The Traveling Steve's

Our traveling adventure blog.

The Traveling Steve's

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!)😀

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.)

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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! 😂

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!🤣

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.)

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.)

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.)

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!”

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!🤣

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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”.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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. /

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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!

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

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 ”

' src=

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.

' src=

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

' src=

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!

' src=

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!

' src=

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!

' src=

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 *

Mon - Fri 9 - 19 | Sat 9 - 18 | Sun 10 - 16

  • Book your cruise with our Consultants
  • I have already booked my cruise

MSC Seaside | MSC Cruises

MSC Seaside

background1

" 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

MSC Grand Voyages

MAIN FEATURES 

Waterfront boardwalk.

MSC Seaside Public Area Waterfront Boardwalk 01

Miami Beach Pool

MSC Seaside Public Area Miami Beach Pool 02

South Beach Pool

MSC Seaside Public Area South Beach Pool 03

Four decks atrium

MSC Seaside Public Area Four Decks Atrium 04

MSC Yacht Club

MSC Seaside Public Area MSC Yacht Club 05

MSC Aurea Spa

MSC Seaside Public Area MSC Aurea Spa 06

State-of-the-art gym

MSC Seaside Public Area MSC Aurea Spa 07

Cabins & Suites

MSC Seaside Cabin: MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite 02

• 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)

MSC Seaside Cabin: Suite With Whirlpool Bath 06

  • 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 )

MSC Seaside Cabin: Balcony 08

  • 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

Keep Dreaming | MSC Cruises

Restaurants & Buffet

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Ocean Cay Restaurant 03

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.

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.

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.

Pan Asian Restaurant

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.

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

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Tvenchi 1878 Chocolate Bar 08

Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar and Venchi 1878 Gelato & Crêperie

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Seaview Lounge 10

Seaview Lounge

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Sport Bar 14

Bistrot La Bohème

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Aurea Bar 22

Champagne Bar

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Garage Club 20

Garage Club

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Haven Lounge 19

Haven Lounge

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Jungle Bar 24

Miami Beach Bar

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Miami Casino 17

Miami Casino

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Seaside Bar 16

Seaside Bar

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Shine Bar 23

South Beach Bar

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Top Sail Lounge Yc 13

Top Sail Lounge

MSC Seaside Restaurant Bar Wine Cocktails 12

Wine & Cocktails

  • 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

MSC Cruises sofa bed

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

Firefox

What is the MSC Yacht Club? Take a look at MSC Cruises’ luxury suite area

Ashley Kosciolek

MSC Cruises sails nearly two dozen beautiful ships from home ports around the world, but their inviting sun decks can be crowded, and you're likely to encounter queues for dinner, shows and guest services.

The trick to creating a more luxurious experience on this big-ship cruise line is to book a stay in the line's Yacht Club. This upscale enclave within MSC Cruises ' larger ships offers guests more spacious accommodations, butler service and dedicated restaurants and lounges — even coffee delivered to your room each morning, just the way you like it.

Because of the Yacht Club , MSC can offer an inviting experience for cruisers who like big-ship cruising but crave more elevated accommodations, dining and amenities. MSC Cruises was one of the first lines to introduce this ship-within-a-ship concept, along with Norwegian Cruise Line . Now other popular cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean , also have adopted it.

The Yacht Club section on several of MSC Cruises' ships offers gated access to semi-private dining, butler service and more, but it comes at a price. Find out how much you can expect to pay and what you'll get for your money.

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

What are the MSC Yacht Club perks?

msc cruises seaside yacht club

All stays in the Yacht Club include priority check-in and checkout; priority disembarkation and boarding on shore excursions days; free premium alcohol and Wi-Fi packages; a bathrobe and slippers; complimentary access to the Aurea Spa thermal suite; 24-hour concierge and butler services (dining and spa reservations, unpacking and repacking, morning coffee delivery, etc.); a free daily in-cabin newspaper of your choice, delivered; and the ability to change your cruise one time without penalty.

Yacht Club cruisers are also entitled to discounts of 10% on spa treatments, 20% on specialty dining packages and 40% on spa packages.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

In addition, passengers booked in the Yacht Club have access to their own dedicated bar, lounge and restaurant, as well as a semi-private outdoor bar, pool and hot tubs, all on an exclusive sun deck. When ships dock at the line's private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve , Yacht Club passengers have private beach and restaurant access .

In their cabins, Yacht Club cruisers will find a pillow menu, memory foam mattresses, high-quality linens, bathrooms with marble floors, a specialty coffee maker, complimentary open minibar access, one gratis bottle of spirits (choose from a list of available options), free one-time snacks, 24-hour room service and nightly turn-down chocolates from Venchi, an Italian chocolatier that partners with the cruise line.

Which MSC cruise ships have the Yacht Club?

msc cruises seaside yacht club

Thirteen ships in the MSC Cruises fleet have the Yacht Club on board:

  • MSC Bellissima
  • MSC Euribia
  • MSC Fantasia
  • MSC Grandiosa
  • MSC Meraviglia
  • MSC Preziosa
  • MSC Seascape.
  • MSC Seashore.
  • MSC Seaside
  • MSC Seaview
  • MSC Splendida
  • MSC Virtuosa
  • MSC World Europa

Upcoming vessel MSC World America (2025) also will have the Yacht Club.

The largest Yacht Club in the fleet is on MSC World Europa, offering 152 suites. The second-largest is found on the line's two Seaside EVO Class ships, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape, which each have 131 suites.

MSC Yacht Club cabins

msc cruises seaside yacht club

All accommodations in the Yacht Club are labeled as suites, even though they comprise some standard cabin types. The specific stateroom types offered will vary by ship, but in general, they range from windowless interior cabins and deluxe balcony rooms to Executive and Royal Suites with more space, walk-in closets and bathrooms with both showers and bathtubs.

msc cruises seaside yacht club

New to the fleet with the line's World Class are 1,600-square-foot Owner Suites, which include multi-room layouts, walk-in closets, bathtubs and balconies, each with a whirlpool and alfresco dining area.

Also new are Duplex Suites, offering two decks of space, with the bedroom and bathroom upstairs and a dining area, living room and guest bath downstairs. These also include two private sun decks with loungers, one of which boasts a whirlpool.

How much does it cost to stay in the MSC Yacht Club?

msc cruises seaside yacht club

As you might expect, the cost to stay in the Yacht Club depends on several factors, including cabin type, the length of the sailing and where you're going and when. However, in line with the rest of the brand's pricing, a stay in the Yacht Club is an excellent value when you compare it to stays in other lines' dedicated suite areas or to luxury cruise prices.

I priced out several sailings departing over the next two years on some of the line's newest and largest ships. This is what was available at press time. (Note: MSC Cruises' website will only allow me to choose a general Yacht Club designation when booking. That means a guaranteed suite within the Yacht Club, but you won't know what type it is until closer to sailing.)

  • 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruise on MSC Seascape: $6,538 (including taxes) for two adults, round trip from Miami, March 16-23, 2024
  • 11-night Bermuda, Canada and New England cruise on MSC Meraviglia: $9,958 (including taxes) for two adults, round trip from Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 25-Oct. 6, 2024
  • 7-night Mediterranean cruise on MSC World Europa: $5,118 (including taxes) for two adults, round trip from Barcelona, May 2-9, 2025
  • 7-night Mediterranean on MSC Divina: $5,858 (including taxes) for two adults, round trip from Kusadasi, Turkey, June 5-12, 2025

Check out the MSC Cruises website to learn more about the MSC Yacht Club .

Have more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

  • More banned items: What not to pack for a cruise
  • Man overboard: Why do people fall off cruise ships?
  • What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
  • What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
  • What is a gentleman host on a cruise?
  • What is the Jones Act and how does it affect cruise ships?
  • What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
  • What's a cruise cabin guarantee and will it save you money?
  • What's the difference between a cruise concierge and a butler?

msc cruises seaside yacht club

Msc Seaside: my Yacht Club experience

Msc seaside: 7-day eastern caribbean cruise out of miami. an in-depth travel diary by ernie roller from a yacht club experience. don’t miss many other msc seaside reviews on cruising journal , why msc seaside.

Ever since my first glimpse of the MSC Seaside renderings I knew she was a ship I wanted to sail. Based on the renderings it looked like Fincantieri ’s innovative Project Mille class of ships might finally get built. What makes this design so unique is that it’s not simply a floating box, as is the case with so many new cruise ships today. Instead we have a ship that actually has interesting lines, from the bow all the way back to the stern. In between a condo style superstructure that jets in and out creating a very unique look. Topside a generous amount of deck space, and even more open deck space on the lower decks with a mega-wide promenade deck and even an aft pool fairly close to the waterline.

The internal arrangement also proved interesting, with much smaller and varied venues instead of overly massive ones. Even the show lounge is purposely smaller but with more frequent shows. The main buffet was moved down to the promenade deck, something I’ve only seen on QM2 in a modern ship, but in a unique twist a second buffet was added. All the speciality restaurants are grouped around a central bar area and placed high on the ship. Finally lots of pools to go with all that deck space. A forward pool reserved for the exclusive Yacht Club , and indoor/outdoor large pool with retractable magrodome, a main pool placed slightly aft, and finally a unique pool placed all the way aft and on a lower deck, much closer to the waterline. In addition a large waterpark cleverly concealed and protected within the aft enclosure of the ship’s funnel. The gimmicks are few but some exist. You won’t find bumper cars, rock climbing walls, or a race track; but you will find the two longest zip lines at sea. In addition there are water slides jetting over the side of the ship and some glass walkways providing striking views, but generally the gimmicks are few on Seaside and frankly I appreciate that.

Miami Beach Pool Deck

She is a ship for those that appreciate fun in the sun, and her outdoor decks are expansive and varied. I think that is one of her strongest design features. I’ve been enjoying cruises for about 40 years now, and in that time I’ve accumulated about 125 cruises on various ships and lines. I’m not loyal to any one line, and my weakness is new prototype ships. If there is a stunning new design, I’m likely to be booking my next cruise. Seaside certainly fit that bill, and moving forward we have some great new designs to look forward to. Virgin’s new ship and NCL’s new Leonardo Class both look modeled after Seaside and Fincantieri’s Project Mille. I’ll be sailing on both and it will be interesting to compare their adaptations on this unique design. The Virgin version is especially of interest as the first ship will be adult-only. That is very appealing to me. First though is the new Celebrity Edge making her debut later this year, and that is the next prototype ship that is heavy on my radar. She looks incredible and Celebrity rarely disappoints. So with expectations high we booked Msc Seaside and decided on the Yacht Club .

The price was about equal for a standard balcony cabin or a Yacht Club inside cabin. After weighing the pros and cons, the Yacht Club won out. On a 5000+ mega-ship it’s nice to be able to escape to the solitude and spaciousness of a private area. Really more than anything you are paying for space, which is always at a premium on a mega-ship. The Haven on NCL is the closest equivalent to MSC’s Yacht Club , and having already experienced The Haven I was quite familiar with the benefits of a “ship within a ship” concept. Another reason for the Yacht Club appeal is that generally speaking, MSC does not have the best reputation for food and service, and we hoped the Yacht Club would mitigate those concerns.

Seaside Wake

Having sailed on two previous MSC cruises , we were already familiar with some of MSC ’s shortfalls. Nothing that would prevent me from booking MSC, but something to be aware of none the less. MSC is a European value line making strides to become more prominent in North America. They have greatly altered the North American product compared to their European based ships, but MSC is not Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, etc. and doesn’t pretend to be. Things are done a little differently and the passenger mix is much more international. If you go with the mindset that it will be just like one of those American-centric cruise lines you might be disappointed. Do your homework, read reviews, and discover some of the differences. If they are a deal breaker for you, then stick with what you know. Personally I embrace the differences and perhaps it’s one reason I do enjoy MSC . As I mentioned earlier I’m not loyal to any one cruise line. I love the variety that they all offer, and I’m happy to have MSC as another option right in my back yard.

Embarkation in PortMiami was from MSC ’s newly renovated Terminal F. The Yacht Club has a tent just outside the terminal entrance and that is where you drop off your bags. From there you are escorted through security then upstairs to the private Yacht Club embarkation lounge. Inside there is sparkling wine, juice, and snacks while waiting to be checked in. Once those formalities are complete a butler escorts you onboard and directly up to the Yacht Club for a quick orientation then on to your cabin and an introduction to your personal butler for the week. All in all it would be difficult to top this embarkation experience, especially when you consider how big and how many people this ship carries.

In various ports of call there would often be a Yacht Club representative outside the gangway with a Yacht Club sign. You could go to them and they would expedite you onboard the ship which was a nice touch.

Outer decks and balconies

MSC markets our Yacht Club inside cabin as a “suite”, but I already knew this was no suite going in. Basically a slightly longer standard inside cabin with upgraded carpet, bedding, towels, and amenities. Overall I was quite pleased with the cabin (16025) with a couple exceptions. Storage space was minimal. The closet was fine but no other drawers, shelves, or cubby holes. This is a problem shared by every standard cabin on the ship. We literally had to make use of all available space including under the bed. There was only one chair and a nice coffee table although there could have easily been room for two chairs, or a sofa instead of the chairs. Sparkling wine and fresh fruit were waiting. The bathroom was small, again standard size but with an extra rain shower type shower head and a magnifying mirror which are absent from standard bathrooms. In addition we had upgraded soaps and shampoos along with lotion.

Cabin service was excellent and completely unobtrusive. The cabin itself was extremely quiet. We made little use of our butler, but he did bring almost nightly turn down treats along with stocking the refrigerator to our preferences. One nice feature of the Yacht Club that I haven’t seen even on some luxury lines is morning delivery of a newspaper of your choice. The room service menu and breakfast hanging card were ok with their offerings, but certainly nothing special or extravagant. We found it odd that made to order eggs were not part of the room service breakfast menu. An egg sandwich was your only egg option. This is one area where a true luxury line out shadows the Yacht Club. The room service menu would be far more extensive and you could be served course by course should you choose to be. Mind you that would be rather silly in an inside cabin! We basically had to sit on the floor to eat the one time we ordered room service.

Frank & Chuck's Suite - 16036

Food is a highly subjective topic. Ask 10 people about the same dish and be prepared for 10 different responses. For this reason I won’t spend too much time on it. Overall I found the food on Msc Seaside to be adequate but nothing special. There were some standouts, like steak, pastas, deserts, and bread. I found all those to be fairly exceptional especially the steak we enjoyed in Butcher’s Cut one evening. The variety could sometimes be lacking and other more American-centric lines do offer more nightly choices on the menu. None the less no one will starve and you could always find something that interested you.

Msc Seaside: I liked: Entertainment, design of the ship, Yacht Club experience

Within the Yacht Club , we enjoyed our own restaurant that was open seating and available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Essentially you dine when you want (within the open hours) and with whom. Funny enough, we ended up dining at the same 2 to 3 tables the entire cruise, always in Arthur’s section who was one of the best and most entertaining waiters in all my years of cruising. Wow did we luck out getting him our first night onboard, although I’m sure the other Yacht Club waiters were exceptional as well. Other options within the Yacht Club were a small buffet adjacent to the Top Sail Lounge bar , and the Grill up on Deck 19 by the pool. I enjoyed the fresh grilled specialities at the Grill, yes even lobster and lamb chops, but oddly enough if I wanted a simple burger I had to dine in the more former indoor restaurant or go to the general buffet for the ship. My cravings for a burger did lure me more than once to the Marketplace Buffet , where I found them pretty good along with excellent fries.

Yacht Club Restaurant

In the main buffet we never had a problem finding a seat and the option to sit outside was welcomed in great weather. Towards the back of the buffet they had dispensers for soda, beer, and wine. All automated. Just wave your card or wrist band over the control panel and it would activate. Because we were in the Yacht Club all our beverages were included, but were they not you would have been charged at that point. One feature MSC has deployed to gain market share in North America is a status match program. Before your cruise just submit your highest status at a cruise line or hotel chain, and MSC will match it.

My Elite status on Princess was matched with Black on MSC , currently their highest level. This entitled us to a complimentary dinner in a speciality restaurant. We chose Butcher’s Cut being steak lovers, and we were not disappointed. It was an excellent dinner beginning to end. Another favorite option sometimes after dinner or even in the afternoon was Venchi the chocolate bar onboard. Many chocolate items (such as the chocolate ships) are made right onboard, and it’s fun to watch them getting made. There is even a wall of chocolate, although it was never working the entire cruise. My favorite was a chocolate/strawberry milkshake made with their excellent gelato. Just decadent especially with the fresh and real whipped cream on top. The best part, it was all included being part of the Yacht Club .

Yacht Club services

Service generally goes hand and hand with any dining experience, so I’ll mention that overall I found the service to be excellent. This was especially true in the Yacht Club where everyone was beyond polite and helpful, and always seemed willing to do whatever it took to make you happy. Around the rest of the ship service was great as well, with a crew that smiled and generally seemed happy to assist you.

Another nice feature of the Yacht Club was our own Concierge Desk . They basically handled any request, so there was never a need to wait in the line at the general Guest Services or Shore Excursion desks. Entertainment onboard was varied and excellent in my opinion. I looked forward to all the production shows and none disappointed. I can say that most others enjoyed the productions as well as every single one received a standing ovation. One evening was a shortened version of Madame Butterfly that I quite enjoyed. Very unusual to find an opera onboard a mass-market cruise ship, but MSC was proud to offer it and with good reason.

Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge

Entertainment

In large part what made the shows so successful were the talented performers. Singers that could actually sing and dancers that could truly dance. I found these performers to be more Broadway calibre than typical cruise ship standard. The theater size is smaller but to make up for the smaller venue there are more performances offered, usually three a night at a time that will work for you. Some are repeated later in the cruise. I’ve found the new ships of NCL have gone with the smaller showrooms as well along with more performances. The shows are shorter, only 30-40 minutes which means they can offer more of them. I really enjoyed this format and found them all just long enough. Along with Disney , Royal Caribbean , and certain shows on NCL these ranked as my favorite shows at sea. Reservations are required through the MSC For Me app or interactive screens, and more on that later.

Other entertainment ranged from the nightly violinist and pianist in the Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge to game shows, comedians, theme dance parties, and a nightly disco. Sometimes the disco was inside in the Garage Club, and other times outside at the South Beach pool bar. Keep this in mind if booking one of those aft view balconies. Movies were shown nightly at the large outdoor screen but with virtually no seating they were not well attended. A favorite venue onboard was the Seaside Lounge with the nightly smooth sounds of the Silk Jazz Trio. I really enjoyed their music.

Spa and technology onboard

During the day I made good use of the spa daily, and found the thermal suite area one of the best of any ship I’ve sailed. Visually pleasing, there are two types of saunas, two types of steam rooms, a snow room, salt room, heated loungers, outdoor private deck with hot tubs, a thalassotherapy pool, and the Geyser Kneipp , an interesting water experience I’ve never seen before. Access to the Spa’s thermal suite was included as part of our Yacht Club amenities, and a simple swipe of my key card or wrist band granted me access.

As a bit of a techie, I need to make mention of the technology onboard. I was impressed. I found Msc Seaside probably the most technologically advanced ship I have ever sailed, and this includes the newest and largest Royal Caribbean ship the Harmony of the Seas which I would say comes in a close second. I pre-purchased a very reasonable Internet package called the Surfer Package (one of three available). Priced at $44.90 for the entire cruise, it offered a total of 800MB on two devices with access to everything but audio & video streaming. In reality I had 2500MB at my disposal and I’m not sure why I was given the higher amount? At the end of the cruise I didn’t use even half the allotted amount, and this with uploading lots of pictures and using the internet multiple times a day. Initial setup was extremely simple and the MSC system recognized I had already pre-purchased a package.

Emotions Photo Gallery

After the initial log-on it remembered my device and I never had to log-on again, just push the “start” and “stop” buttons on the app to begin or end my external internet sessions. Keep in mind that an internet package is not required to access the general onboard services of the MSC For Me app , that is completely free. Speed was excellent (about as fast as Voom on Royal Caribbean) and I had no interruptions or dead zones, which has been common on other ships. Some little things, like waving your cruise card or wrist band instead of swiping them are nice touch. Some things I’ve never seen before on any ship, such as the camera phone in my cabin where I could FaceTime with fellow passengers. With Blue Tooth enabled on your smart phone, your exact location on the ship was always known. This will come in handy when eventually you will be able to order drinks from your phone (using the MSC For Me app ) and have them delivered directly to you.

Princess is already experimenting with this with their Ocean Medallion program which so far has had its share of teething pains and has been scaled back. Another first was the card slot in the cabin to activate electricity. The trick of using any frequent shopper card in the slot no longer works on Seaside. It now requires an RFID card such as the MSC cruise card to activate the electricity in the cabin. The frustrating thing about this is that you could not charge your electronic devices unless you were in the cabin. Still a great way to conserve electricity and fuel. Ground zero for all the onboard technology is the MSC For Me app . Easy to use and well laid out, you can do everything from booking shows and speciality restaurants, to looking at your shipboard account or even finding your current exact location onboard. You could also peruse the Daily Planner of activities or look at the dinner menu for that evening. Hand in hand with the app are the various interactive information screens around the ship, and the TV in your cabin. They essentially worked the same way, providing another option for those that don’t use smart phones or prefer not to carry one around.

Msc Seaside: I didn’t like: Food, some aspects of the service, and poor storage in the cabins. The ship could feel crowded at times.

For those in the Yacht Club , you also receive a wrist band which serves the same purpose as the cabin key card, with the exception of getting on and off the ship. I used the wrist band quite often as it was convenient not to have to carry anything in my pockets. For those in the Yacht Club , the two forward elevators (one in each bank port and starboard) have priority control using your cruise card or wrist band. There were two problems with this. One is that you are never given a tutorial of how it actually works or even that it exists, and second is the way that it’s programmed. Basically when you waved your card or wrist band over the reader just below the call button it would grant priority access to the elevator, wiping out all floor selections of those already in the elevator and bringing it directly to your floor. Now if you stepped on without again waving your card over the reader inside the elevator, nothing would happen and it would appear the elevator had shut down.

Deck 7 Walkway to Champagne Bar

Everyone would get off and wait for another elevator, understandably frustrated. Eventually it would reset in a couple minutes. In fact you had to wave your card again inside the elevator and make a floor selection. Needless to say I used this feature rather sparingly as you might often be met with an elevator full of confused and pissed off people wondering why their floor was missed. Priority lift access aside, I would say the technology onboard worked quite flawlessly and effortlessly. I swiped my card all over the ship but was never wrongfully charged as the system knew everything was included in my Yacht Club package.

Interiors and design

If there is one word to sum up the decor on Msc Seaside , it would be “Glitzy”. This is a flashy, modern, high tech floating resort with lots of mirrors, chrome, glass, dramatic lighting and unique furnishings. The furnishings were so unique in fact that I created a special photo album just to showcase them. Overall I loved the design and decor of the ship, but if you’re a traditionalist that prefers more understated decor this is not the ship for you. Thankfully I enjoy both and I’m equally comfortable on a ship such as Msc Seaside as I am on Cunard. Personally I found the ship easy to get around but I had been studying the deck plan for months prior. Even so some of the flashy decor can be a little confusing when learning your way around, but fairly quickly I felt right at home.

One great thing about the design is the amount of glass and views to the ocean. Msc Seaside is definitely a ship that is open to the sea, and you can see the ocean from just about everywhere. Even the atrium has windows to the ocean on both sides, on every deck with lots of seating areas. It makes for a very impressive vantage point inside and out. Overall the general arrangement of lounges, bars, and restaurants is fairly straight forward with one exception. Up on Deck 16 the forward section is dedicated to the cluster of speciality restaurants situated around a central bar. It works very well and is accessed by the forward elevator banks.

Shine Atrium Lounge

The more aft section of Deck 16 is the Miami Beach Pool and just forward the Biscayne Bay Buffet . This is accessed by the aft or more midships set of elevators. You can’t walk between the two sections, so essentially Deck 16 is cut off into two sections. Technically there are doors port and starboard that connect the Biscayne Bar Buffet to the speciality restaurants forward, and I used them, but they are for crew only. So generally it means going up or down a deck, then forward or back, then back up or down to access the area of Deck 16 you wish to reach. Having already studied the deck plan in advance I was prepared for this so not a big deal.

Another great advantage of the Yacht Club was the beautiful forward facing, two level Top Sail Lounge and restaurant. The lounge and bar were on the first level, along with an outdoor deck overlooking the bow. The upper level was the restaurant connected to the lounge with a beautiful Swarovski crystal staircase. A massive two-level glass forward facing wall provided the exceptional views. Unfortunately for those not in the Yacht Club , there is no forward facing view that is accessible on the ship, unless you have a forward facing view cabin.

This was an Eastern Caribbean cruise departing Miami on January 20, 2018 to St Thomas, Antigua, and Nassau. When we initially booked the ports were a little different, but with a couple hurricanes some itinerary adjustments were necessary. One port that would have really interested me is Ocean Cay, the private island that MSC Cruises is developing in the Bahamas. This port was initially on our itinerary when we first booked, but it became obvious fairly quickly it would never be ready in time.

The development timetable has been adjusted a few times now, and I’m not actually sure when this new private island experience will be completed. I’m not even sure MSC is. We docked at each port and tenders were never required. As this cruise was all about the ship for me and I’ve been to these ports countless times, I really didn’t do much off the ship. Basically wondered around in each port but that was it. My priority was time spent on the ship, and I also love the atmosphere on the ship when the vast majority of passengers are ashore. It takes on a entirely different feel.

Miami

Disembarking

Back in Miami our disembarkation was as effortless as embarkation, maybe even more so. Perhaps one of the best disembarkation experiences of any ship I’ve sailed. We were requested to vacate our cabins by 8am which we did. After a leisurely breakfast in the Yacht Club restaurant and enjoying the company of Arthur one last time, we were escorted down to the gangway by one of the Yacht Club butlers. There was no line at all to get off the ship. We quickly retrieved our bags in the Yacht Club section of the terminal (closest to the exit) and proceeded through CBP, which again had no line. With no forms required, we simply presented our passports and were waved though. Next thing you know we were in the car and driving home. Effortless and efficient.

Conclusions

As with any cruise, MSC Seaside was not perfect. Cuisine could be upgraded and storage in the cabins could be better, but overall I would rate it a fantastic experience especially for what we paid. The Yacht Club inside cabins are a fantastic value, taking advantage of being pretty much all-inclusive while also receiving the special treatment and upgraded service & amenities. All this without breaking the bank. I’m certainly pleased with our decision, and I hope to someday return to Seaside, perhaps in a regular balcony cabin to compare how the experience differs. I think either way I would enjoy this special ship filled with energy and visual delight!

For those that haven’t viewed the photos, here are the three links: Over 600 ship pics!

Msc Seaside 01/20/2018: 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise out of Miami

Daily programs and menus

The unique seating styles of MSC Seaside

Don’t miss other Reviews about Msc Seaside on Cruising Journal and make your own Reviews!

Ernie Roller

Msc Seaside

Msc Seaside

Latest reportages, royal clipper: a sailing experience and beyond, on board viva two towards the danube delta, atlas ocean voyages: intimate yacht style cruises, sh vega: luxury meets expedition, expedition with passion: ocean albatros.

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

STATEROOMS & SUITES

  • 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. 667 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 355 ft 2
  • Deck 16 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
  • Walk-in closet
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area and hairdryer
  • Accommodates up to 5 guests
  • Approx. 269 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 86 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).
  • Approx. 226 ft 2
  • Two-bedroom Suite      o Bedroom 1: Comfortable king bed      o Bedroom 2: Two single beds
  • Two bathrooms      o Bathroom 1: Shower, vanity area and hairdryer      o Bathroom 2: Bathtub, vanity area and hairdryer
  • Sitting area with sofa or separate living area
  • Wi-Fi access available ($)
  • Approx. 527 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 183 ft 2
  • Decks 11-14 The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).
  • Approx. 377-527 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 183 ft 2
  • Decks 9-13 The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).
  • Balcony with a private whirlpool bath
  • Approx. 301 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 75 ft 2
  • Decks 9-15 The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).
  • Approx. 301 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 409 ft 2
  • Deck 9 The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).
  • Approx. 280-344 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 97- 151 ft 2
  • Approx. 215 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 86 ft 2
  • Approx. 183 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 172 ft 2
  •   Deck 9

Important: this cabin will be available for cruises with departure dates starting from 29th April 2025.

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).

  • A pprox. 183 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 97 ft 2  
  • D eck 9 *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).
  • A pprox. 172-183 ft 2 with a balcony that is approx. 54 ft 2
  • Decks 9-10 *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).
  • Window with sea view
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area and hairdryer
  • Approx. 183 ft 2
  • Deck 5 The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).
  • Approx. 301 ft 2
  • D eck 10 *Some staterooms for guests with disabilities or reduced mobility have twin beds that can’t be converted into king bed. The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).
  • Approx. 151-183 ft 2
  • Decks 5-10 *Some staterooms for guests with disabilities or reduced mobility have twin beds that can’t be converted into king bed. The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).

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

Firefox

MSC SEASIDE CABINS & SUITES

  • Surface approx 62 sqm, balcony approx 33 sqm with private whirlpool bath and dining table, deck 16
  • Separate living area and dining room
  • Spacious wardrobe
  • Bathroom with shower and bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double bed
  • Wifi connection included
  • Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar

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

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

  • Surface approx 25 sqm, balcony approx 8 sqm, deck 16-18
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Walk-in wardrobes
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Can accomodate up to 5 people
  • Surface approx 21 sqm, deck 16 and 18
  • Wifi cnnection included
  • Surface approx 49 sqm, balcony approx 17 sqm, deck 11-14
  • Sitting area with sofa or separate living area
  • Two bathrooms, one with bathtub and one with shower, vanity areas with hairdryers
  • 2 bedrooms, one with double bed and one with two single beds
  • Walk-in wardrobe
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar
  • Can accomodate up to 6 people
  • Surface approx 35-49 sqm, large balcony 3-21 sqm, deck 9-13
  • Can accommodate up to 5 people

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category) .

  • Surface approx 28 sqm, balcony approx 7 sqm with its own private whirlpool bath, deck 9-15
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryers
  • Surface approx 28 sqm, balcony approx 38 sqm, deck 9
  • Spacious Wardrobe
  • Surface approx 26-32 sqm, balcony approx 9-14 sqm, deck 9-15
  • Surface approx 20 sqm, balcony approx 8 sqm, deck 9-15
  • Surface approx 17 sqm, balcony approx 16 sqm, deck 9

Important : this cabin will be available for cruises with departure dates starting from 29th April 2025 .

  • Surface  17 sqm, balcony 9 sqm*, deck 9

*Some cabins have a metal balcony front, instead of glass.

  • Surface 17 sqm, balcony 5 sqm, deck 9-10
  • Surface approx 17 sqm, deck 5
  • Window with sea view
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Surface approx 28 sqm, deck 10
  • Interactive TV, telephone, wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request*)

*Some cabins for guests with disabilities or reduced mobility have twin beds that can’t be converted into double beds.

  • Surface  14 sqm, deck 5-10

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

Firefox

  • CruiseMapper

MSC Seaside cabins and suites

Msc seaside staterooms review, floor plans, photos.

MSC Seaside cabins and suites review at CruiseMapper provides detailed information on cruise accommodations , including floor plans, photos, room types and categories, cabin sizes, furniture details and included by MSC Cruises en-suite amenities and services.

The MSC Seaside cruise ship cabins page is conveniently interlinked with its deck plans showing deck layouts combined with a legend and review of all onboard venues.

MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite with Balcony Jacuzzi

Layout (floor plan).

Max passengers:4
Staterooms number:2
Cabin size:670 ft2 / 62 m2
Balcony size:355 ft2 / 33 m2
Location (on decks):forward on deck 16-Lido
Type (categories):(YC3) MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite with Balcony Whirlpool Bath

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite

Max passengers:4
Staterooms number:72
Cabin size:270 ft2 / 25 m2
Balcony size:85 ft2 / 8 m2
Location (on decks):forward on decks 16-18
Type (categories):(YC1) MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite

MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite

Max passengers:2
Staterooms number:12
Cabin size:180-225 ft2 / 17-21 m2
Balcony size:none
Location (on decks):forward on decks 16-Lido, 18
Type (categories):(YIN) MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite

All passengers booked in MSC Yacht Club Interior Suites receive the following perks (bonus amenities and services):

  • interactive large LCD TV, phone, electronic safe (in the closet), Nespresso coffee machine
  • Myform Memory mattresses
  • Dorelan pillows menu
  • Egyptian cotton bathrobes, slippers
  • luxury bedding (by Mascioni)
  • 1 queen bed (or 2 single beds/ upon request)
  • private bathroom with shower
  • fully stocked mini-bar
  • goodnight gourmet chocolates (by Venchi)
  • Nintendo Wii gaming console
  • Priority services (check-in / check-out, embarkation / disembarkation, tendering)
  • 24-hour personal concierge, butler service, room service (free delivery)
  • Unlimited drinks in all MSC Yacht Club venues (including the cabin's mini-bar drinks)
  • All-inclusive (complimentary) free-time dining (lunches and dinners) in the exclusive MSC Yacht Club restaurant
  • Unlimited drinks in all onboard bars and restaurants
  • Free Thermal Suite access
  • Direct access (via private elevator) to MSC Aurea Spa
  • Exclusive access to "The One Sun Deck" and "Top Sail Lounge"

2-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea

Max passengers:5
Staterooms number:12
Cabin size:345-525 ft2 / 32-49 m2
Balcony size:95-225 ft2 / 9-21 m2
Location (on decks):bow-facing/forward on decks 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type (categories):(SX) Grand Suite Aurea, (SD) Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea

(Balcony Whirlpool) Seaside Suite

Max passengers:5
Staterooms number:28
Cabin size:300 ft2 / 28 m2
Balcony size:75 ft2 / 7 m2
Location (on decks):9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Type (categories):(SJ3, SEW-Wellness Spa) Aurea Grand Suite with balcony hot tub

Balcony Suite

Max passengers:4
Staterooms number:58
Cabin size:180-300 ft2 / 17-28 m2
Balcony size:80-170-400 ft2 / 8-16-38 m2
Location (on decks):9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Type (categories):(S2) Fantastica Suite, (S3) Aurea Suite

SuperFamily Plus Balcony Cabin

Max passengers:10
Staterooms number:
Cabin size:450 ft2 / 42 m2 (3 connecting cabins)
Balcony size:135 ft2 / 13 m2 (3 connecting balconies)
Location (on decks):9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type (categories):(FLP) Super Family Plus Fantastica Balcony / modular connected rooms and balconies

SuperFamily Balcony Cabin

Max passengers:6
Staterooms number:
Cabin size:300 ft2 / 28 m2 (2 connecting cabins)
Balcony size:90 ft2 / 8 m2 (2 connecting balconies)
Location (on decks):9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type (categories):(FLA) Super Family Fantastica Balcony / modular connected rooms and balconies

Balcony Cabin

Max passengers:4
Staterooms number:1315
Cabin size:150-200 ft2 / 14-19 m2
Balcony size:45-95 ft2 / 4-9 m2
Location (on decks):9, 10, 11, 12, 13 (Spa), 14, 15
Type (categories):(BR1-BR2-BR3-BR4-Deluxe, BA-Aurea, BW-Wellness Spa) Balcony Staterooms

Oceanview Cabin

Max passengers:4
Staterooms number:80
Cabin size:160-195 ft2 / 15-18 m2
Balcony size:none
Location (on decks):forward and midship on deck 5
Type (categories):(OR1-Deluxe Ocean View, OW-Wellness Spa) Outside Staterooms

Interior Cabin

Max passengers:4
Staterooms number:454
Cabin size:150-300 ft2 / 14-28 m2
Balcony size:none
Location (on decks):5, 9, 10 (Spa), 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Type (categories):(IL1-Premium, IR1-IR2-Deluxe, IW-Wellness Spa) Interior / Inside Staterooms

Handicap|Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins

Max passengers:2
Staterooms number:54
Cabin size:YC1 (380 ft2 / 35 m2), B2 (300 ft2 / 28 m2), O2 (200 ft2 / 19 m2), I1-I2 (150 ft2 / 14 m2)
Balcony size:included
Location (on decks):5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18
Type (categories):(H) I1-Bella Inside, I2-Fantastica Inside, O2-Fantastica Oceanview, B2-Fantastica Balcony, YC1-YIN-Yacht Club Suite / modified accessible staterooms

For MSC cruise passengers with disabilities, the Seaside ship has a total of 54 accessible cabins (38x Inside, 9x Outside, 1x Balcony, 3x Yacht Club Inside Suites, 2x Deluxe Suites).

Follows the complete list of MSC Seaside cabins for disabled passengers. They are listed as type and categories, with cabin numbers in brackets:

  • I1-Bella Inside rooms: 5020, 5048, 5051, 5150, 9075, 9093, 9126, 9161, 9197, 10096, 10132, 10160
  • I2-Fantastica Inside rooms: 10079, 10213, 11079, 11097, 11128, 11171, 11204, 11211, 12071, 12086, 12089, 12122, 12163, 12203, 13066, 13073, 13086, 13122, 13167, 13198, 14087, 14120, 14163, 15063, 15100, 15139
  • O2-Fantastica Oceanview rooms: 5150, 5160, 5162, 5164, 5166, 5167, 5169, 5171, 5173
  • B2-Fantastica Balcony room: 10224
  • YC1-Yacht Club Suites: 18024, 18029
  • YIN-Interior Yacht Club Suites: 16039, 18026, 18033

Each of the handicapped staterooms features: larger size (compared to the non-accessible counterpart), wider doors (width 35 inches / 0,9 m, sitting-level keycard slot), wider turning spaces (5 ft / 1,5 m), ramped thresholds, beds with open bed frames, lowered vanity in the sitting area, amplified phones, captioned TVs, wider bathrooms (door width 35 inches / 0,9 m, roll-in shower, fold-down shower bench, grab rails, lower sinks and closet rods, raised toilets, hand-held shower head, seat height from the floor 0,4 m).

All ADA cabins also feature a convenient location near the elevators.

The ship’s gangways are all wide enough for most types of wheelchairs and disability scooters.

All decks provide elevator access.

All passenger lifts have visual, audio and Braille deck indicators.

During an emergency, dedicated crew personnel helps all disabled guests (also those with reduced mobility) to board the ship's lifeboats.

MSC Seaside cabins review

Of all MSC Seaside cabins (2066 total), 1610 are Outside and 454 Inside. All passenger accommodations have a double bed (convertible to 2 single beds). For accommodating more guests (up to max cabin capacity), 3rd and 4th additional beds are available in all cabin categories. The number of all cabin categories is 25, including the Wellness (Spa) grades SEW-Grand Suite, BW-Balcony, OW-Oceanview, and IW-Inside.

Follows the review of MSC Seaside staterooms as amenities, furniture and included (complimentary) services:

All passenger cabins as amenities offer twin beds (singles convertible to king, or double upon request), leather headboard, bedside tables and wall lamps, pillow menu, smart HDTV (infotainment system allowing Internet, bookings from the cabin, also itinerary/ports of call and tours/excursions information, movies on demand, live webcam views), direct-dial phone (onboard connections only), electronic safe box and lifejackets (in the closet), hairdryer, mini-bar/fridge, closet/wardrobe, sitting/lounge area (mirrored vanity table, chairs), en-suite bathroom (WC, sink, shower), individual air-conditioning (thermostat controlled), Wi-Fi Internet access.

All MSC YACHT CLUB cabins additionally have Nespresso machines. All Suite categories feature larger bathrooms with bathtubs.

Interconnecting “cluster cabins” are specifically designed for large families and family group travel. This new concept allows up to 3 cruise staterooms to be linked together and opened up. Seaside ship’s family cabins are in 3 main categories – FAMILY (max occupancy 6 passengers, 2 connecting rooms, 2 baths, 1 balcony), SUPER FAMILY (max occupancy 6 passengers, 2 connecting rooms, 2 baths /1 with bathtub, 2 balconies) and SUPER FAMILY PLUS (max occupancy 10 passengers, 3 connecting rooms, 3 baths, 2 balconies).

The new SJ3 category “Seaside Suite” cabins feature an in-hull veranda with a whirlpool bath. Category GS “Grand Suite” cabins are all forward-facing. Each of them features a large walk-in closet, 2 separate bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 with bathtub, 1 with shower), separate lounge room (wet bar, 4-seat dining table), spacious veranda. Both the Master Bedroom and the Lounge Room have individual access to the balcony via floor-ceiling sliding doors.

Balcony Suites category S2 (decks 9 through 15) are with larger verandas. Category S3-Suites (a total of 14 accommodations) are all located aft and feature large-sized balconies (furnished with 1 table and 2 chairs). These aft-corner suites (on decks 9 through 15) are designed as beach condos.

YACHT CLUB Royal Suites feature a separate bedroom (with bathroom and balcony access), large walk-in closet, separate lounge room (with wet bar and balcony access), spacious veranda (33 m2) with a 6-seat dining table and sun deck with loungers and a whirlpool bath.

MSC “BELLA" cabins” are in categories I1-Inside, O1-Oceanview, and B1-Balcony. Booking Bella-class staterooms additionally offer as extra perks: 20-hour gourmet buffet, organized daily scheduled activities, access to a dedicated swimming pool, modern gym, open-air sports facilities, plus earning MSC Club points for more perks on the next cruise.

MSC “FANTASTICA cabins” are in categories I2-Inside, O2-Oceanview, B2-Balcony, and all SuperFamily rooms. Booking Fantastica-class staterooms additionally offer as extra perks: 24-hour room service, 50% discount on fitness classes, specially dedicated to kids activities, free in-room dining (breakfast), free delivery, priority dinner sitting, cooking sessions with the ship’s Master Chef. These higher-grade cabins are with upper deck location and offer easy access to elevators and popular lounges.

MSC “AUREA cabins” are in category B3-Balcony. Booking Aurea-class staterooms additionally offers: a complimentary Aurea Spa package, Thermal Area unlimited access, 60-min massage PP (max 2 per cabin), 20-min Solarium usage, welcome cocktail party, plus priority services (check-in, embarkation, tendering), bathrobes, slippers, luxury spa products, 24-hour unlimited drinks (specialty coffee, wine and beer, cocktails, soft beverages, gelato ice cream).

MSC YACHT CLUB passengers enjoy an exclusive butler service (available 24-hours), dedicated concierge service (24-hour Concierge Reception), all-inclusive dining (a la carte menu, your-time dining in an exclusive gourmet restaurant, unlimited drinks (from cabin’s mini-bar and in all Yacht Club complex areas), exclusive “The One Sun Deck” (suites-only sundeck area) access, exclusive Top Sail Lounge access. The YACHT CLUB’s exclusive lounge areas are “Top Sail Lounge” (with its own restaurant) and “The One Pool Deck” (swimming pool, whirlpools, sundeck served by its own bar).

MSC’s “Super Family Plus” cabins are category B1-Balcony staterooms (location on decks 9, 10, 11). Facing forward, they interconnect with an interior room and another B1-Balcony (forward location too) making a “Super Family Plus”. Some of the aft-location B2-Balcony staterooms (location – decks 9 through 14) have an extra single bed and can be connected to make a “Super Family Plus”. When a balcony room is combined with an adjoining interior cabin it becomes a “Superfamily”. This type of cabins are modularly connected and also feature connecting verandas.

Passengers booked in MSC Wellness cabins (IW-Inside, OW-Oceanview, and BW-Balcony) receive access to dedicated sports facilities, training equipment, and amenities, along with the personal trainer, personalized fitness program, exclusive fitness-themed excursions, healthy food/drinks, charge-free laundry service (gym wear only).

MSC Seaside cabin and suite plans are property of MSC Cruises . All floor plans 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

Exclusive Butler Service in MSC Yacht Club

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:

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

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

American Express: Don't Live Life Without It

   |   |   |   | 
 
Select a Cruise Ship or Cruise Line
To select more than one cruise ship, hold down the *Ctrl* key and click on the cruise ship's name.
 
To select more than one cruise line, hold down the *Ctrl* key and click on the cruise line's name.
(AND)



 
         From Date must be less than To Date
(AND)



Vessel Sanitation Program

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu & Fri 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 12:00, Sun & Public Holidays Closed

MSC Cruises Reviews

Read all about the outstanding on board experience through the direct cruise reviews sent by guests who have previously cruised with us.

We at MSC Cruises are proud to provide an excellent guest experience and we are constantly looking for ways to innovate and improve.

background1

" One of the best cruises we've done "

MSC Seaside, Caribbean

" Overall, always very positive. MSC Bellessima is a very beautiful ship, attentive staff, MAGNIFICENT shows!! "

MSC Bellissima, Emirates

" Buffet was great, food and service were even better than I expected. Thanks. "

MSC Grandiosa, Mediterranean

" It was a superb experience, i would definitely recommend to all my friends and family. "

MSC Bellissima, Mediterranean

" Wonderful trip, flawless "

MSC Seaview,South America

" Everything great, planning the next ... "

MSC Seaview, South America

" Beautiful trip, beautiful ship, MSC is the best, MSC Bellissima is unforgettable, I hope to see you soon....rating 10+ "

" We really enjoyed the atmosphere, the service, and the quality of the Yacht Club. "

MSC Meraviglia, Northern Europe

" All the services from the organization and the crew were excellent. Perfect restaurant service. "

" Very nice excursions and very nice ship! "

" You are a fantastic cruise company! "

" We loved the ship, the kindness of the cabin staff, the restaurant, and the entertainment. "

" The Ship lives up to its grand name it pleased us so much that we have booked 2 cruises for this year "

" All the animation staff very talented and kind also the shows offered were great. I would say a great experience! "

" All excellent, we will be happy to return on another cruise as soon as possible "

" Everything was perfect! Thanks MSC "

" Everything was perfect, congratulations to everyone! "

" Fantastic and unforgettable experience, thanks to the captain and all the crew for the courtesy and helpfulness!! "

" Everything was great in the Yacht club, services, alcohol, food and atmosphere. "

" Very satisfied. Congratulations for the organization "

" It was fun! I want to ride again someday! "

" You should be so proud of all your staff "

" Very nice cruise, very pleasant staff, nice evening entertainment, meals were plentiful and varied "

" A wonderful trip on a beautiful ship. "

" Wonderful, it has been the dream trip and thanks to you it came true! "

" Fantastic vacation experience with MSC. Thank you very much for your service! "

" You are amazing. Keep it up. "

" Excellent trip and MSC team! I look forward to traveling with you again "

" Wonderful trip, crew and fantastic ship. "

" Overall rating: very satisfied. "

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

Firefox

  • MSC Cruises

MSC SEASIDE DISEMBARKATION - Yacht Club

By CalumWA , September 23, 2019 in MSC Cruises

Recommended Posts

Cool Cruiser

We’re cruising in the yacht club on msc seaside and we have a late flight on disembarkation day. We’re wondering how late we can stay on board on the last day. We’re cruising out of Miami on a 7 day cruise which docks back in Miami at 7am. Can anyone help us with this at all please?  thank you so much

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

CruisingFox27

CruisingFox27

The US customs and immigration rules mean that the ship has to zero down before the next passengers are able to embark. Unfortunately there's no option to stay late, you'll need to disembark by 10am at the very latest.

Sometimes there are excursions which end at the airport or you could store your luggage in the city and explore independently. 

10,000+ Club

We've been on in March and June.  June we had a late flight, we told them that but they seemed intent on getting us off by nine.  March we pushed the ten o'clock time.

While YC does many things good, getting you on and off is an area of opportunity.  Getting on they weave you through main atrium to forward elevators.  Getting off it was down main elevators, aft to stairs, down a floor, through tons of people to exit.  What a cluster.  How about finding dedicated path or crew areas like other lines to get on and off?

psmarkle

Ideally, your butler wants you out of your cabin by 7:30am so they can start the changeover for the next cruise.  They will escort you up to the restaurant or the Topsail Lounge where you can hang out.  From there, as others just posted, latest is around 10am, but prefer you leave by 9am.

Selion

They dragged me & DW off the ship at 9:30am.  Seaside, November 2018.

js

Last two YC on Seaside experiences, we walked off about 10:15 am.  They wanted us out of our cabin, but we stayed in YC area (I was waiting for my dh to land and pick us up).

Someone who spends a lot of time researching and sailing the YC on FB sailed last week and reported back they were asked to leave the YC/Ship at 9:30 am, no longer the 10:30 am as was in the past.

Not sure if it was for just that sailing or not, but that is what I just read.

Opposite issue - assume we would be relatively safe (barring docking issues) booking a car service to MIA airport for a 9:00 terminal pick-up for a 11:00 domestic flight?  Seaside YC.

24 minutes ago, Beachin2 said: Opposite issue - assume we would be relatively safe (barring docking issues) booking a car service to MIA airport for a 9:00 terminal pick-up for a 11:00 domestic flight?  Seaside YC.

It's about a 20 minute ride - and the pick-up area is chaos with cars all over the place trying to get in and out.  I'd meet the car earlier IMO.

Just off Seaside.  Had to be out of cabin by 8am.  We left the ship at 9:30, but judging by the number of people still on board I'd say that you could stretch it to 10am.

3,000+ Club

Cruisergal1208

Friend just got off and stated they had to leave by 9:30.  The year before they stayed till 10:30.  People don't realize that customs will not let boarding start till ship has 0 out.  Even back to back have to leave ship and be escorted back on once customs clears ship for boarding.  So late leavers delay the entire process, turnover of cabins and boarding and reboarding. 

Thank you so much everyone. This is our first ever cruise critic post - what a wonderful group of people you all are. Thanks for taking the time to respond! Really appreciate it, we’re coming from Australia so like to have some sort of a plan 😁

Like

11 hours ago, js said: Last two YC on Seaside experiences, we walked off about 10:15 am.  They wanted us out of our cabin, but we stayed in YC area (I was waiting for my dh to land and pick us up). Someone who spends a lot of time researching and sailing the YC on FB sailed last week and reported back they were asked to leave the YC/Ship at 9:30 am, no longer the 10:30 am as was in the past. Not sure if it was for just that sailing or not, but that is what I just read.  

Are they still serving drinks last morning, I know celebrity did in micheals 

6 hours ago, George C said: Are they still serving drinks last morning, I know celebrity did in micheals 

They did but I'd say a marked change from March to June.  March a nice time, no hurry.  June it was like they were in a hurry to get everyone out of there.

JAGR

13 hours ago, CalumWA said: Thank you so much everyone. This is our first ever cruise critic post - what a wonderful group of people you all are. Thanks for taking the time to respond! Really appreciate it, we’re coming from Australia so like to have some sort of a plan 😁

You could consider a tour with a company like Miami Tours  ( https://miamitourcompany.com/) .

They have half-day and longer tours from the port and drop-off at the airport.  Includes free luggage storage.  I'm sure there are other companies, but this one is well liked on Trip Advise and other sites.

11 hours ago, George C said: Are they still serving drinks last morning, I know celebrity did in micheals 

Yes, I was drinking while waiting for my dh to get to POM to pick us up 🙂  

23 hours ago, dexddd said: It's about a 20 minute ride - and the pick-up area is chaos with cars all over the place trying to get in and out.  I'd meet the car earlier IMO.

Thank you (and thanks to the OP for allowing the small thread hijack).  If we ask for a YC escort off at 8:00, when could we reasonably expect to be curbside with luggage collected?  Barring unusual delays, of course.

48 minutes ago, Beachin2 said:   Thank you (and thanks to the OP for allowing the small thread hijack).  If we ask for a YC escort off at 8:00, when could we reasonably expect to be curbside with luggage collected?  Barring unusual delays, of course.

Our experience in March and June was about 10-15 minutes tops from YC lounge to curbside.  They are using facial recognition and had about 5 lines and it was moving pretty fast.  We waited about equally as long for uber driver to be able to get to us with the traffic.

7 hours ago, dexddd said: Our experience in March and June was about 10-15 minutes tops from YC lounge to curbside.  They are using facial recognition and had about 5 lines and it was moving pretty fast.  We waited about equally as long for uber driver to be able to get to us with the traffic.

So it has changed a bit in a year.  In July 2018 butler escorted us to the bottom of gangway.  We had to make our way to luggage and wait in that long line to get to to customs.  Took us 30 minutes to after getting luggage to customs officer.  At least the YC luggage is stored closest to the customs line.  Is it still the same?

9 hours ago, frank808 said: So it has changed a bit in a year.  In July 2018 butler escorted us to the bottom of gangway.  We had to make our way to luggage and wait in that long line to get to to customs.  Took us 30 minutes to after getting luggage to customs officer.  At least the YC luggage is stored closest to the customs line.  Is it still the same?

That is how it was this year as well.  Escort to gangway then on your own.  We just never had much wait time.  Luggage we walk off our own.

10 hours ago, frank808 said: So it has changed a bit in a year.  In July 2018 butler escorted us to the bottom of gangway.  We had to make our way to luggage and wait in that long line to get to to customs.  Took us 30 minutes to after getting luggage to customs officer.  At least the YC luggage is stored closest to the customs line.  Is it still the same?

No formal customs anymore, just the facial recognition scan (and a possible hold-up for further questioning if you are "randomly selected just like at the airport by TSA, or something is wrong in your record.  We go the random select this year, but it was only an extra 2-3 minutes).  YC luggage is a little different than last year, but it is still at the very end on the right.  Just go past the phalanx of luggage bays on your left until you see the YC luggage bay on the right.

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 !

budapest_parliment_XFrancophileX.jpeg

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

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS

LauraS · Started Friday at 09:08 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 10:09 PM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 08:19 PM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 07:42 PM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 02:44 PM

The Retreat, Rotterdam

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...

msc cruises seaside yacht club

Garibaldi Castle

Garibaldi Castle is a sprawling medieval construction that dominates the small town of Khryashchevka, Samara. Built in the Neo-Gothic Style the intricate facade, Historical exhibitions, and dazzling stories that runs through the Castle walls will leave you in wonder. Discover an all-new land that celebrates the magic of ancient history. Relive the romance of the Renaissance Era and magic of the past as the heroic tales of rebellion and royalty come to life with Garibaldi Castle’s extraordinary sculptures and gorgeous scenery. You’ll be swept away like never before! Here at Garibaldi Castle your wildest fantasies become a reality. Discover the imminently glamourous and magnificently quirky around every corner of our castle. Reflect on the regal beauty rich legacy of our world’s history. Every decorated archway and castle corridor leads to new medieval explorations that bring the vision to life.

DISCOVER THE MAGIC WITHIN !function(){switch(CHOSEN_THEME){case THEMES.NEMESIS:replaceParentInnerHTML(' ',"news-title-NaN");break;case THEMES.ALLY:replaceParentInnerHTML(' ',"news-title-NaN")}}();

Discover a place like no other and experience an all new, one-of-a-kind adventure. Nestled in the small town of Khryashchevka, Samara, Russia a medieval secret is waiting to be unveiled. Come join us for the enchantment, fun and adventure. Be apart of Garibaldi Castle and make memories that will last a lifetime.

OLD-WORLD ELEGANCE !function(){switch(CHOSEN_THEME){case THEMES.NEMESIS:replaceParentInnerHTML(' ',"news-title-NaN");break;case THEMES.ALLY:replaceParentInnerHTML(' ',"news-title-NaN")}}();

World-class amenities unite with sheer luxury and unique surroundings, to make sure that there’s nowhere you’d rather be. Let the story unfold as you explore the castle grounds on a magical horse and carriage ride, all while taking in the captivating views of medieval architecture that encompass you.

STORIES TO SHARE !function(){switch(CHOSEN_THEME){case THEMES.NEMESIS:replaceParentInnerHTML(' ',"news-title-NaN");break;case THEMES.ALLY:replaceParentInnerHTML(' ',"news-title-NaN")}}();

There’s a regal atmosphere amidst the Garibaldi Waterfront Oasis where the sunsets cast a sparkle over the Tranquil Samara River. If you dare to spoil yourself, take a voyage on the new Garibaldi Yacht, a decadent treat not to be missed. Feel the light breeze and enjoy spectacular waterfront views from our lounging area where modern meets traditional that will leave you telling stories for years to come.

COMMENTS

  1. MSC Yacht Club Luxury Cruises

    MSC Yacht Club Luxury Cruises

  2. MSC Yacht Club Perks: 10 Amenities Worth the Splurge

    MSC Yacht Club Perks: 10 Amenities Worth the Splurge

  3. Luxury cruises MSC Yacht Club: exclusive cruises

    On Seaside class ships, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape also offer Owner Suites with spacious terraces and a private whirlpool and Grand Suites. Owner Suites are also available on our World-class ships, including Duplex Suites, that can be chosen either with or without a whirlpool. ... Yes, MSC Yacht Club is MSC Cruises' most rewarding ...

  4. Expert Review of MSC Seaside Cruise Ship

    MSC Seaside also boasts the MSC Yacht Club, a suites-only enclave at the top of the ship, which offers three types of room: Inside Suite, Deluxe Suite and Royal Suite, as well as a huge amount of ...

  5. I tried the cheapest MSC Cruises Yacht Club suite. Here's what to know

    I tried the cheapest MSC Cruises Yacht Club suite. Here's ...

  6. 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 ...

  7. MSC Yacht Club: An overview of what's included

    MSC Yacht Club Owner's Suite is one of the best suites in the fleet, with an expansive 1,055 square feet of space, including a separate living and dining area. Its 269 square foot balcony has a private hot tub and lots of room to lounge. MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite has 667 square feet of space, with separate living and dining space.

  8. MSC Seaside Yacht Club

    A blog I read said the MSC Divina holds 188 YC members, while Seaside holds 292. That's very exclusive considering the Seaside full ship capacity is 5429. So on Seaside, the Yacht Club is 5.4% of the guests on board assuming a full sell out.

  9. MSC Seaside

    Our Cruises; Ships; MSC Seaside; ... • 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)

  10. What is the MSC Yacht Club, MSC Cruises' luxury suite area?

    Upcoming vessel MSC World America (2025) also will have the Yacht Club. The largest Yacht Club in the fleet is on MSC World Europa, offering 152 suites. The second-largest is found on the line's two Seaside EVO Class ships, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape, which each have 131 suites.

  11. MSC Seaside

    MSC Seaside - The high-tech cruise ship

  12. An insanely detailed Seaside Yacht Club Review!

    I had actually booked three (!) Seaside Yacht Club cruises because of the great deals available and the increasingly insane prices in The Haven. NCL has over-priced the Haven IMO, and the bidding leads to less pre-books. Also, simply not the same 'venues as the YC.

  13. Msc Seaside: my Yacht Club experience

    Cabins. MSC markets our Yacht Club inside cabin as a "suite", but I already knew this was no suite going in. Basically a slightly longer standard inside cabin with upgraded carpet, bedding, towels, and amenities. Overall I was quite pleased with the cabin (16025) with a couple exceptions. Storage space was minimal.

  14. Staterooms & Suites

    Staterooms & Suites - MSC Seaside Cruise Ship

  15. Cabins & Suites

    Cabins & Suites - MSC Seaside Cruise Ship

  16. MSC Seaside cabins and suites

    For MSC cruise passengers with disabilities, the Seaside ship has a total of 54 accessible cabins (38x Inside, 9x Outside, 1x Balcony, 3x Yacht Club Inside Suites, 2x Deluxe Suites). Follows the complete list of MSC Seaside cabins for disabled passengers. They are listed as type and categories, with cabin numbers in brackets:

  17. MSC Seaside MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite-Deck 16-18 1Y

    MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite-Deck 16-18 1Y cabins - Suite. Other categories for Suite cabins include: Y3 - MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite-Deck 16. WA - Premium Suite Aurea with Whirlpool-Deck 9-15. WH - Premium Suite Aurea-Deck 9-15. KY - Deluxe Suite Aurea-Deck 9-15. YI - MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite-Decks 16-18. Free Price Alert.

  18. Cabin Category YI, MSC Seaside

    MSC Seaside MSC Yacht Club Interior Suite-Decks 16-18 YI. Floor plan. Amenities: Queen bed which can be converted into two single beds on request spacious closet bathroom with shower or bathtub vanity area and hairdryer interactive TV telephone Wi-Fi access available (for a fee) mini bar and safe. Yacht Club amenities: Dedicated priority check ...

  19. MSC Yacht Club by MSC Cruises

    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.

  20. How many people on MSC Seaside Yacht Club at full capacity

    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.

  21. Check Out These Luxury 'Ship Within A Ship' Cruise Options

    Yacht Club MSC Seaside (Photo Credit: Courtoisie MSC Croisières) MSC Cruises. MSC Cruises Yacht Club is like the first class of yesteryear, with an entire keycard access section dedicated to staterooms designated in that category. However, it's not just for cruisers booking suites - there are standard balcony staterooms (although they're a ...

  22. MSC introduces 90+ new excursions to MSC Yacht Club

    MSC Yacht Club guests now have exclusive access to over 90 new shore excursions at a range of ports in the Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Northern Europe ... MSC Cruises. 'Guests will benefit from a seamless experience between the butlers' service onboard and the excursion experts ashore, as well as having the opportunity to relax and ...

  23. Advanced Cruise Ship Inspection Search

    Advanced Cruise Ship Inspection Search VSP archives records for ships that are no longer sailing in the United States. This means their inspection scores and reports will not show up during a web search.

  24. Cruise Reviews for MSC Cruises: Ships, Destinations & More

    Read all the MSC Cruises reviews and discover what guests have to say about cruising with us, our ships, destinations and life on board. ... " We really enjoyed the atmosphere, the service, and the quality of the Yacht Club. " MSC Meraviglia, Northern Europe ... MSC Seaside, Caribbean. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO RECEIVE PERSONALISED OFFERS ...

  25. MSC SEASIDE DISEMBARKATION

    2.3k. October 27, 2016. England. #2. Posted September 23, 2019. The US customs and immigration rules mean that the ship has to zero down before the next passengers are able to embark. Unfortunately there's no option to stay late, you'll need to disembark by 10am at the very latest.

  26. Garibaldi Castle

    Welcome to Garibaldi Castle. Discover a place like no other and experience an all new, one-of-a-kind adventure. Nestled in the small town of Khryashchevka, Samara, Russia a medieval secret is waiting to be unveiled. Come join us for the enchantment, fun and adventure. Be apart of Garibaldi Castle and make memories that will last a lifetime.

  27. Nadezhda

    21 reviews. #1 of 4 Russian health resorts in Tolyatti. Location. Cleanliness. Service. Value. Health resort «Nadezhda» - pearl on the Volga. Health resort "Nadezhda" is situated in a Green zone of Togliatti, close to sandy beach of Zhigulevsk water basin, in an evergreen conifer forest. It exists under sponsorship of the JSC "Togliattiazot ...

  28. Inside the Castle

    Garibaldi Castle is a sprawling medieval construction that dominates the small town of Khryashchevka, Samara. Built in the Neo-Gothic Style the intricate facade, Historical exhibitions, and dazzling stories that runs through the Castle walls will leave you in wonder. Discover an all-new land that celebrates the magic of ancient history.