MSC Meraviliga Full Review (2024): What We Loved, Didn’t Love, and Hated

[@bcshell1]

My favorite part of our cruise was meeting so many good people too! Thanks for the shout out. Mom, Dad, and I watched/listened on Sunday night during our final drive from Baltimore. ❤❤

[@thiscruiselife]

Aww we love that we met you and your wonderful parents. We had such a great time sailing with you all and look forward to getting to do it again someday soon!

[@josh1997a]

Thanks so much for the shout out. It was so nice meeting you both on board. We had the best time in YC . We agree on all the things you said in this video. Hope to see you guys again on a future cruise. I will say hi on the live streams now. Bye for now from Canada :) Tracy & Scott

[@thiscruiselife]

@@josh1997a thanks for commenting! It was great meeting you on board. So glad to hear you enjoyed the YC! Hope to see y’all on a cruise again, too!

[@tranch1515]

We r going in January and this has been so helpful! Thank you 😊 our 24th cruise and 1st on MSC

[@thiscruiselife]

@@tranch1515 awesome! We hope you have an amazing cruise! The MSC Meraviglia is a great ship.

[@CruisingTipsDotCom]

Hey, guys! Boarding Meraviglia in two weeks. Question: If you go to Hola tacos, can you get the "all you can eat" with the dining package? (I know they have limited menus for the dining package menus). Really looking forward to my first MSC (and Yacht Club) experience.

[@thiscruiselife]

If you purchase one of the Dining Packages, they give you access to a select menu of options at each of the specialty restaurants on board. Given the price-point, you'd be better off purchasing the all-you-can eat option at Hola! Tacos rather than using one of your dining credits. It's under $20 per person and the food there is phenomenal! Hope you have an amazing cruise and enjoy the Yacht Club!

[@carmi1818]

Wow! Thank you so much!! That's HUGE for me as one of the things I enjoy most is a daily steam/sauna and shower in the locker rooms. Now as you say there is a dry sauna in the locker room and can I assume they have showers available as well?, I might demand my $140 back as I don't know if I need to pay $20 a day for a steam room. I'm somewhat spoiled,lol, but maybe not that much.of course when I called to book it I was told I would have to pay ! More inaccurate info from MSC. If you wouldn't mind , is the steam room also in the free use locker room? Can I shower there without a charge? (We are 3 adults and I usually do most my showering in the larger/towel filled locker rooms. Thanks for your help!!

[@thiscruiselife]

You are so very welcome! And it sounds like we'd travel great together as one of our favorite daily activities is getting away from it all and sweating out the toxins in the sauna! :) In terms of showers, yup. There were two showers in the locker room as well - complete with fresh towels. I think on my last 10-day cruise, I only showered in the room once. I much prefer the larger showers you find in most cruise ship locker rooms. Plus, when traveling with a group, you don't have to wait for one person to finish showering and getting ready - parallel path it! Sorry that MSC steered you in that direction. If you find out that something has changed within the past couple of months, please let us know, but we enjoyed the sauna and locker room amenities both in January and again in April of this year, so pretty current! In terms of the steam room... There is not one in the locker room. That's the only downside, but since the sauna is HUGE, we didn't mind so much. Finally, I should note, all of my comments relate to the men's locker room. Technically, I can't speak to the women's since we never went in there. LOL ;) Have a great cruise!! -Mark

[@carmi1818]

great review however you didnt mention which experience you paid for. I am assume you paid for the Aurea upgrade. You mentioned the Free Sauna. I am sailing next week and i was told i had to pay $140 for a weeks use of the spa. I only want to use the steam and sauna. I hope they didnt charge me for something i didnt need. Were you Fantastica or Aurea? Thanks1

[@thiscruiselife]

Thanks for the question - and great point! We did the Fantastica experience (which allows you to pick your stateroom). While we wanted a standard experience to compare against our Yacht Club sailing earlier this year, picking a stateroom is really important to me as we like to film and share information out various types of staterooms on the ship. In terms of the Sauna... While the sauna in the Spa is absolutely extra, there is an *included* sauna in the locker room! We very much appreciated the fact that there was a sauna included! We had Spa access when we sailed MSC Meraviglia in January as part of the Yacht Club, and, honestly, we ended up spending more time in the locker room free sauna than the spa. Several Sap rooms were broken and there were only 3 stone relaxation chairs for the entire ship (which was just bonkers!) If you ever have any questions, or need help booking the future, I promise we'll steer you in the right direction. Don't hesitate to reach out!! -Mark

[@Jon_T19]

I wish I caught this on preview!! I can't wait for the World America in Yacht Club in May. It will be my first MSC ship and also mega ship.

[@thiscruiselife]

We're excited for World America's debut as well. We'll be on the inaugural cruise in April! Sadly not in the Yacht Club, though.

[@Jon_T19]

@@thiscruiselife That’s ok, there are still a handful of Yacht Club suites still available on the May 17th sailing! Just sayin!!! Even if you do not sail in YC, you can still film my cabin for the channel! 🤣

[@thiscruiselife]

@@Jon_T19 Haha. Thanks for letting us know! We'll keep that in mind and check our sailing schedule. We won't be able to do as many cruises next year, sadly.

[@Podgey25]

After experiencing Yacht Club.You'll never Cruise outside Yacht Club again. Tip- If you enjoy it and want to book again, do it whilst onboard. The future cruise agent is in the Yacht Club lounge during the day. Ask the concierge what times. You'll save more booking onboard and you get more offers and preferences!

[@Jon_T19]

@@Podgey25 I will look at future cruises while I am there! I am a loyal Celebrity cruiser, so Yacht club was a no brainer for me. Food is really important, even more than itinerary!

[@genekostcruiser]

Went on the Seashore in march for 5 days. The interior of the ship was stunning with Swarovski crystal stairs ship was a RollsRoyce in design. Service was exceptional rooms elegant. The food was a lityle bland but salt and pepper helps. Enjoyed watching your review. Going on MSC in sept.

[@thiscruiselife]

Love that you also got to experience those gorgeous Swarovski crystal stairs, Gene! They really do leave a lasting impression. We're really excited to get on one of the Sea-class ships from MSC - we just have to figure out when!!! Thanks for watching and your kind words. -Mark

[@Cashmire12]

It’s so interesting you mentioned the steward threw away your daily program. They did the same to me on the MSC Seashore this past February. Mine had coupons for the next port in it underneath my phone charger bank on the table. He threw it out with all the coupons. I was livid because everything on the table was moved and the charging bank was on the floor under the table. He claimed it was to clean. I ended up getting all the coupons back from the port shopping desk. I made sure to put everything I wanted to save in my suitcase under the bed every time we left the room.

[@thiscruiselife]

Oh no! It's the first time we've ever experienced the steward disposing of anything in our cabin. So strange that they did it without asking first. Great tip on stowing things in your suitcase throughout the cruise! Glad to hear that you got all of your port shopping coupons back, though. Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences with us!

[@sandraturner1182]

Just show your video today enjoyed it well done .I am going on The MSC Meravilia from NY in September.This will be my first time with this line. I have the Aurea experience are you familiar with that.Hopefully it will be nice.

[@thiscruiselife]

While we haven't stayed in a cabin with the Aurea experience booked, we have been to the Aurea Spa on board the Meraviglia. Overall, it is a nice thermal suite space for a cruise ship. It's spacious and quiet. Our only complaint (which we mentioned in our Yacht Club experience video, was that there weren't enough hot stone chairs to relax on. The one time we were in the spa, there was a single family that occupied two of the three working chairs for the entire 2 hours we were in the area. Hope you have a great experience on your upcoming cruise!

[@JNTravels]

Enjoyed your video, we are going on this ship in October.🐸

[@thiscruiselife]

So jealous! Hope you have an amazing cruise!

[@unshakeablestar]

How much if your trip was free from MSC (if any)?

[@thiscruiselife]

Hey there! Thanks for watching and the question. We do not receive any compensation or free experiences from the cruise lines. We pay our way, including transport to and from, all cruise expenses, excursions, and any upgrades/experiences we purchase. Hence, when we do a review and talk about what we love, what we didn't love, and what we hated - you can be certain they are all our honest and unbiased opinions. :) We always lead with the positive, but we're always honest and share the other side as well. Hope you enjoy more of our reviews! -Mark

[@Podgey25]

I'm glad I did it the other way round! I did first time- Fantastica 7 day Meraviligia of May 2023. Then in 11 days Yacht Club Meraviligia on April (7th) 2024. I did go into Gen pop. To the buffet. I could see huge improvements . They are definitely listening to their American guests! And the entertainment was much better . More USA taste.🎉 We saw Keith Bender. I actually prefered his open shows to the adult one! Cruise Director Gav- he's from the north of England like me. So we hit it off. He is a good laugh! We enjoyed his Trivias. When were you guys onboard? Cos we had all the same performers🎉 Nilesh was our Butler. Irish has gone home, now. Were fbk friends. Shes loved ❤ Maybe we were on same time as you?🤔

[@thiscruiselife]

We were sailing on the Meraviglia on April 7th, 2024 as well. We probably saw each other at Gavin's Trivia and didn't even realize it! What a small cruise world! Loved all of the points you shared from the cruise and we agree about Keith Bender. Glad to hear you had the best butler in the Yacht Club - Nilesh is so kind and ready to help in any way he can! Thank you so much for the comment. 💙

[@Podgey25]

@@thiscruiselife awww .. no way! Cos I saw your YC video before going. I think we don't recognise everyone when we have our "vacation brain!" Lol

[@thiscruiselife]

@@Podgey25 That's a valid point! Haha.

[@arnoldkinsler6236]

How is iif you are not booked in Yacht

[@thiscruiselife]

Make sure you watch our video review from our experience in the Yacht Club and also watch this video as you'll get a good idea of what each experience was like!

[@JohnDoe-pe6iu]

Hi Guys we were on the same sailing and also spoke with you guys. I understand in the interest of being politically correct you have masked the massive "Chinese Invasion" as "cultural diversity" but I have to note that for the cruisers that if you are sailing with MSC particularly the Caribbean going cruises from NY beware that there will be hundreds of Chinese guests "fresh off the boat" on each sailing. They range from 800 to up to 1400 Chinese guests. The are culturally not used to the civilized world and you will have deal with loud boisterous guests pushing, cutting lines, stealing foods such as boiled eggs and whole fruits from the buffet, etc. In the evening you cannot get a single tea bag as they will just steal every single bag the moment the crew replenishes it. They would usually sit in the front section of the buffet and that area would be so loud like crackling chicken on steroids....hot tubs and pools taken over by large groups of Chinese who will coordinate and handover these facilities to their own second group in waiting etc. Basically very uncivilized and noticeable behavior. Cultural diversity makes travel fun but this is Uncivilized invasion. The issue is that MSC markets these cruises to Chinese travelers primarily from Canada who are fresh off the mainland, not civilized, barely speak a word of English and are only used to invading and taking over places as large groups. Many guests were frustrated throughout the 11-day cruise including other civilized Chinese guests. We recommended to MSC that these people be provided a cruising etiquette training session before being allowed to check-in and board the ship so as to not ruin the cruising experience for the rest of the guests.

[@StephanieJacabacci]

Mybff having a great time

[@thiscruiselife]

❤ Always trying!

[@JenniferPratt-n9k]

What benefits is aurea

[@thiscruiselife]

It's a spa room and gets you access to the thermal suites area, plus comes with a discount on spa services during your cruise, welcome package (prosecco and chocolates), priority boarding with express luggage, flexible dining, and all of the Fantastica benefits.

[@JenniferPratt-n9k]

@@thiscruiselife thank u xxx❤️❤️

[@JeffreyInPS]

Wait what? You have to pay for the theater shows?

[@thiscruiselife]

Correct. They were originally written by Cirque du Soleil. MSC terminated their agreement with Cirque but kept the main gist of the shows which they believe they should charge for. To be fair, the talent is very different in those shows versus the main "Broadway" theater, which is included.

[@Podgey25]

It's like NCL when they had Cirque de Soleil. That was extra fee. You get a free drink on MSCs paid show. The main Theatre is included. But no drinks inside

[@thiscruiselife]

@@Podgey25 We always struggled with the restrictions on being able to bring a beverage into the main theater. So strange that the Carousel Lounge allows it but not the Broadway Theater. Definitely a head-scratcher.

[@Podgey25]

That "Midnight buffet" its EXACTLY THE SAME HERE IN EUROPE 😂. Pizza or Burgers or fruit. Thats it😮

[@thiscruiselife]

So wild! The same ship, three months earlier was a much more expanded offering. Not sure why they made so many changes. Must have been to cut down on costs; both labor and food.

[@elvirarustamova3013]

The Swiss own the MSC, although it has strong Italian roots it’s still as Swiss company .

[@thiscruiselife]

Ah yes. Thank you for reminding us that even though it has a strong tie to Italy, MSC Cruises is currently a Swiss-Italian cruise line.

[@paulras01]

I've actually cruised several times with my bowling balls and shoes. Before or after gay bowling tournaments. But never on a ship with a bowling alley

[@thiscruiselife]

Haha. Sounds like you'd be quite prepared if you show up to MSC ships with gear in-tow!

[@ahannajibaynun5504]

Only overwhelmed drama stories of MSC meraviglis . Nobody believes. Audiences love to see real stories with videos. 🤣😂🤣😂 Good luck by ex crew member of MSC cruises company.

[@thiscruiselife]

Hey there! Overall, we had a great time on MSC. While there were some misses, for sure, we always say that’s true for any vacation. We like to share what we loved, didn’t love, and hated so that others can make an informed decision on how to spend their holiday. :) How long did you work for MSC Cruises? Thanks for watching and your comment. -Mark

[@MDAserAli-vo8kk]

Wow

[@thiscruiselife]

We were surprised by the sailing experience as well! Thanks for watching!

[@tlb135]

We loved the ship, hated the rude group of people cutting lines. It got to the point where we wanted to just go home. We are giving MSC one more try in November because we got the deal of the century on an Aurea suite with a hot tub on the balcony with the drink package and 200.00 onboard credit for $2200.00. You can't beat that anywhere.

[@thiscruiselife]

Oh no! We're sorry to hear about your frustrations with the groups of people. We definitely experienced some of that as well. Different cultures and ways of approaching a buffet. Congratulations on that amazing deal! Hope you enjoy that exclusive hot tub many times throughout your sailing!

[@Podgey25]

That's really good🎉

[@warmstrongadventures]

Hello 👋

[@thiscruiselife]

Hey there! Thanks for watching.

[@eld4726]

Are there LGBTQ gatherings on MSC like they have on NCL and others? I'm about to take my first MSC cruise.

[@thiscruiselife]

Hey there! Thanks for the message. We attended the LGBTQ+ meetup on our sailings on board the MSC Meraviglia. They were unhosted, but scheduled for the Edge Cocktail bar. Hope you have a fun cruise!

[@vincentclausen2250]

Typos? 😮 Blame them on the spell check!

[@thiscruiselife]

Perhaps. Either way, very strange to see that sort of thing from a cruise line on printed materials.

[@vincentclausen2250]

@@thiscruiselife the staff shortages, I’m sure the person editing had 20 or 30 more responsibilities that honestly were more important.

[@SassyGamma]

No to the soupy burgers!!! So nassy!! Unless you were lucky, after about 10 minutes they turn into a soup sandwich. Please MSC, ditch the foil!!!

[@thiscruiselife]

Haha. We know what they're trying to do - keep the buns from drying out while making it fast service, but agreed that it really isn't that successful at making the burger taste good.