MSC Meraviglia with Baby

[melnemac32]

Hi All,

 

We will be taking our baby on our cruise on the MSC Meraviglia.  She will be 10 months old at the time.  Does anyone have experience with what MSC offers for babies?  I'm hoping that maybe someone has sailed with a baby and can share their experiences.  Do they offer any babysitting programs?  This is our first cruise with a baby so we are interested in learning more.

[cruisesafer]

We took our 7 month old baby on our first Msc cruise and we loved the experience. Everyone was so nice and some of the crew members, including once the captain, stopped to chat with us and entertain the baby a bit.
In the restaurants they provide high chairs and in the cabin they are able to provide a baby crib. We had our travel crib so we did not need the bed, but the high chair was great to have during meal times.
There should be enough room on the bathroom sink to wash the bottles and leave them to dry. We used the desk drawers to store baby food, items and clothes. The desk was the most convenient place where to prepare the bottles because of the light from the window and light ion top  of the desk and mirror.
We washed baby clothes in the sink and hang them to dry in the shower clothes line.
I suggest you give the a measles MMR vaccine before boarding according to you pediatrician advise, which will be later repeated when your babu is 1 year old and wipe the surfaces before he touches them. We felt the higiene on board was good and surfaces were clean for her to touch them anyway. She was not walking and so it was easier to control that aspect anyways.
We did not leave our baby at the daycare because she was too little.
We carried her around the ship either holding her or on the stroller that double as car seat once detached from the frame (Chicco keyfit system) that we used for the excursions. 
At the bar they were able to quickly warm up the milk because we mixed it with bottle water that was too cold.
On board there was a small shop that sold some items, but I can't remember about baby items specifically. During our stops onnland we went a couple of times to get baby stuff like formula and diapers once.
Definitely a great experience on board and during the excursions. 

[cruisesafer]

I forgot to mention that the ship was the orchestra not the meraviglia

[perakcruiser]

We were on the Mera with our 13 month old baby and it was absolutely great. Yes, babysitting is offered and it is free. 

[melnemac32]

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

We were on the Mera with our 13 month old baby and it was absolutely great. Yes, babysitting is offered and it is free. 

 

Babysitting is free?  Were you able to book this ahead of time?  If not, when did you arraign the baby sitting? And do they baby sit for 10 month olds?  I'm trying to find anything online about this...  and there is a frustrating lack of details out there.  Thanks!

[perakcruiser]

10 hours ago, melnemac32 said:

Babysitting is free?  Were you able to book this ahead of time?  If not, when did you arraign the baby sitting? And do they baby sit for 10 month olds?  I'm trying to find anything online about this...  and there is a frustrating lack of details out there.  Thanks!

Don´t expect too many details before you board. First cruise with MSC is always leaning time. The hotline knows nothing, don´t waste your time. 

 

You cannot "book" the babysitting, there are fixed times. You bring the baby or not. No idea if they also take 10 months olds as our baby was 13 months as I wrote.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

also a helpful board in general: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/28-family-cruises/