If your family is considering a cruise vacation, you'll have a lot of cruise line options. MSC Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International Cruise Line are two popular options with families, offering many different itineraries, activities, and amenities that appeal to families.
When comparing the cruise lines, you'll also want to look at the specific ships. Onboard options vary greatly, so you'll need to see everything the ship offers, especially if there is something specific you want to experience.
Disclosure: I've sailed on complimentary MSC and Royal Caribbean cruises. All opinions are my own.
MSC vs. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
MSC is a European cruise line that recently introduced the MSC World America, its first ship built for US travelers. However, they have offered sailings in the US in the past, and several ships depart from the US.
Royal Caribbean is a US-based cruise line (founded in Europe) with its headquarters in Miami. Its parent company also owns Silversea Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, but we are explicitly talking about the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line for this article.
Number of Ships on MSC vs. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean offers 28 cruise ships, with more on order (including Star of the Seas, which is launching this summer). There are seven classes of Royal Caribbean ships with varying amenities and activities.
MSC offers 24 cruise ships, many of which sail overseas. MSC World America is its newest ship, sailing out of PortMiami.
Price Comparisons
While cruise prices can always vary depending on availability and the time of year, there are some generalizations about price. Typically, an MSC cruise (in a standard cabin, room class) will be a little less expensive than a Royal Caribbean cruise. Sailings on a new cruise ship are usually more expensive because of demand.
Whenever you price your cruise, you should consider the total price, including taxes and any extras. Be sure to look at the most comparable rooms. One thing to note is that MSC does tend to have more upcharges on board.
Extras
MSC and Royal Caribbean offer extras that can be added to your cruise. For instance, both cruise lines offer drink packages for alcohol and soft drinks. You can also purchase drinks à la carte. WiFi is provided for an extra fee.
MSC has an innovative "ship within a ship" concept called the MSC Yacht Club. Guests in the Yacht Club book a Yacht Club room, which is accessed in an exclusive area with a separate key card. This area has its own pool, an exclusive restaurant, and more, so you don't have to leave the area if you don't want to. The Yacht Club also offers more all-inclusive experiences, including WiFi and drinks.
Like most cruise lines, both have premium snacks on board that cost extra, including premium ice cream and gelato.
Activities
Activities vary by ship, but both cruise lines offer fun things for families. Activities on Royal Caribbean include ziplining, rock walls, arcades, water slides, pools, iFly sky diving, dry slides, adult-only areas, spas, and bumper cars.
For the most family activities onboard, I'd recommend Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships, which includes Allure of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas. These large ships have a dry slide, zipline, carousel, rock climbing walls, sports decks, and more.
MSC's ships vary greatly, but activities include LEGO family rooms, the Cliffhanger over-water swing, dry slides, pools, arcades, adult-only areas, bumper cars, ropes courses, and water slides.
The MSC World America, MSC's newest ship, has the most family activities. A collaboration with LEGO means there are LEGO-branded activities, including a parade, game show, and LEGO build areas. Other activities include water slides, a dry slide, the Cliffhanger, and a ropes course.
Entertainment
MSC and Royal Caribbean offer excellent entertainment, including large-scale shows, musicians, comedians, and bands. However, Royal Caribbean's wide range of entertainment is unparalleled, with many unique options. These include Aqua Shows and Ice Shows, which can be seen on the Oasis Class ships.
While I haven't been on any MSC ships beyond the World America, I was impressed with the shows I saw onboard. These included Queen Symphonic and Dirty Dancing in Concert.
You may need to make reservations for these shows in advance, so be sure to check before your sailing and when you arrive so that you don't miss out.
Restaurants
Royal Caribbean and MSC both offer traditional main dining rooms, buffets, and specialty restaurants. The specialty restaurants do cost extra and include popular cuisines like Italian, sushi, and steak.
For both cruise lines, you don't have to pay extra for food if you don't want to. While the specialty restaurants cost more, they are entirely optional. You can enjoy the buffets and main dining rooms at no extra cost.
Private Islands
For ships traveling in the Caribbean/Bahamas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and MSC both offer private island experiences. Visits to these islands will be included in your cruise itinerary, so check to see if you are visiting one.
Royal Caribbean's private island is Perfect Day at CocoCay, located in the Bahamas. Perfect Day at CocoCay is traditionally visited by two cruise ships per day. It offers many different activities, including a water park, private beach club, adult-only beach club, a pool, and complimentary beaches.
Royal Caribbean also has a private destination in Haiti, called Labadee. This destination offers beaches, a zipline, a mountain coaster, and more.
MSC also has a private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve. This island offers several beaches and a Marine Conservation Center. Typically, MSC doesn't leave this island until later in the evening (with some overnights), and there's a light show on the island's lighthouse that can't be missed.
Royal Caribbean's private island offers more thrilling activities than MSC's. If you are looking for a relaxing experience included in your cruise price, MSC's Ocean Cay is a beautiful island with gorgeous sand and water.
Kids' Clubs
MSC and Royal Caribbean offer kids' clubs, separated by age group. These clubs include various activities that appeal to the specific age ranges. Except for the youngest kids, the kids' clubs on Royal Caribbean and MSC are included in the price.
Have you traveled on MSC and Royal Caribbean? How do they compare to you?
Leave a Reply