MSC Meraviglia was a fairly new ship, having debuted in June 2017. She made her maiden call to Southampton on the 26th April 2018. Like MSC Seaside, the ship is a radical departure from their previous ships which, while bigger versions of what had gone before, still had that MSC familiarity. Would MSC Meraviglia? We were a small group of 12 and had to meet at 10.15am, with embarkation fifteen minutes later followed by coffee in the Sky Lounge on Pyramids Deck (18). Due to no air bridge, we boarded via the dockside gangway. The atrium contains the now signature Swarovski Crystal Staircases as well as reception and you could see the brand new Galleria Meraviglia, the covered promenade modelled on a Naples street, we were told. Our tour began 40 minutes late but our guide Houcine Mahersi was good. We began in the children's area but, due to a squall, didn't see the water chutes then down a deck to Iguazu (16), since the number 17 is unlucky in Italy. We skipped places like the gym and Virtual Games Arcade, but I popped in quickly for photos while he talked to the group further along. Tam brought up the rear to make sure no one got left behind. The Sportplex and Amusements area has a lot of activities from bowling to basketball. Activities in the Amusements part cost extra. Further along aft of the ship you'll find the Horizon Pool and Amphitheatre. We were shown a good part of The Yacht Club, MSC's "Ship within a ship" concept. Tour Eiffel Deck (15) housed cabins but one deck up was the Top Sail Lounge, a Crow's Nest for Suite passengers with an excellent view overlooking the bow. The Concierge desk is on this deck too, as well as more suites. Pyramids Deck (18) was as far as we got. Here were more cabins and the Restaurant. We didn't see the private deck on Babylon Deck (19), possibly due to weather or lack of time. The upper deck contains a pool, solarium, bar and buffet Grill. Sounds heavenly! We passed through the covered Bamboo Bar and Pool and the open air Atmosphere Bar and Pool. The Marketplace Buffet is a very large expanse of space aft, but we just saw Kids Corner which was a shame but there are wash basins so no excuses for dirty hands and a bell on the table to ring for bar service. Having wasted so much time over the years on various ships waiting for service, and usually being ignored as a solo woman while waiters attend men sat alone, couple or families even if I'd been there longer, I think this is an excellent idea. Slowly we were making our way to lunch as we took the lift to Taj Mahal Deck (7), which has the Aurea Spa forward as well as the English Brass Anchor Pub. Deck 7 is the upper part of Galleria Meraviglia, styled like a shopping street with bars, shops and restaurants and and ever-changing LED 'Sky'. There is a Champagne Bar on both sides of Deck 7, which are adjacent to Butcher's Cut, the steakhouse, and Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi. The casino does allow smoking on one side and also has a short glass walkway, which is an optical illusion. Past there you can find the huge Carousel Lounge, where you pre-book either of two Cirque du Soleil shows (currently Sonor or Viaggio) for the price of €35 for dinner or €15 for just a cocktail. The lower level of Galleria Meraviglia is where you find Eataly, which is already operates successfully on some of their older ships. If you don't fancy Italian, there are crepes or Jean Philippe Chocolat & Cafe, which has an unbelievable alluring aroma. While everyone was around the chocolate, I photographed the other places. You can go to the Broadway Theatre on this deck. Then it was time for a delicious lunch in the Waves Restaurant and we said goodbye to Houcine. After lunch, we said hello to Pietro Pratillo, who would be our guide for the remaining few bits after coffee in the pub. We had one cabin we could see which was an Aurea Experience. MSC have graded their cabins according to facilities and extras so a Bella is the cheapest and most basic while Yacht Club is the most expensive, although you receive a lot of extra perks with Aurea and Wellness, depending on what type of experience you want. Several wanted to see the Water Park, since we'd missed it due to rain but it was still pouring so a few quick snaps. from the brave ones then down to reception for disembarkation. MSC Meraviglia is a beautiful ship and still has that definite MSC feel. Unlike many larger ships, she is pretty easy to navigate, public areas aren't too cramped and there are plenty of good sized lifts. One day, if I find a new job once all my health issues are out of the way, win the lottery or solo fares drop drastically, I hope to fully experience everything then I can give a more comprehensive review. Many thanks to Beatrice, Natalie, Tam and India of MSC plus our shipboard guides, Houcine Mahersi and Pietro Pratillo, who are both International Hosts. |
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© Patricia Dempsey 26th April 2018
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