In my mind, I could hear Frank Sinatra crooning “New York, New York.” Start spreading the news, as the song says, that the beautiful new MSC Seascape is my kind of ship.
“I want to be a part of it,” Frank would sing. And for one wonderful week I will be a part of the glorious Seascape as we cruise from Miami into the sunny Caribbean.
On MSC Seascape, the Statue of Liberty raises her arm in welcome. Times Square houses a 30-foot LED wall with a projection of the New York skyline, changing from a sunny sky to a starry evening with dazzling lights.
The four-deck Atrium in the center of the ship boasts a three-tiered entertainment stage as its centerpiece with performances day and night. The shimmering Swarovski crystal staircases surrounding the Atrium sparkle and shine and, of course, are a popular photo spot for passengers.
Christened in New York
The fourth vessel in the line’s Seaside class, MSC Cruise Line celebrated a gala Seascape christening ceremony on Dec. 7, 2022, in New York. Godmother for all MSC’s cruise ships, Sophia Loren made an appearance from Europe by video to bless the ship.
“One of the highlights of the past 20 years has been to officiate the christening of MSC Cruises fleet,” the famous actress said. “MSC has always occupied a special place in my heart. Let me bless the MSC Seascape, her great crew and all her passengers.”
MSC Cruises has a modern fleet of 21 vessels and is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025, with options for six more vessel orders in place through 2030.
Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman, cruise division of MSC Group, said at the christening event, “We have come a long way since the pandemic hit. Our industry was put in the spotlight from the start just like New York was. But like you in the face of adversity, we came together and steered ourselves on the right course.”
Definitely the right course, as the happy faces of Seascape cruisers attest. “We saved up for this cruise as an anniversary celebration. It is everything we had hoped for and more,” says Tom Henderson from Miami. Tom and his wife Louise are sharing a celebratory glass of bubbly in the Champagne Bar before heading to dinner.
Seascape Highlights Sea Views
As the name suggests, Seascape lets passengers know they are cruising with close-up stunning views of the ocean. The ship offers almost 140,000 square feet of outdoor space plus a promenade measuring more than 1,700 feet long to bring passengers closer to the sea.
One of my favorites is the adults-only infinity pool at the aft offering great wake views and some in-pool loungers. Seascape also boasts two 20-person infinity hot tubs on either side of the deck 8 promenade.
With about 2,270 staterooms, Seascape can carry more than 5,100 guests at double occupancy. On my cruise, there are 4,200 passengers and 1,648 crew members. Even though the ship is big, it offers plenty of nooks and crannies for some quiet time and I never felt crowded.
I’m still learning my way around the ship, trying to take photos and talk with folks. Seascape has 11 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges, 13 pools and water features and that amazing Yacht Club that I will write more about later.
Instead of one big pool, Seascape has 13 pools and water features spread across multiple decks. There’s the main pool area, the outdoor Marina Pool on deck 18 aft. In the center of deck 16 is the Jungle Pool with its exotic theme and retractable dome to block out the weather if necessary.
Ship Features Environmental Advances
I know it may sound boring to read about the environmental advances on the Seascape but they are very important in protecting the environment, particularly the world’s water. Not only is MSC Cruises a family-run business, it also owes its heritage to starting from the world’s largest ocean shipping company so it knows the importance of protecting this natural resource.
As one of the most advanced ships in the industry, Seascape features hybrid exhaust cleaning systems and wastewater treatment systems, plus a selective catalytic reduction system to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90 percent by converting the gas into harmless nitrogen and water.
Seascape’s hybrid exhaust gas cleaning system removes 98 percent of sulphur oxide from its emissions. The ship has various effective energy-efficiency improvements from heat recovery systems to LED lighting able to save energy.
To reduce and isolate potential effects on marine mammals, Seascape features an underwater radiated noise managed system. Children especially liked hearing about that one.
Sports Bar a Favorite
Seascape has so many bars that I’m still checking them out. Don’t have to walk very far to get a drink on this lovely ship. My favorite so far is the Sports Bar, decked out in sports memorabilia with a bar shaped like a football and booths with private TVs. Near the bar is a billiard room.
Since my hometown is where the movie “Breaking Away” was filmed, I liked seeing the bike hung vertically and the basketball memorabilia. Hoping my IU Hoosiers do well in the March Madness playoffs.
All of this and I haven’t even touched on the dining, entertainment, private island and little tidbits I am discovering around the Seascape. Definitely more to write about later.
Photos by Jackie Sheckler Finch
Infinity pool photo courtesy of MSC Cruises
See sailings here: All MSC Cruises (cruisecompete.com)
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
