MSC World America Embarkation Day: First Impressions & Full Ship Reveal! #MSCCruises #CruiseLife

We just celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary with something we’ve never done before. We planned a two-week vacation that starts on the new MSC World America and then moves to the biggest cruise ship in the world, Star of the Seas. Our trip started with a flight from Los Angeles to Miami, but we hit a three-hour delay right away. After switching to a new plane, we finally took off in American Airlines flagship seats. The lay-flat seats and extra space made the flight much better, even though we landed late.

The next morning, we headed to the cruise terminal. We tried to take the tunnel across the bay, but it was closed. We ended up taking the longer route down the causeway, which gave us some great views of Miami and the ships in the port. When we finally arrived at the brand new MSC Miami terminal, we were ready to start our cruise. The check-in process was smooth and modern, with everything done by face scanning instead of paper boarding passes.

Key Takeaways

We started our two-week vacation on MSC World America after a delayed flight from Los Angeles to Miami
The new MSC terminal used modern technology like face scanning to make boarding quick and easy
We explored the pools, tried the pizza and drinks, and enjoyed views of Miami from the ship

Getting to Miami: Our Flight and Touchdown

Flight Delays and Business Class Benefits

Our 24th wedding anniversary trip started with a flight from Los Angeles to Miami. We planned to arrive the day before our cruise, which seemed simple enough.

Then we hit a three-hour delay. We got a new plane, which caused a moment of worry. But eventually, we took off.

We had booked the American Airlines flagship experience, and it made the flight so much better. The seats laid completely flat. We each had our own private space with extra storage. The food was better than regular coach.

I managed to get some sleep during the flight. Tony watched movies for most of the trip. We landed in Miami late, but we made it safely.

Overnight Lodging and Initial Miami Thoughts

We took a quick Uber ride to our hotel. The place wasn’t anything special, but it offered free breakfast.

The next morning, we packed our bags and got another Uber to the cruise terminal. The drive started off short and easy. We thought we’d take the tunnel across the bay.

The tunnel was open at first. Then it closed right away. We had to take a detour down the causeway instead. This route took longer, but we got to see some ships and the Miami skyline while we waited to turn around.

Finally, we spotted the brand new MSC Miami terminal. It looked sleek and massive. We had arrived at our starting point for the cruise.

Getting Through the MSC Miami Terminal

Making Our Way Inside and Getting Checked In

We handed our bags to a porter right when we got to the terminal. The guy was really cool and even mentioned he had watched our videos before. That made us pretty excited.

We arrived about an hour early and hoped our priority boarding would get us on the ship. It was 11:45 when we headed inside to check in.

The MSC Miami terminal looked amazing. It was sleek and massive. We thought it was definitely one of the cooler terminals we had been in.

The check-in process went really smooth:

We got through security fast
We did our passport check
Everything was automated
We didn’t need to show any paper boarding passes
We just showed our passports
They took our picture and scanned our faces
Doors opened automatically for us

The whole thing felt modern. We literally hadn’t shown a single piece of paper. The process of getting on the ship was painless.

The terminal had cool decorations on the floors. We saw designs like Triton, a mermaid, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. There was also this weird mascot thing that looked like a sun or maybe a compass. We still weren’t sure what it was, but it was kind of cute.

Stepping Onto the Ship for the First Time

We made it through security and could see Icon of the Seas in the distance. Then we walked onto the MSC World America.

The ship was absolutely stunning when we first stepped on board. There was a whale decoration that caught our eye right away. The elevators were very large, and some of them were clear so you could see through them.

We dropped our carry-on bags in our room and started exploring. It was just now noon, so we had made great time.

Our first stops included:

The grill area with MSC’s world famous pizza
A spot for sweet treats, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and fries
A little pool outside

We grabbed some food to try. Tony got a slice of pizza, a cheeseburger, and fries. We also got drinks – a house margarita on the rocks with salt and something called a Cocoa Loco, which was a frozen rum drink with mango and fruit punch.

It was about 80 degrees out in the Port of Miami. A little warm, but we expected that. We found seats and sat down to eat our food at 12:13. The fries were pretty good and needed just a little salt. The pizza looked like a real slice of pizza on an MSC plate.

The ship felt massive already. We had only explored about half a percent of it so far, but we were so excited to be there. We could see views of the city and the causeway from where we sat. The MSC World America was beautiful, and our cruise week was just beginning.

Getting Settled on MSC World America

Dropping Off Bags and Exploring the Ship

We made it to the MSC World America. The tunnel across the bay was closed, so we had to wait a bit to get there. But we finally arrived at the brand new MSC Miami terminal.

We dropped our luggage off with the porter. He was a cool guy who said he actually watched us. That was super exciting.

We were about an hour early for embarkation. We hoped our priority boarding would get us on the ship. It was 11:45 when we headed to check in.

The whole process was painless. We went through security quickly and did our passport check. The terminal was definitely one of the cooler ones we’ve been in.

The boarding process was completely automated. We didn’t have to show a single piece of paper. We only showed our passports. They took our picture and scanned our faces. Some doors opened automatically.

We walked through and saw:

Floors decorated with ocean themes
Images of Triton
A mermaid
Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic graphics

We officially got on board at around noon. The ship was absolutely stunning. We saw a whale decoration and a very large elevator. There was even a clear elevator behind us.

We dropped our carry-ons off in the room and started exploring.

Getting Our First Meal and Cocktails by the Pool

We found the grill area with MSC’s world famous pizza. We grabbed a slice to try. There were also sweet treats available, plus hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and fries. We got a cheeseburger and some fries to test out.

What we ordered:

Item	Person	Notes
House margarita on the rocks with salt	Tony	Pretty good but not enough of it
Cocoa loco	Christina	Rum drink with mango and fruit punch, unexpectedly frozen
Pizza slice	Tony	From the pool bar grill
Cheeseburger and fries	Tony	Burger was sitting out, not made to order
Buffet items	Christina	Artichokes, pesto pasta, garlic bread

It was 12:13 when we got our seats. The weather was lovely at about 80 degrees. A little warm, but we were in Miami.

The margarita was actually pretty good. There just wasn’t enough of it.

Christina’s cocoa loco had rum, mango, and fruit punch. It was pretty good but too frozen for her taste. The drink menu didn’t say it would be frozen.

She got some artichokes from the buffet that looked well seasoned but had no seasoning at all. The pesto pasta was pretty good. The garlic bread was a little too crunchy for her. But there were lots of options in the buffet.

The pizza review: It might be our issue, not a pizza issue. The pizza was a little overhyped. It was good pizza but not great pizza. This was just our first slice from the pool bar. Maybe they have different pizza throughout the ship.

Is it better than other cruise lines? Yes, it’s better than Sorrento’s. The flavor on Carnival might be better than MSC. But the overall consistency of the crust, cheese, and pepperoni was actually better on MSC. This slice was very greasy. We decided we’d need to keep eating pizza throughout the week to give it a fair shot.

The server Sing came by and brought another margarita since the first one went by way too quick.

The cheeseburger looked a little sad. It had a whole pickle in it. The burgers were just sitting there, not made to order like Guy’s Burgers. It was cold as hell. The burger was freezing cold.

The fries were actually really good. They needed some salt, but after adding it, they tasted great.

We had only explored about 0.5% of the ship so far. The MSC World America is a beautiful ship. We were so excited to be on it. We saw some food, got hungry, and had to stop for drinks and food. Then we hopped back to do some more exploring.

We found what they call the jungle pool area. This was supposedly the quiet pool. It was closed at the moment. There’s a retractable roof that was currently open.

The main pool area was bumping. There were a couple of large jacuzzis. One was under a dome. One was overlooking the city. And there was another one right there.

There was lots of seating. It seemed a little hot for jacuzzi time. But the jacuzzi was giant.

The views of Miami were great. The other side had better views of the causeway and the island.

There were bathrooms conveniently located right next to what looked like suspended rope beds. They looked really cool but they don’t actually move. They’re not suspended in any way.

There was a little pathway to the pool shower. The shower area was really cool.

The view from one jacuzzi was a little nicer than the other side. Nobody was in there with us. South Beach was at the end down there. We’d be passing it when we left. Right in front of us on the other side was the Icon of the Seas.

We’d be getting on her sister ship, the Star of the Seas, one week and one day from that day. This ship already felt massive. We didn’t know what to expect with that one.

We went upstairs in the jungle pool area. We still weren’t 100% sure that’s what it’s called, but it gave us jungle vibes. We got a top down view of the pool, the jacuzzis, and the big pool outside.

Food and Drink Adventures

Trying the MSC World America Pizza

We grabbed a slice of pizza from the grill area right after dropping our bags in the room. The pizza looked really good with a nice crust and plenty of pepperoni. We got it on an MSC plate and found a spot to sit down at 12:13.

The pizza was good, but maybe a bit overhyped for us. The slice we got from the pool bar was pretty greasy. The crust, cheese, and pepperoni had better consistency than some other cruise lines. The flavor was solid but not quite as tasty as what we’ve had on Carnival ships.

Our honest take:

Better than: Sorrento’s
Crust quality: Really good
Grease level: Pretty high on our first slice
Overall rating: Good, not great

We only tried one slice from the grab-and-go spot at the pool bar. There might be different pizza options around the ship that taste better.

Buffet Food and Quick Bites

We picked up a cheeseburger and fries from the poolside area. The burger wasn’t made to order like Guy’s Burgers. It was just sitting there waiting to be grabbed. When we unwrapped it, the burger looked sad and was freezing cold.

The fries were actually really good. We added a little salt and they tasted great.

We also went to the buffet to grab some other food. The options included:

Artichokes that looked well-seasoned but had no flavor
Pesto pasta that was pretty good
Garlic bread that was too crunchy
Sweet treats
Hot dogs

There were plenty of choices at the buffet. We were just trying to grab food quickly so we could keep exploring.

Drinks by the Pool

We got our first drinks around noon on embarkation day. The temperature was about 80 degrees in Miami. We found seats and ordered from the bar.

What we ordered:

Drink	Details	Review
House Margarita	On the rocks with salt	Pretty good but not enough of it
Cocoa Loco	Rum, mango, fruit punch	Decent but came frozen when it didn’t say frozen on the menu

The margarita went by way too fast. Our server came by and offered to get another one for us. The cocoa loco was a bit too frozen and had a tropical taste to it.

We sat outside near the pool with views of the Port of Miami. The weather was warm but nice for sitting outside with a drink.

Swimming Areas, Hot Tubs, and Open-Air Decks

Discovering the Tropical Pool and Plant-Filled Area

We found what we believe is called the jungle pool area. This spot is meant to be the calm swimming zone on the ship.

The pool was closed when we visited, but we could see the retractable roof above. The roof was open that day since it was about 80 degrees in Miami.

Key Features:

Retractable roof that opens and closes
Multiple hot tubs throughout the space
Lots of seating options
Convenient bathroom locations
Cool rope-style beds (they look like they move but they don’t)
A neat shower area with a little pathway

The main pool outside was busy and lively. We spotted several large hot tubs around the area. One sat under a dome. Another one overlooked the city in the back. We also found one right in the center of the space.

We checked out the upstairs level of this pool area too. From up there, we got a top-down view of everything below. We could see the pool, the hot tubs, and the big main pool outside.

It felt a bit too hot for hot tub time when we were there. The area gave us real jungle vibes with all the plants and layout.

Sunshine, Covered Areas, and Miami Scenery

The views from different spots were really nice. We could see Miami from various angles around the pool areas.

One side had better views than the other. From the hot tub on that side, we could look out over the causeway and the island nearby. Nobody was in that hot tub when we were there.

What We Could See:

South Beach way down at the end
The causeway and nearby islands
The Miami city skyline
Icon of the Seas docked across from us

We had both sun and shade options around the pool spaces. The retractable roof over the jungle pool area gives you the choice of being covered or open to the sky.

The hot tub that overlooked the better view gave us a clear sight of South Beach. We told ourselves that area would always be Starfish Island if you know the Vice City reference.

Right in front of us on the other side, we could spot Icon of the Seas. We mentioned we’d be boarding her sister ship, Star of the Seas, just one week and one day later. This ship already felt huge to us, so we didn’t know what to expect from that one.

Activities and Entertainment on Board

Water Park, Slides, and Rope Beds

The jungle pool area is what they call the quiet pool on the ship. This pool has a retractable roof that opens and closes. When we were there, the roof was open since it was a nice day.

The main pool area has lots going on. There’s a large pool with plenty of seating all around it. We counted several giant hot tubs spread throughout the deck. One sits under a dome, another overlooks the back of the ship, and there’s one more on the side.

Pool Deck Features:

Main pool with surrounding lounge chairs
Multiple oversized hot tubs
Retractable roof over quiet pool
Conveniently located bathrooms

We found some rope beds near the bathrooms. They look like they hang from above, but they actually don’t move at all. They still look pretty cool though. There’s also a little pathway that leads to the shower area.

Deck Trails and Hot Tub Views

The views from different parts of the pool deck vary quite a bit. One side of the ship had better views of the causeway and the island. The other side looked out over the city of Miami.

From the hot tubs, you can see South Beach at the end of the water. We could also see Icon of the Seas docked on the other side. The ship already felt massive to us at this point.

Recreation Spaces, Games, and Relaxation Areas

The Grill is where we found the world famous pizza. They also serve sweet treats, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and fries at this location. There’s a small pool right outside this area too.

What We Tried:

House margarita on the rocks with salt
Cocoa loco rum drink with mango and fruit punch
Pizza slice
Cheeseburger and fries
Various buffet items including artichokes, pesto pasta, and garlic bread

The fries were really good after adding a little salt. The pizza was good but we thought it was a bit overhyped. It had better consistency than some cruise line pizzas, but the flavor wasn’t quite what we expected. The slice we got was very greasy.

The cheeseburger wasn’t made to order. It was sitting out and came to us cold. The margarita was pretty good but the glass was small. The cocoa loco drink came frozen even though it wasn’t listed that way on the menu.

Deck 16 Highlights

Food Options and Relaxation Areas

We grabbed our first meal at the grill area on Deck 16. The world-famous MSC pizza was sitting right there waiting for us. We also found sweet treats and hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and fries available at the same spot.

We picked up a slice of pizza, a cheeseburger, and some fries to try while we got drinks. There’s a small pool out here too.

We settled in around 12:13 with our food and drinks. Tony got a house margarita on the rocks with salt. The other drink was a cocoa loco, a rum drink with mango and fruit punch. It turned out to be frozen, which wasn’t expected based on the menu.

Pizza Review:

Good pizza, but maybe a bit overhyped
Better than Sorrento’s
Crust, cheese, and pepperoni consistency was solid
This particular slice was very greasy
Flavor might not be quite as good as Carnival’s, but the overall quality was higher

The cheeseburger was disappointing. It was cold and sad looking. The fries were really good though. They just needed a little salt added to them.

From the buffet, we found artichokes that looked well-seasoned but had no flavor at all. The pesto pasta was pretty good. The garlic bread was too crunchy.

Entertainment and Social Spots

The deck has a main pool area that was busy and active. There are multiple large jacuzzis spread around. One sits under a dome. Another one overlooks the city. A third one is positioned nearby.

The views from this deck are excellent. One side looks out at the causeway and the island. The other side has views of Miami and South Beach at the end.

We could see Icon of the Seas docked across from us. We’ll be boarding her sister ship, Star of the Seas, one week and one day after this cruise.

Jungle Pool Area and Special Features

The jungle pool area is designed as a quiet pool space. It has a retractable roof that was open during our visit. The weather was about 80 degrees in Miami.

Pool Area Features:

Closable retractable roof
Multiple jacuzzis
Lots of seating options
Bathrooms conveniently located nearby
Rope beds that look suspended but don’t actually move
Cool pathway to the pool showers

Nobody was in the jacuzzis when we first explored. The views from this area are nicer than the other side of the ship. This deck already makes the ship feel massive.

Dining in Style: Arya Restaurant Experience

Menu Highlights and Service

We grabbed our first meal on the ship right after boarding around noon. The timing worked out perfectly since we were hungry from our travel day.

The food options at the pool area included several choices. We could get pizza, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, fries, and sweet treats. Everything was set up for quick service so we could grab food and keep exploring.

We also ordered drinks to go with our lunch. Tony got a house margarita on the rocks with salt. The margarita tasted pretty good but the portion was small. The server named Sing noticed this and brought another one without us even asking.

Christina ordered a drink called cocoa loco. This rum-based drink had mango and fruit punch in it. She didn’t expect it to be frozen but it came that way. The drink was pretty good even though it was a bit too frozen for her taste.

Bread, Cocktails, and Entree Reviews

We tried several different foods during our first meal on board. Here’s what we thought of each item:

Pizza The ship’s pizza had a lot of hype around it. We grabbed a slice from the pool bar to try it out. The pizza was good but maybe not as great as we expected. The crust, cheese, and pepperoni had better consistency than other cruise lines. However, the flavor wasn’t quite as strong as what we’ve had on Carnival ships. The slice we got was very greasy. We think the pizza at different spots on the ship might be better than this grab-and-go version.

Cheeseburger and Fries The cheeseburger looked sad when we unwrapped it. The burger was cold because these weren’t made to order like some other cruise ships offer. There was a whole pickle on it straight from the bowl. The fries were actually really good after we added a little salt to them.

Buffet Items Christina went to the buffet and tried a few things. The artichokes looked well seasoned but had no actual seasoning on them. The pesto pasta was pretty good. The garlic bread came out too crunchy. The buffet had lots of options available for people who wanted more choices.

Food Item	Rating	Notes
Pizza	Good	Greasy, better consistency than some lines
Fries	Really Good	Needed salt
Cheeseburger	Not Great	Cold, pre-made
Pesto Pasta	Pretty Good	From buffet
Artichokes	Not Great	No seasoning
Garlic Bread	Below Average	Too crunchy

Comparing Dining Venues

The pool area had a grill where we got most of our food. This spot offered the famous MSC pizza that people talk about. We could see the pizza station right when we walked up.

Next to the grill was a section with sweet treats. The same area also served hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and fries. Christina got a cookie from this spot while Tony went for the heartier options.

The buffet was located in a different area. Christina went there to see what other choices were available beyond the pool grill. The buffet had more variety but the quality varied by item.

Both venues worked well for grabbing food quickly. We didn’t need reservations or have to wait in long lines. This setup made sense for our first day when we wanted to eat fast and keep exploring the ship. The grab-and-go style at the pool worked better than the buffet for speed. The fries stayed hot and crispy at the grill area.

Leaving Miami Port

Watching the Ships Go By

We couldn’t beat the views of Miami. The other side of the ship had better views right then of the causeway and the island over there. We could see South Beach at the end down there. We knew we’d be passing that when we left.

From where we stood, we could look out at what some of us Vice City fans will always call Starfish Island. Right in front of us on the other side sat the Icon of the Seas.

We spotted ships as we waited for our moment to finally make our way towards vacation. When the tunnel closed across the bay, we had to wait a bit to get across. But we got some bonus ship spotting during our scenic detour down the causeway.

Evening Views and Atmosphere

It was a beautiful day in Miami. The temperature sat at about 80 degrees outside. A little warm, but it’s Miami.

We admired the Miami skyline as we made our way to the terminal. The views from the ship were even better once we got on board.

The main pool area was bumping. There were a couple of large jacuzzis around the deck. One sat under a dome. Another one was back there overlooking the city. And then there was another one right nearby.

Special Areas on Deck

We found what they call the jungle pool area. This was supposedly the quiet pool. It was closed at the moment, but we could see it had a closable roof that was currently open.

Upper Deck Features:

Retractable roof (currently open)
Large jacuzzis positioned around the area
Rope beds that looked suspended but didn’t actually move
Convenient bathroom locations
Cool pathway to the pool showers

Lots of seating filled the space. It seemed a little hot right then for jacuzzi time. But the jacuzzis were giant.

Nobody was in the jacuzzi area when we checked it out. The view from this one was nicer than the other side. We got a top-down view of the pool, the jacuzzis, and the big pool outside from upstairs in the jungle pool area.

There were some suspended rope beds right next to the bathrooms. They looked really cool but weren’t actually suspended in any way. They didn’t move, but they still looked pretty neat.

Evening Relaxation and Ship Amenities

Our Private Outdoor Space

We spent time on our balcony taking in the views. The private space gave us a chance to unwind after exploring the ship.

From our stateroom, we could see the Miami skyline and watch the activity around the port. It felt good to have our own outdoor area to relax in.

Walking the Deck After Dark

When evening came, we took a walk around the ship. The promenade offered a peaceful way to end the day.

We enjoyed seeing different parts of the ship lit up at night. The atmosphere was calm and gave us a chance to take everything in at our own pace.

Finding Special Touches in Our Room

When we returned to our stateroom, we discovered little extras waiting for us. These unexpected details made our stay feel more special.

The room had everything we needed to feel comfortable. We appreciated having a place to drop off our belongings and settle in for the cruise.

Ending Our First Day on the Water

We dropped our luggage with the porter who mentioned he watches us. That made the moment even more exciting as we prepared to board our first MSC cruise.

We arrived at the terminal around 11:45, about an hour earlier than planned. We hoped our priority boarding would let us get on the ship right away.

Getting Through the Terminal

The check-in process went smoothly. We moved through security and passport control without any issues. The whole system was automated and modern. We only had to show our passports. They took our picture and scanned our faces. Doors opened automatically as we walked through.

We didn’t need to show any paper boarding passes. The technology handled everything for us.

Stepping Aboard

The Ship Interior

When we first walked on board, the inside took our breath away. A large whale decoration caught our attention right away. The elevators were huge, and some had clear walls so you could see through them.

We quickly dropped our carry-on bags in our room. Then we headed straight to the grill area where MSC’s famous pizza was waiting.

First Meal on Board

What We Got:

Pizza slice
Cheeseburger and fries
House margarita on the rocks with salt
Cocoa loco (a frozen rum drink with mango and fruit punch)

We grabbed our food and drinks right at noon. By 12:13, we were seated and ready to try everything.

Pizza Review

The pizza might have been a bit overhyped for us. It was good, but not great. The crust, cheese, and pepperoni had better consistency than other cruise lines. This slice was very greasy though. It was better than some pizza we’ve had on other ships, but the flavor didn’t quite match up to what we expected.

The fries were really good after adding a little salt. The cheeseburger was disappointing. It looked sad and was freezing cold since these weren’t made to order.

Exploring the Pool Areas

The weather in Miami was perfect at about 80 degrees. We explored the jungle pool area, which seemed to be the quiet pool. It had a retractable roof that was open on this beautiful day.

Pool Amenities:

Main pool area
Multiple large jacuzzis
One jacuzzi under a dome
One jacuzzi overlooking the city
Lots of seating areas
Rope beds that looked suspended but didn’t actually move
Convenient bathroom locations
Shower areas with cool pathways

The views from different sides of the ship were amazing. One side showed the causeway and nearby island. The other side had views of South Beach in the distance. We could see the Icon of the Seas docked nearby.

The ship already felt massive to us. We had only explored about half a percent of it so far. In just over a week, we would board the Star of the Seas, which is even bigger.

We spent the rest of our first afternoon checking out the different pool areas and getting familiar with the ship layout. The jungle pool area upstairs gave us great views looking down at the main pool and jacuzzis below.