With the launch of its Seaside ship class, MSC Cruises is bringing several new cabin types into its fleet.
Among them is a modest-size suite that takes advantage of the MSC Seaside's unique design to include a whirlpool tub on each balcony. Guests in 28 midlevel suites will be able to open their balcony door to a personal Jacuzzi.
That perk is usually available only in much larger, more deluxe and more expensive accommodations.
The suites are possible because the Seaside's superstructure is narrow at the fore and aft and wider in the middle.
Where the structure widens, four cabins on each deck have extra room on their balconies. Each has a wedge-shaped section of balcony where the whirlpool can occupy a corner and still leave room for chairs and relaxation space.
In other respects, the 301-square-foot room looks like a standard suite, with a double bed (convertible into two singles), a large wardrobe and a shower with a tub. The 28 whirlpool suites are distributed on Decks 9 through 15.
The Seaside features aft Aurea suites with wraparound balconies evocative of Miami Beach condo towers. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst
To secure a whirlpool suite, guests must book MSC's Aurea package, the most deluxe of three amenity packages (not including its luxury MSC Yacht Club package).
Also new and unique to the Seaside are 14 Aurea suites at the very aft of the ship that have wraparound balconies and overlook the signature South Beach pool on Deck 8. The suites and pool are designed to mimic a Miami Beach condo, MSC said.
Another new accommodation is located in the Yacht Club, an enclave that requires keycard access. On the Seaside, the Yacht Club for the first time will have a dozen interior suites with a double bed and two chairs but no balcony or view of the outside.
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC, said the 226-square-foot interior suites are well suited for families who want to stay together in luxury lodgings but not incur the cost of two full outside Yacht Club suites.
The Yacht Club on the Seaside, which arrives in Miami this month to sail year-round Caribbean cruises, is MSC's biggest, containing 86 suites compared with 69 on its current Miami ship, the MSC Divina.
In addition to more suites, it has a two-story Top Sail Lounge and an exclusive restaurant integrated into the Yacht Club space at the front of the ship as well as an outdoor bar, pool and sun deck.
The ship’s two-story Top Sail Lounge is part of MSC’s biggest exclusive Yacht Club offering. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst
The Seaside's other accommodations include 1,312 balcony cabins, 411 interior cabins, 88 suites and 80 oceanview cabins. They range in size from 151 square feet for the smallest interior cabin to 527 square feet for the largest suites not located in the Yacht Club.
Earlier this year, MSC introduced an accommodation that offers special perks at the onboard spa. On the Seaside, Wellness cabins can be booked in suite, balcony, oceanview or interior categories. There are two Wellness Grand Suites, as well.
MSC said cabins for families of up to 10 people can be created by opening connecting doors on adjacent cabins. The MSC Seaside does not have cabins designed expressly for solo travelers or families.
A billiards table is one of many amenities on the MSC Seaside that will appeal to cruising families. Others include ziplines, water slides, an arcade and baby-sitting services. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst
However, the Seaside can be expected to carry a lot of children, thanks to a policy that lets younger kids in third and fourth bunks sail free on most cruises. The Seaside has dedicated areas for kids ages 3 to 6 and 7 to 11, both in partnership with Lego, as well as clubs for older children ages 12 to 14 and 15 to 17.
Italian baby brand Chicco sponsors Baby Club Chicco for children ages 3 and under. There's also the Garage Club, a 1950s, car-themed area that's a teen club by day and an adult bar at night, and the Doremi Studio, a family lounge.
A late-night baby-sitting service for parents of children ages 3 to 11 is available from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Parents can also monitor their kids' location on the ship by giving them wearable wristbands that are trackable through the MSC for Me app.
The Garage Club is themed to 1950s American car culture; it is a teen club by day and an adult bar by night. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst
A number of activities on the MSC Seaside should also make a splash with the family market, including a full-length twin bowling alley, a Formula One race car simulator, an arcade, a billiards table and an XD interactive cinema.
The ship's waterpark includes a hanging bridge that traverses two towers; a dual, 344-foot-long zipline; and two water slides, including a 524-foot-long dueling body slide and another in which riders mount a board that transmits electronic data, turning the slide into an interactive video game.
Kids can also be expected to flock to the Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar on Deck 6, if for no other reason than to see the sheet of liquid chocolate that gently descends down a wall, a fantasy come true for kids of all ages.
Venchi, a renowned Italian chocolatier, also makes chocolate-covered ice cream pops and gelato for adults at a separate gelato and crepes dispensary next to the aft South Beach pool on Deck 7.