Cruise Spotlight
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MSC Grandiosa vs MSC Seashore
The MSC Grandiosa was built in 2019. It was renovated in 2024. The Grandiosa features a 364 foot indoor promenade with a "sky" made up of a massive digital LED screen that shows scenes 24/7. It's 2 years older than the Seashore, which was built in 2021. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aesthetic complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Grandiosa is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,094 feet long and 141 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 2.7 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the MSC Seashore, the Grandiosa is 7% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
MSC Grandiosa holds 23% fewer passengers than the Seashore based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Grandiosa has more space per person compared to the Seashore. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| MSC Grandiosa | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Meraviglia Plus | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 181,541 | 169,400 |
| Length | 1,094 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 141 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,345 | 5,632 |
| Crew | 1,704 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 37 | 30 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Grandiosa has thirteen different dining options like Kaito Teppanyaki, L'Atelier Bistro, and Marketplace Buffet. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other ten options have an additional fee.
The Seashore has two fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Ocean Cay Restaurant, Marketplace Buffet, and Kaito Sushi Bar. Seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Grandiosa might be a better choice. It has 18% more dining options than the Seashore.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Grandiosa might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurants on MSC Grandiosa & Seashore
| Restaurant | MSC Grandiosa |
MSC Seashore |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Atmosphere Bar South | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Marketplace Buffet | ✓ | ✓ | |
| A la carte | |||
| Atmosphere Ice Cream Bar | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Jean-Philippe Chocolat & Cafe | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Ocean Cay Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sports Bar | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Venchi 1878 Gelato | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Flat fee | |||
| Butcher's Cut | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| HOLA! Tacos & Cantina | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Kaito Sushi Bar | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Kaito Teppanyaki | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| L'Atelier Bistro | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Exclusive (open to select guests only) | |||
| MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| MSC Yacht Club Restaurant | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| The One Pool Grill & Bar | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The MSC Grandiosa has a total of 5 pools and 9 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 3 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
The MSC Seashore has the same number of pools as the Grandiosa and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seashore. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools are adults only on Grandiosa.| MSC Grandiosa | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 2 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 9 | 15 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | ||
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 3 | 3 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Grandiosa. Only 50% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Seashore, 54% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| MSC Grandiosa | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bowling Alley | ✓ | ✗ |
| Carousel Acrobatic Production Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| F1 Simulator | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Indoor Sportsplex | ✓ | ✗ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
MSC is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a MSC ship.
| MSC | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.00 |
| Drink Package Price | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
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