Since my short solo experience in 2022 on Meraviglia, I’d wanted to come back to MSC on a longer sailing. The Ocean Cay marine reserve, a port exclusive to the cruise line, was an excellent and relaxing time at no additional charge. The polarizing and negative reviews about the ships, food, service, and entertainment just seemed wildly different compared to the decent experience I’d had. And the value-for-money was certainly appealing.
In late June 2024, we had the opportunity to take the immediate family on MSC Seascape (easily confused with – but distinct from: MSC Seaside, Seashore, and Seaview.) On this booking, I made a minimum upgrade bid to a Yacht Club balcony cabin that was accepted, so we spent most of our week in the premium areas of the vessel.
There were certainly many perks and features that came with the Yacht Club experience, but we’ve had similar high-quality service on other cruises when staying in a “regular” cabin. Outside of Yacht Club, the early evening shows at Cabaret Rouge and the Chora Theatre entertained our children, but the kids club did not work as well for us as Camp Discovery on Princess.
We came out of the experience with a desire to try the MSC product again but wouldn’t necessarily spend the extra money to stay in the luxury area. While we did enjoy many premium amenities such as the restricted-access pool deck, flexible dining, and Top Sail Lounge – the butler service, “upscale” food selections and the YC-exclusive beach area weren’t as worthwhile for us.
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