It’s time for our final stop on this 7-day cruise aboard the MSC Seashore, and today we’re visiting Cozumel, Mexico. The ship docked around 7:30 a.m., and the all-clear to go ashore was given shortly after. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. Thunderstorms hovered over the island for most of the morning, bringing plenty of lightning, thunder, and scattered rain. It wasn’t until around lunchtime that things finally started to clear up.
Obviously, if there’s lightning in the area, the last place you want to be is in or around a pool or the ocean. But if it’s just rain or a slight chill in the air, MSC Seashore’s Jungle Pool (clearly inspired by Elvis’s jungle room at Graceland) has you covered—literally. This pool has a retractable roof that slides closed when the weather turns bad, allowing guests to keep swimming without getting drenched (well… from the rain, anyway). The only downside? With that roof closed, the space can quickly turn into a bit of a tropical steam room.
MSC Seashore Jungle Pool
The Jungle Pool, located on Deck 16, is a multi-level indoor/outdoor area featuring a decent-sized pool, hot tubs, a full-service bar, and a gelato stand on the lower level. Up on Deck 18 (more on that numbering in a second), you’ll find a second-level lounge space with additional seating and some fun distractions like pool, foosball, and shuffleboard. It’s a great area to hang out when the weather isn’t cooperating—or even when it is.
Now, here’s a little quirky detail for those who noticed a jump in deck numbers. You might be thinking, “Scott, Decks 16 and 18 are two levels apart. Where’s Deck 17?” Good question. MSC, being an Italian cruise line, skips Deck 17 on many of its ships due to superstition. In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky—similar to how many buildings skip the 13th floor. Why? In Roman numerals, 17 is written as XVII. When rearranged, those letters can spell “VIXI,” which translates from Latin to “I have lived”—a phrase associated with death. Not exactly the kind of vibe you want while you’re trying to enjoy a week of margaritas and sunshine. Some MSC ships even skip both Decks 13 and 17 for this reason. So no, you’re not missing anything—it’s just some useless tidbit for those nights when you’re trying to stump someone at the VFW’s trivia night.
Back to the pools. The Jungle Pool is conveniently located just steps from the Marketplace Buffet, which means you can throw on a cover-up, grab a quick bite to eat, and jump right back in—even if Mother Nature is in one of her moods.
MSC Seashore Long Island Pool
If you’re more of a sun-and-open-deck kind of person, MSC Seashore has you covered there too. Up on Deck 18 you’ll find the Long Island Pool—the largest pool on the ship. It’s got plenty of loungers, a pool bar, a soft-serve ice cream stand (open specific hours, and it’s not self-service), hot tubs, and a giant LED screen that shows movies. It’s usually packed with families, but even on a sea day, it wasn’t hard to find an available lounge chair.
MSC Seashore Infinity Pool
If you’re looking for something kid-free, head to the Infinity Pool all the way aft on Deck 8. This adults-only area offers awesome ocean views, a somewhat quieter atmosphere, and—you guessed it—its own bar and hot tubs. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and watch the ship’s wake and take some selfies at sunset.
For guests staying in the exclusive Yacht Club, there’s yet another pool located on Deck 20, along with a private bar and grill. This area is reserved only for Yacht Club members, and it’s all about elevated service, peace, and privacy.
Pirates Cove on MSC Seashore
Now, if splash pads, water slides, and enormous buckets of water dumping on your head are more your (or your kids’) style, then Pirate’s Cove is the place to be. This – you guessed it – pirate-themed splash zone is designed for families and can be chaotic at times. That said, the area can feel a bit cramped—especially when several large family groups take over. Even just walking through Pirate’s Cove on a sea day can feel like you’re dodging a minefield of running kids and rogue water cannons. Trust me, I got soaked just walking thru this area.
Exploring Cozumel, Mexico
Once the weather cleared, I decided to head out for a bit of wandering around Cozumel. Depending on the cruise line you’re sailing with, there are three different terminals where ships can dock in Cozumel, with MSC using what I consider the “best” — Punta Langosta, which sits right in downtown San Miguel. It’s the only terminal that’s within walking distance of the town square — just few minutes walk away, and you’re in the main shopping district that’s full of shops, restaurants, bars, and local food joints.
This terminal is perfect for those who want to explore Cozumel on their own without needing a taxi or booking an excursion. Punta Langosta has a two-level attached shopping area with stores, restaurants, and of course, the obligatory duty-free shop – which you can skip on the way out, but have to go through to get back to the ship. There’s also a movie theater and, naturally, a Señor Frog’s right next door. Cruise lines that typically use this terminal include Norwegian, Disney, and MSC.
If you head left out of the terminal, you’ll run smack into plenty of shops and larger outdoor areas like Plaza del Sol, which is full of local stores, restaurants, and a big park if you’re just looking to sit, relax, and people-watch.
Take a right, and while you won’t find the larger shopping plazas, you will find a more local vibe — smaller shops, casual restaurants, and laid-back bars that are great for an authentic, less touristy experience.
About three miles south of town are the other two terminals: Puerta Maya and the International Cruise Terminal. Puerta Maya is Carnival Corporation’s main terminal in Cozumel, so you’ll find ships from Carnival, Princess, Costa, Holland America, and other brands under their umbrella docking there. It’s the busiest terminal, with an open-air shopping area full of local souvenirs, restaurants, plenty of “pharmacias,” and one of the more popular spots to grab a bite — Pancho’s Backyard. It’s also close to many of the popular beach clubs, like Mr. Sanchos, where you can buy a day pass for unlimited food, drinks, and loungers.
Just a short stroll away, in the middle of Punta Langosta and Puerta Maya, is the International Cruise Terminal, which is primarily used by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. This one’s much smaller and offers limited shopping and dining options, so you will definitely need to venture outside the terminal for more things to do.
No matter which pier your ship docks at, there are plenty of taxis available, lots of excursions to book, or you can simply wander around on your own. The area is generally considered safe as long as you don’t venture outside the tourist area. Merchants along the main streets can be a bit pushy, especially when trying to lure you into one of the pharmacies. Just smile, say “no gracias,” and keep moving.
First-Time Tips for Visiting Cozumel:
- Don’t forget sunscreen, even on cloudy days. The sun can sneak up on you fast.
- If you’re paying in U.S. dollars, know that you’ll often get change back in pesos, especially if you’re at a mom-and-pop place. Credit card charges may also be in pesos which your bank will convert to USD.
- Be ready to haggle a little in souvenir shops. It’s part of the experience.
- Bring water shoes if you plan to hit the beach — some areas are rocky.
- Download offline maps or grab a paper map in port if you plan to explore without a guide
Excursion Highlights (Besides the Usual)
If you’re cruising to Cozumel and wondering what kind of shore excursions are available, MSC has no shortage of options. One of the most popular is the Cozumel Highlights & Shopping tour, which takes you to tequila hacienda to learn about the production process (and yes, there are samples), then head to San Gervasio, the largest Mayan ruins site on the island. The tour wraps up with some free time in downtown San Miguel for shopping.
For beach lovers, the Passion Island Beach Break is a favorite. You’ll take a boat ride to this private island and, once there, enjoy an open bar, all-you-can-eat buffet, and the option to swim, kayak, or just kick back in a hammock.
If you’re into the wildlife side of things, check out the Cozumel Pearl Farm excursion. This tour takes you by boat to a remote stretch of beach where you’ll visit a working pearl farm, snorkel around the oyster beds, and learn about how they farm pearls in the Caribbean.
I spent most of my time just wandering around downtown and made a stop at a favorite crew hangout where many from the Seashore were having a few drinks and bites — No Name Bar. This little hole-in-the-wall spot offers cheap drinks, a great location right on the beach, and a full menu of local eats.
The walls of the bar are covered in thousands of crew name tags, and even if you’re not crew, the staff treats you like part of the family. While they accept U.S. cash and credit cards, prices are listed in Mexican pesos, so just keep that in mind when you’re ordering, and like I said before, this is pretty common at most places around town.
After a few beers and some delicious bites, it was time to head back to the ship, as all aboard was set for 4:30 p.m.
Main Dining Room Dinner Menu
Yacht Club Restaurant Dinner Menu
Dinner at Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse
The other day I talked about MSC’s loyalty program, the Voyagers Club, and some of the perks. For me, being a Diamond-level member I get one complimentary dinner in a specialty restaurant for me and one additional guest in the same stateroom who isn’t Diamond or Blue Diamond status themselves. It’s one of those perks that feels genuinely generous, as opposed to say something like a keychain, discount off merch, etc… after all, who doesn’t love dinner in one of the speciality restaurants?
For this evening’s dinner, I decided to cash in on that benefit at Butcher’s Cut, MSC’s signature American-style steakhouse. The house of meat has a $55 fixed-price menu that includes an appetizer, entrée, two sides, and dessert. There are a few premium items available for an upcharge — but honestly, the base menu has more than enough to choose from. If you’re a meat lover, this is your spot.
Butcher’s Cut Menu
To kick things off, I went with a Wagyu beef tartare (a $20 upcharge item — because I never turn down tartare) and a shrimp cocktail. The tartare was served with crispy crostini, while the shrimp cocktail was served with cocktail and louis sauce.
For the main event, I opted for the blackened ribeye. It was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and seasoned beautifully, with just the right amount of char and spice from the blackening. Alongside it came a loaded baked potato and a side of very garlicky broccolini. The roasted garlic that is served alongside the steak spreads like butter and added the perfect punch of flavor — so much so, I asked for another one,.
I wrapped up the meal with three scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Someone Come Get Aubela
After dinner, I stopped at the atrium to catch the evening’s entertainment: Fiesta Latina. While MSC always brings the energy to their themed nights, a group of abuelas pulled out their own instruments — tambourines, maracas, some scratchy thing — and decided to join the band from the sidelines. While it was interesting, some of the guests trying to actually hear the band weren’t exactly thrilled with the off-key amateur musicians.
Just your typical night on a cruise ship. Nothing to see here.
I rounded out the night with a quick stop in the casino. Again, Lady Luck was not with me — unless you count donating to the ship’s maintenance fund as a form of charitable giving.
With one final sea day ahead as we make our way back to Port Canaveral, I headed back to my stateroom. It’s always a little bittersweet when the last day arrives, but there’s still one more opportunity to enjoy a few more cocktails, some good food, and reflect on the week.
Tomorrow’s recap will be the big one — my final thoughts and overall review of the MSC Seashore, from food to service, entertainment, and everything in between. If you’ve been following along, thank you! Be sure to check back for the wrap-up — especially if you’re considering sailing this ship (or class) for yourself.
Daily Planner for Day 6
