Read it, especially if you don't like cruises

I wouldn't have believed it either

When MSC invited me aboard the MSC Meraviglia, my first internal reaction was: "no thanks, it's not for me". I thought of a cruise as a vacation for those who want to stay in a floating resort, eat five buffet meals a day, and not see anything real. Not us — we love to walk, discover, stop in a place and feel its atmosphere.

Then I went aboard. And I spent a day touring it all, from bow to stern, from internal decks to open spaces. And I realized I was looking at cruising the wrong way.

Use it like a 5-star hotel that moves itself

This is the shift in perspective that changed everything for me: the ship is not a place where you are "trapped". The ship is your hotel. Every morning you wake up in a different city, go ashore, visit, eat out, go on the most beautiful excursions of your life. And in the evening you return to your floating hotel, which in the meantime has sailed to the next destination.

Think about how a normal itinerant vacation works: suitcases, check-out, highway or airport, check-in, orienting yourself in a new place. With a cruise, your bed stays the same. You wake up and you've already arrived.

It's exactly what we do on every land trip: we visit, we stop, we savor. Only here, you don't drive, you don't look for parking, you don't cook. In the evening, if you want, there's an aperitif with an ocean view on the deck. And believe me, all things considered, you spend less than in a city center hotel. Keep reading and you'll understand why.

What is included — and there are really many things

Full board in the main restaurant is included. Breakfast, lunch and dinner with a complete menu — from appetizer to coffee — buffet or table service. Non-alcoholic beverages included with meals. This alone accounts for a large chunk of the budget you normally spend on restaurants.

But what truly impresses are the services for families. The baby club is included — children can stay with professional entertainers while you enjoy an hour of peace. The theater with shows every evening, the cinema, the disco, the gym, the football and basketball court, the outdoor and indoor pools, the slides, the water park: all included. The infirmary with a doctor on board is always available.

A curious fact I didn't know: the onboard pools are saltwater and heated. Not the chemical hotel pool. Real, tempered seawater.

• FULL BOARD in the main restaurant (appetizer → coffee)
• NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES INCLUDED during meals
• BABY CLUB with entertainers: children looked after, parents free
• HEATED SALTWATER POOLS (indoor and outdoor)
• WATER PARK with slides
• THEATER, CINEMA, EVENING SHOWS — different every day
• DISCO, FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL COURT, GYM
• PLENTY OF SUN LOUNGERS on the open decks
• Infirmary and doctor on board 24/7

What is not included (and it's good to know).

No product is perfect, and a cruise is no exception. There are things that cost extra: the themed restaurants — sushi, steak houses, gourmet pubs — are not included in the basic fare. If you want a special evening in one of these, you pay separately and it's best to book it on the first evening.

The spa and wellness center (on MSC Meraviglia there's the Aurea Spa) is for a fee. The private babysitting service, if you want someone just for your child, is not included — the baby club is, the personal nanny is not. But it's there, so for example, if you want to go ashore and take a quad or camel excursion without the kids, you can do it and leave the children with the onboard babysitter for a few hours.

Alcoholic drinks and cocktails are paid for. There are drinks packages you can purchase before boarding, often at better prices than on board. Keep that in mind.

• Themed restaurants (sushi, grill, pub): for a fee
• Spa and wellness center: for a fee
• Private babysitter: for a fee (the baby club, however, is included)
• Alcoholic drinks and cocktails: for a fee (consider the drinks package)

Excursions: the secret that saves you 15%

Here's something almost no one knows, and which truly changes the math: excursions booked on board cost on average 15% more than those booked in advance through an agency. Same excursion, same provider, different price. So when you're booking a cruise, book your excursions not only for the savings but also for availability.

If you wait until you're on board to decide, you risk the excursion you liked most already being sold out. And if you're traveling with small children or grandparents, you need guides in Italian — those also run out. At an agency, you book calmly months in advance, in Italian, with the guide you prefer and at the right price.

Another unexpected advantage: at an agency, you can customize your excursion. Maybe you don't want to do the three-hour guided tour under the August sun. You can choose a lighter option, or just book the transfer and do the rest yourself. The onboard catalog offers less flexibility.

And if you're wondering if it's worth doing the excursions: yes. They are often the most beautiful parts of the trip. Think about it — every stop is a different destination. A Mediterranean cruise can take you to Barcelona, Marseille, Malta, Civitavecchia in a week. Each port is a world. Don't stay on board.

Things I didn't know (and that surprised me)

Visiting the Meraviglia, I discovered things I didn't expect at all. I'll tell you about them as I discovered them, walking around the ship with the eyes of a curious and slightly skeptical tourist.

• The pools are saltwater and heated — not the classic treated pool water
• Inside cabins (without portholes) cost less and you sleep very well in them, they are spacious, and the only difference is that they don't have a small sea-view balcony, which, for me, is even safer if you're traveling with children.
• The cost per family is often competitive with that of a good hotel in the city center plus three restaurants a day: full board changes the equation

My honest answer: is it worth it?

It depends on what you are looking for — and this is always the true answer, not one from someone who wants to sell you something at all costs. If you want to stop in one place and experience it deeply, a cruise is not for you. At generAzioni, we do exactly that: slow stays, villages, local territory.

But if you have little time and want to see more places without the anxiety of logistics, if you have children who need space and entertainment, if you want a different experience with grandparents who cannot stand too long all day, a cruise can be a smart choice.

What really convinced me is this: the quality/price/services level, for a family, is hard to beat with another formula. Full board, entertainment included, on-board safety, doctor available, and every morning you wake up in a different city.

If you are thinking about a family cruise and want advice on what to choose, how to plan excursions, and how to book at the right price, write to me. I don't sell cruises indiscriminately — but if it's the right vacation for you, I'll organize it the right way.