msc seaside yacht club cabana

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Seaside Yacht Club Cabanas

By Dr. Cocktail , December 4, 2017 in MSC Cruises

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Dr. Cocktail

Looking at all the videos I've seen so far, it appears that (again) there's not much shade in the Yacht Club pool deck but there are 8 cabanas.

I know that there's a similar set-up on Meriviglia ... are they renting them by the day or the week? Also, do people know if you can book them in advance or only on the ship?

Many thanks in advance!

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I'm interested in this too but I thought there were only two and that was for the Deluxe Suites or whatever they are called (I'm in the YC in a balcony, YC1). Since there are only two on the ship and two cabanas I thought I had read they are just for those suites but I hope I am wrong. I would book now if I could but VERY much hoping once the ship gets to Miami, we will start seeing umbrellas. All other lines have them and hoping Seaside will follow. Guess time will tell.

I agree with OP - there seems to be about 8. When introduced meraviglia there were 3. Someone posted that these three were for the 2 Royal Suites and 1 for spa. Being they have 2 Royal Suites on seaside i would say others up for grab.if they keep same rules. Not sure how they are going to handle. Maybe as the seaside gets to warmer waters we may find out.

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I agree with OP - there seems to be about 8. When introduced meraviglia there were 3. Someone posted that these three were for the 2 Royal Suites and 1 for spa. Being they have 2 Royal Suites on seaside i would say others up for grab.if they keep same rules. Not sure how they are going to handle. Maybe as the seaside gets to warmer waters we may find out.     Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Agreed ... I think that going to "first come, first served" will be a disaster with "cabana hogging" and people leaving their stuff all day as they go for meals. My guess is they will go to a fee based model - less as a money maker and more as a disincentive.

smoothcruiser

The cabanas are available on a first come first served basis. But, get your wallet out, they are 149$ per sea day and 99$ per port day.

Thanks for taking the time, trouble and expense to comment on this while you're on vacation!

I read your other post and am happy that you're having a good time.

I'm just gobsmacked that MSC has NOT corrected the largest shortcoming on their Yacht Club pool decks which is the complete lack of shade. The Haven provides either a covered pool and umbrellas or pergolas and umbrellas. How hard is it to buy a bunch of large umbrellas?!

The price of the cabanas is extortionate - Cabanas on HAL and NCL are usually $299 - for the week. In the case of HAL, it actually includes a private deck, meal service and sparkling wine and is available to any cabin category booked.

Let's see how many cabanas actually sell for $149 a day ... I think that this pricing will very quickly become "dynamic" in nature!

good day - are u currently on the seaside:

- is it the same as on the Meraviglia that the Royal Suites get one automatically

- can the cost of the cabana be booked in advance or only on the ship?

thanking you in advance,

good day - are u currently on the seaside: - is it the same as on the Meraviglia that the Royal Suites get one automatically - can the cost of the cabana be booked in advance or only on the ship?   thanking you in advance,

Hi! Nice for you and your friends that have both the cabanas! ENJOY!!

I hope to purchase for port and sea days. I'm hoping I can do this prior to boarding if not, I guess

I will have to stress and try to get on early to book with concierge LOL If there are umbrellas, that will

be fine, otherwise, I do not like to bake in the sun and I can't have my mom out there doing the same :o

I guess we really won't know how this works until the first few sailings in Miami. Can't wait!

Hi! Nice for you and your friends that have both the cabanas! ENJOY!!    

sooooooo - are u saying that the Royal Suites do have their own cabanas at no charge?>>??>>

No. I thought I read it somewhere but really have no idea. It would be nice to have one whenever you wanted so good luck!!

There are eight cabanas, all with a notice in stating the price. There doesn't seem to be any reserved either for the best suites or for spa purposes. Compared to the meraviglia there appears to be very little shade for when the sun is hot, although, in my opinion there was too much shade on the meraviglia. Certainly, though, there is good shade in the eating areas both port and starboard, (one side for smokers) with about eight tables well covered. At present it seems, that anybody can walk into the yo yacht club area, because 1) there is no signage and 2) the lock system does not work. When we approached Messina the other morning there was well in excess of 100 people in the area.

just out of curiosity - being that the Yacht Club is all inclusive - what are u exactly getting for $149.00 - just shade?????

Two Wheels Only

I really hope that the Royal Suite has a reserved cabana like on Meraviglia.

As for the outrageous selling price for shade, I'll be selling these for $15...no, $20 each. :D

I&J Cruisers

I’m very disappointed that they haven’t done anything about the lack of shade at the yacht club pool area. Unfortunately that is a deal breaker for us.

TravelinGert

I really hope that the Royal Suite has a reserved cabana like on Meraviglia.   As for the outrageous selling price for shade, I'll be selling these for $15...no, $20 each. :D    

Thank you for the giggle :)

CGTNORMANDIE

I could not resist. If you are like me and ever tried to sit out on the One Pool Deck you would probably consider paying $149.00 just for some shade...LOL!! Paying for shade...hmmmmm...wait till NCL hears about this!! :')

I'm sure FDR has that somewhere on his list after he gets through the latest round of gratuity increases....for our convenience of course.

Yes, but for now Haven and pool areas on NCL do have shade.

I, too, will be very disappointed if there are no umbrellas for the loungers in the YC area. I am sailing in February but also have a YC booked February 2019 but if I can't use the pool/outside area, I am going to move although already thinking of moving my booking to Celebrity Edge for February 2019.

Anyway, I hope once the ship gets to Miami, we will see some umbrellas but this may not happen until the summer months and months of guests complaining.

I’ve seen complaints about the lack of shade in YC on Divina. I made sure I made MSC aware of how I felt. I was hoping the omission would be corrected on Seaside. Guess it hasn’t. Very disappointing and definitely a deal breaker for us. To make it even worse we tried to find loungers on the shade on the regular pool deck one port day. Nonexistent. They have kiosks set up with tables sand chairs for the paying customers in the area over the overhang that usually has lounge chairs.

I can tell you if there are no umbrellas set up once it gets to Miami and there is no shade for loungers in the YC area, I will most certainly sail my paid in full February 2018 cruise but I will probably jump ship for my booked YC 2019 cruise on Seaside. If I cannot use the outside area to lay outside without shade, I will be bummed since I just want to veg and relax on vacation.

Maybe they will come out and be brought on once in Miami (I'm hoping).

I can tell you if there are no umbrellas set up once it gets to Miami and there is no shade for loungers in the YC area, I will most certainly sail my paid in full February 2018 cruise but I will probably jump ship for my booked YC 2019 cruise on Seaside. If I cannot use the outside area to lay outside without shade, I will be bummed since I just want to veg and relax on vacation.   Maybe they will come out and be brought on once in Miami (I'm hoping).

I'm with you on this one .... unfortunately, I don't have high hopes as they've never added umbrellas to Divina.

It would have been so easy to place built-in pergolas around the back perimeter of the Yacht Club pool to provide some permanent shade while leaving the side portions in direct sun.

I've always loved the gigantic umbrellas in The Haven.

We sailed the Yacht Club on Divina 3 times and all 3 times we let them know (concierge, and final survey) that they really need to provide some shade.

Since the last time we sailed I was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma and cannot sit in the sun at all. I am so disappointed that there is no shade on the Seaside One Deck. I cant believe MSC refuses to listen to their passengers concerns. :-(

I cant believe MSC refuses to listen to their passengers concerns. :-(

They did when it comes to Meraviglia ............ there's almost too much shade on the One Pool Deck for those who'd like to sunbathe.

I don't understand why head office has a "thing" against pool umbrellas. I have a feeling that they somehow feel it impedes the overall design aesthetic.

People have argued about the wind but they work very well (usually!) in the high, forward open Haven decks.

I agree umbrellas would be nice, but unless it is crowded up there, especially on sea days, I thought there were some areas that ended up being in the shade, though maybe not an peak sun hours.

As to cabana costs, on Princess the cabanas are $99 for half day and $189 for full day, although they come with free drinks which are not generally included on Princess. For the relative discount of YC to Haven I'd still come out ahead paying for a cabana every day.

We will be on Seaside YC in February too, and we will let you know how it works out!

I don't understand why head office has a "thing" against pool umbrellas. I have a feeling that they somehow feel it impedes the overall design aesthetic.   People have argued about the wind but they work very well (usually!) in the high, forward open Haven decks.

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The Traveling Steve's

Our traveling adventure blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts on the MSC Seascape after our first sailing:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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
• 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).

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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), msc yacht club deluxe suite, 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

(balcony whirlpool) seaside suite, balcony suite, superfamily plus balcony cabin, superfamily balcony cabin, balcony cabin, oceanview cabin, interior cabin, handicap|wheelchair-accessible cabins.

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.

How MSC’s private island experience is different for cruisers in suites

Do you enjoy large cruise ships but still want to feel like you're in the lap of luxury? Passengers booked in MSC Cruises' Yacht Club cabins and suites have access to high-end amenities – both on the ship and off.

Butlers, exclusive dining and a private pool delight guests on board, but perks also await on MSC 's private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve , in the Bahamas. You can expect dedicated trams, towel service and a chance to book the nicest cabanas on the island, among other extras.

Read on to find out how the MSC Yacht Club Ocean Cay experience differs from that of the average cruiser.

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

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club beaches vs. regular beaches

MSC's Ocean Cay Marine Reserve private island is home to seven (soon to be eight) beaches, and all are public, except one — Ocean House Beach, which is the Yacht Club's exclusive swath of sand. Beyond its exclusivity, the beach has a few other differences from the island's regular beaches.

There, use of lounge chairs and umbrellas is free. Chairs at the other beaches are also free and available on a first-come, first-served basis; however, umbrellas come with an extra cost.

Passengers must sign out towels on board the ship before heading ashore to Ocean Cay's main beaches. Yacht Club passengers can skip that hassle and ask for towels at the towel tent found on Ocean House Beach.

Interestingly, I found that several of the public beaches were less crowded than Ocean House Beach. At the latter, chairs were positioned much more closely to one another. If you're willing to walk or hitch a ride on one of the island's trams, you'll find fewer crowds on the farther beaches than if you stick close to the ship.

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club food vs. regular dining

Free lunch is included for all cruisers who visit Ocean Cay. For Yacht Club travelers, the Ocean House Restaurant — an exclusive waiter-served dining venue where passengers enjoy their meals on a shaded porch — exudes upscale beach vibes.

During my visit, the menu included starters like crab ceviche, charred octopus and a salad with romaine, tomatoes, jicama, a poached egg and candied bacon in a citrus dressing. Mains featured locally sourced blackened mahi-mahi, lobster roll, carne asada, a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich and one of the best burgers I've ever tasted during a cruise — a blend of Angus chuck, short ribs and grilled brisket with red onion jam and Monterey Jack cheese. Desserts consisted of creme caramel, mango cheesecake and chocolate cake with coffee sauce.

The meals at Ocean House are definitely superior to the fare found at the Seakers buffet, which is where cruisers not staying in the Yacht Club can go for a beach barbecue that serves hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, macaroni and cheese, red beans, roasted potatoes and a slew of salads, drinks and desserts.

The food is tasty, but lines can be long. An alternative is to head to one of several food trucks throughout the island. Some are free and dole out the same items offered on the buffet but with shorter lines. Others sell entirely different menu items — lobster grilled cheese, fried calamari, shrimp with watermelon, Caribbean ceviche and octopus salad — with the cost charged to cruisers' onboard accounts.

Additionally — and also for an extra fee — a stand near the ship offers specialty coffee and ice cream. (If you're a coffee lover, trust me when I say you won't want to miss the Coco-Nilla Latte.)

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club cabanas vs. regular cabanas

There are three types of cabanas on Ocean Cay: Ocean Cay Beach Cabanas, Ocean View Yacht Club Cabanas and Beachfront Yacht Club Cabanas. All three types are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

They can hold up to six people each and include cold water, beach towels and chairs, as well as floating mats for use in the water. As the prices increase, so does the number of inclusions. The last two types are only available for booking by Yacht Club passengers.

Ocean Cay Beach Cabanas, found on South Beach, North Beach and Bimini Beach, are the most affordable on the island at $250 for the day. They've got walls on three sides, and they're outfitted with cushioned couches. They include the basic amenities mentioned above, and anyone can rent them.

Next up are the Ocean View Yacht Club Cabanas, which cost $400 for the day and also entitle you to free lunch and drinks, as well as fresh fruit skewers, four sets of snorkel gear and four floating mats. They're found on the Yacht Club's private Ocean House Beach, so they're off-limits to non-Yacht Club guests.

The most expensive, however, are the Beachfront Yacht Club Cabanas, located in a different section of the Ocean House area. They carry a $450 price tag but offer all the same extras as Ocean View Yacht Club Cabanas.

The draw? They're closer to the water and, therefore, have better views. Although they aren't on the main part of Ocean House Beach, they are still in the exclusive area, near the restaurant, so you don't have to go far to grab food.

Ultimately, the only thing being in the Yacht Club affords you in this case is the option to book more expensive cabanas.

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club trams vs. regular trams

At 95 acres, Ocean Cay is sizable. If you're fit, you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes, but if you don't have great mobility or if you're easily overheated, reaching some of the island's more remote beaches can be difficult on foot. That's why MSC offers tram shuttles.

Passengers in standard cabins will find tram stops with shaded waiting areas throughout the island. However, waits can be long, especially if many other people are also in need of a lift.

Yacht Club cruisers can take advantage of trams exclusively for the Yacht Club. They run between a special tent (with free cold water to sip while you wait) set up just inside the entrance to Ocean Cay and the Ocean House beach and restaurant area.

You can make special requests for stops, which the regular trams usually won't accommodate. For example, you might ask to go straight from the tent to South Beach for a volleyball game without stopping anywhere else first.

MSC Ocean Cay Yacht Club activities vs. regular activities

This is the one category where the island's public spaces beat the Ocean House area by a mile. If you're looking for something to do other than eating, drinking or lazing by the beach, you'll have to head back toward the ship because there's not much going on in the exclusive areas.

Everything from massages, lighthouse tours and water sports equipment rentals to beach parties, volleyball games and shore excursions takes place elsewhere. However, perhaps that's by design. The Yacht Club is generally quiet, even on board, and the line likely prefers to keep the raucousness to other locations.

Bottom line

The MSC Yacht Club experience is more exclusive than the standard one at Ocean Cay, with extras like butler service, dedicated trams, towel service, access to pricier cabanas and a private beach and restaurant with better food and shorter waits.

However, all of the action — shore excursions, pickup volleyball games, beach parties, the lighthouse show — happens in the areas that are accessible to everyone, which significantly levels the playing field.

Additionally, items like specialty coffee, ice cream and for-fee food truck orders cost extra for everyone — even Yacht Club passengers.

Overall, Ocean Cay offers a great day for anyone who enjoys the beach, regardless of cabin type.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite

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• Balcony Suite
• Suite with Whirlpool Bath
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Yacht Club Royal Suite

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

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   Yacht Club Royal Suite

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

Floor plans may not represent actual stateroom. Click to zoom.

Deck locations

Deck 16  

MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite pictures

MSC Seaside Yacht Club Royal Suite stateroom videos

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

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

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Everything you need to know about MSC Cruises cabins and suites

A relative newcomer in the North American market, MSC Cruises is equal parts elegant and kitschy. The line tends to appeal to a wide swath of cruisers, from Europeans who like to party into the wee hours of the morning to American families who book because of affordable fares and "kids sail free" pricing.

To satisfy its diverse passenger base, MSC offers accommodations to fit all types of travelers. Rooms include inexpensive inside cabins that sleep two people, midlevel staterooms with windows and balconies, and high-end suites that offer cruisers with larger budgets a private oasis in the form of the MSC Yacht Club .

A variety of connecting rooms and cabins with extra bunks accommodate larger groups and families who wish to share space.

Because your cruise cabin will be your home away from home for several days, it's important to book one that fits your needs. That's especially true if you're sharing it with several people.

Whether you're looking at an inside cabin for a cruise with friends, balcony accommodations for you and your significant other or a suite for your family, here TPG breaks down what you can expect when you book a room on one of MSC's ships.

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

MSC Cruises cabin primer

MSC Cruises has become one of the fastest-growing lines in the cruise industry, with about two dozen ships in its fleet. The vessels fall into six classes : Lirica, Musica, Fantasia, Meraviglia, Seaside and World.

Although cabin offerings can vary from ship to ship and class to class, the standard types remain the same: inside, outside, balcony and suite.

Additionally, you'll find the same basic amenities in each room, unless otherwise noted below. They include two twin beds that can be joined to form a queen- or king-size bed; an in-cabin bathroom with a shower, a sink, a toilet and basic soap, shower gel and shampoo; a couple of nightstands; a chair or sofa; a desk/vanity; a closet; a safe; a hair dryer; a minifridge; a phone; USB outlets and a selection of both North American and European outlets.

On all ships except MSC Lirica, MSC Opera, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Armonia, you'll also find an interactive TV that allows you to view the daily schedule, check your onboard account and choose from a selection of live TV programs and movies.

Twice-daily room tidying is provided by a room steward assigned to each cabin, and room service is available throughout the day for an added fee.

One confusing aspect of MSC's bookings is that you'll have to select an experience package in addition to a cabin type. Package tiers determine things like your ability to choose a specific cabin and preferred dining time and whether you'll receive welcome amenities in your room. Certain cabin types are only available in conjunction with certain package experiences and vice versa. Those are noted in each respective section below.

Accessible cabins , including accommodations for wheelchair users, are available on every ship in MSC's fleet. In addition to more space, they feature wider doorways and lowered sinks and toilets in the bathrooms, as well as grab bars.

MSC Cruises' experience packages

Here's what you get when you book each of MSC's three experience packages, which determine the perks you'll receive on your sailing.

• Accommodations
• Complimentary food in the dining room and buffet
• Broadway-style theater entertainment
• Access to the onboard gym, pool and kids club
• MSC Voyagers Club points
• One for-fee change to your cruise booking (with some restrictions)
• Drink package discount at time of booking
• All Bella perks
• Choice of specific cabin and location
• One free change to your cruise booking (with some restrictions)
• Ability to choose between early and late seating for dinner
• Room service (complimentary for breakfast, but fees apply for other meals)
• Discount on pre-cruise specialty dining package
• All Fantastica and Bella perks
• Flexible My Choice dining, which lets you eat at any time you choose between set hours
• Free 24-hour room service delivery
• Pillow menu
• A welcome package, including Prosecco and chocolates
• Complimentary access to your ship's solarium and thermal area
• A 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board
• Special Balinese massage offer when booked pre-cruise
• Complimentary use of bathrobe and slippers
• Priority boarding and luggage drop-off

Inside cabins on MSC Cruises ships

Inside cabins — rooms with no windows — are available on all ships in the MSC fleet. Ranging from 140 to 301 square feet (depending on the ship), they make for great sleeping because they're so dark. They're also ideal for passengers who are on a budget.

In addition to the standard amenities mentioned above, they provide room for anywhere from two to four passengers to sleep. (Rooms that sleep more than two feature bunks that pull down from the ceiling.)

These cabins are available with the line's Bella and Fantastica experiences.

If you're sailing solo, some MSC vessels offer cabins for one outfitted with a twin bed that converts into a couch. These interior studio accommodations are only available with the Bella package on MSC Meraviglia , MSC Bellissima and the line's World Class ships.

Ocean-view cabins on MSC Cruises ships

Ocean-view rooms are similar to insides in that they provide basic amenities — but with a view.

Offering 129 to 269 square feet of space (depending on the specific ship and ocean-view category), these staterooms allow you to see outside through a porthole or a window that doesn't open.

MSC's outside cabins are available to passengers who book Bella and Fantastica packages.

Additionally, if you're traveling with your family or another group, several of MSC Cruises' ships — particularly those in the Meraviglia and Seaside classes — feature space for as many as 10 passengers via a series of connecting rooms. Options are available at the ocean-view and balcony levels.

Balcony cabins on MSC Cruises ships

You might be surprised to discover that most of MSC Cruises' balcony cabins provide less interior square footage than what's available in inside or ocean-view staterooms.

Balcony rooms run anywhere from 129 to 205 square feet, but their key feature is, of course, a private balcony, which does add an extra 32 to 129 square feet, depending on the vessel and specific type of balcony room booked. These cabins are bookable in conjunction with MSC's Bella, Fantastica and Aurea experiences.

Although balcony cabins offer upgraded amenities, including MSC's brand of hand lotion and toiletries, they are largely the same as inside and ocean-view accommodations.

MSC's newest ships — including those in the Meraviglia, Seaside and World Classes — house connecting balcony rooms that can sleep up to 10 in the same group traveling together.

Additionally, on its World Class ships, the line has introduced inward-facing balconies, similar to the ones Royal Caribbean pioneered in 2009 with the debut of its Oasis Class vessels . On World Europa, for example, they overlook the ship's promenade, offering views of the activity below, rather than the ocean.

MSC Cruises suites

All ships in MSC's fleet have suites that can be booked as part of the Fantastica and Aurea packages, but it's Aurea that offers the largest number of perks, as outlined above.

The several types of suites vary by ship in terms of size and amenities. Some come with balconies, while others only offer floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows.

Junior Suites

Although this room type is listed as a suite, it's essentially a balcony cabin with a bit more space — 183 square feet of interior accommodation with a balcony that ranges from 140 to 183 square feet.

Standard suites include rooms with huge balconies larger than the cabin's interior space and ones with private whirlpool tubs. They run from 269 to 355 square feet, with balconies measuring 32 to 409 square feet.

Grand Suites

Coming in between 377 and 420 square feet, with balconies spanning from 32 to 495 square feet, Grand Suites — found on Seaside and World Class ships — come in two types. They include standard one-bedroom Grand Suites, as well as two-bedroom varieties.

The latter has one bedroom with a queen-size bed and another with two twins. It sleeps up to five passengers and offers two bathrooms — one with a shower and the other with a bathtub.

While most suites are designed for double occupancy, some suite accommodations on MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Magnifica can sleep up to five people.

MSC Yacht Club suites on MSC ships

All cabins located in the MSC Yacht Club — an exclusive, gated area on select ships — are called suites, even the smallest and least expensive, which don't have windows or balconies.

Yacht Club suite types range from insides to two-deck duplexes, all of which come with butler and concierge services, luxuriously appointed furnishings (such as real marble finishes, memory foam mattresses and Egyptian cotton sheets) and access to members-only restaurants, bars (alcohol is free there), lounges, pools and sun decks.

The Yacht Club features seven different types of rooms. Ships that have the MSC Yacht Club on board include MSC Bellissima, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Seaside, MSC Seascape, MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore, MSC Splendida, MSC Virtuosa and MSC World Europa.

Note: Not all Yacht Clubs have the same suite types available.

MSC Yacht Club Interior Suites

Although these 161- to 226-square-foot cabins don't offer a view or fresh air, they are elegantly decorated and include all the Yacht Club benefits mentioned above.

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suites

These Yacht Club digs are the equivalent of a balcony cabin — but in a dedicated area that includes all the exclusive perks. They run 236 to 366 square feet and have balconies ranging from 54 to 86 square feet, so they also come with a bit more space, both inside and outdoors.

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Grand Suites

Similarly, Deluxe Grand Suites are like the Yacht Club equivalent of booking a Grand Suite with more perks. Depending on the ship, they offer anywhere from 269 to 463 square feet of space, plus 65- to 129-square-foot balconies. Some Grand Suites also have two bedrooms instead of one. Further, these rooms on Seaside Class ships include bathrooms with bathtubs, as well as separate living areas.

MSC Yacht Club Duplex Suites

Rising two decks, MSC's duplex staterooms measure 495 to 635 square feet and come with 65- to 334-square-foot balconies. They feature living rooms with two-person sofa beds downstairs and master bedrooms upstairs, which also sleep two passengers.

Each of these accommodations comes complete with two walk-in closets and two bathrooms — one with a bathtub and one with a shower. Most duplexes on Meraviglia and World Class ships also have their own private whirlpool tubs.

MSC Yacht Club Executive and Family Suites

The line's Executive and Family Suites, available only on Fantasia Class vessels, are an excellent choice for anyone who wants to stay in the Yacht Club with a family or other group of more than two people.

This option, which is one type of suite (despite its confusing name), has space for up to five cruisers via a combination of bunk beds, sofa beds and beds that pull down from the ceiling, depending on the ship. The suites clock in at around 431 to 549 square feet, depending on the vessel.

The only drawback is that these staterooms have no balconies and no in-room dining areas, but they do include all the perks you'd find in Yacht Club cabins.

MSC Yacht Club Royal Suites

Although they only occupy one level, at 388 to 667 square feet, MSC's Yacht Club Royal Suites are right up there with the Duplex Suites in terms of space. They offer the second-largest amount of square footage after the Owner's Suites. They come with huge balconies comprising 355 to 753 square feet of outdoor area.

Additionally, bathrooms in these suites offer bathtubs on Fantasia, Meraviglia, Seaside and World Class ships, and the latter three have private whirlpool tubs, as well. All four classes' Royal Suites also include separate living room areas.

MSC Yacht Club Owner's Suites

The largest and most impressive of all MSC's cabins are the Owner's Suites found in the Yacht Club. Offering an impressive 840 to 1,119 square feet — larger than some land-based apartments — plus 269- to 670-square-foot balconies, they're some of the most luxurious rooms afloat.

Specific amenities vary by ship, but as an example, Owner's Suites on MSC World Europa offer floor-to-ceiling windows and walk-in closets. These accommodations on both the line's Seaside and World Class vessels also feature bathrooms with separate showers and bathtubs, as well as private whirlpool tubs and separate living room areas.

Bottom line

Although MSC Cruises' cabin types are straightforward, the line's add-on experiences can complicate things a bit.

Overall, what's key to remember is that MSC Cruises offers a wide variety of rooms and pricing to meet just about any budget or style of cruising. Each ship will offer accommodation choices from the least expensive, bare-bones interior rooms to the priciest suites, which come with butler and concierge services.

When you sail with MSC Cruises, you can expect function, style and comfort, regardless of the cabin type you book.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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

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Africa & Indian Ocean

Hear the call of the wild.

Step back in time on a small ship cruise to Africa and the Indian Ocean. Immerse yourself in the immensity of a region known for its kaleidoscopic culture and charisma. From the diverse variety of wildlife – including the coveted Big Five -to the rose-hued walls of Petra and the markets of Mumbai, Africa and the Indian Ocean have been topping wanderlust wish lists for years.

Set sail for new horizons aboard our fleet of ultra-luxury small ships. Whether you are looking for excitement and adventure with Silversea Expeditions or relaxation and exploration with our ocean-sailing ships, we have the right itinerary for you. Choose from various lengths and departure dates, and soon you too could be meeting the Seychelles giant tortoise in Aldabra, visiting world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Zanzibar or sunning on the white sand beaches of Madagascar.

Whatever your pleasure, Silversea’s small ship cruises to Africa and the Indian Ocean offer an in-depth look at a region that is far more than souks and safaris.

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Africa & indian ocean dreams.

Africa and the Indian Ocean hums with diversity as rich as the coastlines themselves. Retaining a magnetism that has lasted centuries, this region is where cultures clash companionably, from the amber sands of Namibia to the pink-hued walls of Petra. From the smell of spice that lies tangibly in the air to the iridescent flora and fauna, this region is waiting to be discovered.

Glamorous, romantic, and utterly dazzling, Africa and the Indian Ocean is both epic and eternal.

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With 20-brand new Zodiacs, four superlative restaurants in Antarctica and a pole-to-pole expedition itinerary, Silver Cloud really does break the ice between expedition and luxury.

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A new Dawn has arrived! Our tenth ultra-luxury ship joined our fleet in April 2022, sailing a worldwide itinerary that promises authentic, immersive experiences.

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Silversea Africa, Arabia, & The India Ocean

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Silversea cruises to africa, arabia, & the india ocean.

What captures your imagination? Is it catching a glimpse of a pride of lions at dusk on the great plains of Africa? Exploring the amazing underwater coral gardens off a tropical gem in the Indian Ocean Cruises, or savoring Omani cuisine in the exotic ambience of Arabic-style tents? Perhaps India's cavalcade of sights, sounds and aromas from the teeming streets of Mumbai, or the ancient traditions of Belawan's Toba Batak people? Does Egypt beckon you to walk amid the wonders of Luxor, to behold the Pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx? Or do you long to experience firsthand the colorful lifestyle found in the ports of the Arabian Sea?

From the game preserves of Kenya and Tanzania and the glorious islands of the Seychelles, to the archaeological treasures of Ancient Egypt and the cultural diversity of India, each destination a departure point for your imagination to take flight.

Have you ever seen a thousand flamingos suddenly take flight? Espied the elusive leopard lazing in a baobab tree? Or watched a herd of gazelles race ahead of your jeep? Silversea cruises to Africa in luxurious style. From the private game reserves of Zululand to the verdant vineyards of the Western Cape, discover Africa cruises that thrill, delight, surprise and intrigue.

Dine in the Namib Desert under towering dunes and brilliant stars, or drift from eden to eden in the Seychelles. Join Silversea aboard Indian Ocean cruises sailing the Arabian Sea from Dubai to India to the oil-rich sheikdoms of the Gulf. Enter the Red Sea to discover great wonders of antiquity � Luxor's tombs and temples, the pyramids at Giza and more with Arabia cruises. Follow the call of the wild and fascinating on these exhilarating Silversea sojourns.

Africa, Arabia, & The India Ocean Available Cruises

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15 Night Africa Cruise

Silversea's luxurious small-ship cruises and expedition voyages sail the world for unique and in-depth experiences in remote locales. 

Visit exclusive African ports and immerse yourself in the wild, natural beauty of the region with a cruise to Arabia, Africa, and the Indian Ocean.

Mumbai is a bustling city where you’ll find packed trains, towering skyscrapers and a vibrant population that continues to grow.

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Bombay (Mumbai), India

Bombay is a rich city of contrasts. Its diversity is manifested in its collection of Western-style skyscrapers and historical buildings and temples. At Chowpatty Beach visitors will find the atmosphere festive and the bright fabrics and crafts tempting. Tours also highlight the 1911 Gateway of India, the Prince of Wales Museum, Marine Drive, the Towers of Silence and the Jain Temple. Or take the launch to Elephant Island to see the sixth-century temples carved out of rocks.

Leave the airport and turn right to stay on Sahar Elevated Rd for 2.6km. Use the right lane to merge onto Western Express Hwy, keep right to stay on the highway for 2km, then use the left 2 lanes to take the exit toward Hans Bhugra Marg/Santacruz - Chembur Link Rd for 1km. Turn left onto Hans Bhugra Marge/Santacruz - Chembur Link Rd for 1.5km, then turn right onto CST Road/Santacruz - Chembur Link Rd for 2km. Keep right to continue on Bangalore - Mumbai Hwy/Kurla - Kalina Flyover/Mumbai - Pune Hwy/Santacruz - Chamburg Link Rd for 4km. Turn right onto Bangalore - Mumbai Hwy/Ghatkopar - Mankhurd Link Rd/Jeejabai Bhosale Marg/Mumbai - Pune Hwy and continue straight until you reach Eastern Fwy in 1km. Continue onto Eastern Fwy for 15km, then take the exit toward Mansion Road. Continue on Mansion Road for 2km to Indira Docks.

Silversea’s Grand Voyage Exclusive Events Are Experiences Money Can’t Buy

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Travel is all about discovery, and Silversea’s Grand Voyages provide exceptional opportunities to uncover the wonders of the world first hand. Longer than a typical cruise, a Grand Voyage focuses on one part of the world long enough for guests to dig below the surface to find the essence of a destination — its people, culture, languages and way of life.

Designed with that in mind, each Grand Voyage features exclusive Special Events that bring together representative expressions of a destination to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences, several (but certainly not all) of which are detailed below.

“They are experiences money can’t buy,” says Jannie Cloete, Silversea’s director of experiences and events, who creates these extraordinary events. “We don’t take guests to look at things like a zoo attraction or from a bus window. We try to go to a well-known location but reinvent the experience for the guests.”

Jannie, along with Kevin McKeon, Silversea’s events and experiences manager, work together, scouring the world for intimate, special events in ports that offer unrivaled access. “There’s almost always a gastronomic and music component,” Kevin tells us. “But we also re-create the high level of service from onboard the ship.”

Currently, Jannie and Kevin have planned special events for Grand Voyages throughout 2024. What are their favorites so far? They won’t divulge but note that the following voyages will have extra-special access events during their sailings. Their picks are chosen from these Grand Voyages: Grand Mediterranean 2023 , Grand Africa and Arabia 2024 , Grand Pacific 2024 , Grand South America 2024 , Grand Pole to Pole 2024 , Grand South Pacific Expedition 2024 , and Grand Africa and Indian Ocean 2024.

Indeed, there are so many experiences that you may have trouble choosing your cruise. No problem. We have then covered in a special “how to article” designed for Grand Voyages .

Grand South Pacific Expedition 2024

Rhythms and rituals of aitutaki.

A quintessential South Pacific experience on Grand South Pacific awaits in tiny, secluded Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. Set against the Windex-blue waters of the world’s most beautiful lagoon, this daylong Silversea festival comes alive with people dancing, eating and celebrating life.

As Polynesian dancers flank you, move from stall to stall to enjoy fresh banana, coconut, breadfruit, and taro, and to slurp giant native clams called pasua . “It’s an opportunity to engage with the community and bolster local businesses,” Kevin says.

Grand Pacific 2024

In the presence of a geisha.

“Span 1,000 years of tradition in just 90 minutes,” Jannie says of this evening at the 203-year-old Kaikaro Geisha Teahouse , a traditional house of geisha entertainment in Kanazawa, Japan, one of the ports of call on Silversea’s Grand Pacific voyage.

Jannie tells this story of the inspiration for this event: “There’s a geisha who I met many years ago named Lady Baba. One of her dreams was to do a talk on a cruise ship.” He arranged for her to give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the life of a geisha for Silversea guests.

“In her gorgeously preserved home with its gold-woven tatami and red-lacquered steps, she explains the refined world of the geisha with the help of one or two maikos , young geishas-in-training.,” he says. “A traditional Japanese tea ceremony rounds out this extraordinary experience.”

Grand Africa and Arabia 2024

The sights and sounds of the drakensberg boys choir.

Thrill to a true South African experience, on Silversea’s Grand Africa and Arabia voyage, is a private performance by the prestigious Drakensberg Boys Choir in their home setting near Winterton, a two-hour drive from Durban. Surrounded by the cathedral-like peaks of the verdant Drakensberg Mountains, you will bask in the group’s signature high-energy performance and thrilling harmonies as the singers interpret an array of musical genres, from classics to contemporary pop to traditional African tunes.

The ensemble, styled after the Vienna Boys Choir, is South Africa’s most racially and culturally diverse chorale, whose 70 members range in age from 9 to 15. This concert, combined with a typical South African braai , or barbecue, will be an evening to remember.

A peek into the future

In a totally opposite direction is the Africa and Arabia’s Grand Voyage’s stop in Dubai, where we head into the future. Enjoy a private curated evening in the blockbuster in Dubai’s Museum of the Future , billed as “a place to see, touch, and shape our shared future.” This special event is a full sensory experience — “seeing, tasting, and hearing,” Kevin says — that incorporates cocktails and canapes.

The museum, opened in 2022, is an architectural and engineering showpiece that applies advanced technology to traditional artforms. The futuristic building, shaped like a giant oblong ring, is a canvas for the poetry of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler, rendered in traditional calligraphy.

The museum was crafted by leading designers, artists and filmmakers, and combines elements of exhibition, immersive theater, and themed attraction. Let your imagination soar during this exclusive visit in the symbol of Dubai’s spirit of innovation.

Grand South America 2024

Culture, creativity and cocktails.

On Silversea’s Grand South America voyage, you can immerse yourself in the colorful street world of Callao, Peru’s main seaport and a hub of magnificent colonial architecture. Let local artists guide you through this graffiti-filled open-air gallery adorned with more than 600 murals by local and international artists.

As you sip pisco sours and sample local ceviche or Peruvian stir-fried rice with seafood, watch the artists at work, learn some graffiti basics, and “become participants in how they tell their story to the world,” Jannie says.

The sport of kings

On this itinerary, which also incorporates some of the Caribbean’s more intriguing ports, you can revel in a grand evening befitting the sport of kings in Bridgetown, Barbados . Dress up and spend an evening at the tony Barbados Polo Club , which dates to 1884.

Watch a private match as the majestic horses charge up and down the field under the skillful guidance of their riders. Feast on classic Caribbean dishes such as barbecued jerk chicken and Barbadian flying fish at a festive sit-down dinner on the field with polo ponies for companions. 

Grand Pole to Grand Pole 2024

An evening on gorée island.

The hallowed grounds of tiny Gorée Island, off  Dakar, Senegal, are the setting for a celebration of the resilience of the African people. The stop at Senegal is part of the before-and-after of this unique Pole to Pole voyage, which starts with Antarctica , finishes in the Arctic , and visits all manner of fascinating destinations in between.

The island’s fort-cum-museum, which was the largest slave-trading center on the African coast, is the venue for this outdoor event. Silversea creates a memorable evening with a candlelit sit-down dinner and entertainment by local singers, musicians and drummers. This living history monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site , features the grim slave quarters contrasted by the traders’ elegant houses.

“It’s about paying tribute to the culture, not about throwing a party” in this painful symbol of the slave trade, Jannie  says. “We want to give the people the ability to tell their story.”

nd bolster local businesses,” Kevin says of this pinch-me Bali Hai moment.

Grand Africa and Indian Ocean 2024

Wildlife and wetlands.

Nature and culture take center stage in this full-immersion expedition in South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal Province. Spot the Big Five on safari in some of the biggest game reserves in the area — Hluhluwe, Imfolozi and Phinda. Silversea’s Grand Africa and Indian Ocean voyage offers true African immersion as we heed the call of the wild in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the world’s oldest land mammal (the rhinoceros), biggest terrestrial mammal (the elephant), oldest fish (the coelacanth) and biggest marine mammal (the whale) share an ecosystem.

Cap off this outdoor adventure with a sunset game drive and Zulu-themed dinner and dance performance you won’t soon forget.

A touch of the ‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

If you haven’t seen the heartwarming “ Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ,” the magical film chronicling life and love in India, this is your chance to be showered with rose petals in real life, not just from a movie screen. That’s just one part of this riverside festival on the banks of the Kerala River in Kochi (formerly Cochin), India.

Settle in for lunch on long tables lining the river as locals dish out zesty curries from big pots onto plates covered with banana leaves while you sip fresh lime or coconut juice and watch martial arts performances.

As drummers pound out their farewell rhythms, you’ll board snake boats (long dugout canoes that are icons of the Kerala culture) for a leisurely ride down the river accompanied by tea service, of course.

After disembarking, hop on colorful tuk-tuks for “a processional ride back to the bus in grand style,” Kevin says.

Silversea Grand Voyages

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Visa for India - Need advise

By jtslattery , September 22, 2023 in Silversea

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I have been working to obtain the visa for Inda for an upcoming Silversea cruise. 

Does anyone know what wwe are supposed to use for the Reference name in India, address and phone number?

Not getting any help fro Silverseas on phone or email. 

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Ask SS specifically for the Silversea port agent's phone and address for the port city and see if you can get a response to that. 

Since you have no personal/business/hotel contact there for your trip, the agent is about all you've got available.

On 9/22/2023 at 11:53 AM, jtslattery said: I have been working to obtain the visa for Inda for an upcoming Silversea cruise.  Does anyone know what wwe are supposed to use for the Reference name in India, address and phone number? Not getting any help fro Silverseas on phone or email. 

I just obtained an India e-visa for an Uniworld River Cruise on the Ganges... the process was frustrating and took much longer to complete than they let on!  First, do not try to request your visa until you are 30 days or less out from your entrance into India. I did contact Uniworld for the Reference name, address etc... which they provided.

You will need for Silverseas to provide this to you, Good Luck!

Thank both of you for your help - India Visas just got approved.

• Sep 23 Host Jazzbeau changed the title to Visa for India - Need advise

If anyone has the port agent details can they please post then to save others (especially me) having to contact SS

On 9/22/2023 at 11:53 AM, jtslattery said: I have been working to obtain the visa for Inda for an upcoming Silversea cruise.  Does anyone know what wwe are supposed to use for the Reference name in India, address and phone number?  Not getting any help fro Silverseas on phone or email. 

Good, informative thread.  As we prepare for our February 2024 Silver Moon Mumbai to Singapore sail, we will use either the agent arranging our pre-cruise "Golden Triangle" tour and/or the hotel where we will stay initially for in New Delhi.  

Clearly, all indicators are that it takes some time and patience to complete their Visa process.  Great sharing here.  

THANKS!   Enjoy!   Terry in Ohio

Silverseas was less than helpful, one person told me to use a visa service and the other hung up one me. I used the ship name for the refernce name ie Silversea Silver Spirt, the port adresss which I had to google and no longer have, and the ship phone number 17863225288 (for Silver Spirit found on website) Good luck, it is one of the more complicated visa forms but only cost $40

1 hour ago, jtslattery said: it is one of the more complicated visa forms

Think yourself lucky that you can now do it online - last time I went to India you had to apply for the visa in person.

For anyone doing a new visa application please make sure you are using the bona fide Indian Government website, there are a couple of sites which come up on the web which are not the real deal and they charge about four times the true cost!

I had to improvise when I did this in January. I found an Indian travel agency that sells Silversea cruises and used their contact info. Nobody noticed the agency had nothing to do with my cruise.

Silversea uses Pinnacle for their visa service. 

https://www.pinnacletds.com/tours/tours.aspx?agency=2

Of course there is business to make money so they do charge a surcharge.

You can call them or use them to process the visa

In the past the port agent was listed as:

ON BOARD SHIP  (for address and name of hotel)

GULF AGENCY CO. (for reference, name address, and phone)

30 MANOHARDAS STREET  MUMBAI, INDIA 400001

91 22 4030 7800

52 minutes ago, PaulMCO said: Silversea uses Pinnacle for their visa service.  https://www.pinnacletds.com/tours/tours.aspx?agency=2    

We were in touch with them when we applied for a visa. They admitted that they don't have any control over the process or processing times. They just help you to fill the forms and submit them, which can be done independently with no issues. Once it's done, the rest of the process is the same. There is no need to pay the surcharge.

11 hours ago, ak1004 said:   We were in touch with them when we applied for a visa. They admitted that they don't have any control over the process or processing times. They just help you to fill the forms and submit them, which can be done independently with no issues. Once it's done, the rest of the process is the same. There is no need to pay the surcharge.

Yes but from the OPs post -- THEY NEED HELP.  Yes many people like you and me can do things on their own (been getting visa for 50 years of travel - many times in person at overseas foreign consulates) - but some need help and a VISA service for a couple of hundred dollars is nothing compared to a 20K plus trip.

I think that one of the problems with India is that the officials take bureaucracy to a whole new level and do not diverge from the script. If the rules say that a certain thing is to be done in a certain way then that is what happens - there is no room to use ant discretion if it does not fit the rules.

Once you get beyond the bureaucracy then in my experience Indian hospitality is up there with some of the best.

I have been given this as the Mumbai port agent for Silversea which should be sufficient information for visa applications

JM BAXI & CO MUMBAI

+912224045429

[email protected]

43 Veer Nariman Road,

2 floor, ReadyMoney Mansion,

Postcode: IN-400001

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• Silversea's Silver Moon alters route amid Red Sea security...

Silversea's Silver Moon alters route amid Red Sea security concerns

Due to security concerns raised by Yemen's Houthi rebels, Silversea 's vessel Silver Moon adjusted its cruise schedule from January 6 to 16, 2024.

Originally planned to sail from Aqaba-Petra Jordan to Muscat Oman , the current itinerary was altered due to safety concerns arising from Houthi rebel attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The voyage will now conclude at the port of Piraeus-Athens Greece , instead of Muscat.

Guests were notified of these changes on January 9, 2024, with the adjusted journey including stops at Egyptian alternative ports, Sharm el-Sheikh and Sokhna , before transiting the Suez Canal to disembark in Piraeus.

In response to the evolving situation, Silversea further modified the Silver Moon's schedule. Due to the unsafe conditions at the Bab al-Mandab Strait, subsequent voyages departing from Muscat on January 16, 2024, and from Dubai on January 26 have been canceled. The ship, devoid of passengers for crew safety, will navigate around Africa into the Indian Ocean. Regular cruises are expected to resume on February 11, 2024, starting from Mumbai India , with Silver Moon voyages continuing in Asia until the end of May 2024.

The escalating security risk at the exit from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean has prompted Silversea Cruises to implement a comprehensive route change, altering the disembarkation port and canceling two upcoming trips for the Silver Moon.

Currently, cruise ships with guests are prohibited from passing through the perilous Bab al-Mandab Strait. While alternatives such as trips without passengers or circumnavigating Africa are possible, they require extensive schedule adjustments and travel cancellations.

10 Luxury Cruise Lines That Will Make You Want to Ditch Plane Travel Forever

Posted: April 13, 2024 | Last updated: April 13, 2024

Thinking about booking your next dream vacation? As stunning as land-locked adventures and beautiful hotels can be, there’s something to be said about sailing the seas. Fortunately for us, nowadays, there are cruise ships that far exceed the family-fun agenda of the classic companies so often advertised on TV. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with those cruise liners, there’s something special about not only traversing the ocean but doing so decked out to the nines. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the best luxury cruise lines of 2023. Ahead, uncover the company that best aligns with your idea of the ultimate water-bound getaway.

Silversea is the “jewel in the crown” of the Royal Caribbean Group, not to mention the original luxury cruise line, first entering the space in 1994. The company touts 12 all-inclusive ships with destinations all over the world. Whether you want to explore the American West Coast, South America, Northern Europe and the British Isles, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, or even Antarctica, Silversea has a cruise to fit your fancy.

Speaking of fancy, the most luxurious cruise that Silversea offers is its 125-Day Chile to Norway sail, which rings up at $94,700. You don’t have to invest that much to enjoy a Silversea cruise, though. No matter which type of suite you book, you can expect butler service, optional 24/7 in-suite dining, endless access to premium beverages and craft cocktails, and complimentary caviar around the clock.

Explore Silversea Cruises

Paul Gauguin

Paul Gaugin stands out for its single-ship escapade into the luxury cruise space. With a variety of cruises that explore French Polynesia and the South Pacific, Paul Gauguin is a small-ship cruise line with 7-, 10-, 11-, and 14-night itineraries that focus on intimate experiences, delectable cuisine, stunning stateroom balcony views, butler service, and more. With a 1:1.5 crew-to-guest ratio, you can rest assured knowing that all of your needs will be met aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin.

Explore Paul Gauguin Cruises

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Scenic is unique in that it not only offers luxury ocean cruises but river cruises, too. The brand prides itself on operating and innovating with guest experience in mind. As such, all of its cruises have so much to offer voyagers, from extensive dining, leisure, and wellness options to striking design elements that will make you want to stay aboard for much longer than your itinerary.

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has nine ships with oceanic destinations spanning from the Arctic and Europe to the Caribbean and Australia. Meanwhile, if you find yourself in France, you may want to check out Scenic’s beloved river cruises, in which you can tour the Seine in the utmost style.

Explore Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Ponant has a fleet of 13 luxury cruise ships with destinations dotting the globe. The award-winning French cruise line is beloved for its tailor-made voyages, in which guests have access to myriad bespoke experiences both on and off board, from in-room dining to once-in-a-lifetime immersive excursions.

Since Ponant ships offer smaller capacity—more akin to a private yacht experience—they’re able to navigate private ports and preserved locations that large-scale cruise ships are unable to access. While aboard Ponant’s all-inclusive ships, you can anticipate exceptional French cuisine, delicious fine wines, complimentary Champagne and spirits, room service, and more.

Of course, if you need further inspiration to look into the cruise line, perhaps the fact that three-mast yacht, Le Ponant, is part of the Relais & Châteaux portfolio will do the trick.

Explore Ponant Cruises

Crystal is renowned for its personalized voyages all over the world, not to mention its palatial suites that will leave you picking your jaw up off the floor. In addition to well-appointed design, the cruise line offers an impressive dining experience, with authentic cuisines from all over the world. So whether you’re in the mood for American, Italian, Peruvian, or Japanese food, you’ll have ample options to choose from.

It’s also worth mentioning that the luxury cruise line took it to the next level with its spa, Aurora Spa. The gorgeous, sea-view spa offers a variety of face, body, salon, and healing treatments, including massages, facials, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and even IV drip therapy—so you won’t have to worry about feeling hung over at sea (especially considering the cruise line offers complimentary Champagne, fine wines, and premium spirits).

Explore Crystal

Windstar Cruises operates a six-ship fleet dedicated to extraordinary sailing experiences. With small ships that carry less than 350 passengers, Windstar prides itself on offering guests intimate, aesthetic, unforgettable voyages spanning from Asia and Australia to Italy and Iceland.

While the staterooms and suites are stunning and the shore excursions are aplenty, it’s the food that really stands out aboard Windstar. As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, Windstar offers a number of themed culinary cruises with food and bev from some of the most notable chefs of today, including Maxime Bilet (The Cooking Lab) and Jose Mendin (Pubbelly Noodle Bar, Habitat, Baja Bao).

Explore Windstar Cruises

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The Ritz-Carlton is synonymous with luxury, so it’s no surprise that the company extended into oceanic adventures with a fleet of three superyachts. Where the Evrima was built in 2021, the Ilma and Luminara yachts are forthcoming in 2024 and 2025.

While classic cruise lines have a capacity in the thousands, often edging upward of 4,000, the Ritz-Carlton superyachts offer a more curated experience to 500 passengers or less. From the outside, the yachts are sleek and serene, fitting in beautifully with the sea. Within Evrima’s walls, though, moody modern interiors with magnificent ocean views await.

Guests can look forward to soaking tubs, expansive private balconies complete with sun beds and a whirlpool, walk-in wardrobes, and more. As far as destinations are concerned, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection embarks on oceanic adventures in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

Explore The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Cruises

Seabourn is a luxury cruise line that speaks to our soul—and for more reasons than the simple fact that it touts a “Veranda Suite Upgrade.” The luxury cruise line sets sail in the Arctic, Canada and New England, the Amazon, Arabia, Africa, and India, and more.

Each of the fleet’s yachts, which carry between 458 and 600 guests, is outfitted with ocean-view suites only, so no matter what excursion you book, you can anticipate traveling in luxury style with a picturesque backdrop. You can also look forward to mouth-watering cuisine courtesy of renowned chef Thomas Keller.

Explore Seabourn Cruises

Cunard is known for its iconic black funnels, yes, but more so for its unparalleled large-scale onboard experiences. Although each of the cruise line’s ships carries upwards of 1,500 passengers, the four-ship fleet is adored for its luxury itineraries, stylish design, tranquil spa offerings, delectable cuisine, and unmatched comfort at sea.

Truly, if your goal is to book an unforgettable, Instagram-worthy cruise, Cunard is the way to go. From the stunning suites (decked out in pops of rich color, sumptuous textiles, and spectacular lighting) to the picturesque destinations, Cunard has it all.

Explore Cunard Cruises

If you want to get the most bang for your buck when booking a luxury cruise, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is a prime pick. The all-inclusive cruise line crafts a new definition of the category with complimentary roundtrip airfare, free unlimited shore excursions, include 2- to 3-night land programs, on-the-house bar and lounge experiences, and more.

The six-fleet cruise line is also known for its gorgeous interiors, complete with modern aesthetics, Art Deco embellishments, stunning chandeliers, and more. When traveling with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, guests can traverse the seven seas, with destinations in Africa and Arabia, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean and more. And if you don’t want to pick a single destination, there’s always the option to book a grand voyage or world cruise, which can last up to 168 days and cost upwards of $100,000.

Explore Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Silver Wind is a perfect illustration of how complete a small-sized ship can be. With just 274-guests, beautiful suites and spacious public areas, Silver Wind is one of the cosiest and most intimate ships afloat today. Explore the fascinating flora and fauna of African mainland and its islands, and feel close to nature with Indian Ocean cruises.

Join Silversea aboard Indian Ocean cruises sailing the Arabian Sea from Dubai to India to the oil-rich sheikdoms of the Gulf. Enter the Red Sea to discover great wonders of antiquity - Luxor's tombs and temples, the pyramids at Giza and more with Arabia cruises.

60% off your 2nd sailor + up to US $400 in free drinks; Over $1,000 in value and flexible policies; The luxury you deserve — without the nickel and diming from the others

Silversea India Cruises: Read 21 Silversea India cruise reviews. Find great deals, tips and tricks on Cruise Critic to help plan your cruise.

Silversea African & Indian Ocean Cruises. Join Silversea on one of 22 cruises to India, Sri Lanka, Africa and the idyllic islands dotted along the coast this season. April and March are the most popular months to begin your cruise and Silversea have 25 cruises departing between April 2024 and March 2026. Apr 2024 (4) May 2024 (1) Dec 2024 (3 ...

In India, Cochin's magnificent canal vessels/Shutterstock. The trip: Skirting the Indian Ocean, this cruise, on Silver Cloud, offers an expedition experience. It departs from South Africa's Port Elizabeth on April 4 and concludes in Australia's Darwin on June 9. ... Silversea Cruises Ltd., Silversea Cruises Ltd. 333 SE 2nd Avenue, Suite ...

Silversea's luxurious small-ship cruises and expedition voyages sail the world for unique and in-depth experiences in remote locales. Visit exclusive African ports and immerse yourself in the wild, natural beauty of the region with a cruise to Arabia, Africa, and the Indian Ocean.

Looking for Silversea cruises to India? Find and plan your next Silversea cruise to India on Cruise Critic. Check out the latest deals and itineraries for India Silversea cruises.

Learn more about Bombay (Mumbai), India, a port offered on Silversea cruises. ... Mazgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001, India. Indira Docks is located approximately an hour from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Leave the airport and turn right to stay on Sahar Elevated Rd for 2.6km. Use the right lane to merge onto Western Express Hwy ...

Looking for Silversea Expeditions cruises to India? Find and plan your next Silversea Expeditions cruise to India on Cruise Critic. Check out the latest deals and itineraries for India Silversea ...

Enjoy tea service in a snake boat that cruises you on the Kerala River in India./Shutterstock. If you haven't seen the heartwarming ... Silversea Cruises Ltd., Silversea Cruises Ltd. 333 SE 2nd Avenue, Suite 2600, Miami, Fl, 33131, Unites States, www.silversea.com, +1-800-722-9955 ...

Big Getaway Deals. Up to 30% off* every guest, plus kids sail from $59 per day*. Discover Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific cruises. Sail from Sydney or Brisbane onboard game-changing Quantum-class ships. Includes main meals, entertainment, stateroom accommodation & more.

Posted October 3, 2023. I have been given this as the Mumbai port agent for Silversea which should be sufficient information for visa applications. JM BAXI & CO MUMBAI. +912224045429. [email protected] . 43 Veer Nariman Road, 2 floor, ReadyMoney Mansion, MUMBAI. Postcode: IN-400001.

Silversea Silver Whisper Cruises to India. 232 Reviews. Seven Seas Voyager Cruises to India. 344 Reviews. Oceania Nautica Cruises to India. 399 Reviews. Azamara Journey Cruises to India.

Regular cruises are expected to resume on February 11, 2024, starting from Mumbai India, with Silver Moon voyages continuing in Asia until the end of May 2024. The escalating security risk at the exit from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean has prompted Silversea Cruises to implement a comprehensive route change, altering the disembarkation port ...

Speaking of fancy, the most luxurious cruise that Silversea offers is its 125-Day Chile to Norway sail, which rings up at $94,700. ... Arabia, Africa, and India, and more. Each of the fleet's ...

The first woman to lead Silversea as CEO, Barbara Muckermann, has left the cruise line. Royal Caribbean Group veteran Bert Hernandez has been named Silversea president.