Seaside. Too large to be enjoyable.

Item: MSC Seaside
Rating: 3.7
Author: macdaw19

MSC Seaside Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

macdaw19

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 29

Overall rating:

3.7 out of 5

Verified Review

4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 05, 2023

Ship: MSC Seaside

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 12251

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

Staff friendly. Pretty ship. Food better than most cruise lines. But overall the capacity is too large to serve comfortably. Meals in the Main Dining room were rushed, particularly breakfast. We could not relax and enjoy.

Embarkation

3 out of 5

Very crowded. More chaotic than what we have experienced before.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Food was good. Service was either very hurried or unreliable. Orders were frequently incorrect.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Very good.

Children's Programs

No children with us.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

Very friendly. But very hurried. too many people for them to do their jobs properly.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Public areas seemed to be clean and well maintained. We did not care for the design. There was no dark, quiet place near the bridge to stargaze or sit quietly like many other ships. Ship's engines were quiet but it was difficult to get away from the noise of the djs anywhere on the ship.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Smaller than comparable ships. Bed was comfortable. Balcony was decent. We had a problem with the drains in the bathroom.

Ports of call

Port Canaveral, Florida

5 out of 5

We stayed in Cocoa Beach which was lovely with everything in walking distance.

Thumbs Up 1

Nassau, Bahamas

3 out of 5

We did the Panoramic excursion. Mostly just stops at shops. Nothing terribly interesting or beautiful. The port area was very crowded. ( 4 large ships in.) Not one of the better stops.

Thumbs Up 1

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Bahamas

4 out of 5

Very pretty island. Very rocky in places, Seems like construction debris in the water. (Bring water shoes!) If you go to the farther beaches, the food stands only have hamburgers and hot dogs. Shuttles were a real problem. Prepare for a lot of walking if you want to explore.

Thumbs Up 2