Jenny Block | Travel Writer
jennyeblock@icloud.com
Yee-haw!
Or rather, Sea-Haw! MSC Cruises is now local!
The MSC Seascape arrived at its new home in Galveston, in the Port of Galveston’s newest cruise terminal, on Nov. 7, and she is a beauty — both the ship and the gleaming new terminal.
And now that she’s in her new home, MSC’s Seascape, with her European style infused with American comfort, has been pixie dusted with true Texas flair for guests who climb aboard for the ship’s seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries departing Galveston every Sunday with stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico and Isla de Roatan, Honduras.
The ship’s dining venues feature Southern, Texan and Gulf Coast flavors. New menu items include barbecue-forward dishes, Cajun-spiced cuisine and Southern-style comfort foods. There is also a nod to Texas when it comes to the beverage program with offerings including an added selection of Texan- and Southern-inspired drinks, like a Spicy Mexican Margarita, a Backyard Punch and local beers.
The MSC Bourbon & Bacon Experience, the MSC Macallan Experience, The Lone Star resident country music band, a bespoke Dueling Pianos experience, country line dance classes and a Big Texas Sail-away Party — all offered to honor the ship’s new Texas home.
Of course, all of this is in addition to their already knock-out food and beverage and entertainment offerings.
MSC Seascape by the numbers:
• 1 roller coaster at sea called the ROBOTRON
• 1 glass-floored “Bridge of Sighs”
• 6 swimming pools
• 9 bars and lounge
• 11 dining venues
• 12 different kinds of suites and staterooms with balconies
• 98 hours of exclusive onboard entertainment
• 1,772-foot-long waterfront promenade
• 7,567 square feet of dedicated kids’ space 2,270 cabins
• 32,000 square feet of exclusive space in the MSC Yacht Club, MSC’s luxurious ship within a ship
Let me be straight with you — or, as my wife says, gayly forward — this ship is a blast. I have sailed on the MSC Seascape once before, and I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting and a one-night cruise to nowhere to celebrate its new home base. And it was so much fun. The shows, the arcade, the pool, the food, the dueling pianos — and the Yacht Club is my absolute obsession. And the staff on MSC ships is unparalleled.
The new terminal is also a big boon to Texas in general and to Galveston specifically, providing 4,547 jobs, $291 million in personal income and $733 million in business revenues, with 3.9 million passengers projected across 445 sailings by 2026.
Nothing is better when it comes to cruising than being able to drive to the post. And now Texans can enjoy MSC without taking to the skies — a particularly big deal right now.
It’s time to holiday — Texas style!