Totally Disappointed with Meraviglia

[gmbhardy]

We are on the Meraviglia right now spinning in the waters off Ocean Cay. Unable to dock because of currents. This is our fifth YC cruise and so far we are extremely disappointed. We cruised on the Seashore in April and had a great experience. This one is a dud so far. We’ve heard other people say the same thing. Service is non existent. The liquor tastes funny. The YC bar has nothing premium in stock. Cutbacks everywhere. No sparkling wine in your room. Nothing about the mini fridge (last cruise we received a bottle of liquor). Diamond perks cutback no chocolate ship, no gift. Our butler knocked at our door, introduced himself and said call if you need anything. No explaining anything. It almost seems like the crew is staging some sort “work to rule’” labour demonstration. We are on this ship for a B2B so I sure hope things improve, but they appear to be going in the opposite direction. I will post again later with an update.

 

 

 

 

[perakcruiser]

You should include the date of your cruise in the title so people know what cruise you are talking. Would be very helpful.

[rdslone]

11 minutes ago, gmbhardy said:

We are on the Meraviglia right now spinning in the waters off Ocean Cay. Unable to dock because of currents. This is our fifth YC cruise and so far we are extremely disappointed. We cruised on the Seashore in April and had a great experience. This one is a dud so far. We’ve heard other people say the same thing. Service is non existent. The liquor tastes funny. The YC bar has nothing premium in stock. Cutbacks everywhere. No sparkling wine in your room. Nothing about the mini fridge (last cruise we received a bottle of liquor). Diamond perks cutback no chocolate ship, no gift. Our butler knocked at our door, introduced himself and said call if you need anything. No explaining anything. It almost seems like the crew is staging some sort “work to rule’” labour demonstration. We are on this ship for a B2B so I sure hope things improve, but they appear to be going in the opposite direction. I will post again later with an update.

 

 

 

 

I just got off that boat good luck I hope things improve it was the worst cruise I have ever been on.

[gmbhardy]

5 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

You should include the date of your cruise in the title so people know what cruise you are talking. Would be very helpful.

Sorry about that. It’s a week long Caribbean cruise leaving from Cape Canaveral on Oct.16 with stops at Ocean Cay (2 days), Costa Maya and Cozumel. The second week there’s a stop in Naussa and only one day at Ocean Cay.

[mafig]

23 minutes ago, gmbhardy said:

. I will post again later with an update.

 

 

 

 

 

Please do.

🙂

[Gatordad1967]

Is Rudolph still the wine guy?

 

[Mrs. Walkinman]

While you are on board, will you look around and see where the smoking areas are for regular (not Yacht Club) passengers?  Is there anywhere to get a drink and smoke in the shade, out of the sun and rain?

[PTC DAWG]

4 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

We are on the Meraviglia right now spinning in the waters off Ocean Cay. Unable to dock because of currents. This is our fifth YC cruise and so far we are extremely disappointed. We cruised on the Seashore in April and had a great experience. This one is a dud so far. We’ve heard other people say the same thing. Service is non existent. The liquor tastes funny. The YC bar has nothing premium in stock. Cutbacks everywhere. No sparkling wine in your room. Nothing about the mini fridge (last cruise we received a bottle of liquor). Diamond perks cutback no chocolate ship, no gift. Our butler knocked at our door, introduced himself and said call if you need anything. No explaining anything. It almost seems like the crew is staging some sort “work to rule’” labour demonstration. We are on this ship for a B2B so I sure hope things improve, but they appear to be going in the opposite direction. I will post again later with an update.

 

 

 

 

Oceans and their currents can be very unpredictable…

[MainStreetMouse]

Keep us informed.

 

My wife and I booked a cruise of Meraviglia next month and we are hoping things  change for the better by then.

Edited October 17, 2022 by MainStreetMouse
spelling

[gmbhardy]

7 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Oceans and their currents can be very unpredictable…

I have no problem with that. Nature  - it is what it is. The onboard experience is another matter. We have one thing figured out though. My wife’s Black Russian tasted funny because the bartender used Tia Maria instead of Kahlua which is the standard.

[Georgia_Peaches]

4 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

No sparkling wine in your room.

Why no sparkling wine?  Did you inquire?  Here's hoping things improve...

[Georgia_Peaches]

2 minutes ago, MainStreetMouse said:

My wife and I booked a cruise of Meraviglia next month and we are hoping things  change for the better by then.

Us too.  I was so impressed with MSC after being on Seashore that we immediately booked a 4 night encore on Meraviglia for November.  So far, the ship/cruise isn't getting much love.

[gmbhardy]

Just now, Georgia_Peaches said:

Why no sparkling wine?  Did you inquire?  Here's hoping things improve...

We eventually got one but the butler implied that he was doing as a favour. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Just now, gmbhardy said:

We eventually got one but the butler implied that he was doing as a favour. 

Huh...well maybe he's not expecting a tip...he certainly wouldn't be earning one with that attitude were I currently on board.  Please keep us posted.

[CruisingFox27]

6 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

We are on the Meraviglia right now spinning in the waters off Ocean Cay. Unable to dock because of currents. This is our fifth YC cruise and so far we are extremely disappointed. We cruised on the Seashore in April and had a great experience. This one is a dud so far. We’ve heard other people say the same thing. Service is non existent. The liquor tastes funny. The YC bar has nothing premium in stock. Cutbacks everywhere. No sparkling wine in your room. Nothing about the mini fridge (last cruise we received a bottle of liquor). Diamond perks cutback no chocolate ship, no gift. Our butler knocked at our door, introduced himself and said call if you need anything. No explaining anything. It almost seems like the crew is staging some sort “work to rule’” labour demonstration. We are on this ship for a B2B so I sure hope things improve, but they appear to be going in the opposite direction. I will post again later with an update.

 

 

 

 

 

Have you been to see the concierge desk to raise any of these issues? That would definitely be my first step. 

[no1talks]

5 hours ago, Gatordad1967 said:

"Is Rudolph still the wine guy?"

 

He was supposed to leave just after our cruise in February.

He was big contributor to our enjoyment of that cruise! I told him I always let the sommelier choose my wine and he did not disappoint. He even picked my apéritifs and he batted 1.000 there, as well.

[Zephyr173]

Just got off that ship, and had a spectacular time. Our butler, room attendant and then waiters were fantastic. Disappointing to read you are having a negative experience. 

[lcpagejr]

1 minute ago, Zephyr173 said:

Just got off that ship, and had a spectacular time. Our butler, room attendant and then waiters were fantastic. Disappointing to read you are having a negative experience. 

Consider yourself fortunate to have cruised in YC. Pretty much shelters you from the chaos below. I've always said I will only cruise YC on MSC....Last cruise my wife only left YC for excursions and the SPA. No interest in spending time any where else. Done it twice. No interest in dealing with the unorganization, inconsistencies and cattle herding in the main ship area

[no1talks]

2 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

"My wife’s Black Russian tasted funny because the bartender used Tia Maria instead of Kahlua which is the standard."

American standard. I would expect Tia Maria to be used by a bartender on any European cruise line, especially MSC, because...
 

1. The cocktail is of Belgian origin, from a time when Kahlúa (from Mexico) was not commonly stocked in Europe.
2. Tia Maria has been made in Italy for over a decade now.

 

Oddly enough, until a few years after the turn of the century, both Kahlúa and Tia Maria were owned by the same French liquor conglomerate. Go figure. 🙄

 

[ken_ll]

gmdhardy. On the Oct 15/22 Seashore right now in YC.  All is well, service is friendly and great for the most part.  I seem to gravitate to the beef tenderloins for dinner, extremely tender.

 

Some quirks - Last night asked for Singapore Sling in YC lounge.  Bartender indicates missing two ingredients at bar, one being liquor.  So he made me something else.  Twenty minutes later, he was going to make a second same drink.  After a half hour, I ordered a rye and ginger thinking bartender forgotten.  The two drinks appear immediately.

 

Tonight waited in lounge to be escorted to gangway here in San Juan.  Pre-arranged with butler who was no show in lounge.  Asked at concierge desk on 16 as to what deck to disembark.  The attendant (Italian) was quite indignant that we would go to gangway without butler.  He directs us back to lounge and expects us to go.  That would solve his problem-us but not address the issue.  I explain butler no show in lounge.  He rounds up another butler.

 

Bottle of sparking wine chilling in room on Oct 15, another on Oct 16 as well as two chocolate ships (both Diamonds) and macaroons.  Today,  no more wine, fridge full.

 

Embarked Saturday at 11:30 am our given time.  Seemed like the whole ship had the same time.  The hall in Miami was full, no one moving and line ups everywhere, people sitting on floor.  The YC was slow, took 45 minutes but at least we boarded with relative ease and went past lines not moving.  We don’t venture into the chaos.

 

[marierdna]

Did the ship finally arrive at Ocean Cay?

[greg_atlanta]

Is this sailing at capacity?  Sounds like the prior 3 night sailing was a mess, but ship was packed.

 

I'm on the 7 day sailing Nov 6.  Thanks in advance for getting the kinks out for us!  [fingers crossed]  😁

[B42low]

Does anyone know the capacity on the Meraviglia for 10/23/2022 sailing? Thanks

[HipHipOnAShip]

11 hours ago, no1talks said:

He was supposed to leave just after our cruise in February.

He was big contributor to our enjoyment of that cruise! I told him I always let the sommelier choose my wine and he did not disappoint. He even picked my apéritifs and he batted 1.000 there, as well.

Wow, we had the EXACT opposite experience with him on the Mera.  He kept offering grocery store bottles of $9 wines to us (basically the wines on the Easy Plus list even though we were in YC), to which we kept declining, until finally we gave up.  We thought he was incredibly stingy.

[BklynBorn47]

12 hours ago, lcpagejr said:

Consider yourself fortunate to have cruised in YC. Pretty much shelters you from the chaos below. I've always said I will only cruise YC on MSC....Last cruise my wife only left YC for excursions and the SPA. No interest in spending time any where else. Done it twice. No interest in dealing with the unorganization, inconsistencies and cattle herding in the main ship area

Wow!  I was just about to post about our great experience on the Meraviglia so I am reading this thread carefully.  We are just back from 18 days TA on that ship (Marseille to Port Canaveral) after B2B on Windstar in the Mediterranean.

Although we have cruised the "ship within a ship" on other lines, this was our first MSC and we wanted to see the basic experience.  It was great!  

We had great service, everything was very well organized.  Amazed at the number of activities provided throughout the day.  We ate in the MDR evenings and a few lunches.  Food was just fine.  Friendly, attentive staff.  Breakfast and most lunches in the buffet - nice time talking with staff from around the world.  Everyone asking if all was OK and did we need anything.
We loved the international vibe and the entertainment. Met a lot of interesting people.

 

This makes me wonder if the YC, maybe at full capacity isn't worth it?
Perhaps a different experience on a long TA vs short Caribbean jaunts?

Final thought - even the Medical staff is great.  My husband cut his foot on Windstar, and had the 12 stitches removed as well as follow-up visits on MSC.  No complaints whatsoever.

The easiest "express disembarkation" we have ever had.  
Hard to believe we are talking about the same ship as I've heard described here.