JJO's SUPER CRUISES

Editor Jorge O

MSC Seascape, the second EVO-Class ship launched by MSC Cruises in under a year, is all about continuity. The Geneva-based cruise line is doubling down on its mission to conquer the North American market with this gorgeous 170,000-gross-ton vessel.

Identical to its sister ship, MSC Seascape, in nearly every way, MSC Seascape features a glitzy, New York City-inspired aesthetic. The metropolitan glamour is best exemplified in the four-deck Atrium, featuring a dazzling staircase adorned with 10,000 Swarovski crystals. However, even with its swanky appearance, MSC Seascape remains a family-friendly ship at heart, boasting multiple pools, play areas, an expansive Doremiland kids’ club, game rooms, and the brand-new thrill ride MSC Robotron. This one feature notably sets it apart from MSC Seashore.

While the ship’s design draws inspiration from the Big Apple and a hearty helping of Americana (albeit through a European lens), MSC Cruises’ international charm remains intact on board MSC Seascape, as evidenced by the significant presence of international cruisers. The American touches are a homerun among the MSC faithful. Although English might not be the most prevalent language among passengers, for the most part, you’ll find no issues communicating with the courteous and cheerful staff.

A smidge larger than sister ship MSC Seashore, MSC Seascape can accommodate 5,877 passengers at double occupancy. As significant as the ship is, it features an innovative layout with numerous nooks and crannies that allow you to find the perfect spot to unwind or relax at your leisure.

MSC Seascape Deck Plan Prioritizes Crowd Control

MSC Seascape has 19 decks (the highest one is Deck 20, but Italian superstition dictates that the number 17 is avoided). A neat little feature is that every deck on MSC Seascape is named after a famous island, from the Phi Phi Islands of Thailand (Deck 4) to the United Arab Emirates Sir Bani Yas Island (Deck 19).

Despite the high number of decks, MSC Seascape manages to deliver intimate spaces that do a good job at limiting overcrowding. One way the ship achieves this is by breaking up the traditional main dining room into four smaller restaurants, spread across Decks 6-8, each with distinct décor and ambiance, yet identical service and menus.

With its 13 pools and water features, MSC Seascape strives to strike a balance between kid-friendly and adult-enticing settings. The centerpieces are the Marina Pool and the Jungle Room Pool, located on opposite sides of Deck 18. Both are somewhat small and during our sailing, the Jungle Room Pool’s indoor setting, which features a retractable roof, attracted the most attention from passengers. But on MSC Seascape’s Caribbean sailings, it’s entirely reasonable to see the outdoor Marina Pool take center stage. The adults-only Infinity Pool on Deck 8 is a slice of paradise, a highly Instagram-able spot located aft on the ship that also features a bar and a gelato station.

MSC Seascape boasts 140,000 square feet of public outdoor space, underscoring its suitability for warm-weather sailings. While this wasn’t super useful during our December sailing from Bermuda to New York City, the ship’s Caribbean itineraries from Port Miami will make all the outdoor space shine.

MSC Seascape Cabins Offer Variety, but Yacht Club Rules the Roost

With 2,270 cabins and 11 categories, variety is not an issue on MSC Seascape. Featuring muted yet elegant tones and decor, the cabins throughout the ship are comfortable and efficient. Families can take advantage of the fact that in-room sofas convert into extra beds. Additionally, the ship features 75 dedicated cabins for guests with mobility challenges, a slight increase from MSC Seashore’s total of 66 cabins.

Where the ship’s cabins shine, though, is in the luxurious MSC Yacht Club. Perched at the top of MSC Seascape, across Decks 16-19 on the aft, the Yacht Club is MSC’s ship-within-a-ship suite experience and the undisputed crown jewel on MSC Seascape. The complex features 131 suites, as well as its restaurant and an exclusive, expansive sun deck with a pool, whirlpools, and a buffet.

With so many comfortable amenities, it’s entirely possible to spend all your time within the confines of the Yacht Club. And if and when you leave, your attentive butler can either escort you to your next destination within the ship or arrange reservations for dinner or shows for you. We’ve mentioned before that the perks of the Yacht Club make booking an interior suite here a better option than a larger cabin elsewhere on the ship, and this opinion remains true on MSC Seascape.

MSC Seascape Dining Options Abound; Specialty Restaurants Take the Cake

With 11 restaurants on board, MSC Seascape offers a diverse range of choices. The ship’s complimentary eateries — the buffet and the four-restaurant main dining room — are decent options. We liked the layout of the Marketplace buffet and its bistro-like ambiance. The main dining room’s restaurants offer a substantial level of intimacy not typically found on ships with large dining rooms. The quality of the food and the service, however, tends to be inconsistent.

A much different story is served up in all five of MSC Seascape’s specialty restaurants. It stands to reason that if something costs extra, it will invariably be better than the complimentary options. But on MSC Seascape, the difference felt more pronounced than on other similar cruise lines. Your culinary preferences will determine which of the specialty restaurants is best. We especially enjoyed the steakhouse Butcher’s Cut and the upscale atmosphere of seafood-focused Ocean Cay, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

On par with the specialty restaurants, the Yacht Club Restaurant also elevates the dining experience. The location alone is peerless, as one would expect of a suites-only restaurant, but the menu and the attention to detail surpass expectations. You can also dine at the Yacht Club’s buffet or enjoy snacks throughout the day at the Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge, offering a variety of choices.