Weekend Cruise on MSC Cruises? Our Honest Perspective & Review
MSC Seaside at Ocean Cay © Freestyle Travelers
It is important to note that our opinion is based on a specific sailing experience and may not reflect the overall quality or service provided by the cruise line. We acknowledge that each sailing can vary in terms of the crew, amenities, passengers, and overall experience. Our intention is to provide an honest and impartial assessment of our personal encounter, highlighting areas where we believe improvements could be made.
Our experience on the MSC Seaside, a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral with stops at Nassau and the private island Ocean Cay, was our second sailing with MSC Cruises. Our first encounter was on the MSC Divina during the cruise restart after Covid in November 2021. It was a less-than-stellar experience, but we attributed it to the initial challenges of navigating Covid restrictions and reopening issues. Despite our reservations, we decided to give MSC another chance in May 2023 on the Seaside, enticed by positive reviews and strangely low prices.
Regrettably, our recent experience aboard the MSC Seaside has done little to elevate our perception of MSC cruises. We had hoped to see improvements in areas such as service quality, maintenance, and overall guest experience. However, we found that similar issues persisted, leading us to question the cruise line's commitment to addressing the concerns raised by passengers.
MSC Seaside Interior Stateroom © Freestyle Travelers
Stateroom: Our deluxe interior room on deck 14 was surprisingly spacious, with ample storage options. The bathroom was small by cruise ship standards, but the room felt clean, and the air conditioning worked perfectly. Watch our room tour here.
The Ship: The MSC Seaside boasts plenty of outdoor spaces. However, many of these were smoking sections, which made them unpleasant to linger in. The ship, built in 2016, seemed poorly maintained. We felt that the layout of the ship was confusing, however, the Atrium area was successfully designed and unique for entertainment. We spent a lot of time enjoying the bars and entertainment in this area.
Food and Dining
Buffet: The buffet experience on the MSC Seaside was a mixed bag. While the pasta and pizza were consistently good, there were concerning issues. The lack of allergy labels and frequent mislabeling of food items posed risks for individuals with dietary restrictions. Staff members lacked knowledge about food ingredients, and replenishment of food items was inconsistent. Plates and silverware were not replenished often, and the buffet had limited availability for dinner. Hand washing hygiene emphasis was lacking, with limited hand-washing facilities and no crew members stationed by side entrances. The buffet bar only offered beer and wine, however this was not denoted anywhere, and the crew were rude when guests tried to order any other drinks.
Overall, improvements are needed to enhance the buffet experience. It is crucial to provide clear allergy labeling, ensure staff knowledge about food ingredients, improve replenishment and cleanliness, and emphasize hand hygiene. Offering more variety in food choices and drink options would greatly enhance the overall buffet experience for guests.
Butchers Cut: This specialty steakhouse provided a small and pleasant atmosphere, although it could become excessively loud when full. The service was adequate but not exceptional. In terms of the food, the shrimp cocktail stood out as delicious, served with large shrimps on ice. The Caesar salad was standard, and the lamb chops, while good in taste, lacked presentation with a simple garnish of a cherry tomato and a slice of onion. Initially, the filet minion was undercooked, but the staff promptly replaced it to the desired doneness. The sauce flight, featuring béarnaise, chimichurri, peppercorn sauce, and wild mushroom sauce, was delivered to the table, allowing for a variety of flavors. Sides of asparagus and French fries were enjoyable, although the fries were overly salty. The server recommended the chocolate lava cake and cheesecake for dessert, but they seemed to be pre-frozen or not made fresh in-house, with the chocolate lava cake having a gelatinous texture. Overall, the dining experience was enjoyable, but it did not justify the higher price compared to specialty restaurants on other cruise lines, which reflected a recurring theme. We felt that on MSC paying extra for decent meals seemed necessary, possibly contributing to the lower base price of the cruise (potentially a bait and switch tactic).
MSC Seaside French Onion Soup MDR © Freestyle Travelers
Main Dining Rooms: At the base cruise price, guests are assigned specific dining times and tables, unless they choose to upgrade to a different dining experience. Unfortunately, upon boarding the ship, we learned that our assigned dining time was 9:30pm, which proved to be quite late and resulted in extended dining sessions. The fixed courses and the requirement to dine with other guests at our assigned table often meant that we didn't leave the dining room until at least 11:45pm. This arrangement was far from ideal, and it prompted us to appreciate the two nights of specialty dining we had purchased. The specialty dining experience allowed us to enjoy meals at more desirable times and avoid the inconvenience of late-night dinners.
However, we were disappointed by the quality of the food in the assigned dining room. The dishes lacked the finesse and attention to detail that one would expect from a dedicated dining room experience. Instead, the taste and presentation resembled buffet offerings, which fell short of our expectations. Had we known in advance that the food would resemble buffet fare, we would have opted to dine at the buffet during a regular dinner hour, avoiding the drawbacks of the assigned dining time. Although we had access to menus through the ship's app and touchscreens, the lackluster quality of the food diminished our overall dining experience, leaving us wishing for a more satisfying culinary experience on the ship. We felt that the quality of the complimentary food options on MSC were significantly lower than the comparable options on other major cruise lines.
Bar Service: The bar service on the cruise was a significant disappointment, leaving us frustrated with multiple issues. Despite bartenders appearing to be busy, it took an unusually long time to get their attention and place an order. The lack of control and organization at the bar was evident as bartenders frequently had to ask guests who was next and repeatedly confirm drink orders. This lack of efficiency and attentiveness made the whole process feel chaotic and disorganized, resulting in delays and customer dissatisfaction. Click to see a full MSC bar menu with prices.
The quality and cleanliness of the drinks were also a cause for concern. The mixed drinks lacked consistency, indicating that the bartenders may have been inexperienced or lacking proper training, despite their tenure with the cruise line. What was even more alarming was the lack of attention to cleanliness and hygiene. On multiple occasions, we witnessed bartenders using the same utensils, such as spoons, for different drinks without washing them in between. The blenders were also not cleaned properly, as the same lid was used for multiple drinks, resulting in cross-contamination of flavors and ingredients. These oversights were disappointing and raised concerns about the overall hygiene standards maintained at the bars.
The condition of the bars themselves was also subpar. The casino bar, in particular, was in disarray, with liquor bottles, tools, used glasses, and cans scattered across the counter, making it difficult for bartenders to work efficiently. The presence of an open bucket labeled "chlorine" near the back bar, next to consumable areas, was concerning and raised questions about safety and proper storage practices. Moreover, the availability of clean glasses was inconsistent, as dirty glasses were often mixed with clean ones. This lack of attention to cleanliness and organization further detracted from the overall bar experience.
MSC Seaside Atrium © Freestyle Travelers
Entertainment & Venues: The Seaside offered a number of live music offerings throughout the day, both in indoor and outdoor spaces. The talent onboard was indeed commendable. They also offered dance classes and pool side activities all day long, which added a lively flair to the onboard experience. But beyond the music and pool activities, there wasn't much else to entertain. If you're someone who seeks variety in onboard entertainment, you may find yourself a bit underwhelmed. Let's not forget the drink policy at the theater! At every door, there were “drink police” ensuring that beverages of any sort, including water, were not permitted. Strangely enough, this restriction was not notated anywhere, leaving many guests confused and frustrated.
Venue hours, as listed in the daily program, were seldom accurate. Bars would open or close hours before or after the scheduled time. This inconsistency also extended to their private island, Ocean Cay.
Ship Hygiene and Maintenance: The ship's hygiene and maintenance onboard fell significantly below acceptable standards. Merely two weeks before our journey, the ship received an astonishingly low rating of 67 from the health department, marking it as one of the lowest ratings ever recorded for a cruise ship. Considering the considerable media attention surrounding this rating, one would expect the cruise line to take immediate and comprehensive measures to address the situation. Unfortunately, our experience revealed a striking absence of urgency and observable efforts to rectify the issues. The ship's cleanliness was a matter of grave concern, as numerous surfaces, screens, and elevators were visibly dirty and unkempt. Moreover, the public bathrooms were in an appalling state, clearly neglected and in dire need of attention. Regrettably, there was a notable lack of proactive action by the crew members, who seemed more inclined to idle around than engage in cleaning tasks. Basic amenities such as toilet paper, soap, and toilet covers were frequently absent, further compounding the unsanitary conditions onboard.
It is worth noting that for a ship constructed as recently as 2016, the number of touchpoints was unreasonably high. Every door required manual opening, and the mirrored chrome finish on most surfaces magnified the visibility of fingerprints and scratches. When combined with the overall lack of cleaning, these factors contributed to an overwhelmingly unappealing appearance throughout the ship.
Over the course of four days, we saw only one or two people actively cleaning, even when the ship was docked at Nassau. This was a stark contrast to other cruise lines, where cleaning crews are visible and active throughout the day.
MSC issued a statement following their health department rating, stating
“MSC Cruises rigorously adheres to health protocols, and the results of this inspection do not reflect the brand’s high standards. We launched an internal investigation based on the inspectors concerns and took immediate corrective actions. MSC Cruises is dedicated to ensuring that MSC Seaside provides the experience our guest have come to expect, which has been marked by high scores on this type of inspection for the past 20 years across our fleet.”
However, based on our experience, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Final Thoughts: After more than 20 cruises, this is the first time we've felt genuinely disgusted with the conditions onboard. Even after cruising during the Covid-19 pandemic, this is the first time we've felt at risk.
Other reviews on competing websites will say that these ships are wonderful, the food is the best they’ve ever had, and the experience is bar none. They may not disclose, however, that they had their cruise comped, the cruise line set them up with specialty dining every night, and allowed them to utilize the upgraded Yacht Club facilities. Our website prides itself on authentic and unbiased reviews. Our cruise on the MSC Seaside was paid for by us, along with any dining or package upgrades.
MSC cruises are often attractively priced and peppered with promotions like free drinks or kids sail free. But after this experience, we would much rather invest our hard-earned money into a cruise line that values passenger health, safety, and the overall experience.
The issues we encountered during our voyage on the MSC Seaside are unacceptable and would not be tolerated on any other leading cruise line. We believe in providing an unbiased view of our experiences, and we hope this review will be helpful for those considering a trip on this ship. Remember, a lower price tag might be tempting, but it's essential to consider what you may be compromising in terms of quality, safety, and overall enjoyment. There's more to a memorable cruise experience than just a cheap fare.
Important Note: The crew members onboard this ship undoubtedly play a crucial role in ensuring a pleasant and memorable voyage for passengers. Their hard work, dedication, and professionalism should be commended, as they often face demanding circumstances and extended working hours. Despite any shortcomings we may have encountered during our sailing, it is crucial to recognize the efforts and commitment of these individuals. However, our concerns lie with the cruise line management, who ultimately bear the responsibility for maintaining the standards and providing the necessary resources for the crew to excel in their roles. We believe that the cruise line should invest in comprehensive training programs, adequate staffing levels, and regular maintenance to uphold a higher quality of service.
Have you sailed on MSC? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
