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Norwegian Cruise Line vs MSC Cruises

Friday, May 3rd

2024 Cruise Line Reviews

• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Best for large-ship sailing, especially in Alaska
• 18 ships in the fleet
• Ships accommodate anywhere from 1,900 to 4,000+ passengers
• Private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay
• Exciting amenities on board, like go-kart tracks and climbing walls
• No required or recommended gratuities
• Freestyle cruising plus "Free at Sea" promos can make your cruise flexible and affordable

Norwegian Cruise Line, or NCL, offers sailings to destinations around the world plus exciting entertainment and flexible amenities. NCL is suitable for cruisers of all ages and adventure levels, and it's one of the only non-luxury class cruise lines that doesn't require gratuities (or even recommend them at any particular amount). While being on a ship with 2,000-4,000 other passengers might not appeal to some vacationers, NCL's large ships make it easy to eat, play, and relax in any way you want.

• MSC Cruises
• Best for budget-friendly, Mediterranean-themed, large-ship cruising in the Caribbean, Europe, and Mediterranean
• 23 ships in the fleet
• Private island in the Bahamas on some itineraries

MSC Cruises is an Italian-themed, family-oriented cruise line with a fleet of 23 ships that sail to destinations worldwide. They offer a wide range of itineraries, from short Caribbean cruises to longer world cruises. Caribbean sailings are one of their specialties, with budget-friendly fares often starting at $139 per person for a three-night Bahamas cruise. However, guests should be aware of additional costs for gratuities, drinks, and dining packages, and even for basics like choosing the stateroom or dining room seating time. While the low initial fares may seem like a bargain, fees for "extras" can add up quickly, so it's worth comparing MSC to other cruise lines before booking your sailing.

More Cruise Line Reviews

• Royal Caribbean

• Disney Cruise Line

• Celebrity Cruises

• Virgin Voyages

• Viking Cruises

• Regent Seven Seas

• Princess Cruises

• Holland America

• Carnival Cruises

The 15 Best Cruise Lines

Which cruise line is the best.

Cruising is a popular way of traveling for many people, offering a unique experience that combines the convenience of a floating hotel with the excitement of visiting multiple destinations in one trip. In an average year, over fifteen million people say "all aboard" and set sail on an amazing vacation.

There are many different cruise lines to choose from, and each one offers a different type of experience. Some are geared towards families, while others are more focused on luxury or adventure. What would you like to see and do while you're onboard? Is a casino a must-have or a rather-avoid? Would a Broadway-caliber show tip the scales for you? Do you need a wide range of activities to keep the kiddos happy while the adults live it up or relax? The onboard activities and amenities can really make or break your vacation, so be sure you know what you're getting.

Cruise Line FAQ

Which cruise line is the best, what is included in the cost of a cruise, what is the minimum age to cruise, what are the dining options on a cruise ship, are cruise ships crowded, do i have to dress up, are activities included at destination ports, can i bring my own alcohol onboard.

Continued from above...

Another factor that can influence which cruise line you choose is the itinerary. Cruise ships travel all over the world, but some cruise lines may not have destinations available where you're hoping to go. You should also consider the size of the ship: larger ships offer more amenities, but smaller ships can access ports that bigger ships can't.

Speaking of amenities, make sure you understand what you'll get as part of your fare and which extras will come with an additional cost. For example, most cruises offer drink packages for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, but a few have drink stations where you can get complimentary lemonade, coffee and tea. Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing.

When you take a cruise, it's almost always expected that you'll tip the crew members who have attended to your needs while onboard: your cabin steward ( who probably leaves your towels folded into fun shapes every night ), your servers at your nightly meals, and the head waiter. Cruise lines have a recommended gratuity to cover all three of those staff members, usually $15-$20 per traveler, per day; the total gratuity amount may be charged automatically to your account, or you may be given envelopes to make cash payments.

While it usually isn't mandatory to pay those gratuities - you can ask to have them removed if they're applied automatically, especially if you've received poor service - it's typically considered in poor taste not to tip at the suggested levels (because crew members' salaries, much like servers at your local restaurant, are based on the expectation of tips paid by guests). And, if you receive service that goes above and beyond, adding to the recommended gratuity is always appreciated. Be aware that tips for bartenders, poolside servers, and professional services provided in the spa or elsewhere are not included in the daily suggested gratuity and may be charged automatically at the time of service.

Now that you have a good overview of the cruising experience, which cruise line should you choose? Beyond the points we already covered, here are a few additional criteria that might make it easier to pick:

• Embarkation port. You could get a great deal on a cruise, but what will it cost you to get to the port? That could involve airfare, an overnight stay or two in a nearby hotel (so that you're less likely to be affected by travel delays), and transportation from the airport or hotel to the port. This is especially true if you're taking a cruise that departs from an international destination.
• Perks for repeat cruisers. Like frequent flyer programs on airlines, most cruise lines offer benefits the more you sail. If you find yourself absolutely loving cruise vacations, it can be advantageous to put all of your eggs in one basket, so to speak. Rewards programs can include casino benefits, complimentary meals at the upgraded dining experiences, exclusive sail-away parties with free cocktails and tchotchkes, early-access booking on future cruises, and much more.
• Reputation. It's a really smart idea to see what other travelers have said about their overall experience with a cruise line before booking your trip. The ads on TV may make that private island look amazing, but someone who's been there might point out that you'll pay extra to get on that waterslide. Or, previous cruisers could tell you that despite having several formal nights on the schedule, a particular cruise line has no problem with people showing up to dinner in flip-flops and swimsuit coverups. Find out if the cruise line you're considering lines up in reality with what they advertise.

Here at Top Consumer Reviews, cruising is one of our favorite ways to travel and experience new things. And with so many different cruise lines to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. But, don't worry: take a look at our in-depth analysis of today's most popular options, find the one that's the best match for your vacation ideas and your travel party, and book that trip you've been dreaming of. Bon voyage!

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

MSC Meraviglia vs. NCL Encore

By carolgeno , May 26, 2019 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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planning a cruise for January 2020 and cannot decide between Encore or Meraviglia.  Ports do not matter.  This will be an anniversary trip 55th years.  MSC is cheaper with drinks, internet and a show.  Any suggestions will be appreciated.

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Well Encore is a new ship. So, hard to say ... depends what type of cabin you are looking at. 

We have been with NCL for 10 years, balconies and above including Haven for 40 day repositioning cruise Australia .

Just sailed MSC Meraviglia in March. Flew into Barcelona a week early and really enjoyed a week there. Then boarded ship and cruised Western Med. for a week. Also, lovely. We then went to London for a week then home.

We were in the YC on that cruise and it was really nice. Much nicer than the Haven on NCL, IMHO. Restaurants much better. New menus everyday for all meals.

Enjoyed the entertainment offered. They only allow certain number for each show, smaller theatre. You just use TV screen to reserve spot for shows.  We liked this more than the giant theatres on NCL and everyone fighting for a seat or saving seats.

We will celebrate our 40th this Sept on our NCL Bliss Alaska cruise.

Since yours will be a special trip, I can whole heartedly recommend the Meraviglia, and go in the Yacht Club.  😉

I have not sailed MSC, but have been on the Bliss which was designed for Alaska (we were in the Caribbean for our cruise). I really like sailing on NCL. Some of the things I understand about MSC vs NCL.

You will have the opportunity for Broadway  level shows on NCL (Jersey Boys), MSC has in house productions.

Announcements in many languages and I believe some found that tiresome on MSC.

Heard reports that MSC is constantly trying to upsell you once onboard, when you already have a dinner or drinks package.

One of things I've always enjoyed is the range of entertainment that's around the ship with NCL. We enjoyed a singer/pianist in the Bliss Observation deck after dinner and before out late seating for Jersey Boys.There was a comedian/Pianist/singer in the District Brew House. Beatles show in the Cavern Club. Fun comedy shows. 

This weekend NCL has a take all promotion and the airfare perk with at least a Balcony stateroom. Perhaps do a mock booking online again or call to see if there's a right package.

Congrats on your milestone and enjoy the celebration whether on NCL or MSC.

Two Wheels Only

14 minutes ago, Nola26 said: Heard reports that MSC is constantly trying to upsell you once onboard, when you already have a dinner or drinks package.

This wasn't my experience on Seaside but I was in the Yacht Club so maybe that was a factor....?

For the OP,...

Which stateroom/"experience" category are you looking towards as far as Bliss vs Meraviglia?

Haven vs. Yacht Club?

Spa Balcony/Spa Mini-Suite vs Aurea?

Balcony vs. Fantastica?

Interior/Oceanview vs. Bella?

tallnthensome

Well, I've sailed the NCL Bliss and Encore as well as the newer MSC Seaside so I guess I could make a suggestion.  I don't know your cruise history and what aspect of a cruise is most important. I will say that the food, entertainment, and service will be a bit better on the Encore. The major gripes that MSC cruisers have are what I listed above. The MSC ships are stunning visually. We had a wonderful cruise on MSC ..... One of the nicest ever. The MSC website and customer service is really bad. Bad enough to make you want to smash your phone and computer. For safety sake, do the Encore. We are booked on her for 2021. MSC low prices are nice but those low prices do come at a cost per se. 

2 minutes ago, tallnthensome said: Bad enough to make you want to smash your phone and computer.

I would never, ever, EVER, try to book MSC via a phone. Their mobile site is somehow worse than their main site...and I thought that nothing could be worse than their main site. 

I've been on MSC twice, and was never pressured to upsell either a drink or dining pkg. When my wife went to the spa, they tried selling stuff, but happens on all lines.

Tallnthensome....  Wonder how you've sailed on Encore since her initial TA is Nov 2019?

1 hour ago, Hrhbob said: Tallnthensome....  Wonder how you've sailed on Encore since her initial TA is Nov 2019?

Sorry, it was 4AM .... that was supposed to be the Escape .....

newmexicoNita

19 hours ago, deliver42 said: I've been on MSC twice, and was never pressured to upsell either a drink or dining pkg. When my wife went to the spa, they tried selling stuff, but happens on all lines.

I do agree, most lines the spas are the worst at trying to see you everything, but it seems to me NCL isn't quite as bad as a few others we have visited. I won't mention the worst i even encountered because it isn't either of the ships we are discussing. All I can say about MSC versus NCL would be hear say from family and old clients when I was still an agent. There were many things they did not like about MSC but again hear say only. 

We've sailed MSC Divina in the YC and Escape. We have Seaside YC booked and I'm here checking things out for a return visit to NCL. 

NCL Escape - we loved the entertainment, anytime dining, Waterfront, incredibly fun and friendly crew, and again- the lively entertainment.There's not much we did not like.

MSC - the YC is a awesome experience. Outside of the YC - we had a really, really hard time getting drinks in the bars (and we were tipping). The entertainment was not to our taste - they were super talented but just not our taste. The pool areas seemed nice. Keep in mind this was about 4 years ago and a lot can change  - especially regarding service as MSC has had time to acclimate more to sailing in the western hemisphere. 

We just made the decision tonight to cruise in early 2020 . I'm going to grab the current NCL promotion and low deposit while it's offered and go from there. Good luck!

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The 6 types of MSC Cruises ships, explained

The MSC Cruises fleet has grown enormously in recent years. As recently as early 2017, the line had just 12 ships in operation. But it's been adding new cruise vessels at a blistering pace, and it now operates 22 vessels. Three more are on the way in the next few years.

As a result of the growth, MSC Cruises recently passed Norwegian Cruise Line to become the world's third-biggest cruise brand when measured by passenger capacity. Only Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line are bigger.

Like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival, MSC Cruises operates a wide range of ship styles and designs. The line's newest ships are among the largest ever built by any line. Eight MSC Cruises vessels rank among the world's 20 biggest cruise vessels . But not all MSC Cruises ships are supersized. MSC Cruises also operates quite a few relatively smaller, intimate vessels.

For more cruise guides, reviews and news, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Indeed, four MSC Cruises ships are less than a third the size of its biggest ship (the recently unveiled MSC World Europa ) and rank among the smallest of cruise ships operated by the major mass-market lines. That means you have a lot of choices when it comes to picking the perfect MSC Cruises ship for you.

The good news for those of you trying to get a handle on all the options is that the 22 ships in the MSC Cruises fleet can easily be bunched into just six groups of vessels that have similar amenities. If you know one member of the group, you know them all.

These six groups, made up of ships constructed around the same time to the same basic design, are known in cruise industry lingo as "classes," and each has its own look and feel.

An introduction to MSC Cruises ships

As noted above, MSC Cruises is now the world's third largest cruise line, after several years of rapid growth. Not including pulldown bunks and pullout sofas, the line's 22 ships have 77,832 berths — about 24,000 more than Norwegian's fleet. And the growth won't be slowing anytime soon. Three more giant new MSC Cruises vessels are on order for delivery over the next few years that will add another 15,000 berths.

At its current pace of growth, MSC Cruises soon could pass Carnival to become the world's second-biggest line.

The grand dame of the MSC Cruises fleet is its recently unveiled MSC World Europa. At 215,863 tons, it's the biggest MSC Cruises ship ever built and the first of a new series of so-called World Class vessels that are nearly as big as Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships and soon-to-debut Icon Class ships (the world's biggest cruise ships).

Related: The ultimate guide to MSC Cruises ships and itineraries

The next-biggest ships in the MSC Cruises fleet are its also-recently-unveiled Meraviglia Class vessels: MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia. Similar in design, these five ships aren't quite as big as MSC World Europa, but they're right up there when it comes to size, amenities and passenger capacity.

MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia, which debuted in 2019, 2021 and 2023, respectively, are a tad longer than MSC Bellissima and MSC Meraviglia and are considered a subset of the class known as Meraviglia Plus. They each can hold 4,842 passengers at double occupancy — 6,334 passengers if every last pulldown bunk and pullout sofa is filled.

The other two Meraviglia Class ships, which date to 2019 and 2017, respectively, can carry more than 5,600 passengers with every berth filled.

In addition to these five giants, MSC Cruises also operates four large Seaside Class ships that each have a total capacity of 5,336 to 5,632 passengers.

Add those in, and MSC Cruises operates 10 of the world's 35 biggest cruise ships.

The line also operates four somewhat smaller Fantasia Class vessels that can each hold around 4,400 passengers at maximum occupancy.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on an MSC Cruises ship

Together, the 14 World, Meraviglia, Seaside and Fantasia Class vessels make up MSC Cruises' big-ship fleet. The line's remaining eight vessels, split among two classes, are considerably smaller, with maximum occupancy topping out at around 2,700 to 3,200 passengers.

The eight smaller ships, which in general are the line's older ships, allow MSC Cruises to offer itineraries to places that aren't as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of the World Class or Meraviglia Class vessels, although even the biggest MSC Cruises ships are still designed to be able to call at most ports around the world.

The smaller ships also appeal to a subset of MSC Cruises fans who are willing to give up some onboard amenities in exchange for intimacy. They're also usually less expensive on a per-day basis.

In addition to all of the above, MSC Group — the line's parent company — has announced plans for yet another class of big ships to start arriving later this decade, though there have been few details released. MSC Group also is developing a series of small luxury vessels that'll operate under a separate brand to be called Explora Journeys.

World Class

Ships in class: MSC World Europa (2022); MSC World America (coming in 2025); unnamed (coming in 2026); unnamed (coming in 2027).

Size: 215,863 tons.

If you love nothing better than a big, bustling resort with every sort of amusement known to humans, this is the MSC Cruises ship class for you. Currently, only one ship is sailing, but another will debut soon, with two more on the way.

While not quite as big as Royal Caribbean's giant Oasis Class and Icon Class vessels (the world's largest floating megaresorts), the World Class ships are not far behind in grandeur and amenities. They are bigger and more amenity-filled than any vessel you'll find at such rival big-ship lines as Norwegian, Carnival and Princess. Only Royal Caribbean has ships of the same scale.

Unveiled in the final days of 2022 (so close to year's end that we considered it a new vessel for 2023 when we listed the year's most exciting new ships ), MSC World Europa can hold up to 6,762 passengers — almost as many as can fit on Royal Caribbean's giant Oasis Class vessels — and that's a big deal.

This is the first time in the 14-year history of the record-breaking Oasis Class series that a vessel has come close to the Royal Caribbean ships in passenger capacity or size. MSC World Europa offers a major new option for cruisers who love being on the biggest, most amenity-packed vessels.

At 215,863 tons, MSC World Europa is about 4% to 8% smaller than the five Oasis Class ships. But by one measure, it's even bigger. MSC World Europa is 21 decks high — three decks higher than the Oasis Class vessels.

Related: The ultimate guide to picking the right cruise for you

As for its onboard offerings, MSC Cruises took a page from Royal Caribbean's playbook by breaking down the public areas of MSC World Europa into districts. They include an adults-only "Zen district" and a separate "family district" that houses as many as 10 new kids' facilities. There also is a central interior promenade with entertainment, shops and bars.

Additionally, MSC World Europa has six pools and 14 hot tubs, making it one of the most pool-covered ships at sea. The watery offerings include an Aquapark with multiple waterslides that integrate virtual reality technology. There is also a family sun deck.

MSC World Europa has 13 dining venues, including the new-for-the-line Chef's Garden Kitchen (an outlet focused on microgreens) and La Pescaderia, a traditional seafood grill with alfresco seating. In a twist, the ship has three separate buffet restaurants, each with its own ambiance.

Drinking spots include a two-deck English-style pub dubbed Masters of the Sea Pub, which serves beer made on board. There's also a new gin bar, a first for MSC Cruises.

MSC World Europa is just the first of at least four World Class vessels that MSC Cruises plans to unveil over the next few years. The next ship in the series, MSC World America, is due in 2025 and is scheduled to be deployed in Florida . Two more World Class vessels are scheduled for completion in 2026 and 2027.

Seaside Class

Ships in class: MSC Seaside (2017); MSC Seaview (2018); MSC Seashore (2021); MSC Seascape (2022).

Size: 153,516 to 170,412 tons.

Looking for a megaship specifically designed for cruising in warm-weather locales such as the Caribbean? The ships in this class could be the answer.

The four vessels in MSC Cruises' Seaside Class feature layouts with lots of outdoor spaces for sunning, strolling and bar-hopping.

Each of the Seaside Class ships boasts an unusually broad, uncovered, outdoor promenade on Deck 8 that offers close contact with the ocean and a Miami Beach-like pool area at the back of the same deck that's surrounded by loungers. Another pool and lounge area at the top of each ship is connected to the lower pool area by glass-enclosed elevators.

The latter pool area at the top of each of the ships is, notably, topped by dual zip lines that run from funnel to stern — at 345 feet the longest at sea. A third pool area is located at the top of the ship toward its center (this one with a closeable roof), and there's a fourth pool area in the ship's exclusive suite area, the MSC Yacht Club.

Put it all together, and the Seaside Class vessels have the highest ratio of outdoor space per passenger of any of the MSC Cruises ships, according to the line.

As is typical for the biggest megaships, Seaside vessels also have a wide range of restaurants, bars and lounges. Among nine distinct eateries are two main dining rooms, two buffet eateries, a pan-Asian restaurant, sushi bar, Teppanyaki eatery, American steakhouse and seafood restaurant. There are more than a dozen bars.

Related: Don't miss these loyalty perks when sailing with MSC Cruises

All of the ships also have a water park with waterslides and a hanging bridge feature, a sports court, Formula 1 race car simulators, virtual arcade games and bowling and an XD cinema (featuring 3D movies plus immersive special effects, such as moving seats).

In addition, each of the vessels has a large spa, casino, disco, theater and library with a pool table.

Measuring 153,516 to 170,412 tons, the Seaside Class ships are a tad smaller than the biggest MSC Cruises ships (see the World Class, above, and Meraviglia Class, below).

MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview can carry 4,132 passengers at double occupancy (5,336 passengers with every berth filled).

MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape are slightly bigger versions of the first two ships in the series that are part of a subclass called Seaside EVO (EVO stands for "evolution"). They each can hold 4,540 passengers at double occupancy (5,877 with every berth filled).

Meraviglia Class

Ships in class: MSC Meraviglia (2017); MSC Bellissima (2019); MSC Grandiosa (2019); MSC Virtuosa (2021); MSC Euribia (2023).

Size: 171,598 to 181,541 tons.

Until late 2022, these were the biggest ships in the MSC Cruises fleet, and they're still giant by any standard. If you're a fan of big, bustling resorts that are loaded with all sorts of amusements, they should be on your short list among MSC Cruises vessels, along with the World Class ships.

Nineteen decks high and 1,036 feet long, the first two ships in the Meraviglia Class — MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima — are chock full of 30 bars, lounges, eateries and snack outlets (so many there's little chance you'll get to them all on a single sailing).

The next three ships in the series — MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia — offer even more outlets. They are slightly stretched versions of the first two ships, a subclass of the series known as Meraviglia Plus.

All five of the vessels are built around a grand interior promenade that's home to restaurants, bars and shops. The promenade is covered in an innovative "digital sky" made with LED screens.

All of the ships also have a giant pool deck, a water park and a sprawling amusement area with race car simulators, a flight simulator and an XD cinema.

What you won't find on the Meraviglia Class ships is intimacy. These are vessels that can carry as many as 6,334 passengers when every berth is filled. They each operate with up to 1,704 crew members. That means you could be sharing your vacation with more than 8,000 people.

Fantasia Class

Ships in class: MSC Fantasia (2008); MSC Splendida (2009); MSC Divina (2012); MSC Preziosa (2013).

Size: 137,936 to 139,400 tons.

Back in 2008, when the ships in this series began debuting, they were among the biggest cruise vessels in the world, and they still are relatively large by cruise ship standards — if not quite as big as the latest MSC Cruises ships.

While no longer on the list of the top 20 biggest cruise vessels — indeed, they barely crack the top 60 these days, thanks to a flood of bigger ships in recent years — they offer a classic big-ship experience with lots of restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top attractions.

On each of the Fantasia Class ships, you'll find five separate pools (including one with a retractable roof that is perfect for rainy days), 12 whirlpools, a waterslide, XD cinema, sports court, squash court, Formula 1 race car simulator and extensive children's program areas.

In addition, each of the vessels has a large spa, casino, disco, outdoor cinema and multiple showrooms, lounges and bars.

One notable difference between the Fantasia Class ships and the new Meraviglia Class and Seaside Class ships is that they have fewer dining options. You'll find two main restaurants on each of these vessels, a main buffet, a separate self-service food area with pizza and an American-style steakhouse.

At 137,936 to 139,400 tons, the Fantasia Class ships are about 36% smaller than the line's new MSC World Europa and its coming World Class sisters, a significant step down in size. They're about 23% smaller than the Meraviglia Class ships.

They also carry significantly fewer passengers than the World Class and Meraviglia Class ships. MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida carry 3,274 passengers at double occupancy (4,363 with every berth filled). The slightly bigger MSC Divina and MSC Preziosa carry 3,502 passengers at double occupancy.

Musica Class

Ships in class: MSC Musica (2006); MSC Orchestra (2007); MSC Poesia (2008); MSC Magnifica (2010).

Size: 92,409 to 95,128 tons.

Not sure that you want to sail on a megaship with 6,000 people but still want a vessel with a good amount of features and activities? The Musica Class ships may be the perfect solution.

At 92,409 to 95,128 tons, the four vessels in the series are barely half the size of MSC Cruises' massive Meraviglia Class ships but still big enough that they have a lot to offer.

Each of the vessels has at least four places to eat including two main restaurants, a casual buffet and a sushi bar.

You'll also find two pool areas on each of the ships, whirlpools, a miniature golf course and a sports court. Each of the ships also has a theater, spa, casino and multiple bars and lounges.

What you won't find on the ships, because of their smaller size, are the truly over-the-top family attractions that you'll find on bigger MSC Cruises ships such as giant waterparks with multiple slides and sprawling amusement areas with race car and flight simulators. If you can't live without those sorts of features on a cruise ship, the Musica Class probably isn't for you.

You'll also find a far less diverse array of restaurants.

Each of the Musica Class ships holds a bit over 2,500 passengers at double occupancy (around 3,200 with every berth filled). That's less than half the number of passengers you'll find on the biggest MSC Cruises ships.

That makes them perfect for cruisers who want to get away from the sort of crowds that are on the biggest megaships without giving up too many of the amenities that big ships have to offer.

Lirica Class

Ships in class: MSC Armonia (2001); MSC Sinfonia (2002); MSC Lirica (2003); MSC Opera (2004).

Size: 65,542 to 65,591 tons.

Dating to the early 2000s, the Lirica Class ships are the smallest at MSC Cruises, and they offer fewer onboard attractions and amenities than is typical for the line's vessels.In general, they appeal to cruisers looking for a more intimate experience on a cruise ship than what you'll find on the big MSC Cruises ships. They also draw cruisers who care more about the destinations they visit on a cruise than onboard attractions.

Along those lines, MSC Cruises often sends some of its Lirica Class ships to South America, South Africa and the Middle East to operate destination-intensive itineraries with abundant port calls. The vessels also often sail voyages in the Mediterranean that are longer than the seven-night trips that are the norm at MSC Cruises. In both cases, the allure of the cruises has more to do with the ports the ships visit than the onboard experience.

The Lirica Class ships don't have the big water parks that are common on newer MSC Cruises ships. For the most part, their top decks are lined with pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships built in the early 2000s. All of them have at least two pools and two whirlpools.

Related: Is cruising right for you? Start by asking yourself these 7 questions

In addition to a main dining room and a casual buffet, each of the ships has an outdoor grill and pizza stand near its main pool area, as well as a sushi bar.

Each of the Lirica Class ships holds about 2,000 passengers at double occupancy (around 2,700 with every berth filled). That's less than a third of the passengers you'll find on the biggest MSC Cruises ships.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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Carnival vs. MSC: 11 Major Differences Between the Two Cruise Lines

When it comes to value, anyone searching for cruises is likely to run across two lines that offer some of the least expensive trips: Carnival and MSC.

And while Carnival is arguably the most well-known cruise line anywhere, MSC isn’t exactly a household name here in the United States. As a result, many people see the two lines offering some similar trips and wonder how they compare.

Having sailed both multiple times, we have insight into what you can expect onboard the cruise lines, including some of the major differences that you should know before you choose one over the other.

Cruise Fleet in the U.S.

If you live in the United States, you might be surprised to learn that MSC actually has a fleet that’s comparable in size to Carnival. Both lines offer more than 20 ships, with Carnival’s fleet being slightly larger overall than MSC.

The difference is that MSC isn’t near as focused on the North American market — although it continues to make a strong push. As a result, the number of ships you can sail from U.S. cruise ports on MSC is far fewer than Carnival.

For example, in 2025 we found seven ships from MSC sailing from U.S. ports. Carnival offers trips aboard 27 vessels according to its schedule.

Bottom line, if the ship you sail is important to you, then you’ll have a lot more options on Carnival than MSC.

Departure Ports

Similar to the number of ships sailing in the United States, there are major differences between MSC and Carnival when it comes to departure ports. Make no doubt, Carnival is a U.S.-focused line. MSC is much more global in nature.

In fact, MSC sails from only three U.S. ports — Miami, Port Canaveral, and New York. Galveston will be added in 2025 . Carnival sails from countless ports, including the same ones as MSC plus spots like Seattle, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Tampa, Baltimore, and more.

If you don’t live in Florida and New York and want to be able to drive to a port instead of fly, then Carnival will be your best bet.

Types of Passengers Onboard

While both lines aim to appeal to families and vacationers hunting for value, there is a lot of difference in passenger base.

Specifically, while the difference seems to be narrowing in our opinion, Carnival’s passenger base seems much more American than MSC. Being a line with a major presence in other parts of the world, we’ve found that the passengers on MSC seem to have more people from Europe and South America sailing on the trips we’ve taken. In fact, announcements were in five different languages on our first cruise with the line to make sure everyone understood.

We will say that a more recent cruise saw less of a difference as the cruise line establishes an identity in the United States and gradually appeals to more Americans. But we wouldn’t say that the passenger groups on Carnival and MSC are the same.

Evening Entertainment

The entertainment on a cruise is a major part of the experience. Here, there is a big difference between Carnival and MSC.

On Carnival, you have a lot of classic-style shows and game shows. For instance, a recent cruise included live Family Feud with passengers as contestants. There’s the “Love & Marriage” game show (a take on The Newlywed Game), and large scale production shows with lots of singing and dancing.

We’ve loved MSC programming, but it certainly has a different feel to us. At least on the ships we’ve been on, the shows have a more “acrobatic” feel that focus less on Broadway-style performances and more on amazing performers similar to Cirque du Soleil. We also have to especially mention a Michael Jackson tribute show that featured the songs of the King of Pop and an impersonator that was a dead ringer for the late singer.

Ocean Cay (MSC’s Private Island)

Both cruise lines offer private destinations. Carnival in particular has quite a few, including private areas in The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Roatan. To be sure, any visit to these spots will be a good time as they are tailor-made for cruise passengers.

We do have to give special mention, however, to MSC’s Ocean Cay . The cruise line spent hundreds of millions developing this island in The Bahamas. It’s an enormous spot with tons of space for everyone, beautiful beaches, and gorgeous water. While many cruise line islands are essentially theme parks, Ocean Cay is a much more relaxing and subdued. If you’re wanting a chilled-out beach day, this is it.

One other perk? MSC often has extended stays at Ocean Cay, including some that stay overnight. The ability to enjoy the island at night is something unique to the cruise line.

We will say that Carnival’s upcoming Celebration Key will be a game-changer for the cruise line, but that’s not until 2025.

Food & Included Restaurants

What’s a cruise without food? It’s a major part of the overall experience and also a difference between the two lines.

To us, Carnival is one of the most generous cruise lines around when it comes to food. Yes, there are paid options like the steakhouse and high-end dining, but there are plentiful free options included. Of course, there is the buffet and main dining room. Carnival also offers Guy’s Burger Joint, a pizza spot, a deli, BlueIguana (Mexican) and on some ships Chibang! (Asian/Mexican) and Big Chicken.

MSC (at least on the ships we have sailed) has far fewer options. There is the buffet and dining room, and then everything else offered was a specialty restaurant. As well, we noticed that in general there were just fewer restaurants overall.

Venues on the Ship

One difference we’ve noticed sailing both MSC and Carnival is one that’s actually a little hard to explain but it has an impact on the feel of your cruise.

Every cruise line has their own venues. For instance, Carnival has areas like Guy’s Burger Joint, or the RedFrog Bar. Royal Caribbean has Lime & Coconut, Sorrento’s, and Playmakers. These areas have their own theme, style, and menus.

We’ve noticed that MSC feels more “generic” in their venues. Yes, the bars and restaurants have different names, but the vibe and theme isn’t as unique from spot to spot on the ship.

For instance, on a recent trip aboard MSC Seaside, we stopped and enjoyed some time in the ship’s sports bar, which is aptly named… Sports Bar.

Gratuity Charges

If traveling with children, then a little-known way that you can save money on MSC versus Carnival is when it comes to gratuities.

First off, both cruise lines charge the same rate currently — $16 per person, per day for most rooms. And if you’re traveling with infants or toddlers, then both have no gratuities for passengers under two years old.

But if taking a family vacation, MSC may offer a nice value. Carnival charges the same gratuity rate for all passengers over two years old. MSC, however, charges $8 per day for kids from 2-12 years.

A family of four with two kids under 12 years old would end up paying $336 for gratuities on a 7-day MSC cruise, but $448 on Carnival. That’s a decent chunk of change that you can save with MSC.

Drink Package Options

Drink packages are a popular item for some passengers. For one set daily price, you don’t have to worry about a bar tab and just get what you want.

Carnival, however, has a much simpler offering. They offer only one package for alcoholic drinks . The price varies depending on the length of the cruise, with one price for cruises under six days and another price for trips six days or longer. There is also a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day.

MSC offers three different packages — Easy, Easy Plus, and Premium Extra. These three packages provide drinks at different price points. That can make things more complicated for cruise passengers as they need to do some analysis to compare the differently-priced packages with what’s included.

Fans of the Cruise Line

If you’ve ever sailed Carnival, then you know that there are people that treat the cruise line like a religion. They have high status (with cards that show it off), pins showing off their past cruises, Carnival clothing, and they love to talk about what ship they’ve been on and which ship they are headed on next.

In fact, we’d argue that no other cruise line quite has the loyalty that Carnival seems to endear. These superfans eat, sleep, and breathe Carnival.

MSC, however, is much more low key. You’ll see far fewer people flashing their loyalty status or wearing clothing emblazoned with MSC. Part of this is the fact that the cruise line is relatively small compared to Carnival here and doesn’t have the history in the United States. There hasn’t been the ability to build as deep a fanbase as Carnival. But more than that, there’s just something about Carnival that makes its passengers love the line.

Global Sailings for MSC

We mentioned how MSC is making inroads into the United States, but is still a relatively small player compared to Carnival. Well, one difference between the lines is that you can flip that status in other parts of the world.

MSC is truly a global cruise line with major operations in Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere. If you’re wanting to sail somewhere other than the Caribbean or The Bahamas, then it would offer way more options.

Carnival is focused on the U.S., some cruises in Australia, and a few dotted in Europe. There are sister brands elsewhere around the world (such as Costa), but not Carnival.

More on MSC & Carnival:

• 11 Important Differences Between MSC Cruises and Other Major Lines
• Worth It? 15+ Questions & Answers About the Carnival CHEERS! Drink Package
• Ocean Cay: Complete Guide, Tips, & Things to Know

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

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MSC Seascape vs Norwegian Breakaway

The MSC Seascape is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aestheic complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square. It's 9 years newer than the Breakaway , which was built in 2013 and renovated in 2018.

Comparison Overview

Number of passengers, food and restaurants, bars and drinks, pools and hot tubs, ship features and activities, cruise costs, onboard costs.

The Seascape is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,060 feet long and 135 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Norwegian Breakaway, the Seascape is 16% larger in terms of overall tons.

MSC Seascape holds 48% more passengers than the Breakaway based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Seascape has less space per person compared to the Breakaway.

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Seascape has 16 different dining options like Kaito Teppanyaki , Kaito Sushi Bar , and HOLA! Tacos & Cantina . Of those options, 7 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee.

The Breakaway has 9 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill , Teppanyaki , and Wasabi . 10 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 15 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Breakaway might be a better choice. It has 56% more dining options than the Seascape.

Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.

The MSC Seascape has 2 more bars than the Norwegian Breakaway. The Seascape has 19 bars like MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar, Shine Bar and Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar. On Seascape, you can grab a drink at 17 different bars such as Bar 21, Bliss Ultra Lounge and Skyy Vodka Ice Bar.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Breakaway below.

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The MSC Seascape has a total of 5 pools and 15 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools are adults only. 2 of the pools and 3 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

Norwegian Breakaway has fewer pools than the Seascape and fewer hot tubs.

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Seascape. Only 54% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Breakaway, 60% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

MSC and Norwegian are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on MSC Seascape will likely be more expensive than on Norwegian Breakaway.

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive free open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at their specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the Free at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.

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MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven: A Luxury Cruise Comparison

Although MSC first introduced the ship-within-a-ship concept back in 2008, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Haven also offers top-notch services.

So, what will be your pick between MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven?

While MSC Yacht Club offers 6 categories of cabin/stateroom, NCL Haven offers 9 types of suites. Also, NCL Haven’s suits are much larger including 2/3-bedroom villas. Both offer 24-hour concierge and butler services. Moreover, NCL Haven offers more exclusive dining and entertainment options than MSC Yacht. But NCL Haven is more expensive than MSC Yacht Club.

So, what will you choose between these two fine ship-within-ship experiences? Follow the article as we’ll help you judge both.   

MSC Yacht Club Vs NCL Haven: The In-Depth Comparison

Both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven are top of their name. So before diving deep into their services, let’s have a brief look at their competitive offerings. 

So, now we’ll discuss the details of each factor of MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven. You can compare and judge both to pick one for your holiday retreat in these luxurious voyages. 

Stateroom / Cabin Size – MSC Yacht Club Vs NCL Haven

NCL Haven offers 9 types of different suites and cabins while MSC Yacht offers only 6 categories of cabins. 

Compared to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht Club offers smaller cabins. Let’s see what are the categories of cabins offered by MSC Yacht Club .

• The Owner’s Suite: It’s the largest suite offered by MSC Yacht Club. It has 1055 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 269 sqft of balcony with hot tub, etc.
• The Royal Suite: 667 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 355 sqft of balcony with hot tub, etc.
• The Duplex Suite: It has two levels with 635 sqft of space, separate dining and living room, 248 sqft of balcony, etc.
• The Deluxe Grand Suite: 269-463 sqft of space, separate living room, 86-129 sqft of balcony, etc.
• The Deluxe Suite: 269-366 sqft of space, and 86 sqft of balcony.
• The Interior Suite: 226 sqft of total space. 

NCL Haven’s suits are humongous compared to MSC Yacht Club. Let’s see what NCL Haven’s suits look like. 

• 3-Bedroom Garden Villa: The largest one in NCL Haven perfect for 8 people. It has 6694 sqft of space, a private dining room, a large living room, and 3.5 baths. Has a hot tub on the balcony.
• 2-Bedroom Family Villa: 504 sqft of space with a master bedroom, a bath, and a private balcony. This is perfect for 6 people.  
• The Deluxe Owner’s Suit: It has 1307 sqft of space with a large dining and living area, a large luxury bath, and floor-to-ceiling windows. A large balcony is also included for 6 people to enjoy.  
• The Owner’s Suit: It has 824 sqft of space with a large living and dining area, one balcony, or two in some ships. This is ideal for 4 people.  
• Aft-Facing Penthouse: This suite has 655 sqft of space with a king-sized bed, a generous living area, and a balcony for all. 4 people can easily enjoy the facilities of this penthouse. 
• The Deluxe Spa Suite: This is the smallest suite in NCL Haven. It has 309 sqft of space with a king-sized bed. Also, there’s a balcony with a hot tub and oversized waterfall showers with jets. It is close to the Mandara Spa Suite and also offers free access to the Thermal Spa Suite.  
• Forward-Facing Penthouse: This is another modest penthouse in NCL Haven. It has 451 sqft of space with a king-sized bed with a forward view. Also, there’s a large dining and living area and a balcony.
• Courtyard Penthouse: The courtyard penthouse of NCL Haven is perfect for a romantic retreat. It has 440 sqft of space with a romantic atmosphere, a private balcony, guest allowance, and living and dining areas.  
• Spa Suite: This suite also has access to Mandara and Thermal Spa Suite. It has 378 sqft of space with a relaxing decoration, a balcony with a hot tub, and oversized waterfall showers with jets.

So, NCL wins regarding stateroom and suite sizes for more room space and additional accommodations. So complete your NCL e-docs and get aboard its luxurious services. 

Concierge Service

Both NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club offer a 24-hour concierge and butler service. With the experienced and capable service of a butler, your every need and assistance will be met on both cruises. 

Moreover, for any additional bookings or purchases, the concierge can help you anytime you need. With the world-class services of the concierge of both NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club, it’ll be worth it.  

Dining & Entertainment – MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven

MSC Yacht Club offers a private dining area for its guests as part of the ship-within-a-ship experience. Their dedicated restaurant will provide sophisticated à la carte menus for you to taste. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven offers priority reservations for all its customers in all dining and entertainment facilities. Compared to MSC Yacht, NCL Haven offers specialty menus brought directly to your suite from any of the restaurants fleetwide. And so, NCL Haven is superior to NCL Suits . 

For entertainment, MSC Yacht Club offers a theater and a casino, a Parisian-Inspired Cabaret, MSC Aurea Spa, and more. Also, you’ll have a dedicated water park and a robotic thrill ride called Robotron. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven offers an exclusive cocktail party with the ship’s officers, Broadway shows, musicals, etc. NCL also offers exotic entertainment options with its variety of comedy and night events. The night is never dull onboard NCL Haven. 

MSC Yacht Club offers a separate pool, restaurant, and lounges for its guests. On the other hand, NCL Haven also offers a dedicated section of the ship for its cruisers. 

NCL Haven’s self-contained area is specifically designed for a one-of-a-kind experience for its passengers. This dedicated space includes special and separated entries, venues, dining, and entertainment facilities. 

Also, both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven offer priority embarkment and disembarkment for their passengers.  

Price Range

In terms of price, NCL Haven is a bit more expensive than MSC Yacht Club . For example, the interior cabins on MSC Yacht Club cost $2800 for 2 people with a balcony that costs $4100. 

On the other hand, NCL Haven costs $3000 per person on an average weeklong trip in its suits. But this price may vary based on availability, time of the year, last-minute sailings, etc. And the larger the suits, the more it will cost you. 

MSC Yacht Club VS NCL Haven: What Is Best for You?

So, now you have an idea of both MSC Yacht Club and NCL Haven’s services. It’s time for you to decide which one is best for you. At a glance, NCL Haven offers more freestyle cruising with exciting and exotic entertainment options. 

Conversely, MSC Yacht Club’s Parisian-inspired Cabaret and Aurea Spa are wonderful entertainment options that can compare with the Haven. Also, NCL Haven is a bit more expensive with similar services to MSC Yacht. 

But the exclusive and specialty menu service in your suite can only happen in NCL Haven. So, choose which you like. 

For more luxury cruise options, you can compare Norwegian Cruise Line with Holland America . Holland America also provides many premium and luxury cruise services.  

Can Haven Guests Have Visitors?

Yes, Haven guests can have visitors. But the visitors must be pre-registered with the Haven concierge at the reception. Also, the guests need to provide details of the visitor’s arrival time and departure. 

Are Children Allowed in NCL Haven?

Yes, children are allowed in NCL Haven. Many of its areas are children-friendly while some areas are only for adults. The Haven Sundeck is only for guests above 16 years of age while the courtyard pool is for all. 

Is Room Service Free in The NCL Haven?

The guests enlisted in the NCL Haven suits don’t have to pay for room services. But there’s a 20% gratuity and additional charges for non-complementary beverages through room service. 

So, now choose a pick for your next sailing between MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven. 

There’s always something missing in one while the other has it. Choose a cruise line service that you see fit with your preference and trip goal. But if you’re a solo cruiser and love activities, go for the NCL Haven. You’ll have a much good time. 

I'm a travel writer and content creator who loves to explore new places. I've been to over 20 countries, and I'm always on the lookout for my next great adventure. I love the excitement of airports, the thrill of new experiences, and the feeling of being surrounded by new cultures. I share my travel stories and tips on my website, where I hope to inspire others to explore the world.

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Princess Cruises vs. Norwegian Cruise Line

Comparing Princess and Norwegian Cruise Line head to head, it’s incredible how many similarities there are. Both are relaxed, mainstream cruise lines that can take you to popular destinations like the Caribbean, Mexico or Alaska, but also have options for cruising in Europe and even more exotic destinations like the South Pacific.

Princess tends to be a little more traditional, though the line has eliminated fixed dining times, allowing guests to dine when and where they choose. Guests on Princess are a bit older than you’d find on NCL, and Princess ships don’t have all the top-deck bells and whistles like slides and water parks.

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for leading the pack when it comes to new ways of doing things. The line was the first to offer multiple dining choices and move away from traditional dining times. NCL is popular with young adults and families looking for ships loaded with enough fun onboard that the ship itself is a destination.

Let's compare the details of cruising with Princess and NCL that can help you decide which cruise line might be a better fit for you.

On This Page

Princess and ncl fleet size, ship sizes and ages are a close match, pricing on princess and norwegian is similar, demographics: princess cruises leans a bit older than ncl, itineraries, destinations and homeports are similar, except princess offers extended sailings, princess vs norwegian cruise line: cabin choices are similar, but ncl wins for solo cruisers, ncl ships have more dining options, but fewer included eateries, pool deck fun: relax on princess; play on ncl, princess goes old school on sports deck fun; ncl is a scream, both princess and ncl have indoor fun well covered, nightlife includes incredible entertainment on both princess and norwegian, family focus: both lines have kids programs, but ncl has more family-friendly cabins, princess tradition vs ncl innovation, princess cruises.

15 ships, (17 by the end of 2025); one built before 2000

Smallest: Coral Princess (2,000 passengers)

Largest: New Sun Princess debuting in 2024 (4,300 passengers), followed by Sky Princess , Enchanted Princess, and Discovery Princess (all with 3,660 passengers)

Oldest: Grand Princess (1998)

Norwegian Cruise Line

18 ships (23 by end of 2027); two built before 2000

Smallest: Norwegian Sky (1,928 passengers)

Largest: Norwegian Escape (4,266 passengers), Norwegian Epic (4,100 passengers), and Norwegian Bliss (4,002 passengers)

Oldest: Norwegian Spirit (1998), Norwegian Sky (1999)

• Pricing is in line with industry averages, but sales are offered frequently • Cruise fares include almost one-half of the alternative dining venues on all ships • Pricing includes all theater entertainment • Pricing options available: standard (no extras included), Princess Plus (plus beverage package, Wi-Fi for one device per guest, gratuities, two premium desserts per day, and two fitness classes per cruise), and Princess Premier (premier beverage package, Wi-Fi for four devices per guest, gratuities, unlimited premier desserts and fitness classes, and reserved production show seats)

• Prices are generally similar to industry averages (sometimes a tad lower), but the line is known for charging extra for a wide range of things onboard • Cruise fare includes less than half of the restaurants offered onboard • Unlike most cruise ships where for-fee restaurants carry a cover charge, all for-fee eateries, minus two, are a la carte (priced per item), with prices comparable to pricey land-based restaurants • All entertainment included (except for lunch and dinner shows, both of which are only available on select ships) • Offers Free at Sea fares that include open bar (tips are extra), a specialty dining package (based on length of cruise and cabin category; tips are extra), Wi-Fi and shore excursion credits. Free at Sea Plus, boosts each of the four perks for an additional fee

• Caribbean and Alaska sailings draw families, couples and groups of friends in most age brackets, but with the bulk of passengers a bit older than on NCL • Extended (15+ nights), exotic and world itineraries (primarily offered on Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sky Princess, Island Princess and Coral Princess) pull in a larger 55-plus crowd, including many in the 70 and up range

• Popular with families and couples, ages 35 to 65 • Larger number of solo cruisers on ships that feature Studio rooms (Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore and Pride of America)

• Cruises out of 10 North American mainland ports as well as 23 additional global ports depending on season, with no ships staying at a single port year-round • Sails Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii itineraries from the U.S. • Has private island experience (Princess Cays, Bahamas) • Offers one of the strongest Alaska cruise (with optional land) program in the industry. Often with as many as seven ships in the region for an extended season • Sails European cruises three-quarters of the year, including Northern Europe, Mediterranean and Baltic itineraries from several European ports • Operates world cruises • Has ships sailing in Asia year-round and almost the full year in Australia and the South Pacific • Exotic cruises include South Pacific, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South America, Antarctica and the Arctic

• Sails from 15 ports on the North American mainland on a regular basis • Sails from 46 additional ports across the globe • Offers Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and Alaska itineraries • Has private island experiences (Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Harvest Caye, Belize) • Offers seasonal Mediterranean and Northern Europe itineraries • Only major cruise line to sail year-round all-Hawaiian island cruises departing from Hawaii • Exotic itineraries include South America, as well as Asia, Australia, India, the Middle East, the Arctic and Antarctica

• Five main room categories, divided into as many as 12 sub-categories to choose from • Distinctive room options include oceanview suites, mini-suites without a balcony, and Sky suites with 700-square-foot balconies (select ships only) • Extensive suite perk program including priority embarkation/debarkation, afternoon canapes, specialty dining mimosa breakfast, and access to Reserve Dining room or a Reserve section of the main dining room (depending on ship) for dinner each night • Limited family room choices include regular rooms with connecting doors, as well as family suites with full baths on select ships

• Cabin sizes are comparable to industry standards, though balconies on the Breakaway-class ships are notably small • Seven main cabin categories, subdivided into as many as fifteen room types, depending on the ship • Seven ships offer Studio cabins, which are sized and priced for solo cruisers • Select ships have spa cabins, which come with free access to the onboard saunas and steam room • More than half of the fleet have the exclusive, key-card-access, top-deck Haven suite complex, which features a private courtyard and pool; of these ships, six also have a private lounge and dining room for suite passengers • Suite privileges include priority embarkation, debarkation and tender boarding; butler and concierge service; a suites-only breakfast location; complimentary sparkling wine, fruit and bottled water on embarkation day; and free daily canapes

• One to three main dining rooms, all serving through the flexible Dine My Way program • Growing selection of alternative restaurants on most ships; some like International Cafe are included in the cruise fare, while others such as the Salty Dog Gastropub cost extra • Specialty for-fee restaurants generally include a steakhouse, Italian and sushi, most with a flat cover charge • Partnership with three-Micheline Star Chef Emmanuel Renaut and the “Duck Master” Chef Richard Chen • Food and drinks can be ordered for delivery throughout the ship using OceanNow • Passengers in balcony rooms can take advantage of the for-fee Ultimate Balcony Dining, an in-room, fine-dining experience • At least one formal night per sailing (5 or more nights) requiring passengers to dress up for dinner (or eat in the buffet where casual dress is acceptable)

• No early or late dinner seatings; instead, you can eat in any of the restaurants at any time during open hours (reservations for specialty restaurants are encouraged) • Most ships have two free alternative eateries: one Asian-style (lunch, dinner) and one pub/restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner) • All ships have four to six extra-fee specialty restaurants including a steak, Italian, French, Japanese hibachi, Brazilian and sushi restaurant; all but the hibachi and Brazilian eateries are priced per item • Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships feature The Waterfront, an outdoor space along the promenade on Deck 8 offering alfresco seating for several of the ships' bars and restaurants • One “dress up or not” night on weeklong sailings

• Most ships have at least three pools, including a less-trafficked aft pool, and a minimum of five hot tubs; several ships also have a pool with a retractable roof • Silly poolside games on sea days on ships sailing in the Caribbean • Adults-only Sanctuary (some with pool) offers a quiet sun deck/pool alternative for a half-day or full-day fee • Movie showings daily on upper sun deck as part of Movies Under the Stars

• Every ship in the fleet has at least one large pool or two smaller pools, as well as four to six hot tubs • Kids' pool or splash pool on all ships • Eight ships have pool and water slide combos; six of these have multi-slide Aqua Parks • Pool decks are mostly for lounging around but on hot-weather cruises there's always some poolside fun to be had

• All ships have jogging tracks and shuffleboard; most also have a basketball court • All ships have a golf area, which might have a practice cage or a nine-hole putting course

• Every ship has a basketball court; most also have golf driving nets and a handful have mini golf • Nine ships have rock climbing walls; six also have a ropes course and The Plank that allows you to walk out over the edge of the ship while tethered. • Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Prima, and the upcoming Norwegian Viva have a two-level Go-Kart racing track, plus an outdoor laser tag course; both cost extra to use

• Daily fun includes trivia, arts and crafts, bingo, dance classes and Voice of the Ocean rehearsals (a singing competition created via a partnership with TV's "The Voice") • Destination-specific lectures and enrichment programs on itineraries in Alaska, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific • Several ships in the fleet have a multi-deck piazza-style atrium, a hub for dining and entertainment

• Daytime indoor fun (free and for-a-fee) includes dance classes, bingo, trivia and the interactive "Deal or No Deal" show, as well as beer and wine tastings • Select ships offer full-size or miniature bowling • Several ships have a free circus-themed escape room experience; participants must work together to solve puzzles and "escape" within a specified time frame • Several ships have a wall-sized Wii screen in the atrium for group Wii play

• Select ships feature a made-for-Princess theater shows • All ships have musical revue-style shows, as well as intermittent comedy and magic acts • Piano and small act music shows or DJs available nightly in just about every bar and lounge • Vines wine bar, with its sizeable list of varietals, is the spot for a late-night glass of wine or a wine-and-chocolate pairing • All ships have a late-night dance club

• Full-length Broadway productions in the theaters • All ships offer comedy acts at least once per sailing, with some ships featuring nightly shows in a dedicated comedy club • Every ship in the fleet features musical revue-style song-and-dance theater shows • Newer ships also feature alternative wine- or cocktail-focused theater shows or dinner/theater shows, for an extra fee • All ships have at least eight to 10 bars and lounges

• Three kids’ clubs for smaller kids, tweens and teens • Kid-centric shipboard and shore excursion programs for children themed around Discovery Channel TV shows including Discovery, Animal Planet, the Learning Channel and the Science Channel • All ships have a kids' splash pool • DIY laundry rooms for easy cleaning of kids' clothing • Select ships have two-room family suites

• Kids' programming is divided into four groups: ages 3 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 12, and 13 to 17 • The Guppies program on all ships offers scheduled programming for parents and their babies or toddlers, ages 6- 36 months; Norwegian Escape and Bliss have a Guppies Nursery where parents can drop off their babies for babysitting • Family accommodation options include suites, oceanview cabins, balconies and inside rooms

• Provides a refined, somewhat traditional cruise experience that includes main dining rooms, limited specialty restaurants and song-and-dance revue evening shows • Limited innovations on the newest ships include the SeaWalk, a see-through glass walkway suspended off one side of the ship 16 decks above the water • Medallion Class cruising includes wearable technology for contactless payments and even locating loved ones

• Water parks, ropes courses, laser tag, Broadway shows and the innovative alfresco dining area, The Waterfront are among the innovations found only on the newest ships • The newest ships have full-scale Go-Kart racetracks • Historically, has been a line unafraid to experiment with dining, pricing, entertainment and design

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

10 differences between MSC and NCL/Royal Caribbean

The following points are based on my experience cruising onboard the MSC Meraviglia. I have previously been on 9 NCL cruises and 1 with Royal Caribbean which I use in this comparison.

The differences are related to the following:

• Itineraries
• Entertainment
• Cruise Cards

1 – Languages spoken onboard

Ncl/royal caribbean.

If you cruise with NCL /Royal Caribbean you will rarely hear announcements in any language other than English. All the signs are in English and English is the language spoken in the bars, restaurants and theatre shows. Even if you are cruising from a country which doesn’t speak English the majority of passengers onboard will speak English.

Onboard MSC everything is done in a multitude of languages. When I was onboard the MSC Meravigilia I counted most announcements being done in 7 languages! This was usually all by one person may I add, which made me incredibly impressed as I only speak one language. It can make things a bit confusing as you are constantly listening out for the ‘English bit’ in the announcements and looking for the English version of the menus and written instructions.

Which did I prefer?

I actually enjoy hearing things in other languages, it reminds me that I am abroad and not at home! It did get a bit confusing at time though so it’s NCL /Royal Caribbean for me.

2 – Itineraries and embarkation

Cruises typically have a start and end point. There may be some variation on this, for example taking a longer or shorter cruise than standard, but nevertheless, there is always an obvious embarkation and disembarkation day. As a result, the lifeboat drill happens once and everybody attends.

Passengers can get on and off at almost any port. There is no set embarkation and disembarkation day with people coming and going almost every day. This means that everybody is at a different stage in their cruise, it is strange seeing some peoples suitcases outside their doors ready to leave when you are just starting your cruise!

During the cruise, there will be lots of mini lifeboat drills for the guests that have just joined. It was a little bit weird ignoring the other lifeboat drills as they were announced around the ship. It is worth noticing too that the services around the ship do stop when life boat drills take place, even if you personally don’t have to go to the lifeboat drill.

I like the flexibility of MSC which really allows you to pick the cruise dates that suit you. We were on a very strict time schedule when we booked this cruise. If the cruise had been a day earlier or later we wouldn’t have been able to cruise at all. So it’s MSC for me on this one.

3 – Entertainment

I love the entertainment onboard NCL ships. Priscilla Queen of the desert onboard the Norwegian Epic was one of the best shows that I have ever seen. I actually booked to see it on land after I came back from my cruise and to be honest it was better on the ship!

Royal Caribbean and NCL usually have a combination of musicals, musicians, bands, comedians/jugglers etc. They also have a lot of other entertainment going on around the ship during the day and into the evening.

The entertainment on MSC tries its best to appeal to a very large audience who speak a variety of languages. Because of the language barrier, they are unable to have Broadway-style shows/musicals, preferring instead to stick to dancing and singing (mostly in English though may I add!)

Onboard the Meraviglia we saw shows which featured the dancers dressed as emojis and dogs. It was definitely ‘entertaining! but not the best entertainment I’ve seen at sea.

NCL/Royal Caribbean without a doubt. I did know what to expect when I cruised with MSC but honestly even I was a little confused by the dancing dogs, barking at things and pretending to lick their private parts!

I did watch Cirque du Soleil onboard though which I did enjoy and a Christmas show on Christmas eve.

MSC’s Christmas Show

4 – Activating your cruise card

When cruising with NCL/Royal Caribbean you set up your credit/debit card at check-in. You can also pay in cash at the end of your cruise although I have never done this.

You need to set up your credit/debit card when onboard the ship. Dotted around the ship are machines which you use to link your cruise card to your card. You have to touch your card against the machine (contactless) and then insert your credit/debit card. At this point, you can select if you would like to attach the same card to any other cruise accounts.

NCL/Royal Caribbean. It’s a bit of a faff trying to find a machine and remember to set up your card. Probably just me being lazy though!

5 – Buying drinks

If you have a beverage package onboard NCL/Royal Caribbean you just have to show the waiter your card and your drinks will appear. Woohoo! They may take your card to swipe but half the time they don’t even bother with that.

Onboard MSC you have to sign for every single drink that you have. I had the unlimited beverage package and if I ordered a drink I would have to sign a little electronic tablet which told me how much was included in my package and how much would be charged to my card. It makes sense!

I think I prefer the NCL/Royal Caribbean way of ordering drinks. MSC’s tablet does make sense but I am just far too lazy for that. I also worry about how many germs are on the touch screen of the tablet considering that MSC rarely had any hand sanitiser (more on that later).

6 – The onboard service

Service on the two cruise lines is very American in its approach. What I mean by that is very friendly and waiters will keep coming back to your table to ask you how your meal is. I can’t help but think of Johnny Rockets here where the waiters literally danced for you during your meal! The idea seems to be that the passenger is always right and the staff will go out of their way to make you happy.

I had read many bad reviews about the service on MSC before cruising with them. We didn’t encounter any bad service at all, it was quite different to the service onboard NCL/Royal Caribbean though. Onboard MSC the waiters will bring you your food but then don’t continually come back to ask you how it is, they will, of course, be happy to help if you have a problem though.

All in all the service onboard MSC was good, everything that we needed to have done for us was done but it didn’t feel as forced or overly friendly as I am used to onboard NCL/Royal Caribbean.

Probably NCL/Royal Caribbean. I quite enjoy the over the top American-ness of the service.

7 – Soda

If you order a soda it’ll probably come from a fountain and it’ll be full to the brim with ice (unless you ask for no ice).

If you order a soda onboard MSC it’ll come in a can and they won’t give you ice unless you specifically say that you want some. Woohoo!

MSC without a shadow of a doubt. I hate having ice in my drinks, especially when it isn’t hot outside. It’s also nice to get proper Pepsi from a can rather than the diluted fountain stuff.

8 – Hygiene (Washy washy!)

When cruising with NCL/Royal Caribbean you can expect to be greeted with hand sanitiser everywhere that you go. Hand sanitiser is based at the entrance to every restaurant and you have to sanitise your hands before getting on the ship. At the buffet, you may even have a person with a bottle of hand sanitiser making sure that every person who enters the buffet sanitises. They’ll sometimes sing songs at the same time…

NCL reminds you to sanitise regularly and states that ‘washy washy = happy happy’.

When we cruised with MSC we saw very little hand sanitiser. There were a few machines dotted around the ship but they were often empty and when we stopped to use them other passengers looked at us like we were being a little mad. When we boarded the ship there were a number of occasions where they were was no hand sanitser at all. They had sinks and taps at the entrance to the buffet but we rarely saw anybody use them apart from us.

NCL/Royal Caribbean! I am aware that hand sanitser doesn’t kill norovirus and other flu bugs but it would have been better than nothing. There are so many winter coughs and colds going around at the moment that the lack of hand sanitiser was really worrying. This may be different on other ships though as I am basing this purely on my experience on the Meraviglia.

9 – Food

I love the food on NCL/Royal Caribbean ships. In my past experiences, the food has always been good and the portions are a fair size. The buffet has variety of foods from around the world but always has American options like burgers and hot dogs. NCL also have O’sheehans which I visit often, sometimes between meals… O’Sheehans is a bar and grill and is a great place to get some mozzarella sticks, a burger or some buffalo wings.

The food in the main dining room was much more ‘Mediterranean’ than I am used to eating at home (lots of pasta and vegetables). The buffet was mostly pizza/pasta/bread but they did have an ‘ethnic’ corner and a grill which had burgers and hot dogs. I am aware of a number of complaints online about the food on MSC but I really don’t understand the complaints and/or didn’t have the same experiences. The food was of high quality, hot and although the portions were smaller than I am used to at home, it probably did all of our waistlines some good!

I will be writing a full review of the food onboard MSC with lots of pictures of food and menus. So make sure you keep your eyes peeled for that!

I think NCL/Royal Caribbean still win on this one for me, just because I like American food and one of my favourite things about cruising is overeating (hard to do that on vegetables). It was fun to try new foods onboard MSC though and I would definitely urge people to ignore negative reviews about MSC’s food! I also enjoyed how long the buffet was open for on MSC, considerably longer and later than on my last Royal Caribbean cruise.

MSC Main dining room

10 – Theatre

On both these cruise lines it is almost expected that you will have a drink when you watch a show in the Theatre. Most cruise ships will have a bar within the theatre and waiters will often wander around the crowds asking passengers if they would like a drink.

There was no bar in the theatre onboard the Meraviglia and I believe this is the same for most of (if not all) of the MSC ships. Please let me know if I am wrong about this one! MSC don’t seem to allow drinks in the theatre at all, even if ordered at another bar.

NCL/Royal Caribbean of course. I love having a drink when watching a theatre show although it really made very little difference to me when I was unable to.

Conclusions!

I love cruising with MSC and I love cruising with NCL/Royal Caribbean. They are pretty different in a number of areas but I don’t think that one is necessarily better than the other. I would definitely consider a cruise with MSC again and would like to encourage everybody loyal to NCL/Royal Caribbean to try MSC. That said, it is important to remember that it is an italian line which do things differently to the American/British lines.

I will be bringing you guys a lot more info about the Meraviglia in the coming few weeks. Cabin tours, ship tours, food reviews and loads more I’m sure. Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube too as I have a lot to show you: Emma Cruises.

Have you ever cruised with MSC or NCL/Royal Caribbean? Lets me know in the comments.

Monday 4th of February 2019

hi Emma, I am hoping that you with your experience can help me to answer a silly question for the 1st time cruiser. My 5 year old son and I booked to go on MSC Meraviglia Mediterranean cruise in the 2nd half of February. I am a bit confused if I should pack a lot of warm clothes or not. People have given me mixed feedbacks, some said it's going to be VERY warm - hence only need T-shirts and some said definitely jumpers . Could you kindly let me know if it's warm on board like you would have in a normal home during the winter or otherwise? thank you in advance;

Emma Le Teace

Hey Yelena! I got back from the Mediterranean on Sunday and it was really quite chilly. On average around 12c but we did need a coat on a couple of days.

I wouldn't think it would be warm enough for just tshirts, definitely bring jumpers and if you can take off your jumper thats a bonus! :)

Friday 5th of October 2018

Thank you for writing this blog, it is just what I need!

I am planning to cruise Baltic area in May 2019. I have been on RC ( Ovations of the Seas) before. so wanted to try MSC Meraviglia. but then I found so many negative reviews online! main complaints were on service and food quality.... I was struggling between MSC and RC. After reading about your experience, I will just give MSC a try. (just need to bring my own supply of hand sanitizer!) I do hope MSC has noticed the negative comments on internet and have improved cruise operation.

Tuesday 9th of October 2018

Hey! I've just booked the MSC Meraviglia again for January so I think that goes to show that I think it's good! It definitely is a different experience to Royal Caribbean but that isn't a bad thing. I hope you have a super time! Thanks for commenting.

Fred Folson

Friday 27th of July 2018

My family and I have cruise RCCL suite, Disney Concierge suite, and MSC Yacht Club and we prefer the MSC Yacht Club over those three cruise lines. We've had some of our best family vacations aboard the MSC Divina and will soon be cruising aboard MSC Seaside in one of her two Royal Suites. I'm 50 now and I think I've found the cruise line I'm sticking with for my cruise vacations for the rest of my days.

Saturday 4th of August 2018

Ooo that's good to know! Thank you for commenting. I like MSC too :)

Wednesday 17th of January 2018

ha ha! Because I've cruised with both and really noticed very few differences between the two. In comparison to other cruise lines they seem very similar!

What is it you don't like about Royal?

Tracy Gladman

Thursday 11th of January 2018

We will be cruising on Meraviliga in April and am really looking forward to it. Have only cruised with P&O before so not much to compare it with. Will be interesting to see the difference.

Absolutely, think they'll be quite different. P&O are very British. You'll enjoy both though!

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The 10 best cruises for teens in 2024.

The best cruises for teens provide the right mix of autonomy and time with family.

The Best Cruises for Teens

Amy Smith | Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Teen spaces on cruise ships foster friendships through games, music, events and more.

Cruises make the perfect family vacation, especially when traveling with teens. Teens can mix and mingle with others their age in teens-only clubs, play games, listen to music, or grab a pizza and watch a movie under the stars. If your tweens and teens need more action-packed fun to keep them entertained, some cruise ships act like floating amusement parks with zip lines, racetracks, roller coasters, ice skating rinks, laser tag, waterslides and more.

The following lines offer the best cruises for teens and tweens, along with their parents.

Find your perfect cruise

MSC Cruises

Courtesy of MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises offers plenty of family fun and activities for teens on its ships, including sports tournaments, waterslides and a family disco. On select ships, you'll also find the full-size MSC Formula Racer simulator, an interactive XD cinema, a virtual reality experience, zip lines and an arcade room. The Young Club programming by MSC Cruises offers daily activities for 12- to 14-year-old tweens, while teens 15 to 17 can participate in sports and dance competitions as well as video game tournaments at the Teen Club. Older kids can also participate in fun themed events, karaoke, piloting practice at the Drone Academy and flash mobs – and there's a teens-only disco.

On MSC Seascape , teens can stay busy in three new concept spaces. "Future" features a state-of-the-art technology area with the latest-generation consoles, VR and video screens for hours of entertainment. "Chill Out" is just as it sounds – a place to hang out, chat, and play foosball and pingpong. Meanwhile, "Music" is a dance club where kids can choose their own tunes and dance the night away with cool lighting and sound effects. If all that isn't enough, Robotron, the first of its kind at sea, is an amusement park-like ride that combines the thrill of a roller coaster with personalized music and lighting.

MSC World Europa boasts the largest and most engaging kids area in the fleet with an impressive 8,245 square feet of action-packed space. The new Teens Lab features an immersive area for teenagers with more than 20 of the latest consoles, seven VR stations and dozens of video games. Drone Academy 2.0 is a high-energy relay race for drones. There's even more onboard fun at Z Active, a sports program that offers basketball, football and zorb ball alongside two firsts for the line – pickleball and hoverboards. Teens can also take a spin on the bumper cars at the MSC Sportplex.

MSC Euribia – the line's newest ship, which set sail on its inaugural cruise in June 2023 – has a total of 7,500-plus square feet of space dedicated to kids ages 0 to 17. The new Teens Club Extra Space offers three different areas: the Young Club (ages 12 to 14), the Teens Club (15 to 17) and the Teens Lab (12 to 17). Some of the activities include those found on other MSC ships, such as Z Active, Drone Academy 2.0 and the MSC Dance Crew competition. Teens will also have access to new video games; pingpong; World Quest, an interactive game show based on trivia and geography; and Caravaggio, an immersive spy game show about an art heist.

Compare  MSC Cruises on GoToSea , a service of U.S. News.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line boasts a teens-only venue, Entourage, which caters to young adults 13 to 17 years old. This supervised space – available on 16 of the line's 19 ships – keeps teens busy in an adults-free lounge that's filled with video games, movies, music, arts and sports. Teen counselors on Norwegian Cruise Line plan activities and challenges to keep kids entertained throughout the cruise. A list of detailed activities is available on embarkation day so teens can plan out their schedule for the cruise.

Norwegian Prima , the first vessel in the Prima class, features many first-at-sea innovations perfect for entertaining families and energetic teens, including the three-level Prima Speedway. With cars reaching up to 30 miles per hour, this quarter-mile-long racetrack is one of the highest-rated attractions on Prima. Adventurous teens will also want to check out The Drop and The Rush. Billed as the fastest slides at sea, these chutes offer thrill-seekers a heart-pumping 10-story freefall plunge.

If that's not enough action, teens can also play The Bull's Eye, a classic game of darts that uses a video tracking system, or check out Tee Time for a pumped-up version of mini-golf set against a Las Vegas backdrop. In the Galaxy Pavilion, an indoor gaming complex, you'll find more than a dozen attractions, including immersive simulator experiences, escape rooms and the Topgolf Swing Suite – all of which are unique to Norwegian Prima. When it's time to cool off, the Tidal Wave waterslide is another first for the brand, letting guests ride inner tubes to catch the surf.

Norwegian Viva, the second vessel in the Prima class, is set to launch in August 2023. As the newest ship in NCL's fleet, Viva will also feature these exciting high-tech attractions, including Viva Speedway. If you and your teens are fans of the movie "Beetlejuice," you're in for a treat: The Broadway musical adaptation will debut on the new ship.

The line's Breakaway Plus class – Norwegian Escape , Joy , Bliss and Encore – is also popular with families as these ships offer plenty of activities and attractions suited for active teens, such as go-kart tracks, outdoor laser tag and VR games in the Galaxy Pavilion.

Find  Norwegian Cruise Line deals on GoToSea .

Disney Cruise Line

Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line features two cool spaces dedicated to teens and tweens, who can hang out on comfy couches, watch shows or movies, and play video games. These hangouts, called Edge (for ages 11 to 14) and Vibe (ages 14 to 17), are available on all Disney Cruise Line ships.

On Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream , the space at Vibe also features a private outdoor deck with chaise lounges, wading pools, foosball and more. While indoors, teenagers can mingle with others their age, or just kick back and relax in individual nooks. There's a dance club area for karaoke contests, talent shows and dance competitions. The trendy indoor-outdoor space – at almost 9,000 square feet – is accessible with a teens-only card or DisneyBand+. On the new Disney Wish ship, Vibe has a French twist inspired by a Paris artist's loft with neon signs and funk pop art.

For tweens sailing on Disney Fantasy or Dream, Edge is a bright, loft-style gathering spot – located in the funnel – that has individual computer stations for gaming and a massive video wall for screening television, movies and games. There's also a lit-up dance floor for dance parties. Two nifty features of the space – and its location – are views of the pool decks below as well as three portholes that allow for glimpses of the riders on the water coaster, AquaDuck, as they zoom by.

On the first night of the cruise, kids receive information on what activities and events will be available during their vacation so they can curate a personalized entertainment itinerary. Some fun options throughout the week may include "Gotcha," a game of elimination where one teen will become the ultimate victor. For a special treat – and a bit of pampering – guests ages 13 to 17 won't want to miss an afternoon at Chill Spa, located inside Senses Spa & Salon.

Book a  Disney cruise on GoToSea .

Royal Caribbean International

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

The newly updated space for teens 13 to 17 years old on Royal Caribbean International vessels is hidden behind a secret speakeasy entrance. The dedicated venue, which has a gaming lounge and music, is a cozy place to hang out to meet other teens on the ship. There's also an outdoor patio where you can relax in the sun or chill out under the stars. Teens will find planned activities throughout the day at the lounge, including sports tournaments, a nightly teen disco and themed parties.

Social 100 is an exclusive new space for ages 13 to 17 on Wonder of the Seas . The outdoor space sits next to the waterslides and boasts a hot tub, lawn games, cozy seating, a selfie area, and a bar serving zero-proof cocktails and shakes. The indoor part of Social 100 features a gaming area, foosball tables, a vending machine and more comfortable spaces for teens to mingle.

Teens have plenty of activities they can do with their families on Royal Caribbean's ships, especially on the new Icon of the Seas, the first vessel in the Icon class. Slated for its inaugural sailing in January 2024, Wonder of the Seas will be the  world's largest cruise ship .  Cruisers of all ages will have endless opportunities for fun with more venues, activities and attractions than you've ever seen on a cruise ship.

Teens and their parents will appreciate Chill Island, a three-level pool deck with the first swim-up bar at sea. The new water park, Thrill Island, boasts six waterslides, including exciting firsts at sea, such as Pressure Drop, the first open freefall slide. If that's not enough to get the adrenaline pumping, teens can check out Crown's Edge – a combination thrill ride, skywalk and ropes course – or other Royal Caribbean favorites like Adrenaline Peak, Sports Court, the FlowRider surf simulator or the reimagined mini-golf course.

If you're hanging out in the new Surfside neighborhood on Icon, a dedicated space for young families, teens will have easy access to the supervised teens-only club, Social 020, from this open-air space.

When you head ashore to Perfect Day in CocoCay, one of the best  cruise line private islands , teen cruisers will find plenty of fun land-based activities like Thrill Waterpark and 1,600-foot-long zip lines. Be sure not to miss another thrilling experience: Up, Up and Away. The helium balloon ride soars 450 feet above the ground to the highest vantage point in the Bahamas , offering incredible panoramic views of the island and surrounding turquoise waters.

Explore  Royal Caribbean cruises on GoToSea . 

Holland America Line

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Holland America Line

The Kids Club on Holland America Line offers a fun supervised program for 13- to 17-year-old guests in an adult-free zone known as The Loft. The name is in the process of changing to High Score!, and you'll already find the updated concept on Oosterdam and Eurodam . The line's other ships will change over to the new venue throughout 2024. High Score! is a family game room that serves as a secret getaway for teens by day. In the evenings, entire families can come to play skeeball, board games and join in other activities.

The teens-only space (during the day) on Holland America Line resembles a New York artists loft where kids can listen to music, watch movies, play games and meet and hang out with same-age cruisers. Programs and activities at the current space, The Loft, include themed events, karaoke, a teen disco and nighttime activities such as Poker Night and video game tournaments. Youths can also participate in pingpong, basketball and other teens-only sporting events. If they still need more entertainment to keep them busy, the Kids Club offers origami lessons and watercolor painting as well as competitions in "Mario Kart," air hockey, foosball, pinball and more.

The Kids Club is complimentary for guests. The space is open daily, and you'll also find teen events around the ship. When it comes to dining, there are many teen-friendly dining options – where teens can even enjoy mocktails like nonalcoholic mojitos – at venues throughout the ship.

If you're cruising to Alaska with Holland America or other adventure-filled destinations, look for excursions that will appeal to younger family members like zip lining tours, trail hikes, float trips, helicopter tours and wilderness safaris. Alaska is a teen favorite, especially in Skagway (one of Alaska's top destinations ), where travelers can get a thrill out of dog mushing with a team of Alaskan huskies, taking a ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, or going on a rock climbing excursion.

Find  Holland America Line cruises on GoToSea .

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Princess Cruises

Courtesy of Princess Cruises

The modern Beach House lounge is the go-to place for passengers ages 13 to 17 to socialize and meet others their age when sailing on a Princess Cruises ship. Fun activities for teens include late-night movies and tournaments where they can challenge their peers in video games or at air hockey, foosball and table tennis. For more energetic activities, join in the fun during indoor dodgeball and basketball games. Or, learn new dance moves from some of the dancers in the crew, then hit the dance floor for one of the competitions. At the "Rock the Boat Party," teenagers can dress up and party the night away with mocktails and new friends on the ship.

"Movies Under the Stars" is one of Princess' signature events. Guests can watch movies, sporting events and concerts while bundled up with cozy blankets on the pool deck outdoors. Teens will enjoy the complimentary snacks – not to mention the special movie nights designed with them in mind, such as "Scary Movie Night." You might even find teen makeovers and glitter tattoos some evenings on the ship.

The line's three newest ships – Discovery Princess , Enchanted Princess and Sky Princess – offer the most activities for teens, but all of the ships in the fleet host youth programs in partnership with Discovery, along with plenty of other family-friendly activities. These offerings include Discovery Family and Animal Planet shore excursions and onboard entertainment like "The Voice of the Ocean," a musical competition.

Parents will be able to keep track of their busy teens anywhere on the ship with the state-of-the-art Princess MedallionClass system. The quarter-size wearable medallion and accompanying app allow guests to personalize their itinerary and locate family members and friends on board.

When Sun Princess launches in February 2024, as the first vessel in the line's Sphere class, it will feature Park19. This top-deck family activity zone boasts many outdoor adventures, including Sea Breeze – the first Rollglider at sea. The ADA-accessible seated ride offers a hang-gliding experience with panoramic views of the ocean and ports of call. Families and teens can also check out the climbing obstacle course, cargo nets and lookout points. The ship also has a recreational court – which offers pingpong, shuffleboard, fitness classes and more – and a splash zone where you can cool off after all the outdoor activities.

Inside Sun Princess, tweens and teens will find two centers just for them: Neon Grove and The Underground. Both spaces offer cozy and colorful areas for young adults to hang out, socialize, and play video games on the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. They'll also find foosball, skeeball and air hockey on top of planned activities like movie nights, dance parties and scavenger hunts.

Explore  Princess Cruises on GoToSea .

Adventures by Disney

Adventures by Disney offers river and expedition cruises for the whole family; the itineraries span many choices and experiences for tweens and teens with a focus on culture, history, gastronomy and adventure. The river cruises are operated in partnership with AmaWaterways, while the expedition cruises are a collaboration with luxury French cruise line Ponant.

If you're sailing on the Adventures by Disney Rhine River Cruise itinerary, for example, guests can choose between various exciting excursions. While you're docked in Strasbourg, France , for the day, teen-friendly options include a tour of the Black Forest, complete with a toboggan run and a visit to a woodworking museum. Another choice here is to visit Germany's Europa-Park, a one-of-a-kind theme park located between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains. In Melk, Austria, on the Danube itinerary, families can go for a bike ride along the Danube River, hike to the castle in Dürnstein or visit a family-run apricot farm.

Another great feature of these cruises is that teens can opt to have dinner and evening get-togethers with same-age cruisers, so they don't have to dine with their parents or younger siblings every night. Adventure Guides also curate special activities for teens like game shows and pool parties.

In destinations like Antarctica, the Adriatic and the Galápagos Islands , expert naturalists lead tours during these bucket list trips. You might even find a bit of Disney storytelling woven into the presentations by the Adventure Guides.

Keep in mind if you have younger kids as well as teens that children need to be 5 or older to sail on the river cruises. For the Galápagos Islands expedition cruises, the minimum age for Junior Adventurers is 7, and for expeditions to the polar regions, kids need to be 10 years of age or older.

Read: The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

Carnival Cruise Line

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Celebration, which launched in November 2022, is the line's newest Excel-class ship. It features an expanded family and youth program, including its offerings for teens. The line also rolled out the new program fleetwide in spring 2023.

The Carnival Cruise Line teen programming at Circle "C" is for tweens ages 12 to 14, while Club O2 is for ages 15 to 17. In these venues you'll find entertainment like themed dance parties – and even a Carnival prom – as well as video games, movies and karaoke. Circle "C" stands for "Cruise, chill and connect," and that's what teens can do in this colorful, contemporary space with engaging counselors. New activities include anime drawing lessons and pop culture games at Circle "C." Older teens can foster new friendships while engaging in Japanese crafts and authentic tea ceremonies at Club O2.

Teens will appreciate Carnival's onboard water park, Waterworks, which includes a splash park and slides. Carnival Panorama even has the trampoline park Skyzone. Teenage passengers won't want to miss the first roller coaster at sea, BOLT, on Excel-class ships: Mardi Gras , Celebration and the upcoming Jubilee, scheduled to launch in December 2023.

For even more action, Vista-class ships feature Skyride. This two-lane, bike-like ride is suspended above the top deck of the ships and extends out over the ocean. More indoor fun can be found at Thrill Theater (on Horizon and Vista ), an immersive cinematic experience where you'll feel the seat rumble, the wind blow through your hair and even a spritz of water during the action-packed video.

Book a Carnival cruise on GoToSea .

Celebrity Cruises

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

This line's Teen Club features activities focused on kids 13 to 17. Some of the events offered for teens in the Camp at Sea program on Celebrity Cruises range from video game tournaments and sports competitions to culinary classes and silent disco parties. Teen cruisers can even book glass-blowing classes on Celebrity Solstice , Equinox and Eclipse . The offerings for young passengers are similar at either The Basement on Edge-series ships ( Edge , Apex , Beyond and Ascent, set to launch in November 2023) or at X Club on Solstice- and Millennium-class ships. Note, however, the line's three Galápagos expedition vessels do not have the teen venues. Families who need accessible accommodations, activities and programs will also find autism-friendly cruises on Celebrity.

When it comes to pampering, Celebrity's spas offer spa menus for 13- to 17-year-olds. Teens can book facials that are designed for young sensitive skin or have express pedicures and manicures. When you're ready to relax, schedule a two-by-two massage, where parents and kids can have a side-by-side treatment.

Celebrity also offers family-focused excursions that highlight cultural attractions, wildlife sightings and adventure. Some of these tours include seeing gentoo, king and Magellanic penguins in the Falkland Islands; taking an aerial tram through the treetop canopies of a rainforest in Costa Rica ; and going on a small culinary or sightseeing group excursion in Europe and other destinations around the world. On Caribbean sailings – especially when school is out for summer or on holidays – Celebrity has additional family-friendly shore excursions on its five- and seven-night sailings.

Find a  Celebrity Cruises deal on GoToSea .

Cunard Line

Cunard Line offers programs and activities for passengers ages 13 to 17 years old in its Teen Zone. This dedicated space is a place for teens to hang out with cruisers their own age and play video and team games, table tennis, and more. On the first day of the cruise, you'll find an activity program for young guests delivered to the stateroom so your teens can plan out their vacation experience, which may include entertaining theme days, deck sports, quizzes and dancing at the disco.

Teens on Cunard Line can participate in the activities around the ship, hit the pool for a dip, practice their putting or try their hand at croquet. If you're sailing on Queen Mary 2, those interested in science, wildlife and the solar system can watch up to four 3D films a day (on sea days) in the largest planetarium at sea.

Compare  Cunard Line cruises on GoToSea .

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Gwen Pratesi has been an avid cruiser since her early 20s. She's sailed to destinations around the globe on nearly every type of cruise ship built, including the newest megaships, luxury yachts, traditional masted sailing ships, and expedition vessels in Antarctica and the Galápagos. Pratesi covers the travel and cruise industries for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.

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The 6 best cruise ship waterslides and watery fun zones

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Call it the Battle of the Waterslides.

In the last few years, the big boys of the cruise industry — Royal Caribbean , MSC Cruises , Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line — have been locked in a game of one-upmanship when it comes to waterslides and watery fun zones on vessels.

In addition to such over-the-top, new attractions as go-kart tracks and roller coasters , the brands behind the biggest megaresorts at sea have been packing the top decks of their vessels with even more over-the-top watery allures.

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Royal Caribbean, for instance, added an 800-foot-long “water coaster” to the back of its 3,386-passenger Navigator of the Seas just a few years ago. It’s one of more than two dozen giant waterslides the line has added to more than half a dozen ships in the last seven years.

Royal Caribbean also plans a record six waterslides on its next new ship, Icon of the Seas, which is scheduled to debut in January 2024.

But as recently as early 2016, Royal Caribbean didn’t have a single waterslide on any of its vessels.

MSC Cruises also has gone big with giant water parks in the past seven years, with as many as four waterslides on more than half a dozen of its newest vessels. Norwegian has loaded up its most recent ships with giant water parks, too — some have as many as five waterslides!

Not to be outdone, Carnival, an early adopter of waterslides on ships, has added sprawling water park areas with multiple waterslides to almost every vessel in its fleet.

A brief history of water attractions at sea

In the beginning, there was the pool. As watery cruise ship attractions go, it has long been the staple — something found on nearly every cruise vessel going back to the 1970s.

But as early as 1978, at least one line was spicing up its Lido decks with a little waterslide fun — little being the operative word. That’s the year Carnival added a single slide into the pool on its 728-passenger Festivale — a slide so small it’s now hilarious to think it was touted as an attraction.

Often cited as the first waterslide ever on a cruise vessel, the Festivale slide was of a sort that was found at backyard pools at the time. The cruise industry was still in its infancy, of course, and ships were orders of magnitude smaller than they are today. Festivale measured just 32,697 tons, about one-seventh the size of today’s biggest cruise vessels.

Carnival, the so-called Fun Ship line, would go on to become the early leader in waterslides at sea. The 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy, which debuted in 1990, was the first cruise ship with a significant waterslide. It measured 115 feet in length.

Related: A beginner’s guide to picking a cruise line

Just six years later, in 1996, Carnival would make news with the unveiling of a 214-foot-long corkscrew waterslide on what then was called Destiny. (The ship currently sails as the Carnival Sunshine after being rebuilt in 2013.) At the time, Destiny was the biggest cruise ship in the world.

In more recent years, Carnival has gone into waterslide-building overdrive. The line has added full-blown water park areas with waterslides, watery play zones and other features to all but four of its 25 ships. All but one of Carnival’s ships (Carnival Luminosa) now have at least one waterslide.

One of the Carnival water parks, on the line’s 5-year-old Carnival Horizon, even has Disney-style theming revolving around Dr. Seuss characters.

Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean only began going big with waterslides on ships in the past decade or so. Many of the newest vessels from the brands have massive water park areas. Some of the brands are retrofitting big waterslides onto older ships, too.

Additionally, family-focused Disney Cruise Line now has major water attractions on all its vessels.

Where you’ll find the biggest waterslides at sea

If your idea of the perfect cruise ship is one loaded to the gills with waterslides and watery fun zones (plus all sorts of other over-the-top attractions), you’ll want to stick to the biggest floating megaresorts operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Carnival.

At Royal Caribbean, that means the giant Oasis-class vessels , which include Wonder of the Seas — the world’s largest cruise ship. At Norwegian, you’ll find the biggest waterslides and water parks on the line’s relatively recently built Breakaway Plus-, Breakaway- and Epic-class ships. At MSC Cruises, the new Seaside-, Meraviglia-, Meraviglia Plus- and World-class vessels have the line’s big water parks.

Big lines that have steered clear of the water-park-at-sea trend include Princess Cruises, Holland America and Celebrity Cruises. Geared more toward couples than families and typically drawing an older demographic, all three of these lines have stuck to a more subdued feel for the outdoor areas of their ships. The top decks of vessels operated by Princess, Holland America and Celebrity still mostly revolve around traditional swimming areas with pools, hot tubs and lounge chairs.

Ready for a splashy, top-deck thrill? These are the most spectacular watery attractions at sea.

The Perfect Storm

Where you’ll find it: Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

This isn’t just one giant waterslide; it’s a whole complex of waterslides, each one among the most exciting you’ll find anywhere on the world’s oceans.

The Perfect Storm is found on four of Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis-class vessels — Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas — as well as the smaller Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. The complex includes two four-deck-high racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon, where you can do side-by-side speed tests with your travel partner.

On the four Oasis-class ships, there’s also a third, Champagne bowl-style slide called Supercell. It’ll swirl you around a big basin before plummeting you “down the drain” into a plunge pool. On Liberty of the Seas, a third slide called The Tidal Wave sends you screaming down a steep hill on an inner tube to a nearly vertical incline. Zooming upward, topping out and dropping back, you’ll get a blissful moment of complete weightlessness.

Note that Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas also has a waterslide area called Perfect Storm — but it’s completely different. More on that in a moment.

The Blaster

Where you’ll find it: Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.

The Blaster is the Big Daddy of waterslides at sea. At 800 feet, it’s the longest ever built on a cruise ship. Added to Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas in 2019, it’s a seemingly endless stretch of yellow and orange tubing that winds around the back deck of the vessel like a snake.

A true sight to behold, The Blaster is so long because it’s what’s known as a water coaster. It features water jets that propel you up, down and forward — extending the ride — as you careen around the ship’s basketball court and surfing simulator in an inner tube. At times, you go flying over the side of the ship, over open water (not that you have much time to take in the view).

Royal Caribbean has named the area on Navigator of the Seas where The Blaster is located the Perfect Storm — the same name used for waterslide areas on six other ships — but the area is completely different than what you’ll find on the other vessels. In addition to The Blaster, the Perfect Storm area on Navigator of the Seas includes a headfirst mat racer slide called Riptide — the first of its kind at sea.

Where you’ll find it: Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Leave it to family-focused Disney Cruise Line to come up with the coolest watery family attraction at sea. AquaDuck is a water coaster, like The Blaster on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, and is found on Disney’s two Dream-class ships. But don’t expect anything too white-knuckle. The ride is relatively gentle by water park standards, mainly because it’s designed for kids of all ages (and their parents, who can ride along on inner tubes for two).

While AquaDuck is slightly shorter than The Blaster at 765 feet in length, it has a bigger presence, thanks to its prime location encircling the main pool area. If you’re lounging up top, it’s hard to miss the massive, clear acrylic tubing of the ride, which is held up by 46 giant white stilts.

In addition to AquaDuck, the two Disney ships with the attraction (Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream ) have a relatively small, kid-friendly waterslide next to the centrally located Mickey’s Pool. Dubbed Mickey’s Slide, it’s held up by a giant Mickey hand, which is delightful. Both ships also have a watery play zone for toddlers called Nemo’s Reef. Plus, Disney Fantasy has a watery fun zone with water jets, geysers and bubblers called AquaLab.

Note that Disney’s newest ship — Disney Wish — has a water coaster attraction similar to the AquaDuck called the AquaMouse. The big difference: Riders will see animated shorts while riding up the ramp at the start of the ride.

Carnival WaterWorks

Where you’ll find it: Nearly all Carnival ships.

When it comes to waterslides on ships, cruise giant Carnival is still the undisputed king. The Fun Ship line began adding them to vessels way back in 1978, and there’s now at least one waterslide on every ship in the Carnival fleet — something no other line can say.

Indeed, on all Carnival ships, there’s now not just a single waterslide but a whole water park area. Called WaterWorks, these areas vary in size and features from vessel to vessel, but they typically have one or two big waterslides, a watery play zone with interactive water features and a large continuously filling dump bucket that periodically soaks everybody within range.

You’ll typically find the biggest Carnival water park complexes on the newest Carnival ships, such as Mardi Gras , Celebration and Carnival Venezia . All three have three waterslides — one more than most Carnival ships.

Aqua Park (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Where you’ll find it: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore.

Norwegian Cruise Line began going big with waterslides in 2010 when it debuted Norwegian Epic. And boy, did it go big! Norwegian Epic offers three monster waterslides, including the thrilling Epic Plunge — a 200-foot-long tube ride that ends in a swirling bowl. Epic Plunge is part of Norwegian Epic’s Aqua Park, the first water park on a Norwegian ship. Norwegian has since added Aqua Parks to six more new vessels, including its biggest ship, the 4-year-old Norwegian Encore .

Norwegian’s Aqua Parks vary in size and attractions from ship to ship, but some of them, such as the one on Norwegian Breakaway, have as many as five separate multistory waterslides. Yes, you read that right: Five waterslides on a single cruise ship!

On Norwegian Breakaway, the lineup includes twin free-fall slides that drop passengers nearly straight down several stories; two side-by-side twisting racer slides; and a family-friendly slide with a more modest drop. For sheer variety, the complex is hard to beat.

Aqua Park (MSC Cruises)

Where you’ll find it: MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Euribia, MSC World Europa.

Fast-growing MSC Cruises has joined the waterslide wars in the last few years — and in a massive way. Each of the 10 ships the line has unveiled since 2017 offers a full-blown water park on its top deck that’s packed with waterslides and other watery fun.

On North America-based MSC Seaside, the Aqua Park has four waterslides and a children’s play area with interactive water features. The waterslides include two massive, 525-foot-long dueling slides that extend over the sides of the ship. The top of the Aqua Park on MSC Seaside is also home to the liftoff point for a zip line that soars 344 feet across the top of the vessel.

Other MSC Cruises water parks at sea include the winter-themed Polar Aqua Park on MSC Meraviglia, which offers a suspended-in-the-sky ropes course in addition to four waterslides. There’s also the Aquaplay area for the little ones.

A handful of ships even have virtual reality waterslides that involve riders wearing virtual reality headsets as part of the experience.

In all, 14 of MSC Cruises’ 22 vessels now have at least one waterslide on their top decks.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
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• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
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Well, without knowing your ports, it's kinda tough to make excursion recommendations.

Doesn't hurt to include what kind of things interest you, etc. Recommending hiking when you're mobility challenged or cultural experiences when you're into beaches isn't really helpful, lol..

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Announcements

7 luxurious cruises leaving southampton in may 2024 including the queen anne, cunard, msc and p&o cruises leaving southampton in may 2024.

Getting away from the hustle and bustle of usual life can be a great way to recharge, and what better way than to take a trip on a cruise from Southampton?

There are several leaving from the city in May that are sailing all over the world including the likes of Cunard, P&O, Fred Olsen and MSC to name a few.

In total, there are 50 international cruises listed to depart from Southampton for the remainder of this month, and prices are correct as of May 1, 2024.

Here's a selection of some of the journeys you can go on, with a full list being available at the Southampton Cruise Centre website.

Many of the cruises leaving Southampton in May will visit Scandinavian locations (Image: Canva)

World cruises leaving Southampton in May 2024

Maiden voyage of queen anne.

Provider : Cunard

Departing : Friday, May 3

The maiden voyage of the Queen Anne (the latest addition to Cunard's fleet) will depart from Southampton on Friday, May 3.

It will make stops at La Coruna and Lisbon before returning to the port on a seven-night cruise.

However, for those wanting to be a part of the trip, all rooms are sold out.

Shetlands & Norwegian Fjords

Provider : MSC Cruises

Departing : Saturday, May 11

A short seven-night voyage from MSC Cruises will stop off at destinations like Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, Haugesund, Flåm and Kristiansand before returning to Southampton.

At the time of writing, there are fares from £551 per person.

Most of the cruise will be travelling around Europe (Image: Canva)

Whales & Volcanic Landscapes of Iceland

Provider : Fred Olsen

Departing : Tuesday, May 14

This 11-night cruise will be travelling around Iceland, stopping off at places such as Reykjavik, Isafjørdur and Thorshavn.

People will have the opportunity to see some of Iceland's natural wonders and take part in some whale watching.

At the time of writing, there are fares from £1,299 per person.

Roundtrip Transatlantic Crossing

Departing : Thursday, May 16

This cruise from Cunard will last 14 nights and travel across the Atlantic Ocean before stopping off at New York.

After a brief stay there, travellers will go back across the ocean to conclude the voyage at Southampton.

At the time of writing, you will need to call 02380 658 386 to find out prices.

There are plenty of cruises to choose from during May (Image: Canva)

Scandinavia and Baltic Sea

Provider : P&O Cruises

Departing : Saturday, May 18

This 16-night cruise will visit various locations including Helsinki, Tallinn, Klaipeda and Skagen before returning to Southampton.

At the time of writing, there are fares from £1,028 per person.

Best of Scandinavia

Provider : Celebrity Cruises

Departing : Monday, May 27

One of the first cruises the Celebrity Apex ship will make from Southampton is this 12-night cruise exploring Scandinavia.

It will visit locations such as Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm and Visby along the way.

Recommended reading:

• All you need to know on the Celebrity Cruises Silhouette replacement ship Apex
• P&O Britannia sets sail from Southampton following multi-million-pound makeover
• Disney cruise ship set to make first-ever sailing from Southampton in 2025

Flavors Of Western Europe

Provider : Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Departing : Thursday, May 30

This 10-night cruise will visit spots such as Saint-Malo, Best, Lorient, Bordeaux and Gijon before returning to Southampton.

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Norwegian Cruise Line plunges after Q1 rev miss

** Cruise operator reported Q1 rev of $2.19 bln vs Wall Street's mean expectation for $2.24 bln while its adj EPS of $0.16 was ahead of consensus expectation of $0.11, according to LSEG

** Truist analyst Patrick Scholes kept his 'hold' rating but pointed to 1Q results as only “slightly ahead of expectations” driven primarily by costs, margins as revenue per passenger cruise day of $239 missed consensus estimate of $248

** NCLH last traded at $16.20 vs median PT of $20, as per LSEG which shows ratings from 22 analysts and breakdown of 4 'strong buy,' 3 'buy,' 14 'hold' and 1 'sell'

** This as upscale ocean and river cruise ship operator Viking Holdings V VIK poised to debut on NYSE on Wednesday after its IPO priced at $24, within the marketed range