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Why we’re so excited about MSC World America – and you should be, too
Erica Silverstein is the managing editor for TPG's cruise team. She’s covered the cruise industry for nearly 20 years and has sailed on more than 60 ships. Her work has appeared on Cruise Critic and in The Washington Post, Fodor’s and Let’s Go travel guides.
December 19, 2024 • 9 min read
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Quick summary
MSC World America, debuting in April 2025, will offer seven- and 14-night Caribbean cruises from Miami, including stops at a private island in the Bahamas.
The ship features The Harbour, a new family area with unique attractions like an overwater swing ride, ropes course and extensive water play zones.
Dining options span 13 restaurants and 20 bars, including new specialty venues such as a Greek restaurant and the only Eataly at sea.
The ship will also house the largest and most luxurious exclusive suite enclave in the fleet, offering private amenities and elevated services.
What to consider
Itineraries alternate between Eastern and Western Caribbean destinations, with three days at sea to explore the ship's offerings.
Family attractions cater to all ages, but some thrill rides have height or age restrictions.
Exclusive suite enclave guests receive additional perks, including private dining, lounge access and priority services.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed look at standout onboard attractions, dining venues and tips for making the most of both family and luxury experiences on MSC World America.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
MSC World America will bring a new world of cruising to Florida’s shores when it makes its debut in April 2025, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Designed for immersive and enriching experiences at sea, the ship is the first in MSC's groundbreaking World Class to sail in the Caribbean, where it will offer seven-night and 14-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Every sailing will call at MSC Cruises' private island oasis, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas.
But the most exciting things about this ship are not its fun-in-the-sun itineraries (which are, admittedly, pretty cool) but what’s on board. As a ship that ranks in the top 10 for largest ships afloat, MSC World America has so much to offer all travelers, regardless of their vacation style.
It’s hard to choose favorites, but if we had to narrow it down, the three things that have us the most excited about the arrival of MSC World America are The Harbour, the ship’s new family area (flush with thrilling attractions); the new and reimagined food and dining concepts; and the largest MSC Yacht Club in the fleet (winner of the 2024 TPG Award for Best VIP Ship Within a Ship).
Take a peek at what MSC World America has in store for Caribbean cruisers in 2025, and you, too, will start to feel the excitement.
The Harbour caters to families like never before
MSC CRUISES
Thrill-seekers, The Harbour is calling your name!
If basic rock walls and waterslides have lost their adrenaline rush, your heart will start racing when you encounter the new thrilling attractions at MSC World America’s all-new outdoor, family-friendly area.
You’ll find it within Family Aventura, one of seven districts that divide MSC World America into distinct public areas. The Family Aventura stretches across indoor and outdoor portions of the ship’s top deck, and The Harbour is at the center.
The Harbour’s thrills start with Cliffhanger, the first overwater swing ride at sea. Powered arms will lift four riders up in the air and then out over the ocean, so you’ll be dangling 160 feet above the waves as the ride sends you back and forth.
Once you’ve conquered that challenge, you can overcome any remaining fear of heights on the High Trail Ropes Course, which is suspended more than 25 feet above The Harbour. The two-level ropes course spans 6,210 square feet and includes two "Sky Rails," similar to a zip line. Or test your agility on the rock climbing wall. For a different kind of rush, scream your way down Jaw Drop, an 11-deck-high spiraling dry slide that is one of the longest at sea.
Families with smaller kids too little for thrill rides have a home at The Light House Playground, a play area featuring a replica of the lighthouse at Ocean Cay, MSC Cruises’ private island in the Bahamas.
Looking to get wet? The Aquapark is the place for your family to cool off with four waterslides, including a 90-degree vertical drop slide.
Keep the crew playing for hours with tasty bites and refreshments at The Harbour Bar & Bites, the perfect complement to your fun-filled time at The Harbour.
If active fun is your vacation jam, plan to spend entire afternoons at The Harbour because your family will not want to leave.
New and reimagined dining and drinking options offer a world of choice
MSC CRUISES
A ship this big is sure to have more restaurants and bars than you can visit in one sailing, and we’ve been salivating ever since we read about the new and updated food-and-drink offerings on MSC World America.
The ship will have a whopping 13 restaurants and 20 bars, so you’ll want to start planning out your meal schedule now.
We’re pleased that several MSC Cruises guest-favorite restaurants are returning on this ship, including Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse, Kaito Sushi and Teppanyaki, and Hola! Tacos & Cantina. But we can’t wait for the ship’s two new specialty restaurants.
One is Paxos, the first Greek restaurant on a mass-market cruise ship. It will have a seafood-focused menu, with four unique areas designed to immerse guests in the culture of the Greek islands.
But while we’re dreaming of moussaka and lamb kleftiko, we’re also excited about the versatility of this indoor-outdoor space. Guests can enjoy lunch inside or on the terrace and dinner accompanied by mood-setting music. Between meals, you can sit outside to munch on small-plate snacks washed down with a cocktail or savor a predinner drink in Paxos’ rooftop lounge.
Another new option for dinner is Eataly, which will be the only outpost of the Italian food purveyor at sea. The menu will encompass a broad swath of Italian cuisine with a mix of the brand’s longtime favorites and some dishes exclusive to MSC World America. This venue takes its Italian cuisine seriously, with ingredients flown in from Italy and pasta made fresh on the ship. You can even watch the chefs create magic at Eataly’s open kitchen.
And, of course, MSC Cruises will bring back complimentary main dining in four restaurants and not one but two buffets.
This sweet-toothed writer is excited about Sweet Temptations, a dessert venue reimagined from its first outpost on sister ship MSC World Europa. It’s the place to indulge in over-the-top milkshakes, Venchi gelato, make-your-own ice cream bars, crepes, waffles, doughnuts and candy, as well as snap vacation photos against its colorful backdrop and participate in family-friendly activities.
Chocolate lovers will have additional treat options at MSC Cruises staple Jean Philippe Chocolat & Cafe, and can even craft their own chocolate bars inspired by award-winning French chocolatier and pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury.
The new All-Stars Sports Bar bridges the food and drink divide, so sports fans don’t have to miss the big game (or a meal) when on an MSC World America cruise. This one-stop outpost will have the necessary TVs, bar games like darts and foosball for when you’re feeling the competitive edge, and snacks like wings and sliders to keep you fueled up through overtime.
The best part? The All-Star Sports Bar will have an open-air terrace with calming ocean views for when you just need a break from a stressful inning or quarter.
For a different kind of drinks-adjacent entertainment, The Loft is the ship’s adults-only, late-night entertainment hot spot. It’s got all the fun: comedy sets, karaoke nights and dueling-piano shows.
And when you just need a pick-me-up, Coffee Emporium is a coffee bar concept that will take guests on a caffeinated tour of the world with beans and brewing techniques from places like France, Italy, Turkey and Morocco. The ship will also feature a gin bar, mixology bar and British-style pub complete with an onboard microbrewery.
The award-winning MSC Yacht Club will be the line’s largest and most luxurious
MSC CRUISES
MSC Cruises was one of the first cruise lines to develop the modern ship-within-a-ship concept. The MSC Yacht Club is an exclusive private sanctuary only accessible by keycard for guests who book an MSC Yacht Club room or suite. We’re such fans that we gave the Yacht Club the TPG Award for Best VIP Ship Within a Ship.
If that sounds swanky, just wait for the Yacht Club on MSC World America. It will be the largest and the most luxurious among all of MSC Cruises' ships.
Who wouldn’t be excited about that — especially when it means you can enjoy all the bustling activity of a megaship and then retreat to a more intimate setting when you need a moment of calm?
This Yacht Club will feature more spacious venues than on previous ships, including a two-level sundeck with a bar and grill on the lower deck and a pool, hot tub and private cabanas on the upper deck. Don’t feel like moving from your lounger in the sun? You can order food from the bar or grill to be delivered right to you.
Yacht Club guests also have exclusive use of the posh Top Sail Lounge and Yacht Club Restaurant for elevated dining.
One of the great things about MSC Yacht Club is that its affiliated suites come in all sizes and types. But for the ultimate vacation digs, choose an Owner’s Suite with a separate bedroom and living/dining room, plus an expansive balcony with a private hot tub and outdoor dining table. Or perhaps you’d prefer a Duplex Suite with a master bedroom upstairs and two private sundecks.
Yacht Club guests here benefit not just from relaxing spaces away from the crowds. They also receive perks, such as 24-hour butler and concierge service; complimentary premium beverages, Wi‑Fi and thermal spa access; and priority embarkation and disembarkation. And on MSC Cruises’ private island Ocean Cay, Yacht Club guests take the exclusivity up a notch at Ocean House, a private beach club with cabanas, complimentary amenities and private beachside dining.
Seven-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries will feature calls at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Bahamas. Seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
That means guests will have three days to enjoy all the destination-based attractions, from beaches and water sports to historic and cultural attractions, but also three full days to discover all World America has to offer. The FOMO will be real, but three days will give you enough time to try your first-choice restaurants, check out all the onboard play spaces, take a dip in many pools and hot tubs, and attend a variety of performances.
Bottom line
We’re particularly enthused about MSC World America’s family-friendly attractions, inventive restaurant and bar concepts, and exclusive ship-within-a-ship enclave. But the ship has so much to offer that you might be more amped-up about its itineraries, its seven pools and 13 hot tubs, its kids club and teen programming, its solo cabins, or its spa.
No matter what kind of traveler you are, if you’re looking for a vacation with tons to do wrapped up in a convenient, no-stress package, you have reason to look forward to the arrival of MSC World America. So why not make sure you’re among the first to sail? Now that would be exciting!
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
