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Look what arrived for me in the mail yesterday... nice that celebrity still will physically send you luggage tags upon request. Reminds me of the "old days"!

This trip report is all about new. New for me that is. New user on the CruiseHabit message board. New to MSC. First revenue cruise of my new cruise restart. For those that haven't heard MSC has some really attractive rates at the moment so with exactly 14 days until the sail date I decided to jump on board. MSC has a status match program that I exercised a few years ago. My status match was expiring so this opportunity will also keep my MSC status alive and well. It's always good to try new things and I'm looking forward to trying not only a new cruise lines but also a new class of ship, for me at least. With many cruise lines operating at reduced capacity as they restart operations I see this as a great time to try new cruise experiences. For this cruise I've booked a Fantastica balcony on deck 9. I haven't fully discovered what Fantasica means but it was a small per cruise upgrade over the base rate so why not? I've heard great things about Yacht Club but I'm going to save that for another occasion. It's just 3 nights and I look forward to more of an apples to apples comparison with the balcony cruises I've done on other cruise lines. I've added a wifi streaming package and an excursion climbing the Ocean Cay lighthouse. Other than that my plan is just to explore Ocean Cay, MSC's private destination and enjoy the salt air of a sea day on our way back to Miami. Here is the cruise itinerary: With that it's time to let the countdown commence...

After 21 years of sailing exclusively with Royal Caribbean, I'll be giving MSC a try in September.

First of all thanks to @CruiseHabit Bill for the nice compliment during his recent live broadcasts of my Celebrity Equinox Live blog post on the RCB message board. That compliment inspired a cruise recap for this Disney cruise. We booked this cruise over one year ago. The motivation was a few factors. It was originally scheduled to be on my kids Spring Break which has since been pushed back a week from the prior school year so they will miss a week of school and after returning have another week off school for their actual Spring Break. Another reason for picking this was it included a themed sea day with Star Wars activities. Additionally we had a desire to try out a Disney Cruise since we live in the Orlando area and are Disney World passholders, despite the cost of the cruise. My son's Birthday, February 29 was a great excuse to select this cruise since this will be his second legitimate birthday even though he will be eight years old. Since all of this is new I will take lots of pictures and do a recap after I return. There is not an onboard internet plan that is unlimited unless you stay in a suite (concierge class) room. You must purchase a plan with different amounts of data with larger packages being cheaper by the MB but it's a use it or lose it plan and the prices are not good and there are rumors of poor internet speeds. My Equinox blog was all done via my iPhone 7 so hopefully I will do as good or better since I recently upgraded to the iPhone 11. I look forward to sharing it with all of you. The itinerary is a Western Caribbean cruise out of Port Canaveral. It visits Cozumel, Mexico, George Town, Grand Cayman, Falmouth, Jamaica and Castaway Cay which is Disney's private island in the Bahamas with the ports in that order. We have plans to go to El Cozumeleno resort for the day in Cozumel. In George Town we are going to the Turtle Farm. In Jamaica we have an excursion to take a raft down the Martha Brae River. No plans at Castaway Cay other than the 5K race and enjoying the island. We booked a verandah room. My Niece who is in her mid 20s and didn't pay for the cruise is with my kids ages 8 on cruise day and 10 for my daughter in a large interior room with a virtual porthole. Her parents (my brother in law and sister in law) are in a verandah that adjoins to our room. We originally booked specific rooms but a month before the final payment deadline a verandah guarantee with restrictions became available that saved almost $1000 for each of the verandah rooms. We got our room assignments about 10 days before the cruise and we got rooms comparable to what we originally booked. Originally we did not have adjoining rooms but we were assigned a room on the same deck as the inside room with my niece and kids that was not too far away. If you have any questions before I go I can try to find out onboard and report back. The only day I expect to have internet is the Cozumel day but I probably won't post much until I get back.

I neglected to mention at check in they gave me a white wrist band to denote my vaccinated status. Upon walking on the ship there was a table setup where they provided an MSC smart device that serves as door key, allows drink purchases but also does contact tracing since it is a tracker that knows where you have been. Next I walked into a lounge and was immediately greeted by a drink package salesmen. For 3 night cruise MSC doesn't offer drink packages for pre-purchase and I wasn't sure I was going to bite but in the heat of the excitement of being back on a ship I caved and bought the easy package for $32 per day plus 15% service fee. This next picture was my first glimpse of the ship and where I signed up for the drink package. Cabins were ready so I didn't grab a beverage just yet but I did grab a picture of the next area that the lounge led me into:

T-1 day. PCR test: Negative! Woohoo! In full disclosure i didn't need to a do a test prior to this cruise. MSC didn't ask me to get tested in advance. I'll be tested again at the terminal TOMORROW! Yay! I chose to get a test done within the 3 day window for two reasons: 1. I love to cruise and want to do my part to protect the cruise industry. If I was an asymptomatic carrier and brought the virus to the terminal that wouldn't be good. 2. I have more cruises in the coming weeks that do have a requirement for the cruise lines involved to have a negative test with results in hand before arriving to check in. This was an opportunity to confirm how quickly results came back for future reference. This was a practice run for me. So now I'm fully vaccinated, tested negative and ready to cruise safely!

As we're always remote/home-based, that part isn't too different here. Most just worried about friends and family, and wishing we could take a vacation! For us, and many others I suspect, the weird part of this is the global nature of things. When a hurricane is coming we think, "oh, we could go to North Carolina." When tourist season makes things too busy for us to want to venture out, we think, "let's book a cruise" - but in this case, there isn't the same escape mechansim. On the upside, we're getting SO many home project done!

New podcast episodes are very much on the to-do list (long list of topics ready to go). Look for more videos (of a different style) dropping as well.

Earlier tonight just after the sun had set I was out and about with my camera. Did I mention this is a beautiful ship? If you are twenty one and older you have to check out this Serenity deck. It's pretty amazing.

Daily Programs scanned along with the Welcome Aboard and Departure letters. Meraviglia Daily Program 8-6-21 3 Nights OC.PDF

Pandemic protocols on board. This post is to provide insight to the protocols on board. I kindly ask you to avoid debating protocols or providing opinions about protocols here in this thread. I am posting this so that people can decide if the protocols on board are acceptable based on their personal preferences. MSC tested everyone that boarded. That was a quick and easy nasal swab without going deep to "tickle the brain". Masks were required at all phases. This includes everywhere on board except the cabin. That included outdoors when you weren't actively drinking, eating or in a pool. I knew that boarding the ship and the drink package helped to keep a drink nearby much of the time. Most bars block off the bar seating. The Horizon bar did not, the Sky Lounge and the Pub did not block bar seating. At these venues people had a drink in hand and were not masking between sips. Some venues like the pub are a designated vaccinated area but there were often children with their parents inside the pub. This seemed to be allowed. With reduced capacity it was never an issue keeping distant so it worked. The casino was also a designated vaccinated area. I did spend time in there but didn't really focus on the protocols. It just seemed to work. Not sure if smoking is permitted because it wasn't smoky at all while I was there. For the most part social distancing worked but at times such as when there was a queue people quickly forgot to distance. The daily temperature checks were also almost not worth mentioning.

Cruise Summary Since this was my first time sailing with MSC my approach for this cruise was to basically forget everything I knew about cruising. It's too easy to fall into the trap of comparing everything to a cruise line you may have sailed last or more frequently. Walking onto a ship with a "I've never sailed before" mentality lets you relive that special first time you walked onto a cruise ship and it helps to remove any preconceived notions you may have about a different cruise line. I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise and for the price it was outstanding value. Ocean Cay is beautiful. While fairly young as a cruise line private destination it checks all the boxes for this type of "port of call". With the drink package covering Ocean Cay it does perform better than some other cruise lines that don't allow their drink packages at their private destinations. Meraviglia is a modern beautiful ship and it's a shame to see so many areas underutilized with reduced capacity at the moment. Clearly she has space to handle more guests while keeping everyone happy. The Marketplace Buffet did lack some diversity at dinner but it's not fair to compare a ship on it's second voyage after restarting during a pandemic operating at dramatically reduced capacity to a cruise experience before the pandemic. The status match loyalty program is very much appreciated. Every loyalty program is different and the perks were really nice. The included dining experience was great. I did bring a bunch of single bills and tipped every drink above the included service charges included in the drink package I bought. These folks have been out of work for 16 months so a few extra bucks is well worth it. I didn't see anyone else tipping above the included gratuity and I could tell the bar staff really appreciated the gesture. At the end of the day the most important question... would I sail them again? Absolutely! In a heartbeat. In fact the MSC Divina is moving to Port Canaveral for a few months this fall and I am looking over her dates to see if I can make it work. I am also eyeing some more Meraviglia itineraries that are a little longer. I feel like there is so much left to explore on the ship including the main dining room for dinner. I was worried that some cruise acquaintances declared that you only enjoy MSC is you sail in Yacht Club. That may be the case for them but I was very pleasantly surprised I had no YC envy. If you've got the money, sure why not YC but I'll have no problem sailing MSC with the Fantastica experience again. I also like the budget friendly "Easy" drink package. While it only includes well drinks and not any top shelf liquor that was good enough for me on this cruise. Meraviglia is a great ship and I'll have no issues booking her again. It may not be the same experience compared to my "regular" cruise line but that's a good thing as not everything that line does is perfect either. I hope this helps you decide if Meraviglia is the right ship for you and I thank you for viewing.

With all that was going on and sailing away late I chose dinner in the buffet. After dinner it was around the ship collecting bar menus. That ended in the pub with some pub music. Then it was off to bed for an early morning to watch our arrival into Ocean Cay.

Cabin tour! Deck 9, starboard, somewhat midship. Waiting for me were... Closet: Balcony: View down into the deck 8 extended balconies. View aft: View forward: The balcony is "efficient". With the curtains open: Desk area with two euro power ports, two North American 110v outlets and 1 USB. Nicely laid out bathroom with shower door. There is a panoramic elevator not far from my cabin which is one of the reasons I picked this location. Back down to the Galleria. Four guests per elevator.

Since you asked beverage packages... Every bar has a paper menu but more common are these signs with QR codes: The bottom QR code links to the beverage packages available on board. PDF: MSC Meraviglia Drink Packages.pdf Here are some menus I've collected so far... Meraviglia Pub.pdf Meraviglia Pool Bar.pdfMeraviglia Bar.pdf Come to think of it this is like a challenge game... collect all the bar menus 🙂 Here is one of the physical menus I've seen: Also note MSC does charge local taxes while in port. Interesting to note they will post the beverage package purchase to my account later tonight so that it isn't subject to local taxes.

I guess MSC is just used to carrying cargo that doesn't care where it is stored for the trip! I wonder when Maersk is going to start a cruse line... perhaps they can just convert some shipping containers into cabins...

Also brand new to the CruiseHabit board and we're also first-time MSC cruisers taking our first cruise since the pandemic on Meraviglia on August 13. The price was certainly right, but we keep losing our stateroom assignment. Excited to get back to cruising though, and looking forward to hearing about your experience. --Mike

Maybe because I am solo. Virtually all of the additional cabins that are options now can accommodate 3 or 4 guests. I've been Fantasica from the start, but the original cabins offered were for two guests only. On a positive note I was able to book this cruise as a solo. In the past MSC required 2 guests, at least when I searched for bookings from Florida before the shutdown.

You're sailing before we do, so we're looking forward to your full report - but make sure you leave us some whisky onboard 🙂

We recently published an article and a video that goes over this and other procedures, rules, etc. Celebrity Edge COVID Rules: Masks, Buffets, Testing & More (article): https://www.cruisehabit.com/celebrity-edge-covid-rules-masks-buffets-testing-more Video:

So in summary, it was a great experience to be able to enjoy a new cruise line and ship. As a Disney annual pass holder I appreciated the characters and the entertainment and theming and attention to detail. i thought the food in the main dining room was excellent and was well above the average of other cruise lines. The kids club was outstanding and the kids appreciated the activities plus the ability to just go to any themed area whenever they wanted. Entertainment put on by the crew was amazing especially the full production shows and the guest entertainers were above average too. My biggest missed opportunities were not having enough time in the adult areas. I was nearly always trying to do as much as possible with the kids and trying to experience as much as possible so I missed out on some adult areas of the ship and island and some relaxation time. I also missed out on having enough time on Castaway Cay. Trying to do the 5K followed by the early afternoon bad weather limited my time there and the opportunity to experience more of the island. So, would I go on another Disney Cruise despite the price premium? Probably, but it might need to be a good price or only on rare occasion and would not be a regular cruise option. It was an amazing experience and I was glad I did it. I hope everyone enjoyed my cruise recap even if it took me some time to get it all out. When I returned from the cruise I worked two days Then was at Disney World at Hollywood Studios for a day and then became quarantined for the remaining 14 days post cruise due to the newly enacted CDC pandemic guidelines. Since then, I have returned to working full time as a CT scan technologist at an Orlando area hospital and have become a home school teacher and cook three meals a day on my days off. So, this explains a little bit as to why it took me an extended amount of time to complete my recap. Anyway, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to post them.

Just thought of an unexpected perk of the work from home thing: at 5:30 PM, the lock comes off the beer fridge and I can enjoy one while I wrap up my day. Heard an urban legend that’s standard policy in any Australian office, figured I’d make it a reality here at home. ??

We're doing OK here in northern NJ as well. I've already been working home for 5 months because of a slow-healing wound I'm dealing with, and my wife just got work-from-home setup with her employer. Both kids (one HS, one college) had their schools closed last week and are now on distance learning for the rest of the school year / semester. Actually took advantage of some people canceling their booking on my August 2 cruise to upgrade from a pair of inside cabins to a pair of OV cabins. Summit's OV have good-sized windows, about 4 feet across in the rooms we booked, so that will be a nice step up; keeping an eye for an adjoining pair of the aft deck 3 OVs to open up, will move there if possible for the 6-foot windows they have. And being on deck 3 should feel more stable than up on deck 7 if we run into any rough waters in the north Atlantic.

Line? For me, I’m going to be selfish and suggest Celebrity. Selfish because I have been primarily Royal but am planning to check out X anyways. And a big part of me selecting X is the coverage by Bill and Cruise Habit. Where? I vote Caribbean. Done it enough that I know how to enjoy but feel free to spend more time with the group activities. Activities? Maybe group takeovers of ship specific venues, like the Lawn Club or Sunset Bar. Opportunities to mingle and meet and talk ship. That’s what Cruise Habiteers do, right? How different? I think skip some of the more traditional group activities like pub/cabin crawl, maybe arrange a session with performers or other staff/crew. Just my random thoughts as I flatten the curve. BobJ

I have to speak selfishly on this one -- Would love a group cruise that leaves out of NJ or NYC. I'm not really able to cruise from anywhere else for the time being, just because flights to FL are so darn expensive that they can easily equal the cruise fare and I'd rather have that money for a better cruise. And of course, that also means more limited choice of lines and itineraries. Between those two ports, I think we've got Royal, NCL, Celebrity, maybe HAL and I know MSC does one or two sailings a year for fall foliage. One thought I had that would distinguish a Billy Group's (gruff!) Cruise could be a deliberate focus on smaller ships and more "boutique" itineraries that go to less-frequented ports. Prime example would be the Empress open-jaw sailing from NJ to Montreal or back (and yes, that's Royal but we all know that's a ship Matt's never gonna book a GC on). I'm thinking here Billy of your lifelong experience with cruising and experience with all the various levels of service over the years, on board and maybe on excursions. Maybe the way you distinguish from Matt or other GC organizers is by finding ways to "bring back" some of the (more desirable) classic cruising elements that seem to have gone out of favor; ideally without the expense of booking a super-luxury line! ? Not really sure how something like that would be done, or if it's even feasible on today's cruise lines. But you asked, so I'm answering. ?

Yeah, that brunch at Palo is amazing, we've done that several times. The first time I booked it was because I wanted to try out Palo but didn't want to miss dinner in the MDR. All the other times where because it's so much fun. Lunch at Remy is also very nice. In some ways, it's the exact opposite. Set menu, no real choices (vs the infinite choice at Palo). But the food is amazing. They change the menu from time to time, but years ago when I dined there one of the courses was some sort of fish on a bed of scrambled eggs. I don't really like eggs. I never order eggs. When I looked at the menu I figured I would just eat the fish and leave the eggs. I'm on a cruise, it' s not like i'm going to starve. The dish came, tried the fish and I thought it was cooked perfectly. So then I figured, what the hell, the chef intended the two to go together, maybe I should give it a try. I put a little of the egg on my fish.... wo, it was really good.... By the end I was just eating the scrambled eggs by itself, didn't leave a bit. You know the chef knows what he is doing when they can make a food that you don't even care for taste amazing...

We've just "turned on" the CruiseHabit Message Boards, so make sure to share the good news about this new way to talk ship, ask/answer questions, and more! Post it on Facebook or Twitter, email your friends, or write our address (CruiseHabit.com/boards) on a banana and mail it to your friends! The more people that show up, the more we can discuss cruising and learn from each other. To post, you'll just need to sign up - but it takes seconds. Please keep in mind the three basic rules: Speak to people like you would if you were face to face. Please no direct selling. Have another site with helpful information or even products? As long as it's pertinent, post it! No random posts promoting stuff though and no self-promotion of travel agents. Have fun. We're all here to have a good time, and every user can help make that happen by looking back at rule #1. We'll certainly be making adjustments as time goes on, so if you have suggestions, let us know!

congratulations Kathy on the new job and the upcoming college graduation. seems 2020 is going to be a great year for you and your family. time to YOLO book some cruises for 2021............maybe a MSC or Celebrity sailing is in your future or both...................

From what I recall from the “Behind the Scenes” tour on Explorer of the Seas years ago, they go through all the trash and recycle what they can. Here are some photos from the recycling room onboard. I would assume other lines have a similar process.

it seems MSC is still trying to work out some glitches within the american market. they do definitely try to overwhelm us with their complicating packages on which experience and drink package or if you want to do their all in one option which includes easy drink package. looking at the easy package drink list there is quite a variety of options of wines and spirits for price and even for frozen cocktails although non alcoholic, order the rum on side and mix it in to cocktail to have a nice lava flow or pina colada. another thing is having to set up your onboard account at the kiosk and register for shows onboard. comparing it to Royal or Celebrity its a totally different perspective when it comes to pre planning onboard experiences. MSC has the app which is helpful while on board. plus remember passengers are embarking and disembarking at ports so flow of suitcases in hallway. very diversified array of passengers so announcements in many languages just like on European sailings. MSC does offer some great rates and itineraries for the price compared to Royal/Celebrity. heck at times can find cruises so reasonable for MSC that could book many more cruises on them for what other cruise lines charge for ONE sailing. fortunately for me, my travel agent did a sailing for "research" purposes on the Meraviglia so that gave me the information and insight if MSC was a good fit for me. their new private island is up and coming but compared to Coco Cay is very nice with more of a laid back vibe having more cultural experiences where Coco Cay has waterpark etc. plus you are more luckily docked there up til late at night so can experience night on the beach with so many activities going on from parade, music, star gazing,etc. Plus remember Kathy they match status from Royal so that is another perk. sometimes its hard for us being loyal to one cruise line to sway over to others but its all about what the ship offers and itineraries. for me Meraviglia offered so much to do on the ship comparing it to Royal Oasis class that felt it was best option for me to YOLO book it.

Thanks Billy.....and yes we're waiting for that next podcast!

Cruise ships definitely recycle! I remember seeing a video once on my stateroom tv all about it, detailing the process. A quick google search brought me this recent article, it's mostly about Carnival not doing what it's supposed to do, but if you quickly skim that and get down to the lower part of the article, it mentions other cruise lines. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article235874997.html

Hi Billy. Just got word about the new forums and signed up. Like @KathyC and @Jedi Jason, will be looking forward to discussion of Celebrity here. Oh, and I suppose other cruise lines as well. ?

I think the drink packages and 'experiences' are two of the big things that MSC overcomplicates - potentially putting some people off. We sailed Seaside with Fantastica, and next time, I'd be inclined to select Aurea for one simple reason: on Seaside (and some other ships) there is a seperate outdoor area and bar just for Aurea (and YC) guests. Is it necessary? Certainly not, at least on Seaside the design was such that even though the pool itself would get crowded, there was a ton of space to lounge. Still, on any contemporary line, the option of having a slightly less crowded area for sea days is interesting - depending on the cost of course. I'd not pay hundreds more, but I'd pay something, and the actual costs varies by sailing. We've been eyeing another MSC, so we'll see what's available when we figure that out.

Well, if you somehow don’t get on her before me I’ll do a write up for you. BobJ

For us, Royal is for group cruises, Celebrity is for couple cruises. Of course, most of our friends only cruise Royal...so that is part of it. ?

So first, what's not changing (in any material way): The physical ship. The build is the same. There have been tweaks to account for things like the bartenders getting drenched on the Magic Carpet and at the Sunset Bar whenever it rains. Things like that, the materials used on stairs in the Grand Plaza (the current materials scratch and were already changed in some places on Edge). I'm sure there are others, but these are minor and more about operational enhancements. For entertainment, Celebrity will continue to offer a combination of the more contemporary shows like Hype, Hot Summer Night's Dream, Elysium, etc (links to live blogs talking about each of those shows), as well as some more traditional mash-up type shows. This really isn't about Edge though, as Celebrity started producing these new-style shows several years ago. I first saw one (blanking on which) on Constellation over three years ago. Elysium we saw on Equinox in September. In other words, Edge got a lot of attention - even when it was for things Celebrity has been doing for a bit. I will say that the first batch of performances on Edge did leverage much of the technology in the theater a bit more than they do now - and I think that was a matter of trying out new stuff to see what works for a given show. Ric recently sailed Sky Princess, which has a VERY high-tech stage and actually said he found the use of tech distracting - but conceded it's likely a matter of "play with new stuff, see what works" as that ship had been sailing just a short time when he boarded. Entertainment in Eden will change, and while I can't share too much about how, when Celebrity says each night will be a different show, they mean it (they aren't just saying each is different as in it's a dynamic performance). They'll still have that Edge quality, but in the first year Edge sailed we saw MANY adjustments to Eden (some which we liked, others which we saw as them having to water things down a bit). I really like some of the new shows I've heard about coming to Apex, and as someone who LOVES Eden, I'm looking forward to this more than I am fearing change. I've actually not got any insight into cuisine changes themselves. I know the feedback on the multiple MDR setup has been extremely positive, and Edge has had good guest responses all around cuisine. Yes, some find the cuisine in Eden Restaurant too "exotic", and if I am being honest, it's hard for me to grasp how. I found the food well prepared, with flavors and textures that were thoughtfully combined. Presentation was unique (and has been tweaked in the first year), but aside from sea-urchin, I don't recall much on the menu that most people aren't accustomed to eating, just prepared differently. Don't like sea-urchin? Afraid to try something new? Don't order it. I think you see a lot of strong opinion shining through here ? Celebrity, I am confident, is not going to "over correct". Yes, people like things that companies do, and they don't like when those things go away or change. The good news is that Edge offers a wide variety of entertainment and dining options, so it's not as if anyone is being forced into audience-participation during Eden or force-fed any given menu item. If they go back, they don't innovate, and if they don't innovate, they only keep those happy who don't want change, the current customers who welcome it, and the millions of potential cruisers that haven't tried the product yet, those are the people they're eyeing. To wrap up my thoughts for now, a lot of this is in messaging. When a traditional cruiser who isn't interested in trying new stuff sees an ad that touts the innovative things happening in Eden, they decide it's not for them. Ask that same person if they're interested in seeing aerialists, eating XYZ foods, etc, and they just might be. Every line learns and tweaks second builds (which is one of the things I love), but messaging will be tweaked too - making sure the right message gets to the right people, even when that means different messages going to different folks who are all about to enjoy the same ship.

Thanks for starting this Bill. I hope we get some good Celebrity Cruise discussion going. I enjoy Royal Caribbean for family cruises but my wife and have discovered that we really enjoy cruising Celebrity as a couple.

Cruise Summary Mardi Gras is a great ship. Carnival has done an amazing job with her decor and the multiple zones to spread guests out. Cruising with reduced capacity right now is amazing but we'll need to see how well she does at full capacity. I was very pleasantly surprised with my forward extended balcony. The wind was never so bad as I had feared and I really enjoyed having the same view or nearly the same view as the bridge. They may get a slightly better on the bridge view but I was able to enjoy adult beverages on my balcony. I really enjoyed the included food options and that's without ever eating in the MDR. Seeing the clean burning LNG through the full cruise was also pretty great and Carnival brands deserve a lot of credit for scaling the technology to this size of ship. Look Ma... no smoke! Serenity is a like a resort within a ship and at no additional charge for guests over 21. It's an amazing space that feels like there should be a charge... but don't tell Carnival I said that. Summer Landing is a like a resort within a ship and at no additional charge It's an amazing space that feels like there should be a charge... but don't tell Carnival I said that. Grand Central is another evolution for cruising and I often found myself just sitting down for a few minutes or grabbing a drink and enjoying whatever was going on in the moment. Bolt was a lot of fun but for such a short experience I think they need to put some additional thoughts around multi-use passes or lowering the price. At $15 I don't think I'd do it again even if another ship in the future also comes with a sea coaster. I really feel like Carnival put a lot of effort into rethinking the guest experience on Mardi Gras. With three family pools and one adult pool in Serenity there is space to spread guests out. With six zones there is space to spread guests out but we'll need to see how guest traffic patterns work once she is sailing at capacity. This cruise had approximately 3,680 guests on board. There are a lot of areas I missed while creating this thread but that's okay, it gives you all something to look forward to discovering. I don't think you can do it all over just one cruise on Mardi Gras because there is so much going on and in different zones. I hope you have enjoyed this picture intensive review from Mardi Gras and I thank you for viewing.

Sail away time lapse from my forward balcony...

Sail away time lapse:

Sounds like a fun little cruise. I've always been a little wary of MSC, looking forward to seeing what you think of the line.

Recently we enjoyed four nights at RIU Palace Peninsula in Cancun, MX. We've got a condensed review video as well as a full review where we discuss our experience. Reach out with any questions, and share YOUR all-inclusive thoughts. Full Review: Condensed Review:

I agree with Kathy’s plan and assessment of a back to back option including excursions. the 14 night cruise is also a great option. I did a 14 night on Brilliance in 2007 round trip from Barcelona and I had overnights in Rome and Venice. We made it as far as Croatia. Both options are good.

We just booked Princess for the first time, also a Deck 9 aft balcony on a Royal-class ship (Sky). Ours is in January 2022. Assuming that actually happens, I'll post feedback on the cabin as well as any soot. I'm also interested in what others have to say about Princess, and Royal-class ships in particular. This will be our first exposure to Princess as well, having only sailed with Royal Caribbean in the past also. --Dave

To follow up on my update about the cabin change: A whole block of the aft OV cabins with 6-foot windows on deck 3 opened up, I’m guessing a group booking canceled. Immediately called my TA and got us moved the two cabins closest to mid-ship. Even though they have huge windows and are considered “premium” by those who know about them, Celebrity actually considers them a “worse” cabin category (cat 6) than the mid-ship OV (which are cat 5), so I got a more desirable cabin while paying a little less than I was before. If anyone is feeling optimistic about August, there are lots of OV cabins still available, and there is a pretty good resident rate for NJ residents, maybe residents of other states. 2-week sailing from Aug 2 through 16, open jaw from Cape Liberty to Dublin. Stops in Canada, Greenland, and Iceland.

Jedi Jason, if it helps any, here in Dallas, we miss going to the Disney parks, too! ? We did decide to cancel our Baltic this summer. With work-from-home being extended until the end of April at the earliest now I would be more comfortable putting a bit more time between this and travelling to Europe. We're working with our travel agent to look at which options make the most sense for us. Hopefully a cash refund (since we're just barely before PIF date) that we can apply to a Disney cruise in December (we haven't been able to stomach the prices, but this may be just the excuse we need), or if it's FCC, we had booked an Anthem cruise in Oct '21 that we'd apply it towards.

We are most likely going to go on 3/7 also. The first dining time is sold out, but they have them every 15 minutes. So long as we dont' have to babysit the grandkids that day we will go. Kathy, if we get a reservation, I'll let you know the time. Maybe I'll get to meet the POTY in person !!

For us it varies a lot. Sometimes we are just looking to sail a particular ship and little else matters (though cheaper is of course better). Other times it's about the itinerary. When possible, we try and work in holidays - specifically holidays that we have off from work, but that don't greatly increase the cost of sailings. There are exceptions of course, like last month on Brilliance, when enjoying my drink at the R Bar I said, "oh, let's go to next cruise" and booked a sailing leaving in a couple weeks. I don't have impulse control problems.

We're not huge pool people. In fact, we have been known to not even put a swimsuit on once during an entire sailing. While we do enjoy the hot tubs, we have one in our backyard so no big reason to get in one on a ship. We're all about experiencing the culture of the places we visit as opposed to sitting on their beaches (which we can also do at home, albeit not year round.) LOL So having a less crowded pool area isn't a big benefit to us. But not having to wait as long for a drink...hmmmm... ? Sounds like Fantastica is the place for us to start. Thanks!