When we are asked, or we ask our clients about travel insurance we always suggest getting it. I recommend not using the cruise line insurance but purchasing it through us through our Tin Leg insurance link so that all your vacation is covered from the time you leave home until you arrive back at home not just on the cruise. This trip was a great example of the delays we had with our airline and thankfully we did not miss any of our trip.
We also always tell people if you need to fly to get to your cruise then fly the day before because you never know with the airlines and delays. On Saturday morning June 3 I flew from St. Louis, MO through Charlotte, NC into Asheville, NC with no problems to meet up with my wife so we could fly to Ft. Lauderdale, FL together. On our arrival at Asheville airport later that day our flight with Allegiant airlines was delayed for quite a while. In fear of them canceling the flight all together we kindly asked for a refund of that leg back to us because of this delay. Their customer service was great and granted us the full amount back due to our circumstances. We then rebooked with American Airlines for our flight down to Ft. Lauderdale but instead of a direct flight we now had to stop back in Charlotte first. Shortly after we checked in for that and went back to the terminal that flight was delayed. This delay was not because of weather or mechanical issues, it was because the flight crew that was on the plane did not want to go back to Charlotte, so they checked out. They then called in the standby crew which declined the flight as they didn’t want to go to Charlotte. They then called a crew that was scheduled off to fly us down there. At this point we were still going to make our connector, however, when we landed in Charlotte a storm moved in causing a delay and then with lightning in the area, we were then placed on a ground stoppage for all flight traffic.
Once we were air born, we landed in Ft. Lauderdale around 3 am and finally checked into our hotel around 4 am in Miami. Thankfully, I had already checked in through the Marriott app and already had our room number. With a check-in for the cruise set for 12 pm we were able to get some sleep. Prior to going to sleep I had scheduled an Uber ride to pick us up at 1130 am and take us to the port which was about 10 min from us. If you are planning on an uber ride I suggest using the reservation system of it and having it set up so that you are not competing with thousands of other guests looking for rides to the port at the same time.
Our Uber picked us up on time and dropped us off right about 1140 am. We handed the porter at the drop off point our luggage with our room tags affixed to them. Tipping this person is optional but we always tip them as they do not see any of your gratuities if you have prepaid them on the cruise. At approximately 11:45 am we walked through the doors to check into the port terminal. At about 12:30 pm we were on the ship and starting our cruise.
For this cruise if you were cruising on MSC Seascape it was docked at terminal C. The parking garage is directly across from the end of the terminal building. When walking across to the terminal they have separate entrances pending which deck your room is located on. This also speeds up the process of getting checked in and through the TSA area.
Be patient and courteous and your embarkation process will be much smoother. You have thousands of people embarking and starting their vacation as well. They come from all walks of life so please be patient through the process. If you have not already done so while waiting download the MSC for ME app to your phone. On board you will be able use the chat feature of this to chat with other members of your party. Once on board you will connect your Wi-Fi to the MSC Seascape hotspot.
You will enter the ship on deck 5 in the main area where you will be greeted by many people to help you with all your cruise questions and onboard bookings. If you have not already done so and would like to book excursions, you can do that at this time. If you would like some specialty dining options visit them and get those booked as well. As well as all other onboard things you might need such as pictures or setting up your Wi-Fi. When dealing with the Wi-Fi it is somewhat tricky at times initially. I had problems with mine but simply went to the digital services desk they pulled up my room to verify we had it and they went into the phone changed some settings with the Wi-Fi IP address and we have had no problem since turning it on. Please remember to always keep your phone in airplane mode to avoid data and cell charges internationally while cruising. Because we have a lot of clients on this ship throughout the remainder of this year, we decided to purchase a specialty dining package at this time to experience that for reviews and questions.
You do have access to your room so you can go get settled in there, but your luggage might not get dropped off prior to you arriving to your room. I think our luggage didn’t arrive at our room until after 4 pm. You will have received your sail card at the terminal when you checked in. That card is your everything on the ship in regard to getting in your room and making purchases. On your card you will see your assembly area. Ours was Assembly C. This is where you will go should an emergency occur. Watch the video on your tv in your room once you make it to your room. You will then need to call a number that is displayed on the tv to check in and advise that you have watched the safety video. Because we had a 6 pm departure we had a mandatory muster station check in at 5 pm. This is your assembly area. You must go there to their meeting, and they will scan your card to show that you went to your muster station. These two things are a must for everybody, or the ship cannot and will not leave port. Watch the video in your room, call the number to check in, then go to the muster station to have your card scanned.
On day one of our cruise, as we do with most ships that we have not been on, we spent a couple hours just exploring and figuring out the best way to get to where we will want to go and get there the easiest. For instance, we were located on deck 10 at the front of the ship. The elevator was close by and because there was 5400 people on board this ship, we at times found it easier to go all the way to the top floor walk to the back and then go down to the marketplace if we wanted something to eat between meals or to get to that area in general. Because we had the Aurea package room, we were able to go up to the 19th floor which is the yacht club suites but from there we could walk out to the solarium which is reserved for Aurea and yacht club members only and we would then walk across that deck to the back of the ship as there were always very few people up there. This is just one of many short cuts we found. The other convenience we found was that our elevator if we got on it and went down to floor seven, we got off and immediately walked into the casino. Another place we are always at on ship. Explore the ship and find the locations you will want to be able to easily get to.
We did not attend any special sail away party as we seldom ever do as we immediately dived into the relaxation aspect of our trip with either a massage or a nice specialty restaurant dinner. This cruise we purchased the specialty dining 4 pack to experience those restaurants and provide feedback to some of your questions. We decided the Butchers Cut steak house would be first up on our list for the cruise, so we enjoyed sitting outside on the deck and eating while we pulled away from the dock and worked our way through the channel out into the Atlantic. I had the Filet Minion medium well and it was fabulous. I could almost cut it with a fork only through the entirety of the steak. It was moist through and through and no steak sauce was needed. This was enjoyed with a smoked mashed potato and preceded with a Cesar salad and followed by an ice cream dish. The dinner was great and to me well worth the cost. We then spent the rest of the evening in the casino and at different bar locations listening to music and having some drinks.
On day two we were in Ocean Cay which is a beautiful private island for MSC in the Bahamas. We grabbed breakfast in the marketplace buffet that morning then got ready to get off the ship and do some swimming. On the island if you have the Wi-Fi package on board it will also work on the island. You will just need to switch your Wi-Fi connection to the island hotspot instead of the ships. If you have the drink package on the ship it will also work on the island at the bar for your drinks, there. The water is super clear and if you have goggles you can easily see the fish while under water. It is very easy to come and go on the ship with your sail card as you are the only ship there when you are in port. They also have a few small shops there. The theme for the evening was Tropical dress. We did eat at the Japanese restaurant on board this evening. Things to note that if you are expecting the traditional Hibachi style, we normally go to in the states this is not that and we were disappointed in that aspect. While they do cook on the grill in front of you and put on a show and the cook was funny it was not what we expected. They do not have yum-yum sauce or shrimp sauce, It is served with a lot of sushi and the soup is not the regular clear soup.
On day three we were at sea all day where we left Ocean Cay the previous day and continued southeast along the Cuban coast through the Old Bahamas Channel where we then turned to the southwest towards Jamaica where we would be on Day four. The dress for the evening was Elegant. This is the night you can get your picture with the captain. While we didn’t attend this, we did get our picture with Captain Stefano Aiello during our welcome back cocktail party with him the first night. We explored the ship more on this day and there are a lot of cool places on the ship so be sure and just walk around and explore. If you’re looking for bars they are located everywhere, pools and jacuzzies everywhere, and the slides on both sides both open and enclosed, and they also have one you use a tube to go down. Be sure to check out the infinity bridge at the aft of the ship on the top deck.
On day four we were in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We did not book any excursions and if we could do it over, we would have because the port itself is not what we expected. If you are going to just get off the ship and walk around to shop, be prepared to be constantly hounded to purchase things from everybody on the street from a taxi ride to marijuana. Highly suggest booking an excursion on the cruise line. Be very cautious in this port if you are doing your own thing. We spoke with a couple that evening that did their own thing and caught a taxi ride to take them to a specific place and when they got down the road, they pulled off into a gas station and he asked them to get out and tried to get them to get into another vehicle. Again, book something through the cruise line so you know you are safe, and it is credible. We walked around very briefly and got back on the ship and enjoyed the pools to ourselves. The dress for the night was 70’s & 80’s.
On day five we were in George Town, Cayman Islands and by far is our favorite port of all the cruises we have been on. In this port you will need to get on a tender boat to be brought into the port dock. They had 5 of these boats going at a time so it was a constant move to and from the port docks but be patient as it does take some time to load that many people. There are two ways to disembark at this port. You can go to the sports bar on deck 8 beginning at 630 am that morning and pick up a tender ticket. Only one person will need to go and can pick up a ticket for each person, but each person will need a ticket. You will then wait on Decks 5,6,7 in the lounges for your number to be called or you can also wait on decks 16 & 18. I suggest finding an area that has the tv’s where it shows the numbers being called. The cruise director does not do a great job calling the numbers in conjunction with what is on the screen. Once you hear your number you will go to the Cala Jondal Restaurant on Deck 6 to disembark. Make sure you have your sail card and ID as they will scan you off the boat and you will need it to get back on. If you have an excursion, you will not need a tender ticket as you will go ashore with your group. The first tender to shore starts at 7:30 am and that last tender back to the ship is at 2:15 pm. You can very easily walk around the port and shop without being confronted or bothered to purchase items or go places. We didn’t book an excursion here as we wanted to hit the shops based on what we were told about the port and it did not disappoint. I was able to pick up two specific watches I was looking for at a cheaper price and no taxes. Marsha was also able to pick up a new bracelet. Dress for the night is casual.
On day six we were in Cozumel, Mexico. Once you get off the ship there are shops immediately in that area that you can safely shop at before you leave the gates. Once you leave the gates, please make sure you are with people and not walking around by yourself. We booked an excursion here and it was one that we have been wanting to do for a long time. We booked it the night before using casino winnings to pay for it. We went to Dolphin Discovery and swam with dolphins and interacted with the manatees. We did the VIP experience, so we had a very small group of 8 people, and we were swimming with the dolphins for what seemed like four hours. It was so much fun. We then got to interact with the manatees and hand feed them while in the water with them. They feel very weird with rough skin like elephants on top and soft on their underside. We also had free buffet lunch and open bar while we were there. Dress for the night was White. We ate at the Ocean Cay restaurant this evening to experience their sea food. It was not what we were expecting so we upgraded the main course to a lobster tail. If you like to experience different seafood, then this is a great choice.
On day seven we were at sea all day headed back towards Miami where unfortunately this cruise will be coming to an end but if you can’t wait for your next one reach out to us and we can get you booked on your next cruise of memories. We currently have 6 or 7 already in the books for the remainder of this year and next year. If you would like to be on any of those with us let us know and we can get you a quote. We also have just booked the first cruise of the new MSC World America to set sail in April of 2025. If you would like to be part of that let us know as we would like to have a big group of friends and family with us to enjoy it. We will be able to get some special discount rates for the group but need at least eight rooms to start that group. We currently are at two. This cruise is selling out fast, so we need to get the deposits down on them. Looking to block off twenty rooms. Let us know!
The dress for this evening is casual and we went to the Holas! Tacos & Cantina for dinner as this was the final dinner of the four-pack specialty dining package that we had purchased. If you like Mexican food, then this is a great choice. If you don’t purchase it as part of the package it is also a very cheap add on dinner for the cruise. To see all our photos we took on vacation click here.
Since we disembark tomorrow morning, we have our luggage all packed and tags on our bags which need to be placed outside our door by 9 pm tonight. We normally just take them with us, but we need to be out of our room by 7 am and are going to go to breakfast which we don’t want to be dragging them around. We have booked transportation on the cruise to take us back to Ft. Lauderdale airport so we will meet at 8 am with that group to disembark at 815 am. At that time when we get down into the terminal, we will claim our bags and head to the bus that is taking us to the airport.
Tips:
Food – When going to the Market Place Buffet for food most people go to the first section and get their food, so it is extremely crowded with long lines and very hard to find a table to sit at. I suggest walking through the entire area prior to wanting to get food to just get the layout. There are multiple sections and most have the same food selections and some are different. We mostly went straight to the back section where on the port side they have some taco style selections and on the starboard side they had sandwich and sub area as well as plenty of other hot meal items from chicken to Italian pasta. The kids only buffet section is on the port side very front section and clearly marked. There is a bar area here where you can get a drink or at each table is a call button and you can press that, and they will take a drink order for you. The ending time of day you go in there plays a factor in the speed of getting your drink. We usually stopped at a bar on the way in and got one. Breakfast here is very crowded, we stopped going there after day two and started going to the Green Wave restaurant on deck 5 aft where we could sit down and order a hot breakfast at no charge. You can also grab lunch there as well if you don’t want to go to the buffet. The main dining room for your evening meal always had great food and even had surf n turf one night with lobster tail. As always if you don’t like what is in there or you didn’t get enough you can stop by the buffet and grab something.
Bars – there are plenty of bars throughout the ship and the speed of them depends on location and time of day. We found that the Top19 bar that we had access to in the solarium was a good location for us as it was never crowded, and we talked to some great people and got to know them up there as we could sit and carry on a conversation without being drowned out with music. I was even able to do some networking and share some industry experience and knowledge for possible future collaboration with some business owners and a TV producer. Another bar we found to make good drinks was the cocktail bar on deck 8 aft across from the Japanese restaurant.
Elevators – plenty of elevators but again depending on the time of day and what is going on and where you are on the ship there could be a wait time of up to 2 or 3 minutes. The elevators are in groups of 8 per section. There will be 4 on the port side and 4 on starboard side of that area with stairs as well with them. You will select your desired floor on the panel outside the elevator and it will tell you which one A, B, C, D to get on and will also tell you how long your wait is. We see anywhere from 10 sec to 3 minutes. Once on the elevator you don’t need to push anything, it tells you what floors it is stopping at.
I hope this has helped all of you who are about to embark on the MSC Seascape out of Miami. I have posted many pics and videos to my personal Facebook page in which you can follow me to see them. Should you have any questions that are not addressed here feel free to reach out.
Key People for us – We had 3 key people for us that we dealt with multiple times throughout the day. Unfortunately for most of you our room attendant Hermoso is no longer on the Seascape. He disembarked at the same time for us as his contract was up for this term and he was headed back home to be with his family for a couple months before he reports to the Meraviglia out of New York for his next contract. He was fantastic from the time we were introduced to each other through the time we were headed to our room for the final time Saturday evening when we spoke to him again, he made our accommodations top notch. Just something we do but we tip him on the front end when we meet our room attendant as we always ask for extra pillows, towels and to get our room colder (sometimes he does something with a setting allowing us colder air and sometimes we get a fan). That tip is just a thank you for everything he is about to do for us, and we have never been disappointed in that service. We then gave him a little extra pending the level of service and he was one of the best we have had.
The second person we thoroughly raved about and if you have Navi as your dining room steward, he is one of the best as well. Our main dining room was in Skyline restaurant deck 7 aft and anytime Navi seen us in that location for our dinner or at the Green Wave restaurant on deck 5 aft he would come talk to us and make sure we were getting everything we needed. He is great so if you see him say hello for us. Ask him about his little boys, they are 6 and 3.
The third person we dealt with a lot is because we always at some point in the evening made our way back to the Cocktail bar which is located on deck 8 aft across from the kaito Teppanyaki restaurant. Say hello to Kent, he is the bar tender. They don’t do frozen drinks there, but he makes a great jack and coke see my pictures for reference on amount of jack to coke ratio he pours. Tell him Sir Charles and Miss Marsha say hello. Ask him to fix you a Marsha drink. He wouldn’t tell us what was in it or what he called it but it was damn good.
Enjoy yourself and make your vacation your own. There is a little bit of everything on the ship for everybody, just find the areas that fit your mood at the time. We didn’t do any shows because we spent most of our time in the the hot tub on our balcony, Jacuzzis, spa, casino, or at a bar talking to people. We have met so many people that live close by, from England, Italy and across Europe and swapped information.