Pros and Cons of MSC Cruises That You Need to Know Before You Book

MSC Cruises has been steadily growing its presence in the cruise market, particularly for North American travelers. With its European roots and distinct approach to cruising, it offers a unique experience from other contemporary cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line. With MSC World America recently setting sail from Miami, you might be wondering, now more than ever, is MSC the right choice for your next vacation? Well, having sailed with the brand a few times now, we’ve put together our comprehensive list of the top pros and cons of MSC Cruises to help you make an informed decision.

Pros of MSC Cruises

1. Affordable Pricing

MSC Cruises consistently offers some of the most competitive cruise fares in the market, often meeting or beating prices from other mainstream cruise lines known for affordability like Carnival. For instance, an ocean view balcony on MSC World America, MSC Cruises newest ship, with a drink package and WiFi can still save you over $500 compared to the cruise fare only on Royal Caribbean ships like Icon of the Seas or Wonder of the Seas.

Currently on MSC’s website, there’s 3- and 4-night sailings priced as low as $230 per person and 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas sailings for as low as $402 per person. If that’s not enough, the cruise line often runs promotions like kids sail free to further entice families. So, if you’re looking to stretch your vacation dollars while still enjoying a stylish, modern cruise experience, MSC should definitely be on your radar.

2. Exclusive MSC Yacht Club Option

One of MSC Cruises’ standout features is its “ship within a ship” concept called the MSC Yacht Club. This exclusive area provides a luxury experience with perks like a private restaurant, lounge, pool deck, dedicated butler service, and priority access throughout the ship. This allows guests to have the exclusivity and personalized service of small ship cruising while still enjoying all the amenities and choice available on larger cruise ships.

While the MSC Yacht Club comes at a premium price point, it’s still often much more affordable than booking with luxury cruise lines. Further, unlike other brands’ ship-within-a-ship experiences, there are various entry points all the way from interior suites to lavish 2-story suites making it accessible to more travelers.

3. Ocean Cay Private Island

With more and more cruise line private destinations debuting each year, MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, still ranks among the best. Located in the Bahamas, this beautiful tropical paradise features eight pristine beaches each with a distinct vibe, crystal-clear waters, and a commitment to marine conservation.

Besides a perfect beach day, guests can enjoy sports competitions like volleyball, ping-pong, or beach olympics, as well as dance classes and live music. There’s also complimentary food at the island’s buffet and food trucks scattered across the island, so guests don’t need to return to the ship when they get hungry. Of course, there’s no shortage of bars either to order up your favorite frozen cocktails.

If that’s not enough, guests can book activities like jet-skiing tours, kayaking, paddleboarding, or snorkeling. Further, MSC ships often stay at Ocean Cay late into the evening, allowing guests to enjoy sunset views and special nighttime activities including the signature light show.

4. Diverse Global Itineraries

With sailings to over 100 countries across the globe, MSC offers an impressive array of itineraries. From extensive Mediterranean options to South America, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, their global reach allows passengers to explore diverse destinations.

MSC Cruises has also expanded U.S. departures to include Miami, Port Canaveral (Orlando), New York, and soon Galveston, Texas, making their cruises more accessible to American travelers. In 2026, MSC will even sail from Seattle to offer Alaska cruises for the first time.

5. Some of the Best Pizza at Sea

As an Italian cruise line, MSC takes its pizza seriously. MSC ships feature freshly made, authentic Italian-style pizza available nearly 24/7 in various locations. Whether you’re grabbing a slice by the pool or enjoying a late-night snack in the buffet, the pizza quality is top-notch. For us, it ranks among the likes of Alfredo’s pizza on Princess Cruises and the pizza on Virgin Voyages. And the best part is that it’s included in the MSC cruise fare!

6. Flexible Embarkation Ports

MSC Cruises offers the unique ability to embark at multiple ports during a single cruise itinerary. For example, on our World Europa sailing last year, we embarked in Marseille, France. Though, guests had the option of Barcelona, Spain; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; or Genoa (Portofino), Italy as embarkation points.

This flexibility allows travelers to customize their experience and potentially save on airfare by choosing the most convenient or affordable embarkation option. Although, the one thing we didn’t like about this flexibility was that everyone is on a different schedule.

7. Status Match Program

If you’re looking to test out MSC Cruises for the first time, status matching could be a huge perk for you. If you have loyalty status with another cruise line or even certain hotel brands, MSC will match that status in their Voyagers Club loyalty program. This generous policy means you don’t have to start from scratch and can immediately enjoy benefits like priority boarding, onboard discounts, and even complimentary specialty dining without having sailed with MSC before.

For instance, if you’re Diamond status in Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, this should get you the equivalent of Gold status in MSC’s Voyagers Club. However, this doesn’t mean that you’ll get the same perks that you get on Royal Caribbean as MSC’s Gold status does not include any free drinks. Likewise, Diamond status in Carnival’s VIFP Club should get you Gold status on MSC.

8. Elegant Ships

MSC’s vessels are known for their elegant, contemporary design with a distinctly European aesthetic. If you’ve heard about MSC then you probably associate the cruise line with their stunning Swarovski crystal staircases containing tens of thousands of genuine crystals that sparkle under carefully designed lighting. They’ve become the most photographed spots on MSC ships.

Beyond this iconic element, the cruise line’s modern and sleek interiors often feel more upscale than the price point might suggest. You won’t find flashy colors or loud decor in any of the public areas or the staterooms on MSC ships. Instead, you’ll find marble flooring, crystal chandeliers, mirrored surfaces, and high-end furnishings.

9. Family-Friendly Attractions

As a family-owned company, MSC Cruises ranks right along with Carnival and Royal Caribbean when it comes to family offerings onboard its ships. The cruise line has invested heavily in family entertainment across the fleet. Newer ships feature exciting attractions like waterparks, the Robotron, F1 simulators, Cliffhanger (the only over-water swing ride at sea), and extensive gaming spaces like the Hall of Games.

The ships also feature kids’ clubs and family-oriented programming, including the exclusive partnership with LEGO. MSC is the only cruise line to offer official LEGO play areas onboard and even LEGO-themed events and parades.

10. Top-Notch Specialty Dining

While we’ve had mixed reviews with MSC’s included dining, the cruise line’s specialty restaurants are top-notch. Options like the Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Hola! Tacos and Cantina, and Kaito Sushi and Teppanyaki typically cost less than comparable venues on other cruise lines while delivering excellent cuisine. MSC World America even features the first Eataly at sea, offering upscale Italian dishes.

When we sail with MSC Cruises, we always make sure to book a few specialty restaurants. If you’d like to do the same, you should consider purchasing a specialty dining package which can save you some money versus booking individually.

11. Lively Nightlife

The one thing we always say about MSC is that they know how to throw a party! MSC excels at creating an energetic evening atmosphere with various entertainment venues, themed parties, and late-night activities. Their Mediterranean approach to nightlife means things often get going later in the evening and continue well into the late night and early morning hours.

Be sure to pack your white attire for the biggest White Party on the high seas when sailing with MSC Cruises. The line also throws a number of other themed parties, and the guests definitely get in on the festivities with coordinating attire.

Cons of MSC Cruises

1. Lack of Casual Dining

When compared to other cruise lines that typically feature numerous casual dining venues, MSC offers fewer complimentary grab-and-go options. Outside of the main buffet and pizza stations, there are limited choices for quick, casual meals. There’s no burger joint, poolside Mexican fare, or sandwich shop like you would find on Carnival or Royal Caribbean ships. This can be inconvenient when you want something simple without visiting the buffet or main dining room, particularly during busy times.

Of note, MSC has listened to feedback and is making strides to fix this; MSC World America, which just debuted in Miami, offers the most casual dining options of any ship in the fleet to date.

2. Inconsistent Service

Unfortunately, during our sailings with MSC, the service quality has varied significantly across the ships and even within the same cruise. Sometimes we’ve had excellent attentive and friendly staff, while other times the team members have seemed indifferent and overworked. Whether short-staffed or due to the European influence, service is often slower than we’re used to as well, with dinner in the main dining room taking up to 3 hours in some instances.

With a greater mix of international passengers onboard than most other cruise lines, this too presents challenges, as it becomes difficult for the crew to cater to the multiple demographics’ preferences.

3. Drink Package Limits

MSC Cruises has recently revamped its drink packages for the U.S. market. As of April 2025, the cruise line now imposes a 15-drink daily limit on alcoholic beverages, unlike Royal Caribbean that offers truly unlimited options. If guests want more than 15 alcoholic drinks, they’ll need to pay for these additional beverages. This is in contrast to Carnival Cruise Line’s beverage package which does NOT allow guests to purchase additional alcoholic drinks beyond the 15 drink limit.

There will continue to be no limit for non-alcoholic drinks. MSC Yacht Club guests will still be able to enjoy unlimited alcoholic drinks in the Yacht Club area, but the 15-drink limit will apply to all other areas of the ship.

4. Varied Ship Quality

Much like any cruise line, the MSC fleet varies considerably in terms of age, size, and amenities. Their newest vessels like the World Class and Seaside Class ships offer modern features and innovative design, while older ships may feel dated and lack the exciting attractions found on newer vessels. There may also be fewer dining options, less activities for kids, and not as many bars, lounges, or entertainment spaces.

So, we suggest researching ships carefully before booking, as the experience can differ dramatically depending on which vessel you choose. Don’t assume that all MSC ships feature that beautiful infinity pool or elaborate coffee and chocolate shops that you’ve seen on social media.

5. Confusing Experience Levels

MSC Cruises uses a tiered system of “experiences” (Bella, Fantastica, Aurea, and Yacht Club) that determine what your cruise fare includes—and ultimately the price of your cruise. Each level offers different perks and amenities, which can be confusing to navigate, especially for first-time MSC cruisers.

For instance, if you book the Bella experience, or the cheapest level, you do not get to pick your actual cabin, much like a guaranteed cabin on other cruise lines. You’ll also be last in the priority line when it comes to assigned dining times. One thing that really surprised us was the lack of tissues in your cabin when booked into lower-tier levels!

Conversely, Aurea experience comes with some nice perks like My Choice Dining and access to the Top Solarium and the spa’s thermal suite. But, this experience level comes at a premium price when compared to Bella and Fantastica.

6. Can’t Bring Alcohol Onboard

If you’ve cruised before, you probably know that most cruise lines allow passengers to bring limited amounts of wine or champagne onboard, usually two bottles per stateroom that are subject to a corkage fee. However, that is NOT the case with MSC Cruises.

MSC has a strict no-alcohol policy for embarkation. All alcohol brought aboard (whether at embarkation or at a port of call) is confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise, which means you’ll be relying entirely on ship-sold beverages throughout your vacation.

7. Hit or Miss Main Dining Room Experience

While we rave about the specialty dining on MSC Cruises, the main dining room experience has been hit or miss for us for a number of reasons. In terms of the food, the quality has been inconsistent and usually served lukewarm. We also find it odd that servers usually refuse to get cocktails for guests in the main dining room. This means that I’m not able to have my Cosmopolitan with dinner like I do on every other cruise line. As mentioned previously, service in the MDR tends to be on the slow side as well.

Additionally, MSC has little flexibility with dining times, which can be challenging for families with children or those preferring a more relaxed vacation schedule. Bascially, guests don’t have the choice of “My Time” or “Anytime” dining unless they pay extra for the Aurea experience.

8. Lack of Theming

Indeed, MSC ships are elegant, but they do lack the distinct theming found on some other cruise lines. The design aesthetic tends toward contemporary European style rather than immersive, themed environments. Those who enjoy the detailed theming of Disney ships or the neighborhood concepts of Royal Caribbean may find MSC’s approach less engaging. Even when it comes to the bars and lounges, there’s usually little in terms of decor and atmosphere, just lots of neutral colors and metallic accents.

With the said, the new World Class ships offer more variety and are more on par with the theming you’d expect on other cruise lines.

9. Subpar Main Theater Entertainment

Entertainment in the main theater can be another weak spot for MSC Cruises. Shows often rely heavily on music and dancing with minimal dialogue to accommodate the international audience. While this approach works for some productions, others can feel disjointed. The productions we’ve seen on MSC ships certainly do not live up to the Broadway-caliber shows on Royal Caribbean. Even the Dirty Dancing in Concert on MSC World America was a bit of a letdown.

Newer ships in the MSC fleet do feature multiple entertainment spaces, and we tend to enjoy the shows in these cabaret-style lounges more (like the Carousel Lounge, Panorama Lounge, or Le Cabaret Rouge). The new Loft comedy club and dueling pianos lounge on MSC World America is sure to be a hit as well.

10. Crowding

MSC’s ships can feel crowded, particularly in central areas and during peak sailing periods. The buffet, pool decks, and elevators may become congested during busy times. While this is true on any cruise line, MSC ships do tend to have more passengers per square foot of ship space. For instance, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, NCL’s Norwegian Encore, and MSC Seascape are all roughly 170K gross tons; however, Seascape carries the most passengers at double occupancy by close to 10 percent. This means you’ll have a bit less space to spread out.

Comments

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