msc seaside ship yacht club

The Traveling Steve's

Our traveling adventure blog.

The Steve’s Review of MSC Seaside’s Yacht Club

Steve (DOS) and I sailed MSC’s Seaside cruise ship for the first time this past week; October 15 – 22, 2023 for a 7 night cruise to MSC’s Ocean Cay (MSC’s private island in the Bahamas), Costa Maya, and Cozumel Mexico. As this was a new cruise line for us, I’ll detail my/our experiences here in a bit more detail, similar to what I did when we first sailed Virgin Voyages this past July. Warning: this is a long post with lots of photos! (Sorry in advance for any typos!)😀

First some quick ship stats: for the MSC Seaside (per Wikipedia)

• 153,516 Gross Tons
• Length: 1,059 Feet
• Beam: 141 Feet
• Total Cabins: 2,067
• Passenger capacity: Max 4,961
• Entered Service: December 2017
• Cost when built in 2014: €700 million Euros
• Country of Registry: Valletta, Malta
• Current number of cruise ships in MSC fleet: 23

DRIVE TO THE PORT: As we live in the Orlando, FL suburbs, the Port of Cape Canaveral (where the Seaside is currently sailing from) is only an hour drive from our house, which make it super convenient. Not only that, but Cape Canaveral, in my humble opinion is one of the easiest embarkation/debarkation points we have sailed out of. It is not the closest port, however, to the airport as it’s an hour’s drive via car or shuttle bus, unlike Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) which is a short distance from the FLL airport terminal.

ARRIVAL AT PORT CANAVERAL: MSC currently leaves from terminal 10, which is the former Royal Caribbean (RCL) Cruise terminal. We saw RCL’s Wonder of the Seas docked further down the terminal channel, so I guess they needed bigger space for their mega series of ships.

We arrived at Port Canaveral Terminal 10 around 10:45am, and the luggage drop off and parking were a breeze, thanks to the good signage and uniformed port staff providing directions. There was very little car traffic at this hour, and the tour buses coming from the airport had a drop off point just for them, so they weren’t interfering with the flow of traffic. We parked on the ground level of the garage (shaded area), took a photo of where we parked, and walked the short distance to the terminal with our carry-on luggage, taking a selfie along the way of us with the giant ship behind us. One huge thing that at least the Port Canaveral Terminal Garage 10 does, is collect the parking fee upon entry via credit card. This really expedites the traffic flow upon debarkation, something other port garages such as Miami do not do, which caused lengthy exit delays when we sailed out of there in late July on Virgin’s Scarlet Lady. Ideally Miami’s garage should at least have an EPAS exit, as their garages handle multiple cruise lines out of the same garage, with various lengths of cruises, so pre-paying is perhaps not an option there.

Once at the terminal, we quickly found the Yacht Club (YC) tent area where we were verified for YC, and then sent thru a quick security check line. From there we were directed to a dedicated large conference-type room in the terminal, where we would then check-in for our cruise. We had already completed the paperwork and had downloaded the MSC app, but we still printed out our travel documents per MSC’s website guidelines, which makes it easier should the phone need re-charging or an update when you’re trying to check-in. (I’m old fashioned I guess, but I always print my boarding pass for the airport for the same reason; don’t always trust the phone and/or app when I need it most.)

The check-in process was very quick and we were given a glass of champagne as we entered the room. We then received our room card key which indicated YC access. They did not have the blue wrist bands available at check-in, (which will also allow you to open your stateroom door), but we picked up our complimentary bands two days later onboard at the photo gallery. While we waited a few minutes for our boarding to commence, we sipped our glass of pre-boarding champagne together with the other YC guests, and toasted to an awesome cruise ahead!

After a short wait in the pre-boarding area, we were escorted in small groups aboard the ship where we were led directly thru the main lobby atrium. Here we met our personal shipboard Butler Agus, who assisted us from there. Agus helped us with our carry-on luggage and escorted us from deck five thru a few public areas, until we reached the forward elevators which took us to our “ship within a ship”, the Yacht Club section. The Yacht Club occupies the forward third of the 16th, 18th, and 19th decks aboard the Seaside. (There is not a deck 17 on this ship as it is an Italian ship, and 17 (like 13 in the US) is considered an unlucky number.)

Once in the Yacht Club, we had a seat in the Top Sail Lounge, which is the huge main cocktail lounge exclusive to the 200 Yacht Club passengers. We had yet another glass of the complimentary Champagne in the Lounge (actually Prosecco to be technically correct), and met some of our fellow passengers, while we again sipped our Bubbly. (And it’s not even 11:30am yet!). There was a nice assortment of snacks, nuts and pastries as well, but we skipped over those for now as lunch was in the near future for us. In a few minutes, we were gathered with a few other guests for a quick orientation of the Yacht Club’s services, amenities, meal hours etc, which was lead by the lead Concierge staff person, Raj. After the 10 minute or so orientation, we went to our cabin, which was just down the hall, also on deck 16. We knew from the moment we boarded that the Yacht Club was truly special, and this would be an awesome cruise!

STATEROOM : After the orientation in the Top Sail Lounge, DOS and I headed to our stateroom which was just down the hall. Our room was 16014, with 16 being the deck number, and 014 the room number. The room was quite comfortable, and categorized by MSC as a “Superior Yacht Club Suite”. While our room was not what I would consider a full suite, it was a nice sized Jr. Suite in size, similar to those on other cruise lines and quite spacious enough for us. We had a King sized bed, half open-sided wall adjacent to the bedroom, dividing off the living room sofa, a large bathroom (no tub) with decent sized shower and a large single sink vanity. Robes were provided for use onboard, and the large towels and bed linens were of very good quality.

The outlets for electronic devices were a bit lacking as they weren’t located on either side of the bed, but on the long table with pull out drawers. We brought a cruise-allowed power adapter (not a surge protector which are banned on all cruise ships) we bought on Amazon which is cruise-safe, and handled our other devices, such as our iPhones, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac Book. The is also a European power outlet under the TV, as well a couple USB outlets.

FIRST MEAL ABOARD: LUNCH! After briefly settling into our cabin and unpacking our carry-on items, we headed up to Deck 18 (only one level up due the “skipping” of the 17th floor per Italian superstition) to the Yacht Club (YC) Dining Room. I’ll talk at length about the Yacht Club further down in this post, but for now the relaxing lunch with wine made for quite a friendly welcome aboard and literally a taste of what was to come over the next 7 days. We met our waiter and assistant waiters, who would expertly serve us throughout the cruise.

EXPLORING THE SHIP: After lunch in the Yacht Club, it was time to venture out of the YC exclusive area, and explore a bit of the rest of this mammoth ship. I say “a bit” as even by the end of the cruise we felt like we had only seen some of the major ship venues, and never quite learned our way around the ship, even with the lighted ship maps located near the elevators and elsewhere.

The layout in some places could be a bit strange, such as on Deck 16 towards the mid/aft of the ship, where you needed to go down or up a deck to cross all the way to the back of the ship (due to a galley blocking part of the passageway) or the plethora of mirrors aboard in some corridors that had us saying hi to the “other people” coming towards us, only to realize we were saying hi to ourselves! LOL! 😂

Part of the fun of going on a new ship, however, is getting lost finding your way around; it really is a beautiful ship with so many sectional venues that it will take some time to explore even the main parts of the ship by day and night.

MAIN LOBBY : At the centerpiece of the ship are the beautiful Swarovski decorated crystal staircases located in the ship’s main atrium. These staircases lead to several levels, and flank either side of the multi-level stage areas that are used for various musicians throughout the day and evening, as well as on the main open air bottom level of the lobby. The backdrop of the atrium is an ever changing myriad of colors and scenes, depending on the occasion.

There is a huge semi-circular bar which is visible from the staircases and overlooks surrounding them, and serves as a focal point entertainment venue for the numerous onboard events and parties. We even saw Elvis, and Michael Jackson one night!

ELEVATORS: The ship has two primary banks of elevators; one towards the forward of the ship; and one a bit past the middle of the ship. The main elevators are “smart” elevators, although I would say the “smart part” needs a bit of tweaking to them. The idea in theory is great, provide more efficient elevator access by matching groups of passengers going to the same floors, although at peak times that doesn’t work the best. Basically by each elevator there is a mini iPad type device where you select your floor, which is also indicated by the deck’s name; i.e, Miami Beach deck.

The elevator then calculates which elevator will be the quickest, and tell you the elevator (via letter and number, i.e. G5) and the approximate wait time. During slow periods, these worked fine, but when several hundred people got out of a show at the same time or returned from a busy port of call, things got a bit more hectic. Ideally each person in their group, say four people, should enter the floor number, not just one person from the group, so the elevator can calculate the capacity as 4 riders instead of 1. Unfortunately this is not obvious, and I don’t recall seeing signage to tell people to do this which at busy times can be quite crowded and confusing with multiple groups of people trying to ride as a single passenger, instead of their actual group size.

Busy periods aside, though, I really love this concept, as busy elevators on these mega ships in general (most other lines included) face the problem of over-crowded elevators, and people riding up to go down, and not getting off at the correct top or bottom floor; instead just getting on to secure their space in the crowded elevators. These “smart” elevators do not have any floor buttons once you are on board so you can’t change your mind or better yet, don’t have kids pushing every floor button of the elevator!

There is also one small bank of two elevators in the aft area of the ship by the aft pool, which are not the “smart elevator” type. There is also an elevator inside the Yacht Club for exclusive use of the YC passengers, but it only operates on the YC floors 16 – 19.

LOUNGES/BARS: According to the MSC website there are some 19 bars and lounges onboard! And, no we didn’t try all of them out on our seven day cruise! While we primarily used the Top Sail Lounge in the Yacht Club, as well as the YC’s pool bar, we did go to several of the other bars and lounges in the main part of the ship as well. We were concerned the main bars/lounges outside the YC would be jam packed all the time, but that really was not the case most of the time. While many were busy, with the exception of the large main atrium bar, and main and aft pool bars, we didn’t have trouble finding seats or barstools at some of the other bars and lounges. We tried the Sports Bar, which had a large selection of drafts (but oddly no IPAs such as Lagunitis here or elsewhere on the ship I could find), the Seaview Lounge, and the Haven Lounge, both of the latter offered live entertainment, as well as the main atrium lounge.

We didn’t try out the Champagne Lounge on the upper level of the main atrium, but walked by it several times as well as the Chocolate Bar; both of which looked nice but not overflowing with crowds.

There is also a small bar (more of a to-go bar) in the buffet area on deck 8 which is open late while the late night buffet is being served until 1am, which is fine for grabbing a brewski or drink to your table while munching on the midnight food and snacks.

GAME ROOM: We didn’t utilize the game room, but did pass thru the Game Room Arcade a few times when walking towards the back of the ship. There was a Formula One Race Car simulator, complete with an actual size car that can be “driven” around the large virtual screen track directly in front of it. It looked pretty realistic, and we watched a man probably in his early 40s having a ball with his racing skills!

There is also a two lane bowling alley in the arcade room, but we never saw anyone bowling, although we weren’t there very much other than just passing thru. I was hoping to video someone bowling as it must be quite tricky on a moving ship; I’m sure there’s lots of curve and gutter balls even from experienced bowlers!

There are also other video games as well, all of which required payment or a game pass of sorts via the ATM like kiosk or pre-pay on the cruise card.

SPA Area: We’re not spa kind of people (i.e. don’t get massages, use the treatment rooms etc) so we can’t speak for the Spa, other than it was quite large, and people we spoke to really enjoyed their massage and even the “mud treatment”. (I’ve always wanted to try that seaweed wrap treatment but DOS says “that’s phooy”, you’ll gain your weight back as soon as you drink water or alcohol! Possibly, but it does sound like fun!)

Any passenger on the ship can book the “The Thermal Suite Pass” (which is complimentary for Yacht Club Members), and provides access to the Thermal Suite area and and spa deck area; a private section of deck 16, just prior to entering the YC section. We did not use the Thermal Suite on this trip as we seemed to be too busy on this cruise (not sure what we were doing other than relaxing, but we seemed busy all the time!) We did walk thru the spa outdoor deck area on our daily walks around the ship for exercise, which is shown in the next couple of photos, which never seemed to be busy, and was a nice wide area of the deck as well.

We did like the cold towels the Spa staff handed to all guests when they came back from port, on the dock area near the entrance to the ship. The white washcloths were chilled (like Celebrity Cruises and Princess does), but also sprayed with an exotic Eucalyptus mixture that smelled divine. Of course they sell the bottled mixture in the Spa if you like it!

POOL FUN : The main (non Yacht Club) portion of the ship has several pools, divided into different sections. There is an adventure pool area that has a kiddie pool and other water activities, while there are 2 racing water slides that go out over the starboard side of the ship, while on the port side there is a similar, but larger twisting water slide that uses a raft to ride the slide down to the bottom. Scrunched in-between, in the center of the Adventure Club area, is another twisting slide that finishes on the bottom deck of the Adventure Club pool area. None of the slides were overly busy and were complimentary, although you had to sign a waiver and get a wrist band prior to riding them. Adults as well as kids seemed to be enjoying themselves! I’m sure in peak summer or holiday periods there would be hundreds more kids using these facilities, though on our mid-October sailing it was not overwhelming.

SAIL-AWAY PARTY: Sure enough, as quiet and empty as the ship was when we first got on and started exploring the ship, it quickly filled up by sail-away time. There was a big sail-away party at the aft pool deck area, but it was a bit too busy to see the entertainment staff, and a bit too noisy for us to enjoy, so we retreated back to the quite calm of The Yacht Club. I told Steve (DOS) at times leaving some of the crowded main areas of the ship was like being in a busy airport terminal, and then suddenly entering the calm of an airline’s international First Class Lounge! Not really an exaggeration either, as a couple of fellow Yacht Club passengers said something similar.

SHOPPING GALLERY : As expected for a ship of this size, there are several shopping areas aboard the ship, ranging from logo items, to duty free liquors and other items, to Swarovski crystals, jewelry, cosmetics, to men’s face creams to make you look ten years younger. Maybe I should have bought two of the face cremes to shave 20 years off my age!🤣

We’re not big shoppers except for souvenir type items, but we did purchase the ship’s Seascape model (which I try to collect of ships we have taken), which was priced at $56, and was a nice quality metal model on a wood base. I wanted an MSC cap, but oddly enough they were out of them, and I didn’t see any nice logo T-shirts that I cared for, so we settled for just purchasing the ship’s model.

We had the same issue on Virgin Voyages recently where they were out of their logo caps, and like on MSC, this was only on the second night. Don’t know if ships are having supply-chain issues or people are gobbling them up right away (I think the former as you they would want to advertise their product), so if you see something you want in the gift logo shop, I would buy it early on in the cruise.

CASINO: While we’re not gamblers, we did stroll thru the casino after the theater shows let out, as it was a passageway towards the mid to the aft of the ship, and you really couldn’t avoid it. Although MSC allows smoking in the casino, it really was very well filtered, and this comes from someone who is very sensitive to second-hand smoke. There were definitely plenty of slots for every type play you like, as well as many table games as well.

The huge bar served as a functional and aesthetically pleasing circular sports bar as there were TV monitors mounted from the ceiling pointed down to the bar below.

YACHT CLUB EXPERIENCE: Wow oh Wow! What can I say about this? The Yacht Club (YC) is an exclusive area for 200 or fewer passengers, which makes up only 5% of the ship’s capacity, yet offers the best service, food, and amenities aboard. The YC occupies the forward 1/3 of decks 16, 18, and 19, with YC cabins on decks 16 and 18 (there is no deck 17 on these Italian ships due to superstition of the number 17). The YC offers mostly similar “Superior Suite Balcony” cabins, although there are 2 Royal Suites, and a few inside cabins as well, all which receive the same Yacht Club service, although the Royal Suites do get a reserved onboard pool-side cabana and much larger suite. (There are other cabanas in the YC available complimentary to YC passengers, on a first-come basis, and can be reserved onboard.)

Note there are actually several categories of larger suites aboard the Seaside that are not in the Yacht Club area, and these do NOT include the 5 star Yacht Club admittance and perks; they are basically larger cabins located throughout the ship among the masses of other passengers. Even though we’ve had very large suites on other lines, the room on MSC was almost secondary as the service and amenities in the public Yacht Club areas were far superior than being in a large suite in a non-Yacht Club area, although the larger space would be good for families needing extra space. All of the rooms in the Yacht Club are in the same key-only accessible area, and it was like being at a Country Club as it was such a small group of passengers with such a high staff to passenger ratio. It was easy to meet most of the fellow YC passengers over the course of the cruise, and it really was like a family between the staff and passengers by the end of the cruise.

The Yacht Club is entered via a key-carded entry door, where the 24 hour Concierge desk and staff are located, and glad to answer any questions, assist with shore excursions, specialty dining, and any type special request you may have.

The long hallway internal to the YC is mirrored on both sides, a common design theme used throughout the ship; lots of mirrors everywhere! On the starboard side where our cabin was located, there is also another keyed entrance door which bypasses the Concierge, and lead down a couple hallways to our room.

At the end of the hall on deck 16, is the Top Sail Lounge, a large and elegant cocktail lounge exclusive to the YC passengers. It faces the front of the ship and has plenty of seating on chairs, sofas, and at the bar area as well. It is here where (well actually anywhere in the YC) you can truly relax away from the mass market crowds of passengers in the main parts of the ship. No loud music and shouting, although there is a piano player/singer who entertains in the evening and special events such as the Captains cocktail party, High Tea, etc, and one night there was a saxophone player entertaining as well.

During other times of the day and night there is light and soft jazz or supper-club type music piped in thru the speakers, which makes a subtle background effect, without being overwhelming, even in the pool lavatory! There are always plenty of staff serving the YC, and there is never a wait for a drink, be it bottled water or your favorite cocktail, wine, or beer, and all but the most premium wines and liquors are included both here and throughout the ship (with two exceptions, the chocolate bar and the gelato bar in the main areas of the ship.)

Meals Aboard: Unlike the main part of the ship which has 3 seatings in a couple of dining rooms, which require a reservation time, the YC is open seating, and offers 3 waiter-serviced meals a day, in addition to the YC buffet which is available until 7 -10 am for breakfast and normally 12 – 3pm for lunch. We usually ate at the outdoor buffet for breakfast and lunch as the service hours were later and longer than the restaurant, and it was quite an extensive buffet you could enjoy around the pool, or outdoor seating area.

We did have lunch in the Yacht Club Dining Room the first day, and breakfast in the Dining Room on Debarkation Day; both of which were leisurely and wonderful, but we preferred the casual poolside buffet most days for breakfast and lunch. (The YC buffet is not open for dinner, although they have hors d’oeuvres in the Top Sail Lounge for a pre or post dinner snack.)

We always had dinner in the YC Dining room, which was truly a treat! Dinner is served nightly from 6pm to 9pm, and is open seating with no reservation required for whatever time you like to dine between the posted hours. We requested the same section each night so we had the same wait staff, and normally dined around 7:30pm. The menu selections changed each night with the evening’s theming, but they always had a few classics you could order from if nothing was to your liking, which including a Filet Mignon, Salmon, Cesar Salad etc.

Unlike other mainstream US cruise lines, there are 3 courses offered instead of the usual four on RCL, Celebrity, Princess and others. The portion sizes are also a bit small than other lines, but we thought this was actually a positive thing as many times cruise lines oversize their portions, although that too has changed since COVID in serving size portions. MSC offers a choice of several starters, entrees, and desserts (including selections from the cheese cart which I loved.). If you wanted another entree or like Steve (DOS) another or different starter, the wait staff was only too happy to oblige. As drinks were included, we tried several different wines with different food pairings over the week cruise, and one night the sommelier surprised us with a Beaujolais to try with our starter. We never would have guessed what it was (he didn’t tell us initially) as it was quite complex; like a more full-bodied Pinot, than a Beaujolais which is usually a young and more simple wine. Our wine of choice however, was the French Medoc they freely poured, or the Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon.

The food, presentation, and service were truly outstanding in the YC, and the Chef visited us table-side a couple evenings, while the Maitre D’ always stopped by to check on us. Our waiter and assistant waiter were absolutely some of MSC’s best!

Outdoor YC Pool Area/Bar/Buffet: On deck 19 was the YC Sun Deck, pool, and bar/buffet and outdoor seating area and cabanas. This was a large area, although most of the lounge chairs were not shaded unfortunately. As the YC’s sundeck was in the very front of the ship, umbrellas would probably not work due to the wind, although the area was quite protected by full length window panels, which mostly blocked the wind. On the downside, the large window panels created a bit of an obstacle for taking photos, although for sunset photos or in-port photos such as MSC’s private island, we could get good and unobstructed photos from our room’s balcony, as the window panels did not block the view as they did on the sundeck.

The YC saltwater pool was deeper than it looked, at around 5 feet deep, although the sign said 4’8″. The pool was a fun place to socialize and cool off, and we used it most days due to the great weather.

There are also two whirlpools located a bit further forward of the sectionally partitioned YC club, which are on the forward part of the YC sundeck.

Little extras mean a lot: The Yacht Club includes so many little extra touches with attention to detail, which makes it so extra-special. Your choice of daily newspaper: Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, and others, which are condescended versions of the papers, and printed daily on site.

Evening chocolates on the pillow, and some type of surprise treat each evening, such as white chocolates in a plexiglass box, a bottle of Prosecco one evening, a box of 4 sampler chocolates in a gift box the last night, replenishment of your mini-bar beers, water, sodas per your request etc.

Butler Service is included along with your room attendant, and the Butler will escort you anywhere on the ship and even to the exit for port days and debarkation. This was a huge benefit, especially being led to the reserved Yacht Club section for the Theater production shows. The High Tea service was especially nice and classy, and served in the Top Sail Lounge.

Production Shows: There were FIVE Production shows on this 7 night cruise! (Most 7 and even 10 night cruises only have a maximum of three, filled in with other acts on the other nights). Each show was different and some were better than others, but were all energetic with 4 main singers and 9 dancers, with additional specialty-act performers on some of the shows, such as the Peter Punk and Michael Jackson show.

The show theater itself while very large with two aisles and a center section (with stadium type seating allowing for great views), seemed a bit under-sized for a ship this large, sailing with 4,300 passengers on our sailing, so a couple of the most popular shows actually had 3 seatings (7:30, 9:30, and 10:30pm) instead of two most nights, due to the capacity requirements.

Unlike most other cruise lines, the Cruise Director did not make an announcement forbidding photography or even video taping at each show, and it seemed like quite a few people discretely videoed some of the performance number highlights, including myself, which I have included a few short segments below of some of the shows.

We enjoyed all of the shows, although we did not go to the two comedy shows on the non-production show nights, with the Circus Spectacular and the final night’s Michael Jackson show really extra well-done.

PORTS OF CALL : MSC OCEAN’s CAY was without a doubt our favorite port stop on this cruise. Like other cruise lines, MSC has their own private island in the Bahamas, however on our itinerary we were docked at Ocean Cay overnight, allowing for two full days on their private island, something other cruise lines do not do.

The island is also reachable via a dock area, so there is no need to tender to the port. As our cabin was on the starboard (right) side of the ship, we had an awesome view of the private island, including the landmark lighthouse, which has a light show at night, overlooking the beach party there.

We absolutely loved MSC’s Ocean Cay, and as DOS and I both agreed, it reminded us of Royal Caribbean’s (RCL’s) Coco Cay, before they turned the quiet island into a “theme park” with gigantic waters slips, a hot air balloon, zip lines etc. Not that there’s anything wrong with that if you want a bit of adventure for the whole family, but we much prefer the more pristine and natural look of a tropical island without all the added frills which we could do onboard or at a waterpark back home if we wanted to.

As there is no tendering required, it’s quite easy to debark the ship, and quickly explore the island. Our ship was the only ship in port both days, so it really did feel like a private island without the crowds. As passengers in the Yacht Club, we were escorted down to the exit, and once on land directed to a golf-cart tram, which transported us to the other side of the island, to the exclusive Yacht Club compound on the private beach.

The Yacht Club section includes the only air-conditioned passenger building on the island for the club house bar. There was really no reason to access the bar most of the time though, as the service was exceptional, both on the beach as well as at the adjacent Yacht Club Ocean Restaurant. We did go in there a couple times for a quick bottled water or drink if we were passing by there for a restroom stop or to cool off a bit.

As lunch the first day was from noon to 2pm, (11:30am – 1:30pm on the second day), we were a bit early for lunch, so headed to the gorgeous private beach just steps aways from the restaurant/bar area. The private beach area was huge, and offered plenty of lounge chairs with umbrellas (complimentary). We had read that the beach itself could be a bit rocky, so we brought some waterproof beach shoes which were great for not only the water, but walking on the hot beach.

In addition to the complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas, beachside cabanas could be pre-reserved as well for a fee. As the service was so good to everyone, we really didn’t see a point in getting a cabana, and were quite comfortable with our beach chairs and umbrellas, as servers were constantly coming by on the beach to provide us beverages. The beach chairs were actually closer to the water as well. The Bahamian water was so crystal blue and clear, it invited most passengers in for a refreshing dip.

Snorkeling was not offered at the Yacht Club beach, possibly as there was no protective netting there (more in a moment – yikes! 😱), but it was offered at the non-Yacht Club main beach areas for a fee.

We went to lunch around 1pm at the Yacht Club outdoor Ocean House Restaurant, which is covered in most areas, along with ceiling fans to cool off. The food has different menus both days, and unlike a Buffet for the non-Yacht Club areas we passed on the way in, the YC section has full waiter service. It is served by the same wait staff on the ship, so it’s nice they know you, and you know them for the service they provide with a smile.

Steve (DOS) had always wanted a lobster roll (served on the second day on the island) but doesn’t like mayonnaise, so he told that to the waiter, who in turn talked to the chef, and DOS got his lobster roll without mayo and loved it! Later on in the cruise, the chef actually came by our table one evening at dinner and asked him how he liked the lobster roll without mayo! Outstanding service, and passenger memory preferences as well!

After a leisurely lunch, we headed back to the beach to relax for a while and enjoyable the beautiful mid-October day in the Bahamas. We actually got more than we expected, with some “wildlife” viewing, swimming around in the water. Yes, we saw a few sharks really close to the shore! 😱 These were sand sharks, and I guess when everyone was at lunch and the water was empty of beach goers, they decided to swim close to the shore and feed on the tiny needle or other fish. I could not believe how close the sharks got to the shore; literally in a foot of water! 🤪😜🤔😱

We, along with most our fellow passengers at the beach took photos and video of the sharks swimming around, although I don’t think anyone else got back in the water that afternoon. There is a lifeguard, and he cautioned people about the sharks, but it didn’t take much caution for us to avoid the water after lunch!

The next day, we didn’t see the sharks though, and it seemed safe to go back into the water. I looked up sand sharks when we got back to the ship and Wikipedia had this article on them. They are normally “docile” to humans and are not aggressive unless provoked. They are usually more active at night, so I guess we “got lucky” by seeing them in the afternoon!

In the evening of our first day at MSC’s Ocean Cay, there were two lighthouse shows, and a huge beach party on the sand. We intended to get off the ship and go to the party, but after a big dinner and a few drinks we felt a bit lazy, so watched the show and party from our 16th floor balcony; actually probably the best view from anywhere.

The beach party was adjacent to the lighthouse, and in full view for us as seen from our balcony, looked lively and fun as well. The beach party, and island “curfew” lasted until 11:30pm, at which point everyone rebounded the ship until the next day, while the “island people” who live there freshened up the island overnight.

There were two different light shows; one at 9 and one at 10pm, and in between the shows were rotating light effects; i.e. MSC logo, different color lights etc, and coordinated with music as well.

The second day on Ocean Cay was basically a repeat of the first day, but without any shark sightings.😀 It was nice to sleep in a bit, have breakfast aboard the ship, and then head back to the Yacht Club Beach Resort; it had a feel of staying at a nice Caribbean land resort. DOS had his lobster roll for lunch, while I had the lunch tournedos of beef, and an ahi tuna salad.

We sailed from Ocean Cay on our second day there, at 5:30pm for our next port, Costa Maya, which we would arrive in two days, after a day at sea on the way there.

COSTA MAYA, MEXICO: This is a newer Mexican port as far as tourism goes, but already it has gotten quite popular, and unfortunately crowded. The day we we docked here, there were a total of 4 mega ships in port, (RCL’s Adventure OTS, Allure OTS, Carnival Pride, and our ship MSC Seaside) and as the ships shared the two long dock areas, it was quite busy just walking down the long perpendicular dock ramps to the Costa Maya cruise entrance.

Once there, it felt perhaps a little less busy than Mardi Gras, with most passengers wandering around aimlessly watching the free show in the town square, going to the many bars there, shopping, some even swimming in the huge pool there, or like us heading down to the “swim with the dolphins” area to have a look.

We skipped on doing Costa Maya’s “Spa Treatment”, which consisted of women (and even some men) soaking their feet in an aquarium filled with tiny fish. Supposedly the fish gently chew on your dead skin, and somehow this “reduces stress” and “makes skin smooth and soft!”. I don’t know, but I got stressed just watching these ladies with their feet getting chewed on by those little fish! To each his own I guess; hey they’re in Mexico enjoying themselves. (At least the lady on the right. The lady on the left kept looking at her watch, like “how much longer do I have to have my feet in this horrible tank!”

We did not do a shore excursion or tour here on our own, as we stopped here last year in March 2022 on a Princess cruise and had gone into town on that trip. While there were mega ships in that day as well, as it was still the trailing part of the COVID pandemic, most of the ships were only sailing half full then, so while the port was busy in places (such as the taxi stand), the port itself was more like a ghost town compared to this trip’s visit to Costa Maya. The one part that was busy then was when we took a taxi into town, and it was a bit of a free-for-all getting a cab. The town itself wasn’t as busy as the hectic cruise port, and offered massages on the beach next to one of the many ocean front beach bars and souvenir shops. The town was worth a look if you hadn’t been, and it had much more of a feel for the “real” Mexico with its rustic sea-side village. You can view our stop in Costa Maya last year on this Princess post if you want to see the village town of Costa Maya.

COZUMEL MEXICO: We’ve been to Cozumel several times over the years, and always enjoy the stop there. While there were three or four ships in port the day we were there, Cozumel has several docks which are spread out by a couple miles, so it’s not nearly as overwhelming with crowds compared to Costa Maya, where the docks are all in the same area. We were docked at the International Cruise Port Terminal, which is the preferred terminal as it’s in town and the port area has some of the fun places to visit; i.e. Margaritaville and Señor Frogs among others. We had no excursions booked here, so basically wondered around the port area and into town for some exercise and bought a souvenir hat, being the big spenders we are!🤣

I first went to Cozumel in 1987 on my very first cruise, Bahama Star Line’s Veracruz, when Cozumel was not a well known port of call, and the ships that did stop there were much smaller than today’s mega-monsters. That first 5 day cruise on the Veracruz, got me hooked on cruising for life, and I have fond memories of the 3 cruises I took on her the first two years alone, eventually expending my cruise repertoire to now over 75 cruises on various cruise lines with different cruise lengths and regions of the world That tiny ship, the Veracruz was only 10,000 tons or so with perhaps 700 passengers, and there were no balconies, specialty dining, internet (Internet! 🤣🤣🤣 It wasn’t even invented yet!🤣🤣🤣), but it brings back great memories to this day, and many former passengers and staff have commented on my Veracruz post from a few years back with their stories down memory lane on her as well.

Anyway, sorry I digress down memory lane. What reminded me of Cozumel and the Veracruz, was the Hotel that you see in port, at the International Terminal where we were docked on the MSC Seaside. That Hotel has been there for years, although has undergone many renovations (even now) due to hurricanes and general upkeep and modernization.

It was formerly called “El Sol”, Spanish for “The Sun”. I never stayed there, or even visited the property, so DOS and I toured the lobby of the hotel and grounds, which although under partial renovation, looked very nice. Even though it was so close and just across the dock area from the cruise ships, it had a secluded feel to it, with a nice pool facing our ship, a nature walk with outdoor spa, whirlpool, bar etc, and was tropically landscaping as well. DOS even went to inquire on room types and rates at the Front Desk before we left, which is now called “El Cid La Ceiba”.

In my younger, “Veracruz” days, (pre-DOS) I would take the old Fiesta party boat as a shore excursion to a private beach, with unlimited rum punch and a piñata party and dancing on the way back to the port.

I’m sure they have something similar to the Fiesta boat now, but we skipped the party scene on this return trip to Cozumel, although did have a look in at Margaritaville and Senior Frogs. I settled for my souvenir cap from Ron Jon’s Surf Shop in Cozumel, and we made our way back to the ship for lunch. It was a beautiful day in Cozumel while we here on the MSC Seaside in mid-October 2023.

MISC/OTHER Onboard Experiences : On MSC Seaside, there were several other optional tours and events, wine tastings, backstage tours, Bingo, Slot Pulls etc you could signup and pay for, although we did not do any of them; not so much out of lack of interest, rather there were so many other activities to do, and hanging out by day at the Yacht Club pool area was one of them! 😀

Behind-the-Scenes Tour: I would have loved to have taken MSC’s Behind the Scenes Tour, but it was quite an extensive tour and required lots of walking up stairs and other areas of the ship (per their description) and as I’m still recovering from my heart surgery last year and I didn’t want to over-exert myself, although I’m doing fine walking on level surfaces. The backstage tour includes off-limits areas to guests including the Engine Room, Galley, Bridge, and Backstage of the Main theater among others. The Backstage Theater tour was always my favorite on Celebrity Cruises, and I’m sure this all inclusive Behind-the-Scenes tour would fail to disappoint as well.

Wine Tasting Events: Another event that sounded promising was one of the wine tastings. We walked by the display table for the wine tasting event that was setup adjacent the Butcher Cut (Specialty steak dining venue), and it looked quite elegant with various size Riedel glassware and fine wines. We’ve done many ship wine tastings on many different ships, and have always enjoyed them, so from the descriptions of the wine tasting it sounded very nice; again it was more of a timing thing for us. We enjoyed one wine tasting event on Celebrity Cruises years ago, that got us hooked on the Riedel glassware and use it to this day (after breaking a few glasses over the years and replenishing them obviously!)😱 A proper wine tasting with Riedel should include a different type glass for each varietal tasted, noting the differences and shapes in the stemware, paired with the appropriate wine for the glass from which you are sampling.

Caviar Tasting : We did not do this, but met a couple of ladies in the Yacht Club who did, and loved it! I believe the cost was $50 for this tasting, which is held at Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse at various times.

Specialty Dining : There are several Specialty Dining venues on board, including the Butcher’s Cut, an Asian Restaurant, and a Seafood Restaurant. The Butcher’s Cut especially looked wonderful for me Steve (UNO) as I’m a steak and potatoes kind of guy, and the cuts of beef (and wines) are on display adjacent to the Specialty Restaurant’s Lounge and worth at least having a look. /

We actually enjoyed the Yacht Club Restaurant so much we didn’t even make it to one of the Specialty Dining’s Restaurants aboard (although I would have chosen The Butcher’s Cut if we had gone) as we had an included complimentary Specialty Restaurant dinner with my (status match) Diamond status on MSC. Passing up on a complimentary meal at Butcher’s Steakhouse tells you how much we enjoyed The Yacht Club’s restaurant. (Actually though, I was getting a bit Filet Mignon’d out by the fourth day!)😀

Optic Eye: This was unique to us, and again we didn’t do this, but it was interesting, at least in concept. According to MSC, “it’s all the rage in Europe”, although we’ve never heard of it there either. Basically they scan your eyes with a device similar to one at an optometrist office, and it creates a colorful artwork design of your eyes, enlarged to make a poster, photo, canvas etc. I don’t know maybe it’s me, but I don’t think I would want my eyes staring at me all the time at home in the living room, but it is a unique conversation piece.🤔

BINGO! Everyone knows Bingo and if you play it, you know it! Onboard every cruise ship.

Zip Lining! This is one activity I definitely wouldn’t do, but was hoping to watch. They only offer it certain times of day, and unfortunately the last sea day was a bit windy so it was closed. I just wanted to video the brave souls that soared high over mid ship’s top deck toward the aft pool area. The zip line, (after you sign your life away waiver) costs $11 a zip. No thank you from the Steve’s, although it’s probably a blast if you’re an adventurer type.

I’m sure there are many other paid events and experiences aboard, but these caught my “eye” so to speak, out of interest even though we didn’t do them. There were plenty of free activities as well such as trivia, karaoke, dance classes, beach parties, pool parties, sail-away parties, etc, etc, etc. Whatever you do, you won’t be bored or run out of things to do, and you certainly won’t go hungry.

Farewell Day at Sea: The last day of the cruise is traditionally sad for us, as you have to pack up and realize the cruise is ending early the next morning. On this cruise, most likely due to the Yacht Club service, accommodations, easy itinerary and mostly casual clothes, we were really able to relax the last day.

Traditionally the first and last night of a cruise are very casual with the idea being passengers just arrived and/or have not unpacked their luggage, or on the last day have already packed up their luggage for the trip home. On MSC in the YC at least, about 50% of the passengers dressed up in semi-formal attire for the farewell Italian dinner on the last night of the cruise. This was the only night I wore shorts to the dining room as we had already packed and were only traveling an hour home to Orlando the next day. I felt a bit uncomfortable although quite a few other Floridians and others were wearing shorts as well. Some of the passengers also wore shorts to dinner on the port days, but mostly it was dress casual aboard except for the one formal night, which was not the last night of the cruise.

We spent a good part of the day by the pool area, having lunch as usual at the outdoor YC buffet. As a nice afternoon treat, the waiters come by and pass out your choice of ice cream too!

For dinner, it was Italian night, and all of the waiters were dressed in tuxes with the Italian flag colors for the tie and vest. Even the tables had alternating colors of red, white, and green of the Italian flag.

Disembarkation: We had our farewell breakfast in the YC Restaurant at 8am on disembarkation day, as the regular pool-side buffet breakfast was not served on the last morning. Having the full breakfast and not being rushed on Debarkation Day was especially nice vs the normal Continental Breakfast you get on some lines as you’re in a hurry to get off the ship and avoid crowds.

After breakfast, we waited for a bit with the other YC guests in the Top Sail lounge as we waited to be called; rather escorted down to the exit one last time. The “walk off” guests were called first; i.e. those passengers aboard the ship (everyone, not just YC) who were carrying their own luggage off the ship (as opposed to checked luggage), which must have been a few hundred passengers. No rush for us though as we were comfortably seated in the lounge area.

We disembarked around 9:10am, and were escorted all the way to the exit, following a roped off line so the passenger mix wouldn’t get in with our flow of YC traffic. Our luggage was waiting for us in the terminal, and we got a porter to assist us (very smart move!), who wheeled our luggage thru Customs and all the way to our parking spot in the parking garage. We were on our way home by 9:30am, and home by 10:35am; quite an easy disembarkation and trip home. Welcome Home!

Final Thoughts on the MSC Seascape after our first sailing:

• Certain areas of the MSC Seascape (more so than allowed on most other cruise lines) allow smoking. This seemed to be the main pool on the starboard side, but even the YC allowed smoking on the front portion (away from the pool though) starboard side. I don’t recall anyone smoking in the YC area however, so it wasn’t a problem for us, although on the main pool area starboard side there were quite a few smokers. The casino allows smoking but it is really filtered well, so wasn’t terrible just walking thru it, as we don’t gamble.
• YC is truly a class by itself, and is so worth it if you can afford it. Compared to booking a suite on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Princess, it’s quite a bit cheaper as well, and RCL doesn’t include the drink package with all but the very top suites, nor their Beach Club access on their private island (an extra $200 a person for the one day there!)
• The production shows in the theater do not allow you to bring a drink into them. Not a huge deal though as the shows are typically 30 -35 minutes. There were actually 5 production shows on this 7 night cruise, plus two comedy shows. The shows were shorter, except for the Michael Jackson show which lasted about 45 minutes vs 30 minutes for the others.
• YC service includes Butlers who will escort you anywhere on the ship, and for disembarking in port as well as final debarkation. While we normally only used this service for the theater shows and going off the ship, it really does save lots of time, and makes it much easier to attend the shows, as you don’t need a reservation for the reserved YC seating area. Main passenger guests need to make reservations for the shows and queue up, while YC passengers are escorted by a butler 10-15 minutes prior to show time in a dedicated seating area which always had seats for us and others, even on the full shows.
• YC guests do not need a reservation for dinner as it’s open seating in the YC Dining Room. Other guests must make reservations for dinner, and depending on the fare level you paid, you may not be able to pre-reserve your dining preference at one of the three seatings.
• To us it seemed a bit of an oddity, but there are ATM-like credit card verification kiosks several places aboard the ship, where you needed to verify your credit card to enable charging on your account. We just thought it was a given to charge your credit card on file, but I guess some people put down a cash deposit, and need to have a card cover their excess charges on board. We just provided a credit card and “activated” (that’s what MSC calls it) when we boarded, and we were good to go for any incidentals.
• The YC covers all meals, 2 internet devices per person, virtually all alcoholic and other drinks, Butler and Room Attendant services, complimentary room service (you can even order a whole pizza to your room!), dedicated Concierge service, nightly turn down service (with chocolates!), daily choice of newspapers, pillow menu, etc: so worth it all! Best of all are the dedicated spaces for it’s own restaurant, lounge, private pool and sundeck area, and the YC Beach section at Ocean Cay, as well as complimentary access to the Spa Thermal Suite.
• The YC does NOT include daily staff gratuities, shore excursions, spa, or gift shop items.
• MSC will “status match” their frequent quest program to another cruise line or an elite Frequent Flyer or Hotel Program. I got status matched with Hyatt Globalist which gave me Diamond status with MSC. It’s not a huge benefit, but provides a 5% discount, and one specialty dinner aboard. The YC restaurant itself was so good, however, we didn’t even go to one of the specialty dining venues, even though we had a complimentary meal at the speciality restaurant of our choice.
• At least on the Seaside out of Port Canaveral, the shipboard announcements were not as many in quantity as we expected. It’s possible these (except for emergency or Captain’s announcements) were muted in the YC area, but we didn’t hear any more than you would on a Princess or RCL ship. This would be different in Europe I imagine due to the many nationalities boarding there, as well as the different length of cruises, even within the same 7 or 10 day itinerary (people may disembark in one port, vs taking the whole roundtrip cruise like on the Seaside out of Port Canaveral).

Finally, If you’re still here reading this; thanks for sticking around! I’ll finish this lengthy post with the finale the MSC singers and dancers concluded the Michael Jackson show with on the final night of the cruise. This song was a fitting sendoff to everyone, and in effect the ship itself is a bit of the United Nations itself with the multiple nationalities from both crew and passengers, that make up this floating city. The video is taken from the back of the theater, so it’s not the best quality, but it gives a happy and bittersweet moment for the end of show and cruise. Thanks for reading, and God bless the crew members here and worldwide that work so hard for us, and are away from their families for months at a time, so that we may enjoy our cruises. Take care everyone, and safe and happy travels!

• ← Welcome Aboard the MSC Seaside’s Yacht Club!
• Happy Birthday to Steve DOS from DISNEY SPRINGS! →

10 thoughts on “ The Steve’s Review of MSC Seaside’s Yacht Club ”

Steves, thank you so much for taking the time to write this exhaustive description of your experiences. It is chock full of useful information that I will make good use of.

My pleasure! We enjoy sharing our experiences and tips with others. Thanks for your comments!

Hi both We are booked on MSC SEASHORE which I presume is mostly identical in October. Yacht Club….. I can’t wait for this top notch experience. Your review brought it to life especially the private island. Your writeup of the boarding experience was very informative and will mean hopefully we wont wait in the wrong queue with no fizz! Excellent and thanks

Hi Graham, glad you enjoyed my post on the Yacht Club. While we haven’t taken the Seashore, from what I’ve read (as it’s based in North America) it should be a very similar experience. As the Yacht Club is such an intimate and enhanced experience, you’ll meet many of your fellow YC passengers there, and everyone we met said they would only do the YC on MSC again it was so wonderful! Enjoy your trip on the Seashore!

Thank you so much for this really detailed review. We were suggested Yacht Club by our travel agent but we haven’t yet made a final decision based on so many negative reviews of both MSC and the Yacht Club. Your review makes me much more likely to give it a try this coming October!!

You will love the Yacht Club if you do it. Yes, MSC itself has had some negatives; mainly due to the ‘nickel and diming’, required reservations for shows etc in the basic MSC lower, non YC cabins.. The Yacht Club, however is in a totally different league. There are only about 200 passengers in the YC, and it feels like a “country club” setting. You are free to explore the ship ship anywhere, however it feels so special coming back “home” to the YC. I really think you will like it. We’ve sailed many cruises on many lines, and we were quite impressed with the level of service and attention to details. Enjoy!

We have been dedicated Celebrity cruisers for a few years now. One of our sons got employed by MSC last Fall, and we took advantage of a “Family & Friends” program to cruise on MSC SEASHORE in March for four nights. Balcony cabin was nice, ship was beautiful, staff was great, but certainly not Celebrity level.

We are going back on SEASHORE in June for ten nights in The Yacht Club, then on Seaside in November out of Miami, and SEASHORE again next April. All Yacht Club, which we can do for the price of a regular balcony on Celebrity.

Really enjoyed this great review, and really looking forward to the MSC Yacht Club.

We have enjoyed the upscale Celebrity experience as well over the years, and are going on the Beyond for the first time in August. We were quite impressed with the service level on MSC’s Yacht Club, and felt it was more personal than many ships we’ve sailed. For the price point you’re absolutely right; the YC is less than a balcony on Celebrity, plus for the Caribbean itineraries at least, many offer an overnight at MSC’s private island which is wonderful! Enjoy your upcoming cruises!

Wow love this review. I hear the msc ships are beautiful and prices can be good but not much else positive. You have about convinced me I need the YC for my sept bday cruise now off to research! We always cruised carnival for convenience then tried celebrity and they won us over and our last cruise celebrity didnt work out tried princess and had a wonderful experience similar to celebrity but a few extras. YC seems like the way to go thanks so much for the post. What has been your favorite cruise based on the experience not the ports? Staying overnight sounds nice. Thanks!

Hi Donna, we love the Yacht Club on MSC and are looking forwarding to taking it again, this time on the MSC Seashore in late October. The slightly larger Seashore replaces the Seaside out of Port Canaveral, which we had taken last year. As far as favorite cruise ship (not taking the ports or location into account), that is a tough call to make. The MSC Yacht Club “area” rates as among the best service we’ve had at sea, and makes for a similar experience to even the ultra deluxe lines such as Seabourn.

Some of the other best times aboard ship were on the older Celebrity “Millennium Class” ships, such as the Constellation, Millennium, Infinity, and Summit (all 4 basically twins with slight in decor and the specialty restaurants. I think we liked the smaller size from the mega-liners of today, less crowds, a bit more formal (at least years ago, not now), easier meeting people and seeing them again on the ship, favorite waiters etc. Although you said to not mention ports, these “Panamax” sized ships were (and still are) ideal for a Panama Canal transit, as they can still fit thru the old Panama Canal locks, with only 1 foot or so to spare on either side of the ship. You can literally touch the side of the canal you are so close! The newer and bigger ships must transit the new locks, which while interesting are much bigger and lack the historical context of the original old locks. Other ships: Love Seabourn Encore for its much smaller size and boutique, country club casual like atmosphere and service. Celebrity Beyond – even a mega ship, it has something for everyone, but still a bit to big for us. I’m writing a post on our recent experience, so check back in a couple days. Your question also got me thinking of doing a post on then vs now. I started cruising in 1987 and how it’s changed over the years for better and sometimes not so better, but all good. Thanks for writing Donna!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MSC SEASIDE

" The ship is fabulous, stylish and clean. Very nice places to sit down, stunning atrium and Venchi Chocolate Bar was our favourite. "

" Very satisfied with the cleanliness of the entire ship along with cabin services. Most staff was very helpful. "

" The Yacht Club experience can not get any better than it was this cruise. We attribute our entire great experience to your staff. "

ITINERARIES

Get ready to dive into one of our pools, let your hair down at the themed parties, treat yourself to something delicious in one of our amazing restaurants, and much more!  

MAIN FEATURES 

Waterfront boardwalk.

The Waterfront Boardwalk is perfect for a relaxing stroll, at one point becoming a glass skywalk where you can enjoy a jaw-dropping view of the sea. The boardwalk provides access to a wide variety of restaurants, bars and other places to relax.

Miami Beach Pool

The unique Miami Beach Pool on deck 16 offers breathtaking sea views and, of course, plenty of space for sunbathing, thanks to the innovative sun loungers specially designed to give guests the chance to stay close to the pool like never before.

South Beach Pool

To get even closer to the sea while soaking up the sun, guests can also stretch out by the elegant South Beach Pool at the aft of the ship on deck 7. And for more amazing views, take a ride in the two panoramic lifts connecting it to the top deck.

Four decks atrium

The multi-level glass-walled atrium stretches over four decks, creating an atmospheric venue where guests can enjoy live entertainment and panoramic vistas. The two glass-floored catwalks outside the atrium offer guests a jaw-dropping view downwards.

MSC Yacht Club

Discover a place where you can savour exclusivity and privacy in a world of choice, indulging in the luxury of a private club while enjoying access to all the recreation and entertainment possibilities the rest of the ship offers: the MSC Yacht Club.

MSC Aurea Spa

The MSC Aurea Spa is a luxurious Balinese spa offering signature relaxation treatments to revitalise body and soul. Complete with a thermal area, beauty salon and nail boutique, the MSC Aurea Spa will leave you feeling pampered from head to toe.

State-of-the-art gym

Equipped with the latest Technogym® cardio and strength-training equipment, the panoramic gym on board MSC Seaside offers a wide range of original fitness courses and training programmes: perfect for anyone who wants to stay in shape as they cruise.

Cabins & Suites

• Surface approx. 21-62 sqm and balcony (if any) approx. 8 to 33 sqm, deck 16-18 • Spacious wardrobe • Bathroom with bathtub and/or shower • Sitting area with sofa or separate living area • Comfortable double or single beds (on request) • Wifi connection included • Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar Choose the Suite that best suits you: • MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite (surface approx. 62 sqm ad balcony approx 33 sqm, deck 16 ) • MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite (surface approx. 25 sqm, balcony approx 8 sqm, deck 16-18 ) • MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite (surface approx. 21 sqm, deck 16-18 )

Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club including:

• 24-Hour Butler service and dedicated concierge
• Premium Extra Drink and Internet packages included
• Complimentary Access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea SPA
• Balinese massage package and Specialty restaurants package, available up to 2 days prior to embarkation; 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board
• 1 Free cruise change

Size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category)

• Surface approx 17-49 sqm, balcony approx. 7-38 sqm, deck 9-15
• Some Suites have balcony with private whirlpool
• Sitting area with sofa
• Spacious Wardrobe
• Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
• Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
• Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar
• Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea (surface approx.  49 sqm, balcony approx. 17 sqm, deck 11-14 )
• Grand Suite Aurea (surface approx. 35-49 sqm, large balcony approx. 10-21 sqm, deck 9-13 )
• Premium Suite Aurea with whirlpool (surface approx.  28 sqm, balcony approx. 7 sqm, deck 9-15 )
• Premium Suite Aurea with terrace (surface approx.  28 sqm, balcony approx. 38 sqm, deck 9 )
• Premium Suite Aurea (surface approx. 26-32 sqm, balcony approx. 9-14 sqm, deck 9-15 )
• Deluxe Suite Aurea (surface approx. 20 sqm, balcony approx. 8 sqm, deck 9-15 )
• Junior Suite Aurea (surface approx. 17 sqm, balcony approx. 16 sqm, deck 9 )
• Surface approx. 16-17 sqm, balcony approx. 5-9 sqm*
• Bathroom with shower or bathtub , vanity area with hairdryer
• Balcony Aurea (best ship position, surface approx. 17 sqm, deck 9 )
• Deluxe Balcony (surface approx. 16-17 sqm, deck 9-15 )

Entertainment

Restaurants & buffet, ocean cay restaurant.

A mouthwatering menu of sophisticated fish dishes and other recipes, made with the freshest ingredients and complemented by a wonderful wine list: these are the magic ingredients of the luxury fish restaurant.

Butcher's Cut

This American-style steak house serves select Linz heritage angus beef, gold standard in high-end angus beef thanks to the best genetics in breed. The highest quality product custom cut by master butchers and aged to perfection. The menu is inspired by the great plains and it is accompanied by bold New World wines and cocktails with swagger.

Explore the world full of Pan Asian flavours: Japanese, Hawaiian and European fusion food. Take a culinary journey into the taste sensations from the Land of the Rising Sun and savour a tantalising selection of popular cold and hot dishes from fresh sushi, sashimi, maki, tempura to delicious soups and rice dishes prepared to the highest standards. Our highly skilled chefs use only carefully sourced ingredients.

Seashore Restaurant

In our main restaurant, we offer a unique culinary experience every day. With our exquisite Mediterranean and international specialties and a daily changing menu, we ensure that no two days are the same, providing you with a fresh and exciting dining experience each time.

Kaito Sushi

Tradition and modernity go hand in hand in this stylish sushi restaurant. This charming venue offers deliciously authentic Asian cuisine prepared on the spot with only the freshest, highest quality ingredients.

Kaito Teppanyaki

Step in, choose your spot at one of four cooking stations and watch your delicious Japanese dishes come to life, right before your eyes. Our expert chefs cook with flair on an open grill: a feast for the senses that sees flames and the finest sizzling ingredients coming together to form delicious dishes you'll remember forever.

Ipanema Restaurant

Offering exquisite Mediterranean and international specialities and a change of menu everyday means that no two days are the same in our main restaurant.

Marketplace buffet restaurant

A wonderfully comfortable and casual place to eat. It’s the ideal place for enjoying a great informal Mediterranean dining experience with a spectacular sea view. Visible kitchens and a Mozzarella-making area allow guests to watch our chefs preparing the fresh food. The extensive buffet area includes various multifunction corners serving international dishes, ethnic cuisine, healthy options and a multitude of other tastes.

Biscayne buffet restaurant

The dedicated family buffet offers a variety of popular favourites and other tasty, healthy dishes that children will love.

Bars & Lounges

Venchi 1878 chocolate bar and venchi 1878 gelato & crêperie.

A real chocolate experience by Venchi, the best luxury chocolate since 1878. A chocolate, gelato and coffee corner where guests can indulge in some of Venchi’sfinest treats while watching the Venchimaîtres chocolatiers creating authentic Italian recipes through the glass window overlooking the kitchen lab.

Seaview Lounge

Cocktails and other drinks are available for your enjoyment in our Seaview Louge. Bar menu with classic cocktails, sparkling cocktails, Mojitos, zero-alcohol drinks, wines, beers, ciders, aperitifs, liqueurs and more. There are afternoon activities too, along with an extensive selection of tea.

Watch the game, or simply relax with a great choice of American or international beer, cocktails, spirits and more at this American-style sports bar.

Bistrot La Bohème

Our Bistrot la Bohème bar is the ideal spot to join friends for an aperitif or for a refreshing drink at any time of day. From traditional aperitifs, our Signature Cocktails to the contemporary classics and French wines, there is something to suit your taste

This relaxing outdoor pool bar is dedicated to guests who have chosen the Aurea Experience. The exclusive bar menu features a variety of coladas, margaritas, long drinks, frozen delights and many other refreshers.

Champagne Bar

With an array of first-rate champagne, bubblies, fresh oysters, caviar and fish, the chic Champagne Bar is a place to indulge in the finer things in life. To ensure we have only the best, we have painstakingly researched the quality of our sparkling wines and sourced them from the most renowned producers world-wide

Garage Club

During the day, the Garage Club is dedicated to teenagers. At night, it’s a club with a powerful sound system and great cocktails. Dance the night away to our pumping sound system and enjoy a fantastic beverage range: long drinks, Spritz & Co, exciting premium cocktails and the latest mocktails.

Haven Lounge

Super cocktails are a feature of this cocktail bar. A signature MSC cocktail, a classic or something entirely new –you decide. This bar is an ideal spot to stop by to listen to live music and enjoy a drink from the extensive bar menu.

Thanks to its sliding roof, the indoor pool ensures maximum enjoyment in every season. On evenings when the weather prevents the outdoor pool areas from being used, it becomes a fantastic party venue, hosting a series of fun events on themes ranging from the ‘70s to The Great Gatsby.

Miami Beach Bar

Discover a world of frozen delights, cocktails, beers and soft drinks at the main poolside ice cream bar. Venchiartisanal ice-cream is made fresh daily.

Miami Casino

Hit the jackpot at our spacious bar in Le Grand Casino. Get that James Bond feeling, order a drink from our skilled bar tenders and cast an eye over the Casino as you contemplate where lady luck will go to next. We have a wide variety of selected cocktails, mocktails, beer, wine and fine spirits to refresh yourself with as you take a break from play.

Seaside Bar

This bar is an ideal spot to join friends for an aperitif before a meal. Choose your favourite drink or ask our professional mixologist to prepare you a fabulous Martini

Ideally situated near the main dining room, this bar is a perfect place to join friends for an aperitif before a meal, or for an after-dinner shot, even vodka, whisky or rum tastings.

South Beach Bar

The Sunset Beach Bar offers delicious Caribbean-style cocktails and punches, like Mojitos and frozen delights, as well as beer, mixed drinks, ciders, softs, fruit juices and alcohol-free cocktails.

Top Sail Lounge

Reserved exclusively for MSC Yacht Club Guests, this elegant lounge with its panoramic views offers the Yacht Club bar list of craft cocktails, beer, fine wine, soft drinks and coffee drinks. This elegant lounge equally offers a fine selection of gourmet finger food throughout the day. Enjoy spectacular views in this elegant lounge.

Wine & Cocktails

Surrounded by the specialty restaurants, Wine and Cocktails is an ideal place for an aperitif while waiting for a table in one of the specialty dining venues, or the place to stop by for a glass of wine after dinner.

{{deckPlanInfoHeader}}

{{deckPlanInfoText}}

• Until WINTER 2024-25
• From SUMMER 2025
• 5. Cape Cod
• 6. Copacabana
• 7. South Beach
• 8. Ocean Cay
• 10. Maspalomas
• 11. Flamenco Beach
• 12. Las Salinas
• 13. Pink Sands
• 14. Mondello
• 15. Venice Beach
• 16. Miami Beach
• 18. Playa Paraiso
• 19. Biarritz
• 20. Sun Deck
• Deluxe Interior
• Premium Interior
• Deluxe Ocean View
• Deluxe Balcony
• Deluxe Balcony Aurea
• Junior Suite Aurea
• Premium Suite Aurea
• Grand Suite Aurea
• Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea
• MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite
• MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
• MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite

B:  Cabin with bathtub |  BS:  Cabin with bathtub and shower |  T:  Terrace |  W:  Balcony with whirlpool bath

• All cabins have one double bed convertible to two single beds except in MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite and in cabins for guests with disabilities or reduced mobility (H); this does not apply to cabins 13066, 13073 and 13198. • 3rd and 4th beds available in all categories except for MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite. • 5th bed available in Premium Interior, Premium Suite Aurea with whirlpool, Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea (cabins 11001, 12001 and 14001 have two double beds and one pullman bed) and MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. • Our ships offer the possibility of combining 2 or 3 connecting cabins based on the ship class. Call our Contact Center to choose the best accommodation for you.

Ship configuration, data and descriptions may be subject to change depending on the season and on the destination and must be verified at the time of booking. 

• Premium Balcony Aurea
• Gross tonnage: 153,516
• Number of passengers: 5084
• Crew members: 1513
• Number of cabins: 2026
• Length / Beam / Height: 323 m / 41 m / 74.8 m
• Maximum speed: 22.95 knots

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

Mon-Fri 9am - 7pm EST Sat-Sun 9am - 6pm EST

MSC SEASIDE

MSC Seaside rewrites the rule book of cruise ship design, combining indoor and outdoor areas to connect you with the sea like never before. Located as low as Deck 8 is a unique seafront promenade lined with places to eat, drink, shop, swim and sunbathe. And you can enjoy superb views from our two glass-floor catwalks and panoramic elevators.

ITINERARIES

OCEAN CAY MSC MARINE RESERVE

Cruise From $199 From Miami, Orlando, or NYC on Select Sailings

Main Features

Waterfront boardwalk, miami beach pool, south beach pool, four decks atrium, msc yacht club, msc aurea spa, state-of-the-art gym, cabins & suites.

Combining comfort and style, the accommodations on MSC Seaside includes luxury suites with whirlpools and connecting staterooms for families.

• Comfortable king bed 
• Balcony with a private whirlpool bath and dining table
• Separate living area and dining room
• Spacious closet
• Bathroom with shower and bathtub, vanity area and hairdryer
• Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Approx. 226 - 667 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 86 - 355 ft 2  
• Located on decks 16 - 18

Choose the Suite that best suits you: • MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite (approx. 667 ft2 with a balcony that is approx. 355 ft2, deck 16)   • MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite (approx. 269 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 86 ft 2 , decks 16 - 18)  • MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite (approx. 226 ft 2 , decks 16 - 18)  Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club.  The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).

• Comfortable king bed that can be converted into two single beds on request
• Sitting area with sofa or separate living area
• Walk-in closet
• Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area and hairdryer
• Wi-Fi access available ($)
• Approx. 183 – 527 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 75 - 409 ft 2
• Located on decks 9 - 15
• Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea (approx. 527 ft2 with a balcony that is approx. 183 ft2, decks 11 - 14) 
• Grand Suite Aurea (approx. 377 - 527 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 183 ft 2 , decks 9 - 13) 
• Premium Suite Aurea with Whirlpool (approx. 301 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 75 ft 2 , decks 9 - 15) 
• Premium Suite Aurea with Terrace (approx. 301 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 409 ft2, deck 9) 
• Premium Suite Aurea (approx. 280 - 344 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 97 - 151 ft 2 , decks 9 - 15)
• Deluxe Suite Aurea (approx. 215 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 86 ft 2 , decks 9 - 15) 
• Junior Suite Aurea (approx. 183 ft2 with a balcony that is approx. 172 ft 2 , deck 9) 
• Comfortable king bed that can be converted into two single beds on request *
• Balcony 
• Sitting area with sofa 
• Approx. 172 - 183 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 54 – 97 ft 2   Choose the stateroom type that best suits you:
• Balcony Aurea (best location, approx. 183 ft 2 , deck 9)
• Deluxe Balcony (approx. 172 – 183 ft 2 , decks 9 - 15) * Some staterooms have a metal balcony front, instead of glass. The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).

Entertainment

MSC Seaside offers endless fun for everyone, with a high-tech theater, bowling alleys and an interactive, multi-story water park featuring 5 water slides, an adventure trail and an AquaPlay™ area designed for tots. There are also colorful kids’ play areas created in partnership with LEGO® and Chicco®.

Restaurants & Buffet

On MSC Seaside, you can enjoy the spectacular ocean views while you eat. And with nine delightful restaurants to choose from, including five sophisticated specialty restaurants, dining on MSC Seaside is as varied as it is delicious.

Explore the world full of Pan Asian flavours: Japanese, Hawaiian and European fusion food. Take a culinary journey into the taste sensations from the Land of the Rising Sun and savour a tantalising selection of popular cold and hot dishes from fresh sushi, sashimi, maki, tempura to delicious soups and rice dishes prepared to the highest standards. Our highly skilled chefs use only carefully sourced ingredients.

Ocean Cay Seafood Restaurant

A mouthwatering menu of sophisticated fish dishes and other recipes, made with the freshest ingredients and complemented by a wonderful wine list; these are the magic ingredients of the luxury fish restaurant.

Butcher's Cut

This American-style steak house serves select Linz heritage angus beef, gold standard in high-end angus beef thanks to the best genetics in breed. The highest quality product custom cut by master butchers and aged to perfection. The menu is inspired by the great plains and it is accompanied by bold New World wines and cocktails with swagger.

Seashore Restaurant

In our main restaurant, we offer a unique culinary experience every day. With our exquisite Mediterranean and international specialties and a daily changing menu, we ensure that no two days are the same, providing you with a fresh and exciting dining experience each time.

Ipanema Restaurant

Offering exquisite Mediterranean and international specialities and a change of menu everyday means that no two days are the same in our main restaurant.

Marketplace buffet restaurant

A wonderfully comfortable and casual place to eat. It’s the ideal place for enjoying a great informal Mediterranean dining experience with a spectacular sea view. Visible kitchens and a Mozzarella-making area allow guests to watch our chefs preparing the fresh food. The extensive buffet area includes various multifunction corners serving international dishes, ethnic cuisine, healthy options and a multitude of other tastes.

Biscayne buffet restaurant

The dedicated family buffet offers a variety of popular favourites and other tasty, healthy dishes that children will love.

Kaito Teppanyaki

Step in, choose your spot at one of four cooking stations and watch your delicious Japanese dishes come to life, right before your eyes. Our expert chefs cook with flair on an open grill: a feast for the senses that sees flames and the finest sizzling ingredients coming together to form delicious dishes you'll remember forever.

Kaito Sushi Bar

Tradition and modernity go hand in hand in this stylish sushi restaurant. This charming venue offers deliciously authentic Asian cuisine prepared on the spot with only the freshest, highest quality ingredients.

Bars & Lounges

Venchi 1878 chocolate bar and venchi 1878 gelato & crêperie.

A real chocolate experience by Venchi, the best luxury chocolate since 1878. A chocolate, gelato and coffee corner where guests can indulge in some of Venchi’s finest treats while watching the Venchimaîtres chocolatiers creating authentic Italian recipes through the glass window overlooking the kitchen lab.

Seaview Lounge

Cocktails and other drinks are available for your enjoyment in our Seaview Louge. Bar menu with classic cocktails, sparkling cocktails, Mojitos, zero-alcohol drinks, wines, beers, ciders, aperitifs, liqueurs and more. There are afternoon activities too, along with an extensive selection of tea.

Watch the game, or simply relax with a great choice of American or international beer, cocktails, spirits and more at this American-style sports bar.

Bistrot La Bohème

Our Bistrot la Bohème bar is the ideal spot to join friends for a cocktail or for a refreshing drink at any time of day. From traditional cocktails, our signature cocktails to the contemporary classics and French wines, there is something to suit your taste.

This relaxing outdoor pool bar is dedicated to guests who have chosen the Aurea Experience. The exclusive bar menu features a variety of coladas, margaritas, long drinks, frozen delights and many other refreshers.

Champagne Bar

With an array of first-rate champagne, bubblies, fresh oysters, caviar and fish, the chic Champagne Bar is a place to indulge in the finer things in life. To ensure we have only the best, we have painstakingly researched the quality of our sparkling wines and sourced them from the most renowned producers worldwide.

Garage Club

During the day, the Garage Club is dedicated to teenagers. At night, it’s a club with a powerful sound system and great cocktails. Dance the night away to our pumping sound system and enjoy a fantastic beverage range: long drinks, Spritz & Co, exciting premium cocktails and the latest mocktails.

Haven Lounge

Super cocktails are a feature of this cocktail bar. A signature MSC cocktail, a classic or something entirely new –you decide. This bar is an ideal spot to stop by to listen to live music and enjoy a drink from the extensive bar menu.

Thanks to its sliding roof, the indoor pool ensures maximum enjoyment in every season. On evenings when the weather prevents the outdoor pool areas from being used, it becomes a fantastic party venue, hosting a series of fun events on themes ranging from the ‘70s to The Great Gatsby.

Miami Beach Bar

Discover a world of frozen delights, cocktails, beers and soft drinks at the main poolside ice cream bar. Venchi artisanal ice-cream is made fresh daily.

Miami Casino

Hit the jackpot at our spacious bar in Le Grand Casino. Get that James Bond feeling, order a drink from our skilled bartenders and cast an eye over the Casino as you contemplate where lady luck will go to next. We have a wide variety of selected cocktails, mocktails, beer, wine and fine spirits to refresh yourself with as you take a break from play.

Seaside Bar

This bar is an ideal spot to join friends for a cocktail before a meal. Choose your favorite drink or ask our professional mixologist to prepare you a fabulous martini.

Ideally situated near the main dining room, this bar is a perfect place to join friends for an aperitif before a meal, or for an after-dinner shot, even vodka, whiskey or rum tastings.

South Beach Bar

The Sunset Beach Bar offers delicious Caribbean-style cocktails and punches, like Mojitos and frozen delights, as well as beer, mixed drinks, ciders, softs, fruit juices and alcohol-free cocktails.

Top Sail Lounge

Reserved exclusively for MSC Yacht Club Guests, this elegant lounge with its panoramic views offers the Yacht Club bar list of craft cocktails, beer, fine wine, soft drinks and coffee drinks. This elegant lounge equally offers a fine selection of gourmet finger food throughout the day. Enjoy spectacular views in this elegant lounge.

Wine & Cocktails

Surrounded by the specialty restaurants, Wine and Cocktails is an ideal place for a drink while waiting for a table in one of the specialty dining venues, or the place to stop by for a glass of wine after dinner.

{{deckPlanInfoHeader}}

{{deckPlanInfoText}}

• Until WINTER 2024-25
• From SUMMER 2025
• 5. Cape Cod
• 6. Copacabana
• 7. South Beach
• 8. Ocean Cay
• 10. Maspalomas
• 11. Flamenco Beach
• 12. Las Salinas
• 13. Pink Sands
• 14. Mondello
• 15. Venice Beach
• 16. Miami Beach
• 18. Playa Paraiso
• 19. Biarritz
• 20. Sun Deck
• Deluxe Interior
• Premium Interior
• Deluxe Ocean View
• Deluxe Balcony
• Deluxe Balcony Aurea
• Junior Suite Aurea
• Premium Suite Aurea
• Grand Suite Aurea
• Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea
• MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite
• MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
• MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite

B:  Stateroom with bathtub |  BS:  Stateroom with bathtub and shower |  T:  Terrace |  W:  Balcony with whirlpool bath

• 3rd and 4th beds available in all categories except for MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite • 5th bed available in Premium Interior, Premium Suite Aurea with whirlpool, Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea (staterooms 11001, 12001 and 14001 have two double beds and one pullman bed) and MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. • Our ships offer the possibility of combining 2 or 3 connecting staterooms based on the ship class. Call our Contact Center to choose the best accommodation for you.

Ship configuration, data and descriptions may be subject to change depending on the season and on the destination and must be verified at the time of booking. 

• Premium Balcony Aurea

• 3rd and 4th beds available in all categories except for MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite • 5th bed available in Premium Interior, Premium Suite Aurea with whirlpool, Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea (staterooms 11001, 12001 and 14001 have two double beds and one pullman bed) and MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. • Our ships offer the possibility of combining 2 or 3 connecting staterooms based on the ship class. Call our Contact Center to choose the best accommodation for you.

• Gross tonnage: 153,516
• Number of passengers: 5,079
• Crew members: 1,513
• Number of staterooms: 2026
• Length / Beam / Height: 1,060 ft. / 135 ft. / 245 ft.
• Maximum speed: 22.95 knots

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

• MSC Cruises

How many people on MSC Seaside Yacht Club at full capacity

By kelseys nan , September 25, 2017 in MSC Cruises

Recommended Posts

kelseys nan

I have just returned from MSC Meraviglia sailing in Yacht Club which I thoroughly enjoyed apart from getting a table for two for dinner, thankfully as we are both Black Card members and the Maitre d, Guiseppe has known us from many cruises before was very helpful we did not have to wait so long but I am concerned looking at the deck plan of the Seaside for our cruise in March 2018 an d seeing many cabins for five people how crowded Yacht club is going to be especially round the pool and in the restaurant, has any body found out maximumpeople in yacht club is going to be, thanks

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

I understood that the 5-people suites are Aurea experience, not YC.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

There are some 5-person cabins in YC. We have one of them booked.

Okay, I was curious, so I just checked out the deck plans. Keep in mind that there have been issues with these deck plans regarding the aurea suites, so it's possible that they are inaccurate for YC too.

The following numbers of cabins are shown on the deck plans.

2-person cabins - 26 (52 people total) (balconies and insides)

3-person cabins - 19 (57 people total)

4-person cabins - 22 (88 people total) (includes the 2 royal suites)

5-person cabins - 19 (95 people total)

So adding everything up, that's 292 people at full capacity. From what I can see (and again, the deck plans may not be accurate) it looks like they have roughly doubled the space for the YC shared areas, particularly the sundeck. What the the Divina YC capacity?

And I just went to answer my own question. For Divina:

2-person cabins - 38 (76 people total)

4-person cabins - 28 (112 people total)

That would be a total of 188 people at full capacity. So Seaside has roughly 50% higher capacity, but that does seem to be compensated for with larger shared areas. I suspect there won't be much of a difference in terms of crowding.

We have a 5-person cabin booked also with 4 people. My guess is most of the 4 and 5-person cabins will be occupied by smaller groups. But, that's just a guess. I know the original question was max capacity.

I thought only the Aurea grand suites with 2 bedrooms were for 5 people! Sorry [emoji4]

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com Summer 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!
• How To: Follow Topics & Forums (Get Notifications)

Write An Amazing Review !

Click this photo by member XFrancophileX to share your review w/ photos too!

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS · Started 22 hours ago

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 11:40 AM

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 06:45 AM

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 06:29 AM

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 07:54 PM

Cruise Planning

Find a cruise, popular ports, member reviews.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

• CruiseMapper

MSC Seaside deck plans

Deck layouts, review of facilities, activities, amenities.

MSC Seaside deck plan review at CruiseMapper provides newest cruise deck plans (2024-2025-2026 valid floor layouts of the vessel) extracted from the officially issued by MSC Cruises deckplan pdf (printable version).

Each of the MSC Seaside cruise ship deck plans are conveniently combined with a legend (showing cabin codes) and detailed review of all the deck's venues and passenger-accessible indoor and outdoor areas. A separate link provides an extensive information on MSC Seaside staterooms (cabins and suites), including photos, cabin plans and amenities by room type and category.

MSC Seaside (2017-built) is the first of three identical-class, revolutionary new as design and largest MSC cruise ships  by the company’s “Seaside project”. Its sister is MSC Seaview (2018). Next in line are all four vessels (pax capacity 4,500, tonnage 167,600 GT) by the company’s “Vista project” (which are still unnamed, excepting  MSC Meraviglia ).

The MSC Seaside cruise ship deck plan shows 2066 staterooms for 4134 passengers (max capacity is 5336 guests), served by 1413 crew/staff (759 crew cabins). The boat has 19 decks, of which 16 are passenger-accessible and 10 with cabins.

MSC Seaside decks are named after famous resort beaches.

Among the ship’s main features are:

• Seaview glass elevators (portside location) provide fast connections to upper decks’ outdoor areas. Both the walls and floors are made of thick transparent glass.
• The lower-positioned Lido Deck / Pool Deck features a sea-level Waterfront Promenade (circumnavigating the sides of the ship) that is enclosed by a glass wall. The Promenade has multiple duty-free shops and dining venues with outdoor seating areas (bars, restaurants, alfresco eateries).
• terraced cabins overlooking the Promenade Deck
• outdoor wellness facilities (spa and fitness) – including luxury cabanas (for outdoor spa treatments), two wellness cabins (with Kinesis Technogym equipment)
• 463,000 ft2 / 43,000 m2 public areas
• double-deck Atrium with a sea view (transparent glass wall)
• 3 catwalks with glass railings and glass floors extend beyond the edge of the ship. The one on the top deck is 100 ft / 30 m above sea level. The other two are on deck 8 (130 ft / 40 m in length) and are part of the outdoor promenade deck that fully encircles the ship.
• top-deck zip line (length 130 m / 426 ft – the longest at sea)
• New grades staterooms – luxury cruise suites (with Jacuzzi tubs on their private balconies) and connecting family cabins. Of all MSC Seaside staterooms, 6% are Suite accommodations and 72% are Balcony cabins.
• expanded and enhanced MSC Yacht Club complex (incl private lounge, solarium, swimming pool)
• 950-seats theater, 5D Cinema, 6 restaurants, 10 lounge bars (20 bars in total), 6 swimming pools
• The ship has all 9 eateries, including a Pan-Asian restaurant (via a partnership with Roy Yamaguchi), a premium steakhouse and a luxury seafood restaurant (with Chef’s Table / private dining room).
• largest kids play area – kids lounge that also has the LEGO playroom for special fun activities (branded as called “Lego Experience at Sea”) by the line’s new partnership with The Lego Group. The new program is complimentary, using LEGO materials for the following age-appropriate activities: LEGO DUPLO (kids 3- yo), Classic LEGO bricks plus Vertical Play Wall (kids 7-11 yo), and Building Happening (6-11 yo /themed builds).
• huge-size interactive Aqua Park with 5 high-tech waterslides and innovative all-ages attractions

The new-design MSC cruise ships also offer new onboard programming, including a new sports program (DOREBRO) for kids and teenagers, new theater show program, and an interactive cooking class (DOREMI Chef) lead by a Michelin chef.

The list of activities and signature features of the biggest MSC cruise ship water park includes:

• The trademarked “Slideboarding” is a 2-deck high slide that combines the real waterslide with a video game. Guests are able to race down this 367 ft / 112 m long water-slide on specially designed rafts. These are new-technology rafts that include an embedded video game controller with buttons in different colours. The goal of this “outdoor gaming” is to match the colours of the flashing lights in the slide’s sections with the buttons mounted on the raft. The “smart slide” uses a gaming system that identifies the riders, tracks their progress and shows the scores.
• The trademarked “Duelling High-Speed AquaTubes” waterslide is for competitive races. This slide’s length is 525 ft / 160 m, with numerous twists-turns-drops along the route.
• The tubes of the waterslides feature clear loops extending over the ship’s sides, so riders are able to enjoy (for a very short time) the sea view around and below.
• The trademarked “AquaPlay” and “AquaSpray” areas of the park provide the best vacation ever experiences for the youngest passengers. This is the place specifically designed for toddlers. AquaPlay features tipping buckets, spray cannons, water stream jets, rain-tree, and even a mini-slide. AquaSpray is for interactive activities – featuring jets, waterfalls, forts, etc.
• The Seaside’s aqua park builder is the Canadian “WhiteWater West Industries” (global waterpark attractions building company).

Connected directly to the waterpark, “Adventure Trail” is the name of the Seaside’s latest generation ropes course. It allows guests to enjoy the view of the open deck and the sea below by cross-crossing between bridges and towers, climbs and crawl-throughs, and the water-slides. The catch here is that the participants are totally open to water attacks by friends and family members operating the AquaSpray’s cannons.

Deck layouts

Deck 04 - clifton beach-tendering-hospital-crew, deck 05 - cape cod-cabins-lobby, deck 06 - copacabana-promenade-shops, deck 07 - miami beach-casino-entertainment, deck 08 - pink sands-lido-spa, deck 09 - lanikai-cabins, deck 10 - maspalomas-cabins, deck 11 - flamenco beach-cabins, deck 12 - las salinas-cabins, deck 13 - ocean cay-cabins, deck 14 - mondello-cabins, deck 15 - venice beach-cabins-bridge, deck 16 - siesta beach-suites-yacht club lounge-sundeck-lido-pools, deck 18 - playa paraiso-suites-yacht club restaurant-kids-teens, deck 19 - biarritz-yacht club sundeck-sports, deck 20 - waterslides-adventure trail.

MSC Seaside deck plans are property of MSC Cruises . All deck layouts are for informational purposes only and CruiseMapper is not responsible for their accuracy.

Card Accounts

Business Accounts

Other Accounts and Payments

Tools and Support

Personal Cards

Business Credit Cards

Corporate Programs

Personal Savings

Personal Checking and Loans

Business Banking

Book And Manage Travel

Travel Inspiration

Business Travel

Services and Support

Benefits and Offers

Manage Membership

Business Services

Checking & Payment Products

Funding Products

Merchant Services

MSC Yacht Club

Welcome to a world of ultimate luxury at the MSC Yacht Club. Accessible only by key card, guests will enjoy lavishly appointed accommodations and refined service, private dining, lounge and pool areas, free drink package, access to the Thermal Suite, and more exclusive benefits. Discover a ship within a ship, a place where you can savor exclusivity and privacy in a world of choice. Indulge in the luxury of a private club while enjoying access to a myriad of recreation and entertainment possibilities that the ship has to offer. Lavishly appointed suites, exclusive 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge are just the beginning of these exclusive cruise experiences. The MSC Yacht Club also boasts a range of superb private areas, from the elegant Top Sail Lounge, stylish restaurant, and the One Pool Deck complete with private swimming pool, whirlpool baths, sun deck and bar.

Platinum Card® Members, share a few details about your dream trip and we’ll contact you to plan the rest.

You might also be interested in:

Venture to landmark cities and hidden gems alike aboard Seabourn’s fleet of sophisticated and intimate resorts at sea.

*Terms and Conditions

Cruise Privileges Program Cruise Privileges Program (“CPP”) benefits are valid only for new CPP bookings made with participating cruise lines through American Express Travel. CPP benefits are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion ® Card Members (Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible). CPP bookings must be made using the eligible Card. CPP benefits are non-transferable. Participating cruise lines and program benefits are subject to change. The benefits of an onboard credit and amenity are valid for new CPP bookings of at least five nights and require double occupancy; the eligible Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked; the total cost of the CPP booking must be paid using an American Express ® Card in the eligible Card Member's name. Onboard credits and amenities cannot be combined with other offers unless indicated; blackout dates, category and fare restrictions may apply. Onboard credits and amenities may not be available to residents outside of the 50 United States. Onboard credits and amenities apply per stateroom, with a three-stateroom limit per eligible Card Member, per cruise. For new CPP bookings with Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit (in USD) of: $100 for inside and outside staterooms, $200 for balcony, verandah, and mini-suite staterooms, and/or $300 for suites. For new CPP bookings with Cunard, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit (in USD) of: $300 for all Queen Mary ocean-view staterooms category EF or higher, and/or Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth ocean-view staterooms category FA or higher. For new CPP bookings with Ama Waterways, Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Uniworld, Windstar and Explora Journeys, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit of US$300 for all stateroom categories. For new CPP bookings, Centurion Members receive an additional US$200 onboard credit on Explora Journeys, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, and Silversea. Onboard credits will be applied at checkout upon completion of the cruise; credit amounts in local currency may vary due to foreign exchange rates; credits are subject to cruise line terms and policies; credits cannot be used for casino charges, gratuities, or other similar charges. Any unused portion of a credit is non-refundable and is not redeemable for cash. Other restrictions may apply. Onboard amenities vary by participating cruise line and are not available on Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, and Silver Discoverer. Onboard credits and amenities are not available on Celebrity Cruises Galapagos sailings.

Extra Membership Rewards ® points: CPP-eligible Card Members that are Membership Rewards program-enrolled will receive one (1) extra Membership Reward ® point per eligible dollar spent on new CPP bookings made with participating cruise lines through American Express Travel; separate airfare and other charges associated with such bookings are not eligible. CPP bookings must be made using the eligible Card (described above). The extra points will be credited to the Card Member’s Membership Rewards account 8-12 weeks after completion of the CPP cruise. For more information visit membershiprewards.com/terms .

Platinum Destinations ® Vacations Platinum Destinations ® Vacations (“PDV”) benefits are valid only for new bookings made with participating suppliers through American Express Travel. Participating suppliers and PDV benefits are subject to change. Benefits cannot be combined with other offers unless indicated. Benefits are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion ® Card Members (Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible). PDV bookings must be made using the eligible Card and eligible Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. PDV-eligible Card Members that are Membership Rewards program-enrolled will receive one (1) extra Membership Reward ® point per eligible dollar spent on PDV bookings; separate airfare and other charges associated with PDV bookings are not eligible. Extra points will be credited to the Card Member’s Membership Rewards account within 8-12 weeks after completion of the PDV travel. For more information visit membershiprewards.com/terms.

Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards ® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo .

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/travelterms .

California CST#1022318; Washington UBI#600-469-694

The ultimate guide to MSC Cruises ships and itineraries

MSC Cruises may be the biggest cruise line you've never heard of — assuming you're an American.

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.

That's all changing now — and in a big way.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

As it expands its fleet at a rapid pace , MSC Cruises is massively building its footprint in North America in an effort to woo more Americans. As recently as 2017, the line only had a single vessel based in North America. Now it's up to three ships sailing out of U.S. ports, and by the end of 2023, that number will have shot up to five.

All the North America-based ships are marketed heavily to Americans, and the line has tailored some of the features and activities on the vessels to a North American crowd.

Like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line , MSC Cruises has been building big resortlike vessels that offer every sort of amusement known to humans, from giant water parks to race car simulators. It currently operates eight of the 20 biggest cruise ships in the world — one of which (MSC Meraviglia) now calls North America home with year-round sailings out of New York City.

Related: Which cruise brand is right for you? A guide to the most popular lines

3 things TPG loves about MSC Cruises

• Its affordability
• The incredible array of activities on its ships
• The status match it offers with its loyalty program

What we could do without

• Onboard announcements in five languages (on overseas sailings)

The MSC Cruises fleet

MSC Cruises has grown enormously in recent years. As recently as early 2017, the line had just 12 ships in operation. But it's added new ships at a rapid pace over the past six years and now operates 22 vessels, more than any other major line besides Royal Caribbean and Carnival. It also has three more giant new ships on the way in the next few years.

If that sounds like too many ships to get your head around, note that all 22 of the vessels in operation, as well as the three on order, fall into six distinct classes . The ships within each of the classes have similar sizes and onboard attractions. If you know one ship in the class, you know them all.

Related: MSC Cruises ships from newest to oldest — a complete list

As a result of its rapid growth, MSC Cruises recently passed Norwegian to become the world's third-biggest cruise brand when measured by passenger capacity. Only Royal Caribbean and Carnival are bigger.

Not including pulldown bunks and pullout sofas, MSC Cruises' 22 ships have 77,832 berths — about 21,000 more than Norwegian's fleet. At its current pace of growth, MSC Cruises could soon pass Carnival to become the world's second-biggest line.

As noted above, the MSC Cruises fleet includes eight of the world's 20 biggest cruise vessels — MSC World Europa , MSC Euribia , MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia , MSC Bellissima, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape . Built in the last six years, these eight ships aren't quite as big as Royal Caribbean's giant Oasis Class vessels (the world's biggest cruise ships), but they're right up there when it comes to amenities and passenger capacity.

The grande dame of the MSC Cruises fleet is its recently unveiled MSC World Europa. At 215,863 tons, it's the biggest MSC Cruises ship ever built and the first of a new series of so-called World Class vessels that are nearly as big as Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships.

The next-biggest ships in the MSC Cruises fleet are its recently unveiled Meraviglia Class vessels: MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia. Similar in design, these five ships aren't quite as big as MSC World Europa, but they're right up there when it comes to size, amenities and passenger capacity.

MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia, which debuted in 2019, 2021 and 2023, respectively, are a tad longer than MSC Bellissima and MSC Meraviglia and are considered a subset of the class known as Meraviglia Plus. Each can hold 4,842 passengers at double occupancy (or 6,334 passengers if every last pulldown bunk and pullout sofa is filled).

The other two Meraviglia Class ships, which date to 2019 and 2017, can carry more than 5,600 passengers with every berth filled.

In addition to these five giants, MSC Cruises also operates four large Seaside Class ships. Each has a total capacity of 5,336 to 5,632 passengers.

Add those in, and MSC Cruises operates 10 of the world's 35 biggest cruise ships, plus four somewhat smaller Fantasia Class vessels that can each hold around 4,400 passengers at maximum occupancy.

Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line

Together, the 14 World, Meraviglia, Seaside and Fantasia Class vessels make up MSC Cruises' big-ship fleet. The line's remaining eight vessels, split among two classes, are considerably smaller, with maximum occupancy topping out at 2,700 to 3,200 passengers.

The eight smaller ships, which in general are the line's older ships, allow MSC Cruises to offer itineraries to places that aren't as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of the World Class or Meraviglia Class vessels, although even the biggest MSC Cruises ships are still designed to be able to call at most ports around the world.

The smaller ships also appeal to a subset of MSC Cruises fans who are willing to give up some onboard amenities in exchange for intimacy. They're usually less expensive on a per-day basis, too.

In addition to all the above, MSC Group — the line's parent company — has announced plans for yet another class of big ships to start arriving later this decade, though few details have been released. MSC Group is also developing a series of small luxury vessels that'll operate under a separate brand called Explora Journeys.

Destinations and itineraries

MSC Cruises sails almost everywhere in the world, but its heaviest presence is in Europe, where it's the biggest cruise operator.

In a typical summer, the line will deploy the vast majority of its ships in the Mediterranean or northern Europe. In recent years, the line has also kept at least a couple of ships in Florida in summer for voyages to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. This year, the line had two ships based in Florida for summer sailings to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, plus one ship sailing out of New York City for the summer.

During winter, MSC Cruises typically will add more ships to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. (For winter 2023-2024, it expects to have six in the region.) It'll also typically send four or five ships to South America in winter and often deploys vessels in winter to South Africa and the Middle East.

For winter 2023-2024, it'll have one ship in South Africa. The line's Middle East deployment this year has been cut back due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Additionally, MSC Cruises often offers an around-the-world cruise in winter on a single ship.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on an MSC Cruises ship

In North America, MSC Cruises ships have generally sailed out of Miami , but the line recently added Port Canaveral and New York City as home ports, too. The line also offers cruises from the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Martinique and Guadeloupe, and in a major development, the line opened its first private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve , in the Bahamas in 2019. It's a major stop for many MSC Cruises itineraries in the region.

In Europe, major MSC Cruises hubs include Southampton, England; Copenhagen; Kiel and Hamburg in Germany; Ancona, Venice, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Bari and Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) in Italy; Barcelona, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca in Spain; and Marseille, France.

Who sails MSC Cruises?

MSC Cruises is increasingly known for having big, bustling megaships that'll appeal to people who like a megaresort experience. In other words, if you're the kind of person who loves staying on property at Disney World or at a giant Las Vegas resort , this could be the line for you.

The bigger MSC Cruises ships offer vacationers a ton of options for dining (some vessels have more than a dozen distinct places to eat dinner or at least grab a quick bite) or entertainment. They're lively and fun.

They also have an inordinate amount of teen- and tween-friendly attractions — everything from some of the largest waterslides at sea to sprawling amusement areas with race car simulators, flight simulators and XD cinemas (more on all this below). That makes them particularly appealing to families, including multigenerational groups. Families are a big part of MSC Cruises' business.

But it's not just families that flock to MSC Cruises.

The line's ships are designed to offer something for everyone, and they thus appeal to a wide demographic, including couples of all ages and even solo travelers (the line has added solo cabins on its newer ships and occasionally runs promotions for solo travelers). They also draw customers from a wide range of the income spectrum.

At one level, MSC Cruises ships have a for-the-masses feel. However, overlaid across many of the line's ships are high-end suites, upscale restaurants and luxury services — most notably the suites and amenities in the exclusive, upscale MSC Yacht Club areas found on some vessels (more on that later). As a result, the line draws a good number of luxury-seeking travelers.

The demographic profile of MSC Cruises ships can be markedly different depending on where the vessels are based. On Caribbean sailings out of Florida, you'll find that a large percentage of passengers are English-speaking North Americans.

MSC Cruises voyages in Europe are often heavily filled with Europeans speaking Italian, German, Spanish and French, as well as some English speakers. In Europe, the line offers onboard programming in all five of these languages (all crew members speak English no matter where the ships are sailing).

Reality check: Due to the diverse origins of passengers on European sailings, the line typically makes announcements in all five of the aforementioned languages. This can result in extraordinarily long announcements at times, which can be a distraction to some cruisers. The good news is that on sailings out of U.S. ports, only safety announcements are made in all five languages. Other announcements are in English only.

Cabins and suites

MSC Cruises offers a wide range of accommodations on its ships. On its newest vessels, you'll find everything from relatively low-cost, windowless "interior" cabins that measure as little as 172 square feet (perfect for the budget traveler) to suites more than five times that size that sprawl across two decks.

Still, MSC Cruises doesn't offer the sort of truly giant suites (more than 1,000 to 2,000 square feet) you'll find on some Norwegian and Royal Caribbean ships.

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.

The biggest suites on MSC Grandiosa, which launched in 2019, span two levels and offer around 635 square feet of interior space, plus another 237 square feet of outdoor balcony space.

On more than half of MSC Cruises' ships, many of the top suites are part of an exclusive, keycard-accessed area called the MSC Yacht Club . Billed as an upscale "ship within a ship" and aimed at luxury travelers, the MSC Yacht Club is at the very top of vessels and comes with a private lounge, a pool, sunning areas and even its own restaurant.

Related: Everything you need to know about MSC Cruises cabins and suites

MSC Yacht Club accommodations also come with 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge.

Solo cabins (called interior studios) measuring just 127 square feet can be found on the line's seven newest vessels.

Insider tip: Passengers can use the interactive TVs in cabins to browse information, find out about daily events and activities, check bills and book services. On some ships, MSC for Me interactive wristbands can open your cabin door and also allow you to book services or make contactless payments for items on board.

Restaurants and dining

While a few of MSC Cruises' smallest ships have relatively limited dining venues, many of the line's vessels offer a wide range of choices.

On the line's recently unveiled MSC Euribia, for instance, there are nearly a dozen distinct eateries, as well as a number of bars and lounges that serve at least small bites. MSC Seashore has five specialty restaurants that feature waterfront, outdoor seating on the ship's boardwalk.

Every vessel has at least one or more main dining rooms and a casual buffet where meals are included in the fare.

For dinner in a main dining room, you must either have My Choice dining with the Aurea experience (a flexible dining option where you dine whenever you want) or classic dining (where you have a fixed table and time for dinner).

Nearly every ship also has at least one — and sometimes quite a few — extra-charge venues. Among the most common across the fleet is the American-style steakhouse Butcher's Cut, which is found on more than half the line's vessels. There also are sushi bars on more than half the line's ships, with varying names like Kaito Sushi and Galaxy Sushi.

The line's newest ships have teppanyaki restaurants, too, and passengers on MSC Cruises' Seaside Class ships, as well as MSC Meraviglia and MSC Splendida, can dine at a Mediterranean-style seafood restaurant.

Several of the line's newest vessels, including MSC Grandiosa and MSC Bellissima, also have the French cuisine-serving L'Atelier Bistrot.

Entertainment 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. Plus, you'll find multiple bars, lounges and nightlife spots.

Theaters and shows

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.

On the line's newer ships, such as MSC Euribia, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Grandiosa, there are main theaters that hold nearly 1,000 people. They offer as many as six different full-scale theatrical productions during a typical voyage, with multiple showtimes for each production and a range of styles. You'll find original Broadway-style musicals, piano concerts and even operas.

Some MSC Cruises ships have high-tech, multipurpose entertainment spaces that serve as comedy clubs and karaoke bars but can also transform into music venues. Dubbed the TV Studio & Bar on some ships, these spaces also house radio and TV broadcasting equipment, and they can host games, quizzes and talent contests aired live on TV sets in cabins.

Other interior attractions and activities

In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of MSC Cruises ships are loaded with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night, including a seemingly endless array of bars, lounges and nightspots.

Every MSC Cruises ship has a casino, and on the line's larger vessels, they are big operations. Le Grand Casino on MSC Grandiosa, for instance, has 164 slot machines, 12 table games (including blackjack, roulette and poker) and its own bar.

The five Meraviglia and Meraviglia Plus Class vessels also have soaring interior mall-like spaces called Gallerias with bars, restaurants and retail shops, as does the new MSC World Europa.

Many of the Gallerias, for example, are home to an innovative chocolate bar and boutique created by well-known French patissier and chocolatier Jean-Philippe Maury.

The Gallerias on the five Meraviglia and Meraviglia Plus Class vessels — MSC Euribia, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima — are topped with one of the most stunning features found at sea: a dazzling "digital sky" made with curving LED screens that offer regular light shows during the day and evening. There's something similar on MSC World Europa.

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.

For something more soothing, all MSC Cruises ships include spas. These can be quite big on the larger vessels, with expansive thermal areas and a wide choice of treatments and services.

Insider tip: Passengers can get information about onboard entertainment and restaurants (and make reservations) on the interactive screens found around MSC Cruises vessels.

Top-deck attractions

The top decks of MSC Cruises ships offer pools, hot tubs and plenty of lounge space, plus some spectacular family-focused fun zones — on the line's newest ships, at least.

On the line's Meraviglia and Seaside Class ships, top-deck amenities include sprawling back-of-the-ship water parks with multiple waterslides, ropes courses and watery play areas for the little ones.

Some ships even have zip lines — the longest at sea.

Additionally, the main pool areas on the newest MSC Cruises ships are among the biggest and most stunning at sea. Some of the line's ships also have adults-only pools topped with glass ceilings that can be opened on warm days.

Children's programs

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.

On most ships, the line offers programming for five distinct age groups.

For the very youngest cruisers, there's Baby Club, a program for babies and toddlers up to the age of 3. The line partnered with baby care brand Chicco to develop dedicated Baby Club play areas on every ship with toys, games and music and rhythm activities. You can leave your toddlers at the clubs, which have dedicated staff, or stay and play with them.

MSC Cruises ships also have a dedicated Mini Club (ages 3 to 6) and Junior Club (ages 7 to 11) with age-appropriate activities. Designed in partnership with the Lego Group, the Mini Clubs offer games, events and activities such as arts and crafts. Junior Clubs have a Masterchef at Sea Juniors competition, plus acting, dancing and singing activities.

Related: New MSC Cruises ship in New York is bigger than the city's biggest hotel

MSC Cruises ships also have Young Club, a tween program (ages 12 to 14) that includes sports tournaments, high-tech games and other activities.

Then there's Teen Club (ages 15 to 17), which hosts disco parties, karaoke parties and Wii, Xbox and PlayStation 4 tournaments. On MSC Grandiosa, teens even get the chance to pilot a drone through an obstacle course during an activity called the Drone Academy, and the ship holds a teen dance competition designed in partnership with the company behind "The X Factor."

Kids and teens clubs on newer MSC Cruises ships can also access cutting-edge equipment like 3D printing machines, virtual reality devices and 3D product scanning, all of which are used in activities.

What to know before you go

Required documents.

If you're a U.S. citizen on a cruise that starts and ends in a U.S. port, you'll need either a current passport or an official copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification to sail. Passports must be valid for at least six months.

For cruises from international ports, you'll need a passport. It's important that the name on your reservation is listed exactly as it appears on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

MSC Cruises adds an automatic service charge of $16 per person to final bills on sailings out of U.S. ports. Sailings with pricing in euros have a 12 euro charge ($13.13 at current exchange rates). Children 2 to 11 pay half the adult rate on most cruises. Children under 2 are not charged for service.

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.

Related: Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know

MSC Cruises has been rolling out Wi-Fi with speeds so fast that you'll be able to watch Netflix from your room on your mobile device. Unlike some lines, though, MSC Cruises doesn't offer flat-fee pricing for Wi-Fi. Instead, MSC Cruises charges by the number of devices you use and how you want to use the internet (think: browsing, texting, sending emails or video streaming).

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. There's also a four-device browsing plan for about $223. If you're looking to stream video along with other internet uses, you'll need a streaming plan. These start around $100 for one device and can be as high as $313 for a four-device plan.

Unlike other cruise lines, MSC Cruises does not let passengers switch their internet plan from one device to another during the cruise, even if they're only using one device at a time. Make sure you sign up for the Wi-Fi plan on the device you intend to use it with. If you'll want access on both your phone and your tablet, you will need a two-device plan.

Passengers can chat with friends and family on board ships even if they don't have an internet package by downloading the MSC for Me app to a smart device. The app also lets you book services on board.

Carry-on drinks policy

Unlike some lines, MSC Cruises doesn't allow passengers to bring their own alcohol on board.

Smoking policy

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.

Unlike some lines, MSC Cruises does not build self-service launderettes onto its ships. Vessels offer extra-charge laundry and dry-cleaning services.

Electrical outlets

All vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets in rooms, as well as European-style, 220-volt outlets. A growing number of vessels also have USB ports in cabins.

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.

On cruises in other parts of the world, the onboard currency is the euro. All vessels operate on a cashless system with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a Cruise Card (or, on the newer ships, an MSC for Me wristband) that you can use to make purchases.

Drinking age

You must be at least 21 years old to consume alcohol on sailings in the U.S. and the Caribbean. The drinking age on sailings everywhere else in the world is 18.

During the day, there's no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination and you're bound for the top deck, that means dressing for the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to put on when you go inside) are just fine.

On most evenings, the line recommends "smart casual" dress, meaning summery dresses for women and a lightweight jacket for men. On select days, the line also holds Gala evenings on its ships where the dress code can be more formal. For Gala evenings, if dining in a main dining room, the line suggests a tuxedo, dinner jacket or dark suit and tie for men and a dressy outfit, formal gown or cocktail dress for women.

Related: Cruise packing list: The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise

MSC Cruises loyalty program

MSC Cruises has a point-based frequent cruiser program, the MSC Voyagers Club , that has four tiers ranging from Classic (requiring 1 point) to Diamond (10,000 points).

Members earn points based on the length of the cruises they take and which "experience" they book on those sailings. There are four different "experiences" you can book on an MSC Cruises sailing, each with different inclusions and price points. The most basic "Bella" experience will get you fewer points than the top "MSC Yacht Club" experience.

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.

Every person in your stateroom will earn points for the cruise. You can also earn points with onboard spending and any bookings you made before embarkation. You'll earn 100 points for every $150 in prepaid and onboard expenses.

Know, though, that there are a couple of key caveats. Only the Voyagers Club member who makes the final payment for the onboard expenses will receive those points. For prepaid expenses, points will be equally distributed among the cabin occupants.

Say, for example, the total amount of prepaid onboard services that apply to all cabin occupants before the cruise is $600. If there are four cabin occupants, the spending for the points calculation of each member will be $150, which is equal to 100 points.

As is typical for cruise line loyalty programs, the entry-level tier (Classic) doesn't bring all that many truly valuable rewards. By far the most alluring benefit at this level is the 5% discount that members get when booking future sailings (note that this discount is not valid on Tandem and MSC Grand Tours). That's real savings every time you book a cruise.

The real perks begin at Diamond status, which brings a free dinner in an extra-charge restaurant, priority embarkation at the start of a cruise and priority disembarkation at the end of a cruise.

Unlike with most cruise line loyalty programs, you won't automatically keep your status forever with MSC Cruises. Once achieved, your status is good as long as you take a cruise at least once every 36 months. If you don't, not only will your points disappear, but your entire account will be erased, requiring you to re-enroll and start all over again.

That's the downside of the MSC Voyagers Club. However, the program also comes with one very big upside: MSC Cruises will let you status match your way to top-tier Diamond status based on your status level with any of more than two dozen other loyalty programs — not just those run by competing cruise lines but also those operated by Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton. It's very rare in the cruise world.

How much does an MSC Cruises voyage cost?

MSC Cruises is known for some of the most affordable ships at sea. It's not uncommon to find MSC Cruises voyages to the Caribbean and the Bahamas from under $75 per person, per night, including all taxes and fees — at least in the offseason.

For instance, at the time of publication, four-night sailings from Miami to the Bahamas in September 2024 start at just $249 per person, not including taxes and fees of $100. That works out to just $87.25 per person, per night, with taxes and fees, for a package that includes your lodging, transportation and meals.

As you might expect, pricing for ships will generally be lower during offseason periods such as September, October and parts of November.

The timing of when you book can also matter. Cruises book up much further in advance than airplanes or hotels, and many cruisers will tell you the best pricing for any given sailing often is available when cruises first go on sale (which can be a good two years before a departure). Booking far in advance also gives you the best chance of getting your preferred cabin type and location on a ship.

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.

When pricing cabins, MSC Cruises offers one of four main "experiences," each of which comes with different inclusions and varying price tags. The basic "Bella" experience includes your room, dining in the main restaurants and buffet, and access to all the included features of the ship, such as kids programs and theater shows.

Note that if you book the Bella experience, you cannot select a specific cabin. You can only choose between the broad categories of inside, ocean-view or balcony cabin, and a cabin is later assigned to you.

One step up is the more expensive "Fantastica" experience, which adds room service and breakfast delivered to your cabin, priority choice of dinner sittings, access to additional kids activities and classes, and more. At this level and above, you can pick a specific cabin when booking.

With the even pricier "Aurea" experience, you'll get complimentary access to the spa's thermal area, priority boarding and other perks. The Aurea experience also comes with access to My Choice dining and an exclusive sun deck area that on many ships features an exclusive bar and hot tubs.

Then there's the MSC Yacht Club experience, mentioned above, which is the ultimate in onboard living. Even with its higher price tag, the MSC Yacht Club still provides great value for its wide range of perks, such as unlimited drinks in all MSC Yacht Club areas, including premium spirits and minibar items.

Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their 1st cruise

How to book

If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to the MSC Cruises website to book directly.

That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise (there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process: trust us) we recommend you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises. A good travel agent will quiz you about your interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They also can help if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.

If you're sure MSC Cruises is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who knows all about the line's various cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see them firsthand.

Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your purchase when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases . This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve , which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and dining (excluding the annual $300 travel credit). There's also the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , which earns 2 points per dollar spent on travel (and dining).

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Bottom line

Long a major player in Europe, MSC Cruises is growing fast in North America with a lineup of big, new, amenity-filled ships.

If you're a megaresort lover, you'll feel right at home on MSC Cruises' new World, Meraviglia and Seaside Class vessels, which rival the biggest vessels of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian for their array of onboard amusements.

You'll also love their affordability. Among the world's biggest ships, they offer some of the lowest pricing. You'll be sharing your vacation with hordes of other people, of course — as many as 6,000 on some MSC Cruises vessels. However, even the biggest MSC Cruises ships have quiet nooks where you can escape the crowds.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite

• Click here for ALL
• Balcony Suite
• Suite with Whirlpool Bath
• Grand Suite
• Yacht Club Inside Suite
• Yacht Club Deluxe Suite

Yacht Club Royal Suite

• Ship info and tracking
• Cabin Check

MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite cabin location, stateroom cabin videos, stateroom cabin pictures, floor plans, diagrams, stateroom features and perks. Cruisedeckplans.com also provides links to actual stateroom cabin pictures and videos on this page. You can see details and floor plans for all of MSC Seaside's different stateroom cabin categories on the NEW cabins page.

Stateroom Features

• Spacious wardrobe
• Bath with tub and shower
• Interactive TV
• Wifi connection (for a fee).
• Refrigerator
• Nespresso type machine
• Air conditioning
• Balcony has private whirlpool bath.

Category Codes

   Yacht Club Royal Suite

Butler Service / Concierge Service / Priority Check In / Priority Luggage Delivery / Priority Debarkation / Priority Tender Boarding / Exclusive Lounge / Exclusive Dinner Restaurant / Priority Dining Reservations / Exclusive Pool / Exclusive Outdoor Lounge / Pillow Menu / 24-hour room service / Welcome package (Prosecco and chocolate box) / Access to Top Exclusive Solarium / Bathrobe and slippers in cabin / Access to Thermal area / 40% off dedicated Spa prepaid package / 10% off Spa treatments purchased on board / Premium Extra Drink Package / Premium Internet Package / Luggage packing/unpacking / Newspaper delivery upon request / MSC for ME wristband / Gourmet restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner / Panoramic Top Sail Lounge with bar /

Deck Locations

Deck 16  

Yacht Club Royal Suite Typical Floor Plans

MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite pictures

MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite stateroom videos

Scroll over cabin (stateroom) tiles below to click and watch videos. Cruisedeckplans.com shows up to 10 of the most recent videos added to our collection on this page. Be sure to click the link in the section below to see other cabins we have videos for. The date shown is the date video was published. Use this to see decor changes.

Looking for specific Yacht Club Royal Suite cabins with pics/videos?

Other categories on msc seaside.

Click on a category below to go to that page. Stateroom cabin categories are simply the way that MSC groups the different types of staterooms (cabins). You can see details and floor plans for all of the categories on MSC Seaside on this page.

CRUISEDECKPLANS.COM Use the input buttons above to go to the main page for a Cruise Ship or Cruise Line.

The World’s Best River Cruise Lines, According To Globe Travel Awards

From private butlers to swim-up bars and wine cellars, here are the world’s best river cruise lines shortlisted in the 2024 Globe Travel Awards.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

1. Riverside Luxury Cruises

Owner's Suite on Riverside Mozart

Launched in spring 2023, Riverside Luxury Cruises is Europe’s newest ultra-luxury river cruise line with 24-hour personal butlers, regional fine dining and VIP excursions from driving in a Citroën 2CV through the vineyards of Beaujolais to a traditional breakfast with farmers in Serbia and a private guided tour through Empress Sisi’s Royal Palace of Gödöllő . Its inaugural ship, Riverside Mozart , carries just 162 guests with four restaurants, a private dining room, The Vintage Room ( serving seven-course tasting menus); a classic cigar lounge, Connoisseur’s Club ; a Fitness Center with Technogym machines, steam rooms, saunas, a full-length swimming pool, and a sumptuous Owner’s Suite set across 883 square feet with two bedrooms, a sweeping French balcony, a marble flame-effect fireplace, walk-in closets, rain showers, and complimentary laundry, ironing and limousine transfers.

More From Forbes

2. amawaterways.

AmaWaterways is a family-owned luxury river cruise line boasting 29 modern, elegant ships sailing across the rivers of Europe, Asia , and Africa . It is famed for its well-appointed ships boasting whirlpools, swim-up bars, indulgent spas, and 360-degree panoramic sundecks, as well as its gourmet dining as the world’s first river cruise line inducted into La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs , the oldest culinary society in the world. In 2025, it will make history as the first major river cruise line to take guests along the Magdalena River in Colombia with the launch of its luxurious 60-passenger AmaMagdalena before adding two new ships in 2026, AmaSofia , sailing along the Danube and AmaMaya , gliding across the Mekong .

3. Viking River Cruises

Viking Tonle

Founded in 1997, Viking River Cruises was designed for curious travelers with interests in science, history, culture, and cuisine, sailing Europe’s rivers from the Rhine to the Moselle with an award-winning fleet of Scandinavian -chic Viking Longships as well as Mississippi runners like the 386-guest Viking Mississippi sailing between New Orleans , Louisiana and St. Paul , Minnesota . It has announced five new European Viking Longships and a Mekong river ship, Viking Tonle , for 2025 with a new 10-day Treasures of the Danube voyage sailing between Budapest and Passau .

APT Ostara / APT Solara

APT ( Australian Pacific Touring ) has been running award-winning river, yacht, and small ship cruises since 1927, exploring Europe , Asia , North America , Australia, and New Zealand with exclusive Signature Experiences from recitals in the ballroom of the 14th-century Namedy Castle in Andernach (home of Princess Heide Hohenzollern) to classical concerts at the Lichenstein’s City Palace in Vienna . Set for spring 2025, APT is launching two new European vessels, the APT Solara and APT Ostara , carrying just 154 guests with its wine cellar and rooftop restaurant, sailing along the Rhine, Main, and Danube –plus its 88-passenger Mekong Serenity sailing along the Mekong River from Vietnam to Cambodia with a Serenity Spa and a Vietnamese restaurant serving gourmet five-course dinners, as you sail from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap .

A-Rosa Sena

For over 20 years, A-ROSA has been on a mission to shake off the formal image of river cruising–pioneering family-friendly river cruises across its fleet and in 2022, launched it s multi-generational flagship vessel A-ROSA SENA, complete with a kids club, family cabins, and children’s pool. In 2025, it will see two new 9-night itineraries–its Danube City Panorama voyage sailing through the Wachau Valley calling at Tulln, Bratislava, Budapest, Esztergom, Vienna, and Linz, as well as a Rhone Route Panorama cruise sailing from Lyon to Chalon-sur-Saone and Macon , calling at Viviers , Arles , Port St. Louis , Avignon and Tournon .

6. Avalon Waterways

Panorama Suite on Avalon Artistry II

Famous for its Avalon Panorama Suites boasting river cruising’s only Open-Air Balcony and beds facing its floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views all day and night as you pass rolling hillsides and the Netherlands’ blooming tulips, Avalon Waterways is a boutique river cruise line known for its smaller ships (most around 164 guests) with a brand new Douro river ship for 2024, Avalon Algeria . You can choose from 12 new cruises for 2025, from a 13-day Christmastime from Frankfurt to Budapest sailing to a 22-day European Masterpiece voyage across the Rhine , Seine , and Rhone .

7. Scenic Luxury Cruises

Scenic Sapphire in Lyon, France.

With a focus on exclusive experiences from private concerts to gourmet feasts and after-hours access to historical sites, Scenic offers luxury 5-star river cruises from the winding waterways of Europe to Southeast Asia with an immersive Scenic Freechoice excursions program onboard its space-ships, accommodating up to 163 guests. Journey on its Rhine Highlights cruise starting in the Swiss city of Basel , before sailing towards Amsterdam , Strasbourg and the natural springs of Baden-Baden with a private classical concert at the lavish Baroque Palace of Rastatt.

8. Emerald Cruises

Emerald Luna

From tasting the flavors of France along the Rhône to gawping at towering emerald hillsides spilling along the Douro , Emerald Cruises offers luxury river cruises onboard its award-winning Star-Ships , stylish and modern, with innovative features like an indoor pool that transforms into a cozy cinema at night. Join its 11-day Sevilla & Secrets of the Douro sailing, starting with a three-night hotel stay in the Andalusia capital , Sevilla , hopping across the city’s many tablaos as you feast on tapas and catch authentic flamenco shows before taking to the water in Pinhão and immersing into onboard Portuguese cooking demonstrations and Port wine cocktail lessons.

9. Riviera Travel

Riviera Travel

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, Riviera Travel is one of Britain ’s best-loved river cruise operators, with complimentary regional flights and rail travel (where possible) and two new river ships set for 2025–the 178-guest Riviera Radiance sailing along the Danube and the 114-guest Riviera Rose sailing along the Douro , bringing its fleet up to 11 ships. Riviera’s core program also includes themed river cruises, focussed on gastronomy, gardens, history, art, and music–as well as some sailings dedicated to solo travelers.

10. TUI River Cruises

TUI Al Horeya

Boasting more than 100 cultural shore excursions to choose from across the Rhine , the Main , the Moselle , the Danube , and the Dutch and Belgian waterways, TUI River Cruises offers intimate adults-only river cruises with three ships in its fleet–TUI Isla, TUI Skyla, and TUI Maya – and a fourth set to launch in November 2024, Al Horeya , sailing along Egypt ’s Nile with 74 cabins, a top deck swimming pool, two whirlpools, a wellness studio, a boutique ship and Egyptologists on hand as you discover the Temples of Karnak and Luxor and ancient Egyptian antiquities galore.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

• 125212, Moscow, Leningradskoye Highway, 39 p. 6 Royal Yacht Club
• Miami +1 786 233 7721 London +44 203 807 94 54 Moscow +7 495 215 19 11
• [email protected]