When you combine the best parts of ships from several major cruise lines on one vessel and mix in some new innovations, the result is MSC World America. After more than a decade of trying to woo North American passengers, MSC Cruises is likely to have found a winner with the latest in its behemoth World Class of ships.
You can expect to find plenty of glitzy restaurants, cozy bars, retail outlets, attention-grabbing shows, and adrenaline-pumping pursuits, including a new robo-swing attraction that juts passengers out over the side of the ship.
Although it’s still working out some first-sailing bugs – think lag times in food service and chronically empty soap dispensers at many handwashing stations – MSC World America is elegant with a familiarity that’s likely to win over fun-loving cruisers from the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s a first look at the ship to help you decide if it might be right for you.
Boarding is a breeze
To accommodate MSC World America, which has 22 decks and can carry up to 6,764 passengers, MSC built a new terminal – currently the largest in the world – at PortMiami.
Not only is it aesthetically gorgeous, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, plenty of seating, and plenty of restrooms, but it also provides one of the most technologically advanced and, therefore, efficient boarding processes I’ve ever experienced.
The facility uses new kiosks for check-in. There are two sets. At first, an agent will scan your passport to verify your identity and check you in for your sailing if you haven’t already done so. It will also take a photo, which will be used as your security photo and linked to your onboard account.
After a quick pass through security, you’ll head to a second set of facial recognition scanners that will cross reference your face with the security photo on file to allow you to board.
Passengers are able to opt out of the facial recognition technology if desired or if they’re traveling with a birth certificate and ID instead of a passport. In those cases, agents will verify documents manually.
Ultimately, I was able to make it from the parking lot to the ship in less than 10 minutes.
The ship feels familiar
If you’ve sailed with other cruise lines, there’s a good chance you’ll be thinking “I’ve seen this before” quite a bit on World America.
The ship is laid out in seven “districts,” which divide the vessel’s offerings into categories, making it easier for passengers to find their favorite haunts on each voyage. The concept was first introduced on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas in 2009 and has since been adopted by other major cruise lines, including MSC.
Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find in each district:
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MSC Yacht Club
The Yacht Club is MSC’s private area for passengers who book more expensive cabins, across all categories, that come with butler service and access to an exclusive bar and lounge, sun deck and dining room.
It’s found on the upper decks, all the way forward, and is accessed only via keycard.
Ashore, passengers booked in the Yacht Club also enjoy access to a dedicated beach, cabana rentals, and a private bar and restaurant.
Family Aventura
This Deck 19 mix of indoor and outdoor spaces is ideal for families and active cruisers who enjoy thrills, games, and watery fun.
Highlights in the outdoor section, known as The Harbour, include the complimentary Adventure Trail ropes course, waterslides, and both wet and dry play areas for kids, as well as the entrance to Jaw Drop, the ship’s 11-deck spiral dry slide.
But the real showstopper is Cliffhanger, which seats up to four people at a time in two separate mechanical swings.
It glides passengers back and forth over the ocean or port below, offering tremendous views. I’m not afraid of heights, but was surprised to find myself feeling pleasantly dizzy during what I thought would be an uneventful experience.
Passengers must be at least 7 years old and 51 inches tall to try the ride, which costs $5 and lasts about 15 seconds. You’ll first have to report to a nearby counter to sign a waive and obtain a wristband.
Family Aventura also includes the MSC Sportplex sports court, an indoor sports court that’s used for basketball and badminton, as well as bumper cars – another concept borrowed from Royal Caribbean.
Upstairs from the Sportplex is a tucked-away area for family LEGO play while overlooking the court. Travelers spending their time in the Family Aventura district don’t have to go far if they’re hungry or thirsty, as the nearby Harbour Bar & Bites and Box Bar provide sustenance.
The latter, an ode to MSC’s shipping arm, is punctuated by bright yellow hues and a bar that’s made to look like a shipping container.
This district is also where families will find the Doremiland kids clubs, where activities and programming cater to five separate age groups from 6 months to 17 years.
Aqua Deck
Both sun worshippers and water babies alike will find a place to relax in the Decks 18 and 19 Aqua Deck district, which is home to both the Mar Azul main outdoor pool and the indoor Botanic Garden Pool, which is my favorite for its lack of sunlight and leafy garden-like theme.
Mar Azul is flanked by a large oblong hot tub on each side, as well as two square hot tubs. Drink service is handled by the nearby La Boca and La Perla Bars.
The Botanic Garden Pool is overlooked by the Botanic Garden Bar, which is one deck above. Each side of the space has one large oblong hot tub. Two additional circular hot tubs are situated inside of netted pods made of jute rope.
Zen Area
The Zen Area, the ship’s adults-only pool and sun deck area, offers twin pools, each overlooking the Promenade below. It also affords visitors amazing vistas out over the ocean and the ship’s wake.
The space also includes sun loungers, shaded areas, and its own bar.
Galleria and The Terraces
The Galleria and The Terraces comprise the ship’s indoor promenade, specialty indoor/outdoor dining, and retail mecca.
Reminiscent of a shopping mall, these two districts combine to create what you’d get if Royal Caribbean’s Royal Promenade indoor thoroughfare and Norwegian Cruise Line’s 678 Ocean Place social hub had a baby – right down to the color-changing light-up chandelier that hangs above the staircases that take passengers between Decks 6, 7 and 8.
Although the Deck 6 Galleria is evocative of spaces on other cruise lines’ ships, MSC has found a way to make it elegant and uncluttered. You won’t find shopping counters, tech help kiosks, or coffee stands in the middle of the walkway, which means it feels a lot cleaner and significantly less crowded.
Be sure to look up as you pass through. You won’t want to miss the changing digital imagery on the ceiling, which is another touch that has allowed MSC to make the venue its own.
Other new-to-MSC touches in these districts include a comedy club that also triples as a karaoke lounge and dueling piano venue, a diner-style pizza and burger joint that’s open late, Luna Park Arena game show and party space, and a two-deck area that melds a pub on Deck 7 with a gin bar one deck above. The ship also brews its own beer on board.
As the heart of the vessel, it also contains the guest services, shore excursions, and future cruise desks.
Promenade
Promenade, the seventh and final district, is pure fun. The mostly outdoor location consists of a long walkway lined with bars and restaurants. Inward-facing balcony cabins are stacked high, rising up on both sides.
The structure itself seems to be borrowed directly from Royal Caribbean’s playbook for the Boardwalk neighborhood. If that wasn’t coincidental enough, MSC went so far as to include hot dogs, sweets, a sports bar, and a twisting dry slide.
Unlike Royal Caribbean’s version, World America’s Promenade (not to be confused with the indoor Royal Promenade-like Galleria) lacks a carousel, an arcade, and an aft-facing theater. It also added a coffee shop and a Mediterranean seafood restaurant called Paxos.
One of the most notable outposts in the Promenade district is Sweet Temptations – a candy-lover’s dream, selling for-fee ice cream, candy and waffles, crepes, doughnuts, and milkshakes with a variety of different frosting and topping choices.
There's a lot that's new
Although MSC has taken some of its cues from what’s worked on other cruise lines, there’s still a lot that’s new for the brand.
In terms of food, I give shout-outs to Pizza & Burgers, which is a terrific addition to MSC. Much like Norwegian Cruise Line’s American Diner and Johnny Rockets, which appear on several Royal Caribbean vessels, you can find your greasy spoon fix in the form of burgers, pizza, chicken fingers, fries, and desserts. Where it differs, though, is that it’s free and available late into the night. I highly recommend the pizza, but you’ll want to steer clear of the macaroni and cheese.
Additionally, Eataly has reprised its for-fee role onboard, offering the only standalone location at sea. (MSC first added Eataly to MSC Divina in 2012 but removed it when the partnership fizzled.) Although I wasn’t able to personally try it during the preview voyage, it’s a big enough name to warrant a mention.
In terms of creative bar concepts, the two-deck duo Masters of the Sea Pub and The Gin Project gin bar are of note. The space itself is cavernous, decked out in dark woods and emerald greens; it’s a place you could go to get lost while you share a pint or do a tasting.
Other exciting watering holes include the Elixir Mixology Bar, which offers instruction for a fee, and an onboard speakeasy that’s accessible with a special coin via a portal that some might say is rather “Dr. Who.” I’m told travelers booked in the Yacht Club automatically receive access; everyone else can attempt to earn it by buttering up their favorite bartenders at other bars on board.
Feeling health conscious? Check out the Zest Juice Bar on Deck 8. Crew members there will whip you up a special, added-cost smoothie or bowl from a list of tasty but pricey (read: $11 for a small smoothie) concoctions designed to improve energy and focus.
As for new things to do, Cliffhanger is worth experiencing once if you’re not afraid of heights and don’t mind the $5 charge. Make sure to have a friend or travel companion stationed nearby to capture footage of you on this ride that’s the first of its kind on a ship.
If you’re more of a theatergoer, check out “Queen Symphonic,” a high-energy rock ‘n’ roll performance that pairs singing, dancing, and acrobatics with popular rock hits. (Be sure to take note of the Panorama Lounge, where it’s hosted. If you’ve sailed Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class ships, you’re likely to find it similar to the aft-facing lounge Two70.)
And, last but not least, World America’s new production, “Dirty Dancing Celebration,” pays homage to the iconic movie starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey through a medley of song and dance numbers set to popular tracks from the film. Spoiler alert: Yes, they did “the lift” – and absolutely nailed it.
Because the ship’s main World Theater is a smaller size, performances are offered three times on the nights when they run. That makes for a more intimate experience, where the dancers take up residence in the aisles to make you feel like part of the show. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much fun during a show without acrobatics and special effects.
Cabins are largely unchanged
If you’ve sailed on any of the ships in MSC’s Seaside Class of vessels, you’ll be familiar with the accommodations on MSC World America. My balcony room was comfortable and neutral in both design and color.
In addition to a king bed that separates into two twins, there was a large sofa bed that sleeps two more people, a desk/vanity combo, several outlets, and a couple of large mirrors, as well as a coffee table and block stool that both slide under the vanity to make room for the sofa bed when it’s opened.
For a room that sleeps four, it seemed a little tight on storage space. The bathroom has only two small shelves by the mirror in addition to space in the sink area and a larger shelf down below. The closet and vanity drawer space would be fine for two people, but four would be a stretch.
The closet offers shelving and drawers on one side and a bar for hanging clothes on the other. One of the best features of the second side is that it includes a cut-out to allow for proper hanging of long items like suits and ball gowns. As usual, luggage can be stored under the bed.
The bathroom is outfitted with a fiberglass-enclosed shower with an adjustable showerhead, a toilet, a sink, a large mirror, and a wall-mounted makeup mirror.
Electronic components of the room included a TV with several channels (including ship programming and live TV), movies, and onboard account information; a house phone for dialing guest services, the spa, and more; a drawer-tethered hairdryer that’s powerful but which requires you to hold in a button constantly to operate it; a top-opening code-operated safe in one of the vanity drawers; one reading lamp by each side of the bed; two European outlets and two universal outlets.
There’s also one USB-C outlet on each side of the bed, as well as one USB-C and one regular USB outlet at the vanity.
Bottom line
MSC World America has drawn a lot from the learnings of other cruise lines that have been popular with North American cruisers for years. In doing so, MSC has ensured that the hardware and programming will pique the interest of both avid cruisers and newbies alike.
What you can expect from a voyage on this ship, which is scheduled to sail one- and two-week Caribbean voyages from Miami through 2026, is plenty of both new and familiar dining, drink, and entertainment options in a fun but elegant atmosphere.
Ashley Kosciolek
Ashley boarded her first cruise more than 20 years ago and never looked back. Her experience encompasses nearly 100 sailings across every major cruise brand, as well as niche luxury, river and expedition lines. She has written thousands of cruise tip features; ship, port and shore excursion reviews; and industry news articles for The Points Guy, Cruise Critic and other publications. She has been quoted as an expert by outlets that include The New York Times, CNBC, Fox Business, Forbes, Good Morning America and others.
