Cruise Spotlight
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MSC Seashore vs Celebrity Reflection
The MSC Seashore 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. It's 9 years newer than the Reflection, which was built in 2012.
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 Seashore is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,060 feet long and 135 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Reflection, the Seashore is 34% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
MSC Seashore holds 86% more passengers than the Reflection based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Seashore has less space per person compared to the Reflection.
| MSC Seashore | Celebrity Reflection | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Seaside EVO | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 169,400 | 126,000 |
| Length | 1,060 | 1,047 |
| Beam/Width | 135 | 123 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,632 | 3,030 |
| Crew | 1,648 | 1,293 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 30 | 42 |
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 Seashore has eleven different dining options like Ocean Cay Restaurant, Butcher's Cut, and Kaito Sushi Bar. Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.
The Reflection has one more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Le Petit Chef at Qsine, AquaSpa Cafe, and Luminae. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other eight have an additional fee.
The MSC Seashore has about the same number of dining options as the Celebrity Reflection.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Reflection might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| MSC Seashore | Celebrity Reflection | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 7 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 8 |
| % of Included Options | 18% | 33% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The MSC Seashore has 5 more bars than the Celebrity Reflection. The Seashore has 19 bars like Champagne Bar, Chef's Court Cocktail Bar and Jungle Pool Beach Bar. On Seashore, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Cafe al Bacio, Mast Bar and Michael's Club.
| MSC Seashore | Celebrity Reflection |
|---|---|
| •Aurea Bar • Brooklyn Cafe • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Long Island Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seashore Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar | •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Cellar Masters • Ensemble Lounge • Entertainment Court Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Michael's Club • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Sky Observation Lounge • Sunset Bar • World Class Bar |
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.
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 Seashore has a total of 5 pools and 15 hot tubs. 2 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.
Celebrity Reflection has fewer pools than the Seashore and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Reflection. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools are adults only on Seashore.| MSC Seashore | Celebrity Reflection | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 15 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 12 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 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 Seashore. Only 54% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Reflection, 64% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| MSC Seashore | Celebrity Reflection | |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure Trail | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| F1 Simulator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
MSC is considered 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.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| MSC Seashore | Celebrity Reflection | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $4.00 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 | |
| Drink Package Price | $46 - $85 | $65 - $95 |
| Internet Plan | $17 - $27 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
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