If you’ve looked for an affordable cruise, then there is no doubt that you’ve run across MSC Cruises.
The cruise line is a global powerhouse with a fleet of more than 20 ships. That puts it in the ballpark of major household names like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. In the United States, however, it’s not nearly as well-known.
That’s because until recently, MSC wasn’t a major player in North American cruising. However, that’s changing. The cruise line continues to add more departure ports, including sailing from Miami, New York and Galveston.
And one thing attracting passengers are some amazing cruise deals. We’ve found trips starting at just $199 per person (taxes and fees included) for four nights. Week-long cruises can be found for as little as $359 per person. That’s some of the lowest fares you’ll find.
Of course, the old adage is “you get what you pay for,” so with fares so cheap, is MSC actually a good cruise line? We’ve sailed it multiple times, and here’s what we can tell you…
An Overview of MSC
First, it helps to have an overview of exactly what MSC Cruises is and how it’s a bit different from other lines.
As mentioned earlier, MSC is a truly global cruise line. Whether you want to sail Europe, Asia, South America or the Caribbean, the cruise line offers trips there. They even offer world cruises of up to 118 nights that take you literally around the globe. If there is one hole in the routes it sails, however, that would be trips to Alaska. At least right now, MSC doesn’t sail there.
For those sailing from the United States, the cruise line offers four departure ports — New York, Miami, Port Canaveral, and Galveston (service expected to start in 2025). These ports offer service to ports in the Caribbean and The Bahamas, matching similar routes done by other major cruise lines. In effect, if you want to sail the Caribbean, then you can with MSC and likely for cheaper than with other lines.
MSC has been on a run of growth in its fleet. As of now the cruise line measures 22 ships with another ship coming each year in 2025, 2026, and 2027. And with that growth, the fleet is relatively new. Of the 22 ships, 10 have been built in the past decade.
These ships rival anything else you might find from a more familiar cruise line, and include large atriums, pool decks, restaurants, bars, theaters, and the casino. And as the cruise line grows, so too do its ships. Its newest vessels are just slightly smaller than Royal Caribbean’s largest ships, meaning it can pack on passengers and things to do.
One big difference many people notice is with the passenger base. Because MSC is more well-known outside of the United States, we’ve noticed a more international feel to the passengers. Europeans and South Americans are more common than on other cruises where the passengers are almost always American.
What MSC Does Well Based on Our Cruises
With multiple cruises on MSC, we’ve found some things that the cruise line does really well. If you want to know if it’s a good cruise line, then here’s where it excels:
Cost
Without a doubt what MSC does best is offer an affordable cruise. Across the board, you’ll find prices that are among the lowest in the industry, whether you’re sailing a quick weekend getaway or a longer sailing. Trips can be had for literally just a couple of hundred dollars per person, even with the taxes and fees included.
And don’t think there is some catch with the low prices and then wild upcharges or hidden fees. Just like other cruise lines, you get your cabin, entertainment, and restaurants included. There are extra charges for specialty restaurants, drinks, and gratuities, but this is the case on all the major cruise lines.
Ocean Cay
Just about every cruise line has its own private island or destination (a carve out of a larger island). This is one place where MSC stands out. It boasts a spot called Ocean Cay in The Bahamas.
The cruise lines spent major money in creating and building out this island. Today, it’s massive with its own lagoon, an endless supply of white sand beaches, bars, shops, and a massive “lighthouse” that serves as a light tower for evening shows on the island.
While some lines have turned their islands into amusement parks, Ocean Cay is much more laid back. It’s all about having a great day at the beach with plenty of room for everyone to have lots of space. Among the islands we’ve visited, it’s one of our favorites.
We also like that many cruises port overnight here. Being about to go out and explore at night is something completely different from most other trips.
Newer Ships
Another place where MSC stands out is with the ships themselves. We mentioned before how many ships in the fleet are relatively new. That means in general you’ll be sailing a ship that’s updated and with the latest amenities.
Given the price point, that’s a surprise. Often cruise lines offer cheap fares on their oldest ships. Since these ships have seen more mileage, they are typically smaller in size, have fewer amenities, and generally see more wear. Cruise lines cut prices to induce demand on these older vessels.
On MSC, you can still sail for less but also sail on newer ships. So you don’t have to sacrifice in order to find a deal.
Pizza (Really?!)
It may sound silly to mention, but if we’re talking about what MSC does well, you can’t forget the pizza. As a cruise line with roots based in Europe, the pizza onboard is serious business. Many lines have pies that can taste a bit like cardboard. After all, when you’re feeding literally thousands of passengers the quality can suffer.
On MSC, the pizza is high-quality with large slices (instead of those tiny things other lines try to serve) that you can actually fold. We’ve eaten pizza on all the major cruise lines and Princess is the only one that we consider on the same level.
What MSC Could Improve in Our Opinion
Every cruise line will have things they can improve. With MSC, there are some things that we’ve noticed that we’d change if we were in charge:
Generic Feel
The ships are bright and shiny and they have all the amenities you’d expect on a modern cruise. But while it’s hard to explain, we’ve always felt that MSC ships and venues have a “generic” or “off-brand” feel to them.
For instance, most cruise lines have venues that are essentially brands of that cruise line. Places like Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival or Lime and Coconut Bar on Royal Caribbean have their own distinct styling and and atmosphere.
We recently sailed on an MSC ship that included a sports bar… named “Sports Bar.” And the other venues around the ship can have a similar feel. Again, it’s hard to quite put our finger on it, but small details make the atmosphere feel more generic.
Too Many Specialty Restaurants
Now we haven’t been on every MSC ship, and the restaurants will vary from ship to ship. On the ones we have sailed, however, we’ve been disappointed in the food options. In general, it seems that MSC opts more toward including just a handful of spots (typically the buffet and dining room) and then everything else is a specialty restaurant that costs extra.
Will you go hungry? No, but if you’re on a longer cruise then you should expect to spend some money dining in specialty restaurants if you want to avoid eating the same few spots over and over.
Cleanliness
Over the years we’ve been impressed at just how clean cruise ships are on average. You always see people cleaning around the ship and frankly, they are often spotless.
We’ve noticed that MSC — at least on our cruises — could improve its cleanliness. We’ve stayed in rooms that, while they felt clean at first glance, show some need for a more thorough cleaning as you spend more time in the cabin. Public areas around the ship can use some attention too. For example, when passengers leave empty glasses or dishes around the ship, they can seem to linger longer than on other lines.
That’s not to say that MSC is “dirty,” but we’ve definitely felt a difference from other lines, which often seem immaculately kept.
Is MSC a Good Cruise Line? Is it Worth Sailing?
So what’s the bottom line on MSC? We will say that it has a different feel than other cruise lines. To us it feels a bit more generic and not quite the same as say Carnival or Royal Caribbean.
But there is also a lot to like. Trips sailing from the United States will almost always include a trip to Ocean Cay, which we think is a jewel. Ships are relatively new, there’s plenty to do onboard, and frankly the price can’t be beat.
That said, we’ve all bought inexpensive things and even at the low price they weren’t worth it. That’s not the case with MSC. To us, not only is it inexpensive but it’s also an amazing value.
We’re not saying it’s our favorite cruise line or that it’s the best out there. Frankly, there are others that we like more. But for the cost, it’s hard for us to find a better value. Yes, there are differences with other lines, but we’d estimate about 90% of your experience will be right in line with what you expect, just at a lower price.
If you’re considering a cruise and want to sail on a budget, then MSC is a great cruise line to consider. Just be sure to save a slice of pizza for us.
More About MSC:
- Carnival vs. MSC: 11 Major Differences Between the Two Cruise Lines
- Ocean Cay (MSC’s Private Island): Complete Guide, Tips, & Things to Know
