MSC has several dining packages on its ships but the most common is the Dine & Drink package. This includes house wines, draught beer and soft drinks at lunch and dinner in the main and buffet restaurants.
If you book a suite in the Yacht Club, a ship-within-a-ship concept, you get more wonderful options included in your cruise fare.
Waves Restaurant
MSC Meraviglia is the flagship of the company’s new fleet. The ship debuted in early 2019 and was the first to feature an indoor promenade. MSC has also incorporated a lot of technology into the ship, including an LED-lit ceiling and an app that lets you make dining reservations with the tap of a key card.
The ship’s main dining room is the Waves Restaurant. This venue features a buffet as well as a full menu of classic dishes and modern favorites. Guests can also enjoy breakfast here each morning.
Other restaurants on the ship include Kaito Sushi Bar and Brass Anchor Pub. The Brass Anchor Pub offers a variety of drinks, including soft drinks, cocktails, draught beers and ciders, and specialty coffees. The venue has both a bar area and tables with seating along Galleria Meraviglia.
While MSC offers dining packages for some of its specialty restaurants, they are actually dining “experiences” that only include a limited selection of items from the restaurant’s regular menu. For example, the Seafood Dinner Experience includes the main course of sea bass or salmon, while the Cheese and Wine Pairings Experience only covers one appetizer and dessert.
If you do want to purchase a dining package, you should know that MSC’s “bait and switch” tactics apply to these experiences as well. In addition, most cruisers have assigned dining times, although Yacht Club suite-level passengers can choose anytime dining.
Panorama Restaurant
MSC Meraviglia is a beautiful ship with great food, shows and public spaces, but it feels crowded and charges extra for many things that should be included in your cruise fare. If you have a tight budget, you’ll want to limit yourself to the free dining room and buffet meals or sail with another cruise line.
There are four main dining rooms on the MSC Meraviglia. Waves, Panorama, L’Olivo D’Oro and the more casual Cali Panorama Restaurant all offer traditional cruise meals included in your fare. Guests have assigned dining times, but Yacht Club suite-level passengers get the option of anytime dining.
MSC does an excellent job of hiding drink packages and other up-charges on their website, unless you’re a current passenger. In addition to the standard umbrella drinks, you can also purchase specialty cocktails, beer and wine.
Entertainment on MSC Meraviglia is varied and top-notch, with plenty of opportunities to sing along. There are free live music, theater shows and promenade dance parties, as well as for-fee Cirque du Soleil-style performances. Younger children have structured activities like storytime, Lego playtime and arts and crafts, while tweens and teens have more relaxed pastimes such as video games and impromptu dance parties.
L’Olivo D’Oro
While MSC has a great reputation for Italian food, passengers also enjoy the variety of other cuisines available onboard. While most cruisers are assigned dining times, Yacht Club suite-level customers can select anytime dining. In addition to the five main dining rooms, MSC Meraviglia has specialty restaurants and 21 bars and lounges.
While the ship’s main buffet has an “ethnic” section serving Asian and Indian food, the largest variety comes from the onboard specialty restaurants. These include seafood, steak, Mexican, and sushi/teppanyaki. These restaurants cost extra, however, MSC does offer dining packages that can save passengers money if they plan to dine at more than two or three specialty eateries.
Those looking for something unique should check out Ocean Cay, where seafood lovers can sample appetizers like Boston lobster, king crab, lump crab cake and smoked salmon as well as entrees like sea bass, tuna or black cod. Meanwhile, at Butcher’s Cut, guests can indulge in a hunk of meat at dinnertime or have lunch in the form of a juicy burger.
Another restaurant worth checking out is HOLA!, which offers a free-of-charge Mexican food experience. While this venue may not have the fancy, high-end design of some of the other dining venues onboard, it is a good option for families or those who don’t want to spend too much.
L’Olive Doree
L’Olive Doree is one of four main dining venues on MSC Meraviglia where meals are included in your cruise fare. This restaurant is open for dinner and is a buffet during lunch. You can order room service from this restaurant as well. Pizza options include margherita, vegetable, pepperoni and marinara, plus MSC style (tomato sauce, ham, arugula, mozzarella and Grana Padano cheese) or supreme.
If you book a suite in the Yacht Club, a luxury ship-within-a-ship, you’ll get to dine at some of the finest restaurants on the MSC fleet—all part of your cruise fare. For instance, you’ll enjoy a meal at the Eataly Ristorante Italiano, where chefs take guests on a “journey of discovery.” You’ll also enjoy finely crafted steaks in the stylish Steakhouse and delicious seafood dishes in the Mediterranean-inspired eatery, L’Olivo D’Oro.
When you need a stiff drink, it’s easy to find a bar on MSC Meraviglia. There’s a Sports Bar in the Sportplex, three bars by the main Atmosphere Pool and drinks available at the Marketplace Buffet. You can also grab a drink from the bars in the Yacht Club sun deck or the Top Sail Lounge.
