My husband and I sailed on the MSC Seashore for 14 days, starting on July 23rd 2022. This was our first MSC Cruise experience. For reference this was our 40th cruise.
Before I start, I want to mention MSC’s status match program. You should definitely check it out before you book a MSC Cruise! Our Diamond Status on RCL was matched to Gold Status on MSC. https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/msc-voyagers-club/status-match
Embarkation & Muster Drill – this was my least favorite part of the trip. Luckily it was just for a couple hours, and the rest of the trip was great. We had a late check-in time of 2:30pm and by the time we got there, they were already running hours behind. It took a couple hours from getting in line, to on the ship. Not fun but what can you do?! Their muster drill is strange. Everyone goes to their cabin, watches a safety video on TV, calls a number to confirm that they watched it, and then everyone has to go to their muster station to check-in. It got really hectic in stairwells and elevators.
Balcony Cabin – Fantastica Experience– I love our balcony cabin. It feels wider and roomier than other balcony cabins that we’ve had. The decor is very modern. There are 2 US plugs, multiple USB outlets, and a wireless charger built into the desk. Lots of storage. It had a great desk area! The bathroom is nice but the shower is a little smaller than some others that we’ve experienced. The balcony is a nice size and has 2 chairs with a foot rest. The Fantasica experience part allows you to get Continental Room Service Breakfast at no charge.
Food– For included options your choices for breakfast are Marketplace Buffet or limited hours for Main Dining Room. For lunch included options, your included options are Marketplace Buffet & Main Dining Room (12-1pm) ONLY ON SEA DAYS. For dinner, you can go to the Marketplace Buffet or your assigned dining room. Overall, we thought the food quality and taste were VERY GOOD. There was always a variety of foods to choose, something for everyone. NOTE: If you are in the Yacht Club, you have an exclusive restaurant. We sailed in Summer of 2022, and we’re on a pretty full sailing. The buffet for breakfast and lunch are very busy. You know when seasoned cruisers avoid the buffet on embarkation day because it’s chaos? It’s pretty much like that everyday, for breakfast and lunch. The food delivery in the dining rooms was quick, efficient, and food was received at the proper temperature. There are specialty restaurants (for a fee), which are Butchers Cut Steakhouse, Kaito Teppenyaki, Ocean Cay Seafood, Kaito Sushi, and Hola Mexican Cantina!
MSC Pizza – “Best Pizza at Sea” the Pizza is Neapolitan style and is very good. They always had cheese & pepperoni plus a “special” of the day. It is located in the mix of the Marketplace Buffet.
SHIP VENUES – there are a wide variety of bars available on the ship, and they are themed well. We did not try any of the alcohol beverages during our time onboard. We did frequently visit VENCHI CHOCOLATE BAR for delicious coffee drinks! It was definitely our favorite venue onboard. I’ve never tasted chocolate this good. There are lots of drinks to choose from that incorporate the chocolate into the drinks. There are also some fun photo opportunities.
Activities/Entertainment – I felt that the variety of activities that were offered was fantastic. The DAILY PROGRAM always had lots of options – dance classes, trivias, games, deck parties, live music, and stage shows. My favorite things were the SNOW DECK PARTY & Master Chef at Sea. There were also lots of activities specified for kids, teens, and families. The shows included singing (in multiple languages), dancing, and acrobatics.
Ship Features for Kids – This ship has lots of fun features for the young cruisers. Let’s start with the totally awesome – Pirates ☠️ Cove waterpark area. There is a splash pad, slides, bridges, etc. Other family friendly areas include the Jungle Pool, Arcade, and Doremi Kids Clubs (from 0-17 years old).
Ocean Cay MSC Private Island Reserve – private island stop. This is a very nice island. The water is beautiful. It has a similar feel to other private islands during the day – beaches, BBQ style lunch served on the island, drinks (included on the island if you have a beverage package), snorkeling, jet skis, etc. But,at night, they do lots of unique activities. We got to experience a Junkanoo Parade, Sunset Beach Party, & Lighthouse Light Show! Check the island DAILY PROGRAM to see the times of the activities.
WiFi Packages – With me working while I cruise, WiFi is a must. We can usually get away with 1 package (sometimes 2) of the highest speed WiFi on ships. We are able to use that 1 package on multiple devices. Unfortunately, MSC does not allow you to bounce the package from one device to another. This resulted in us needing to purchases WiFi for 4 devices!! It was very expensive compared to what we usually pay, since we needed double the packages. The speed of the WiFi was decent for a ship. I could do everything that I needed to, except upload Instagram stories (video). For some reason that never worked.
Service from MSC Staff – We received great service from the MSC Seashore Staff. They were all working extremely hard and were very friendly! If there was an issue, it was addressed immediately (a couple minor things like account charge errors, etc)
Would we cruise with MSC again? The answer is absolutely! This cruise exceeded my expectations! I will just have to factor in the extra cost of internet packages.
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Thank you so much for reading!
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