MSC WORLD AMERICA CRUISE IN THE CARIBBEAN
By Rose Palmer

My most recent cruise was on MSC's newest ship, the MSC World America, which first started sailing in April 2025. This large new ship sails from Miami to the eastern and western Caribbean and to Ocean Cay, MSC's private island in the Bahamas. My BFF and I both have milestone birthdays this year, and I don't think there was a better place to celebrate and get pampered than with a cruise in the MSC World America Yacht Club.

With a capacity to host as many as 6762 guests, this was the largest ship I have ever cruised on. This was also the first time I experienced the ship-within-a-ship concept, in this case, the exclusive MSC Yacht Club.

Listen to Big Blend Radio’s “Quiltripping Travel” Podcast with Rose Palmer as she shares her MSC World America cruise in the Caribbean:

The MSC Yacht Club experience
By staying in the MSC Yacht Club, I had the best of both worlds: the personal attention that I have experienced on a small ship combined with the extensive dining and entertainment activities that were available on a big ship. With only 152 Yacht Club suites, or around 300 guests, this was comparable to some of the small, luxury cruise ships offered by companies like Ponant or Seabourn.

We had a Deluxe Yacht Club Suite, which was about one and a half times larger than a standard deluxe balcony cabin. The king-sized bed was split up for us into two twin beds and was very comfortable. The room also had a nice sitting area and ample storage. I really liked that there were two separate clothes closets at either end of the room, which meant two people didn't get in each other's way as they dressed or got ready for the day. The bathroom also had a large, glass-enclosed shower, which was another nice bonus. The fully stocked minibar was also a treat.

My Yacht Club Deluxe Grand Suite came with my very own butler who took amazing care of us all week, along with a room steward. Our butler was very attentive, checking in on us numerous times each day, and making sure we had everything we needed. He got us the reservations to the "secret" speakeasy, escorted us to dinner at our specialty restaurants, and brought us treats each evening. Our butler was available 24/7, as was exclusive room service, but I didn't put it to the test in the middle of the night.

The Yacht Club public spaces were spread out over the top four decks on the World America. The Top Sail Lounge on deck 19 was a great spot to relax before and after dinner, and with its forward-facing expansive windows, it was the perfect location to enjoy a sunset. Deck 19 also had the Concierge Desk, where I could get questions answered quickly without needing to wait in line, or get specialty restaurant and spa reservations.

Overlooking the lounge on deck 20 was the dedicated MSC Yacht Club Restaurant. This was a much more intimate space compared with the other restaurants on the ship, serving an elevated menu accompanied by a nice selection of wines from all over the globe.

On deck 21 was the Lanai with lots of sun loungers along with the Yacht Club Grill and Bar. The Yacht Club Grill was another spot for a quick breakfast or lunch with great views looking out toward the water. The dedicated and secluded Yacht Club Sun Deck and Pool on deck 22 were an uncrowded and quiet option to sunbathe or relax with a good book.

Guests in a Yacht Club Suite also had complimentary access to the Thermal Spa in the MSC Aurea Spa. The hot water jetted pool, the heated loungers, and the different types of steam and hot rooms felt great on my sore joints and muscles.

Another Yacht Club benefit was the included Premium Beverage Package and High-Speed Internet Package. It was nice to be able to go anywhere on the ship, order a cocktail or a glass of wine, or a can of soda, and not have to worry about paying for it.

Dining on the MSC World America
The advantage of being on a big ship was that there were many restaurants and food venues to choose from. Besides eating at the Yacht Club restaurants, the MSC World America had quite a few specialty restaurants, and I had a chance to try some of them and liked everything I ate.

At Paxos I tried Greek/Mediterranean dishes in an environment reminiscent of a taverna in Greece. The tacos I had for lunch at Hola were delicious. I never met Italian food I didn't like, and Eataly certainly delivered a great meal. And even though I don't eat much red meat, the lobster at the Butcher's Cut was as good as my friend's fillet. My favorite, though, was dinner at La Brasserie, the specialty dining venue just for Yacht Club guests. The menu had a huge selection of appetizers, and it was fun trying a selection of empanadas, samosas, or crispy ponzu-glazed pork belly.

Entertainment on the MSC World America
The big advantage of being on such a large ship was the abundance of activities and entertainment available all day and late into the night. The MSC World America has seven different themed regions which offer activities, bars, and food venues for all ages and interests: Family Aventura, Aqua Deck, Zen Area, World Galleria, The Terraces, World Promenade, and the Yacht Club.

I spent my days relaxing on the Yacht Club decks, but in the evenings, I headed to the World Galleria and The Terraces for the specialty restaurants and the bars. I really enjoyed The Loft, which was a comedy club and also a dueling piano bar. The two piano performers who spontaneously played the songs the audience suggested were incredibly talented.

For large-scale production shows and concerts, the ship also had two large theater venues. At the front of the ship was the World Theater, while the back of the ship had the Panorama Lounge. There were multiple performances in each theater every evening, so I could go to both as long as I could get a reservation for a show. I quickly learned that the reservations became available in the MSC app about two days before a performance.

The MSC Ocean Cay island
My favorite port of the week was MSC's private island, Ocean Cay, in the Bahamas. MSC took an island that had been an industrial sand-mining site and turned it into a beach paradise. They removed the rusty, abandoned equipment, cleaned up the beaches, reseeded the coral in the surrounding ocean, and replanted the island's vegetation.

Ocean Cay has lots of beach space and fun things to do across the whole island. For Yacht Club guests, there was a dedicated beach with cabanas along with plenty of lounge chairs with umbrellas. The water was perfectly Caribbean warm, though I recommend wearing water shoes since the approach into the water was a little rocky. There was also a dedicated restaurant and bar just for Yacht Club guests. Our butler accompanied us on the island and again took great care of us the whole day.

By staying in the Yacht Club, my friend and I had a very relaxing and chill week on the MSC World America while being pampered and indulged. This week was all about us with no cares and no responsibilities, and no crowds. We had spa treatments; we spent time in the various thermal spa rooms; we had time to read or listen to audiobooks; and we had extensive options for good food that we didn't have to cook ourselves, followed by our choice of entertainment. A very happy birthday to us!

Rose Palmer believes that life is a patchwork of experiences. Traveling the world is one of her deepest passions which continues to add to her ever-growing quilt of life experiences. She likes to focus her traveling lens on art, architecture, history, nature, and soft adventure with a touch of luxury. Rose shares her award-winning stories and photos on her blog www.Quiltripping.com

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