MSC Seaside cruise ship: who it suits, where it sails and which cabin to book
The MSC Seaside cruise ship is a good pick for a cheap, short Bahamas trip on a big, modern ship. It's a 2017 ship for about 4,132 guests at double occupancy, sailing three-, four- and seven-night cruises from Miami with stops at Ocean Cay, MSC's private island. Skip it if you dislike crowds or upselling.
Book it if
- You want a three- or four-night cruise from Miami without paying for a newer ship.
- You like outdoor space. The promenade, pools and glass walkways are the point of this design.
- Your kids want water slides, a zip line and LEGO-branded clubs.
Skip it if
- Crowds bother you. At full occupancy the ship carries over 5,100 guests.
- You want the newest MSC ship. MSC World America is the better week in the Caribbean.
- You want many different ports. Nearly every sailing on sale is a Bahamas trip.
Pick your dates: MSC Seaside cruises
The busiest months for MSC Seaside in the coming year, from the sailings we track. Each button opens the cheapest sailing in those months on Cruisebound.
January–February 2027
24 sailings, from $182 per person
See the cheapest sailingMarch–April 2027
27 sailings, from $246 per person
See the cheapest sailingMay–June 2027
26 sailings, from $276 per person
See the cheapest sailing
Prices checked November 2026; fares change daily.
MSC Seaside at a glance
- Line
- MSC Cruises
- Class
- Seaside
- Entered service
- 2017
- Gross tonnage
- 153,516
- Guests
- About 4,132 (double occupancy)
- Crew
- About 1,413
- Decks
- 18
Part of the MSC Cruises fleet. Home ports: Miami.
MSC Seaside is the first ship of the Seaside class. Fincantieri built it at Monfalcone, Italy, and delivered it on November 29, 2017. It’s about 1,060 feet long. Wikipedia gives 4,132 guests at double occupancy and 5,119 at maximum, and 18 decks. CruiseMapper’s figures are slightly higher, at up to 5,336 guests and 19 decks. Crew is 1,413 at Wikipedia and CruiseMapper, against 1,513 at CruiseBound.
Who it suits
First-time and budget cruisers. A three- or four-night trip costs far less than a week and tells you whether you like cruising. See our 3 to 5 night cruise picks.
Families. The ship has a water park, a zip line and clubs by age group from babies to 17-year-olds. Our family cruise guide compares it with stronger, pricier options.
People who like being outside. The design puts restaurants, bars and pools close to the water, which suits warm-weather trips.
Who should look elsewhere: anyone who wants a quiet ship or an inclusive fare. Our MSC review explains how the line’s extras work.
Standout features
- Waterfront promenade: a wraparound promenade near sea level, with shops, bars and restaurants.
- Glass catwalks: CruiseMapper counts three glass-floored walkways, including the Bridge of Sighs at the back of the ship. CruiseBound lists it too.
- Water park: several slides, including a Slideboarding tube, plus two kids’ splash areas.
- Adventure Trail and zip line: a ropes course and zip line high on the ship.
- Adults-only South Beach Pool: a quieter place to sit than the main pool decks.
- MSC Yacht Club: a private suite area with its own lounge, restaurant, pool and sundeck.
MSC Seaside cabins to pick and avoid
The best cabin on MSC Seaside for most guests is a midship balcony on Decks 10 to 13, which CruiseMapper’s deck plan titles show as cabin decks. On a three-night trip an inside cabin is the better value, since you’ll spend little time in it. About 73% of cabins have balconies.
Pick:
- A midship balcony on a middle cabin deck for the seven-night trips.
- An inside cabin for the cheapest short cruise.
- A cluster cabin if your family needs connected rooms. CruiseMapper lists these for families.
- The Yacht Club if you want to avoid the crowds. It’s a real separation from the rest of the ship, at a much higher fare.
Avoid or think twice:
- Deck 15 cabins, which sit directly under the Deck 16 pools and lido.
- Terraced balconies over the promenade if you want a sea view and quiet. They look onto the promenade.
- Cabins at the far forward or aft ends if you get seasick.
What is included on MSC Seaside?
An MSC Seaside fare includes the main dining rooms, the Marketplace and Biscayne Bay buffets, pools and the kids’ clubs. Drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty restaurants and gratuities are extra unless your fare or a package covers them. Check the fare type before comparing prices with another line.
The two main dining rooms are Seashore and Ipanema. Extra-cost restaurants include Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Bistrot La Boheme, Ocean Cay by Ramon Freixa and Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi. The Yacht Club restaurant is included for Yacht Club guests only.
Kids’ clubs run from Baby Club through Mini and Junior Club, both LEGO-branded, to Young and Teen Club. The MSC Cruises guide explains the line’s fare types.
Where does MSC Seaside sail in 2026–2027?
MSC Seaside sails from Miami all year, mostly on three-, four- and seven-night Bahamas cruises. Every short sailing MSC announced through April 2027 stops at Ocean Cay, and most also call at Nassau. CruiseBound lists the same pattern on sale through October 2028, with one long break in autumn 2027.
- November 2026 to August 2027, Miami: three-, four- and seven-night Bahamas cruises. Cruise Radio’s report on summer 2027 names Nassau and Freeport as stops, with Ocean Cay. See our Bahamas cruise guide and Nassau cruise port guide.
- December 2026, longer trips: CruiseBound also lists 7- to 14-night Caribbean sailings around the holidays. See our Caribbean cruise guide.
- Mid-August to mid-November 2027, a gap: CruiseBound shows no sailings between August 18 and November 15, 2027. We found no announcement explaining why, so don’t assume the ship is sailing those weeks.
- November 2027 to October 2028, Miami: the same three-, four- and seven-night pattern.
| Departs | Line and ship | Nights | Itinerary | From | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 3 | 3 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $1,309 | Check price |
| Nov 9, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 4 | 4 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $1,136 | Check price |
| Nov 13, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 3 | 3 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $1,299 | Check price |
| Nov 16, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 4 | 4 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $159 | Check price |
| Nov 20, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 3 | 3 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $280 | Check price |
| Nov 23, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 7 | 7 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $3,619 | Check price |
| Nov 23, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 4 | 4 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $359 | Check price |
| Nov 27, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 3 | 3 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $340 | Check price |
| Nov 30, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 4 | 4 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $159 | Check price |
| Dec 4, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 3 | 3 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $210 | Check price |
| Dec 7, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 4 | 4 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $182 | Check price |
| Dec 11, 2026 | MSC Cruises, MSC Seaside | 3 | 3 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $208 | Check price |
Sister ships
MSC Seaside’s direct sister is MSC Seaview, delivered in June 2018. MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape are larger Seaside EVO ships built on the same idea. If you’d pay more for a newer ship from Miami, look at MSC World America. For how the line compares with its rivals, see MSC vs Royal Caribbean.
MSC Seaside FAQ
How big is the MSC Seaside cruise ship?
153,516 gross tons and about 1,060 feet long, with 4,132 guests at double occupancy, up to 5,119 at maximum, and 1,413 crew.
How old is MSC Seaside?
It was delivered in November 2017, so it turns nine this month. We found no record of a major refit.
Where does MSC Seaside sail from?
Miami. Every sailing in our November 2026 snapshot, through October 2028, starts there.
What is the MSC Seaside cruise ticket price?
It depends on length and date. In our November 2026 snapshot, three- and four-night trips have a median fare about half that of the seven-night trips. The table above shows dated fares, and taxes, fees and gratuities can change the total.
How can I find cheap MSC Seaside cruises?
Look at four-night cruises from January to March 2027, or from November and December 2026 if you can leave soon. Those months have some of the lowest fares in our snapshot. Summer sailings cost noticeably more.
What do MSC Seaside cruise reviews say?
We don’t publish star ratings or collect reviews. What the facts support: it’s a large, well-equipped ship with low short-cruise fares, but with the crowds and paid extras that go with them.
Sources
- Wikipedia: MSC Seaside (builder, dates, tonnage, guests, crew, decks)
- CruiseMapper: MSC Seaside (specs, sister ships, Miami schedule)
- CruiseMapper: MSC Seaside review (dining, pools, promenade, kids' clubs, cabins)
- CruiseMapper: MSC Seaside deck plans (deck titles, cabin decks)
- Cruise Industry News: MSC Seaside to offer short cruises from Miami, May 26, 2025
- Cruise Radio: MSC deploys six ships to U.S. ports for summer 2027, July 28, 2025
- CruiseBound: MSC Seaside sailings (listings checked November 2026)