Inside the MSC Seaside
New ship sailing from PortMiami offers plenty of fun features for North American cruisers
MSC Cruises is trying its best to make a ship for North Americans in a North American cruise market, and MSC Seaside is a step forward for the company.
The 4,140-passenger, 153,516-ton ship began year-round Caribbean cruises from PortMiami in December.
The arrival marks the first time the Swiss-based company has built a ship that didn’t begin sailing in other parts of the world first. It joins older ship MSC Divina from Miami and will be joined in 2019 by one of the line’s other new ships, MSC Meraviglia.
While the company will grow its passenger capacity in this North American expansion plan over the next two years, it looks to MSC Seaside to give it a higher profile among competitors like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival.
To that end, MSC Seaside does have several notable features that should entice potential cruisers, although the ship isn’t without some shortcomings.
10 Good Things
Specialty dining: Celebrity Chef Roy Yamaguchi anchors the extra-cost dining with three options merged into one. Asian Market Kitchen brings his signature Pacific Rim flavors, which often have a spicy kick, with dishes like pork dumplings and Japanese poke with yellowfin tuna. The dining concept has a sit-down, a la carte Pan-Asian option, a teppanyaki option and a sushi bar. The other top-notch extracost restaurant is the Butcher’s Cut steakhouse. The mushroom sauce alone might be worth the price of eating beyond the buffet for those on the hunt for unique flavors. Other extracost dining includes Ocean Cay seafood and a French bistro, along with free dining in the form of two buffets and two dining rooms. The free cuisine plays into MSC’s strengths, serving many Mediterraneaninspired dishes.
The marriage of coffee and chocolate: On Deck 6, those with a sweet tooth, a caffeine dependency or a bit of both will find a little corner of heaven with the Venchi Cioccogelateria & Coffee Bar. While it’s yet another a la carte option along with the Venchi Gelateria & Creperie on Deck 7, the flowing wall of chocolate, scent of espresso and thousands of tempting bonbons on display will make any passer-by hardpressed to remember just where they were supposed to be going.
The pizza: Once again, the ship doesn’t have to go all-American, and that’s a good thing. Think Italianstyle pizza with thin crust baked in a wood-fire oven and generous amounts of tomato sauce married to a variety of toppings. The pies come out in force at multiple stations at the buffet. Cruisers should do their waistlines no favor and get a slice at least once a day.
The technology: MSC has rolled out its best level of technology on its newest ships, including Seaside. Wristbands similar to Disney’s Magic Bands are tied to cruiser’s accounts and designed to interact with sensors built into thousands of points on the ship. Highlights include letting parents know just where their kids are on the ship, using an app to help find their way to ship destinations, and the ability to access hundreds of interactive screens throughout the ship for those who don’t want to lug around a smartphone or tablet.
The zip line and water slides: As far as centerpiece features go, the zip line is not an afterthought. It owns the top deck, and watching the line of cruisers take the 394-foot-long trip from one side of the ship to the other is a decent people-watching event. The giant rings riders pass through are reminiscent of a quidditch match out of Harry Potter. Royal Caribbean’s zip lines are only 82 feet long in comparison. Bumping up the length isn’t a bad move, as it’s certainly fun and worth the trip that offers a slight adrenaline bump and quite the view. The line moves pretty quickly with two zip lines in action, allowing for sideby-side races. MSC, though, is charging $10 a ride, which cuts down on the line length at least. The ship also features a wellshaded, large water park and four exhilarating slides.
The rear view: The design of MSC Seaside was meant to fit right in with the Miami condo skyline, and the aft of the ship does the trick. Deck 7 features the South Beach Pool complete with a couple of overthe-top, swimming suitclad tourist caricature statues right out of the 1950s. Rising up to Deck 16 are a pair of glass elevators that offer fantastic views, while the brave who don’t mind walking on glass can traverse the “Bridge of Sighs” that curves across the aft with a view back down to the pool nine decks below.
The deck space: Seaside is a new class of ship, and one designed to give the most open-air public space per passenger in the line’s fleet. It’s great for those who want to embrace the sunshine, but shade-seekers will be challenged. Still, for those who enjoy cruising with the ocean within sight, this ship has the right layout.
The smooth ride: MSC Seaside is a bigger ship than most in the MSC fleet, and with size comes stability. Granted, the ship was sailing on calm seas during a media sailing in December, but many passengers on board remarked how they didn’t even realize the ship was underway. Compared to the line’s other ship sailing out of Miami, MSC Divina, Seaside has much smoother sailing.
The ship within a ship: For those with the wherewithal, MSC offers its higher-end MSC Yacht Club, and the one on Seaside is the largest in the fleet with its own lounge with excellent views as well as restaurant, pool, bar and general air of exclusivity including butler service.
The sparkly things: MSC embraces mirrors, glass and lights, and more mirrors, glass and lights. For those who like shiny things, the ship’s atrium will have you stuck like a deer in headlights. The way the stairs are laid out among the mid decks also will have you thinking you’re in the middle of an M.C. Escher painting. So while it may be overwhelming, it’s still an impressive effect.
5 Not-So-Good Things
The layout: While the deck plan is touted as having a great deal of outdoor space, there is one notable feature missing: being able to walk around the ship in a complete circle. Runners and walkers on many other ships like to get their exercise this way, but it just doesn’t exist on MSC Seaside.
Access to the bow: One of the best things about sailing out of PortMiami is taking in the view and having a personal Jack-andRose moment at the front of the ship. Sorry, it’s off limits except to those in the MSC Yacht Club, and even those have a somewhat walled-in feeling.
The entertainment: While MSC promises a new show for every night at sea, the offerings aren’t very innovative. Just like on MSC Divina, the line has a Michael Jackson impersonator, acrobats and visual performers, as well as a variety of lip-synching and dance features, plus comics. Shows are about 30 minutes long and designed to be appreciated by more than just English-speaking passengers. Expect more when MSC Meraviglia comes to town with its Cirque du Soleil partnership. For now, enjoy the moonwalk.
The wine: Being a cruise line with deep ties to Italy, one would think the vino would be always at hand. But for those who are fans of fermented grapes, the ship’s supply is a little less than desired, opting for the more traditional North American mainstays of domestic beer and mixed drinks at most bars. To be fair, there is a wine and cocktails bar for those interested in anything more than a merlot or cabernet sauvignon. And for those who are fans of bubbly things, there is one dedicated to champagne.
The details: For all its attempts to make a North American cruise ship, there are a few items that get lost in translation. Little things like maps that label restrooms with “WC.” That stands for “water closet,” if you’re not in the know. Also, for those lifting weights in the gym, best you know your metric system conversion rates as they’re all in kilograms. Also, and this falls under the category of too much technology, cruisers can no longer fool their stateroom into thinking they’re in their cabin, meaning they can’t stick a library card in the slot and charge their cellphone while out. If you want power in your cabin, you need to be there.