MSC Meraviglia Sea Day -- March 2024

 Sea Day through the Atlantic Ocean -- March 11, 2024

We got up reasonably early, in time for the MDR breakfast, but not with an alarm. We went to breakfast in the MDR. MSC has very good (included) coffee that Travis and Joel enjoyed, and Owen and I the hot chocolate, which was very good. They did not serve water as default at breakfast, but I requested some. They have small cups for water in MDR; tough on the waiters at dinner after the diners are thirsty after a busy, hot day in port. They have donuts with injections holes at the bottom where the cream, chocolate, or fruit is injected. Owen and I were very excited, as this was our first cruise that served donuts, but we did not like them much. I ordered some and shared, but they were right out of the freezer. I made this joke, and Travis did not believe me until he tried one. These are also available in the buffet. Our other breakfast items were good. 

Travis and I tried the trivia. It was beside the pool using the pool TV, which could be nice with a big screen, but I did not like it. Today, it was cold and windy, so the cruise director's staff decided to make it unhosted. She came out to hand out the papers and pencils and then for answers and to score by trading papers. Other days it was nice around the pool, so the pool deck was packed with pool loungers. I'm not sure that pool people are also trivia people, but they were forced to be. And those that arrived for trivia cannot find a spot. We are trivia people but not pool people. 

We were still following the Anthem of the Seas, as seen from our forward facing window.  

We also had lunch in the MDR. The menu sounded good, but I was a little disappointed. This is the spinach dip that two of us got. It was good but did not come with enough tortilla chips to eat all of it. The hamburger, I was most disappointed with; it sounded so good with grilled onion, cheddar cheese, and bacon. The cheddar cheese, I believe, was American. I saw on one menu calling it: "American Cheddar" -- that's an oxymoron. American is processed cheese, and cheddar is made the right way. The good stuff was also really only in the middle of the burger, so I think I had all the bacon in one bite. Travis had couscous and Owen the meatball sub that were good. Owen's chocolate NY cheesecake had more chocolate than the dinner NY cheesecake, so that was good. I tried a Boston cream pie because I had not had it and wanted to try something new. I decided that I did not really like Boston cream pie, but Travis said that it was good.  

We were a big ship, so had a wide wake. 

This was Gala or Formal night, so we had extra special food awaiting us. This is in this order:

1. Travis's eggplant parmesan -- very good

2. My lobster bisque -- I had had this for the first time at a pizza place near our house, but I did not like this one as much. It was very lobster-y tasting. Okay, it is supposed to, but the other that I tried did not have as much lobster. So, better for people who like lobster. 

3. Joel's steak tartar -- he said that it was very good. 

4. Owen's French onion soup -- he liked the soup, but noted that the croton and cheese was hard to eat. 

On to the mains: 

1. Travis's Duo of lobster and shrimp -- good

2. The kids and I got the filet mignon -- my favorite cut. It was not as good as the paid steakhouses, but good for included. Joel and Owen both ordered theirs rarer, but only Owen's was rarer. 

The desserts were wonderful. We got two of each among us -- the Royal Cake and Baked Alaska -- so good!

We went to the 8:30 show. It was now the magicians, switched with the Broadway-style show, now on the next night, since the seas were a bit rough. There were multiple, different magicians that were good and entertaining. One was pretty funny with audience kids pulled on stage.

Next up...Port Canaveral

 

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