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Across destinations, MSC's itineraries range from three to 20 nights. They're all in the entertainment line-up on Royal Caribbean's newest ships. Big ships offer big thrills, and in the case of Royal Caribbean, these include some of the most memorable adrenaline rushes at sea. The closest MSC comes to matching Royal Caribbean's stateroom and suite offerings is aboard MSC World Europa, which debuted in late 2022 and features 19 stateroom categories, including seven new designs. The most impressive non-MSC-Yacht-Club accommodation on World Europa is the 377-square-foot Grand Suite Aurea with Terrace and Whirlpool. When Icon of the Seas debuts in early 2024, it will offer 28 different cabin and suite categories, including 14 completely new room types.
One of the World’s Largest Cruise Ships That Nobody Is Talking About (Yet)
While the Switzerland-based company is the third-biggest cruise line in the world, it has far less name recognition among Americans than big U.S.-based lines such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line. That's because, until recently, MSC Cruises mostly catered to Europeans. A large percentage of its customers came from countries such as Italy, Germany, France and Spain. Plus, if you’re sailing on MSC during a holiday, you’ll get to experience a special Martha Stewart 3-course holiday meal.
The ultimate guide to MSC Cruises ships and itineraries
For a sailing of under five nights, for instance, your earnings would range from 200 to 800 points depending on the experience you book. For cruises that are five to nine nights in length, you'd earn from 500 to 1,500 points depending on the experience. Smoking (including electronic cigarette smoking) is allowed in a limited number of designated areas on ships, with the primary smoking area on ships being an outdoor pool area that varies by ship and is indicated by signage. Smoking is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies, and those who violate this rule will face a $250 fee.
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Royal Caribbean's dining scene, in contrast, offers plenty of choices. The cruise line has been a pioneer in onboard specialty restaurants and some of its ships, especially its newer ones, feature as many as 12 extra-cost specialty dining options. Royal Caribbean also offers terrific complimentary casual dining venues in addition to its main dining room and Windjammer buffet.
Other interior attractions and activities
MSC Cruises offers a broad range of entertainment and activities on its ships. As noted above, the line's biggest vessels offer multiple entertainment venues, from Broadway-style theaters to spaces for circus-like performances; all manner of deck-top attractions; large casinos; and full-service spas. The Bella experience, while being the most economical, covers all the essentials – meals in the main restaurants, dining room, buffets, and a selection of onboard activities. The food across the ship’s specialty restaurants is a culinary journey in itself, with globally inspired cuisines that tantalize the taste buds and offer a glimpse into the world’s flavors. Both MSC and Royal Caribbean are family-friendly cruise lines offering plenty to keep junior cruisers occupied.
MSC Group also is developing a series of small luxury vessels that'll operate under a separate brand to be called Explora Journeys. Surprisingly, according to reviews, MSC Seascape, launched in 2022, is considered the worst ship of the cruise line. It has gained many points for the refined atmosphere onboard and a good selection of restaurants.
MSC Seashore is not only larger with the biggest Yacht Club of MSC cruise ships in the U.S., it's the only Seaside EVO class ship out there. Other Seaside-class ships, such as MSC Seaview, have many of the same features and a distinctive "Miami condo" look to them on the back of the ship, just smaller. One thing that works about MSC Seashore's deck plan is that the spaces onboard feel intimate -- a feat on such a large ship. MSC Seashore has four smaller main dining rooms as opposed to one large one, similar to what you'd find on Celebrity's Edge-class ships. The effect is that you feel more like you're in a land restaurant, than a large dining hall.
MSC Seashore Has Lots of Cabin Choices, But Pick the Yacht Club For Perks
These spas provide a wide range of wellness and beauty treatments, from traditional massages to innovative therapies. A noteworthy con of MSC cruises for me personally was the lack of a calmer experience since the ship’s predominantly family-centric atmosphere wasn’t always ideal. Limited adult-only areas mean that pools and lounges are often crowded with families. However, none of these issues were so bad that I wanted to cancel my trip. In terms of service and culture, the approach is mostly efficiency over personalization. The service often feels transactional, focusing more on task completion rather than creating guest connections.
The Best MSC Cruise Ships By Reviews
Having recently sailed on MSC, as well as sailing the other major cruise lines regularly, we can tell you that there are some major differences between this line and its competitors. One unique booking feature MSC offers in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe is the option for guests to embark in any port visited on a looping seven-night itinerary as long as they disembark in the same port. The line has made inroads into the Caribbean and Canada and New England cruise markets, with sailings out of U.S. home ports with a higher percentage of American guests, but it doesn't yet cruise to Alaska.
Things like breakfast sausage on an MSC cruise are very far from American expectations. So when someone goes from a line like Carnival with a Guy Fieri quick service restaurant over to MSC, I can imagine it's a bit of a shock. I ordered the eggs benedict and it was the best one I’ve ever had on a cruise ship which is definitely saying something. Having a similar dessert on other cruise lines I expected this to be better. I am not a vegetarian but I find these options on a cruise ship are usually pretty good. I noticed over the course of my cruise I didn’t like my selections in the buffet as much as I have on other cruise lines.
Once on board an MSC Cruises ship, you'll pay extra for most drinks, extra-charge restaurants, spa services, shore excursions, internet and a few other amenities — unless you've paid up for a more inclusive package. Also, a 15% gratuity is added to bills at bars for cruisers who do not have a drinks package. If you buy a drinks package, the gratuity charges for drinks is folded into the package price when you book it. A 15% service charge is also added to items in minibars, salons and spas. For something more soothing, all MSC Cruises ships include spas.
Royal Escape Rooms (available on seven ships) are fun for the entire family (kids, however, must be 12 or older). A number of ships also feature Battle for Planet Z, a laser-tag game appropriate for kids ages 5 and older. Guests can pre-purchase dining packages ranging from one specialty meal to unlimited specialty dining, although some menu items will incur a surcharge. Royal Caribbean's older ships (Vision, Radiance, Voyager and Freedom classes) carry 2,000 to 3,900 guests at double occupancy, while its newest (Oasis and Quantum class) accommodate 4,000 to almost 6,000. Heartbreaking video shows 20-year-old Levion Parker happily swimming in the ocean and fishing with his pals just a week before he drunkenly jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and was never ... Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research.
The drinking age on sailings everywhere else in the world is 18. For cruises in the Caribbean, South America and South Africa, as well as on MSC Grand Voyages going to Europe and to Australia, the onboard currency is the U.S. dollar. Unlike some lines, MSC Cruises doesn't allow passengers to bring their own alcohol on board. Basic packages for browsing start around $72 for one device with unlimited data. A two-device plan with unlimited data for browsing costs about $109.
Other activities include ice skating, escape rooms, mini-golf, a carousel and pickleball. Because of World Europa's design, the ship also features four balcony cabin categories with a view of its interior promenade, similar to Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships. Both Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises are leaders in family cruising, with passengers ranging from young parents with preschool children to multigenerational families. Both lines also attract couples and groups of friends who prefer a lively cruise ship ambience and don't mind sharing their vacation with several thousand other passengers. MSC's 12 older ships are divided among three classes — Lirica, Musica and Fantasia — and accommodate 2,000 to 3,500 guests at double occupancy. The Fantasia class's MSC Divina, launched in 2012, is perhaps best known to U.S. cruisers because it often sails itineraries to the Caribbean from Miami.
Why I left Royal Caribbean for MSC Cruises - Cruise Blog
Why I left Royal Caribbean for MSC Cruises.
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
MSC Cruises has some of the most extensive children's programs at sea, with dedicated clubs and activities for children as young as a couple of months old through the age of 17. The bigger MSC Cruises ships also have interactive game zones with such attractions as Formula One racing simulators, immersive XD cinemas, arcade games and even full-size bowling alleys. Like other megaship lines, MSC Cruises is known for big, glitzy theater productions performed in onboard theaters that are as state-of-the-art as anything you'll find on Broadway. At the high end, the accommodations are aimed at affluent travelers who, for whatever reason, prefer the megaship experience to being on a luxury ship, and they can be quite impressive. MSC Cruises sails almost everywhere in the world, but its heaviest presence is in Europe, where it's the biggest cruise operator.
These features collectively contribute to a unique cruising experience that blends cultural diversity, entertainment excellence, and technological innovation, all wrapped up in an affordable package. I’ll suggest potential cruisers not rely solely on negative feedback they read online. While reviews are helpful, they can sometimes paint an incomplete picture of what to expect. Regardless of the available private spaces, overcrowding issues can be a significant concern on MSC Cruises. The ship often sails at full capacity, leading to crowding in shared areas like the buffet or pool decks. This heightened passenger-to-space ratio sometimes affects comfort and accessibility which makes it challenging to find a quiet spot or even a seat during peak periods.
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