MSC Meraviglia

[Geobugs]

First time MSC cruiser with some questions:

1. Bella experience selected: Can I select a classic dining experience?  i.e. traditional dining style, a dedicated table each night, to enjoy personalised service from the same waiter, know my dining preferences.  If not, can I request a set time and waiter in the Flexi Dining room?  Can you pre-select a set time AND set table daily?

2. Embarkation:  What time will allow the least amount of waiting in line to board the ship, yet will still allow us to eat in the main dining room for lunch which is open from Noon to 1:30pm.

3. Disembarkation:  Since times for disembarkation are by room, and for us that time is around 8:15am, can we wait until 9:00am to disembark, to allow us to finish breakfast in the main dining room.

4. Broadway Theatre seat reservations:  The app, MSC for me, allows you to reserve for the show in the Broadway Theater.  Does it reserve a place or an actual seat?  ie general admission ticket or a served seat?  Same question for Cirque du Soliel.

5. Dining:  are you able to order the entree without the vegetable? order two steaks entrees? Order the chicken, steak, and the salmon?

6. Towels:  Can you take a pool towel off the ship to use on shore?

[APDMOM]

1 hour ago, Geobugs said:

First time MSC cruiser with some questions:

1. Bella experience selected: Can I select a classic dining experience? When you make your booking, you choose early or late dining.  You get an assigned table with the same waiters every day.  With Bella, you don’t have high priority, but they will usually try to accommodate your request.   i.e. traditional dining style, a dedicated table each night, to enjoy personalised service from the same waiter, know my dining preferences.  If not, can I request a set time and waiter in the Flexi Dining room?  Can you pre-select a set time AND set table daily?

2. Embarkation:  What time will allow the least amount of waiting in line to board the ship, yet will still allow us to eat in the main dining room for lunch which is open from Noon to 1:30pm.We usually show up around 10:30.  It allows for less waiting time in line, and more relaxed waiting time in the lounge before you board.  I can not speak for how busy it gets later... However, they may become more strict with boarding and check in times due to social distancing.  

3. Disembarkation:  Since times for disembarkation are by room, and for us that time is around 8:15am, can we wait until 9:00am to disembark, to allow us to finish breakfast in the main dining room.  Yes.  You can disembark later than your assigned time.

4. Broadway Theatre seat reservations:  The app, MSC for me, allows you to reserve for the show in the Broadway Theater.  Does it reserve a place or an actual seat?  ie general admission ticket or a served seat? General admission.  Bookings for the show are not available until you are on the ship wifi.  You can try to make bookings while at the port, waiting to board.   Same question for Cirque du Soliel. Have not done this, so I can not help with this one.

5. Dining:  are you able to order the entree without the vegetable? order two steaks entrees? Order the chicken, steak, and the salmon? Should not be a problem.

6. Towels:  Can you take a pool towel off the ship to use on shore?  Yes, but you get charged if it is lost - just like on other ships.  You get a pool towel per person in your stateroom at the beginning of the cruise.  You can replace it for a clean towel from the pool station, but always make sure it goes back to your room. 🙂

Tried to answer what I could in red... 

Edited July 12, 2020 by APDMOM
typo

[Mattnvick]

Yes to the first.

The 2nd can vary cruise to cruise. I would aim for noon.

 

I'm surprised you already know your disembarcation time. But you are proably safe to finish breakfast but may have to vacate your cabin before you go to the dining room. Im also surprised the main dining room is open as late as that on that day. 

 

Reserving get a you general admission not a seat. Dont know whether its the some in cirque shows.

 

You can order whatever you want to eat and yes you can you can take your towels off to use on shore

[Até]

In addition to above:

 

Your assigned table will likely be shared with others.  You can request a change from the maitre d' on the first afternoon but have the lowest priority as Bella.

 

There is no lunch in the MDR on embarkation day.  Aurea and Yacht Club experience do get that as a perk.

 

Cirque shows have assigned seats.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Até

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, Até said:

Cirque shows have assigned seats.

 

That was my experience as well.  I don't know how the seats are assigned.  I was a YC guest and was pleased to find my seat with others from YC in the second row from the stage.  The same "loosely-defined alcoholic" drinks, though, were the same for all who attended the show.  Loved the Cirque show that I saw.  And, in the past on Celebrity when such type shows were presented:  I did NOT enjoy them.  I was pleasantly surprised.    

[sptrout]

With new COVID rules not yet announced, all the above is what it used to be not necessarily as it will be when you sail. I would expect major changes starting at the very beginning; embarktion, all the way to disembarkation. All bets are off for U.S. sailings IMO.

 

Cirque du Soliel filed for bankruptcy last week so it is any body's quess if that show will ever return. I hope it can survive, it was a fascinating show.

[sverigecruiser]

On 7/12/2020 at 2:22 AM, Até said:

 

Cirque shows have assigned seats.

 

 

 

We did not have  assigned seats for the Cirque show but of course that can have changed since we cruised.

[hamrag]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

We did not have  assigned seats for the Cirque show but of course that can have changed since we cruised.

We had assigned seats, noted on our tickets!

 

Disclaimer to OP: All the responses may bear NO relation to what the 'new normal' will look like, once sailing resumes. 😉

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

We had assigned seats, noted on our tickets!

 

Disclaimer to OP: All the responses may bear NO relation to what the 'new normal' will look like, once sailing resumes. 😉

 

We were seated when the doors opened and they just filled the rows.

[UPNYGuy]

On 7/13/2020 at 5:23 AM, hamrag said:

We had assigned seats, noted on our tickets!

 

Disclaimer to OP: All the responses may bear NO relation to what the 'new normal' will look like, once sailing resumes. 😉

we were on her Feb 2019 and had assigned seats 

[rkacruiser]

Maybe the difference between assigned seats and those not assigned is due to the class of service one has booked?

 

I know for 100% certain that the guests that had booked their dinner prior to the show remained at their tables for the show.  There was no movement within the theater from those guests into the rows closer to the stage.  

[rkacruiser]

On 7/12/2020 at 10:26 PM, sptrout said:

Cirque du Soliel filed for bankruptcy last week so it is any body's quess if that show will ever return. I hope it can survive, it was a fascinating show.

I share your hope.  I really enjoyed viewing the show.  

 

It helped to elevate my opinion of the entertainment and music that I experienced on MSC as compared to my recent experiences on Holland America Line.  

[sverigecruiser]

9 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Maybe the difference between assigned seats and those not assigned is due to the class of service one has booked?

 

I know for 100% certain that the guests that had booked their dinner prior to the show remained at their tables for the show.  There was no movement within the theater from those guests into the rows closer to the stage.  

 

I think that the reason can be that she was very new when we cruised so maybe they changed it to assigned seats later. Eating guests remained at their tables on our cruise too.             

[Norwich Cruiser]

We remained in our elevated dining table seats that were pre allocated for the show.

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

We remained in our elevated dining table seats that were pre allocated for the show.

 

Out of curiosity, what was your opinion of your dinner?  Do you recall the menu options available for you?  Was the service, cuisine, and menu as good as, better than, or worse than whatever dining room you were assigned?  

 

While my seats for the show were excellent, I thought that those who had dinner before the show in their somewhat elevated deck and not so close to the stage might have had a better perspective on the performance.  

[Norwich Cruiser]

The dinner was just okay cannot remember the exact menu think we had tomato and mozzarella cheese starter followed by some sort of beef dish cannot remember desert but I’m pretty sure it was two choices of each quite uninspiring that we definitely had to pre order.

 

It was certainly no better in our opinion better than the MDR and definitely nowhere near as good as all speciality restaurants especially Butchers Choice.

 

The service was fine but think it is spoiled by the admittance of all the folks on the cocktail and show option walking in mid way through your meal.

 

We were in the elevated position and enjoyed the show but definitely not enough to do the dinner and show again to us it was most definitely not worth the upcharge.

 

If we were to go again it would be the cocktail option although many folks did not drink there’s.

[rkacruiser]

On 7/21/2020 at 6:23 PM, Norwich Cruiser said:

The service was fine but think it is spoiled by the admittance of all the folks on the cocktail and show option walking in mid way through your meal.

 

I may have been one of those who did so.  Sorry.

 

On 7/21/2020 at 6:23 PM, Norwich Cruiser said:

If we were to go again it would be the cocktail option although many folks did not drink there’s.

 

I had a Bahama Mama as my one drink attending the show.  "Bahama Mama" must have been close to a non-drinker.  There was a "bit" of Rum in the drink.  And, that was it!  Very fruity, as such a drink such be, although.  

 

I appreciate your response.  Thank you.