Day 2 on MSC World America is being spent the way cruise ships were intended to be judged: at sea.
With no port call today as we make our way to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, this is the kind of day that really puts a ship to the test. On any ship, a sea day shows you how well the layout works, how well crowds are managed, and whether public spaces feel inviting or if everyone has lost their patience. On a ship the size of World America, it’s even more of a stress test.
As I mentioned in the Day 1 report, large ships like this are definitely not my first choice when it comes to cruising. Give me a smaller ship any day over one of these giants. Even within MSC’s own fleet, I’d take one of the Seaside Class ships in a heartbeat. You still get plenty of dining, bars, pools, and things to do, but without sharing the experience with 7,000 other people.
Since it was an absolutely beautiful day in the Caribbean, it was safe to say that just about everyone was outside. And that meant the pools were the place to be.
MSC World America Pools
On MSC World America, there isn’t just one main pool. The ship has several, and each one serves a different audience.
1. Mar Azul Pool
The big one, and of course the most popular, is the main lido pool area, known here as Mar Azul. This is the ship’s largest pool, located midship on Deck 18. It has a giant screen, around 300 loungers and seats, multiple hot tubs and it’s THE place to be for sun, music, families, and people-watching.
What makes this pool a little different is the amphitheater-style seating area at the forward end, where loungers and chairs are arranged on multiple levels facing the big screen. So whether you’re there for live music, a DJ set, or just to work on your melanoma, there’s more seating than your typical flat pool deck.
This pool is open to everyone, though guests under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult, and yes, those in diapers are not allowed.
Thank goodness.
Bar servers are constantly making the rounds to take drink orders, and if you get hungry, there’s a gelato stand along with a grab-and-go spot serving pizza, hot dogs, burgers, fries, and desserts. There’s also a nearby bar if you prefer to get your drinks yourself.
And here’s a tip: the pizza here is fantastic. Honestly, the pizza is fantastic everywhere on MSC, but grabbing a few poolside slices here is absolutely the move, especially the thicker square slices. You’re also close to the buffet if you want even more options.
Check out the video tour below of all the pools that are on Deck 18:
2. Botanic Garden Pool
Just forward of Mar Azul is the Botanic Garden Pool, an indoor pool with a retractable glass roof. When that roof is closed, MSC clearly wants this to feel like some lush indoor oasis. And it does, if your idea of a botanical garden is a humid rainforest where everyone is wearing swimsuits and sweating through their sunscreen.
Still, when the weather turns ugly, this is the place to be because it’s the ship’s only true all-weather pool. It’s smaller than Mar Azul, but there are around 60 seats and loungers around it, and upstairs you’ll find the Botanic Garden Bar along with a few games like ping pong. There’s also a hot tub here. Like the main pool, guests under 16 need to be with an adult, and again, no diapers allowed.
If you enjoy the idea of a steamy indoor pool day, this is your spot.
3. Zen Pool
If the chaos of the main pool isn’t your thing, and you’d rather have an adults-only experience, then keep walking aft on Deck 18 until you get to the Zen Pool. Actually, MSC should really call this area the Zen Pools, because there are two of them, one on the port side and one on the starboard side.
This adults-only area sits at the back of the ship and gives you a great view down to the World Promenade on Deck 8 below thanks to the ship’s open Y-shaped aft design. You have to be 18 or older to use these pools, and each one is surrounded by plenty of loungers and chairs. There’s also a smoking area nearby, easy buffet access just inside, and a bar not far away.
Despite the name, “Zen” does not mean silence. People are still socializing, talking, laughing, and having a good time. It’s just a more relaxed vibe without kids splashing around and parents yelling at them to stop running.
4. Yacht Club Pool
And of course, if you’re cruising in style in the Yacht Club, you’ve got your own private pool and sundeck up on Deck 22. The Yacht Club pool area is exclusive to Yacht Club guests and includes a pool, solarium, hot tub, cabanas, and nearby bar and lounge space. I don’t have access to it, so I can’t review it firsthand, but if you want a peek at what that area looks like, be sure to check out the videos contributor Jason took of the Yacht Club sundeck below.
So…. Was It Crowded?
Now if I’m being honest, and I always am, the busiest pool by far was Mar Azul. That was no surprise. But I will say this: every pool area I checked out, other than Yacht Club for obvious reasons, still had at least some available seating.
Was there a ton of open seating? No.
Could you find a chair if you actually looked? Yes.
Were people out there early staking claim to the best spots? Absolutely. Chair hogs remain one of cruising’s most cherished traditions, right up there with overpacking and pretending the buffet line rules don’t apply to you.
More on that in 13 seconds.
There are also other places around the ship for kids to cool off and do their thing, and I’ll get into more of the family and kids amenities in tomorrow’s report.
The Buffet: Where Civility Goes to Die
Perhaps the busiest and most crowded area of all on this sea day was the Il Mercato Buffet on Deck 18.
And this, my friends, is where manners and common courtesy go to die.
Literally.
MSC attracts a very international crowd, especially guests from across the pond, and if you’ve spent any time reading MSC reviews online, you’ve probably seen people mention how rude some passengers can be. I’m here to tell you that yes, it’s a real thing. I witnessed it myself again today. People have absolutely no problem cutting directly in front of you in line, grabbing a table you were about to sit at, or just generally acting like they are the only person on the ship who matters.
At one point, I was simply walking through and a woman cut directly in front of me, literally inches from my face. I yelled “HELLO!” right at her and she kept walking as if she had done absolutely nothing wrong.
Now I’m not trying to start some international culture war here, but a quick search about MSC will show you this is not some made-up complaint. It is one of the most common things people mention about the onboard experience, and if you want to see it on full display, go to the buffet during peak hours. Personally, I try to avoid the place when it’s busy for the sake of my blood pressure and to avoid ending up in a shouting match with someone who clearly missed the day in kindergarten when they taught how lines work.
That said, here’s a useful tip: if you want to avoid the madhouse that is Il Mercato, there’s a second buffet just above it on Deck 19 called La Brasserie & Terrace Buffet. It’s open to everyone for breakfast and lunch, though at night it becomes a restaurant for Yacht Club guests. You won’t find quite the same variety up there, but you will find a far less crowded and far less rage-inducing experience.
The Best Sea Day Spot on MSC World America
If you want my pick for the best place to be on a sea day while still being outside, it’s Deck 8’s World Promenade.
This is the outdoor heart of the ship, with dining, shopping, bars, and prime people-watching all in one spot. Along here you’ll find upscale shops, a candy and ice cream spot, quick eats like hot dogs and popcorn, Paxos the Greek restaurant with its to-go window, and the Coffee Emporium.
If you head all the way aft, you’ll come to the Sports Bar, which has both indoor and outdoor seating and serves à la carte food for lunch and dinner. It’s not included, but it is a good place to grab a beer, watch a game, or just sit outside with a great view of the ship’s wake. The seating areas all around the aft section are comfortable and surprisingly relaxing, and behind the Sports Bar is the designated smoking area.
A good chunk of my sea day was spent doing exactly what people are supposed to do on sea days: absolutely nothing. I sat outside, people-watched, soaked up the sun, and may or may not have had a cup of gelato. Allegedly.
Entertainment and the Voyagers Club Reception
On the entertainment side, one of the biggest draws this afternoon was a matinee performance of Dirty Dancing in Concert. This isn’t some quick half-hour stage show. It’s the actual full-length film shown in the theater, accompanied by live music and live performers throughout. So if you’re a fan of the movie, it’s more of an event than just a screening.
The one event I did attend this morning was the Voyagers Club reception for Diamond and Blue Diamond members. This is an invite-only event for those of us in the top tiers of MSC’s loyalty program, which I’ll be talking more about later in the week.
The reception took place at 11:00 a.m. in the Panorama Lounge, the large multi-level venue at the aft of the ship where smaller production shows are held in addition to the main theater entertainment. On the inaugural sailing last year, this event was absolutely packed with loyal MSC guests and there were barely any seats left. This time around it was much more low-key. I’d estimate maybe 100 to 150 people attended, though that’s not a reflection of how many Diamond and Blue Diamond members are onboard, just how many actually showed up.
As guests entered, the ship’s senior officers greeted everyone, which was a nice touch. Once seated, servers came around with wine, prosecco, mimosas, and Aperol spritzes, along with passed hors d’oeuvres like smoked salmon, caviar, and assorted meats.
The cruise director, the “Rev. Dr. E,” spoke for a bit, followed by the MSC Foundation representative and the future cruise rep. Entertainment was mixed in between the speeches, including music from the ship’s trio and a few routines by one of the aerialists from the entertainment cast.
At the end, the ship’s officers and captain were introduced, and two autographed ship models signed by the captain were raffled off. There were also photographers taking complimentary pictures throughout the event. All in all, it lasted about 45 minutes, and compared to the loyalty events I’ve attended on other cruise lines, it remains one of the nicer ones. MSC deserves credit here. Few cruise lines put on a loyalty event that includes both actual cocktails and decent hors d’oeuvres instead of just a speech and a glass of sparkling wine.
Gala Night, Dinner, and a Main Dining Room Surprise
When evening rolled around, it was time to make some serious decisions: where to get a drink and where to go for dinner.
The answer to the first question was the obvious one: The Gin Project, which remains my favorite place to grab a cocktail on MSC World America. At this point, I just show up, sit down, and somehow a drink magically appears in front of me. And not even the same one every time. The team there knows me from before, which is always amazing when you consider there are 6,700 people coming and going through this ship every week.
Cruise lines really need to put together some kind of master class on memory. God, I hate that overused stupid term, but seriously, we could all benefit from learning how these crew members can remember so many guests while I can barely remember whether I put underwear on or not.
Anyway, with the drink decision handled, I was sitting there sipping away when the texts started coming in from some friends who are also on this sailing.
“What are you doing for dinner?”
“I don’t know, what are you guys doing for dinner?”
“We don’t know.”
As you can imagine, this was all incredibly helpful when it came to decision-making. Clearly I needed another drink.
Since it was gala night, the main dining room and Yacht Club Restaurant were serving a gala menu, which you can see below. These menus usually feature a few dishes you won’t see repeated during the cruise, and it’s also one of those nights where people who enjoy dressing up get to do their thing and have photos taken.
MSC World America Main Dining Room Gala Dinner Menu A
Available in Bubbles Restaurant, Esagano Restaurant, Hexagon Restaurant, La Foglia Restaurant, Les Dunes Restaurant
Available on: MSC World America
MSC World America Yacht Club Restaurant Gala Dinner Menu A
Available on: MSC World America
So let’s take a quick detour into cruise line dress code land.
“Elegant night” on Carnival means some people dress up while others seem to think an armpit-stained wife beater is elegant enough for the buffet.
“Dressy night” on Holland America means hardly anyone really goes all in because every night already involves casual country club attire.
“Gala night” on Cunard means don’t even think about showing up without a tux unless you want the Queen to personally revoke your citizenship to the civilized world.
And “gala night” on MSC? I’d say more than 80% of the people onboard got the memo and actually dressed up and looked great. Very few people were seen opting out. So credit where it’s due, MSC passengers really did show up for the occasion.
Since it was gala night, we made the collective decision to head to the main dining room for our assigned 8:15 p.m. dinner.
Now, regular readers know that me and the main dining room on most cruise ships have had a very love-hate relationship since the Covid restart, and by love-hate I mean I mostly love to hate it. Across the industry, cruise lines have cut portions, trimmed menu variety, and in many cases chipped away at quality, all while nudging people toward specialty dining with an upcharge. Hell, even the main dining room menus themselves now have upcharge items on many lines.
And when it comes to food on MSC, let’s address the elephant in the room. MSC is not exactly known for having the best food at sea.
Now does that mean it’s bad? Not necessarily.
What it means is this: MSC is an Italian line with Mediterranean roots, and the food tends to lean that way. It’s often more about ingredients and natural flavors than heavy sauces, fried batter, gravy, and all the other things Americans tend to expect and, frankly, demand. When MSC first came to the U.S. market and I sailed some of their earlier U.S.-based cruises, the food really was bad. Like, really bad. Over the years though, they’ve clearly listened and have adjusted their menus on ships sailing from the U.S. to better appeal to American tastes.
They still get beaten up pretty badly in reviews and Facebook groups over the food. The one near-universal exception, of course, is the pizza, which remains in a league of its own. But is the rest of the food criticism always fair? For the most part, no. If you’re expecting fried wings at dinner or chicken fried steak smothered in gravy, you’re probably not going to find it in the main dining room. Maybe at the buffet, but not there.
So I walked into the dining room tonight knowing that a gala menu would be a good opportunity to test not just the portions, but the quality and execution to see if meaningful changes had actually been made.
Once we were seated, our server came over to take drink orders and dropped off a basket of bread. I ordered a glass of wine, and my dining companions ordered two Cokes. My wine arrived in a reasonable amount of time, maybe about ten minutes. The Cokes, however, never showed up. Not for a half hour, and only after we asked a second time. So service was off to a bit of a shaky start.
For starters, I went with the beef tartare, and that was the first surprise of the evening. The portion was generous, the flavor was excellent, and it was a definite win.
Next up was the French onion soup, and again, another winner. A large bowl of steaming hot soup, topped with gooey Gruyère and loaded with enough onions that every spoonful actually had some in it. This was exactly what French onion soup should be.
For my entrée, I went with the $20 upcharge 14-ounce bone-in New York strip, cooked medium. When it arrived, it wasn’t actually the bone-in version, but it was still a hefty steak, cooked exactly to the temperature I asked for, well seasoned, and honestly just delicious. It came with steak fries, sautéed mushrooms, and steamed vegetables, which were bland, but let’s be honest, there’s only so much you can do with steamed vegetables. The steak itself though? Another win.
My dining companions went with the filet mignon, served with whipped potatoes and asparagus. We were all expecting one of those sad little four-ounce cruise ship filets that disappears in three bites, but that wasn’t the case. This was more like an eight-ounce filet, cooked properly, and by all accounts it was very good. Another win.
Another entrée at the table was the duo of broiled lobster tail and grilled jumbo shrimp. Again, the portion was solid, with several shrimp and what looked like a standard four-ounce lobster tail. It got rave reviews, so that goes in the win column too.
The final entrée ordered was the chicken scaloppini with penne pasta. Once again, expectations were low, because on cruise ships that can sometimes mean a sad, pounded-flat piece of chicken trying its best. But no, this was actually a decent-sized piece of chicken breast, probably around four ounces, and definitely more substantial than expected. And yes, that too was another winner.
For dessert, we all went with the baked Alaska, which was a great way to end the meal on a sweet note.
Service issues with the missing Coke aside, I was honestly shocked at how good this dinner in the main dining room was. Believe me, if it had been bad, I would absolutely be telling you it was bad. But MSC really nailed it tonight. For a line I’ve criticized in the past over food quality, and for a line where I’ve definitely had some bad meals before, this felt like a genuine turnaround story.
Now, as always, keep in mind that food can vary from ship to ship. Even when cruise lines are following the same recipes, different homeports mean different provisioning, and different chefs can absolutely make a difference in how those dishes turn out.
Silent Disco and the Strange Things Humans Do on Vacation
After dinner, I wandered around the ship for a bit, first checking out the Cinesonic show in the Panorama Lounge which was standing room only and not wanting to get into all that, I ended up at what I still think is one of the most ridiculous forms of entertainment at sea: the silent disco.
Yes, I know this has become wildly popular on cruise ships, at resorts, and apparently even at birthday parties. Why? I have no idea, and I’m not even going to attempt to figure it out. It falls into the same category for me as trying to understand why so many people are obsessed with cruise trivia games.
The World Promenade was absolutely packed with people wearing headphones, dancing and singing along to music only they could hear, while the rest of us just stood there gawking and wondering what in the world was going on. It’s one of those events where my people-watching skills really get put to good use.
A Quick Note on Stateroom Service
Back in the room, everything had been tidied up, which brings up one other thing worth mentioning about MSC World America.
Here, stateroom service is still done twice daily.
That means a full service in the morning, followed by a lighter refresh in the evening. Most cruise lines have either done away with twice-daily service altogether or now only offer it on select ships or in certain cabin categories. On World America, you still get that second nightly touch-up, though it’s more of a quick refresh than a full cleaning, mainly replacing towels, emptying trash, and straightening things up.
It’s a small thing, but it’s one of those touches that frequent cruisers still appreciate.
We’re currently sailing toward our first port of call, Taino Bay in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, where World America is scheduled to arrive at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.
I’ve got a few things on my list to cover in the next report, including piggybacking off some of today’s topics with a look at the onboard areas and attractions kids will love, whether they want to stay dry or get absolutely soaked. And later in the week I’ll also have more on the Voyagers Club.
So stay tuned for that, and as always, thanks for following along.
MSC World America Day 1 Daily Program
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 06:00am – 11:30pm | MSC Today | TV Channel 8 |
| 07:00am | Sunrise Stretch | Mar Azul (Deck 18 Mid) |
| 08:30am – 10:00am | Sports: Pickleball Game (16+) | MSC Sportplex (Deck 20 Mid) |
| 09:00am – 09:45am | In-door Cycling (Charges Apply) | MSC Gym (Deck 20 Mid) |
| 09:00am – 08:00pm | Free Acupuncture Consultation | MSC Aurea Spa (Deck 8 Fwd) |
| 09:30am | Sudoku Challenge 1 | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 10:00am | Quiz O' Clock | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 10:00am | Sports: Hover Boards | MSC Sportplex (Deck 20 Mid) |
| 10:00am – 11:00am | Morning Mimosas at EFFY | Fine Jewellery (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 10:00am | Ping Pong Tournament (16+) | Botanic Garden (Deck 18 Mid) |
| 10:00am – 05:00pm | Free Foot and Posture Analysis | MSC Gym (Deck 20 Mid) |
| 10:00am – 11:00pm | Guess the Carat Weight | Fine Jewellery (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 10:30am | Dance Class: Merengue | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 10:30am | Game: Ring Toss | Mar Azul (Deck 18 Mid) |
| 10:30am | The Port & Shopping Show | World Theatre (Deck 7 Fwd) |
| 10:30am – 11:30am | Arts & Crafts: Botanical Paper Art | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 10:30am – 11:30am | Tech: VR Sign Up (13+) (Charges Apply) | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 11:00am – 11:30am | Collect your EFFY Charm of the Day! | The Loft Bar (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 11:00am | Game: Guess the Celebrity | Sweet Temptations (Deck 8 Aft) |
| 11:00am | Guess the Song: Elvis Presley | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 11:00am – 11:30am | Slot Tournament | Signature Casino (Deck 7 Aft) |
| 11:30am | Game: Pictionary | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 11:30am – 12:15pm | The Jewellers Eye: A Masterclass in Jewellery Craftsmanship | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 11:30am – 01:30pm | Free Skin Analysis & Massage Tester | MSC Aurea Spa (Deck 8 Fwd) |
| 12:00pm | Corn Hole Tournament (16+) | World Promenade (Deck 8 Aft) |
| 12:00pm | #MSCKids: Guinness World Record Family Quiz | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 12:00pm – 02:00pm | Open-Hour-Only: EFFY Shopping Spree | Fine Jewellery (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 12:15pm – 01:00pm | Line Dancing with Dr. E | Mar Azul (Deck 18 Mid) |
| 12:30pm | Solo Travellers Cocktail Party | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 12:30pm – 01:30pm | Blackjack Tournament | Signature Casino (Deck 7 Aft) |
| 12:30pm | Future Cruise Destination Talk | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 12:45pm | Corn Hole Free Play | World Promenade (Deck 8 Aft) |
| 01:00pm | Matinee: Dirty Dancing - In Concert | World Theatre (Deck 7 Fwd) |
| 02:00pm | Free Tanzanite Studs Voucher and Charm at the Diamond & Gemstone Seminar with Mick | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 02:00pm | #MSCKids: MasterChef@Sea Juniors | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 03:00pm | Game: Digital Scavenger Hunt | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 03:30pm | Guess the Song: Revival | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 03:30pm | Win it in a minute! | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 03:30pm – 04:30pm | Bingo Ticket Sales | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 04:00pm | Quiz O' Clock | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 04:00pm | Veterans Get Together | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 04:00pm – 04:45pm | HIIT - Functional Training (Charges Apply) | MSC Gym (Deck 20 Mid) |
| 04:00pm | Ping Pong Tournament (16+) | Botanic Garden (Deck 18 Mid) |
| 04:30pm | Guess the Song: Sounds of Soul | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 04:30pm | Mega Bingo | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 05:00pm | Friends of Bill W (unhosted) | Business Center 2 (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 05:15pm | Basketball Game (16+) | MSC Sportplex (Deck 20 Mid) |
| 06:00pm – 07:00pm | Hospitality Desk - ITA, FRA, ESP | World Galleria (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 06:00pm | Solo Travellers Get Together | Champagne Bar (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 06:30pm | Collect your Puerto Plata Map & VIP Cards with Mick | Port Shopping Desk (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 07:30pm | Dance Class: Rumba Bolero | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 07:30pm | Theater Show: Dirty Dancing - The Celebration | World Theatre (Deck 7 Fwd) |
| 08:00pm | Show: Cinesonic | Panorama Lounge (Deck 7 Aft) |
| 08:00pm – 10:00pm | DJ Music Vibes | Elixir Bar (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 08:15pm | Captain’s Presentation | World Galleria (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 08:15pm – 08:45pm | Shuffle Board Tournament | All-Stars Sports Bar (Deck 8 Aft) |
| 08:15pm | #MSCKids: Cabin 12006 The Secret Game | The Studio (Deck 19 Mid) |
| 08:15pm | Comedy Show (18+) | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 08:30pm | Photo with The Captain | World Galleria (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 08:30pm – 09:30pm | EFFY Ladies Night Sip & Shop | Fine Jewellery (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 09:00pm | LGBTQIA+ Get Together | Elixir Bar (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 09:30pm | Dance Class: Tango Argentino | Dolce Vita Bar (Deck 6 Mid) |
| 09:30pm | Theater Show: Dirty Dancing - The Celebration | World Theatre (Deck 7 Fwd) |
| 09:30pm | Movie Time: Wicked | Mar Azul (Deck 18 Mid) |
| 09:45pm | Comedy Show (18+) | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 09:45pm | Silent Disco: Headphones Distribution (18+) | World Promenade (Deck 8 Aft) |
| 10:00pm | Show: Cinesonic | Panorama Lounge (Deck 7 Aft) |
| 10:15pm | #MSCKids: Music Game | The Studio (Deck 19 Mid) |
| 10:15pm | Silent Disco (18+) | World Promenade (Deck 8 Aft) |
| 10:15pm | Party: The Social | MSC Luna Park (Deck 6 Fwd) |
| 10:30pm – 01:15am | Dueling Pianos (18+) | The Loft (Deck 8 Mid) |
| 10:45pm | Night Club After Dark with DJ (18+) | Panorama Lounge (Deck 7 Aft) |
| 11:15pm | #MSCTeensLife: Caravaggio | The Studio (Deck 19 Mid) |
| 11:30pm | Paradise Lotto | Signature Casino (Deck 7 Aft) |