Have you ever been on a cruise ship and noticed those exclusive areas you can’t access? Maybe it’s a sundeck that seems inaccessible, no matter how many turns you take around the deck to try and find out how to get in, or a mysterious “secret handshake to enter” fancy lounge where only the chosen few pass through the door. Different cruise lines have different nomenclature for their suite class areas, but MSC calls it ‘Yacht Club’ and I got a peek behind the curtain.
It. Is. Glorious.
But is it worth it?
I’m probably forever spoiled now that I know what it’s like to hang out in the cool kids’ playground on a ship. Here’s everything you need to know about sailing in MSC’s “ship within a ship” and whether or not it’s worth the extra spend.
The writer was hosted by MSC.
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This was my first time experiencing true suite class
I’ve been on over 20 cruises, and until my husband and I took a three-night cruise from Miami on the MSC Seascape, my only upgraded experience was with Disney Cruise Line. While Disney’s Concerige staterooms and lounge are dreamy, we were mainstreamed in with the ship’s gen pop most of the time. MSC’s Yacht Club experience? Next level and always exclusive.
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What does MSC Yacht Club include?
The biggest vibe was the separation from the rest of the ship. Everything, including our stateroom, sits behind a glass door that Yacht Club guests could enter with the MSC for Me wristband. Unless we chose to mingle, we could stay in our little luxury bubble and have all of our needs met.
- 24/7 butler/concierge
- Private access areas: lounge, restaurant, pool deck
- Drink package
- WiFi
- Dedicated seating for theater shows
- Priority embarkation/disembarkation
- Thermal suite access
- Exclusive area on Ocean Cay, MSC’s island
- Luxe touches in the stateroom, such as Egyptian cotton sheets
Embarkation experience
I love cruising but there’s just something about the embarkation process that always feels a little chaotic to me. This? The polar opposite of chaotic.
- We were escorted from the parking lot to our expedited check-in line.
- Someone put my cruise wristband on my wrist while I flashed my passport.
- There’s a pre-embarkation area with drinks and snacks.
- Yacht Club guests were whisked directly to the lounge, where we were served champagne and had our dining and spa reservations confirmed before lunch.
- I handed my phone to a butler who set up my WiFi.
Stateroom
We stayed in a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite, which was similar to a regular balcony stateroom but with enhanced service and better amenities.
- Semi-separated living area between bed and balcony
- Luxury bedding and a king mattress (yasss!)
- Biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship
- Ample storage, including a mini-fridge.
- Amenities included a bottle of alcohol delivered to our room. Our butler gave us several choices and we picked Grey Goose vodka, although we ended up leaving it behind since we’d opted for carry-on only.
MSC Yacht Club Dining
We left the yacht club for dinner two out of three nights. Otherwise, we stayed in the bubble.
- The panoramic Top Sail Lounge has a full bar and various snacks throughout the day. If you’re a light breakfast eater, you can make do with what’s out in the lounge.
- The lounge offers both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as nightly entertainment.
- There’s a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner above the Top Sail Lounge, with views of the ocean and the lounge below. The menus, which rotate daily, are posted in the lounge.
- There’s a breakfast and lunch buffet on Deck 19, the pool deck.
Pool deck buffet versus main buffet
While we didn’t visit the main buffet once, I imagine that on a ship the size of the Seascape, it must be quite extensive. While the Yacht Club buffet was small, it hit all the breakfast items and it had a grill for eggs to order and omelets. Lunch offered a mix of salads, hot dishes and burgers/sandwiches from the grill.
Ocean Cay Marine Reserve
Ocean Cay is MSC’s private island in the Caribbean and was one of our stops on our cruise from Miami.
- The Yacht Club experience continues at Ocean Cay. There’s a tram that will transport Yacht Club guests to the dedicated beach set aside for them.
- There’s also a dedicated restaurant, Ocean House, to serve lunch to Yacht Club guests, plus an exclusive bar.
- Since Yacht Club guests’ drinks are included, this extends to MSC’s island, so let those rum punches flow at the beach!
Party like a rock star
Okay, so ‘party like a rock star’ for me means one Pina Colada and two Diet Cokes but so what? We rented a cabana for the day (extra fee) and our butler from our stateroom took care of us for the day, which really put the cherry on top of my rock star experience.
Overall Impressions
If you like that extra level of attentive service, consider booking a Yacht Club suite on your next MSC cruise. While my general experience with cruises is that the major cruise lines prioritize a level of service that makes you feel special, this was superior. While I’m not saying any of our dedicated staff could read minds, it felt like I had merely to think of something or wish for it, and someone would appear at my side to serve me.
Who is this for?
While I expected our fellow Yacht Club passengers on the Seascape to be older adult couples, it was a mixed bag and the staff catered to everyone’s needs. While I traveled with only my husband I can see how this would be appealing for young families. The smaller, less overwhelming spaces and enhanced service can be a plus for parents with younger children. It’s for anyone who wants and enjoys—and can afford—that extra level of service and front-of-the-line access to everything.
What I loved
My biggest takeaway is that nothing ever felt crowded.
- The lounge: A quiet escape with all-day access to tea, snacks, wine and quick help.
- The concierge desk: One central point for dining, excursions and spa bookings—no wasted time running around the ship.
- The private pool deck: Spacious and deep, with none of the crowded “kid soup” vibe common on other cruise lines.
What I didn’t love
You might be thinking, “Oh come on. What’s not to like?” While that’s true, there’s a flip side to everything.
- I didn’t feel like I got to know the ship very well. We were not motivated to leave so we didn’t. I saw a cute bar on my way off the ship that I hadn’t noticed and would have enjoyed.
- Exclusive access doesn’t mean no kids so older adults with a beefier budget might find the presence of younger passengers in the Yacht Club areas annoying. If that’s you, book a cruise that doesn’t cater to families.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Consider the type of cruise you want to have. I didn’t explore much outside the Yacht Club and had a relaxing cruise staying inside my luxurious little hideaway. I’m okay with that. If you’re the “no stone unturned” kind of traveler, you may have a different experience.
Pricing
Unless you have bottomless pockets, you’ll probably see the extra spend as a drawback. While this varies greatly depending on the route, ship and length of the cruise, expect to spend an average of $3,000 more per passenger per cruise. You’ll have to decide whether or not it’s worth it.
What’s next for MSC Seascape?
- Beginning in November 2025, the Seascape will move from Florida and homeport in Galveston, Texas for the winter and spring cruise season.
- The Seascape will sail out of a brand-new terminal in Galveston, operating seven-night Western Caribbean sailings through Spring 2026.
- This is MSC’s first appearance at the Port of Galveston and will introduce the growing Texas cruise market to luxurious, European-inspired cruises.
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