Curious about cruises Posted January 25, 2020 #1 Share Posted January 25, 2020 A first-time cruise couple is going with my husband and I on the Feb 2nd Meraviglia cruise with Bella balconies. We are seasoned cruisers and have enjoyed all our meals on the Carnival/NCL/RC/Costa/MSC cruises we have taken before. We just always take advice from our waiters and order based on their suggestions to avoid the less well prepared items. However, I have read that MDR food options are hits and misses, with quite a number of very negative reviews on the food. I want our friends to have the best cruise experience possible and to want to go on other cruises based on what they experienced on the Meraviglia. Thus, I am thinking about recommending we book the Tryptic or Butcher/Ocean Cay/Sonor trio meals. Can anyone recommend specific nights for the specialty restaurants based on the MDR menus for the nights so that we avoid the 'misses'? Also, my husband is a big eater and enjoys ordering multiple appetizers and desserts, so I am concerned with him still being hungry after eating at the specialty restaurants, especially Kaito. Do big eaters leave wanting more food after the dining experiences since they consist of one appetizer, one entree and one desert? Also, what have been your favorite MDR items? Thank you for advising us in this area of our cruise!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fighterone Posted January 25, 2020 #2 Share Posted January 25, 2020 56 minutes ago, Curious about cruises said: A first-time cruise couple is going with my husband and I on the Feb 2nd Meraviglia cruise with Bella balconies. We are seasoned cruisers and have enjoyed all our meals on the Carnival/NCL/RC/Costa/MSC cruises we have taken before. We just always take advice from our waiters and order based on their suggestions to avoid the less well prepared items. However, I have read that MDR food options are hits and misses, with quite a number of very negative reviews on the food. I want our friends to have the best cruise experience possible and to want to go on other cruises based on what they experienced on the Meraviglia. Thus, I am thinking about recommending we book the Tryptic or Butcher/Ocean Cay/Sonor trio meals. Can anyone recommend specific nights for the specialty restaurants based on the MDR menus for the nights so that we avoid the 'misses'? Also, my husband is a big eater and enjoys ordering multiple appetizers and desserts, so I am concerned with him still being hungry after eating at the specialty restaurants, especially Kaito. Do big eaters leave wanting more food after the dining experiences since they consist of one appetizer, one entree and one desert? Also, what have been your favorite MDR items? Thank you for advising us in this area of our cruise!! You will be on the same cruise as us. There is a big roll call that you might not know about on this website. Please join us along with your friends and also plan on attending the Meet and Mingle. That roster will close this evening. www.cruisecritic.com/rollcall/ and you can locate the roll call for the 2.2 sailing by following the links from the Meet & Mingle page. As far as the time and places to eat on Meraviglia, we have not sailed on this ship yet but have sailed on Seaside and Divina. I would recommend booking the trio of restaurants for you and your friends as the experience of eating in any specialty restaurant is definitely "different" on MSC than eating in the MDR unless you are sailing in Yacht Club. In Butcher's Cut, for example, you will enjoy a prime cut of meat. As far as your question concerning a better time or evening, the only suggestion I have is that the earlier in the evening you book, the better. The restaurants seem to get very crowded every evening within an hour or so after opening. Don't know if one night is not as crowded as the other though! Concerning your hubby being a big eater and ordering more than one appetizer, entree or dessert, he will probably leave the restaurant still hungry as it's one course of each and the portions are not that big. Don't know about the favorites at Kaito but at Butcher's Cut, I enjoyed the small tenderloin. If he is a big steak eater, he might prefer a different cut of meat. I was not at all impressed with the sides offered. The mac and cheese and cauliflower were dry. The desserts were excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious about cruises Posted January 25, 2020 Author #3 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Would it be possible to go to the MDR afterwards at our regular dinner time if he was still hungry and have our regular MDR meal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious about cruises Posted January 25, 2020 Author #4 Share Posted January 25, 2020 I have signed up for the Roll Call (unless for some reason it didn't take). We went on the MSC Poesia about 8 years ago, and it was one of our favorite cruises ever. We loved the international feel and all the dance lessons. I am sitting here trying to map out our evenings after printing out the daily programs from one of the posts in December. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fighterone Posted January 25, 2020 #5 Share Posted January 25, 2020 If you go to the MDR at your regular dinner time after enjoying the meal at the specialty restaurant, there will be no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fighterone Posted January 25, 2020 #6 Share Posted January 25, 2020 3 minutes ago, Curious about cruises said: I have signed up for the Roll Call (unless for some reason it didn't take). We went on the MSC Poesia about 8 years ago, and it was one of our favorite cruises ever. We loved the international feel and all the dance lessons. I am sitting here trying to map out our evenings after printing out the daily programs from one of the posts in December. Just checked for your name on the roster of the meet and mingle and I don't see your name. It would not show if you don't wish to disclose it though. The following Cruise Critic members have signed up to this Meet & Mingle party: Fighterone # in party: 2 al3xweaver # in party: 2 gwpetersen # in party: 2 Greenhopster # in party: 2 Kittenshadow # in party: 1 lanieskate # in party: 2 Peggysue172 # in party: 2 Daddio300 # in party: 2 BK Cruz 2019 # in party: 2 lou?lin # in party: 2 JesseFuller # in party: 6 Chyvette # in party: 2 bonnieangel01 # in party: 2 cpoward # in party: 2 Hankystang007 # in party: 2 Maryham # in party: 2 cocoruby # in party: 2 Durban # in party: 3 timothy1122 # in party: 2 ridingdawaves # in party: 2 LACADave # in party: 2 susan bt # in party: 2 elbodans # in party: 2 suealdeb # in party: 2 Cruisergal1208 # in party: 2 Hunterridge # in party: 4 PalmSunBeach # in party: 3 rockbock # in party: 4 Millom2020 # in party: 2 happy cruzin # in party: 2 travelpez # in party: 2 KarSum84 # in party: 3 dmfloghouse # in party: 2 Kibomina # in party: 1 josnand # in party: 2 urmysshine # in party: 2 jcron106 # in party: 2 jwhooker1951 # in party: 5 TiffanyTully # in party: 3 Mmoore12343 # in party: 2 DonnaPL113 # in party: 2 Host Joe # in party: 2 Blessedchild69 # in party: 2 RobynFL # in party: 2 Ilovedisney80 # in party: 2 Jr roy # in party: 2 icats248 # in party: 2 Rebeccajoe # in party: 2 mmmcmul # in party: 2 Casanova02 # in party: 2 BPCruiser1 # in party: 2 Listqueen # in party: 2 annauccia # in party: 3 MG5 # in party: 2 havinglotsoffunoyeah # in party: 2 libra713 # in party: 2 BuckeyeTraveler # in party: 1 Some members may have elected not to display their names. The current party tally is 172. If the party reaches a tally of 6 MSC Cruises will hold a Meet & Mingle party onboard! Subscribe to Price Alerts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fighterone Posted January 25, 2020 #7 Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Curious about cruises said: I have signed up for the Roll Call (unless for some reason it didn't take). We went on the MSC Poesia about 8 years ago, and it was one of our favorite cruises ever. We loved the international feel and all the dance lessons. I am sitting here trying to map out our evenings after printing out the daily programs from one of the posts in December. I didn't see your name in our roll call either. Here is the link to it. https://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcalls/msc-meraviglia-february-2-2020/ Edited January 25, 2020 by Fighterone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious about cruises Posted January 25, 2020 Author #8 Share Posted January 25, 2020 I checked, and I had forgotten to check Display. I signed up for 4 - me and my husband and our friends. Thanks for checking for me. Did you sign up for the repeat customer's reception? If so, how do you do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fighterone Posted January 25, 2020 #9 Share Posted January 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, Curious about cruises said: I checked, and I had forgotten to check Display. I signed up for 4 - me and my husband and our friends. Thanks for checking for me. Did you sign up for the repeat customer's reception? If so, how do you do that? I don't think you sign up for those online. There should be an invitation in your stateroom at embarkation or soon thereafter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perakcruiser Posted January 26, 2020 #10 Share Posted January 26, 2020 5 hours ago, Curious about cruises said: Can anyone recommend specific nights for the specialty restaurants based on the MDR menus for the nights so that we avoid the 'misses'? No, forget about these hits and misses. Certainly the will be nights with a menu that not fits you so much than other nights. You can the the menu for the whole week in the app (only while you are on the ship). So you can make the decision for your speciality nights on the first day on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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