Our March 2024 Cruise on the MSC Seaside in the Yacht Club

In Barb’s own words

WOW . . .  What a fabulous cruised!!!

We’ve been to amazing, exciting, beautiful places . . . BUT . . . we have NEVER experienced a cruise filled with LOVE like this one, well maybe in Aruba when I almost died  . . . BUT that was a whole different situation – whew!!

This great experience started when we were walking about the ship getting the lay of the land and heard “Barb, Ed . . .  I don’t believe it!!!  It was our Angel (his name as well as who he is!) He was a casino host we had met 8 years ago on a Celebrity ship AND he rememberd us!  WOW!!

This cruise line, MSC is amazing if you are fortunate to be in the Yacht Club (YC)!!  They provide you with your own Butler and while he has other cabins, he is ALWAYS there for you . .  ALWAYS!! 

Then there is the YC pool deck with beautiful lounges, a fabulous pool, outrageous food for breakfast, lunch and in between each of those meals.  Magically when we arrived each morning on the pool deck there was a double lounger all ready for us, including towels and an ice bucket with our drinks in it.  There was any drink or wine that we wanted 24 – 7!!

THEN . . . yes, there’s more – a lovely YC dining room for dinner with our own wait-staff, beautiful surroundings, great food and live music.  Right below the dining room there is a wonderful lounge with live music all the drinks you want as well as snacks always there.

Entertainment from our reserved section in the showroom was our kind of fun, music we love. .  I knew every song and danced in my seat - - just fun.  On othere ships there is usually a "throw away" show the isn't very good.  On this ship the were ALL good!!

THEN!! We always get to know a lot of the casino staff but this time it was unreal!! I could go on and on but let me sum it up by saying the last night almost everyone including the bar staff hugged us and even a couple of tears.  We were dubbed Mama and Papa and Angel said I am now officially his daughters “gram”.  We face timed with her several times with Angel and she was a delightful 2-year old.

As you can imagine, I was a mess BUT so touched by all the love and we can’t wait until next time.

Today I can’t wait to hug all my family – we are truly blessed.

Thanks for joining us on the BEST CRUISE EVER!!

Day 10 – March 3

We are at Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island and a marine reserve and the tempeture is in the mid 80’s

They build the island on a former dump for the Bahamas.  It is unique among the other cruise lines private islands is that it doesn’t have huge zip lines, waterslides, and those kinds of features.  It is all about the beaches and the water. 

We left the ship with our butler leading the way to a golf cart to take us to the YC private part of the island.

This YC part had a beautiful beach, its own private restaurant and of course butler service.  It is going to be had coming back to reality, but we certainly will enjoyed this kind of treatment while it lasted!!

We ate lunch at the beach and then took a golf cart back to the ship.

Since the casino was open, we played a session there.

Then it was time to clean up and go out for the evening after first packing for the flight home tomorrow.

Same routine –

1.        The lounge

2.       The show

3.       Dinner

4.       Casino

We are predictable!!

The show tonight was a wonderful variety show be the production cast and it was very good.

Night for our last day.

Tomorrow we are getting off first thing as we have a very early flight to catch.  Wish us luck in making it.

Our next email will show a couple of videos that we took that we could not load from the ship.

Night and see you all at home

 

                              Ocean Cay from the left

                                To the right from our cabin

                                              Going out to Ocean Cay

                                                   Just relaxing

                                              Going out for our last evening for this trip

Barb's Lamb Shank

                              Angel our casino host who we also met in 2018 on a Celebrity ship

About to leave the ship

                                      

                                         Saying goodbye to our butler - wow - what an experience!!

                                          Walking right pass the very long waiting line

                                                                In the Miami Delta Lounge

The Yacht Club pool deck

                                                               More from the pool deck

                                                           A party at night on the YC pool deck

The Yacht Club Section on Ocean Cay and going back to the ship

                                                        The Yacht Club pool deck

Day 9 – March 3, 2024

This just might have been the best day ever to be up on the pool deck.  The sun was bright and hot (80’s) and just a slight wind.

Arter breakfast at 10:00pm we went down to the Sports Bar because they were paying double points to play slots.  As points in the casino help determine what we will be offered as far as free cruises, we thought it was a good idea for Barb to play.

After that we went back up to the pool deck and of course the pool staff had already set up our 2-person lounger with towels and a bucket of ice with water and a Diet Coke – wow do they ever spoil us!!

We ending up talking with our next neighbors who we had met earlier in the cruise and just relaxed in the sun.

We ate lunch at the pool buffet and then went down to the cabin to get ready for the slot and blackjack tournaments.

Well neither us made the final so we played a little in the casino, went back up to the pool deck for afternoon snacks and then came back to the cabin to get ready for the show, dinner, and the casino.

First, we went to the lounge for a drink and then to the show. 

Tonight the show was very good as it was music from Tina Turner, and from Coldplay to Bruno Mars and Queen -some great music.

Then to dinner and the casino and of course, we enjoyed both.

Tomorrow is our last day on the cruise sadly!!  We will be spending the day at MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay and that should be fun.

Night and see all soon.

                                                 Just enjoying the sun

                                     Going out for the afternoon

                                            and going out for the evening

 

                                                 On the stairway from the restaurant to the lounge

Day 8 – March 3, 2024

 Sometime early in the morning the ship docked at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic as we slept in.

As we had just been there on our last cruise there was no reason to get off.  It is a very small town with a made for the cruise industry port with lots of little shops, bars and restaurants.  Been there – done that.

Ed had breakfast on the top deck, which is the pool deck and they have each morning a nice breakfast with great service.

At 9:00am the sun was in the low 80’s and very hot with no clouds.

The pool butler had made up our 2-person lounger so basically, we stayed on the deck in the sun until noon.

We had met our casino host 10 years ago when he was a hot on a Celebrity ship so we got special permission to take him to our dining room for lunch.

It was sooo much fun talking to him about everything except the casino. He has a little girl back home and he face timed with her at the table – what fun we had sharing with him.To

After two hours we went back to our room, changed and when back up on the deck until late in the afternoon.

We cleaned up and went to the lounge before the 7:30 pm show.

The show was a comedian/juggle and he was very funny - probably one of the best we have ever seen because he was really, really funny.

After that we had a wonderful dinner and closed out the evening at the casino.

 Tomorrow is a day at sea so we will probably sleep in.

Night as we head towards home.

                                          Snacks in the afternoon at the pool deck

                                        Tonight it is white night for the ship

                                                    Going down stairs to the lounge

                                                      Drinks in the lounge before the show

                                            Sunset outside the lounge

                                    Our butler walking us to the show

                                              Barb having fun on a slot machine

Day 7 – March 3, 2024

 The days so far have been very nice, but today it is realty nice, pure sun and hot – in the lower 80’s when we arrived at the port for San Juan.

As there are a lot of people on this ship, we had our butler escort us through the crowds and onto the pier – such service.

We got off the ship just after it had docked and walked into the old town to have a Mallorca sandwich from the original restaurant, Cafeteria Mallorca.

That’s a bread with ham and cheese, folded over and covered with powered sugar!!  It is hard to describe the taste but it is delicious.  See the picture for a better idea of the sandwich.

After that we walked down the streets of Old Town and back to the ship to have lunch and lay out on the pool deck.

The deck attendant had saved our lounge for us and it was perfect to be in some great sun.

The sun was so directly  overhead and hot we could only stay out for a couple of hours.

After we came back to our cabin in the late afternoon, we cleaned up and went down so that Ed could play in the 2^nd qualifying session of the slot tournament. 

After walking around a little bit, it was time to see the show which was a fun production of dancing to favorite hits of the past.  It was very good.

As always, we closed out the night in the casino and had an enjoyable time.

Tomorrow we will be in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and we do not plan to get off the ship.

Night after leaving San Juan.

                                                      Ready to go out for the day

                                                At the Mallorca Restaurant

                                            Top sandwich is ham and cheese, bottom one is butter

                                    He has been a waiter here for 37 years!!

                           We were amazed that they had a shop advertising New York and its wines

                                            Barb was in heaven!!

                                        Our ship the MSC Seaside

                                                      The theme is a tropical night

                                                  The side of the ship after dark

Day 6 – March 3, 2024

Today is a day at sea and while the temperature is in the 70’s the wind on the deck was terrible.  The Captain made an announcement that we were at maxspeed, 31 knots in order to make San Juan PR at the correct time, 10:00am which is why it was so windy.

Ed had breakfast and then we walked around the ship to see all the regular areas and the shops.

By then it was time for lunch so we went to the YC dining room for lunch and they had a wonderful selection for lunch.

After lunch, we went to the casino to participate in the preliminary rounds of the slot tournament and the blackjack tournament.  The final qualifying rounds will be on the next sea day as will be the finals.

At the present time, both of us have qualify for the tournament, Barb for slots Ed for blackjack.

If we survive the additional qualifying rounds on Thursday, we will be in the finals.  Wish us luck on Thursday.

Then we went back up on the deck where the wind was not as strong and we found a great space to lay in the sun.

After that, we came back to the cabin San cleaned up and went to the show and then the casino.

The show was a production show by the permeant cast and it was all about the music from the movies and it was a fun, entertaining production.

Then it was back to the casino and we closed our night out at 1:00 am.

Tomorrow is San Juan and we are meeting out butler shortly afger docking to take us off the ship.

Night on the way  to San Juan.

                                                Going out for the day

                    Lunch in th YC dining room with the view outthe front of the ship - 20th floor

                                                        Our lunch - Sea Bass and Pasta

                                    Barb getting ready for a qualifing round of the slot tournament

                                               Going out for the evening

Day 5 – March 3, 2024

We have arrived in Nassau along with 4 other ships from other lines so the port would have about 20,000+ people today!!

While Barb got ready, Ed went to the top deck and the YC pool area where they serve a big breakfast buffet.

The only reason that we got off the ship today was to go to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, a church we have been to before for Sunday services.  As before they were very welcoming.  

Yes, the port area was very crowded!

It was about a 20-minute walk to the Cathedral and we went to their 11:00am service.

Then we walked back to the ship and had lunch, again on the pool deck.

Of course the weather was nice enough (77) that we sat out on the pool deck for the rest of the afternoon.

The show tonight was a comedy performance and she as very good.

After the show as is our custom, we went to dinner.  We have a picture of the dinner menu and it was a nice meal.

Of course, after dinner we went to the casino.  The casino staff is amazing as they have made us feel very welcome and all points to our making MSC Cruises our favorite cruise line.

Tomorrow we are at sea and we have a slot tournament and a blackjack tournament.

Night from somewhere in the ocean.

c

                                                             Church

                                                          Lunch from buffet on the pool deck

                           The Butler making up a pool lounge for us.  Yes they are spoiling us!!!

                                            

                                                    Just relaxing

                                             Going out for the evening

                                              The dinner menu

 

Day 4 – March 2, 2024

We woke up to another beautiful day in Miami

After eating breakfast, Ed took the rental car a couple of blocks and turned it in and walked back to the hotel.

This was, no question, the best location to rent a car if we were going out of the Port of Miami and the hotel a TownPlace Suites by Marriott.  They had upgraded us to a 1-bedroom suite so it made it very nice.

We were supposed t be able to board the MSC Seaside at 10:00am so we left the hotel in an Uber and arrived at the port just before that time.

For some reason, the ship was delayed so we finally were the first ones on the ship a 10:30am.  The cabin wasn’t ready so they had us all wait in their lounge before we could get into the cabin at 11:00am.

We unpacked our carry-on and went to the pool deck to have lunch.

Just for fun, we walked around all the public decks outride of the Yacht Club j(YC) just to see everything and then back to cabin to unpack our big suitcases which had arrived at our cabin.  The nice thing about the YC is that you also get your bags first.

We sat up on the top deck watching other ships leave the port and then it was time to get ready for the evening.  One of the ships leaving ahead of us was the Icon of the Seas from Royal Caribbean, the largest cruise ship to date!!

On MSC Cruise line, most (5) of the show are production numbers and on our last cruise they were all good.  Tonight’s show was very, very good.

After the show we went to dinner were both of us had Tuna which was quite good.

Then it was onto the casino where to our amazement, our Casino Host Angel was the same host we had on our October cruise in Europa!!

By the time we were done in the casino we had also met some new staff members and this casino promises to be delightful.

Night for now – tomorrow, Nassau.

                                        Ready to go to our ship with the start of a tan also.

                                            Lounch on the YC pool deck

                                        The Icon of the Seas as it left before us.  

                                            First night out

                        The first production show

                               Our bedroom - spacious and very nice.

                                                    The bathroom

                                                       Barb playing slots

Day 3 – March 1, 2024

 We work up a little late again and it was another beautiful day.

We went again to Hallover Beach and stayed on the beach for 3 hours, until 1:00pm.  This was out third day of perfect weather – 80 degrees and just a few clouds.

Then we went up to Surfside to eat at a wonderful Russian/Jewish Restaurant.

The sandwich was a caprese sandwich with all kinds of goodys and oils on it and was one of the best sandwiches we have ever had on a trip. The Mozzarella cheese was wonderful and you couple tell it was fresh.

After eating we went back to the hotel, Ed did some work and then we went down to the University of Miami to watch Miami play baseball against the University of Florida.  Florida was a college world series runner-up last year so everyone expected them to be good and they were.  Miami sadly lost 6 – 3 but the experience of being back on campus was great.

The game was exciting and we had perfect seats, along the first base line, close to home plate in the 4^th row which was the first row of chair seats behind the first 3 rows of box seats.

This was big time baseball and the stadium looked sold out with a capacity o 5,000 people!!  Barb wanted a hot dog and peanuts from the ball park so that was dinner and the hot dogs were great. 

Tomorrow, we board our second MSC cruise and we hope it is as great as a ship as our first cruise with MSC back in October.

Night from Miami and tomorrow from the MSC Seascape at sea.

                                    The restaurant for lunch

                                        Lunch - Caprese with freash Mozzarella and more

                                         Our seats at the ball game

                                    The Miami Touchdown chain - no Ed didn't buy one!!

                                   Barb's much anticipated hot dog at the ballpark

                                            Just park of the crowd at the ballpark