Living the Sunshine Life
Travel > Cruising > My MSC Seaside 2026 Experience
Sea Days Are for Relaxing…and Eating
In March 2026, the MSC Seashore left Miami to travel to Ocean Cay. I love taking photos and talking about cruise experiences, so I put together this blog loop with details about the trip — and the ship, the food, and all the fun.
This post is just one of a few posts from the trip. Go to the main page for my March 2026 MSC Seaside experience to see all the posts! You can also use the navigation below to go to the next post.
Day 2 - Sea Day
Holy moley, Day 1 was busy. And I didn’t even tell you about how I won a free dinner for two at Hola Taco!
One of the early afternoon events yesterday was a cooking demo meant to introduce passengers to the specialty restaurants. I was only expecting a display set up, like what they did on the Grandiosa a few months ago.
Nope, this was a full cooking show. Chefs from each restaurant prepared a dish, and we all got to try some rice from the tapenyaki show. (Yum!)
At the end of the event, the host asked a trivia question and I answered it correctly! I never win! Whoo-hoo! Free dinner!
Speaking of food, one of the best reasons to make sure your MSC sailing in the US has a sea day is the sea day brunch. It only happens on sea days.
Burger buds… For crying out loud, skip the burger on the buffet. It’s trash. Just don’t. But definitely get the hefty bacon burger served at the sea day brunch.
For my more adventurous friends, I have other suggestions and notes. Which will have to come in a different post when I get around to it.
If you’re into spirits, sea days are the best time to head over to the sports bar and find out what spirits are on offer. Sometimes you have to attend a specific tasting event, but usually you can go anytime and the bar tender will prepare the tasting flight for you.
Tastings usually cost around $30, which is around what you’ll pay for a tasting on land.
Sea days are also perfect for lounging and doing absolutely nothing. At least, for me. I’m not into all the trivia and dancing and games and stuff planned around the ship, and the pool deck is a crowded mess when everyone is on board. Me? I’d rather make some tea and hang out on my balcony or relax in the hot tub on the private deck attached to the thermal spa.
Actually, there were a few people already in the hot tub. I wasn’t feeling very social, and this solo lounger in the back called out “hello!” to me. It’s crazy how easy it is to find solace on a ship at nearly full capacity.
Have I mentioned the tea on the MSC Seaside? Totally impressed with the selection! I think I made a short video about the tea…
Of course I also hit up the buffet, but to look and not really to eat.
With every sailing I find new dishes on the buffet. It was really nice to see so many fresh new items to try (or take photos of), like:
- slice of eggplant rolled around boursin cheese with sundried tomato and pistachio
- shaved roast beef with garnish
- falafel/chickpea/fava bean patties
There’s been a big movement in recent years against buffets, but I think they’re the best. There’s so much to choose from, whether you want unique items or the usuals…
At lunch and dinner, you’re sure to find something you want to eat. Between the taco station, the pasta station, the burger station, the pizza station, the RAMEN STATION…something has to catch your fancy. A common problem is finding too many things you want to eat.
Don’t listen to people who say the food on MSC isn’t good.
Overall, the dishes put out on the buffet and in the main dining rooms are great. Chefs do a great job of mixing European, American, and other international flavors. The breads are fresh and abundant, and most of the pasta is made in house.
Your local restaurant probably doesn’t put as much time and skill into the food it serves as the chefs on a cruise do.
Eh…okay, I wasn’t too impressed with the buffet pastries on this sailing.
This white angel food cake with sprinkles looked pretty but wasn’t good at all, from cake to frosting. The cake lady told me that there wouldn’t be any carrot cake on this sailing, a total bummer.
The carrot cake is better than what you get at Publix. It’s that good.
I didn’t eat anything from the buffet because…I had dinner plans!
After a quick wardrobe change I found my way to Hola! Taco. There weren’t too many other passengers eating, but Hola! has an all-you-can-eat model and that keeps the waitstaff busy.
I’m solo on a cruise with zero plans other than a thick AF book to finish, so I plopped myself into a chair and waited to be seated. If they had thought to bring me a mezcal (I’d pay, of course!), I’d have been happy to sit there all night!
The wait wasn’t too long, and soon enough I was seated with a view of the sea at dusk with a menu in hand. The waitress suggested I order one of each taco, and I added on an order of chicken enchiladas with salsa verde.
Each bite-sized taco had its own distinct flavor. My favorite was the al pastor with marinated charred pork, pineapple, onions, and cilantro. The chili pescado (fish taco) was also a top choice, though I don’t think the fish was quite the “catch of the day” but more likely a basic fish like tilapia.
The mezcal section of the menu kept calling out to me and I broke down and imbibed. Not being able to make a choice, the bartender chose for me and brough out a shot glass of Creyente, Artesanal Joven ($14). Smooth and cool against the heat of the tacos. Sip by sip, it lasted the whole main course.
I’ve been eating so much on this cruise that I opted to not eat the tortillas. The one I ate though was soft and chewy, a total yum. The waitress confirmed that they were made in house — she sees them cutting out the shapes with cookie cutters in the back. 🙂
While I ate, the ship was abuzz with activity. A dance competition in the main atrium had drawn a decent crowd and other passengers were in the theater watching the evening’s show. I cruise for the food, and I was happy with my choice of “entertainment.”
MSC ends dinner service on the buffet at 9pm, but shortly after, the options shift to midnight snacks. The front section of the buffet (where pizzas are made) gets stocked with trays of sandwiches and small bites, pizza, and cookies. A happy addition to the Seaside mix of sweets are their world-famous meragues.
They aren’t really world famous, but merengues are MSC’s “thing.” Is there another cruise line that has merengues? Not that I can think of. Merengues are served every day at afternoon tea (skip down to tomorrow), and YEA!, it appears that they’re now served at night and in multiple flavors!
I snagged four. Two for now, two for later.
I should do a whole post about MSC pizza, but I have a love-hate relationship with the square pizzas. A few years back, MSC only had round pizzas, and boy, were they popular. So popular that huge lines formed around the buffet for them, and fights broke out over slices.
Yup, I saw a fight over pizza. It wasn’t dramatic Carnival style, but there was yelling.
Fast forward to my next MSC sailing, and I found out how the company had decided to solve the problem: Square pizzas.
They’re quick to make: The foccacia is parbaked and pizza chefs can slather some sauce, cheese, and toppings for a quick finish. No more long waits, no more fights.
But the square pizza is not nearly as good as the regular round ones with thin crusts. My blog, my opinion…
The square slices get picked up and eaten, so lots of people must like it! If it’s your type of pizza, the square style is usually also served during the day at the grill buffet usually situated near the pool.
All the Posts for This Experience!
1. This has to be the Best Cruise Itinerary Ever!
2. When a Campsite is Cheaper than a Hotel Room
3. First Impressions of the New MSC Terminal at Port Miami
4. First Impressions of the MSC Seaside
5. My MSC Seaside Abode, Cabin 11197
6. A Full First Day on the MSC Seaside
7. Sea Days Are for Relaxing…and Eating
8. Shh! The Bestest Quiestest Spot at Ocean Cay
9. And the Seaside Returns to Miami
10. Fill out the Cruise Survey!
Overall...
What a fun cruise. Too short for my liking, especially since I’ve gotten used to being at sea for weeks at a time, but the stop at Ocean Cay was exactly what I needed.
MSC has been posting news about changes it has been making to Ocean Cay, its private island in the Bahamas. All these changes concern me, since the beauty of this island is it’s deserted island vibe. Other cruise lines have thrill rides, luxury treats, and landscaping…things that need infrastructure and create waste. It’s good to see that even with the extra construction being done, Ocean Cay is being maintained as a simple marine reserve.
Overall...
What a fun cruise. Too short for my liking, especially since I’ve gotten used to being at sea for weeks at a time, but the stop at Ocean Cay was exactly what I needed.
MSC has been posting news about changes it has been making to Ocean Cay, its private island in the Bahamas. All these changes concern me, since the beauty of this island is it’s deserted island vibe. Other cruise lines have thrill rides, luxury treats, and landscaping…things that need infrastructure and create waste. It’s good to see that even with the extra construction being done, Ocean Cay is being maintained as a simple marine reserve.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to check out my latest video on YouTube!
Jenny Claire is an award-winning educational materials writer, travel journalist, and food critic, formerly based in New York City and Taiwan. She calls a cute cabin in the woods of rural North Central Florida home, but lately she’s been spending most of her time cruising and traveling. She also was a secret travel critic and writer — but her lips are sealed on those details!
Living the Sunshine Life