Are you considering an MSC Cruise but hesitant after reading mixed reviews? Wondering what the cabins are really like? Take a closer look at what it’s like to stay in a balcony cabin on the MSC Meraviglia. Here is a tour of a balcony cabin on MSC Meraviglia during my cruise from New York to the Bahamas. I’ll go over the features and layout of my cabin.
MSC Meraviglia
Built in 2017, MSC Meraviglia is a beautiful cruise ship with a capacity of over 5,500 passengers. It has a wide range of amenities, including outdoor and indoor pools, an expansive kids’ club, indoor sports court, a large galleria filled with shops and restaurants, a theater, a gym, and the exclusive MSC Yacht Club.
Balcony Cabin
During my recent cruise, I stayed in a mid-ship balcony cabin, located in the regular section of the ship—not the exclusive MSC Yacht Club. Traveling with three people, this is what our cabin looked like when we first stepped onboard during embarkation day. We got our beach towels.
Balcony
What I loved most about this cabin is that the queen-size bed is positioned right next to the balcony. It’s a cozy space, with just a few inches of clearance between the bed and the balcony door. I particularly enjoyed being able to lie in bed and gaze out at the open sea. Many larger cruise ships have balcony cabins where the bed feels too far from the balcony, but not here.
Single Bed
The sofa was converted into a bed for my son. The cabin feels narrower compared to other cruise lines, making it a tight fit for three people. I can’t imagine squeezing in a fourth person comfortably.
Closet
The closet is small, with one side for hanging clothes and the other side with shelves and drawers. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer much space for three people. My son struggled to unpack and had to keep his clothes in his suitcase.
Not Enough Hanging Space
The hanging closet is compact, with just a few hangers provided. Don’t expect to hang all your clothes here. One thing I didn’t like is that the sliding door doesn’t open fully, making it difficult to access all your belongings.
Small Shelves
The closet shelves are quite narrow. As you can see on the shelf below the safe, it’s really small—just enough space to comfortably fit two toiletry bags and a binocular.
Key Card Energy Saver
This cabin has an energy-saving feature where you have to insert your keycard into a slot to keep the air conditioning running and to turn on the lights. Personally, I didn’t like this, since I prefer walking into a cold cabin.
Make-Up Room and DND
Instead of a paper door hanger, there’s a convenient button that allows you to signal your cabin steward whether you’d like your room made up or prefer “Do Not Disturb.” There’s a green or red light outside the cabin door that indicates your status. Check out 12 Free Things on MSC Cruises that You Need to Know About
Entry Area
The entry area is small, with the bathroom door directly opposite and an adjacent room’s door nearby. Check out 10 Important Things to Know About MSC Cruise’s Private Island Ocean Cay
Bathroom
The bathroom is nice. It’s clean, modern, and well-maintained. It is small but it has the basic such as shelves for toiletries. But one thing missing is facial tissues, you’ll need to request them from your cabin steward. Check out 21 Things to Know About MSC Cruise
Shower
The shower stall is compact, but functional, with dispensers for body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. You don’t need to bring your own products. Check out Should You Book an Inside Cabin? Pros and Cons
Clothes Line
One of the things I appreciate is the clothes line in the shower, which comes in handy for drying wet bathing suits. Believe it or not, some upscale cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises don’t provide this simple yet useful feature. Check out Is Celebrity Cruise Really More Upscale? Honest Review
Ice Bucket
MSC provides an ice bucket in the cabin, but you’ll need to ask your cabin steward to fill it with ice. Check out 12 Important Things to Know Before Booking a Caribbean Cruise
Phone and Outlets
There is a telephone and several outlets in the cabin. You’ll notice a few European-style outlets, so I recommend bringing a universal adapter if you plan to use them all. Check out 10 Worst Cabins on a Cruise- You’ll Regret Booking
Mini Bar
The mini-bar is stocked with sodas, water, beer, juices, and liquor, conveniently located beneath the ice bucket. Check out The Worst Months to Go on a Cruise
No Desk
There is no separate desk in the cabin. There is only one counter beneath the TV and mirror where everything is placed: the ice bucket, phone, and mini-bar. There is a stool, so you can technically sit at the “desk.” If you plan to do a little remote work, it’s going to be tight. Check out 14 Best and Worst Foods to Eat on Cruises
What It Really Looks Like
Here’s a more realistic view of what my balcony cabin actually looks like. This is how it appeared after 3 people spent a few days living in it—definitely not pristine, but this gives you a better idea of what it’s really like. Check out 21 Smart and Easy Ways to Save Money on a Cruise
Amazing View
From the balcony, you can enjoy breathtaking views, like this one of the Statue of Liberty. Truly unforgettable. Check out I Went on My First MSC Cruise, Here is My Honest Review