pvpollock

Oh, I have many cruises unde my belt but this was our first with Carnival. 

Did casino status matches to turn Wyndham Diamond status into a free Carnival balcony room offer. Same thing, I follow some travel points and miles blogs, frankly theybhave allowed many exotic trips the past few years that I would have never paid full price to take. Actually it was the ill fated 12 night Baltic cruise on the Pride that broke down in July 2023. I did gamble some on the Pride cruise, no offers yet but its only been a few weeks. 

I'll admit, I usually don't do upcharge dining on cruises but this is our first Carnival trip.  Any opinion if the Cat in the Hat breakfast is worth going to?  Obviously its a specific fixed menu with wacky food, I figure if its worthwhile then its because the experience factor.  Sailing on Pride July 9th 2023.  Thanks

Any info about table minimums in the casino?  I prefer blackjack and craps.  Also, July 9th on the Pride will be my first Carnival cruise and we're going because it was "free" through a casino offer.  They cited "free drinks in the casino" and $100 credit, is there a casino bar?  Hoping to grab a drink sometimes and slip off for a show/etc but that will be harder if its only service at machines and tables.  Thanks!

12 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

Yes!  They are working!  We all have clean laundry now.  

Sailing out of Dover to the Baltics on July 9th and I heard the Pride has self serve laundry machines.....how much is wash/dry, can you charge it to your room or need change, do you pay extra for detergent/cost, do you need to supervise/sit around?   Thanks for your review!

I have seen some mentions that others have been allowed to board with liquor on European cruises.  We are going on the Pride out of Dover on July 9th for a 12 night Baltic cruise.  I've used RumRunner flasks successfully in the past on many Caribbean cruises and was considering it for this trip but what is the rule?  Does it matter during Embarking from Dover versus bringing it on board during a port stop?  I'd like to pick up something from Duty Free flying to England or from one of the ports.  I drink bourbon neat and have maybe 2-3 per day so drink packages never make sense but saving on bar tabs is vital with so many excursion stops.  Thank you for any insight!

8 hours ago, JT1962 said:

I will be on my first MSC cruise on the Meraviglia on 1/23/2022.  How soon was your boarding time assigned? Did it change after it was assigned (I have seen some report that theirs did)? 

How soon were you able to get off the ship? 
 

I’m trying to arrange transportation from an Orlando hotel to the ship and from the ship back to the airport and need to know the times to request. Thanks.

We were assigned 1130, we got there then and yhere was no significant line. Waited for kids COVID tests for 20 min, then directly on board. They did not change our time on us

14 hours ago, hmwende said:

Thank you so much for the great review!  We will be sailing on Mera on March 6 and very excited. We almost booked the huge balcony but didn’t because I saw a photo and it seemed to be a tunnel. I want to be able to see the ocean when sitting in my bed. So I got the balcony next door 12276 - still larger but not as large. We are two adults and one 10 yo.

1) Did it bother you being on an angle and able to see inside everyone else’ balcony?  
2) Also, what was the traffic noise like in the hallway being near the stairs and at the beginning of two hallways leading to both balcony and inside rooms. Our room is right next to yours one floor down so I’m curious. 

3) Would love it if you would be so kind as to share a link to the hammock you brought so we can purchase. How did you hang it?

4) We love secluded beaches to avoid the crowds. It looks like there are at least 6 distinct beaches on Ocean Cay. We’re you able to visit others?  Also, which was the best for snorkeling?

1) The balcony is just deeper than standard, standing atvthe end you can see other balconies which is no big deal. The divider wall is longer since the balcony is deeper,  the section near the sliding door cannot be seen from other balconies.

2) No noise issue at all

3) Basic fabric hammock with straps, normally you'd wrap them around a tree. There are small metal arms that attach the walls to the ceiling that can use the straps. 

4) Lighthouse Beach had good number people since its closest to boat. Ocean Lagoon is huge, so people can spread out more. Didn't snorkel, the lagoon was calmer water but didn't seem filled with sealife. Neither was "secluded"

22 hours ago, jamesboat said:

I will have the drink package that includes fresh juice - did you happen to see fresh juice areas? On RC, they have one of those big machines that squeezes oranges in the buffet

I didn't have a drink package, the only juice I saw was that there were types at the coffee stations that came out of a machine (lemonade, mango, cranberry, etc).  Sorry

On 11/12/2021 at 10:54 PM, Grenadinka said:

Could you tell about thermal spa? Is it easy to book it on board? What’s the price for the week for couples?

Thank you!

I had a free hour in the thermal suite as a Black club member.  They give a free status match (it was a pain for me, but they matched Hilton Diamond to MSC Black).  I loved it, there were hot tubs with loungers, multiple sauna types, steam room, and various shower types.  If I wasn't with young kids taking up most of my days, I would have bought a week pass and spent the first hour and last hour of every day there to loosen and relax.  Can't recall price

On 11/17/2021 at 9:20 PM, kj_connections said:

Is the sports complex air conditioned?

Yes, it is fully enclosed.  They hosted kids club events in the evening there, I didn't use it otherwise

Went out of Miami October 30-Nov 6, unvaccinated kids only allowed off ship on MSC excursions and even then some are marked for vaccinated guests only while others are open to unvaccinated.  For example, Dunn River Falls in Ochos Rios was for vaccinated only but the Puerto Seco beach trip was open to all.  We did the Puerto Seco one, can recommend it since you have a great big pool, calm beach with shade/chairs, fun inflatable obstacle course in the water, and drinks/food for purchase.  

The adults who were vaccinated were allowed to go onshore by themselves, just not with unvaccinated kids.  In Nassau we went onshore to buy stuff while the kids stayed on board with Grandma.  

Note, these rules were affected by what the Bahamas and Jamaica required for vaccination and not just what MSC rules were.  I don't blame those countries for restricting unvaccinated people of any age from having free roaming rights, at least they can control where they go and who they contact by restricting them to authorized group trips

If you go to the beach right next to the lighthouse, which is the closest beach by the way, the umbrellas are free and on our cruise plenty were available. There were some small shade trees, not a lot.  If your cruise is more full, you'd need to be one of the earlier ones off.  The main beach is a longer walk straight forward off the ship, there are miles of chairs but no natural shade at all.  You pay for umbrellas there

Was there three weeks ago, they stopped twice during our week cruise.  First week of November was perfect when sunny, bit chilly when cloudy the 2nd day.  If you want an umbrella, you can rent on the main beach or the closer beach right next to the lighthouse had a good number of free chairs/beanbag loungers/umbrellas that have no charge.  The main beach had free chairs but no shade at all, plus had to pay for umbrella rental there

The Meraviglia sailed with under 30% capacity so there were loads of staff at MDR and buffet willing to cater to any demand.  My wife preferred the flavored Coffeemate creamer they have in the buffet, so when coffee/cream/sugar was offered with dessert she asked for it and they obviously sent someone scurrying up to the buffet to get some.  It was there every night afterwards.  Our kids didn't love eating the kids menu stuff all the time, so when a 3 year old said "I want grapes", sure enough 10 minutes later there was a plate full from the kitchen or buffet.  So my experience was ask in the MDR and if its on board they probably will get it for you

On the Meraviglia 10/30/21, I was a new Black member and just walked into the spa without a reservation.  No issue, they handed me a locker key and I had a free hour.  The thermal suite may vary by ship, but I loved it.  I bounced between hottubs with loungers, steam rooms, saunas, and various showers to try out several of the offerings.  I would consider buying it for the week......if I didn't have young kids and no way to ditch them for a few hours a day to make it worth it.  Just a note, at the one hour mark the spa attendant actually come looking for me telling me my time was up

18 hours ago, dpepper64 said:

We are looking at the Caribbean.  We usually book a Balcony room.  We always book a couple extra night in the speciality  dinning.  We enjoy shows as well as the casino.  

I've been on Royal, NCL, and MSC.  Just on Meraviglia out of Miami with extended family, went on Seaside 2 years ago out of Miami.

You can't beat the pricing, MSC gives kids free or steep discounts.  For just adults, the pricing is often cheaper than NCL or Royal sales as well.  They seem to be wanting to break into the US market and are willing to do it on price.

The Seaside trip was one of their early attempts in the US, they had all their announcements in 6 languages which literally took a few minutes to run through them all.  Last month on Meraviglia it was just English.  I feel that NCL and Royal are similar to MSC, but that MSC seems a bit more European which I take as "nicer and bit more upscale in nature".  Americans like myself can be a bit brash, so we want the highest waterslide that lands you in a bumper car rink that transforms into the biggest/coolest thing at sea.  I loved the shows on the Seaside, but I didn't get to see more than a magic show on Meraviglia because my unvaccinated kids weren't allowed in some venues.  The ships are very beautiful and well done, service is great on MSC once on board but to be honest dealing with them prior to booking is very challenging at times.  This is their Achilles heel

The casino was nice, my mother liked the slots and there were always open seats at the table games which ran $10 minimums but $5 at "Happy Hour" times.  No craps unfortunately.

Personally, I rank them close together and would not hesitate to go on MSC again if the price was good, the ship a newer one, and the itinerary one that I can enjoy

I just posted in the "Review" section, so below is a cut and paste.  We were an extended family of two Grandmas, 6 parents, and 5 kids ranging from 3 to 9 years old.  I will ask any questions you have, these forums were helpful to me so I want to return to favor.

I want to write this because I rely on reviews myself.  This is our 2nd MSC cruise, we chose it because the ship is a newer/larger vessel with pricing that was amazing for a family of four since kids are deeply discounted or free (pay taxes) on MSC.  There were multiple other family members, ranging from grandmothers to kids ranging from ages 3 to 9.  We booked late Spring when COVID vaccines started to improve the pandemic but COVID shutdowns flared off and on since.  When it came to departure at the end of October, the vaccinated adults still needed a negative test 48 hours prior and the unvaccinated kids needed a negative test 72 hours prior.  Everyone completed the test at a local CVS pharmacy prior to flying down to Miami, the results were all back within 24 hours of testing so no issues.  Getting on board in Miami and off the ship returning was super fast and easy, probably due to the low passenger load.

Our cabin was 13280, look at the ship layout when picking your cabin.  Our balcony was 2-3 times the size of a normal balcony because it was at a bend in the ship.  All the balconies in that section are under an overhang which is actually great because it protects from the wind/rain/sun.  I knew the balcony was big so I brought a hammock and slung it up for the week.  The staff can open the dividers if you have balconies next to each other, so we had 4 balconies in a room open and that allowed us to coordinate/visit without knocking on doors.  There is never enough space in any standard cruise cabin with a family of four, I do recommend taking a multiple outlet plug or power strip if you charge multiple devices nightly.  MSC has a couch that turns into a bunk bed which we love for the kids.

The rest of the review is based on the COVID circumstances and as cruising changes some aspects may change.  The ship holds 4500 passengers but I believe it sailed with just over 1000.  That changed a lot I suspect, because the service was absolutely amazing and I never waited for anything.  At the buffet, there are multiple extra staff willing to save you a trip up to get another drink and they were willing to walk along with my mother (uses a cane) so they could fill her tray with what food she wanted.  You could not serve yourself anything including drinks, but there was never a wait in line.  The 2nd day was Halloween and the ship was decorated, with loads of well carved pumpkins and amazing Halloween cakes made.  

Food is always important, and I feel like the quality was very good.  If you eat breakfast or lunch in the buffet everyday, it can be a little repetitive but how much variety to you get at your local buffet restaurant between visits?  There was an omelette station in the back that took a few minutes for a custom made order.  The main restaurant had a revolving menu that always had something good and our party often ended up ordering two appetizers or two entrees, etc each because we couldn't decide on one thing to try.  I like the main restaurants on cruise ships because they always offer things you don't cook at home yourself, some people may not like that so there is some generic things offered everyday as well.  The dining room staff was amazing with the kids, if they made some request like "I want grapes" then they appeared a few minutes later and then again the next day.  I'm sure they ran up to the buffet or the kitchen for such things because my wife wanted the flavored Coffeemate creamer in her after dinner coffee and they would fetch it every night because it wasn't on their cart.  Our head waiter Sailesh, and his assistant Reetesh were great and the head waiter  Vincent was always finding out what the kids (and picky adults) needed or wanted.  There were many empty tables every night so while it is possible that helped the service be so great, I believe it is more a reflection on the hard working staff.  We ate one night in the Steakhouse, it was free as a Black Club member and while it was very good, personally I would not have paid extra when the main dining venue is good.  My sister paid for the TexMex restaurant and thought it was worth it, but generally I don't do drink packages or specialty dining when I've paid already for something that is fine.  

The excursions/stops are hard to review due to COVID.  Since we had unvaccinated kids, we couldn't get off the ship with them unless on an MSC excursion.  Been to Nassau a bunch, so we stayed on board that day and had the waterpark area/ropes course to ourselves.  To be honest, we had it to ourselves anyway and no time did we wait for the ropes course or more than 2 minutes for a waterslide.  The solarium is a good area if its too windy or bad weather, the main pool was a good size as well with plenty of chairs since the passenger load was low.  In Ochos Rios the extended family all went to Puerto Seco Beach through the ship, it was a 40 minute ride and we got maybe 4 hours there at a very calm beach.  Liked that they had a huge pool if you didn't want sand, and plenty of chairs/shade.  We didn't eat there, but beer buckets were good priced.  The staff helping at the huge inflatable obstacle course was super helpful in helping the kids through.  

The private island became the first and last stop because COVID changed our itinerary.  I liked the private island, get off the boat early and go to the left towards the lighthouse.  There is a beach with FREE umbrellas and chairs, there are some waves here though.  If you go to the main beach by going straight forward off the ship there are chairs but only umbrellas to rent.  The main beach is waveless and huge, all beaches have a foodtruck with burgers/fries and the main buffet on the island is just OK with less great options than on the ship.  If staying on the ship, the gym was well stocked and the spa area had a thermal area that I used which was really, really nice.

The kids club was great, they come to pick up the kids about 45 minutes into dinner (they're done by then anyway) and you can pick them up whenever.  Our kids almost never want to go to kids club, but they did a good job on this one because they were always willing to go for an hour or two.  They had some family games in the evening as well so parents can join their kids, both our kids won prizes in a "make a halloween costume from these crafts" game where the parents help.  I do have one complaint, its that many of these kid events/games will start at 845PM, 930PM, or after 10PM.  The kids in our group were ages 3, 3, 4, 7, 9 so we missed out on some things because they normally go to bed like 830ish at home though they stayed up too late too many times this trip.

One final note, MSC has a program to match travel status from other companies, Google search MSC Status Match to find a link.  That can be other cruise lines, but also airlines and hotels.  I have Hilton Diamond status and though it took a long time to get them to match it, I am now a top tier Black member.  I got a free hour in the spa thermal suite, free chocolate ship, free specialty dinner, and some discounts on board.  If you have good status with a company, take advantage (once per person so pick your best level card).  

That's it, I personally like MSC as a cruise line.  Both cruises with them have had great service, good food, and nice new ships out of Miami.  There is a little bit of a European feel to it, but I think that can be a nice thing mixed into the brash American typical tourist experience.  Enjoy!

Went 10/30/21 on Meravigilia, we have unvaccinated kids.  The kids can only go on Unvaccinated MSC excursions, but we went onshore at Nassau to buy stuff while Grandma watched the kids on board.  So at that time, vaccinated adults can go onshore themselves even if there are unvaccinated kids assigned to their party.

I want to update everyone on my experience.  I submitted multiple requests on the website form starting in April, about one per month.  I got auto replies ranging from "we're working on it" to "we need you to resubmit your card".  Emails to Voyager Club got same replies, I was one week from sailing 10/30/21 and resigned to no match.  In desperation, I even sent a request to a European email for MSC.  Literally when I was waiting in the Miami port lounge to board, I got an email congratulating me on matching my Hilton Diamond to MSC Black........I was thrilled and of course exasperated that it took till then.  On board, I went to the reception desk and then to the Voyager Desk which is also the Future cruise desk.  They printed me a new card and ended up giving me all the perks for the cruise.  I kind of feel the European email may have done it, I can't imagine that after 6 months they decided to act on my requests.  I feel that since I went on one MSC cruise in 2019 and had an existing number that affected the issue.  The online Status Match form does not offer an area to enter an existing Voyager number, it looks like it is designed for NEW customers to get into MSC with the lure of higher matched status.

Anyway, it was an early Christmas miracle.   Good luck to all in the same boat

Many, many unsuccessful attempts for match over the past six months. Most successful people seem to be NEW to MSC. We cruised once in 2019 so I have a Voyager Club account. Please confirm if any EXISTING members have gotten a match? I've given up hope, we sail in 20 days

Can prebooked excursions be cancelled after you are on board?  In case something COVID happens or it is supposed to rain buckets all day on your "beach excursion?"

I cruised once in 2019 and got the Classic level as a result, I have an active Voyagers number.  We booked an Oct 30 2021 cruise in March, but found out about Status Match in April and have tried about 13 times since to get them to status match my existing Voyager number to my Hilton Diamond.  The online form does not allow you to list a current Voyager number, but they don't respond to phone or email requests.  I send one about every 3-4 weeks

We leave Miami on 10/30/21 and no excursions are listed....bumping this to the top of the thread list

I have called (they only do status match through web) and submitted the online status match form since April 2021 probably about 4-5 times.  I emailed Voyagers Club and existing reservations.  I've gotten replies ranging from "send it again, we can't see your scan" to "we're working on it and will be done shortly."  We leave on October 30th and I'd like to get my Hilton Platinum matched hopefully to MSC Platinum for the benefits.

My question....I'm an existing Voyager Club member from a MSC cruise in 2019.  Are they only doing a match for new members to "bring in new customers from other lines?"  Am I eligible for a match being an existing member?  I'm just tired and now thinking of reasons why it's not happening when many others get resolutions quickly........thanks everyone for your updates!