ONBOARD THE MSC MERAVIGLIA — MSC Cruises is making its biggest play to date for the North American cruise market, and it's doing it with one of the biggest ships on the seas, the MSC Meraviglia.
The Meraviglia (pronounced Mare-a-VEE-ya) debuted in Europe in 2017, as the first in a class of 171,598-gross-ton ships. More will follow (a Meraviglia-plus ship, the Grandiosa, launches next month). Both MSC Cruises USA executive vice president and COO Ken Muskat and chairman Rick Sasso touted the Meraviglia's homeport plans as proof of the company's commitment to the U.S. market.
The Meraviglia will sail three cruises from New York before it repositions to its winter home in Miami. For the first time, the line will have four ships in Miami this winter, including the MSC Seaside, which operates there year-round. Muskat said the expectation was that the Meraviglia would eventually sail with a passenger mix of about 65% to 75% North Americans.
I was able to tour it on an evening when it was in New York. Four hours for a ship of this size — in the U.S., only Royal Caribbean's Oasis class is bigger in tonnage — is a tall order, so I was only able to scratch the surface. But I made a few observations, and what stuck with me the most was how well the Meraviglia juxtaposes its grand spaces with intimate rooms and little details.
The focal point is the grand interior promenade. It features what the line says is the longest LED "sky" at sea, a ceiling of ever-changing patterns and occasional animated displays. When I boarded, I gazed upon what looked like the roof of the Galleria de Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. When I disembarked, it was an homage to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
From the promenade, I went to the Carousel Lounge, a 413-seat theater built to house the ship's Cirque du Soleil at Sea performances, one of MSC's many partnerships. The stage is a raised dais in the center of the room, enabling passengers to be especially close to the action.
The specialty restaurants are also small. I went to the Hola! Tapas Bar, which is off the promenade, for tapas by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixa. It seats 57. Butcher's Cut, the steakhouse, seats just 68. As far as regular dining is concerned, instead of one main dining room, the space is broken into three smaller venues.
I wandered up and down the promenade and was struck by all the details: a delicate clockworks outside of Chocolat & Cafe; bonsai trees at the Kaito Sushi Bar; collectible beer steins in a cabinet at the British pub; crystal jars and beautiful white orchids at the Ocean Cay restaurant; a stand with perfectly swirled gelato.
Just as I was admiring these tiny touches, the grand nature of the ship reasserted itself in the form of the glittering staircases made of Swarovski crystal.
At the top of one staircase is the Champagne Bar, and the star of the bar is not the wine but the sculptural bar stools: angular, white leather chairs on mirrored pedestals.
I found the decor to be a mix of styles but heavy on glamour.
This might be influenced by the fact that I saw the Meraviglia at night. When I reached the Sky Lounge, where floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the main pool, I concluded that its leather couches; curved lines; and art deco lighting perfectly complemented the inky black sky; a trio completed the mood with a Latin jazz beat (music abounded throughout the ship).
I wished I could trade my serviceable slacks and boots for a designer gown — Versace or Valentino might do this room justice.
More big surprises: I practically stumbled upon a full-size basketball court. I walked up a set of stairs and found the aft deck's waterslides.
And there's the entire enclave dedicated to the MSC Yacht Club for top-paying passengers, who get a forward lounge, restaurant and sun deck.
Sasso mentioned a two-lane bowling alley, which I didn't have time to see.
Unlike the Seaside, which has an unusual hardware design that maximizes outdoor space, the Meraviglia is what Muskat called a "ship for all seasons" — that is, many of the spaces face inward, so guests can enjoy the vessel in the sunny Caribbean as well as in cooler European climes.