Transatlantic with Azores with MSC Meraviglia

Welcome aboard MSC Cruises! The cruise line was founded in 1970 and is the cruise division of the container shipping company Mediterranean Shipping Company. MSC Cruises is the world's largest privately family-owned cruise line (Aponte family) and has many years of expertise on the seven seas. The Aponte family has also established an independent charitable organisation, the MSC Foundation, which is also present on board and supports many humanitarian and environmental projects.

MSC Cruises offers its guests a Mediterranean and modern lifestyle at a good price-performance ratio. Guests of all ages feel at home on the sometimes colourful, sometimes understated ships. The ships are also well received on the German market and the number of German guests is growing steadily. A knowledge of English is recommended, although some services are also offered in German.

With the MSC Yacht Club, the ‘ship-within-a-ship concept’, MSC Cruises offers an exclusive area on selected ships with luxurious suites, its own restaurant with five-star service and other amenities.

• Category: Meraviglia Class
• Built in: 2017
• Home port: Valetta
• Length: 315 metres
• Tonnage: 171.598 BRZ
• Speed: 22.89 knots
• Decks: 19
• Passengers: 5,642
• Crew: 1.608
• Language: German, Italian, English, French, Spanish
• Currency: € or US-$ (depending on the destination)
• Internet: Starlink from SpaceX, internet café and Wi-Fi (fee required)

The 2,250 staterooms on the MSC Meraviglia are modern and comfortably furnished and have a bathroom with shower and WC, a minibar, safe and TV. The interior and oceanview staterooms are approx. 12 - 22 sqm, as well as the balcony staterooms. The suites convince with 27 - 39 sqm depending on the suite category. Some balcony staterooms and all suites have a bathtub. In addition, there are new family staterooms that combine 2 or 3 staterooms - for more comfort for all family members. There is also an expanded MSC Yacht Club with numerous whirlpools and a separate members-only restaurant. The staterooms in the MSC Yacht Club start at 17 sqm (interior staterooms), the suites are around 26-29 sqm, while the Maisonette and Royal Suite even have 56-59 sqm.

On board, Mediterranean joie de vivre awaits you on one of the most modern ships. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual and invites you to socialize on board. With good food, a wide range of sports, comfortable staterooms  and many entertainment options you can spend wonderful days aboard the MSC Meraviglia.

There are many different main, buffet and speciality restaurants on board the MSC Meraviglia. The cuisine is Mediterranean-influenced and offers a culinary variety and exquisite dishes. Drinks are available at an extra charge or you can take advantage of a drinks package.

The following restaurants are included in the price:

• Marketplace Buffet (buffet restaurant): A variety of dishes from the hot and cold buffet as well as Mediterranean delicacies await you here.
• L'Olive Dorée/ L'Olive d'Oro (main restaurant): Savour freshly prepared dishes in an elegant ambience.
• Panorama Restaurant (main restaurant): Enjoy fine dining in the à la carte restaurant.
• Waves Restaurant (main restaurant): Look forward to culinary highlights and exquisite dishes.

Guests of the MSC Yacht Club have access to an exclusive restaurant with gourmet creations and five-star service.

You pay a surcharge in the following speciality restaurants:

• Hola! Tacos & Cantina: Try Latin American and Mexican dishes such as tacos, nachos or empanadas.
• Kaito Sushi Bar: Sample Japanese specialities such as exquisite sushi or soup.
• Kaito Teppanyaki: You can watch Japanese delicacies being prepared at the cooking stations.
• Butcher's Cut: Enjoy, for example, grilled dry-aged Black Angus beef and other grilled specialities.
• Ocean Cay: The luxurious restaurant offers a variety of fish dishes with fresh ingredients.

In addition to the restaurants, there are also numerous bars and lounges (not included). Enjoy an afternoon cappuccino in the Jean-Philippe Maury Chocolat & Café or have an aperitif before dinner in the Carousel Lounge. We also recommend the Champagne Bar, where oysters, crabs and caviar are served alongside champagne and wine.

There are many ways to spend your holiday on board. For relaxation, there is the popular Aurea Spa, a luxurious spa where body, mind and soul are brought into harmony. For the athletically active, the Fitness Studio by Technogym® offers state-of-the-art equipment for cardio and strength training as well as innovative courses and training programmes.

A special highlight on board the MSC Grandiosa is the entertainment program. Colorful shows, theme parties such as the Golden Party or White Party, musical performances and many activities await you. Especially the Galleria Meraviglia, a long promenade with LED sky and numerous boutiques and restaurants, invites you to linger. Are you more interested in the shows on board? Look forward to impressive performances in the Broadway Theatre. On deck 16 you will find two F1 simulators as well as an interactive cinema and the Virtual Games Arcade. On the same deck, you'll also find the Sportplex (gymnasium) and a bowling alley. Families can also look forward to dance competitions at the DOREMIX Family Disco.
If you're not afraid of heights, you should also definitely try the Himalayan High Ropes Course. Also on this deck, children travelling with you will find the Polar Aquapark with great slides.

There is plenty to discover on board for children of all ages: Thrill seekers can master a high rope course 80 metres above the sea. In the Polar aqua park, pool areas and several slides, a funnel slide and two fast-paced tube slides, await for plenty of fun. In the LEGO® play area, children have the opportunity to build great things every day. Children can also compete against their parents in exciting shows such as the LEGO game show and win great prizes.

Childcare is also provided: babies and toddlers aged between six months and two years are looked after by certified staff in the Baby Club, which was created in collaboration with the leading children's brand Chicco®. Toddlers aged three to six play in the MSC Mini Club and the Junior Club looks after children aged seven to eleven. MSC's experienced entertainers look after the children with various games and many sporting activities. During the day, 12 to 14-year-olds in the Young Club and 15 to 17-year-olds in the Teens Club can enjoy clubs equipped with the latest consoles, games and VR technology, a teen disco and a dinner organised exclusively for teenagers.

The European, Italian-influenced atmosphere also makes the MSC Meraviglia a lively and cheerful ship. The ship is recommended for everyone who wants variety, entertainment and a colourful on-board life. Families will also feel very much at home.