How does MSC Seaside compare to other cruise ships I have been on? I recently flew to an exotic French island in the Caribbean to take an unforgettable tour of the southern Caribbean on this classic MSC cruise ship.
After sailing on some of MSC’s newer ships, like MSC Seascape, I was a little apprehensive about cruising on the oldest ship in the Seaside Class, but with its fantastic price and itinerary, I decided to give it a try.
While cruising on a 7-day cruise, I found lots of things to love on my MSC Seaside, but some things could be improved upon, and some I could do without.
Here is what I loved and hated on my recent MSC Seaside cruise last month.
Hated: The long travel time to get to the port and disorganized embarkation
For this southern cruise, guests could embark in Barbados, Martinique, or Guadeloupe. None were particularly quick to get to, but thankfully, all went smoothly, and we arrived early in Point-a-Pitre, having the opportunity to take in some sights before setting sail.
We boarded on a Sunday, and many things were closed, meaning we had to go back to the airport to drop off our rental car and take a taxi to the port. Our taxi driver was very nice and dropped us close to the ship. There were no signs at the port, but we did see some people gathered in front of a high chain link fence with one small door as an entry point. I wasn’t sure we were in the right place, but I soon saw other people with MSC paperwork. Since it was the only ship docked in the port, I figured all was okay.
Although we arrived promptly for our 11 am check-in time, there was no one there to organize things. There were no lines, just people huddled around in a disorganized group with their bags everywhere. We had no information on the delay or updates in the boarding process, but after half an hour, the door suddenly opened, and we could proceed to the check-in. Thankfully it was not a lot of people, or it would have been even worse. In the end, it was not a huge deal, but an odd start to our relaxing cruise vacation.
Read more: 31 cruise ship embarkation tips and tricks (2024)
Loved: The itinerary was fantastic, which visited quieter ports and stunning islands
The initial confusion at the port and the added expense of flying to the Caribbean to catch our cruise were well worth it. In fact, the itinerary was the main reason I chose to cruise on MSC Seaside, as the sailing was something I could not find on another MSC ship or other lines like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises.
Previously, I had sailed on both MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape, newer ships in the same class as MSC Seaside, and I loved them both. MSC Seaside is the oldest of the class and was launched in 2016. I do love that new ship smell, and I wondered if I would enjoy the ship as much as the newer itinerations. But this was the only ship with the ports I wanted to visit, so I gave it a try.
Once onboard, we leisurely sailed south from Guadeloupe, heading to the southern region of the Caribbean as far as Grenada, a mere 80 miles from South America. St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines were stunning. Our catamaran excursions allowed us to explore these islands in more depth, and I was stunned by the glorious views and peace of Bequia in St. Vincent. It was a truly extraordinary experience that I will never forget.
Hated: The slow internet throughout our 7-day cruise
Although the point of this cruise was to relax and see some extraordinary places, I did want to use the internet occasionally to check in with family and work. Since we were staying in the Yacht Club, we received a complimentary Browse package for two devices per person. MSC does not allow you to switch devices once logged in, so it was helpful to have the extra packages, as my husband and I both had phones and tablets.
This was a port-intensive itinerary, and I did not plan on spending tons of time online, so I did not want to pay extra to upgrade to the Browse and Stream package. Sadly, my internet was spotty the whole trip. One day, I was kicked out repeatedly, but the concierge did something to my phone, which helped. But overall, it was slow, I even had a hard time sending pictures on iMessage.
Curious about the actual speed, I tried to do a speed test, but that would not work. At any rate, I have not had fast internet on any MSC ships. Given the amount we paid for an upgraded cabin, I think the premium package should be included.
Read more: What you need to know about MSC Cruises Wi-Fi
Loved: MSC's fantastic prices
MSC's incredible price was one of the main reasons I chose this cruise on MSC Seaside. The European cruise line has some of the best rates in the marketplace, with many deals that include drink and internet packages. This made flying to the Caribbean to board the cruise a more affordable option.
Whether it’s a new or old ship, an inside cabin, or a suite, the deals seem to be better on MSC, and this last trip I took was no exception. Prior to booking this cruise, I spent many hours researching and discussing options with my travel agent, and this was by far the best option for the type of cruise we wanted.
My husband and I had sailed on Celebrity Edge the previous year and loved the experience, but prices have seemed to have gone up significantly since then. Another kicker is that Celerbity's suite class no longer includes gratuities, making them another added expense. Venturing to MSC saved us thousands of dollars, and the suite experience was fantastic.
Read more: Why are MSC cruises so cheap?
Hated: I had trouble booking excursions on the MSC website
With such incredible scenery on this cruise, I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing in each port and make the most of my time. We decided to do island tours on our own, but I really wanted to be out on the water in St. Lucia and St. Vincent.
For these longer sailing excursions, I did not want to worry about getting back on time, so booking with MSC made the most sense. While I was able to book one excursion easily, I had a lot of trouble reserving one for St. Vincent, even though there were still spaces available. I contacted MSC, and they said that it was a system issue and that my travel agent would need to do it.
My travel agent was also unable to book it, and no one seemed to be able to help, with no real explanation. Once onboard, I was able to book it easily, and I was so happy I did. St. Vincent is absolutely stunning and spans 32 islands. Our 6 hours there were well spent, and I am extremely happy that I was able to make it happen in the end.
Read more: 10 tips for getting the best cruise shore excursion values
Loved: Our MSC cruise excursions
While I had some trouble booking tours (and I may have been able to book them through another vendor for a lower price), my MSC excursions turned out to be fantastic. Both were on catamarans with upper levels, providing plenty of space for passengers, and we were able to get good seats with nice views of the scenery.
St. Lucia is famous for the Pitons, and we had a nice tour that snaked around the island, which slowly revealed the Pitons and all their glory. We also had time to swim and were treated to some tasty rum punch. We sailed in out of some bays, including the Marigot, one of the most scenic areas of St. Lucia with million-dollar views.
Our sail to St. Vincent was also on a spacious catamaran, where we cruised along the many islands of the area, including the famous Bequia. We were served a lovely seafood lunch (which tasted homemade) and spent some time at a beach. This excursion went at least an hour over its scheduled time, and I was happy I was not an independent excursion. Interestingly, I spoke to an MSC staff member onboard. He was checking out the excursion, and I was impressed that MSC was doing some quality control to ensure the excursions met guest expectations.
Hated: There was no Cabaret Rouge lounge, my favorite MSC entertainment venue
One of my absolute favorite venues on my previous MSC sailings was Le Cabaret Rouge, a Parisian-inspired venue that hosts great music and entertainment.
With deep red plush seating, sea views, and plenty of space to chill spot, it's my kind of spot. Its 1920s French décor and relaxed atmosphere made it a fun alternative to the more formal theatre onboard.
You can find a range of activities and entertainment, such as trivia, cover bands, and other shows at Le Cabaret. I definitely missed this spot while onboard MSC Seaside. While we were able to take in some great live music, the main productions in the theatre were not that appealing.
Loved: Extra complimentary food venues made the ship feel less crowded
One of my complaints about past sailings on MSC was the lack of complimentary dining options. Royal Caribbean has several quick service-type options to get a snack, sandwich, or pizza without having to head to the often busy buffet. One major game changer on the MSC Seaside is the extra buffet – a rather genius idea to spread out the crowds and put less strain on the elevators at peak times.
Marketplace Buffet, the main buffet, is located at the back of the ship (or stern in ship lingo) on Deck 8. You can find a full range of hot and cold items, drinks, and everything else you would expect to see on a cruise ship of that size. Surprisingly, it has a ton of outdoor space as well, consistent with the Seaside Class of ships that focus on outdoor living. The other buffet, Biscayne Bay, is a smaller version found on Deck 16. It offers quite a lot of options, just not as many as the larger buffet.
The buffets are in addition to the main dining rooms of Seashore and Ipanema, which are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One nice find is the Seaview Lounge, which offers some complimentary snacks like cookies and cake.
Read more: What's included on an MSC cruise?
Hated: The amount of plastic waste onboard
One major drawback of cruising is the need for bottled water, and this is certainly an issue on MSC Seaside. Visiting a lot of food venues, you see water bottles everywhere, and there is no good place to refill them if you bring your own bottle.
MSC puts a lot of focus on environmental conservation and has done a tremendous amount of work through the MSC Foundation. Captain Gianluigi Aponte, the founder of MSC and chair of the foundation, has declared, “We all have a duty to leave a better world for future generations."
The cruise line seems to take this vision seriously and has implemented numerous strategies both on the ship and onshore. Visiting Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, a repurposed private island in the Bahamas last year, I was very impressed with this commitment to green causes and how they brought back so many native species to the island.
So, one of the biggest things I would like to see is fewer plastic bottles onboard. Selling bottled water is undoubtedly a money maker, like other cruise lines, but it does seem wasteful. Additionally, while there are pumps for shampoo/soap in the showers, the Yacht Club has lots of mini containers of products, adding to the pile of plastic waste.
Loved: The food onboard MSC; it seemed like I never stopped eating
MSC certainly gets flack for its food, but I have never had an issue with it. Their buffets are similar to those of other cruise lines I have been on, and I particularly like the selection of cured meats, cheeses, and bread on their ships.
For me, one of the stars of the buffet is the freshly made Naples-style pizza, and MSC Seaside was no different. In fact, this is the first time in my life that I have tried charcoal pizza, which isn’t that visually appealing but tasted amazing.
Being in the Yacht Club on MSC Seaside no doubt enhanced my dining experience. I had access to two extra venues: the exclusive dining, which was open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a buffet on the pool deck. We ate incredible food all week: lobster, steak, fish, and tasty desserts with a great selection of cheeses. The Top Sail Lounge had tasty bites all day long, like little appetizers, sandwiches, desserts, and incredible wasabi and ham chips. I am still dreaming about them!
Hated: There is no walking track on MSC Seaside
One of the pillars of cruising is excessive eating—well, it is for me anyway—and one way I justify this is by walking. Not only do I enjoy this form of exercise, but I have found that the walking tracks tend to be quiet areas where you can get away from the crowds and take in some epic sea views.
I definitely missed these pedestrian areas on MSC Seaside. While this was something I knew before booking this ship and was not a deal breaker, I still longed for a dedicated place to walk those extra calories.
There are a few spots on board that have incredible views, such as the Bridge of Sighs, as well as the top deck area. Cruise ship designers need to make trade-offs in any ship designs, and there was a gym onboard, but I would have liked to be able to walk more.
Read more: 10 Tips for Healthier Cruising
Loved: Friendly, helpful staff I met all over the ship
As with every cruise I have been on across a variety of lines, the staff were friendly, courteous, and very hard-working. Regardless of whether I have stayed in a cheap interior cabin or a Yacht Club suite, the staff has always been wonderful.
Everywhere I went on the ship, the staff were cleaning; the ship was immaculate. Our cabin steward was lovely and super efficient. She seemed to sneak in and out of our room at the most convenient times, tidying up and leaving us little treats.
The level of service in Yacht Club was even more impressive. Five minutes after check-in, I ran into some familiar faces from a previous cruise, and it was so nice to be welcomed with smiles. Our wait staff was incredible in the dining area – often making excellent recommendations, and the sommelier was full of excellent suggestions. The staff in the Top Sail Lounge knew our names and were super attentive.
Hated: There are lots of smoking areas on MSC cruises (compared to other cruise lines)
Walking around the ship, I saw quite a few smoking areas on MSC Seaside, far more than my cruises on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. Clearly, MSC is catering to its target market, but it is definitely not something that appeals to me.
The problem with smoke is that it drifts into nearby venues, even outside. So, for someone like me who has a strong reaction to smoking, I really have a hard time with it. Several times, I ended up walking through smoke areas to get something else.
Last year, I was super impressed with my Celebrity Cruise, which had absolutely no smoking in the casino. This really improved the air quality on the ship. I tend to stay away from smoky casinos on any ship.
Loved: The Italian/European influence and design
Although MSC Cruises is officially a Swiss-based company, its Italian heritage is on full display, which is something I really love about the cruise line. Romans perfected architecture, and this echoes loudly on the MSC ships of today.
This is also evident in the design of the ship, which capitalizes on natural light. MSC ships feature sophisticated decor and art. Their signature atrium areas feature many lounges and plenty of space to hang out and take pictures on the Swarovski bedazzled stairs, creating an impressive backdrop.
I also love European food—everything from freshly made pasta to savory sauces, refreshing gelato, and sweet Venchi chocolates. If that weren't enough, MSC features designer handbags and accessories to further tempt cruisers. MSC ships offer the best of European culture while sailing the world.
Read more: 10 Things MSC Cruises does well
Hated: Due to long days in port, the stores on the ship were not open often
Speaking of shopping, I did miss out on this, which was really my own fault. However, it's something to point out to others. It had not occurred to me when booking such a port-intensive schedule that there would be so many times that the stores were closed.
In the grand scheme of things, I would take a great itinerary over shopping anyway, but it felt like the universe was saying stop spending money on this cruise. I love browsing through cruise line merchandise and checking out the ship deals. I am a big chocolate fan, and MSC Cruises has Venchi stores onboard - a renowned chocolatier. I wanted to buy some to bring back home.
Every time I had an urge to go check out some stores, they were closed. I wanted to get a gift or two to bring back to family, and on the last day, I totally forgot that we were leaving Martinique at 11pm, meaning I would have no time to shop before our departure the next day. Lesson learned.
Loved: There were few announcements
One of the things that I often hear people complain about on MSC is the number of announcements, repeated in various languages depending upon where you are sailing.
On this latest trip, our cruise was really diverse, with so many languages being spoken, including English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and more. While announcements could have been lengthy, MSC Seaside made good use of the MSC for Me app, with updates popping up during the day in the language of your choice.
Even the Captain was quiet. I was lucky enough to meet him at a cocktail party, and I mentioned that I had not heard from him yet. He replied that he was busy (or something to that effect), and I did not hear from him for the rest of the cruise.
Disliked: Some of the older ship features and design
While I loved my cruise on MSC Seaside, I could not help but compare it to the newer versions of the ship I had been on, including MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape.
One of the major differences is size, with MSC Seaside about 10% smaller than the later iterations in this class. MSC Seaside has a gross tonnage of 154,516 and welcomes up to 5,084 passengers, whereas MSC Seascape has a gross tonnage of 169,400 and has a capacity of up to 5,877 guests. The larger space translates to some bigger venues, including the Jungle Pool Lounge area, which spans two decks on the bigger ships.
As I mentioned, I missed Le the Cabaret Rouge Lounge on MSC Seaside. Some of the bars and lounge seemed a bit more dated, and I prefer the themes/decor on the newer ship. In particular, the sports bar on MSC Seascape is fantastic, and it has tons of sports memorabilia. The Cocktail Bar is very cool, with a sophisticated New York vibe and over-the-top cocktails. Similarly, the arcade looks more modern, and the waterpark has even more whimsy, with a fun pirate theme on the MSC Seascape and Seashore. Although none of these would be a decision factor on their own, if I were choosing between similar itineraries and prices, I would pick the newer one.
Loved: My spacious balcony cabin
This is the first time I have stayed in a balcony cabin onboard MSC Cruises, and even better, it was a Yacht Club stateroom. This is a major departure from my previous experiences in an inside cabin, to say the least.
Our home for the week was cabin 16008 in the front of the ship. It was well located in a quiet area super close to the lounge and private dining area. The cabin was around 300 square feet with a living and bedroom along with a balcony, a major perk given our incredible views of the islands we were sailing around.
The bathroom was at least twice the size of previous cabins, with a roomy shower, a bench, and a rainfall showerhead, as well as upgraded bath products, plush bath robes, and towels. There was tons of space to hang up our clothes, plenty of complimentary in-cabin drinks, a large vanity, and a nice sitting area. Overall, the cabin flowed well and was thoughtfully designed.
Hated: A confusing muster drill process that took more than 24 hours to complete
Muster drills have come a long way in just a couple years, and post-Covid, most cruise lines have streamlined the process. On most ships, guests simply need to watch a video on their phone and do a quick check-in at the muster station. MSC does things a little differently, and this ship was not like my previous experiences. I was unsure how it would work with guests boarding in three different ports.
Somehow, the first evening, I did not hear the announcement (you can’t hear them in the cabin) and missed the muster drill. I was a little alarmed and did not want to be that person who had their name called out on the loudspeaker. However, no one seemed overly concerned, and there were no messages or notes about it.
The next day, I heard from the concierge that I had to go to the theatre at 5:15pm to get a life jacket demonstration and check in at our muster station. It took about half an hour and was easy enough, but I have no idea why they used such a slow process.
Loved: the all-inclusive Yacht Club experience
Although I have had some great cruises with MSC Cruises, booking a Yacht Club cabin was a phenomenal experience. It is much more of an all-inclusive experience and very relaxing. With a premium drink package, attentive service, dedicated dining venues, a private roof deck area, extra cabin space, and priority embarkation and disembarkation, it made cruising effortless.
The food was superb. Guests of the Yacht Club have free access to a breakfast and lunch buffet on the private roof deck area on Deck 19, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Yacht Club restaurant. The food was so good that we did not try any specialty restaurants, although we did go to the buffet for some of MSC's famous pizza.
Another thing I quite liked about MSC Seaside is the open-air venues, and the Yacht Club area has substantial space to relax and eat outside. Occupying the 16-19 decks in the front of the ship, there are plenty of spectacular views.
Chantal McPhee
Chantal McPhee has a great passion for travel since first venturing to the Bahamas as a child with her grandparents. Today, she loves cruising with her husband and two daughters to new places and aspires one day to do a world cruise. Living on the east coast of Canada, she shares cruising tips and information with fellow Canucks seeking a reprieve from the great white north. She also teaches business studies at a university, with a focus on strategy
