First impressions of MSC Seascape: 9 issues I favored and did not like about MSC’s 4th Seaside-class ship

I’ve sailed all 4 of MSC Cruises’ Seaside-class vessels, and MSC Seascape is the most effective one but.

Aside from a number of eating places with totally different names, it is a close to carbon copy of older sister MSC Seashore, which debuted in 2021 as the primary vessel within the line’s Seaside EVO (quick for evolution) sub-class.

That stated, there are nonetheless a number of noteworthy facets that caught my consideration. From main kudos to minor niggles, this is what I favored — and did not like — on this glitzy 18-deck marvel.

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What I favored

Robotron

Robotron, a robotic arm amusement trip on deck 19, seemed like a gimmick at first, nevertheless it’s really a variety of enjoyable.

The trip holds three individuals and provides three speeds — sluggish, medium and quick. It lifts riders into the air, twisting and turning them to the beat of the music they choose beforehand.

Not solely is it extra thrilling than I anticipated, it runs for about three minutes per trip and supplies practically 360-degree views of the ship’s outside environment. It is effectively well worth the $10-per-ride price ticket.

The Yacht Membership

For the primary time, I stayed in MSC’s Yacht Membership, a personal suite space you possibly can solely entry with a particular keycard.

I used to be blown away by the sheer class and excessive degree of service, with my butler delivering every day newspapers and specialty espresso, dealing with spa reservations and escorting me to dinner every evening.

A keep within the Yacht Membership comes with extras like extra cabin area (all cabins are suites) and an unique restaurant, lounge and solar deck with a pool and scorching tubs.

Along with nicer digs and semi-private services, cruisers additionally obtain precedence embarkation and disembarkation, butler and concierge companies, limitless in-cabin mini-bar drinks, free alcohol within the Topsail Lounge, an elevated eating menu, one free bottle of spirits, non-public elevator entry, reserved theater seating and different perks.

Americanization

One of many greatest ache factors for MSC Cruises lately is its seeming incapacity to know what Individuals need as the road continues to construct ships particularly geared towards the North American market. I am excited to say I believe MSC Seascape represents a pivotal change in that space.

Along with shorter dinners and bigger portion sizes within the onboard eating places, the extent of service additionally feels elevated, even outdoors of the Yacht Membership. Waiters are extra attentive, the parents at visitor companies are extra pleasant, and I observed extra smiles from crew members throughout.

That is to not say the service is unhealthy on different vessels, nevertheless it’s decidedly European. Which means dinners routinely take two to 3 hours, waiters test in much less continuously throughout meals to see what you would possibly want, and repair all through is mostly extra brusque, bordering on aloof.

It appears MSC has, maybe, begun coaching crew in a extra American fashion of service.

Familiarity

As a result of that is the fourth Seaside-class ship and the second within the Seaside EVO sub-class, the vessel is acquainted.

Those that have sailed on the others, notably MSC Seashore, will discover that MSC Seascape looks like house. You will board realizing precisely the place to go, which suggests you will not should spend time studying your means round earlier than having fun with your trip.

You will additionally discover your favorites — the Jungle Pool, waterslides, youngsters membership, arcade, Bridge of Sighs, buffet and eating places — in all the identical locations.

Venchi

Talking of favourite returning venues, I would be remiss if I did not give a shoutout to Venchi.

The chocolate-themed bar on Deck 6, named for its partnership with the famed Italian chocolatier, reprises its position on MSC Seascape. It provides a number of the finest espresso and scorching chocolate drinks (with or with out alcohol) I’ve ever tasted, together with each recent sweets and wrapped goodies for buy.

Much more spectacular are the chocolate sculptures the crew craft by hand for all kinds of particular events. On my crusing, they constructed a bonsai tree, an anchor, a barely creepy Santa Claus and a likeness of Doremi, the cruise line’s mascot.

Venchi additionally options an lovely seating space with high-top tables and stools that appear like chocolate sandwich cookies. It may be loud throughout peak occasions, however typically is a pleasant place to fulfill associates, test electronic mail or just chill out with a drink.

What I did not look after

Close to-constant noise

According to MSC’s normal of decor, MSC Seascape is elegant to the max. It drips with chrome and crystal. Nevertheless, the glamour clashes arduous with the noise degree nearly all over the place on board.

On one evening of my voyage, I used to be consuming dinner at Hola!, a specialty Mexican restaurant, which is simply off the atrium. My eating companion and I jumped out of our seats when an atrium present abruptly began at a ridiculous quantity that, frankly, made it not possible to have a dialog as we completed our meal.

Elsewhere, it is tough to discover a quiet place to learn or work, as all lounges appear to both characteristic reside music or tunes which can be piped in at decibels that really feel wildly inappropriate.

Smoke

Smoking on board is allowed solely in designated outside areas and within the on line casino. Nevertheless, the air filtration is not nice within the latter, which suggests the odor wafts out into the atrium, making for a considerably disagreeable expertise for anybody who does not gentle up.

Moreover, given the on line casino’s central location, passengers are pressured to stroll by it to get from one finish of Deck 7 to the opposite until they select to go up or down a deck.

With the smoke as unhealthy as it’s in that space, I smelled like cigarettes for the remainder of the evening after spending simply 15 seconds passing by on my option to the theater.

Capability points

Although my crusing wasn’t at capability — there have been simply 3,065 passengers out of a potential 5,632 when all berths are full — many areas felt crowded and appeared incapable of dealing with the variety of cruisers on board.

For instance, the Instances Sq. lounge, simply past Venchi on Deck 6, hosts a number of trivia classes on sea days, however there are by no means sufficient seats for everybody. Twice, I needed to stroll across the nook and sit at one of many tables at Venchi as I stuffed out my reply sheet.

As well as, the ship has the identical sort of digital elevator buttons that MSC Seashore carried out when it debuted.

The system, which forces you to pick your flooring earlier than boarding after which assigns you a selected automobile primarily based on visitors, did not work on Seashore, and it does not work on Seascape, both.

On a number of events, the display would inform me to anticipate my automobile to reach in 20 seconds after which, inexplicably, replace to learn it will be two minutes.

In a single notably irritating occasion, I used to be pressured to stroll from Deck 15 to Deck 6 — 9 decks, 18 flights of stairs — in excessive heels as a result of my estimated wait time for an elevator was an astounding 4 minutes.

Single-use gadgets

I will admit that I am not all the time as environmentally aware as I needs to be. Nevertheless, with how a lot cruise strains have been touting their inexperienced initiatives, I pay particular consideration to issues like single-use gadgets after I sail.

MSC Cruises makes a degree of promoting its inexperienced efforts by The Basis, the road’s charitable arm, which goals to guard oceans and wildlife, amongst different issues.

The road has additionally used its Ocean Cay non-public island as a marine cleanup venture and made a pledge to turn out to be carbon impartial by 2050 as half of a bigger trade effort organized by the Cruise Strains Worldwide Affiliation, a cruise trade advocacy group.

Nevertheless, I observed on MSC Seascape that every day applications are nonetheless printed and left in every cabin nightly, together with shore tour brochures, spa tariffs and extra.

Plastic straws are nonetheless used for drinks, and single-use pats of butter have been supplied within the eating rooms throughout meals.

I used to be additionally fairly shocked to find that the Hola! Mexican restaurant on board supplies material napkins however does not reuse them. As a substitute, they’re thrown away after every meal. (A brand new one got here with every course, so I had 5 of them by the top of my meal.)