MSC World America 7-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 6: April 23, 2026

Day 6 on MSC World America was another sea day as we made our way toward the final port of call on this cruise, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve in The Bahamas. So far, the weather has been more than cooperative, and on a ship this size that really matters. Good weather helps spread people out between all the indoor and outdoor spaces. If you get a rainy day on one of these mega ships, a huge amount of usable square footage suddenly goes away, and people get forced inside fast. As I mentioned back in the Day 2 report, World America has several pools, but only one of them, the Botanic Garden pool, is under a retractable roof. The main Mar Azul (lido) pool and the adults-only Zen pools are uncovered, and those are some of the busiest spots on the ship during the day, so sunshine is definitely your friend out here.

MSC World America Bars and Beverage Package Info

In yesterday’s report I mentioned that today I’d talk a little about the bars onboard MSC World America, along with two special beverage events I had reservations for. Let’s start with the bars, because if you’re a drinker, there is no shortage of places to park yourself and work on that package.

MSC World America has bars all over the ship, but for the most part, many of them follow the same standard bar menu. That means if you’re ordering a basic cocktail, beer, wine, frozen drink, or soft drink, you’re going to find a lot of overlap from bar to bar. The real differences come with the specialty bars, and those are the ones worth seeking out if you want something beyond the usual shipboard rum punch in a souvenir glass. I have a full collection of current MSC bar menus and prices, including World America and other ships in the fleet, if you want to dig through them before you sail.

MSC Cruises Bar Menus & Current Drink Prices (2026)

For craft cocktail lovers, the two main standouts are Elixir and The Gin Project. Elixir is the whiskey and mixology-focused bar, and if you like old fashioneds, Manhattans, and drinks that come across like somebody actually thought about them before pouring, this is your spot. It’s one of the best places onboard if you want something a little more polished than the standard bar menu. The Gin Project, meanwhile, remains my personal favorite on the ship. It’s MSC’s gin-focused concept bar, and while the lineup has changed a bit since launch, it is still the place to go if you want a proper gin cocktail instead of the usual “here’s some gin and tonic” experience.

If you’re looking for a more upscale, bubbly-forward experience, then Fizz Champagne Bar is the place. This is where MSC offers champagne, sparkling wine, and on some ships – oysters, caviar, and the whole “look at me making questionable financial decisions” experience. It’s definitely one of the prettier bar concepts on the ship, and if you want something that feels a little dressier before or after dinner, this is it.

Then there’s Jean-Philippe Chocolat & Café, which is not really a bar in the traditional sense, but it absolutely deserves a mention because it covers coffee, chocolate, gelato, crepes, and all kinds of sweet damage, including a few “spiked” options. This is where you go when you want something caffeinated, chocolate-covered, frozen, or all three. It’s also one of the more dangerous spots on the ship if you’re trying to show even the slightest bit of restraint, because the chocolate treats and gelato make it very easy to convince yourself dessert is a legitimate afternoon activity.

For places that mix drinks with food in a more casual setting, the two worth calling out are All Stars Sports Bar and Masters of the Sea. All Stars is the American-style sports bar on Deck 8, with burgers, wings, loaded bar food, and TVs. It is very much a grab a beer, watch a game kind of place. Masters of the Sea is the British pub, and it has a different feel entirely, with pub-style atmosphere, live entertainment nightly, and its own onboard-brewed signature beers along with a wider beer selection. If beer is more your thing than cocktails, this is the better choice.

Beyond those, you’ve got the pool and public area bars like Mar Azul Bar, Botanic Garden Bar, La Perla Bar, Zen Bar, Dolce Vita Bar, Panorama Lounge Bar, the casino bar, The Box Bar, and the Yacht Club bars for those staying up in that part of the financial food chain. These all serve their purpose well enough, but menu-wise most of them are variations on the same theme.  If your goal is finding something unique, stick with the specialty concepts.

MSC Drink Packages

Now, when it comes to drink packages, MSC has simplified things over the years for ships sailing from North America. That is an important distinction, because outside North America the package lineup can be different. For North America sailings in 2026, MSC now mainly offers the Premium Extra Package for alcoholic beverages, along with an Alcohol-Free Package and a Minors Package. The old Easy and Easy Plus packages are no longer offered.

The Premium Extra Package is the one most adult cruisers are looking at. It covers drinks up to $16 each, includes the 18% gratuity in the package price, works in specialty restaurants, and is honored at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. It has a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period, while non-alcoholic drinks included with the package remain unlimited. If you order something above the package limit, you pay only the difference plus gratuity on that difference.

The Alcohol-Free Package is the option for people who want sodas, mocktails, coffee, water, and other non-alcoholic drinks without paying as they go, and the Minors Package covers the younger crowd. MSC also continues to require that if one adult in a stateroom buys a drink package, the other adults in the cabin have to buy one too, while kids and teens need the Minors Package. That is one of those rules people always hope will not apply to them, right up until it does.

As for whether buying a package is worth it, that really comes down to how you drink. If you’re having cocktails throughout the day, wine with dinner, bottled water, specialty coffees, and maybe a frozen drink or two by the pool, the math can work in your favor pretty quickly. If you’re more of a one-or-two-drinks-a-day person, it may not. That’s exactly why my MSC beverage package calculator is useful, because it lets you plug in what you think you will actually drink and calculates out whether the package makes sense.

MSC Beverage Package Calculator

Beverage Tasting Events on MSC World America

That’s the bar scene in a nutshell. Plenty of places to drink and a few bars that are absolutely worth making a point to visit. Next, I’ll get into the two special beverage events I booked with the first event, the “Welcome to the World Wine Tour,” which was held in the Fizz Champagne Bar. It started at 12:30 p.m., ran until 2:00 p.m., and cost $30 per person plus gratuity.

This tasting was a little unusual for a couple of reasons.

First, as you can see below, it featured a whopping 11 wines. Yes, 11. Five whites, five reds, and one rosé from different regions around the world.

Now, you may be saying, “Yeah Scott, 11 wines, but probably just a sad little sip of each.” Not exactly. These were generous pours, somewhere in the 3- to 4-ounce range, and definitely not one for the lightweights. Well, sort of kidding.

The lineup included:

1. Greco di Tufo DOCG Feudi
2. Mer Soleil
3. Riesling d’Alsace Schlumberger, France
4. Conundrum White by Caymus, California
5. Bramito del Cervaro Castello
6. Agiorgitiko Nemea Reserve
7. Bulizio
8. Château La Pierre, Côtes de Castillon
9. Viña Erázuriz Carménère
10. Torremasca Torcicoda Primitivo
11. Whispering Angel

Another thing that made this event unusual was that it was basically a DIY tasting.

While wine stewards were there to pour and tell you what wine you were getting next, there was no sommelier or cellar master leading the tasting. Nobody was walking the room, talking through the wines in depth, or explaining why this one mattered more than that one. Instead, you were pretty much left to your own pace for the full 90 minutes. The placemat and the tasting sheet were your guide, and that was that.

So in a lot of ways, it felt less like a formal wine tasting and more like a “show up and drink a lot of wine” event.

Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Along with the wine, there was a small buffet set up with fruit, meats, and cheeses, and they kept replenishing it throughout the tasting, so there was plenty to nibble on as you worked your way around the world, one glass at a time.

There were only around a dozen of us there, and a few people tapped out after the whites. One or two appeared to make it all the way through. You don’t have to drink every wine, and you can absolutely just stick to the reds or the whites or bounce around however you want, but the intent is for you to work your way through the whole list. I gave it my best shot, but I tapped out after number eight, and I moved the rosé up to be my transition wine between the whites and reds instead of saving it for the end.

For the price, this is an incredible value.

Even though it’s not a true hosted tasting, $30 for 11 different wines with generous pours is a huge bargain. To put it in perspective, Holland America’s premium wine tasting is $49 for five wines, so this one absolutely wins on value. If you’re okay with guiding yourself through the tasting instead of having someone lecture you about hints of whatever, you’ll probably love this.

That said, because it’s not hosted, I think this event works best if you go with a group. I was the only single person there. Everyone else was in couples and had their own little tables, so I just parked myself at the bar. So if you’re thinking about doing this one, wrangle up some friends and go together. It’ll probably make the whole thing more fun.

One other thing worth noting is that they do not give you a fresh glass for every wine. The glass only gets switched when you move from white to red, so if that sort of thing matters to you, now you know.

The second beverage event I took part in was also a very good value: the Macallan tasting, held later that evening at 10:00 p.m. in a small private room at Elixir.

For this one, we got to sample Macallan 12, 15, and 18, and unlike the wine tasting, this one was actually hosted. One of the Elixir bartenders, who has been trained on Macallan, led the tasting and walked us through each of the three pours, explaining what made them different and what to look for in each one. To go along with the scotch, there was also a selection of chocolates from the Jean-Philippe chocolate shop onboard.

Again, this was a great value.

At $30 per person plus gratuity, the pours alone made it worth it. These were full 1.5-ounce pours, and if you bought those same pours separately, the total would have cost more than the tasting itself. So if you enjoy Macallan, or just want to try the different age expressions without paying full bar price for each one, this is a no-brainer.

There were only four of us at this tasting, and even though it was supposed to start at 10:00 p.m., we kept waiting for more people to show up. Finally, by around 10:20, we just told the host to stop waiting and get on with it.

And that brings me to the biggest issue with both events: neither one is mentioned or promoted anywhere.

They’re not in the daily program. They’re not in the app. I only found out about them by asking one of the bar managers if there were any tastings being offered, and he signed me up for both. That pretty easily explains why turnout was so poor. These are supposed to be money-making events, but MSC is doing an absolutely terrible job of letting anyone know they exist.

On top of that, everyone at both tastings had the same complaint: there were no reminder invitations sent to the room like you get for specialty restaurant reservations, and when you sign up for one of these events at the hosting bar, it also does not get added to your itinerary in the MSC for Me app. So it is incredibly easy to simply forget you signed up for it at all. That especially applies to something like the Macallan tasting, which starts at 10:00 p.m. at the end of a long sea day. Without any reminder, it would be very easy to completely forget about it.

That alone could explain some of the low attendance.

Still, both events were very enjoyable and, more importantly, both were great values.

My only other suggestion would be this: don’t schedule both tastings on the same day. Eleven wines at lunch and then a Macallan tasting later that night is certainly a choice. Not a bad one, mind you, but definitely a choice.

Now that we got all that drinking out of the way, let’s talk food.

Italian Night on MSC World America

Tonight was Italian night onboard, and Italian night is usually held on the last sea day of the cruise fleetwide. The menu served in the main dining rooms and in the Yacht Club restaurant is packed with Italian dishes, and since MSC has deep Italian roots, this is always one of the highlights of the week. So naturally, I had to take part.

For Italian night, the servers get dressed up for the occasion in red, white, and green ties and cummerbunds, and the tables are decorated with matching runners, so they do try to lean into the theme a bit more than just swapping out the menu.

For dinner, I joined some friends and we headed to Hexagon for our assigned dinner time of 8:15.

MSC World America Main Dining Room Italian Night Dinner Menu

Available in Bubbles Restaurant, Esagano Restaurant, Hexagon Restaurant, La Foglia Restaurant, Les Dunes Restaurant

Available on: MSC World America

Starters +

Caprese Salad

Sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto

Fried Calamari and Zucchini

Homemade marinara

Italian Antipasto

Assorted Italian cold cuts, grilled vegetables, grissini

Minestrone Genovese

Fresh seasonal vegetables, pesto

Caesar Salad

Crispy romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, Parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing

Shrimp Cocktail

Classic horseradish cocktail sauce, fresh lemon

French Onion Soup

Gruyère crostini

Entrées +

Linguine alle Vongole

Clams, garlic, white wine reduction

Baked Grouper

With cherry tomatoes and Kalamata olives, lemon potatoes

Chicken Parmigiana

Spaghetti marinara, steamed broccoli

Veal Ossobuco

Parmesan polenta, seasonal vegetables, rich red wine veal sauce, gremolata

Voodles Primavera

Spiral-cut zucchini, carrots and squash coated in a hearty tomato sauce

Pennette Pasta

Choice of Bolognese, Alfredo, or fresh tomato basil sauce

Grilled Chicken Breast

Mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables

Grilled Atlantic Salmon

Rice pilaf, seasonal vegetables

New York Strip Steak

Choice of herb butter, chimichurri, or green peppercorn sauce

Steakhouse Selection +

Broiled Cold Water Lobster Tail

Hot drawn butter

$19.99

Linz Heritage Angus

8-oz grilled filet mignon or 14-oz bone-in New York strip steak with your choice of sauce

$19.99

Sides +

Side Dishes

Steak fries or loaded baked potato, sautéed mushrooms, grilled asparagus, sautéed vegetables, steamed rice, or whipped potatoes

Desserts +

Limoncello Cake

Limoncello cream, sponge cake, wild berry coulis

Tiramisu

Mascarpone cream and Marsala wine cake, espresso-ladyfingers

Grandma’s Chocolate Cake

With layers of dulce de leche and chocolate fudge

New York Cheesecake

Strawberry compote

Plum and Apple Crumble

Cinnamon sauce

Ice Cream and Sorbet

Please ask your waiter about our daily selection of ice cream and sorbets

No Sugar Added Ice Cream

Please ask your waiter about our daily selection

Champagne +

Nicolas Feuillatte, Brut

France

$16

Nicolas Feuillatte, Brut

France, bottle

$66

White Wines +

Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio

Italy, glass

$74

Robert Mondavi, Private Selection Chardonnay

California, glass

$14

Robert Mondavi, Private Selection Chardonnay

California, bottle

$49

Rosé Wine +

Gérard Bertrand, Côtes des Roses Rosé

France, glass

$15

Gérard Bertrand, Côtes des Roses Rosé

France, bottle

$54

Red Wines +

Col d’Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino

Italy, glass

$80

Col d’Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino

Italy, bottle

$80

Mirassou, Pinot Noir

California, glass

$14

Mirassou, Pinot Noir

California, bottle

$49

MSC World America Yacht Club Restaurant Italian Dinner Menu

Available on: MSC World America

Starters +

Mediterranean Octopus and Seafood Salad

Lemon vinaigrette, celery, and diced bell pepper

Beef Carpaccio

Parmesan shavings, mesclun salad, extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar

Tricolor Salad

Baby spinach, romaine lettuce, mozzarella cheese and tomato wedges, sun-dried tomato dressing

Venetian Pasta and Bean Soup

Red kidney beans, broken linguine pasta, rosemary, and sage

Entrées +

Tagliatelle with Classic Bolognese Sauce

Fresh pasta with classic Bolognese sauce

Asparagus Risotto

Carnaroli rice, green asparagus, Grana Padano cheese

Clam and Mussel Pot

Seafood essence, flat parsley, grated bottarga, garlic bread croutons

Filet Mignon with Porcini Mushrooms

Beef tenderloin in a creamy mushroom sauce with roasted rosemary potatoes

Parmigiana di Melanzane

Eggplant au gratin with mozzarella, Parmesan and basil tomato sauce

Classic Favorites +

Grilled or Steamed Fillet of Salmon

Garden vegetables, hollandaise sauce

Broiled Beef Filet Mignon

Thyme-roasted vegetables, natural jus

Grilled Chicken Breast

Lemon oil, roasted vegetables, green asparagus

Sauces for your Steak

Madeira sauce, green peppercorn sauce, creamy mushroom-mustard sauce

Baked Just for You +

Six-Grain Rolls

Six-grain rolls topped with assorted seeds

Country White Rolls

Country white rolls

Oregano Focaccia

Oregano focaccia

Tomato Grissini

Tomato grissini

Desserts +

International Cheese Selection from the Trolley

Fruit and vegetable preserves, jellies, honey, dried and fresh fruit

Seasonal Fruit and Ice Cream Sundae

Strawberry ice cream, sliced pineapple, diced strawberries, chocolate sauce, crunchy granola and whipped cream

Lemon Delight

Amalfi Coast’s heritage lemon cake, limoncello cream

Tiramisu

Mascarpone cream, ladyfinger biscuits dipped in coffee and bitter cocoa powder

Grandma’s Chocolate Cake

With layers of dulce de leche and chocolate fudge

New York Cheesecake

Strawberry compote

Plum and Apple Crumble

Vanilla ice cream

Selection of Ice Cream and Fruit Sorbets

Ask your waiter about our daily selection

Ice Cream

Ask your waiter for our daily selection

Petits Fours

Petits fours

Deliciously Healthy +

Buffalo Mozzarella Caprese

Ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt

Grilled Swordfish, Cuttlefish and a King Prawn in Salmoriglio Sauce of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Parsley and Oregano

Mixed greens and cherry tomatoes

Fresh Fruit Plate

Fresh fruit plate

To start, we tried a few different things. The caprese salad, with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and pesto, was good, but the portion was definitely on the small side. We also had the fried calamari and zucchini with marinara sauce, which was perfectly fine, but pretty standard. Nothing about it really stood out or made you stop and say wow. The Italian antipasto was a mix of cold cuts and grilled vegetables, and while it was decent, it also felt like something you could have easily assembled from the buffet.

For entrées, one of my dining companions went with the linguine alle vongole, which came with clams in a garlic white wine reduction. I was told it was very good, and it was also a nice-sized portion. Another went with the chicken parmigiana served with spaghetti marinara and steamed broccoli, and that one was a hit. The chicken was a generous portion and had been pan-fried to a crispy golden brown, which is exactly what you want from chicken parm.

As for me, I went with the veal ossobuco served with Parmesan polenta and vegetables, and this was the winner at my end of the table. It was a nice portion of veal, fork-tender, with a really flavorful sauce. I also added a side of pasta because… Italian night.

One thing that was mentioned at the table while we were eating was that MSC gets the pasta cooked perfectly every single time, and honestly, it’s true. No matter what pasta dish I’ve had on this ship, it has always come out properly al dente. That may seem like a small thing, but on a cruise ship, where pasta can so easily turn into soft, overcooked mush, it’s worth pointing out.

When dessert time rolled around, I went with the plum and apple crumble, which was just okay. There was nothing wrong with it, but there was also nothing especially memorable about it either. One of the others had the tiramisu, and that was very clearly the smarter choice because that one got the better reviews at the table and was the obvious winner.

Once dinner wrapped up, the servers gathered for a little Italian fiesta, with singing, dancing, and a conga line as they made their rounds through the dining room. It felt a little like a farewell even though we still had one more day left, but that’s all part of the show.

Overall, service was good and once again the food in the main dining room impressed. At this point, I can pretty confidently say that MSC has really stepped up its game in the MDR. If you’re still clinging to old reviews or stories from years ago about how bad the food was, at least on World America, that really hasn’t been my experience this week.

After dinner, I headed off to that previously mentioned Macallan tasting, and after that it was time to call it a night because there had been more than enough imbibing for one day.

Tomorrow we’re at Ocean Cay, so more from there.

As always, thanks for following along.

MSC World America Day 5 Daily Program

Personal Day-By-Day MSC World America Cruise Review: