2 days in Ocean Cay is Heaven. Run don’t walk to book that itinerary.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
15 minutes from drop off to stepping on the ship!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Marketplace Buffet
4 out of 5
Typical MSC buffet. If you have sailed them before you know what I mean. You have to stop at each station because they are all different. The Italian options change every day as well as the rotisserie. I believe that there was a different option at the grill everyday as well.Are the majority of breakfast and lunch here consistency was always good.
Seashore Restaurant
3 out of 5
We sat at a 2 person top table 364. The portion sizes were small (which I am ok with), the service was ok. It wasn’t bad wasn’t good, the waiter was nice but not over the top. Service was just inconsistent. One day we would get appetizers right away, the next we would sit for 20 minutes before getting appetizers. It didn’t make any sense truthfully. But I also think that might have been more of a kitchen issue. Regardless I ate every dinner here and never had a bad one.
The Biscayne Bay Buffet & Pizzeria
5 out of 5
This is a great little hidden gem buffet. It is more of a grab and go or light fare since it is on the pool deck. However, we never had an issue finding a seat. The daily nacho bar is far superior at this buffet. The pizza chef will make your own pizza you just need to ask.
Champange Bar
5 out of 5
The blueberry sparkler is a must have! Plus you can get it with the drink package. Go see Maximillo from Brazil. He is absolutely amazing and so appreciative. He knew our standing order by the end of day 3
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Miami Beach Pool
4 out of 5
Main pool area where they have activities like poolOlympics, aerobics, stretching, Dance classes etc. Nice space, get there early if you want a good space (just like any cruise typical chair hogs). I never stayed for the afternoon as there is no shade. I retreated to Aurea deck where there was less crowd, more shade, and a great bar.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Maximillo at the champagne bar 10/10. Go visit him time and time again.
Room steward was average. She cleaned the room but it took 4 days to get extra towels, we finally had to get them off of the cart in the hallway, asking of course.
She got a little sassy when I asked her about opening up the mini bar, ( I use a hydro flask and chill it overnight). Also one night I cut myself and bled all over the comforter; it wasn’t changed until the next morning.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Being on Seashore twice there were alot of familiar areas. One thing I did like more was the fact that the specialty dining areas were away from the rest of the flow of the ship. On Seashore they took out a public lounge and put the sushi place in and the wine bar which I feel like you were always cutting through. They didn’t have that on Seaside and it felt more “public”
Every thing is always clean: the decks, the buffet, the floors. I never noticed a speck of dirt.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
I won a last minute bud on an Aurea balcony room. Man I loved this balcony! I could have spent the whole week there.
Overall, I don’t know if I would buy Aurea outright, but I would definitely bid again and see what happened. The balcony and the private sun deck were worth it.
Ship tip
Nothing felt overly crowded. Make sure to book your showtime early. We didn’t get to go to the final show as there was only 1030 available. The cruise director Bennie has lots of activities scheduled and it’s something for everyone.
I will definitely take an excursion or do a beach club next time. Stated in the port area for “free day”. Need to make 30$ minimum purchase of food or drink. Ok fine. However, I was then given a palm tree shaped frozen drink with NO STRAW. So then you have to wait until your frozen drink thaws to drink it. At that point it was just a sugary disgusting mess. Lesson learned. Also with 4 ships in port it got too crowded.
Went to Paradise Beach club. Despite the very heavy rain, I had a great day. The food was delicious and plentiful, the drinks were good, and the heated freshwater pool was the highlight of my trip. I will be going back every single time I’m in Cozumel.
Stayed in cocoa beach the day prior. Used cocoa beach shuttle from airport to cocoa beach hotel then to the ship the next day. I highly recommend! They are reasonably priced and they keep you informed.
This port is an absolute paradise. South beach gets crowded. Lighthouse Beach and Bimini beach are breathtaking. Bimini beach is a slice of heaven, tranquil and quiet.
Disorganized mess. The aft stairwell looked like a scene from Titanic. People were just rushing down the stairs, forming 5 lines then forming none, cutting in line, pushing people, I had never seen such chaos.
I do understand people were in a rush because we docked late, but that is also why I would never book a 10 am flight out of Orlando. I don’t know how even lining up at 6 ( we were still at sea), and pushing you thought you would make a 10 am flight when they wouldn’t let us start disembarking until 915! (Which was early. We were not supposed to be back to port until 930!)
0/10
I usually disembark earlier than my assigned times. Getting off at the earliest times usually means fewer people disembarking and a quicker departure from the ship.
I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise. Thank you for your review.
@Mary0334 our ship was delayed coming in 4 hours due to engine trouble. There would have been no way to get off earlier other than swimming. I am also aware this is why “express walk off” was such a mess. I don’t expect this to be the normal.
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