After a rough year for my mom — recovering from surgery and dealing with all the stress that came with it — my siblings and I decided she needed a proper escape. No chaotic family reunions, no stressful planning, just her and her four kids setting sail on a family cruise, which so happened to be my very first cruise.
We chose a three-night voyage from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and Ocean Cay on the MSC Seashore. As someone who has never cruised, I was worried about the possibility of seasickness so we went with a short trip in case I couldn’t handle it.
Luckily, I not only handled it — for the most part — I actually really enjoyed myself.
First bit of advice, get something to help with motion sickness even if you think you won’t need it. My sister brought a box of all natural motion sickness patches from a company called 369 Life. They are small sticker-like patches that go behind each ear and last for a couple days. I wasn’t sure if they worked until the second day when I started to feel nauseous due to some rough seas. I assumed the patches gave out but when I checked the back of my ears, they had fallen off. I slapped a fresh set on and the nausea was gone within minutes. A box of 24 patches is less than $15 on Amazon.
As we arrived to port, before we even stepped foot on the ship, my older brother had already set the tone for the trip. We surprised mom with custom button-up shirts featuring flamingos, palm trees and our mother’s face printed all over them. We wore them proudly as we boarded, much to the amusement (and possibly confusion) of fellow passengers. If there’s one way to announce your presence on a cruise ship, it’s by turning your family into walking, tropical-themed shrines to your mom.
As we entered the ship on Deck 10 I was surprised by just how big these ships are. People who cruise regularly are always saying how big the ships are, but you don’t realize just how big until you are walking up to it. That brings me to my next piece of advice, wear comfortable shoes that you’ll be able to walk in. You will have no trouble reaching your 10,000 steps for the day on these massive vessels.
We had some time to kill before our room was ready, so we hit up the buffet on Deck 17 and had a few drinks. More on the food and drinks later but I will say here, splurge on the drink package, it is well worth it.
Since it was just mom and the four kids — no spouses or grandkids on this trip — we decided to get one, upgraded room instead of everyone having their own separate one. I would advise against that if you are going with larger groups but with it just being us five it worked out just fine, plus you find that you don’t spend very much time in your room. However, if we did this would be the room to chill out in.
I had heard horror stories about cramped cruise cabins, tiny bathrooms, bunk beds stacked like prison cells and zero personal space but as we entered the room it was surprisingly spacious. No sardine vibes here. We had a walk-in closet (because why not?), a full-sized bathroom with a tub, a bedroom with a king-sized bed which could split into two full beds, a living room area with a couch that transformed into bunk beds, which immediately gave me flashes of the double-decker couch from “The Lego Movie,” and a sleeper sofa in the bedroom, ensuring all five of us had our own space to sleep.
Then there was the balcony, which faced the front of the ship. The only thing separating us from the open ocean was the employee deck below us. Naturally, we took turns standing on chairs, leaning against the glass railing, and reenacting the iconic “I’m flying” scene from “Titanic.”
Our butler, David, was an absolute gem. Need extra towels? Done. Craving a midnight snack? He made it happen. Want to know the best time to hit the buffet without the crowds? He had the inside scoop. Having a butler felt ridiculously fancy but we leaned into it hard.
I’d always imagined cruises as floating resorts; serene, relaxing, maybe a little bougie. The MSC Seashore, however, felt more like a theme park at sea. There was so much happening at all times: live music, comedy shows, dance parties, karaoke, a casino and enough bars to keep even the thirstiest traveler satisfied. You can keep track of all this through the MSC app.
As I understand it most cruise lines have their own apps, so my next bit of advice is to download and use the app. I had it but didn’t take advantage of it, so we ended up missing a lot of the things we wanted to check out, namely “Friends” trivia and the LGBTQ+ socials. That app acts like your personal assistant throughout your voyage so make sure you tell it what you want to do and it will set up an itinerary for you.
Something I might look into if and when I cruise again is adults-only cruises. Don’t get me wrong, I like kids and I love big family trips but on this cruise families were everywhere, and most notably kids dominated the main pool and hot tubs, splashing around like tiny, hyperactive dolphins hopped up on sugar.
Luckily, MSC had the perfect solution. Adults-only areas gave us access to quieter spaces, including an infinity pool at the back of the ship and hot tubs on the top deck. Absolute bliss. Another area that was a kids free zone was the ship’s spa area.
It was a Roman-inspired paradise with hot tubs, saunas, a salt room, a snow room (yes, actual snow!), citrus and mint showers and more. After a day of sun and chaos, this was the ultimate reset.
Dinner each night was a themed event. The first night was American elegance, fancy but approachable. I had prime rib. The second night was Caribbean cuisine, tropical flavors and rum-infused everything. The third night was an old fashion Italian dinner because, well… MSC is Italian. The wait staff came out with the red, white and green napkins swinging above their heads and playing Italian music. It was delightful. Our waiter, Toni, was a legend; attentive, funny and always ready with an extra breadbasket when needed.
Dinner was served with wine and Toni was ready to run to the bar if we wanted anything a bit stronger. A few of my favorite liquid treats throughout the cruise were espresso martinis (mixing your alcohol with caffeine is the only way to take your coffee on vacation), Moscow Mules (my cruise staple) and Bloody Marys (for those “I might have overdone it last night” mornings).
Something else I insist you make time for are the evening shows in the theater. Each night was a themed show from the onboard cast who were like a ship-based glee club meets Cirque du Soleil. Night one was “The Diva Show,” which was filled with glam, glitter and powerhouse vocals. Night two was the “MSC Talent Show,” with singers, dancers, a magician, contortionists and a Ukrainian aerial act that featured a man whose abs deserved their own standing ovation. Night three was an all-out rock concert featuring throwbacks to the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, complete with air guitar sessions.
With so much happening on the ship, I didn’t spend too much time off the boat. We stopped the first day in Nassau, Bahamas, where we wandered, shopped and soaked in the island vibes. The second day was at Ocean Cay, MSC’s Private Island, which had stunning beaches, crystal-clear water and me, firmly planted at the beach bar, chatting with fellow non-sunbathers. I’m very much the kind of person who respects the ocean from a distance with a cocktail.
The MSC Seashore was a fantastic first cruise experience, packed with luxury, laughter and just the right amount of chaos. Most importantly, it gave mom the reset she deserved, surrounded by her kids wearing ridiculous shirts in her honor and living her best life at sea.
