Meraviglia vs NCL Encore/Joy

[skeeter195]

Here is a comparison post that I put up on the NCL board today if anyone is interested.  I appreciate the info I got from the MSC board prior to my cruise last month.

 

The ship:  NCL

-Once outside of the suite area NCL has many more food options and things going on

-both designs are nice and easy to get around

Getting on and off the ship:  MSC

-group escort on the ship into the YC

-butler escort off the ship right to the exit door, wow

Snacks:  NCL 

-just having the local or osheehans makes this a no brainer

Pizza:  MSC

-not even close.  Just seeing the Mozzarella machine at work made the pizza better, not to mention the 8 or ten varieties and thin crust.  

Suite area dining:  MSC

-while the food itself is technically prepared and presented better on NCL the changing menus on MSC get the nod here. 

-The addition of fresh pastas daily also gives MSC an edge. 

-Some food on MSC is bland. I believe that is due to them following the European salt and sugar standards for restaurants.  Just add salt and or pepper at times and all is good

-The small outside MSC buffet on deck 18 was always open for breakfast and lunch no matter the weather 

In room dining:  NCL

-Both offer 24 hour room service but on NCL ordering off of the Haven menus are never a problem MSC must be ordered off of the regular room service menu mostly

Drinks:  NCL

-We may have had bad luck but the we had a hard time getting drinks made properly on MSC.  The simplest of drinks like a cosmo or gimlet had bartenders and servers asking what was in it.  NCL is always 95% spot on with drinks

Perks:  MSC

-top shelf drink package, fully stocked and replenished mini bar, a full bottle of spirit of your choice for the room, bottle wine or champagne every other day in your room all included on MSC.   Daily snacks the same on both.  Escorted to shows and off of the ship the same.  

Butler:  MSC

-We have had great butlers on NCL but our butler on MSC was twice as good as our best NCL butler.  We are never needy and always appreciate what our butler does for us.  He did so many little things for us but was never bothering us if that makes sense.  Always there at the right time some how.  Again our NCL butlers have all been great except for one who was horrible.  Maybe we just got lucky on MSC but wow.

Entertainment: MSC

-We always liked the NCL entertainment but within the last few years we rarely go to the theatre anymore.  We are on a 15 day prima cruise soon and I do not know what we are going to do honestly, maybe the price is right will be fun. NCL lounge and club acts are also getting to be the same old thing.  It was probably just different on MSC but we attended 4 theatre shows and multiple small act shows and enjoyed them all. 

Casino:  MSC 

-All of my NCL cruises have been casino comps.  Lately though their comps are declining rapidly with what seems like a "mystery spin" as to what you may comped next.  My Haven comps have now mostly become balcony or club balcony comps for more play.  MSC casino comps are very simple to understand, bet or play this and you get this, simple.  A YC comp is a little bit easier to get than a Haven comp it appears.  Casino management is much more approachable and friendlier than NCL.  People are different and I may have gotten lucky on MSC for my cruise.

Price:  MSC

I had to pay full fare minus a small discount for this cruise and it was still cheaper than an NCL comped cruise upgrading to the Haven.  For a comped cruise NCL charges a $20 per day fee plus all of the other taxes, gratuities on drinks and dining, etc so a 9 day comped cruise these charges come out to be between 1-1.2k(2).  The MSC 9 day cruise cost was $360(2) total for all taxes, fees, etc.

 

Final thoughts: MSC by a hair

-We like NCL and we will stick with them but not exclusively.  There are things that NCL needs to do or MSC will overtake them once people find out.  The casino is the big thing.  Casino revenue is huge on ships and NCL has a big piece of the floating casino game.  MSC though is better in ways.  Gamblers like to be given things even if small, they like to be recognized, MSC does this better. 

-I do not have sour grapes with NCL, heck I won over 100k on NCL in November and I actually lost money on this MSC cruise.  Winning and losing is part of the game.  

-Maybe we just got lucky with this one MSC cruise. 

up today on the NCL board comparing the Meraviglia(I sailed January 4-11th) and NCL newer ships Encore and Joy.

[pamelanj]

We just got off of our first MSC Mera cruise yesterday and really enjoyed ourselves. We usually cruise NCL.

 

We did balcony Aurea and enjoyed the perks that came with the experience. We may try YC in the future.

 

We are doing our first Haven on Joy in June. Typically we do extended balcony or club balcony on NCL depending on what is available.

 

You mentioned casino comped NCL cruises. I assume this is Caesar’s? We have noticed the comps aren’t coming lately. We are diamond plus. We always upgraded the comped cruise. The last few cruises we just used the discount they offer.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful comparison.

[skeeter195]

The comped cruises always came from NCL CAS directly.  The problem is that you have to call CAS and ask about what your comp may be, which has no rhyme or reason.  MSC is very polarizing, earn these points and get this.  While there is "wiggle room" woth NCL, MSC is can be a much fairer comping system.  You may not get as much as much as NCL will give you at times but you will get what you have earned from MSC.  

[PTC DAWG]

IF pool layout in the main area of the ship is important, NCL Joy fails fabulously here.  It was designed for a different market and even after an extensive dry dock, it fails IMHO.  

 

I miss a craps table when I sail MSC...I saw where one was added for a time on either Seaside or Seashore or their sister ships..did this stick?  

[skeeter195]

There was a full sized craps table on the Meraviglia last month.  I played 3 times, twice by myself and once with 2 other people.  

[rcmal88]

How crowded is the craps table. I know it's depending on the people on each sailing.