Meraviglia from Brooklyn questions please help

[mook1525]

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

I am on 6/16/2024 cruise - non YC :)

 

This will be my first ever MSC cruise after many cruises on Royal and Carnival!

 

i am excited!!!!!!

 

I did some research but still need some help with several questions… please please help.

 

1. I purchased Easy Plus package and it says premium coffees are included such as latter and cappuccino.. question is WHERE can I get these coffees? Which bars have espresso machines? I heard that Jean Phillip cafe charges you even if you have easy plus package.. is that true??

 

2. what do YOU think is the least crowded bar? I guess it depends on the time but please share your experience 

 

3. how does Doremi junior club works? My son is 10 years old. Can he check in and out himself anytime he wants? Do I need to register him on first day?

 

4. Currently MSC for me App shows 4 broadway theater shows - Journey, Live from, Future of Magic, comedy show Daran Howard and says reservations are necessary for these shows. Again - How do I make reservations? Can I make reservations prior to get on board?

 

5. when and How I can I make reservations for Houdini show and Rock circus show? I don’t anywhere in the App.  
do you think kids will enjoys these two carousel lounge shows?

 

6. Is there a lobster night on MSC Meraviglia like they do on Royal and Carnival?  If so,How many can you order?

 

7. I see we need to link credit card to our account once onboard - any advantage doing this as soon as possible? Should I do it the first thing on board?

 

8. I will be driving to the port and parking fee is $315 yikes!!😱  - Is parking lot big enough? Will I find a spot without any issues? What time do you suggest I get there? Around 10am?

 

 

Many many thanks in advance!! 
 

 

 

[Visitors4]

We were on the 2/25/24 sailing of this ship in YC. To your questions 4 and 5. Show reservations, including the Carousel shows, are made on board; unfortunately, the MSC app is not well designed compared to other major cruise lines and can't make reservations in advance. We saw the Carousel Rock of Circus show, and frankly, we preferred the regular theater production shows. The show was good, but didn't see purpose of charging a fee for it. The cocktails included in the Carousel show were undrinkable for our taste - very watered down. Older children may like the Carousel shows.

 

To your question 7 - I recall linking credit card when check-in opened on the app. If you do, also recommend checking on board that the credit card has in fact been linked, and always get printout of your account statement the evening before disembarkation. 

 

Enjoy!

 

[JamieLogical]

3 hours ago, mook1525 said:

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

I am on 6/16/2024 cruise - non YC 🙂

 

This will be my first ever MSC cruise after many cruises on Royal and Carnival!

 

i am excited!!!!!!

 

I did some research but still need some help with several questions… please please help.

 

1. I purchased Easy Plus package and it says premium coffees are included such as latter and cappuccino.. question is WHERE can I get these coffees? Which bars have espresso machines? I heard that Jean Phillip cafe charges you even if you have easy plus package.. is that true??

 

2. what do YOU think is the least crowded bar? I guess it depends on the time but please share your experience 

 

3. how does Doremi junior club works? My son is 10 years old. Can he check in and out himself anytime he wants? Do I need to register him on first day?

 

4. Currently MSC for me App shows 4 broadway theater shows - Journey, Live from, Future of Magic, comedy show Daran Howard and says reservations are necessary for these shows. Again - How do I make reservations? Can I make reservations prior to get on board?

 

5. when and How I can I make reservations for Houdini show and Rock circus show? I don’t anywhere in the App.  
do you think kids will enjoys these two carousel lounge shows?

 

6. Is there a lobster night on MSC Meraviglia like they do on Royal and Carnival?  If so,How many can you order?

 

7. I see we need to link credit card to our account once onboard - any advantage doing this as soon as possible? Should I do it the first thing on board?

 

8. I will be driving to the port and parking fee is $315 yikes!!😱  - Is parking lot big enough? Will I find a spot without any issues? What time do you suggest I get there? Around 10am?

 

 

Many many thanks in advance!! 
 

 

 

 

1. You can get coffee at pretty much every single bar. Each bar has a bean grinder and an espresso/cappucino machine.

 

2. Sky Lounge was pretty un-crowded. They didn't open until 1:00pm on my last sailing. It would get more crowded after dinner.

 

3. Can't help with the Kids' Club. Sorry.

 

4. Yes, reservations will be needed for the main theater shows, but you won't be able to make them until you are onboard either through the app or through the touch-screens around the ship.

 

5. You can purchase tickets for the Carousel Lounge shows through the website, but you won't reserve a time, just purchase tickets. Once onboard, you will need to go to the specialty dining reservations desk in Ocean Cay or Butcher's Cut to get reservations for a specific night/time.

 

6. There is a lobster night. You can only order one lobster tail for free. Additional entrees cost $5 per order.

 

7. As long as you link your credit card by the end of the cruise, you should be fine. I usually do it the first day just to get it out of the way, but wait until later in the day, not right when I board.

 

8. I have never seen the parking lot at the Brooklyn Cruise terminal full. You will be fine getting a spot.

 

Edited March 7 by JamieLogical

[Essiesmom]

You can try to enter a credit card in the app before boarding. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does t.  It did t for my cruises in August last year, but for my December cruise I went to the kiosk to register and it said I was already registered.  EM

[Cruzinforpeace***]

Reservations for the shows are made at these screens throughout the ship.  They’re literally everywhere and very easy to use.  We never had any issues getting our first choice.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

I believe for your son’s age you register him on the first day of the cruise.  Not sure if he can check himself in and out.

[cruisebeachgirl703]

6 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

You can try to enter a credit card in the app before boarding. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does t.  It did t for my cruises in August last year, but for my December cruise I went to the kiosk to register and it said I was already registered.  EM

we found recently on magnifica at the cc kiosk you can "tap" your credit card for activation.

[rikitikitavii]

On 3/7/2024 at 8:14 AM, mook1525 said:

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

I am on 6/16/2024 cruise - non YC 🙂

 

This will be my first ever MSC cruise after many cruises on Royal and Carnival!

 

i am excited!!!!!!

 

I did some research but still need some help with several questions… please please help.

 

1. I purchased Easy Plus package and it says premium coffees are included such as latter and cappuccino.. question is WHERE can I get these coffees? Which bars have espresso machines? I heard that Jean Phillip cafe charges you even if you have easy plus package.. is that true??

 

2. what do YOU think is the least crowded bar? I guess it depends on the time but please share your experience 

 

3. how does Doremi junior club works? My son is 10 years old. Can he check in and out himself anytime he wants? Do I need to register him on first day?

 

4. Currently MSC for me App shows 4 broadway theater shows - Journey, Live from, Future of Magic, comedy show Daran Howard and says reservations are necessary for these shows. Again - How do I make reservations? Can I make reservations prior to get on board?

 

5. when and How I can I make reservations for Houdini show and Rock circus show? I don’t anywhere in the App.  
do you think kids will enjoys these two carousel lounge shows?

 

6. Is there a lobster night on MSC Meraviglia like they do on Royal and Carnival?  If so,How many can you order?

 

7. I see we need to link credit card to our account once onboard - any advantage doing this as soon as possible? Should I do it the first thing on board?

 

8. I will be driving to the port and parking fee is $315 yikes!!😱  - Is parking lot big enough? Will I find a spot without any issues? What time do you suggest I get there? Around 10am?

 

 

Many many thanks in advance!! 
 

 

 

5. The two Carousel shows were a waste of money, and the included drinks not very good.

We were on Mera back in October.

[JamieLogical]

Just now, rikitikitavii said:

5. The two Carousel shows were a waste of money, and the included drinks not very good.

We were on Mera back in October.

 

I loved Rock Circus, but was less enthused about House of Houdini. I agree that, if you have a drinks package, the "free" drinks in the Carousel Lounge shows are nothing special.

[exm]

Don’t forget that speciality coffee counts toward the 15 drinks a day limit.

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, exm said:

Don’t forget that speciality coffee counts toward the 15 drinks a day limit.

 

Huh? There is no drink limit on MSC.... That's Carnival/Princess....

 

Edited March 8 by JamieLogical

[exm]

2 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Huh? There is no drink limit on MSC.... That's Carnival/Princess....

 

Cool. Got confused with HAL, my last cruise.

[JamieLogical]

3 minutes ago, exm said:

Cool. Got confused with HAL, my last cruise.

 

Ah yes, HAL too.

[tymike]

Re: the Carousel shows and the drinks.....

I was on a B2B very recently and the first show I tried the 'included' drink.   Nope....didn't like it.

The next show I just brought my own from the casino bar with no problem at all.

 

Have a great cruise!

[MisterBill99]

1 minute ago, tymike said:

Re: the Carousel shows and the drinks.....

I was on a B2B very recently and the first show I tried the 'included' drink.   Nope....didn't like it.

The next show I just brought my own from the casino bar with no problem at all.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

The problem is that you're still paying for the cr*ppy drink. They should offer it at a lower price if you have the beverage package.

[tymike]

1 hour ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

The problem is that you're still paying for the cr*ppy drink. They should offer it at a lower price if you have the beverage package.

I totally agree with you there!  I was seriously disappointed with the pink drink in the 'fancy' glass on the first show....it was left with lots in it!

But I was happy to have my glass of champagne during the second show!   🙂

[tymike]

Or....they could offer a full bar in the theatre itself and let everyone order what they actually want!

I guess that would happen in an ideal cruise world!  

[MisterBill99]

14 minutes ago, tymike said:

Or....they could offer a full bar in the theatre itself and let everyone order what they actually want!

I guess that would happen in an ideal cruise world!  

 

It does on other lines. Just not on MSC. Which means that MSC is not an idea cruise world, I guess.

 

Actually, I should clarify that Virgin did not have a bar in their theater, but they had a cart right outside the entrance. Maybe other lines do similar. Celebrity and Royal have bartenders roaming the theater who you can order from.

Edited March 9 by MisterBill99

[JamieLogical]

6 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

It does on other lines. Just not on MSC. Which means that MSC is not an idea cruise world, I guess.

 

Actually, I should clarify that Virgin did not have a bar in their theater, but they had a cart right outside the entrance. Maybe other lines do similar. Celebrity and Royal have bartenders roaming the theater who you can order from.

 

There is actually a full bar in the Carousel Lounge space, it's just not open for taking custom drink orders during Rock Circus and House of Houdini, because they are busy making the provided drinks in bulk.

 

The fact that there is no bar in the main theater on MSC nor are you allowed to even carry in your own drinks is one of the few things I dislike about MSC compared to other cruise lines. At least the main theater shows are only 45 minutes! I still don't go to as many of them as I otherwise would due to the lack of drinks.

[mook1525]

Have you all seen children under 12 for Rock Circus or House of Houdini?

 

I am not sure if the show is for all ages

 

will kids under 12 enjoy the show in your opinion? Or is it even appropriate for kids?

 

thanks!!

[gizfish]

House of rock had 80's and 90's music, so a kid under 12 will probably have no idea about the songs.  However, the cirque style stunts will probably be entertaining for them.  Houdini is supposedly about magic, but is kind of obscure.  I found it kind of boring and would not want to see it again. The cirque stunts for it also were not nearly as entertaining as house of rock.  I don't remember seeing kids at either show.  But, the shows were by no means sold out, and maybe the lack of kids was proportional to the small number of kids on board.  I don't remember there being stuff in either show that would be inappropriate except maybe some slightly revealing costumes.  But geez, I'm pretty sure Taylor Swift is usually more provocatively dressed most days, and parents still love her...