Just Returned--MSC Seaside 7/20-23

[TravelandLeisure85]

I enjoy reading trip reports on Cruise Critic, and find them extremely helpful, so I thought I would share my thoughts on my recent cruise on the Seaside out of Port Canaveral. Hopefully this can be helpful to someone who may be considering the Seaside. If you have any questions about the ship, please feel free to ask.

 

Background:  Our family isn't loyal to any particular cruise line and have sailed Disney (Magic), Royal Caribbean (Oasis), and Carnival (Dream, Glory). This trip consisted of my husband and myself (both in our 30's), and our two daughters (4 and 12). I usually wouldn't consider a 3 day cruise, but we were already scheduled to be in Florida for a beach trip, and the dates of this sailing lined up perfectly. The price was also hard to pass up, and I figured this would be a good time to try MSC for myself since I have heard so many mixed reviews on the product.

 

Boarding:  Our check-in time was 11:30, and boarding was efficient and went very smoothly. I would estimate we were on the ship about 20 minutes from entering the terminal.

 

The ship:  I thought that the ship was very beautiful. It definitely gives off a glitzy, Vegas-style vibe, and there were a multitude of areas to lounge. The Swarovski stairs are as beautiful as everyone says, and we got some amazing pictures on them. I also really enjoyed the highly themed "Garage Club" area next to the arcade area, although the bar there never seemed to be open. My 4 year old really loved the kids' water play area, but I didn't like the fact that all of the pools were so deep (6 feet). Normally on cruises we like to wade in the pool with a drink in our hand, but that was not possible due to the depth.

 

Arcade/Fun Pass:  We purchased a fun pass prior to the cruise for $80, which gave us $140 of funplay. I think this is worth it if you have kids or are just interested in the included activities. You could use these credits on: the zipline, bowling alley, 4d theatre, F1 simulator, billiards (pool), and the 2 arcade games. If you want to do bowling or billiards, I would recommend you make reservations the day you board. We waited until the last day, and found out reservations had to be made at least one day in advance, so we missed out. Also, you must have closed toe shoes to ride the zipline. We didn't realize this, and had only packed sandals and open toe shoes.

 

Drinks/Bar Service:  We had the Easy plus drink package, and I appreciated the large amount of bars. I had read on other reviews that it could take a long time for drink service, but that was not our experience. Even though this was a sold-out sailing, I never waited long for a drink. There were also roving servers in the lounge areas near the bar who were taking orders as well. My daughters really enjoyed having the minors' package and sampling the various mocktails. 

 

Entertainment:  The main shows on our 3-night sailing were a comedian, a stunt/acrobatic show called "Peter Punk", and a Michael Jackson themed show called "Starwalker." I was really impressed with both "Peter Punk" and "Starwalker". The cast was extremely talented, and the shows should not be missed. The comedian on board performed 3 times during the cruise--two separate PG shows, and an 18+ adult show. 

 

Food:  We had dinner in the Seashore dining room (the other dining room is called Ipanema). I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we were assigned anytime, or "My Choice" dining, as I didn't know that was an option on this ship. On this sailing anytime dining was exclusively in the Seashore, and set dining was in Ipanema. Our first two nights we ate around 6/6:30, and did not have any wait to be seated. On the third night we arrived a little after 7:00 and waited around 10 minutes. I thought the food in the main dining room was fairly good. I would put it on the level of my last Carnival cruise on the Glory. Service was good, if a little slow at times--I would estimate dinner usually took around an hour and a half.

-One thing that I don't like about MSC is their lack of fast casual dining options--I knew this from my research going in, so it's more of an observation than a complaint. I am not a huge fan of buffets, but that was generally the only option for lunch each day. They did have breakfast in the dining room on all 3 mornings, so that was a plus. On Day 2 the daily planner listed lunch available in the dining room from 12-1, but when we arrived it wasn't open. The buffet can get crowded, but we would always have success finding a table and less crowds towards the back (the stations repeat).

-There are no soft serve machines like most cruise lines, but you could get free ice cream in the Biscayne Buffet during certain hours (usually like 12-4). They usually only had 1 flavor, however we did enjoy it the one time we had it.

 

Ocean Cay:  We really loved the island, and had a great time. We ended up on Lighthouse beach and were lucky enough to run into a family that was leaving and let us have their chair/umbrella/bean bag setup. We were close to a bar and food truck that served burgers and hot dogs (we didn't go to the island buffet). Later that night we were able to watch the lighthouse show from our balcony (starboard side).

 

Fellow Passengers:  I would say the majority of the people on this ship were generally well-behaved and respectable, however there were certain groups that left a lot to be desired. It was generally easy to avoid these groups, and we didn't let it interfere with our vacation. Also, we smelled weed in the hallways several times throughout the cruise. I even saw several people openly smoking it when we were on the beach in Ocean Cay. There was literally a guy in the ocean puffing a joint---I thought that was pretty bold. MSC definitely needs to get some drug dogs on board like Carnival is beginning to do.

 

Overall thoughts:  We had a great time on this cruise, and I felt I got good value for money. It was not a premium experience, but I was not expecting one for the price paid. I probably won't book another 3 night cruise again--I felt that there was so much I was unable to do and explore on the ship. Luckily, we have a 5 night cruise booked in December on the Seashore, this time in the Yacht Club. I look forward to comparing the two experiences.

[TravelandLeisure85]

[TravelandLeisure85]

[TravelandLeisure85]

[TravelandLeisure85]

[amygutman]

@TravelandLeisure85 Thank you so much for this wonderful review. I really appreciate your objectivity and honest opinion of all of the facets of the ship. 

 

It will be interesting to read you compare and contrast with your upcoming YC Seashore experience.  Having been in the YC on the Seashore and Meraviglia it definitely was worth the money for us. It was our very first cruise after moving back to the US and post-pandemic and had a very good experience. Looking forward to trying out the Seaside YC July 30th. I'll post some pictures and reviews because like you, I very much rely on other cruisers experiences listed on cruise critic to help not only choose a cruise but choose experiences.

 

Very excited specifically to hear that Star Walker was a good show. Kiddo loves Michael Jackson and it will be a big treat for him. Thank you again for your lovely review and I look forward to reading your compare and contrast comments. 

 

Warmest, Amy

[Essiesmom]

Did either of your children participate in the kids programs?  Asking because people come here and ask about the programs.  No kids here…

  EM

[Fla Mike]

Thanks for your review, and posting the menus.

We will be on our 3rd MSC cruise in November, an aft Aurea Suite on Seashore.
 

Did you have Aurea experience, that is usually the only way to get ATD.

 

We do at least three or four 4 days cruises a year, so we are used to a party type of atmosphere, but the "Weed" smoking bothers me... for the price charged I have mentioned that MSC would be "Carnivalized" soon, and it seems to be the case.

 

If MSC does take the drug dog route ala Carnival, it will be the end of them, for us.

 

Thanks again.

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, TravelandLeisure85 said:

Normally on cruises we like to wade in the pool with a drink in our hand, but that was not possible due to the depth.

 

That's the intention. 

[TravelandLeisure85]

29 minutes ago, amygutman said:

@TravelandLeisure85 Thank you so much for this wonderful review. I really appreciate your objectivity and honest opinion of all of the facets of the ship. 

 

It will be interesting to read you compare and contrast with your upcoming YC Seashore experience.  Having been in the YC on the Seashore and Meraviglia it definitely was worth the money for us. It was our very first cruise after moving back to the US and post-pandemic and had a very good experience. Looking forward to trying out the Seaside YC July 30th. I'll post some pictures and reviews because like you, I very much rely on other cruisers experiences listed on cruise critic to help not only choose a cruise but choose experiences.

 

Very excited specifically to hear that Star Walker was a good show. Kiddo loves Michael Jackson and it will be a big treat for him. Thank you again for your lovely review and I look forward to reading your compare and contrast comments. 

 

Warmest, Amy

Thanks for the kind words, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the Seaside at the end of July.

I am definitely looking forward to the Yacht Club difference in December. It was hard to look at the Yacht Club signs/areas on this cruise without envy lol. With that being said, we still had a good time in gen. pop.

[TravelandLeisure85]

29 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Did either of your children participate in the kids programs?  Asking because people come here and ask about the programs.  No kids here…

  EM

My 4 year old went to the Mini Club on the first 2 nights, and really enjoyed it. They had activities and did crafts. The only reason she didn’t go on the last night was because she was pooped, and fell asleep at the dinner table.

 

My 12 year old briefly went to the Young club (12-14) on 2 nights, but didn’t like it. She said the kids looked high school age, and she felt awkward. The kids at the Young and Teen clubs  pretty much just come and go as they please—it’s more a hang out spot.

[TravelandLeisure85]

28 minutes ago, Fla Mike said:

Thanks for your review, and posting the menus.

We will be on our 3rd MSC cruise in November, an aft Aurea Suite on Seashore.
 

Did you have Aurea experience, that is usually the only way to get ATD.

 

We do at least three or four 4 days cruises a year, so we are used to a party type of atmosphere, but the "Weed" smoking bothers me... for the price charged I have mentioned that MSC would be "Carnivalized" soon, and it seems to be the case.

 

If MSC does take the drug dog route ala Carnival, it will be the end of them, for us.

 

Thanks again.

 

We had the Fantastica experience, which was why I was surprised when we got ATD. The entire Seashore restaurant was ATD on my sailing, so it seems like they opened it up to more than just Aurea guests.

 

As for the weed smoke, I do think that the low prices are most likely the culprit. I will say that prices since I booked this cruise (in Jan) are no longer as “bargain basement,” so maybe that will help.

[TravelandLeisure85]

33 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

That's the intention. 

I get that—it’s just not really what I’m used to with other lines.

[Illbcruzn4life]

4 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

That's the intention. 

Even if the pool was 4 feet deep you wouldn't be able to wade around with your drink in hand. That seemed like one rule they really enforced.

 

Heard the whistle blowing a lot. lol

[TravelandLeisure85]

18 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Even if the pool was 4 feet deep you wouldn't be able to wade around with your drink in hand. That seemed like one rule they really enforced.

 

Heard the whistle blowing a lot. lol

Speaking of not being able to have drinks in hand—that reminds me of MSC’s policy of no drinks in the theater. I saw a lot of people unpleasantly surprised when they had to toss their cocktails to attend a show.

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Even if the pool was 4 feet deep you wouldn't be able to wade around with your drink in hand. That seemed like one rule they really enforced.

 

We all know that nothing is consistent with MSC. I've had butlers bring me a drink (plastic cup, of course) while I was in the pool. No drinks near the pool might be enforced outside of the Yacht Club but inside,...it's about 50/50. 

 

2 hours ago, TravelandLeisure85 said:

Speaking of not being able to have drinks in hand—that reminds me of MSC’s policy of no drinks in the theater. I saw a lot of people unpleasantly surprised when they had to toss their cocktails to attend a show.

 

Again, it can be 50/50...or maybe 75/25 as far as enforcement. I've had drinks delivered and I've gotten drinks myself in the theater before a show. I even asked the person working the door if it was ok and he said "Sure, no problem". The next night, I did see the cleaning crew cleaning up a spilled drink so I suspect that from that night forward, drinks were no longer allowed in the theater. 

[xcell]

Thanks for your review -- love reading them -- makes me more excited about my upcoming cruise.

 

Re: the weed smokers on OC, I am so surprised that people are willing to risk being caught for the sake of a quick high...  

 

I'm glad you had a good cruise....a rarity on these forums, especially not being in the YC (just joking)

[TravelandLeisure85]

2 hours ago, xcell said:

Thanks for your review -- love reading them -- makes me more excited about my upcoming cruise.

 

Re: the weed smokers on OC, I am so surprised that people are willing to risk being caught for the sake of a quick high...  

 

I'm glad you had a good cruise....a rarity on these forums, especially not being in the YC (just joking)

Yeah, I still can’t believe people were openly smoking either. The thing is—it wasn’t just one person; we witnessed several! MSC needs to come up with some way to address this. 

[kelleherdl]

30 minutes ago, TravelandLeisure85 said:

Yeah, I still can’t believe people were openly smoking either. The thing is—it wasn’t just one person; we witnessed several! MSC needs to come up with some way to address this. 

Ocean Cay is in the Bahamas. Those folks could find themselves in a very unpleasant Bahamian jail if the Bahamas police choose that day to do an enforcement action.  MSC controls the island security force not the police. In either case the ship’s Master could take action. When we’ve checked in at Port Canaveral we have often walked through areas with the aromatic evidence of banned substance consumption. Folks getting in that last minute one before boarding.

[amygutman]

12 hours ago, TravelandLeisure85 said:

Speaking of not being able to have drinks in hand—that reminds me of MSC’s policy of no drinks in the theater. I saw a lot of people unpleasantly surprised when they had to toss their cocktails to attend a show.

Really?

I don't remember that policy. Is it new?

That's a darned shame though having had many drinks spilled on me by over enthusiastic (or over-indulging) fellow theater-goes, I can understand why. Perhaps its a holdover from Covid. 

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. 

Warmest, Amy

[newone17]

Hello,

 

Great review! found a lot of helpful information.  will be on the ship in September. Did you buy any Wifi package? Someone told me that buying on their website is cheaper than onboard, but there is no way to check.  On web it's $96 per device for Browse package, so is it already discounted?

Thank you,

 

[Morgsmom]

On 7/25/2023 at 8:55 AM, TravelandLeisure85 said:

Yeah, I still can’t believe people were openly smoking either. The thing is—it wasn’t just one person; we witnessed several! MSC needs to come up with some way to address this. 

Have witnessed this VERY OPENLY on MSC as of late.  Our balcony "neighbors" in the YC were openly smoking weed on the balcony and in their cabin.  The YC Director (and security) did NOTHING.  Not even a slap on the wrist.  🤢

[Morgsmom]

On 7/25/2023 at 11:41 AM, amygutman said:

Really?

I don't remember that policy. Is it new?

That's a darned shame though having had many drinks spilled on me by over enthusiastic (or over-indulging) fellow theater-goes, I can understand why. Perhaps its a holdover from Covid. 

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. 

Warmest, Amy

No drinks in theater and in pools/hot tubs.  Policy has been in effect for a while now.

[kelleherdl]

34 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Have witnessed this VERY OPENLY on MSC as of late.  Our balcony "neighbors" in the YC were openly smoking weed on the balcony and in their cabin.  The YC Director (and security) did NOTHING.  Not even a slap on the wrist.  🤢

Personally, I would consider this to be one of those instances in which ‘another passengers behavior’ is negatively impacting my cruise experience as mentioned in the acceptance of carriage agreement we all must sign to sail. I will report and expect action by the crew.

[Morgsmom]

15 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

Personally, I would consider this to be one of those instances in which ‘another passengers behavior’ is negatively impacting my cruise experience as mentioned in the acceptance of carriage agreement we all must sign to sail. I will report and expect action by the crew.

I reported.  Their response was to ask if I (emphasis added) wanted to move cabins.