This is an elegant ship, yet with a layout that is somewhat disappointing. The one big plus was the fact that you could have your breakfast and lunch outside. There is as much outside seating than inside on the Seaside. For art lovers, Park West has partnered for the first time with MSC on this ship. The music component is also not quite to the level of other ships (Royal Caribbean). The cruise staff is fine. The cocktail party for past guests is a joke (nothing was served, not even a glass of sparking glass, you just get a voucher to be traded in a bar). Pools are small. People on board are from all over the world which makes for an interesting crowd. It is also too bad that you cannot dine anytime (unless you are an Aurea guest). If you arrive 15 minutes too late to your restaurant, the doors are closed. This is unamerican.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Excellent. We were on board in a matter of minutes, in comparison to the endless lines we saw for some Carnaval ships
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We took the trio package (Asian fusion, Butcher's Cup and Ocean Cay). The food was good but the presentation was average. The service was adequate but no to the level expected in a specialty restaurant. There was, in fact, little difference between the food that was served in the main restaurants and the specialty restaurants. The one big plus on this ship is the fact that there are two cafeterias. Nothing to worry about finding a table in the morning rush. That was never an issue. And the food there was quite decent.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We did not join in too many activities this time since we chose to rest. But the pools were really small, if not tiny. Not what is expected on a ship of this size. On the other hand, the evening shows were excellent in terms of sets, costumes, choreography, singing but did rarely make sense from a directorial point of view.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Very nice shows (Michael Jackson) although they did not make sense, in most cases. They need a better director ! The music component was fine, but not as special as on some other ships. Classical music was part of the experience, which was a plus.
Children's Programs
No children
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Everybody was accommodating, smiling and courteous. Our cabin steward, however, was not the most meticulous and careful steward we encountered.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
We were hoping to find on this ship the same layout than the Meraviglia or a Royal Caribbean vessel with the main avenue at the core of the shopping "district". Nothing of that kind on the Seaside. An array of stores scattered and most often deserted (jewelry stores). Besides, we often found ourselves "locked out"on floors that were not going through lounges or other venues. Corridors were maintained reasonably well but we have seen cleaner ships and cleaner cabins.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
The cabin layout is not the best. The wardrobe is next to the sofa, thus making it rather difficult to get to your clothes inside. Very poorly thought and not practical. Our cabin was not always as clean as one might have expected.
Ship tip
Be prepared to not be able to go through the entire ship. The whole forward section, like in all MSC ships is reserved for Yacht Club members. so you cannot really walk or jog around the ship. On each and very floor, there will be doors accessible only to members. This is disappointing.
We went to the beach resort Playa Mia and that was fine. Surprisingly, it costs less to take the on board excursion than paying directly at the entrance of the resort.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
