Brooklyn cruise terminal offer epic views of lower Manhattan and the surrounding city, but sailing out of NYC also allows you to have a few land-based vacation days before or after the sailing.

I always recommend booking a pre-cruise hotel before a cruise if flying into the area .  It takes the stress out of any flight delays or cancellations and allows you to unwind before you ever step foot on the ship.  But if sailing out of NYC you might want to spend two or three days in a hotel so you can enjoy more time in this American icon of a city.

By the time your ship sails by the Statue of Liberty you will be singing “New York, New York” without even realizing it.

Plenty of dates to pick from

As I mentioned earlier, MSC is keeping Meraviglia in New York all year round.  Most cruise ships will reposition to a different homeport during differing seasons of the year.

But with Meraviglia staying in Brooklyn it offers New York cruisers the opportunity to find a date on the calendar that works for them, no matter what time of year a vacation is most needed.

There are currently about 88 sailings being offered on the MSC ship that extend all the way to September of 2024.  In the year 2024 alone there are 42 cruises offered on the Brooklyn-based cruise ship, with some itineraries as long as 20-nights.

Additionally, MSC offers flexibility with some sailings.  For instance, there is a 10-night Bermuda and New England cruise on October 15 th of 2023 on Meraviglia.  But on that same date you can take a 21-night cruise on the ship which extends the cruise to the Caribbean after visiting Bermuda and New England.

There are several cruises like this on the schedule where cruisers can choose a week-long or multi-week cruise that leaves on the same date, making it a customizable experience for whatever your schedule allows.

The ship is built for all seasons

One of the reasons MSC decided to send Meraviglia to New York is based on the design of the ship.  While it’s a great vessel to be enjoyed in the warmer months of summer, a sailing out of New York City in November could be challenging.

And here is where one of my favorite areas of the ship comes into play.  The “Bamboo pool” and solarium on Meraviglia offers a glass, retractable roof, keeping out any cold weather.

Besides the heated pool there are 4 hot tubs in this area as well, with two that are cantilevered over the side of the ship.  From my experience it’s always warm and humid in this area, and a great respite from even the windiest of days.

I was also told that all of the pools on the ship are heated, including the larger Atmosphere pool and aft pool at the back of the ship.

On top of this there are other interior portions of the ship for experiencing a little fun, including a large sports court used for basketball, soccer, pickleball, and other activities.  So, whether you’re young or young at heart you can enjoy some physical activity on the ship without having to weather the elements on a cold day in January.

By the way, for those warmer months of cruising there’s a great waterpark on the top deck as well, complete with body water slides and tube water slides.  And for those not afraid of heights a ropes course wraps around the waterpark area, offering great views at almost 200 feet above the surface of the ocean.

I actually tried the waterslides on a cold day last year and at least one of them had water heated to the perfect temperature, so it’s not a bad option for even a slightly chilly day at sea.

MSC Meraviglia has 12 unique dining venues to choose from. Getting a tasting of each one as we explore the ship. #MSCMeraviglia pic.twitter.com/Qf2D0uDAIj — Cruise Fever (@CruiseFever) April 21, 2023

A fantastic thermal suite

Speaking of places to stay warm and cozy on the ship, I have to mention the thermal suite.  Not all cruise ships make the spa and thermal suite a priority.  But on MSC Meraviglia and any other Meraviglia-class ships you can enjoy a space with ultra-relaxing heated loungers, hot tubs, saunas, and more.

The Aurea spa thermal area has a quiet room, rain showers with various scents and temperatures, two thalassotherapy pools, dry and wet saunas, and even a cold room so you can cool off a bit.

It’s a well-designed space in my opinion and the stonework, sounds, and temperature make it the perfect way to warm up and relax after a day of being outdoors on excursions.

Fun activities for families

MSC Cruises is a family-owned cruise line that loves to cater to families on board.  Just across from the Sportsplex is an entertainment area that’s great for families wanting a little something extra.  Besides a full size two-lane bowling alley, there are two formula one racing cars, and a flight simulator.

Our group tried the 4D interactive cinema and had a blast shooting zombies from our moving seats as we attempted to save the world.  There is also an arcade right next to this area with some of the latest equipment installed.

A unique show with no bad seats

While I was on MSC Meraviglia last week I had the opportunity to enjoy a show that is exclusive to the ship.  The Carousel Productions show called “House of Houdini” involved high-flying circus acts and performances that dazzled with special effects and music.

The show took place in the very back of the ship on deck 7 in Carousel Lounge.  The 400-seat lounge puts the audience right in the action, and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house.  The LED screen adds to the illusions and spans the entire width of the space, allowing an even more immersive experience as cast members perform right over the heads of some audience members.

There is an extra cost to enjoy this show, but there is also a main auditorium where passengers can enjoy free nightly shows as well.  In fact, the ship offers at least 6 different shows in Broadway Theater, which has a very modern and sleek design.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve never sailed on an MSC Cruises ship before, you owe it to yourself to give the line a try.  While not as established in the United States as some of the other mainstream cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival,  MSC offers some incredible fares that most families will find affordable.  And what you get for that cruise fare is a great value.

MSC Meraviglia is a gorgeous ship that offers plenty to do while still offering luxury and comfort.  It’s a class of ship I really enjoy.  In fact, a couple years ago I flew all the way to Barcelona just to see sail on her sister ship for 3 nights on MSC Bellissima , a trip I would gladly pay for again.

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The Happiest Travels on Earth

Msc meraviglia cruise review.

Written by:

Hi Everyone! I have just returned from my first cruise in 4 years! That’s right, this morning I disembarked the MSC Meraviglia which departed from the Brooklyn (Red Hook) Cruise Terminal. I am excited to share my review of the MSC Meraviglia. Have you ever been on an MSC ship? 

MSC Cruises USA is a private cruise line that has predominantly been operating in Europe for over 50 years. It is a part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC, which you might have seen in ports around the world. MSC is the third-largest cruise line in the world, behind Carnival and Royal Caribbean. 

The newest player in the US cruise market, MSC entered in 2013 and has slowly been increasing its presence in US ports. This includes the MSC Meraviglia which is newly homeported in the port of Brooklyn, New York. Currently, the MSC Meraviglia is sailing 7-day itineraries to Florida and the Bahamas, but also has plans to visit Canada and Bermuda. 

Our sailing onboard the MSC Meraviglia followed the Florida and Bahamas itinerary, with stops in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau, Bahamas. This review is strictly about the ship. I will be back with more detailed reviews about the ports of call and the dining as well as photos of the daily planners and restaurants and bar menus in other posts. I did sail with 17 family members, who share many of the same sentiments that I do about this voyage. 

Pre-Cruise Communication

Prior to our cruise, MSC gave us access to the MSC App, MSC for Me. The idea for this app is that you were able to access shore excursions, shows, dining reservations and more. 

The app did work but there were some glitches. For a while shore excursions would not show up on either the site or the app. It’s also quite confusing to purchase show tickets (such as the Rock Circus or Houdini Show), since you don’t pick a date when booking. 

When we booked our cruise, it was listed as leaving from New York, New York. If you live in the NYC area, you know that NYC is quite a large place. After some

pushing on the phone, we were able to find out our cruise didn’t leave from the Manhattan terminal, but the Brooklyn terminal. 

Some other pre-cruise confusing aspects with communication include contacting them for medical equipment or baby items. I had family members who needed things in both scenarios and MSC didn’t convey if they would provide them or if they should be brought onboard by the guest. Make sure you print out any communication with them about these things in case they say you didn’t reach out. 

Embarkation

Living in the NYC area, the commute to the Brooklyn/Red Hook Cruise Terminal was quite easy. My family and I arrived at the pier at around 9:50 am and headed inside. When I spoke to MSC on the phone, they said that we didn’t need to follow the embarkation time that was on our ticket and that they were pretty relaxed with that. We first went through security and metal detectors, which was an easy process and then proceeded to the check-in area. While the line took less than 10 minutes, the area was very chaotic with people everywhere. 

After checking in, we took our “welcome aboard” photo and headed to the waiting area. At 10:10 am, there was nowhere to sit and the area was extremely packed. Luckily, at around 10:15 am, they started the boarding process. As I mentioned, we arrived at 9:50 am and our boarding group was #23. Our number was called at 10:55 am, making our whole embarkation process about 1 hour from arrival to stepping onto the ship. 

I recommend you get to the pier as early as possible. I had family members who arrived at the terminal between 10:30 am and 11:00 am and their process took over 2.5 hours. They had extremely long lines to wait on, there were technical difficulties and they also experienced issues with the gangway. Definitely make sure that you come early enough that you don’t have to encounter line issues… for now. 

I will be doing a full dining review with menus and food photos separately, but I did want to mention the food in general onboard the ship. During our cruise we dined at L’Olive Doree, the Marketplace Buffet, the Brass Anchor Pub and Hola Tacos and Cantina. We also tried the specialty coffee over at Jean-Philippe Chocolate and Coffee. 

For breakfast, we ate at the Marketplace Buffet. Breakfast daily included almost the same thing every day. The scrambled eggs have some type of honey on them which makes them sweet and kind of weird so stay clear of them if you see they have a really shiny surface. Another thing to note is that breakfast gets insane so try to get to the kids section and take food from there as it’s a bit easier to access. 

Lunch I enjoyed on embarkation day at the buffet and there were some nice options but nothing really changed daily except for one little section. I did try the Brass Anchor Pub and Hola Tacos and Cantina for lunch on different days and they were good, but they do require an upcharge. Given it’s an Italian cruise line, the pizza was always available. The white piece was so delicious and a good option if there was nothing else to eat. 

During our cruise, we were given 6:00 pm dining in the L’Olive Doree Dining Room. I noticed that the different dining rooms had different times to eat, but your given time is listed on your cruise card. The wait staff seems to be a bit overwhelmed and short staffed, which definitely showed. Our first few nights we weren’t offered alcoholic beverages and when we asked for them, they told us to go to the bar ourselves to get them. When we asked for coffee, they told us no as well since they need to set up for the next seating. I am actually surprised how often I was told no or given a look because I ordered something or asked for something. I have been on 20 cruises now and it’s shocking that I couldn’t customize meals or ask for more in some cases. The food options weren’t very vast, the food wasn’t the best quality and the portion sizes are EXTREMELY small. Two of the best meals here were the Surf and Turf and the Lamb Shank. 

Brass Anchor Pub was located near the spa and had a few specialty, for-fee items that tasted a bit better than the dining room food. Think things like wings, fish and chips and burgers. 

We also tried Hola Tacos and Cantina. They offer an all-you-can-eat option or a la carte. We ordered a la carte and enjoyed the food here. 

On one of our days in port, we tried Jean-Philippe Chocolate and Coffee for a specialty coffee. They don’t offer too many substantial food options to enjoy but they have brownies and some desserts along with all of the chocolates.

Packages Offered

Easy plus beverage package.

One of the benefits of our booking was receiving the Easy Plus Beverage Package included in the price of our cruise. The Easy Plus Beverage Package allows guests to get drinks up to $10 in value and includes alcoholic beverages, large and small bottles of water, soda and cappuccino and espresso. 

I will say, it’s quite hard to get a drink at times and you do wait if you are at a busy bar, such as the one by the pools. You end up waiting quite a bit of time and people will cut in front of you to get those drinks. This also includes wine at dinner. Given this package was included, it was great to have. 

In addition to the Easy Plus Beverage Package, we also received free wi-fii for our cruise. The free plan included the browse option. Most of the time it worked but there were times it went out or you needed to log-in again. That gets super frustrating but the perk is that you don’t have to just use the app to text others onboard, you are able to text on iMessage or WhatsApp as well. 

All-Inclusive Digital Photo Package

Prior to our cruise, I purchased the all-inclusive digital photo package. I paid $140 for the package prior to sailing on the MSC site. When purchasing, the package sounded like it was for ALL digital photos taken of you during your cruise. 

Again, I traveled with 17 other people and 3 other people in my cabin specifically. Once onboard, the photo team said I could only get photos of the 3 guests in the cabin and that’s it. The term “all-inclusive” to me sounds like it includes all of the photos me or my party of 3 were in, including group photos. I was told very rudely by an employee in the photo area that, “ma’am if you would let me talk you would hear that’s not how it is and that’s it.” 

Speaking of photos, another thing I wanted to mention for large groups is that if you want a group photo, good luck. Our group of 18 waited in line for 15 minutes for a Swarovski Crystal stair photo, since we figured the area was quite big and would fit our group. After waiting, the photographer told us that there were too many people and he couldn’t take our photo. We would need to go to the photo gallery and make an appointment. When we went to speak to the photo gallery, they told us that it would cost $12 per every adult in the photo, costing around $156 total and that would need to be paid ahead of time. Needless to say, we didn’t get our group photo professionally done but pro tip… find a spot onboard and ask someone to take your photo on the phone. It’s a great photo and it’s free! 

Entertainment & Shows

Carousel Productions at Sea is only available on a few select MSC sailings and offers guests a unique experience. Onboard the MSC Meraviglia the two shows are the House of Houdini and Rock Circus. Both shows we purchased online prior to our cruise for $12 each and they each included an alcoholic beverage. If you purchased it onboard, they would be $18. 

Even though we did purchase ahead of time, we couldn’t actually select the nights for these shows until onboard. We ended up seeing House of Houdini our first night onboard and Rock Circus our second. 

Both shows were incredibly interesting and a bit chaotic at times. That’s not to say that the performers weren’t excellent because they were. But, the storylines of both shows were hard to follow and just a bit all over the place. Now, during our performances, announcements were made that due to safety one night and technical difficulties the other, we weren’t going to be able to see the acrobats and other fancy performances during the show and that our money would be refunded. Again, the performers were very good and they are worth a view if you can but just don’t expect too much. 

Every night at the Broadway Theater, guests could view the free production shows at sea. These shows included Cool, A-Train the Comedian, The Conjurers Magical Act, Born to Rock, Journey and Top Hits. 

The stage productions were Cool, Born to Rock, Journey and Top Hits. There might have been another one earlier in the cruise, but that wasn’t easily found. As for the ones that I saw, Born to Rock, Journey and Top Hits, the singers were quite good. Again, there really was a story that was lacking and more just singing and dancing, but again, the performers were excellent. 

In terms of the Comedian, A-Train, and the magical act, The Conjurers, both were very good entertainment options. I think the performers on MSC are quite good. 

Parties/Themed Nights

MSC features a few different “theme” nights during the cruise. You can find a gala night, a tropical night, a white night, a music night and an italian night. The ones that they suggest you dress for are tropical, white and music night. Each one had entertainment that accompanied these nights, including parties on Deck 6 and Deck 7. 

Music Night was great and had an excellent live band performing for all on Deck 6. There was also a silent disco one night.

The Meraviglia also has Cruise Staff Moments, on Deck 6, where depending on the theme, members of the cruise staff would do some type of dance performance for about 5-10 minutes. 

Around the same time of these, the dome shows would happen as well, sometimes coinciding with the night’s theme and sometimes not. These were quite cute and really enjoyable.  

Bars and Lounges

While you could find some bars and lounges around the ship, these were always quite full and hard to get into. There is a bar on Deck 7, called the Champagne Bar, which isn’t always manned so it is almost a bit of a waste of space. One of the easier bars to get a drink at during the day was located on Deck 6 next to the Chocolate Shop. 

Again, this ship is very crowded so it’s often hard to just walk up to the bar and grab a drink. We had multiple instances where we waited at the bar for more than 15 minutes waiting for a drink. 

Onboard Activities

The MSC Meraviglia has a Sportsplex Complex up on Deck 16 which has a simulator, a bowling alley, a basketball court and an arcade. Usually you would find a lot of the kids and young adults here and it didn’t seem as popular with other guests. 

Besides the occasional trivia during the day, there weren’t too many onboard activities which can be quite frustrating. Especially if the weather was bad, it was hard to find things to do during the day. 

If you are anything like me, you love a good gift shop. Well, the MSC Meraviglia doesn’t have too many options when it comes to gift shops. There’s the MSC Shop, which features MSC branded items, the Swarovski Store, with Swarovski jewelry and the Plaza Meraviglia, which was home to a watch/sunglass store, perfume/makeup store and liquor/sundry store. You could also shop at the two boutiques onboard which feature Effy Jewelry as well as a variety of watches and clothing. While this all might sound like a lot, with a ship that size, the shops can get tired quite quickly. 

The MSC Meraviglia is home to a few pools, but given the size of the ship, they aren’t enough. There is the Bamboo Pool, which has a retractable roof and some hot tubs, the Atmosphere Pool, which is the main pool and the Horizon Pool which is Adults Only.

While you might think that’s a lot of pools, for the amount of people on the ship, it was simply not enough. The pools were extremely small and on some days, people were crammed into them like sardines. 

Part of the pool area is the Polar Aquapark, which is a collection of waterslides perfect for every member of the family. 

The MSC Aurea Spa was great. They offered various incentives throughout the cruise, including on day 1, where you can purchase a 80 minute massage for the cost of a 50 minute massage. But these all do come with stipulations, so be sure to read through and make reservations immediately. 

I had a 50 minute Swedish Massage on one of our sea days which is standard pricing. My massage therapist listened to me and my concerns and only focused on areas that I asked for. She didn’t push any products either which was refreshing since they usually do that at spas on cruises. 

We had a Balcony cabin on the MSC Meraviglia, #9205. The room was very small and had a lack of storage, which made it hard to be livable for a full week. The sofa turned down into a twin size bed. In some of these staterooms you can even get a bunk bed and sleep another guest over the couch.

The bathroom was the real shocker. It is one of the smallest bathrooms I’ve seen at sea, especially the shower. It looked like a little capsule that your body could literally just fit into. One thing to note is that you don’t get tissues (Kleenex) or washcloths immediately. We had to keep asking to get tissues and washcloths for our cabin. 

In terms of closet space, it was almost non-existent. There was a small closet with a bit of storage but other than that, there were no drawers. With three adults with three pieces of luggage, this was hard to make it work. We put one suitcase on the counter, one on the floor and one in the closet. 

There are two European plugs, a USB plug and two regular US plugs in the room. If you use a CPAP machine or some type of medical equipment, you’ll need an extension cord. Therefore, make sure you reach out to MSC prior to your cruise.

The largest part of this room was the balcony. Since the MSC Meraviglia has sections of her side that curve and move out and ours happened to be on that curve, so our balcony was on a curve and larger. Our room steward introduced himself on our first day and then we didn’t see him again. 

One thing to take note of is that on the MSC Meraviglia, they did not turn down our beds or provide us with towel animals. I had family on other decks and they received a towel animal one night but they didn’t have their beds turned down either. 

The crew on the MSC Meraviglia varied. Some of them were really nice and some were a little less than nice. Our Cruise Director was Matias on this sailing. I didn’t see him until a few days into the cruise but then he started making more announcements and was around a bit more. 

Final Thoughts and Other Info

The MSC Meraviglia was definitely a unique experience. I’m not sure if there was an issue with this ship specifically or this was an MSC thing, but there were definitely some differences from other ships I’ve been on. 

Here are a few other things to know about the MSC Meraviglia: 

• On the higher decks, especially Deck 15, where you can find the buffet, be aware that the elevators and floors are quite slippery. Also, be careful with children as some wall sockets were exposed.
• On multiple occasions, we noticed things that identified a bit of uncleanliness. From stained napkins to overflowing garbage cans, vomit in the sinks near the buffet and dust collection on vents, I think the team on this ship needs a bit more of a deep clean. I get that on the day of your boarding very early, but I think that people would appreciate waiting a bit longer for a deeper clean. 
• This one might be random but there are no chicken tenders at the main dining room. If you have kids or are a kid at heart, you’ll have to order grilled chicken not chicken tenders. 
• While I’ll go into details about ports in another post, the ship was not organized with getting passengers on and off. In Ocean Cay, their private island, there was a rainstorm. A few thousand passengers tried to get back on and ended up waiting in the rain for over 2 hours in a mass of confusion. 
• You need to do 3 different things for your lifeboat drill: watch a video in your room, call a phone number to confirm you’ve seen it and then visit your muster station for them to scan your card. It’s a bit drawn out and could probably be streamlined a bit.
• You need to find a cruise activation kiosk to make sure your credit card is linked with your room key.
• You are able to bring a hair dryer, curling iron, straightening iron and dryer brush onboard. My family and I brought some combination of these things and they were fine.

Other Photos

My Opinion of MSC

I really hyped up MSC in my head. Over the years I’ve heard mixed reviews about them but I attributed it to different tastes. After sailing on MSC myself, I see what people are talking about. While it’s a good deal, you do have to pay for quite a few things and there are things lacking that other major cruise liners provide. I think that while a bit more expensive, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian or Carnival offer a better value for the money.

Head over to @thehappiesttravelsonearth on Instagram and follow me to see more and stay tuned to the blog for more on the MSC Meraviglia.

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7 responses to “msc meraviglia cruise review”.

Thank you for what appears to be an objective, realistic review! I have been on 40+ cruises – mostly HAL and CCL but most of the major players – Carnival, Princess RCC, NCL, Cunard and Costa (some prior to the takeovers by Carnival) but also sone small lines – sun cruises, Epirotiki, Renaissance. This will be my first MSC cruise (had to cancel one last year with a really unique itinerary out of Brazil on MSC) so the one in September is a replacemt on the Meraviglia Bermuda, New England, Canada. I have to admit to being a little wary of the line in terms of service, food and “nickel and diming” in addition to an absolutely useless reservation and customer service with MSC Canada. I think the ships look nice, but wonder if it’s all show and no substance. Reading the reviews and comments on the MSC info page, I start to wonder of people are being so.I cited to make such glowing comments. I’ve never seen such high praise for basically a “lower price point” cruise, and wonder if most comments are from people who only cruise MSC and not a reliable comparison. Nonetheless, I am approaching with a optimistic outlook- I don’t need fawning service, but expect legitimate and polite requests to be honoured and food is a big part of me enjoying the cruise experience! Again, thank you and I look forward to your follow up reviews on your trip. I sent this as a reply because I don’t wish to be verbally abused by the high number of trolls on the FB page😊

Thank you for your comment! I went into the cruise with the same POV. I am not someone who has to be fawn over and I am usually the one that goes in with a positive outlook. I am not saying I had a bad time by any means, but having been on over 20 cruises such as Royal, Norwegian, Princess, etc., these are things I noticed that were not something I was used to. I love the food on cruises usually so the fact that I found it less than appealing, probably says something. Thank you for the comment and for posting on here! I totally understand and I am excited to share more from the trip!

[…] ← Search for: […]

[…] you’d like to see a full review of the MSC Meraviglia, click here. I also provided a full breakdown of the Dining Menus and Food onboard that you can find on my […]

Hi Paul! Thanks for the question. I actually just did a post that outlines parking at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, if you’d like to check it out: https://thehappiesttravels.com/2024/01/06/what-you-need-to-know-about-cruising-from-new-york-new-jersey/ . But to give you some quick information, if you are planning on driving your car, the official parking at the pier is probably your best bet. It’s convenient to the main building and you are able to drop off your luggage before you go and park. I always advocate to get to the pier early if you are parking just to ensure you have a spot.

Wr only stay in the Yacht Club…. Just Excellent…..

[…] Want to learn more about this new, elusive island in the Bahamas? Keep reading. If you want to learn more about the MSC Meraviglia, visit my full review here.  […]

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7 Night Bahamas Cruise

Contemporary and family-friendly cruising with distinct Mediterranean influences on everything from the line’s style and décor to cuisine and onboard entertainment

The Bahamas are waiting for you with adventure, history, beautiful beaches, and MSC Cruises’ exclusive, Ocean Cay.

Trendy Brooklyn has something for everyone, including some of the world's best food, shopping and entertainment.

• Msc Meraviglia - Passenger Capacity: 4,428 (double occupancy) Year Built: 2017 Last Refurbished: N/A

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Ports of call.

Brooklyn, NY , Port Canaveral, Florida , Nassau, Bahamas , Ocean Cay, Bahamas

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7 Night Bahamas Cruise sailing on the Msc Meraviglia

Departure dates: may 2024 - oct 2025.

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*** All itineraries are subject to change without notice. Please confirm your itinerary on the Review page before purchasing your cruise.

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19-Deck Cruise Ship as Long as Eiffel Tower Is High Makes New Home in Brooklyn

Nyc becomes msc cruises' third u.s. homeport, allowing the cruise line to offer year-round sailings from the northeast for the first time, by nbc new york staff • published april 21, 2023 • updated on april 21, 2023 at 3:04 pm.

The world's third-largest and fastest-growing cruise line, as MSC Cruises describes itself, sailed into New York City's Brooklyn Cruise Terminal this week with a glamorous megaship offering year-round excursions to select destinations.

MSC Meraviglia, a 1,036-foot long (France's Eiffel Tower is 1,083 feet high, and only if you include the tip), 213-foot-tall, 19-deck floater capable of holding more than 5,700 guests is a vacation in its own right, the cruise line says.

Fortunately, it will also take you from Brooklyn to a number of (warmer) locations. Not all options will be available immediately. Find the list of itineraries and start dates at the bottom of this page from MSC Cruises.

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What's So Special About Meraviglia?

Since you asked, MSC Meraviglia is one of the world's biggest cruise ships. Known as "The Ship for All Seasons," she has expansive indoor and outdoor public spaces, as well as a pool deck with a roof that can close for weather.

Among other amenities, it has:

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• 20 bars and 12 restaurants , including the popular Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Ocean Cay, HOLA! Tacos and Cantina, and Kaito Sushi and Teppanyaki
• Indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, together with one of the most intricate water parks at sea, featuring three twisting slides and a ropes course called the Himalayan Bridge
• 10 types of staterooms to choose from, including solo cabins, popular balcony cabins, and stylish suite accommodations in the MSC Yacht Club – the premium ‘ship within a ship’ featuring butler service, along with an exclusive restaurant, lounge, and pool area
• Galleria Meraviglia , a promenade lined with shops, restaurants and bars that stretches more than 315 feet and is lined with an impressive LED sky screen
• Seven different shows in the 985-seat Broadway Theatre and the famous Carousel Lounge
• MSC Aurea Spa , providing massage therapy, body treatments, facial treatments, and a thermal area
• 6,000 square-foot gym featuring state-of-the-art equipment from Technogym™ framed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, overlooking the main pool deck
• Entertainment area , including the MSC Formula Racer, a full-sized bowling alley with two lanes, an interactive XD cinema, a flight simulator, and a video games arcade
• Sportsplex facilities for basketball, tennis, squash, volleyball, Pickle Ball, mini golf and five-a-side soccer
• MSC Kids’ Club for anyone aged 17 and younger, with dedicated areas for babies, toddlers, children and teenagers, plus the Lego® Experience

Where Can I Go?

The ship makes its debut departure sail from New York City to The Bahamas, Florida, Canada and New England, and Bermuda. Itineraries include the following:

• The Bahamas and Florida: Tropical 7- to 11-night sailings with select destinations including Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida; Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, The Bahamas; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.
• Bermuda: Starting in August, guests can enjoy 5- and 6-night sailings to Kings Wharf in Bermuda, with several days in port to explore the beauty of the island.
• Canada and New England: Just in time for the fall, MSC Meraviglia will offer 10- and 11-night itineraries at Newport, Boston and Portland in the U.S and Saint John, Halifax, Charlottetown, and Sydney in Canada.

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Smooth Sailing: A 6-Night MSC Meraviglia Cruise to Bermuda

https://www.foratravel.com/trip-reports/JV8KK4/smooth-sailing-a-6-night-msc-meraviglia-cruise-to-bermuda

Family Travel

Curator’s statement

In September of 2023, I took a 6-night cruise with friends and family to Bermuda on the MSC Meraviglia. Bermuda, for its pristine beaches and serene beauty, along with the cruise line are both highly recommended for either couples or families. MSC is recommended for its comfort and the wealth of experiences it delivers at great value. The staff were proactive and took kindly to one-off requests. The ship’s program included a diverse cuisine, great entertainment, and family activities to keep all ages engaged. I would take an MSC cruise again and highly recommend it to my clients.

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Cruise destination

Bermuda, the island destination of our MSC Meraviglia cruise, is a paradise in the Atlantic Ocean. It captivates with its blend of natural beauty, rich history and vibrant culture. From pink sand beaches to historic sites like the Royal Naval Dockyard and UNESCO-listed St. George, Bermuda offers an idyllic backdrop for all, whether honeymooners or multi-gen groups like ours.

Msc Yacht Club Upgrade Priviledges

The MSC Yacht Club, a ship-within-a-ship concept, provides luxurious perks:

Dedicated Butler: Personalized service from unpacking to reservations.

Luxurious Accommodations: Spacious suites with balconies.

Private Dining: Exclusive gourmet restaurant.

Exclusive Lounge: Ocean-view lounge with complimentary drinks.

Priority Boarding: Swift embarkation and disembarkation.

Private Sun Deck: Serene sun deck with a pool.

Complimentary Drinks: Inclusive premium beverages.

Private Entrance: Smooth check-in with a dedicated reception.

Concierge Services: Assistance with special requests.

Exclusive Entertainment: Priority seating at shows.

Spa Access: Saunas, steam rooms and more with priority.

Enhanced Privacy : Ideal for romantic getaways.

The Aurea Experience Upgrade Highlights

Balcony Cabins: Enjoy ocean views from spacious balconies.

MSC Aurea Spa Access : Complimentary spa thermal area.

Flexible Dining: Choose preferred dining times.

Priority Boarding: Swift embarkation.

Spa Discounts: Savings on spa treatments.

MSC Voyagers Club: Points and cruise discounts.

Entertainment: Access exciting onboard activities.

In-Cabin Comfort: Premium cabin amenities.

Room category samples

Interior Staterooms: A comfortable king bed (convertible to singles) and an armchair. Spacious closet, bathroom with shower, and amenities. Ours was a Deluxe Interior with

about 230 sf of space, comfortable for a cruise ship.

Deluxe Balcony Aurea: King bed (convertible), private balcony with sea views, sofa, spacious closet, bathroom and amenities.

MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite: King bed (convertible), ample storage, bathroom and amenities.

MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite: Spacious suite with a king bed (convertible), private balcony with whir

lpool bath, separate living and dining areas and amenities. About 600 sf space.

Amenities, activities, experiences

Our 6-night MSC Meraviglia cruise from Brooklyn to Bermuda was a memorable multi-gen adventure. With the exception of the upgraded stateroom, our group chose no other upgrades, such as the Yacht Club or the Aurea. We still enjoyed:

Spacious Deluxe Interior Stateroom.

Excellent buffet selections.

Attentive staff accommodating vegan requests.

Entertainment at the 'Broadway

Abundant amenities, including whirlpools and a water park.

Generous time in Bermuda for exploring Hamilton and St. George.

$50 per room ship credit for our base package; much more if MSC Yacht Club.

Upgrade options include MSC Yacht Club's exclusive privileges and Aurea Experience highlights.

Culinary Experience

The selection at the buffet was excellent, along with the quality of offerings – the wide selection benefitting from the large 4400 passengers sailing. Crew size was about 1400. Our party dined on the buffet for breakfast/lunch & enjoyed the sit-down restaurant for dinners. Some in our party were strict vegans with special requests, and the manager along with our assigned server took personal care with great attitude. The manager also obliged our request to change from early seatings to late seatings, normally not allowed or else requiring a change fee. On separate days,

buffet highlights included my fav salmon lox for breakfast (twice) and lamb chops for lunch; In the sit-down restaurant, one of the dinners included surf & turf (filet mignon & lobster tail).

Need to Know

I enthusiastically recommend MSC Cruises to Bermuda or any of the captivating Caribbean islands. Regarding vacationing, the key is to make every dollar count toward enhancing the experiences that truly matter to you. MSC Cruises offers an exceptional blend of value and quality, from its culinary and entertainment offerings to spectacular sightseeing, making sure that you get the most out of your travel investment alongside a trail of cherished memories.

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Can you recommend a reasonably priced, budget friendly 5-7 night Caribbean cruise line/itinerary for the weeks of 6/30 or 7/6? We would like to add the drink package and WiFi to make it more all-inclusive.

I would consider cruising out of NJ, NY, or Baltimore, but my wife and kids prefer FL. I guess they don’t think it is exotic enough to sail out of NJ, NY, or Baltimore, LOL! We are from the Philly, PA area so we wouldn’t have to pay airfare .

I know this is a general question but there are so many options and the initial research has been overwhelming. Thanks in advance!

13 replies to this topic

lol Howard!

Reasonably priced and budget friendly... not these days !

Drink package and Wifi with a 19 and 21 year old.. got to be NCL.

I agree NCL is the answer, but the OP might have to settle for Bermuda, rather than the Caribbean if he wants to sail from Baltimore.

Tough crowd, LOL! Anyway, yeah, Bermuda is the predominant destination for sailing out of the Northeast. You spend like 3 straight days in Bermuda. Meh!

Day 1 - New York City (Brooklyn), New York

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Port Canaveral (Orlando), United States

Day 4 - Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Bahamas

Day 5 - Nassau,Bahamas

Day 6 - Day At Sea

Day 7 - Day At Sea

Day 8 - New York City (Brooklyn), New York

This may be a viable option. It’s the airfare that blows the budget for cruises out of FL.

I would do a 7+ day cruise if you can the shorter cruises are not going to give the cruise experience

Check Vacations to go for researching budget & itinerary

not many choices at that time of year

Then check the cruise line to see what the extras will cost & do not forget the daily gratuities usually $15 PP PD or more

But what about doing a completely different vacation? Costa Rica is great. Can combine fun adventure, culture and relaxation.

Well, if you are from Philly you should know that the port of Baltimore was extremely damaged by a bridge collapse (due to a runaway cargo ship), and is still under repair. Ships are sailing out of Norfolk temporarily instead.

Cruise lines departing from the Northeast include MSC (cheapest), NCL, RC, Carnival and Cunard. Celebrity also does a Bermuda cruise every once in a while, and Princess has a few New England cruises VERY cheaply priced right now. Parking at the port can add up, but it can be a bit hectic to try to use public transportation (trains, subways, Uber, etc.) unless you have the time and energy.

And yes, we also visit all-inclusive resorts quite frequently--again, very easy and reasonably priced to reach from the East coast, especially Cancun in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bahamas, Bermuda. I agree that one can get a bit bored--husband is usually scuba diving, and after a few days I am totally relaxed from the big pools and the beach, and I would like to do some sightseeing (and shopping!).

But, I have been cruising forever (more than five decades), and it is one of my favorite ways to travel and see the world, because: I like using the ship as a hotel, I appreciate creative itineraries and the opportunity to visit many unique places, I like to dress for dinner and dine slowly and elegantly, I enjoy all the great shows and activities, I like to sit on the deck reading and look at the ocean, it is a SAFE way to travel, ETC., ETC.

I am not going to try to do leg work for an OP and search out cruises , especially with such specific dates, but I will say that there are many more opportunities in Florida for more diverse and very well priced last minute cruises , but you should plan on arriving at least one night in advance so you do not have any boarding problems. And if you do not want to drive (two days or so), or take the train (a bit tedious, but doable), then you can always check out our bargain airline , Frontier, that offers one way PHL- Florida (MCO, TPA, MIA, FLL) flights for as low as $19.00!!

So actually here in our area we have many choices and frequent bargains, but one has to search and plan and sometimes be ready to go right away (more difficult for me as I have two dogs to board, and vet services are in high demand and quite expensive). Best wishes!

The key issue however, is that the OP only wants a 5-7 day Caribbean cruise , which, as you confirm, is not possible from the North East.

when you are thinking about cruising remember day one is the day you get on the ship and the last day is when you get off the ship. So when you do shorter cruises you really don't go very far for very long. And also now the ships usually stop at their private 'Island" which depending upon your likes/dislikes can be positive or negative. I saw one MSC cruise where two days at the beginning of the cruise and one towards the end were at their island. So keep that in mind when cruise shopping..

Another option which is not a true cruise experience is to take either Margaritaville and stay on the island then cruise back or do the same with the fast ferry from FTL to Bimini. These 'cruises' are nothing like doing a longer voyage on a major cruise line but some folks really like them.

Have you been to Atlantis in the Bahamas? We enjoyed a short stay there.

Another thought if you want to try family cruising is to go out of the north area into Canada. Altho we both enjoyed doing this I'm not sure that your children would.

Look into Carnival and NCL for more fun filled activities on their ships. Or maybe even a 'Windjammer' type sailing out of a nearby port. We enjoyed our Windstar one laid back and smaller ships.

Or charter a boat and cruise the Rideau canal... Or charter a yacht in the Bahamas/Carribean.

just throwing out a few choices to mull over!

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MSC cruise ship sails into NYC with 44-foot dead endangered whale across its bow

N EW YORK (AP) — A cruise ship sailed into a New York City port with a 44-foot (13-meter) dead whale across its bow, marine authorities said.

The whale, identified as an endangered sei whale, was caught on the ship’s bow when it arrived at the Port of Brooklyn on Saturday, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries spokesperson Andrea Gomez said.

A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said the whale was on the MSC Meraviglia, which docked at Brooklyn before sailing to ports in New England and Canada.

“We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an examination of the whale,” officials with the cruise line said in a statement.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life,” the officials said, adding that the Geneva-based MSC Cruises follows all regulations designed to protect whales, such as altering itineraries in certain regions to avoid hitting the animals.

The dead whale was relocated to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and towed to shore there to allow for better access to equipment and to conduct a necropsy, Gomez said.

The necropsy — an autopsy on an animal — was conducted on Tuesday, Gomez said. Samples collected from the whale will help biologists determine whether it was already dead when it was struck by the ship, she said.

Sei whales are typically observed in deeper waters far from the coastline, Gomez said. They are one of the largest whale species and are internationally protected.

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44-Foot Whale Found Dead on Bow of Cruise Ship Coming Into New York

The endangered sei whale, usually found in deep waters, was discovered on the bow of a cruise ship as it arrived at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, marine authorities said.

By Livia Albeck-Ripka

As the cruise ship approached New York on Saturday, it was found to be carrying a grim, and unexpected, catch: The carcass of a 44-foot-long endangered whale, draped across its bow.

The whale, which marine authorities described as a sei whale, is known for its rapid swimming and preference for deep waters, far from the coast. Its body was discovered as the ship neared the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and the authorities were “immediately notified,” said MSC Cruises, which owns the ship.

A spokeswoman for the company said in an email that it had “comprehensive measures” in place to avoid such collisions, including training deck officers and altering itineraries in certain areas to avoid them. “We will continue to evaluate and update our procedures with our partners and the authorities,” she said.

Marine authorities said that they had towed the animal, estimated to weigh some 50,000 pounds, from the bow, and transferred it by boat to a beach in Sandy Hook, N.J., where they conducted a necropsy on Tuesday.

The investigation is continuing, but preliminary results — broken bones in the whale’s right flipper; tissue trauma along its right shoulder blade; a full stomach and decent layer of blubber — all pointed toward the animal having been in otherwise good health when it was likely struck and killed by the ship, said Robert A. DiGiovanni, the chief scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, which is leading the investigation .

The whale was already “pretty decomposed” by the time scientists began the necropsy, he added, so they worked quickly to collect samples that could be tested for contaminants and other biotoxins that would indicate any other relevant health issues. “It looks like the animal was alive and it was hit by a vessel,” he said, noting that investigators had not ruled out other factors.

Mr. DiGiovanni said that his conservation group, which is federally authorized to respond to marine mammal strandings in New York, had dealt with more than 100 whales over the past several years, many of which had been entangled in nets or struck by vessels. Most of those whales were humpback and North Atlantic right whales, he added, noting that it was more uncommon to come across a sei whale.

Sei whales usually live in subtropical, temperate and subpolar waters and are named after the Norwegian word for pollock, “seje,” because the mammals are often found together with the fish. Their long, sleek bodies are usually dark blue or black with a cream-colored underside, and are often scarred by shark and lamprey bites.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the whales were commercially hunted for their meat and oil, decimating their population, which is now designated as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act .

Mr. DiGiovanni said that the death was a reminder that humans shared the open water with many other mammals. “When you’re out there, these animals might be there,” he said. “We need to make people more aware about how to operate around these animals.”

A spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said by email that mariners along the East Coast were encouraged to slow down their vessels, stay alert, and report any sightings of dead, injured or entangled whales to the authorities.

Livia Albeck-Ripka is a Times reporter based in Los Angeles, covering breaking news, California and other subjects. More about Livia Albeck-Ripka

Dead whale caught on bow of MSC Cruises ship, authorities investigating

Authorities are conducting an investigation after a dead whale was found caught on the bow of an MSC Cruises ship.

The whale was discovered as the MSC Meraviglia ship approached the port in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday. “We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an examination of the whale,” a spokesperson for the line told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

The roughly 44-foot-long sei whale was towed to shore at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for a necropsy, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries spokesperson Andrea Gomez. The examination, done on Tuesday, found broken bones in its right flipper and “evidence of tissue trauma along the right shoulder blade region.” The gastrointestinal tract was full of food, as well.

Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, the lead on the case, said in a Facebook post that the whale was a mature female.

“Most of the other organs were sampled including for biotoxin analysis and other life history studies,” Gomez said in an emailed statement. “Samples were collected and will be sent for histopathologic analysis. The tissue and bone samples collected will help biologists determine if the vessel interaction occurred pre or post mortem.”

NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident. Gomez noted that sei whales are endangered and usually seen a great distance from the coast in deeper waters.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life,” the MSC spokesperson added. “We have comprehensive measures in place to help avoid collisions, such as training all our deck officers with the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) and we follow regulations designed to protect whales and other marine life. This includes altering itineraries in certain regions to avoid whales and we will continue to evaluate and update our procedures with our partners and the authorities.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Cruise ship arrives in NYC port with 44-foot dead endangered whale caught on its bow

Updated on: May 9, 2024 / 11:41 AM EDT / CBS/AP

A cruise ship sailed into a New York City port with a 44-foot dead whale across its bow, marine authorities said.

The whale, identified as an endangered sei whale , was caught on the ship's bow when it arrived at the Port of Brooklyn on Saturday, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries spokesperson Andrea Gomez said. A necropsy conducted later confirmed the whale's species and determined that the creature was a mature female, said the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, a nonprofit organization that conducted the exam on an marine mammal.

A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said the whale was on the MSC Meraviglia, which docked at Brooklyn before sailing to ports in New England and Canada.

"We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an examination of the whale," officials with the cruise line said in a statement.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life," the officials said, adding that the Geneva-based MSC Cruises follows all regulations designed to protect whales, such as altering itineraries in certain regions to avoid hitting the animals .

The dead whale was relocated to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and towed to shore there to allow for better access to equipment and to conduct a necropsy, Gomez said.

The necropsy, an autopsy on an animal, was conducted on Tuesday, Gomez said. Samples collected from the whale will help biologists determine whether it was already dead when it was struck by the ship, she said.

Basic results of that exam showed evidence of tissue trauma in the area of the whale's right shoulder blade and a fractured right flipper, said the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. In a post shared Wednesday to its Facebook page, the organization also said those tests revealed the whale's gastrointestinal tract was "full of food." Samples of its organs will undergo toxicology reviews and analyses to identify any potential tissue diseases.

"The tissue and bone samples collected will help biologists determine if the vessel interaction occurred pre or post mortem," said the conservation society.

Sei whales are typically observed in deeper waters far from the coastline, Gomez said. They are one of the largest whale species and are internationally protected.

According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation , sei whales eat 2,000 pounds of fish and plankton per day. They can grow up to 60 feet long, weigh as much as 50 tons and live on average between 50-70 years.

The incident marks the latest endangered whale to be found dead along the East Coast.  Last month, federal authorities said a North Atlantic right whale that was found floating 50 miles offshore east of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was killed in a collision with a ship .

In March, NOAA said the first  North Atlantic right whale  baby born this season had  died after being hit by a vessel .

Environmental groups have called for tighter regulations on commercial fishing and shipping to try to save the whales.

In Massachusetts, there's a proposal to put  speed limits on fast ferries  to Cape Cod and the Islands to protect whales. The ferry companies counter that this would drastically reduce service, and say their captains have never seen a right whale on the job. 

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New York News | Whale dead on Brooklyn cruise ship likely…

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New York News | Endangered whale found dead at Brooklyn cruise port was likely struck by ship

The 44-foot sei whale suffered “tissue trauma along the right shoulder blade region and a right flipper fracture,” the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society said Wednesday in a Facebook post. Its digestive tract was full of food, the group added.

The MSC Meraviglia cruise ship pulled into Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on May 4 with the dead mature female whale on its bow. The whale was removed and taken to Sandy Hook, N.J., for the AMCS to examine.

The group is authorized by federal authorities to respond to dead whales in New York and conduct animal autopsies, or necropsies. Several of the whale’s organs were sampled for toxins, which were sent to a lab for further study.

“The tissue and bone samples collected will help biologists determine if the vessel interaction occurred pre or post mortem,” the conservation society wrote on Facebook.

Sei whales are classified as endangered and typically seen in deeper waters far from the coast, particularly in subtropical, temperate and subpolar regions.

A spokesperson for MSC Cruises , which operates the MSC Meraviglia, said the ship docked in Brooklyn before a planned trip to sites in New England and Canada.

“We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an examination of the whale,” cruise line officials said in a statement.

The AMCS conducted the necropsy on Tuesday. The incident is also being investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .

Scientists estimated there are 50,000 sei whales remaining in the wild internationally. They have been protected by international treaties since 1970, after decades of whaling decimated the population .

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