How about an MSC Cruise?
- Karen Biggers
- Apr 7
- 8 min read
Welcome aboard!
If you have never had the chance to experience MSC, you’re missing out!
MSC - Sea Academy
I recently had the pleasure of attending a Sea Academy along with 41 other travel advisors to learn more about the beautiful MSC ships and the company and what this cruise line has to offer. We sailed out on the beautiful MSC Seashore on March 9, 2025, for a 4 night cruise. I have to start off by saying that it was an amazing experience! I loved so many things about this cruise that I have actually booked 2 more cruises with them—one in May 2025, on the Seascape and one on their newest cruise ship, The World America, in May of 2026.
MSC is a cruise line that, unlike other more well-known cruise lines, isn't from America. MSC stands for Mediterrean Shipping Company and is based in Italy. While it has been around since 1988, it hasn't been an American staple. In 2002, MSC Cruises became a subsidiary of MSC Group. MSC Cruises is now the largest privately-owned cruise line in the world, with a fleet of over 20 ships and new ones coming every year!
I don't know about you, but when it comes to cruising, I have some very important things that need to be in place in order for me to be happy. I have been able to cruise on various cruise lines and certain aspects can really be a "make it or break it" experience: the food, the shows, the room, the service, activities to keep me having fun, and the ports. Let's explore these things one at a time.
Food
When you are on a cruise you will have food available around the clock. You won't do any cooking, or cleaning up and you have a lot of different choices. Most cruise ships will have a large buffet with more choices than you can possibly try, there will also be a main dining room, and a lot of them have other specialty restaurants as well. Most cruise lines will offer ice cream, pizza, and even food trucks to partake from and if you just want to eat in your room or on your balcony, you can order room service. And there are usually several bars to get drinks, cocktails, mocktails and even protein smoothies and fresh squeezed juices! Believe me, eating while on a cruise is amazing!
The food on the MSC Seashore didn't disappoint. Their late night pizza was so delicious that I'm already missing it! The coconut gelato was so mouthwatering and the mocha protein drink I had for breakfast was amazing too. All of the food is included in your cruise price with a few exceptions. If you decide you want to try one of the specialty restaurants, you will pay extra for that, but the main dining room is included as well as the buffet. The gelato counter is also extra, but the soft serve ice cream is included. MSC Seashore had several speciality restaurants to choose from and they were:
Hola Tacos and Cantina!
Ocean Cay Seafood
Butcher's Cut
Teppanyaki
Revolving Sushi Bar
I tried 4 of these restaurants and the best one was Hola Tacos and Cantina! They had an extensive menu and you could order a la carte or you could do the “all-you-can eat” option for only $17.
I bought the 4 specialty restaurant package and while it did save a few dollars I think next time I will just plan to go a la carte. I wanted to try them all but I also felt that I could have done just as well with doing only 2 or 3 and explored the buffet and main dining room a bit more.
Ocean Cay Seafood was more formal and would be great for celebrating a special occasion or a date night! I got the shrimp and pasta dish and it was delicious! The assortment of bread they bring to the table:is also very good. The service was impeccable! And the surroundings were beautiful and serene.
Butcher’s Cut was fine as a steak house but I’m pretty spoiled living in the Atlanta area when it comes to steak dinners. I wanted the baked potato to be fresher but everything was just fine. I got the filet and it was very good! The menu was so gigantic that we thought it was funny and took a picture. I really enjoyed my mock mojito! Delicious!
Teppanyaki was certainly a fun place to eat! I would recommend going for dinner instead of lunch though. We went at lunch and were the only 2 people in the restaurant! The food was very good and the service impeccable. Hibachi is always entertaining! The chef told us stories, sang songs and did a puppet show while cooking our food!
Entertainment
A big part of being on a cruise is the entertainment. I was really impressed with the shows and the music that was all over the ship. There was so much to do and see that it’s impossible to do it all!
Whether it’s singing your heart out at Karaoke night or experiencing a beautiful poignant story of the different cultures through the years, MSC cruises have what you’re looking for. Some of the shows I enjoyed were a wonderful rock concert, a play that was almost like a beautiful opera, a master hypnotist that was also the captain of the ship, and one of the funniest comedians I’ve ever seen!
Whether you are interested in spending your vacation relaxing by the pool or hanging at the spa or if you are more the type that just revels in having lots to do, MSC has you covered. Maybe you’re someone who loves making that extra cash at the casino or maybe you’re like me and just enjoy going there even if you’re losing. Of course, there’s a great club for the kids. One person told me their kids love MSC kids club more than other cruise lines they have been on! There are game shows, trivia matches, bingo, and dance classes. Never a dull moment while on board.
The theme nights are lots of fun! There is always a white night which is where everyone wears white. This makes for some fabulous pictures and there is a dance party on the top deck with great music! Of course you don’t have to wear white, but I think it is fun. They also have other theme nights like tropical night and 70s night with all the great music and parties to go with it. Of course, there’s no problem if you aren’t into all that. Just dress like you like! For the guys, I would suggest bring one pair of long pants at least just in case you want to do a more formal dinner one night. Even in the main dining room you will see that many people follow the European culture of dressing up for dinner.
I can’t leave this topic without mentioning that the music on the ship is just phenomenal! There many different ways on board to enjoy various types of music and you will be enthralled with the talent! From the atrium in the heart of the ship, to the small, more intimate venues tucked away, the music you will enjoy on MSC cruises is impressive.
Whatever suites your way of enjoying your vacation, you will find it on here! That’s what I love about a cruise vacation - there’s something for everyone!
Ports
MSC cruises offer one of the most delightful ways of exploring beautiful ports around the world. Here in America, you can board an MSC cruise from Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, New Orleans and New York and head to many beautiful islands in the Caribbean. And in Europe they sail from Spain, Italy. France, United Kingdom, Dubai, and Greece.
In fact, their newest ship, World America, is my upcoming cruise in 2026 and I couldn’t be more excited! It looks so beautiful in the videos and with new shows, new restaurants and new ports I won’t be disappointed.
One of the most beautiful ports in which to stop is MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay, Marine Reserve. This is a natural paradise you won’t find elsewhere. With 7 different beaches, there is so much to explore! MSC is very dedicated to keeping their beaches pristine and to protecting marine life. Late-night and overnight stays mean more time to dive into the turquoise waters, maybe get a seaside spa treatment, or dance on the sand at sunset.
When you are looking at which ports you will be going to, think about what kind of activities or sights you’d like to see. MSC goes to so many different places all over the world and what better way to explore than cruising! MSC sails many countries and islands including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean. Europe, South America, Asia, and Alaska! You can explore to your hearts content!
Once you have booked your cruise, it’s a great idea to download the app, MSC for Me. Start looking 30-40 days before your trip and book those port excursions. You will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to see and experience all the beautiful sights and take in the culture, the food, the beaches and all the shopping!
Your Stateroom
I went with another travel agent on this cruise and we were very comfortable in our balcony room on the 9th floor. We asked that the bed be separated into twins which they happily did for us. The bed was comfortable and there were more than enough drawers and closet space for both of us. The bathroom was pretty tiny and I wish there had been a little more space in the shower, but it worked well. While our steward didn’t do towel animals for us, he cleaned and restocked everything on a daily basis. The desk had a large mirror and the blow dryer is kept in the drawer and connected in the drawer which gave us an extra space to do hair and makeup. We also had a small loveseat to sit on and 2 chairs with ottomans on the balcony. We never heard any noise from other rooms as long as the balcony door was closed. But I will say that we stayed in room 9090 and the hot tub was one deck below us. It was sometimes noisy if you were on the balcony, but quiet once the door was shut.
Service
Our experience with service on the ship was outstanding. From the servers in the main dining room, the buffet, and the specialty restaurants to the people at the help desk on deck 5, I was very impressed with the friendliness and willingness to go out of their way to make me comfortable. I was very impressed when I wanted to get a couple of t-shirts from the store and since the sizes aren’t American we had to figure out what would fit. Everyone was super helpful and I got exactly what I was looking for.
Price
With all the new ships they are coming out with, I’m sure that the prices will go up, but for now I feel like the price on MSC is one of the best cruise lines for the value you receive. If you are interested in enjoying a cruise vacation on one of their beautiful ships all you have to do is fill out my short form and I'll get you a free quote.
Key Words: MSC, Cruise, Seashore
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