Today is our first port of call on this 7-day inaugural cruise through the Eastern Caribbean on the MSC World America. We arrived at the Taino Bay cruise port in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic around 9 a.m., and guests were given the all-clear shortly thereafter.
Many tend to confuse Puerto Plata with Amber Cove, so let’s tackle that first. Amber Cove is a private destination built by Carnival Corporation and is only for ships within their brand portfolio—Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, etc. Many cruise websites list this stop as “Puerto Plata/Amber Cove,” which may lead some to think they’re going to one or the other—when they’re not.
Simply put, if you’re not on a Carnival brand, you’re heading to the Taino Bay cruise terminal, which is owned and managed by the Dominican government and is used by MSC, Norwegian, and other major cruise lines.
For those looking to just get off the ship and spend the day ashore, you don’t have to leave the port to make a day of it. Taino Bay is one of the newer, nicer ports in the Caribbean and is chock full of stores, bars, and places to grab a bite to eat. But the biggest attraction is the lazy river and the “beach” area where you can grab a lounger and just hang out in the sun all day—for free!
If you’re looking to venture outside the port area, there are some walkable attractions nearby including Fort San Felipe, which dates back to the 14th century, Umbrella Street (always good for that Instagrammable photo), and plenty of small streets lined with shops in the immediate vicinity.
Now, while it’s pretty safe around the area—and is home to many Americans and Canadians—the locals are very, very pushy. Once you exit the gate of the port, you’ll be harassed to the breaking point by taxi drivers and people offering walking tours under the guise of being part of the local tourism board. These folks are, in fact, working for themselves, as things like this aren’t regulated in the DR. So be sure to use caution, ask what they’re going to charge you up front and make them stick to it—or just be firm if they get too pushy.
But like I said, if you’re not interested in doing much outside the port, you can definitely fill your day just by hanging out and taking advantage of the amenities offered at the port itself.
Video Tour of Tanio Bay Cruise Port, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Here’s a short video I did a few months ago walking around the Tanio Bay cruise port when I was visiting on another cruise.
Since this was the maiden call to this port for the MSC World America, there were dignitaries brought onboard the ship for the ceremonial plaque exchange and ship tours.
When I arrived back in my room, there was a nice plate of small desserts, dark chocolate, and a bottle of champagne waiting for me—one of the gifts given to MSC Voyagers Club members (the line’s loyalty program) who have reached Diamond status.
Departure from Puerto Plata… and a reminder!
All aboard time for today was 4:30 p.m., and after a few guests’ names were called over the ship’s public address system a few times, everyone was accounted for and we departed shortly after 5 p.m.
If you don’t want to be left behind, make sure you are back onboard at the appropriate time. Keep your watch and phone on ship time and verify that before you head ashore. Depending on the cruise line, some will remain on the time zone of the port you departed from for the duration of the trip, while others will adjust from time zone to time zone as needed.
With our smart devices tracking our location continually, clocks automatically adjust, and you could be caught off guard—thinking that 4:30 p.m. on your phone is fine, but you just realized the ship is sailing away because it’s actually 5:30 p.m. ship time!
If by chance you do get left behind, the crew will make an attempt to locate your passport (if it’s in your room) and bring it ashore. It will then be up to you to meet with the port agent to make arrangements to catch up with the ship at its next port of call—or fly back home. Of course, this is all on your dime!
Ships have a schedule to keep, and they’re not going to wait for you.
Big Winner in the MSC World America’s Casino!
As we rolled into the evening, I started the night off by heading over to the casino to try my luck. As soon as I sat down, I remembered that I left my cashout ticket back in the room. It’s odd to be on a ship where, when you cash out a machine, you’re given a paper ticket like at a land-based casino. Usually, cruise lines just deposit your “cashout” into your casino bank, and you’re good to go. When you move on to your next machine, you just withdraw from your bank—eliminating the need for a ticket.
I played a few hundred through one machine and didn’t have much luck, so I moved over to the machine to my left. A few minutes later, a woman sits down at the machine I had just left, starts playing a few $10 spins, and hits a bonus which results in her winning a jackpot just shy of $14k.
Of course, she was super excited and said she won $7,500 the night before!
I’m just happy with a few hundred-dollar wins—which clearly weren’t happening for me during the three nights onboard so far!
MSC does have a casino program, like other lines do. However, theirs is a bit different. You earn points based on your slot and table game play. Your points accumulate to the point where you “win” a free cruise. This free cruise is given to you as a certificate during your current sailing, and the accommodations depend on the number of points you’ve earned. Points do not carry over from cruise to cruise. For a more detailed look at MSC’s casino program, check out my Ultimate Guide to MSC Cruises’ Casino Program.
MSC World America Casino Tour
Want to see what the casino is like on MSC World America? Check out the video below where I walk you through both the smoking and non-smoking casino and point out some of the slots and table games.
Dinner at Eataly on MSC World America
For dinner tonight, I had a reservation at Eataly. The famous Italian restaurant and market has opened what’s being billed as “the first Eataly at sea” onboard MSC World America. As I previously noted, MSC has had a version of Eataly before—including onboard the MSC Divina. Back then, it consisted of a steakhouse and a separate Italian restaurant.
The marketing folks at MSC and Eataly may want to forget that short bit of long-forgotten history and focus on the new by building this up as “the first at sea,” but the memory lives on in the windmills of my mind!
After a few delicious bespoke G&Ts at The Gin Project, it was off to my 8 p.m. reservation. The restaurant itself is bright, small, and features an open kitchen, like Butcher’s Cut, to watch the chefs working their magic! The restaurant was quite full, but service was impeccable throughout the evening.
There’s even a hydroponic wall where herbs and greens are grown to use on some dishes.
Dinner at Eataly is $55 per person and includes a starter, pasta or entrée, and dessert. Additional pasta or entrées are extra, and there are some upcharge items on the menu such as the Prosciutto and Parmesan—which I’ll dig into in a second.
You can also purchase dining packages onboard that offer a number of specialty dining experiences at a discounted price. I purchased the four-dinner package, which includes one night at the Butcher’s Cut steakhouse and the choice of three other specialty restaurants for $179.
I started out with the Il Tonno—bigeye tuna tartare served with a lemon vinaigrette and avocado. This was followed by Le Stagionature—a selection of three different Parmigiano Reggiano (12-month, 24-month, and 36-month aged), along with a good amount of prosciutto. This was one of the upcharge items and cost an additional $20. Both of these were excellent!
I then went with a pasta course, which fell into the category of “extra pasta or entrée” and came with an $8 charge—but it was well worth it! The Le Tagliatelle al Ragu was a perfectly cooked al dente homemade tagliatelle pasta with a rich and oh-so-delicious Bolognese sauce that was to die for.
For the main entrée, I went with my server’s recommendation—Il Brasato Al Barolo, a boneless short rib served over a potato purée. It was fork-tender and accompanied by a nice sauce, but would have been much better if served over a bed of risotto instead of mashed potatoes.
When it came time for dessert—which I was truly going to skip—I went with the Il Tortino di Eataly, a chocolate and hazelnut mousse cake that made for a perfect ending along with a glass of Fernet Branca.
Overall, dinner at Eataly was fantastic. Service was excellent and unrushed, courses were perfectly paced, and my bird’s-eye view of the open kitchen provided plenty of entertainment as I watched the team crank out all this delicious food.
After dinner, I decided to return to the casino, and once again, Lady Luck was not on my side. So I headed outside to walk about the World Promenade, and lo and behold—it started to rain. So at that point, I decided to call it a night and head back to the room to get some sleep.
We’re currently sailing to MSC World America’s next maiden call: San Juan. Our arrival time is scheduled for 9 a.m., and we’re not departing until 11 p.m., so we have a long day in one of my favorite places. I’ll be doing a lot of wandering around and enjoying the day and early evening in Puerto Rico.
Thanks for following along—more tomorrow from the inaugural cruise of the MSC World America!
MSC World America Day 3 Daily Program
Click here for the entire version as a PDF.
