Cruise Spotlight
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MSC Seashore vs Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas
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 24 years newer than the Rhapsody of the Seas, which was built in 1997 and renovated in 2025.
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 Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas, the Seashore is 116% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
The MSC Seashore holds more than double the amount of people as the Rhapsody of the Seas 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 Rhapsody of the Seas.
| MSC Seashore | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Seaside EVO | Vision |
| Gross Tonnage | 169,400 | 78,491 |
| Length | 1,060 | 916 |
| Beam/Width | 135 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,632 | 1,998 |
| Crew | 1,648 | 765 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.4 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 30 | 39 |
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 HOLA! Tacos & Cantina, Ocean Cay Restaurant, and Marketplace Buffet. Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.
The Rhapsody of the Seas has two fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Chops Grille, Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks, and Windjammer. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Seashore might be a better choice. It has 22% more dining options than the Rhapsody of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Rhapsody of the Seas 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 | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 9 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 7 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 18% | 33% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The MSC Seashore has 12 more bars than the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas. The Seashore has 19 bars like Aurea Bar, Champagne Bar and Top Sail Lounge. On Seashore, you can grab a drink at 7 different bars such as Casino Bar, Pool bar and Schooner Bar.
| MSC Seashore | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas |
|---|---|
| •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 | •Casino Bar • Pool bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Shall We Dance Lounge • Solarium Bar • Viking Crown Lounge |
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. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Rhapsody of the Seas below.
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.
Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas has fewer pools than the Seashore and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Rhapsody of the Seas. 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 | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 15 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 12 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 3 | 0 |
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 Rhapsody of the Seas, 62% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| MSC Seashore | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adventure Trail | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| F1 Simulator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
MSC and Royal Caribbean are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on MSC Seashore will likely be more expensive than on Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas.
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 | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | |
| Drink Package Price | $46 - $85 | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| 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. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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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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