MSC General Questions -Ocean Cay, Wifi, Excursions, Specialty Dining, etc

[Toddcan]

Just booked our first MSC cruise (7 day Meraviglia out of Brooklyn), and I have some general questions. I'm quite familiar with booking the main lines, so I wanted to know if there are any differences I should be aware of. Specifically:

 

1. Can I book an excursion, and if I change my mind, cancel the original one and get my money back?  Royal Caribbean allows full refunds up to 48 hrs before the excursion.  Same/Similar with MSC?

 

2. Finding information on Ocean Cay is tough. Specifically - is there a map showing where the extra-fee cabanas are located? I see some beachfront ones only available to the Yacht Club, but there are some available to everyone else - where are these, and how far from the beach/ocean are the non-yacht club ones?  

 

3. Specialty dining - sounds like there are some very recent changes put into play - no more unlimited specialty dining packages, but simply 3-4-5 night packages that specifically tell you which restaurants it includes, and you can only go to one restaurant one time as part of the package.   I'll do more reading on this one.  I'm looking at the $140 package which gives me 3 nights - Steak house, Taco place, and the Seafood place.  But, generally speaking - do people find the MDRs decent?  Just looking for general opinions here on the lay of the land.   

 

4. Internet - The only feedback I have seen is almost 100% negative. I get it - ship wifi is sketchy at best, even with Starlink on the Royal ships - it's never "like home", but I would like to know if it's really as horrible as I'm reading

 

5. Adult only areas on the Meraviglia.  From what I think I learned, there is a 2-story "Solarium" with a retractable roof, but it's all ages?  This is only confusing for me because Royal Caribbean calls there adult only area the "Solarium".   I see an adult only area on the top deck (16?), with a small pool, but all of the loungers look to be in the direct open sun.  Is there any place for adults only to be on deck but have some shade?   

 

6. Shows - do we need to book anything in advance, or get tickets?

 

Thanks in advance everyone! 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

There are several threads about specialty dining for current info.  
The internet has been wonderful, the only hang up being you can only use it for one device.  Unlike other lines, you can’t sign out of one device and into another.  If you want to use phone and tablet or laptop, you have to buy a two device package.

Reservations for shows can be made via the app, or the interactive screens located around the ship.  Most are free.  You just show your cruise card for scanning at theater entrance.  This is because the theater cannot hold everyone at one seating.  Shows are offered usually three times a night.

I believe the cabanas outside the Yacht Club area are on South Beach.  See map below.

Read some Live from threads here, there are several and will be more soon.

[JamieLogical]

2 hours ago, Toddcan said:

Just booked our first MSC cruise (7 day Meraviglia out of Brooklyn), and I have some general questions. I'm quite familiar with booking the main lines, so I wanted to know if there are any differences I should be aware of. Specifically:

 

1. Can I book an excursion, and if I change my mind, cancel the original one and get my money back?  Royal Caribbean allows full refunds up to 48 hrs before the excursion.  Same/Similar with MSC?

 

2. Finding information on Ocean Cay is tough. Specifically - is there a map showing where the extra-fee cabanas are located? I see some beachfront ones only available to the Yacht Club, but there are some available to everyone else - where are these, and how far from the beach/ocean are the non-yacht club ones?  

 

3. Specialty dining - sounds like there are some very recent changes put into play - no more unlimited specialty dining packages, but simply 3-4-5 night packages that specifically tell you which restaurants it includes, and you can only go to one restaurant one time as part of the package.   I'll do more reading on this one.  I'm looking at the $140 package which gives me 3 nights - Steak house, Taco place, and the Seafood place.  But, generally speaking - do people find the MDRs decent?  Just looking for general opinions here on the lay of the land.   

 

4. Internet - The only feedback I have seen is almost 100% negative. I get it - ship wifi is sketchy at best, even with Starlink on the Royal ships - it's never "like home", but I would like to know if it's really as horrible as I'm reading

 

5. Adult only areas on the Meraviglia.  From what I think I learned, there is a 2-story "Solarium" with a retractable roof, but it's all ages?  This is only confusing for me because Royal Caribbean calls there adult only area the "Solarium".   I see an adult only area on the top deck (16?), with a small pool, but all of the loungers look to be in the direct open sun.  Is there any place for adults only to be on deck but have some shade?   

 

6. Shows - do we need to book anything in advance, or get tickets?

 

Thanks in advance everyone! 

 

 

 

1. If you book excursions, you can cancel them for a refund, but there is no way to cancel online. You will need to call or cancel once onboard.

 

2. The non-YC Cabanas are spaced out widely (I would guess 75 feet apart?) along the beaches highlighted in red on this map:

 

3. It does seem that the specialty dining packages were very recently changed. You could never visit Butcher's Cut more than once with a package, but you were able to choose the other restaurants you wanted to use a credit at. Now each package includes meals at specific restaurants. I am generally happy with the MDR food. On my first MSC sailing, I booked the 3-meal specialty dining package and used my credits at Butcher's Cut, Ocean Cay, and Teppanyaki. All of them were fine, though Teppanyaki was WAY too much food. However, I tried both Kaito Sushi and Hola! Taco, just paying the a la carte prices (very reasonable pricing) and I enjoyed both of those more than the other restaurants, so on my most recent sailing, I just paid out of pocket at Hola! and Kaito for several meals and skipped the specialty dining package altogether.

4. I have only ever had the Browse wifi on MSC and have found it to be great. You can't watch YouTube videos (I believe YouTube is just completely blocked, not that it's too slow), but I have had no issues browsing websites, posting to Cruise Critic, keeping up with emails, etc. It is worth noting that one device means one device. You cannot log out of a device and in on another. Once you log in on a device, you are "locked in" on that device for the rest of the cruise. Lucky for me, I have an android phone that can hotspot wifi, so I can just connect other devices through my phone, but iPhones do not support hotspotting wifi.

 

5. As far as I know, the only adults-only area on the Meraviglia is the Horizon Pool. You are correct that it is very sun-exposed.

 

6. You will need reservations for main theater shows. You can book those once onboard through the touchscreens mounted on the walls throughout the ship. For the Carousel Lounge shows, you will need to purchase tickets for a specific night/time.

[gizfish]

We found the MDR  food more than adequate and would not consider purchasing a specialty dining plan.  We did pay to eat at Hola, which was very reasonably priced and delicious.  Keep in mind that the dining plan menus are restricted, as that may influence your decision to purchase.  

 

We had the browse and stream WiFi and had few if any problems with the service.  The price is much higher than other lines especially considering you pay per device.

 

Show reservations were easy to make using the app.  But, we had to do it throughout the cruise as they only appeared two days in advance.  If you choose to see the Carousel Lounge shows, book that before the cruise online as it will be cheaper.  

[dexddd]

The solarium is called Bamboo and is generally filled with families.