MSC Cruises
MSC Meraviglia
- Cruises
- 85
- From
- $79
Ship comparison
MSC Meraviglia vs Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
- Cruises
- 25
- From
- $209
The verdict
Which should you choose?
MSC Meraviglia is a mega MSC Cruises ship carrying 4,500 passengers, in service since 2017. Ovation of the Seas is a mega Royal Caribbean ship carrying 4,180 passengers, in service since 2016.
Choose MSC Meraviglia if you want a lower starting fare or more cruises to choose from: its cruises start from $79 (vs $209) and it has 85 cruises on sale (vs 25).
Choose Ovation of the Seas if you want a more romantic trip, a more active cruise or better-rated staterooms: it outscores MSC Meraviglia for romantic (6.5 vs 3.0), active (8.0 vs 6.0) and staterooms (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| MSC Meraviglia | Ovation of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | MSC Cruises | Royal Caribbean |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2017 (better) | 2016 |
| Gross tonnage | 167,600 | 168,666 |
| Passengers | 4,500 | 4,180 |
| Crew | 1,540 | 1,500 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.9 | 2.8 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 37.2 | 40.4 (better) |
| Decks | 19 | 16 |
| Length | 1,033 ft | 1,141 ft |
| Beam | 141 ft | 136 ft |
| Speed | 22 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 85 | 25 |
| Upcoming sailings | 159 | 142 |
| Cruise lengths | 1 to 19 nights | 3 to 25 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $79 (better) | $209 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. MSC Meraviglia leads on 1 of the ten, Ovation of the Seas on 6, with 3 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
MSC Cruises
MSC Meraviglia
Swiss-based MSC Cruises launched its next-generation smart ship, MSC Meraviglia, in the Mediterranean in June 2017. (Meraviglia is the Italian word for amazement or wonder. It is pronounced mair-uh-VEAL-ya.)
Highlights
- Cirque du Soleil at Sea will offer one of the top entertainment options on a cruise ship.
Sailing now
85 cruises on sale, from $79.
Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
Ovation of the Seas, the third ship of the Quantum class from Royal Caribbean, launched in 2016 and sails in the Pacific (out of its home port in Sydney) as well as Alaska.
Highlights
- RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving experience at sea
- Adults-only Solarium pool, a glass-canopied retreat
- Lots of gaming options in Casino Royale
Sailing now
25 cruises on sale, from $209.
About Ovation of the Seas Plan my cruise on Ovation of the Seas
Questions
MSC Meraviglia or Ovation of the Seas?
Which is bigger, MSC Meraviglia or Ovation of the Seas?
Ovation of the Seas is bigger at 168,666 gross tons, against 167,600 gross tons for MSC Meraviglia. MSC Meraviglia carries 4,500 passengers and Ovation of the Seas carries 4,180.
Which ship is newer, MSC Meraviglia or Ovation of the Seas?
MSC Meraviglia is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2017 against 2016 for Ovation of the Seas.
Which has more space per passenger?
Ovation of the Seas, with 40.4 gross tons per passenger against 37.2 on MSC Meraviglia. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Ovation of the Seas, with one crew member for every 2.8 passengers against one for every 2.9 on MSC Meraviglia.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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