MSC MERAVIGLIA --sailing on 9/4/2023 to Bermuda from Brooklyn, couple questions

[xzll]

This is the first time we get on cruise from Brooklyn, and first time on MSC cruise ship too. So had couple questions hope to get clarified from your past experience:

 

1. We will be driving to New Jersey a day before and stay in a hotel for a night. So plan is to drive to the cruise terminal and park there ( I know the rate is high), but with 2 senior and 2 kids and two of us at 45+, with the number of luggages, I think other option is not good either. My question is will we have problems finding a parking spot in the terminal parking lot? 

 

2. Our embarkation time is 1pm, the ship is leaving at 3p, (I kind of feel weird since it says somewhere the check-in closed 2 hours before departure?!), anyway so what time you suggest we should arrive, saw so many posts about long wait ( 2 hours +) in this terminal, so maybe we should arrive between 11-12 to be safe?

 

3. We had 2 balcony Fansticia room, I matched my Hilton silver level membership to the MSC silver club member, but I don't think silver tier has priority boarding, am i right? Will the MSC silver tier give me any advantages at check-in or with kids and seniors, can I get some benefit?

 

4. does the balcony room has hair dryer in bathroom?

 

5. I saw somewhere saying you should bring magnetic metal hooks so it can give u flexibility to hang your cloth, and bring power outlet plug bar since no enough power outlet in each room, is this true in MSC cruise ship?

 

6. My kids are 14 (girl) and 11 (boy), anyone had experience to share with the similar age kids on MSC MERAVIGLIA, what's entertain the kids most and what's least?

 

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help I know there are so many questions...

[Essiesmom]

There will be a hair dryer in the drawer at the desk.  Not in the bathroom.  I believe there will be two US (110v) and two EU (220v) also at the desk.  Do not believe there will be usb outlets, but I haven’t sailed this ship.  EM

[JamieLogical]

I highly recommend an adaptor to take advantage of the multiple European outlets in the room, because there are only two US outlets. I got this one off of Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YVMM483/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[klangel]

You should have no problem finding a spot to park your car. And it’s super close to the terminal. Keep in mind getting to the terminal May take some time because the roads leading to the terminal is not ideal. Only one lane going into and one lane coming out of terminal. Bring magnetic hooks to use for handing hats, swim suit etc. Not sure what it is call maybe power strips you would most likely need one. The outlet is not near the nightstand so you may want to bring an extension cord. Your kids can try the teen club. There’s bowling and arcade. Swimming and water slides. Basketball and there may be a rope course

[Brighton Line]

2 for $20 with 3 110 Plugs 2 USB and 1 USB-C and 10% coupon. I use these on all cruises including MSC. No surge protection and you are not allowed to bring anything with surge protection on board. 

Multiple 220V (European) plugs in the room, at the desk, and lower on the wall are used for the vacuum by your steward.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3LZ5896/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Embarcation times have been to change, mine did 7 times, as early as 9:30a and late as 1:30p don't make a big deal about it, the port does not enforce the times probably leading to crowding issues that have been seen.

 

Parking is not an issue, people leave from the previous cruise and you take their spots. The other two lines Cunard and Princess do not sail as often as MSC and Cunard with transatlantic there are not many people parking until later in the fall season. 

 

Silver has no embarkation or debarkation benefits, it is only the 2nd level in four levels in the Voyager Club. Gold gets you a tender priority, that's it you need to be a Diamond or Yacht Club for any embarkation privileges. 

 

All walls and doors are metal, your cabin is basically a metal box that is inserted in the side of the ship. So magnetic hooks work, magnets to hang notes on the door, or a sign in the hallway to identify your room all work. 

 

Don't have kids... 

Enjoy

[JAGR]

18 minutes ago, Brighton Line said:

2 for $20 with 3 110 Plugs 2 USB and 1 USB-C and 10% coupon. I use these on all cruises including MSC. No surge protection and you are not allowed to bring anything with surge protection on board. 

Multiple 220V (European) plugs in the room, at the desk, and lower on the wall are used for the vacuum by your steward.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3LZ5896/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good price!  I would just add a warning for anyone looking at this item is that it is not a transformer.  It simply allows you to plug into the 220v outlet and stays at 220v.  Important to know that you should check any devices you are using to see on that they can operate on 115-120 and 210-220 volts.  You ca n usually see it on the device, or at least on the UL tag near the plug itself.  Especially check any curling iron or other hair appliances.  DD fried her curling iron on the first night of her cruise!

Edited August 8, 2023 by JAGR

[xzll]

20 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I highly recommend an adaptor to take advantage of the multiple European outlets in the room, because there are only two US outlets. I got this one off of Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YVMM483/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

@JamieLogical so just want to confirm the 2 US outlets are 110v, correct?

[JamieLogical]

32 minutes ago, xzll said:

@JamieLogical so just want to confirm the 2 US outlets are 110v, correct?

Yep! And I believe the European outlets are 220, so definitely don't plug in any non-dual voltage devices if you have a simple adapter and not a transformer.

[Laurab23]

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

Yep! And I believe the European outlets are 220, so definitely don't plug in any non-dual voltage devices if you have a simple adapter and not a transformer.

The one I have used says surge protector but how will they know? I used ii on Celebrity Summit in May with no problems.

 

Laura

[Brighton Line]

10 hours ago, Laurab23 said:

The one I have used says surge protector but how will they know?

Not on MSC but I've had Stewards (assume it was the room steward) unplug things left to charge or remove the key from the slot by the door. Yes physically unplug an adapter that said it was a surge protector. YMMV and it could have been a one-off. 

[xzll]

14 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

Yep! And I believe the European outlets are 220, so definitely don't plug in any non-dual voltage devices if you have a simple adapter and not a transformer.

@JamieLogical one more question, so the 2 USA outlets for type A plug (two flat parallel pins) or Type B plug (two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin)? thanks very much for your help

[JamieLogical]

36 minutes ago, xzll said:

@JamieLogical one more question, so the 2 USA outlets for type A plug (two flat parallel pins) or Type B plug (two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin)? thanks very much for your help

 

Here is a photo of the desk in my balcony room.

 

[Mark_T]

12 hours ago, Laurab23 said:

The one I have used says surge protector but how will they know? I used ii on Celebrity Summit in May with no problems.

 

Please don't use these on cruise ships they are unsafe as they present an increased fire risk due to the way the surge protection functions combined with the way the cruise ships deliver power to the cabins.

 

You don't want the time they find out to be when they are putting out the flames...

 

 

[mailbroad]

On 8/7/2023 at 9:57 PM, JamieLogical said:

I highly recommend an adaptor to take advantage of the multiple European outlets in the room, because there are only two US outlets. I got this one off of Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YVMM483/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had one of these in May on the Mera and I think it is one of my favorite things I ever brought on a cruise! Do get one! You will be very happy!

I am also on the September 4 cruise... and 2 weeks in December... and possibly another one!

 

[CruiseCruiseAndMoreCruise]

On 8/7/2023 at 4:04 PM, xzll said:

This is the first time we get on cruise from Brooklyn, and first time on MSC cruise ship too. So had couple questions hope to get clarified from your past experience:

 

1. We will be driving to New Jersey a day before and stay in a hotel for a night. So plan is to drive to the cruise terminal and park there ( I know the rate is high), but with 2 senior and 2 kids and two of us at 45+, with the number of luggages, I think other option is not good either. My question is will we have problems finding a parking spot in the terminal parking lot? 

 

2. Our embarkation time is 1pm, the ship is leaving at 3p, (I kind of feel weird since it says somewhere the check-in closed 2 hours before departure?!), anyway so what time you suggest we should arrive, saw so many posts about long wait ( 2 hours +) in this terminal, so maybe we should arrive between 11-12 to be safe?

 

3. We had 2 balcony Fansticia room, I matched my Hilton silver level membership to the MSC silver club member, but I don't think silver tier has priority boarding, am i right? Will the MSC silver tier give me any advantages at check-in or with kids and seniors, can I get some benefit?

 

4. does the balcony room has hair dryer in bathroom?

 

5. I saw somewhere saying you should bring magnetic metal hooks so it can give u flexibility to hang your cloth, and bring power outlet plug bar since no enough power outlet in each room, is this true in MSC cruise ship?

 

6. My kids are 14 (girl) and 11 (boy), anyone had experience to share with the similar age kids on MSC MERAVIGLIA, what's entertain the kids most and what's least?

 

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help I know there are so many questions...

Parking didn't appear to be an issue when I looked in the parking lot the day we left and the day we returned.

 

I had a 1:30 embarkation time and arrived around 12:30.  

 

No benefits boarding early.  Even with Diamond the benefit is almost nil.  Everyone waited in the same security line, and then after security there was the Diamond/Aurea line.  It was much shorter, but it had 3 or 4 agents servicing it, versus the 20 or so that were handling the main line.  When it was my turn to go the people who were in front of me in the security line had about 5 people in front of them (so diamond might have saved 60 seconds).  It's only one data point though. 

 

No hair dryer.

 

Magnetic hooks can be useful.  I don't have any, but someone in the room left one behind and I found it useful to use to pin the window curtain against the wall to keep the light out in the early morning.  

 

Can't help with the kid question, talking to folks on board, some kids loved the kids club, others were bored by it.  Most seemed to like the pool and Ocean Cay.  Kids seemed to get a kick out of drinking the virgin drinks.  

[Mycykfamilytime]

I’m on this sailing!  Looking forward to it. 

[habc]

Do not arrive late! I was on the 5/7 cruise and a lot of passengers were left on the pier! I was told it was almost 100, they lock the doors and anyone not inside didn’t sail. Even if you have a 1:30 check in get there before that, it’s the “last call”