I tried the cheapest Caribbean cruise I could find - here's what it was really like

When browsing MSC’s website last winter, I came across an extremely cheap cruise deal: a 7-night cruise on MSC Seaside with a $616 per person cruise fare. Because this cruise was in July during the peak summer season, the price was a total steal.

Of course, that fare did not include taxes and gratuities, which would be added to the price, but still, it was a deal hard to pass up. Most of the other weeklong cruises I browsed were at least $500 more per person, many of which were on older, smaller ships.

I have a hard time passing up a cheap cruise deal, so I didn’t hesitate to book the cruise.

Upon booking, however, I was a little skeptical about such a cheap cruise. MSC Cruises is an Italian cruise line that has been relatively controversial among cruise fans.

Some cruisers love the cruise line’s low prices and elegant ships whereas others complain incessantly about the food, entertainment, and service on the vessels. Nonetheless, I was willing to give this “love it or hate it” cruise line a try.

I couldn’t wait to get onboard to see what it was really like on the cheapest Caribbean cruise I could find, and here’s what I found out.

The cheapest cruise fare was just $84 per person, per night, but there were several booking options.

When you book an MSC cruise, you have several booking options, some of which include add-ons like drink packages and wifi.

For my MSC Seaside cruise, I knew I wanted to book the cheapest cruise fare available. This meant booking MSC’s most basic experience, the Bella Experience, and selecting a guarantee inside cabin, which meant I could not choose my cabin location.

Related: Why an inside cabin is the best choice for a cruise

With these criteria—and a 5% discount I received through MSC’s loyalty program—I was able to choose between two options.

The first was the most basic, which included the cruise fare but no add-ons. For two guests, the total price came out to a cruise fare of just $1,185 total, or $84 per person, per night.

Normally I would select the cheapest option, but I was surprised to see an extremely good deal offered on a drink package and wifi add-on. For just $133 more per person, both guests in the cabin could enjoy a wifi package and unlimited alcoholic beverages.

The total cruise fare for this option was $1,451, or $103 per person, per night. With a drink package included, it was an unbelievably good deal.

Of course, I still needed to pay taxes, fees, and gratuities in addition to the cruise fare.

One of the caveats of the advertised cruise price is that the price does not include the taxes, fees, and gratuities each passenger is required to pay. For my sailing, taxes and fees were $140 per person whereas gratuities were $101.50 per person.

Related: What are port fees on a cruise and how much are they?

For those selecting the cheapest rate without the drink package, this would bring the total price per cabin to $1,668, or $119 per person, per night.

If you booked the cruise with the drink package, the total price would be $1,934, or $138 per person, per night.

Despite the slightly higher cost, this was still an amazing deal, so I booked the option with the drink package.

*As a disclosure, I did not have a guest in my cabin on this sailing, so I was charged a single supplement fee, making my nightly cost higher than the price per person for two people in a cabin.

My first impression of MSC Seaside was that it was exquisitely designed, and I loved the variety of pool and lounge spaces around the ship.

MSC Seaside launched in 2018, making it a relatively new cruise ship, and boy is she a beautiful vessel!

As soon as I got onboard, I was struck by the elegant design of the ship. The main hub of activity onboard was the atrium, a multi-story lobby lined with bars, shops, and other venues on each floor. Inside the atrium are crystal staircases, which supposedly cost $2,000 per step!

Many of the lounges had sweeping ocean views from floor-to-ceiling windows, which is always one of my favorite design elements on any cruise ship. Regardless of the weather outside, I loved hanging out by one of these windows to take in the ocean views.

Related: MSC Cruises Guide

On the outer decks you could expect to find several unique features. There was not just one, but three glass floor bridges, each of which had see-through panels looking at the ocean and ship below. While slightly scary, walking across these bridges is a must-do while onboard.

I also enjoyed the variety of pool spaces, especially the Jungle Pool. This indoor pool has a retractable roof that opens in nice weather, and it was always less crowded than the main sun deck. Although I would have preferred this space to be adults-only, there were never many kids in the pool due to its close proximity to the kids aqua park.

I expected the cruise to feel European, but it felt just as American as any other cruise I’ve taken from North America.

Because MSC is an Italian cruise line, there has traditionally been a European feel on their ships that many guests from North America have not enjoyed.

Online reviews of MSC complained about constant announcements in five languages, entertainment shows with little dialogue to appeal to a wider audience, and standoffish European customer service.

Much of this held up true on my first MSC cruise back in May—a European sailing—but I didn’t find this to be the case on my cruise from Port Canaveral. Honestly, it was hard to believe MSC was an Italian cruise line at all on my recent cruise.

Related: 13 of the best tips and tricks for an MSC Cruise

I’d wager around 90% of the passengers on MSC Seaside were from North America, and I only heard Italian being spoken a handful of times. As far as food, it was clear MSC tried to appeal to North American tastes rather than European, as you could find popular dishes like tacos, chicken parmesan, and mac and cheese around the ship.

As far as service goes, however, I found it to be comparable on both MSC’s European and North American itineraries.

I wouldn’t say the service on MSC is as overly friendly as an American cruise line like Royal Caribbean, but I found the vast majority of crew members on MSC to be friendly and helpful.

My tiny inside cabin was modern, but I found it lacked in storage space.

Like most cruises I book, I booked an inside cabin for my MSC Seaside cruise.

After nearly twenty cruises in inside cabins, I never expect much when it comes to cabin space and amenities. After all, these tiny, windowless cabins are the cheapest option available for a reason.

Despite its size, I found my MSC Seaside cabin to be a comfortable place to call home for the week. The bed was comfortable, the room had both a chair and an additional seat under the desk, and there was adequate outlet availability for charging electronics.

Related: Take a tour of my interior stateroom on MSC Seaside

Where the room lacked, though, was in storage space. Most cruise lines build their newest ships with a large amount of storage space in each cabin, from drawers above the bed to multiple closets and dressers.

My MSC cabin had just one closet and a few shelves in the room. Not only that, but the closet doors had an awkward opening mechanism which meant I could not slide both sides open at the same time.

Luckily I’m a light packer and didn’t have much of an issue finding enough storage space, but for other passengers this could be more problematic.

MSC gets a bad rap for its food, but I found most of the food to be better than other cruise lines I’ve experienced.

Of all the negative reviews about MSC, the review I had heard most frequently was that the food was terrible—several reviews even used the word inedible. I read reviews on cold food and bland dishes.

In addition, most MSC ships lack complimentary dining venues, only offering included food in the main dining room and buffet. This can lead to major crowding during peak dining times, which is another common complaint.

Despite these negative reviews, I had a great experience with dining on MSC Seaside. During the cruise, I ate most meals in the buffet, although I had four dinners and one breakfast in the main dining room.

Related: 10 things I wish I knew before my first MSC cruise

There were two buffets on MSC Seaside. In the upper buffet, on deck 16, you could always find pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches, a nacho station, soft serve ice cream, and kid-friendly favorites like chicken fingers and french fries.

The lower buffet, on deck 8, offered a wider range of cuisine, with American classics like burgers and fries, a salad bar, and ethnic cuisine, from Chinese noodles to Indian curries.

Although I did miss having a live cooking station at the buffet, where crew members cook meals to order, it wasn’t a dealbreaker.

Our meals in the dining room were just as satisfying, and I especially enjoyed the various Italian dishes served. From the mushroom tagliatelle to eggplant parmesan and penne marinara, I didn’t have a bad meal in the dining room.

Of course, the best complimentary food on MSC is the pizza. As an Italian cruise line, the stake for pizza quality is set high. I probably ate around 20 pieces of pizza during my week onboard which, while not great for the waistline, certainly made me happy.

Not all the food was perfect on MSC Seaside, however. A few items in the buffet were lukewarm and some members of our group complained about tough pieces of meat. In addition, I found the amount of sauce they put on the pasta to be skimpy at best, but I never had any issues asking for extra sauce.

Overall, I would say the complimentary food was comparable to any mass market cruise line.

Having a drink package was convenient, although it came with a major staffing issue.

Prior to my MSC Seaside cruise, I never booked a cruise ship drink package. Many cruise lines price drink packages at over $70 per day, so I never thought I would be able to drink enough to break even.

But because the cruise fare with the drink package was only $133 more than the standard fare, I couldn't help but give it a try.

Throughout my cruise, I was able to try a wide variety of cocktails, from Aperol spritz to margaritas, mojitos, and piña coladas. Because the drink package was so cheap, I never felt pressured to drink a lot in order to make the drink package worth the cost.

Related: Overview of MSC Cruises Drink Packages and Prices

However, there seemed to be a significant lack of bartenders on the ship. Several times, I waited around ten minutes just to be asked for my order. While this isn’t a reflection of the hardworking crew members at all, I could see where MSC cut costs by putting fewer bartenders at each bar.

Not only was this a cost saving measure for payroll, but also for alcohol consumption, as it drastically cut down on the amount of drinks being poured.

At Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, as an example, I was excited to attend the island’s sunset party on the beach, but I was shocked to see just one bar open at the party.

I didn’t even bother trying to order a drink as I did not want to spend 15-20 minutes waiting in a long line, as just a few bartenders were working.

All this being said, it’s still hard to complain about the insanely good value I got with the drink package.

For being such a cheap cruise, I was impressed by the variety of activities and programming on the ship.

I was impressed by the amount of family-friendly fun on MSC Seaside, and there were enough activities to keep guests of all ages entertained.

There were four waterslides on the ship, three of which jetted off the edge of the ship with nothing but the ocean below. Despite not being a huge waterslides fan, I have to say they were all pretty fun.

Based on the level of crowds, kids onboard seemed to love the Forest Aquaventure Aqua Park, the kids’ splash area with small slides, water sprayers, and splash buckets. Above the aqua park was a complimentary ropes course which, albeit small, was thrilling to walk through.

Related: Top 20 MSC Cruises questions answered

Aside from swimming, you could attend programming like trivia, game shows, and craft sessions free of charge, but other activities like ziplining, bowling, and the 4D cinema came at an extra charge.

Even though I don’t usually pay extra for activities on a cruise, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to zipline down the pool deck. For $11, the fun was worth the small cost.

There were definitely enough activities around the ship to stay busy throughout the week. Even though some activities came at an extra cost, it’s easier to allocate room in your budget for these activities when the base cruise fare was so low to begin with.

Visiting Ocean Cay was a highlight of the cruise, but I hated paying for an umbrella.

Ocean Cay Marine Reserve is MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, and many itineraries departing from ports in North America make a stop at the island.

The only other private island I had been to previously was Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay, and the two destinations couldn’t be more different from each other. Whereas Perfect Day at CocoCay focuses on upcharge activities like the island’s waterpark and exclusive beach club, Ocean Cay offers a more relaxed atmosphere.

Related: Royal Caribbean's CocoCay versus MSC's Ocean Cay, which is better?

Sure, you won’t find a pool, kids splash park, or overwater cabanas at Ocean Cay, but having fewer of these amenities meant the island succeeded in offering a tranquil tropical getaway. Despite thousands of passengers visiting the island throughout the day, I found the island relatively quiet and peaceful.

That being said, one thing I absolutely hated during my time at Ocean Cay was having to pay for a beach umbrella.

Ocean Cay offers complimentary access to beaches, complimentary beach chairs, and complimentary dining options, but what it doesn’t offer is free shade. In order to use a beach umbrella, I had to rent one for $17.

It seemed cheap of MSC to make guests pay for beach umbrellas, especially considering that other cruise lines provide these items for free at their private destinations. Although not a budget-breaker in the long run, having to pay for an umbrella seems like an unnecessary money grab.

I was not impressed by the production show I attended, but other passengers had varying opinions.

One of the aspects I did not enjoy about my cheap MSC cruise was the entertainment.

On my first MSC cruise last spring, I was impressed by the entertainment offerings. As the newest ship in the fleet, my cruise on MSC World Europa boasted the cruise line’s best entertainment, which included performances from aerialists, acrobats, and even motorcyclists.

Yet on MSC Seaside I was disappointed in the production show I attended. The performance, which featured the tunes of Michael Bublé, had out-of-synch dancing and no set changes whatsoever.

After the mediocre performance I didn’t bother attending any other production shows during my week onboard. I did hear from other guests that performances later in the week were far better than the show I attended, so I wouldn’t necessarily write off the ship’s entertainment altogether.

And even though I didn’t love the theater show, I enjoyed watching live music on MSC Seaside, which was performed each day in various venues around the ship.

Our group encountered a few billing issues during our time onboard, including issues with onboard credit and our prepaid gratuities.

As far as logistics go, MSC has a few kinks to work through before I would consider them a truly top-notch cruise line.

For one, my gratuities were charged to my onboard account despite having paid them ahead of time. If I hadn’t checked my onboard account, I would have paid an additional $100 for gratuities, and upon talking to other passengers, I wasn’t the only one to have encountered this problem.

Other passengers, as it turned out, were having issues with their onboard credit they were supposed to receive from their travel agent. Some had to visit Guest Services three times to explain the problem, and the credit didn’t reach the account until the fifth day of the cruise.

Additionally, my dad, who was sailing onboard with me in a separate stateroom, was charged for a mini bar purchase in his room despite never even opening the fridge.

Upon talking with staff members at Guest Services, a multi-step check was required in order to confirm my dad was telling the truth. This left a bad taste in his mouth, especially considering it wasn’t the first mistaken charge of the cruise.

While these mishaps aren’t enough to dissuade me from cruising with MSC again, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.

I was able to status match my Royal Caribbean loyalty status to MSC, and this provided a range of additional benefits, further maximizing the value of my cruise.

One of the ways MSC markets to cruisers loyal to other cruise lines is by offering a status match program. If you have a loyalty status with another cruise line, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or Norwegian Cruise Line, you can match your status to an equivalent status by MSC Cruises.

I have Diamond Plus status on Royal Caribbean and was able to match my status to MSC’s Gold Status. This means that, even though I had only been on one MSC cruise before, I had one of the cruise line’s highest status tiers.

Related: What you need to know about MSC's loyalty program

Throughout my cruise I was able to take advantage of MSC’s Gold benefits, which included a 1-hour pass to the thermal spa, a complimentary professional photo, and a 5% discount on all cruise fares.

I particularly enjoyed the thermal suite, which included several sauna and steam rooms, a snow room, and a jacuzzi both inside and outside.

Using these benefits allowed me to get more bang for my buck, and it cost me absolutely nothing extra, further adding to the value of my cheap cruise.

My MSC Seaside cruise was the best value I’ve ever seen in a cruise vacation, and I wouldn’t hesitate to sail with the cruise line again.

I am still surprised by just how good of a deal my MSC Seaside cruise turned out to be. With the lowest cruise fare at just $84 per person, per night, it would be hard to find a lower price on not just a cruise vacation, but any land-based vacation as well.

Considering the fact that my cruise was during the school calendar’s summer break, the deal was even more impressive. Normally to find a cruise fare this cheap, you would have to sail during the off-season, such as during hurricane season.

There’s no doubt MSC offers one of the best values in a vacation in the cruise industry. A weeklong cruise with a drink package on a cruise line like Royal Caribbean or Carnival could easily cost over $1,500 per person before taxes and gratuities would even be added.

On the contrary, the total price of two adults in a cabin on MSC Seaside, with all taxes, fees, gratuities, a drink package, and wifi added was less than $1,000 per person.

Despite the fact that not everything on my MSC cruise was perfect, I left with more compliments than complaints. As a budget traveler I’m always looking for the cheapest ways to maximize a vacation. MSC certainly helped me to do just that, and I’m already looking forward to sailing with the cruise line in the future.