After a day and a half at MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, it’s time to chill a bit with a day at sea as we head toward our next port of call—Costa Maya, the first of two stops in Mexico. Since it’s a sea day, the daily planner (which you can view at the bottom of the page) is chock-full of activities to keep people busy.
So far, the weather has been… well, brutal. Not in a rainy or stormy way, but in a hot and humid way. Temps have been in the high 80s to low 90s, and there’s been little breeze—even while at sea—to keep things remotely refreshing.
Living in Florida, you get used to the hot, sticky days of summer and how the sun and those “feels like” temps can totally knock you out. But based on the pasty-white complexions of many onboard, it’s safe to say a lot of folks don’t get to experience summer the way we do—and they are not prepared.
So here’s a little friendly advice:
Sunscreen is your best friend. If you look like you’ve spent the last decade hiding from UV rays, you’re going to end up looking like a can of Coca-Cola by the end of Day 1—and be miserable for the rest of your cruise. Slather it on, folks.
Next up: be smart about the drink package. Sure, that ice-cold Long Island Iced Tea sounds like the perfect way to cool off poolside. But alcohol + heat = a bad combo. Case in point: Day 1, around 4 p.m., someone refunded their lunch and all those bright red strawberry daiquiris right at the pool bar. While “you can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning” might sound like the perfect Facebook phot caption, being the person who barfed at the bar just hours into the cruise? That’s a reputation that’s hard to shake.
Hydrate. Don’t die-drate. It’s a term we used when I worked in theme parks. People assume downing Diet Cokes all day counts as staying hydrated. It doesn’t. You need water—lots of it. So in between those Coors Lights and Piña Coladas, throw back some H2O. Otherwise, you might find yourself getting hydration through an IV bag—at the cost of around $500 in the medical center later on.
MSC Drink Packages
Speaking of drinks, let’s talk about MSC’s drink packages—well, package. There’s just one that covers alcoholic beverages, and it’s called the Premium Extra Package. It includes soft drinks, bottled still and sparkling water, premium-brand spirits, liqueurs, cordials, champagne by the glass, cocktails, draft and bottled beer, specialty coffee, tea and hot chocolate, fruit juice, and smoothies. Basically, if you can drink it, it’s covered. You also get a 25% discount on bottles of wine and champagne.
The package covers beverages priced up to $16. If you want something that costs $20, you just pay the $4 difference.
Gratuities are included, and you’re entitled to a maximum of 15 alcoholic drinks per day—pretty standard across most cruise lines now to discourage overconsumption.
The Premium Extra Package can be purchased before your cruise on its own for approximately $85 per day, or you can buy a cruise fare that bundles the drink package and the “Browse” version of MSC’s Wi-Fi package at a discounted rate.
For those looking for a non-alcoholic packages, there is one available for $33 per day for adults and $22 for minors. This package includes unlimited non-alcholic beverages including mocktails, soft drinks, fruit juices and smoothies, energy and sports drinks, still and sparking water, and speciality coffee.
But there is a catch. Like all cruise lines, if one person in a stateroom buys a beverage package, everyone in that stateroom must also have one. That’s to prevent sharing. But here’s the kicker: on MSC, if you’re traveling with friends in another stateroom who don’t have a drink package, and you want to share a table at dinner… you’re out of luck.
MSC’s policy is that everyone at the same table must have a drink package, or they’ll need to be seated separately. I’ve heard some people say enforcement isn’t always strict, but it is the policy—so don’t be “surprised” when you get to the dining room.
One thing I absolutely love: whenever you order a drink, you don’t have to sign a slip of paper or a tablet. Some cruise lines—like Holland America and Carnival—still print receipts you have to sign. They’ll tout being “eco-friendly,” but all that paper says otherwise.
The downside? If you’re someone who likes to add an extra buck or two on top of the 18% already included with the drink package, you can’t. Crew members don’t have an option on their devices to accept additional tips. Same goes for specialty restaurants—you can’t tack on an extra gratuity to your bill for stellar service. So if you like tipping extra, bring cash.
Let’s Talk Casino
What would a cruise be without dropping (donating) a little money in the casino in hopes of coming home with some of what you paid for your vacation back in your pocket, right?
Well, MSC does have casinos on their ships—and they also have a unique casino program for those looking to gamble their way to a free cruise.
What they don’t have is a program like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or any of the brands under the Carnival Corporation umbrella. On those lines, you earn points as you play, receive comps onboard, and—most importantly—you get ongoing post-cruise offers for free or heavily discounted cruises.
MSC’s casino program is different. It’s based solely on your play during the current cruise. You’ll earn your discounted or free cruise right then and there—but don’t expect any follow-up offers once you get home.
You earn 1 point for every $3 cycled through a slot machine. “Cycled” or “coin-in” refers to every dollar that goes through the machine, including both your own money and any winnings being replayed. At the end of your cruise, if you’ve hit one of the point levels, you can claim your voucher for a free or discounted cruise.
Curious about the point requirements? Of course you are! Here’s a breakdown of the levels as of July 2025:
USA Sailings (6 to 8 Nights) – Excluding MSC World America:
- 1,500 – 4,999: 10% discount
- 5,000 – 7,999: 20% discount
- 8,000: Free Interior Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 10,000: Free Ocean View Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 15,000: Free Balcony Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 25,000: Free Suite Stateroom (Aurea Experience) + Drinks in the Casino
- 40,000: Free Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
USA Sailings (2 to 5 Nights) – Excluding MSC World America:
- 1,500 – 4,999: 10% discount
- 5,000: Free Interior Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 8,000: Free Ocean View Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 10,000: Free Balcony Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 20,000: Free Suite Stateroom (Aurea Experience) + Drinks in the Casino
- 30,000: Free Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
You’ve probably noticed that MSC World America, the line’s newest U.S.-based ship, is excluded from the standard levels. If you’re hoping to use your rewards on World America, or on one of MSC’s international sailings up to 10 nights, you’ll need to play a bit harder. I’d expect MSC World America’s upcoming sister ship, MSC World Atlantic (slated to sail from Port Canaveral in 2027), to fall into this tier as well.
MSC World America & Worldwide Cruises (up to 10 Nights):
- 1,500 – 4,999: 10% discount
- 5,000 – 7,999: 20% discount
- 8,000 – 9,999: 30% discount
- 10,000: Free Interior Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 15,000: Free Ocean View Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 20,000: Free Balcony Guaranteed (Bella) Stateroom
- 30,000: Free Suite Stateroom (Aurea Experience) + Drinks in the Casino
- 45,000: Free Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
For a more in-depth breakdown, be sure to check out my Ultimate Guide to MSC’s Casino Program.
Elegant Night & Gala Dinner on MSC Seashore
There’s one elegant night during this cruise, and tonight was it. While some cruise lines do two formal evenings on a 7-night sailing, MSC keeps it simple with just one. That means people go all out for photos around the ship—including on the Swarovski crystal staircases in the atrium, which have become a signature feature on MSC ships.
Along with the fancy dress-up, tonight was also the Captain’s Toast, so there was a little notice placed in the app and the daily planner about attire:
“Please note that: shorts, flip flops, tank tops and t-shirts are not welcomed in the main dining rooms, lounges, theatres and during the Captain’s Gala toast.”
More on that in a moment.
I didn’t have a specialty dining reservation tonight, so I decided to give the main dining room (MDR) a try. Since I booked the Aurea experience, my dining is “anytime dining,” meaning I can arrive for dinner at any point during the posted hours. Guests who booked Bella (base fare) or Fantastica (mid-tier) have assigned dining times, which can range from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
If you’ve read reviews of MSC, you’ve probably come across the strong opinions about the food. In fact, I even wrote an article—“Is the Food Really That Bad on MSC?”—which digs into the reputation their buffet and MDR meals have.
Let’s be honest—since COVID, the food in the main dining rooms on most cruise lines has gone downhill. Why? It’s a numbers game. To cut food waste (and food costs), portion sizes have shrunk, the number of selections has dropped, and the quality of ingredients has declined.
These days, cruise lines are loading up their ships with specialty restaurants—where you pay extra—for the promise of a “better” dinner than what’s offered in the MDR or buffet. Years ago, you’d maybe find a steakhouse and an Italian place onboard. Today? Some ships have a dozen or more options covering every cuisine imaginable.
I’m someone who very rarely eats in the main dining room. I prefer a more relaxed dining environment, and I don’t often care for the quality of MDR food on most lines, MSC included.
But in the interest of fairness, I decided to give it a go on one of the most popular nights.
Looking at the menu, you’ll see that Gala Night does include lobster tail and filet mignon—just not on the same plate. However, if you want to do a little surf and turf, MSC allows it for a $5 upcharge. There’s a note that says, “A surcharge of $5 for the second entrée or more, excluding pasta dishes, applies.” So yes, for just $5 more, you can have lobster and shrimp AND filet mignon.
Main Dining Room Gala Night Dinner Menu
Yacht Club Gala Night Dinner Menu
I headed to my assigned dining room around 8 p.m. and was seated immediately. I couldn’t help but notice that plenty of guests clearly didn’t read the part about “shorts not being welcome.” And clearly, it wasn’t being enforced either.
Not a big deal for me personally, but I know there are those who go full “my cruise is ruined” if the dress code isn’t upheld. For me, it’s more about policy consistency—if you’re going to have rules, enforce them. Otherwise, what’s the point?
But I digress.
Dinner started with a basket of delicious bread—which I tried to avoid devouring entirely, especially since I may or may not have had a slice (or two) of MSC’s fantastic pizza beforehand.
Next, I went with the steak tartare. Visually? Not great. It looked like a dense patty of ground beef that had been sitting in the fridge for most of the day. But after a few bites? Actually really good. Not as good as the Wagyu tartare at Butcher’s Cut the other night, but still tasty. It didn’t come with crostini or anything to eat it with, so I dipped into the bread basket for backup.
I also ordered a shrimp cocktail and was pleasantly surprised by the size of the shrimp—they were nearly identical in size to what I had at the steakhouse and way bigger than the tiny shrimp you’ll get in Carnival’s MDR.
For my entrée, I decided to try the $19.99 Linz Heritage Angus New York Strip. While it was listed as bone-in, my server told me it’s no longer served that way. I ordered it anyway, just to compare the $20 MDR steak to the $55 steak in the steakhouse.
When it arrived, it was cooked perfectly medium and, while seasoned differently from the Butcher’s Cut version, it was nearly identical in flavor and tenderness. Turns out, it’s the same steak—just prepared in a different kitchen.
So if you don’t feel like spending $55 at the steakhouse, you can get a near-identical meal in the MDR for a third of the price. Not bad at all.
When dessert came around, I had to pass—I was full.
The verdict? The MDR on MSC Seashore, at least for Gala Night, was an excellent experience. I plan on returning Saturday night for Italian Night, since there’s no separate Italian restaurant onboard and the MDR features a special one-night-only menu.
Your mileage may vary depending on the ship and what you order, but I was genuinely pleased—and surprised.
After dinner, I took a walk around the ship, stopped in the atrium to catch the Oceanic Band for a bit, and then called it a night.
Costa Maya tomorrow, so stay tuned—and as always, thanks for following along!
Daily Planner for Day 4
