Cruiseline: MSC Cruises
Ship: MSC Seascape
Ports: Miami (USA) – Ocean Cay (Bahamas) – Puerto Plate (Dominican Republic) – San Juan (Puerto Rico) – Nassau (Bahamas)
Official website: https://www.msccruises.com/
People often ask me what my favorite kinds holidays are. Well, cruising is definitely one of them. There’s no better way to discover new places each day than making a cruise. True, there are many cruise lines these days and it’s though to make a difference, but to me … MSC Cruises is one of a kind and offers amazing cruise experiences. Founded in 1989 in Naples, it is a global cruise line today with impressive ships that sail all over the world.
I was invited by MSC to explore and experience one of their newest ships, the MSC Seascape. Making part of the MSC Seaside EVO class, it is one of the most advanced ships in the industry. It features the latest environmental technologies such as hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems and wastewater treatment systems. MSC demonstrates its commitment to continuous innovation in terms of guest experience. The company really does. From the moment you step onboard, you enter a world full of luxury. With years of experience, MSC does know how to treat their guests. So let me start…
Our cruise left at the port in Miami. When I first saw the MSC Seascape, I couldn’t believe me eyes. So beautiful, so new and so stylish. I couldn’t wait to get on the ship and explore it myself, but first things first: let’s check-in. Checking in on cruise ship isn’t that hard at all. After some administration, my cruise card was handed in a very friendly way. Finally, it was time to board the ship.
MSC Seascape with 19 passenger decks is a huge ship. With 11 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges and 13 pools and water features, there’s space for everyone to enjoy the ship. The ship has been designed to bring you closer to the sea. What they mean by that is that there’s more outdoor space for you to enjoy compared to other cruise ships. The overall theme of the MSC Seascape is New York City. There are several touches all over the ship that refer to this brilliant city.
Our deluxe balcony cabin was great. It really felt more like a luxury hotel room rather than a ‘cabin’. I totally loved the new color scheme of the cabin. It does feel more luxurious. The cabin has all the modern amenities one would expect such as several USB ports, a large interactive HD television and a sitting area with a huge sofa. The cabin was great to relax and the bed was heavenly! The balcony was large and featured two comfortable lounge chairs. It’s so nice to sit outside and soak up the endless Caribbean sea views.
The bathroom with shower and vanity area was modern and well equipped. Happy to find out they have the glass doors for the shower instead of a curtain. Much more comfortable! They daily replace towels. Speaking of our cabin attendant, he did a great job! Without being ‘too present’, he maintained and services our cabin in a very professional way! Big thumbs up for …!
I must highlight the service provided during our cruise. If we had any question, we contacted the Seascape Guest Service and each request was handled with professionalism.
The ship itself is luxuriously decorated. Each bar and restaurant is decorated in a different way. One of the highlights of the ship is the impressive Seascape four story tall Atrium. With the typical MSC Swarovski crystal stairs, it is among the most beautiful ship atriums I have ever seen. Live performances are taking place each night and during the day. It is a great place for people watching which we all love doing.
As mentioned, there are countless bars and lounges for you as a passenger to enjoy. Top picks for me are the Sports Bar, Atrium Bar and the Loft Café and make sure to check out the Sky bar, which is an outdoor bar. Horizon bar is the place to be for a drink in style with panoramic views. I highly recommend to book a drinking package with your cruise. MSC offers several packages for your convenience. We had the premium plus package which I would call the all-inclusive package as almost every drink is included in the package including fancy cocktails and champagne by the glass. Non alcoholic beverage packages are available as well. Drinks all over the ship are of a great quality, mostly made with premium liquors and spirits.
Cruising is also about eating. We had dinner at the Skyline Restaurant, an à la carte restaurant with the most wonderful staff. Each night there’s a different menu and they also offer some classics such as steak and pastas. MSC Cruises pays attention when it comes to dinner. There’s always something on the menu for everyone, whether you’re looking for meat, fish or vegetarian… Service was just wonderful. After day one, they remembered our names and greeted us each time with a smile. Speaking of delicious treats, don’t forget to visit Jean Philippe Maury & Venchi Chocolate shop, the chocolate creations are not only yummie, they look amazing too.
MSC Seascape also offers five specialty restaurants: Butcher’s Cut, Ocean Cay fish restaurant, HOLA! Tacos & Cantina and Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar. If you’re looking for an intimate fine dining experience, make sure to check them out. We tried two of them – Butcher’s Cut and Ocean Cay fish restaurant and were really impressed both with food and service. Butcher’s Cut is the place to go when you like steaks. Honestly, it was one of the best steaks I have ever had. On the other hand, the black cod I ordered was amazing as well. The specialty restaurants are smaller and thus offer an even more personalized service.
Kids are welcome as well on board all MSC Cruise ships. They pay a lot of attention to them and have several kids room divided in ages. Toddlers can play around in an area while teenagers have their own space. There’s also Pirates Cove, a state-of-the-art waterpark with several types of waterslides for them to enjoy. I went on three of the larger water slides and had a blast! And even if the weather isn’t that great, there’s an indoor pool.
MSC Cruises are experts in entertaining guests. During the evening there are many artists performing all over the ship. We went to each show broadcasted at the Chora Theater. Each show was of an excellent quality and was very entertaining. But it’s not just the Chora Theater, in each lounge there’s something fun to do. We had amazing times at Le Cabaret Rouge where other singers impressed us while we were enjoying our cocktails.
The fun fact about cruising is that you get to explore new destinations every day. During the day you get off the ship and explore a new destination, in the late afternoon you board again and during the night the ship will take you to a new place. We had four destinations during our cruise. Our first stop was Ocean Cay, MSC Cruises private island. That is right, MSC Cruises has their own private island in the Bahamas. Ocean Cay is an artificial island which was built by dredging in the late 1960s. MSC Cruises bought it and completely transformed it into a paradise. The island is completely surrounded with crystal blue clear water. There are beaches all over the place and even our ship was completely fully booked, there were plenty of quiet places to relax and enjoy the island. Food on the island is included in the cruise fare. There’s a buffet restaurant and also many food trucks where they serve mainly burgers, pasta, hot dogs and yummie french fries. Other stops were Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), where you should definitely go to the Damajagua waterfalls. There you can jump off cliffs and slide on natural slides. One of my favorite stops was the next one: San Juan in Puerto Rico. An authentic town with a lot of charm. Walking around in the historic center is a must do. Our last stop was Nassau in the Bahamas. This famous town is located on a paradise island with many beautiful beaches. It is also a great place for snorkeling.
When you are back on the ship, you can relax in one of the many lounges. But for ultimate relaxation, make sure to check out the Aurea Spa. I had a Balinese massage here and enjoyed every single second of it. What a talented therapist she is! She made me feel at ease right from the moment we walked to the treatment rooms (they have 21 of them!). After the treatment it was great to relax and unwind in the Thermal area. Spa options are endless here: from a luxurious salt room to several types of saunas including a Finnish and soft sauna, an oversized luxurious whirlpool and steam rooms. It’s all there. If you need to cool off, there’s even a snow room. Very impressive! The outdoor deck also features an additional whirlpool. Of course, there’s also a fully equipped gym.
Our cruise with MSC Cruises was an awesome experience. The company offers a cruise experience at affordable rates. You truly get a lot for your money. The MSC Seascape is a wonderful addition to their fleet. The ship has the latest technology feature and offers only the best of the best for all ages! Very impressive and we made memories for a lifetime!
Cruise
Cruise review: MSC Meraviglia
Cruiseline: MSC Cruises
Ship: MSC Meraviglia
Itinerary: Mediterranean
For bookings: msccruises.com
Most of you know I LOVE cruise ships… Cruising is definitely my favorite way to explore new destinations in a glamorous environment. MSC Cruises launched in 1988 and what began with one ship has now grown into a magnificent fleet of 15 ships. It is actually one the fastest growing cruise companies in the industry.
I explored and experienced one their newest ships, the MSC Meraviglia. This ship was launched in June 2017 and is one of the largest cruise ships in the world. Trust me, she’s huge with a capacity of 4,500 passengers and 1,536 crew members. There are 15 glamorous passenger decks offering the most luxurious facilities one could wish for. I immediately fell in love with the interior design of the MSC Meraviglia. MSC is known for its glitter and glamour finishing and that’s how it should be on a cruise ship. The eye catcher on Deck 6 is the Galleria Meraviglia with a magnificent digital ceiling: a LED screen with gorgeous images and videos that change depending on the time of the day. It is really spectacular. As you walk through this promenade, you will pass the Infinity Atrium. I see why they call it the Infinity Atrium as there are mirror on the ceilings. As usual at most MSC cruise ships, the Swarovski Crystal Staircase is a must!
Let me tell you something more about the cabins. MSC offers inside cabins, ocean view cabins and balcony cabins. The balcony cabin we stayed in was absolutely amazing and very spacious. Actually, one the largest balcony cabins Ive ever stayed in. The king sized bed was among the best as well. No small couch here, but a full sized comfortable couch which was excellent for relaxing and reading a book. The balcony had a good size too with high quality furniture. There was a big interactive tv with several channels that we enjoyed. I can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the design and lay out of the cabins. What I appreciate is that each cabin has a minibar, even insides. Also, the touch panels to control the bedside lights were great! Another feature I like is the switch controlled ‘Do Not Disturb’ and ‘Make Up My Room’ signs. There’s a double wardrobe in the cabin which was large enough to store your luggage and clothes.
The bathroom has a large shower with glass doors, a footrest which is ideal for leg shaving. There also a clothes wire for drying laundry. There are no toiletries provided, but there’s shampoo and soap available in fixed dispensers. The single sink has a great design and there’s a convenient cupboard with shelves. Do note that MSC sells its cruises by “experience” rather than cabin types. For example, the standard experience is called Fantastica which offers a classic cruise experience. The next level is Bella which offers a complimentary room service, etc.
There is so much to do on board of the MSC Meraviglia. As mentioned before, there are 15 (!) passenger decks. On Deck 5 I loved the infinity bar. This modern bar is the perfect place for people watching which is always fun, right? Oh by the way, drinks are not included in the fare, but I do recommend to buy a drinks package as it is great value for money. We paid 206 EUR per person for the Easy Package which includes unlimited consumption of selected drinks priced up to 6 EUR. There’s a good selection of spirits, wine, cocktails, mocktails, soft drinks and juices available. Also bottled water and classic hot drinks are included in all bars and restaurants, excluding specialty restaurants. I do like the all inclusive feeling without having to worry about the final bill at the end of the cruise. With a drinks package you know exactly what you will spend on board regarding drinks.
I would call Deck 6 the heart of the ship as it is home to the Galleria Meraviglia with the LED ceiling. Here you can shop and dine as you walk by many beautiful shops and dining venues. Also, make sure to visit the Jean-Philippe Chocolate store! The chocolate masterpieces they show are incredible (and I’m sure they taste pretty good as well!).
Plaza Meraviglia is the small shopping area of MSC Meraviglia with watches and sunglasses, perfumes and cosmetics and a mini hall. Here you can also find the MSC Excursions desk where you can book your shore excursions. The MSC shop is the place to buy souvenirs. Right across this gift shops, there’s Fashion Jewellery.
If you walk through the Galleria Meraviglia to the front of the shop, you will enter Broadway Theatre. A spectacular theatre where passengers can enjoy shows each night. In terms of entertainment, MSC is one of my favorite! Behind every corner, there’s something new waiting for you. I like to get entertained! There’s so much to do on this ship… I’ve found the quality of the shows excellent, especially Virtual, a resolutely contemporary show for today’s generation. Do note that you must book to attend a show. You can book any time up to 10 minutes before show time very conveniently through the MSC For Me app which I will tell you more about later. Speaking about shows, MSC works together with Cirque Du Soleil. That is right, for the first time ever, Cirque Du Soleil is at sea and they designed a special theatre on board the MSC Meraviglia. There are two 40-minute productions – Sonor and Viaggio – for you to enjoy at a small surcharge. We paid 15 EUR per person for each show and this includes a cocktail. I liked both shows, but found Sonor a little bit better as the special effects during this show were stunning.
Also during the day, there is so much to do. There are quizzes, dance classes, games, etc. all over the ship.
I should also highlight the Polar Aqua Park on Deck 19. It is the best water park at sea I have ever seen with 3 great water slides and the Himalayan Bridge which was very fun and actually a bit scary too. All activities are included in the rate. Very cool! Kids will have the time of their life here (and not only kids!). There are large outdoor pools available, Atmosphere Pool and Bamboo Pool, on deck 15. If the weather is bad, they will cover the Bamboo pool with a sliding roof, turning it into an indoor pool.
If you want to relax and unwind, make sure to visit the MSC Aurea Spa. This beautiful area is the place to visit when you want to come at ease. For a cruise ship, this spa center is huge offering several kinds of saunas and steam rooms. Do note that access is not included so you need to pay extra to make use of those facilities.
MSC is known for their family facilities. On Deck 18 you will find the kids clubs. That is right, there are several clubs on this ship especially built for kids. It is safe to leave your children here since there’s a reception and kids can’t just leave this area. They divided the clubs based on ages. There’s the Baby Club Chicco, Mini Club Lego, Junior Club Lego, Doremi Studio and the Young and Teen Club. This is also the place where you will find Sportplex, a place to play soccer, basketball, etc. Very cool!
Cruising is also about dining. There are many restaurants on board the MSC Meraviglia. Not all the restaurants are included in the fares. There are 5 specialty restaurants which cost extra. I did not make use of them as I found the food and service in the main restaurants to be really good. Beside the main restaurants, there’s also the huge Marketplace buffet on deck 15 with endless choices of freshly prepared food. The quality of the food was excellent and since this place is so huge, we never found any problem finding a table. The Marketplace buffet was our favorite place to have lunch. At night, we had dinner at L’Olive Doree. The food was just amazing! Each night, a delicious three course menu will be served. I’ve found the overall quality of the food pretty good and it all tasted fresh. Service was great too.
Cruising is not only about the ship, the ports we visited were beautiful. We had such a nice itinerary and visited Italy (Genua and Rom), Malta, Sicily (Palermo), Spain (Barcelona) and France (Marseille). That’s the main advantage of a cruise. You can visit so many places. You can book your excursions via MSC or just go off the ship and explore the area on your own which we did most of the time. It’s always nice though when you get back on the ship. It almost feels like coming home 😊
By the way, make sure to download the MSC For Me app when you cruise with MSC. It is so convenient to navigate and see what’s going on. You can even see the menus and book your seats for shows. You can actually chat with your fellow passengers and keep in touch. All you need to do is log in on the on board wifi system. The use of the MSC For Me app is free and a must have while you are on board.
MSC Meraviglia is new ship with tons of facilities and endless dining options. The service on board was great. Our cabin steward was very nice and nothing was asked for too much. The whole ship is maintained very well and was spotlessly clean. Make sure to check it out yourself, you will love it! We had the time of our lives on this jewel! Can’t wait to sail on her again!
Cruise review: M.S. Koningsdam
Cruiseline: Holland America Line
Ship: M.S. Koningsdam
Itinerary: Voyage to the Midnight Sun – Norway
For bookings: hollandamerica.com
As some of you already know, I’m a huge fan of cruises. While I traveled with several cruise lines already, I choose to sail with Holland America Line this summer and was very excited to explore their newest ship, the ms Koningsdam. Koning means king in Dutch and it truly deserve its name as it is a stunning ship with the latest technology features. We traveled to the North Cape on a 14 day cruise to the Midnight Sun. Let me first share some facts about the cruiseline.
Holland America Line has several ships, from mid-sized ships to large. They are active in the cruise industry for some time which I could experience myself during the cruise I did. They know how to treat their guests in the most comfortable and convenient way.
The ms Koningsdam is a large ship, let me share some facts:
- Ship’s registry: The Netherlands
- Guest capacity: 2,650 guests
- Gross Tonnage: 99,500 grt.
- Length: 975 ft
- Beam: 114,8 fr
- Dedicated: May 2016 by Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
All public areas on Koningsdam are decorated in a very stylish way! The pictures speak for themselves…
During our cruise, we stayed in one of their verandah cabins and were very pleased with our cabin. Most people think that cabins on a ship are tiny and you don’t have any space at all to move around. Nowadays cabins are five star hotel rooms with all the amenities one could wish for. There are several cabin categories on the ms Koningsdam, from interior cabins to the Pinnacle Suites. Our cabin had the most comfortable king sized bed, a small couch to relax and watching the sea pass by and a comfortable working/vanity desk.
As mentioned before, their signature Mariner’s Dream beds are great and feature finely woven cotton lines. Every stateroom has comfortable bathrobes and mini fridge. I also loved the bedside USB ports, very convenient!
Bathrooms all amazing! I must admit I fell in love with their shower, the bathroom had the best shower on sea I ever had… it is a full sized shower with a premium massage showerhead, plenty of room to move and no annoying curtains here that sticks to the body.
The five star services include complimentary shoe shine service, complimentary room service and the room will be serviced several times a day, including turn down service at night. They also refill the ice bucket each night and I requested daily fresh fruit in my room too at no additional charges.
I should also mention that I appreciated the large HD television with (complimentary!) on demand movies. It is great to watch a movie on a sea day or before going to sleep. It is an interactive television where you can follow your itinerary, consult today’s menu, etc. Absolutely loved it!
The food at ms Koningsdam truly is amazing. There are several restaurants to choose from for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each guest is traveling here on full board basis and I would rate their dining options each with five stars. Let’s start for breakfast. We opted to enjoy a delicious breakfast at the main dining room as we liked to be served since we are on holiday! The breakfast menu is amazing, unbelievable how many things you can choose from! I ordered the Breakfast Parfait each day which is Greek vanilla yoghurt, fresh berries and crunchy granola. Several “Greenhouse Spa” selections are available as well such as the Swiss Style Muesli which contains low far yoghurt, fresh fruit, toasted hazelnuts, oatmeal and honey. Do not forget to try the Swedisch pancakes with a mixed berry compote and whipped butter.
I loved the fact that you can choose if you want to share a table. Sometimes we opted to enjoy breakfast with just the two of us and sometimes we preferred to chat with others. When we had booked an excursion, we opted to have breakfast at Lido. Lido is their buffet style restaurant and although I usually am not a huge fan of buffets, I must admit that the buffet on ms Koningsdam offers high quality food. Guests cannot touch any food as all food stations are staffed and they are most happy to hand you the food you want, very hygienic! Even the Grand Dutch Café offers several typical Dutch breakfast options. The Grand Dutch Café seemed one of the most popular dining outlet as it is opened all day long. I loved their typical Dutch appetizers such as “bitterballen” and cheese souffles. The coffees are delicious here too! Definitely check them out when you’re sailing on ms Koningsdam!
The Main Dining room at ms Koningsdam is just gorgeous! It is a very stylish restaurant with bright colors and the most comfortable furniture. We had so much fun here during our cruise and as mentioned before, the food was just out of this world. It was pretty difficult to pick a dish as each was nicely prepared and oh so yummie. They offer several Holland America Line’s signature dishes each night such as the French onion soup, classic Caesar Salad and for the mains the broiled New York Strip Loin or the delicious oven-roasted chicken. Let me share some pictures with you of dishes I really liked.
Do note that ms Koningsdam has several fine dining restaurants on board as well. For a reasonable additional charge, you could have lunch or dinner at the Pinnacle grill for example, their steak and seafood restaurant. For lunch, you’ll pay $10 and for dinner $35 per person. I must say the place is stylish and the food is outstanding. It does represent the pinnacle of exceptional dining. Their menu is varied, innovative and creative. They use the freshest ingredients from the Pacific Northwest, featuring Double R Ranch Beef and premium seafood that delight the palate. Definitely worth the extra small surcharge.
Canaletto is another specialty restaurant with an Italian cuisine. It is located next to the Lido buffet restaurant. For only $15 per person you can enjoy an intimate Italian dinner.
Sel de Mer is probably one of the best places to enjoy a delicious dinner on the ms Koningsdam. It is an intimate sea food brasserie offering a contemporary twist on timeless French classics. I’ve found out that the ms Koningsdam’s chefs even go ashore themselves whenever possible and bring back the catch of the day as a daily special for the evening’s menu. How cool is that?
Other specialty restaurants on board are the Tamarind restaurant with a Pan-Asian cuisine and the Culinary Arts Center where fresh, artisanal dishes are prepared each night for an amazing dinner.
More casual dining outlets I really liked were the Dive-In and New York Pizza & Deli. Dive-In is Holland America’s signature burger restaurant. I loved the grilled chicken breast sandwich and cheesy fries! New York Pizza & Deli serves freshly prepared salads and personal pan pizzas made with a thin crust and delicious sauce. Both restaurants are included in the rate.
Getting bored on ms Koningsdam is impossible. Each day there’s an entertainment program with several activities I enjoyed very much! Every day, our Excursion Guide, Karlijn, shared her insight for that day’s port of call. Excursions can be booked at Journeys Ashore on Deck 1, Holland America Line offers several excursions at each port. I also attended several interesting spa seminars on board such as acupuncture and the Medi Spa Q&A. The spa area is gorgeous and has a fancy and very large jacuzzi. There are several pool areas and they can cover the main pool which is great as we were sailing in Norway and the weather wasn’t always great.
For people into sport, there’s a full sized fitness center and basketball court.
Also music and show lovers will appreciate the ms Koningsdam as there are performances each night. If you are into classical music, you will appreciate Lincoln Center Stage where live music is performed by amazing musicians. B.B. King’s All-stars is the perfect spot for a great night out, I would call the B.B. King’s Blues Club as the main dancing area on the ms Koningsdam. It’s a great place to hang out, have a drink and dance all night long.
There are many bars at the Koningsdam. The Crow’s Nest was definitely my favorite place to hang out! This is the perfect spot to enjoy the sea as this cool bar offers amazing panoramic views.
World Stage is their main stage for the evening shows. I was very impressed with the stage and surrounding LED screens, they are amazing and very impressive! Each night there’s another show. We thoroughly enjoyed their production shows with the on board dancers and singers. Holland America Line has a co-operation with BBC. One of the best shows was the Planet Earth show with live music. That truly was amazing. Also, several artists are on board and perform.
If you are into gambling, a casino is also available! From slot machines to black jack tables, it’s all there… You will definitely have a great night’s out the latest in a sophisticated gaming area. Notes is a bar which is located near the casino which is the perfect place for whiskey tasting!
Using Navigator is another great feature of Holland America Line. It is their free web application on which you can plan your itinerary, see what is happening on board, make reservations for shore excursions and dining and review your account information.
The itinerary was just fabulous, we traveled to the North Cape. Let me share some pictures of the most amazing places we visited during our Voyage to the Midnight Sun!
Every guest at ms Koningsdam is treated as a king. Nothing really is asked for too much. I thoroughly appreciated their high service level, they do know how to make your vacation unforgettable!
Cruising with Holland America Line is travelling in style… They describe themselves to be classic, premium and energized and that’s exactly what they are. I loved every minute on this ship and will definitely travel with them again! Check their best deals at hollandamerica.com and book a cruise that will be remembered for a lifetime!
Hotel Advisor Consultant 