MSC Seaside — Deck Plans, Live Tracker, Dining & Videos
MSC Seaside is the lead ship of MSC Cruises' original Seaside Class, delivered on 29 November 2017 at Monfalcone, Italy by Fincantieri and christened on 21 December 2017 at PortMiami Terminal B by Sophia Loren — MSC Cruises' first ship christening ceremony ever held in North America, with host Mario Lopez and performances by Andrea Bocelli (with the Voices of Haiti children's choir) and Ricky Martin. She measures 153,516 gross tons and 323 metres in length, carries approximately 4,140 guests at double occupancy (5,336 maximum) across 2,066 cabins with a crew of 1,413, and flies the Maltese flag from Valletta. Her 20-deck layout introduced MSC's 'Miami Beach condo' aesthetic with an outdoor wrap-around Waterfront Boardwalk on Deck 8, the glass-floored Bridge of Sighs on Deck 16, twin 120-metre ziplines on Deck 19, the Forest Aquaventure waterpark, the Jungle Pool with retractable sky dome, and a full MSC Yacht Club enclave with 86 suites. Her 2026 deployment is year-round 3- and 4-night Bahamas round-trips to Nassau and Ocean Cay from PortMiami.
Key Facts
- Cruise Line: MSC Cruises
- Class: Seaside Class (lead ship; only direct sister MSC Seaview)
- Year: 2017
- Tonnage: 153,516 GT
- Guests: ~4,140 (double) / 5,336 (max)
- Crew: 1,413
- IMO: 9745366
- Delivered: 29 November 2017, Monfalcone (Fincantieri)
- Godmother: Sophia Loren (21 December 2017, PortMiami — MSC's first North American christening)
- Cabins: 2,066 (52 accessible)
- Length × Beam: 323 m × 41 m
- Decks: 20 (15 guest-accessible)
- Registry: Malta (Valletta)
- MSC Yacht Club: Yes (from 2017 delivery, 86 suites)
Quick Answer: MSC Seaside (153,516 GT, ~4,140 double / 5,336 max, 1,413 crew, delivered 2017) is the lead ship of the original Seaside Class — only direct sister is MSC Seaview. She carries two main dining rooms (Ipanema and Seashore Restaurant), two buffets (Marketplace Buffet and Biscayne Bay), the 944-seat Metropolitan Theater, the Miami Casino, the Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi specialty trio (Pan-Asian, sushi bar, teppanyaki), Butcher's Cut, Ocean Cay seafood, the Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar and Gelato & Creperie, and a full MSC Yacht Club with Top Sail Lounge and private pool. Signature features: Waterfront Boardwalk, Bridge of Sighs, Forest Aquaventure waterpark, twin 120 m ziplines, Jungle Pool with retractable sky dome. Miami / Bahamas year-round 2026 (3- and 4-night sailings to Nassau and Ocean Cay).
Who She's For: South Florida cruisers looking for short Bahamas weekend getaways from PortMiami, families who will use the Forest Aquaventure slides, the twin ziplines, and the bowling alley, and suite travellers who want a full MSC Yacht Club on a 2017-build hull for a reasonable price. Dining enthusiasts drawn to the Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi — a chef collaboration that is distinctive to the original Seaside class and not found on the larger EVO sisters. Not for cruisers expecting Cirque du Soleil at Sea (Meraviglia-class only).
MSC Seaside is the lead ship of the original Seaside Class, together with her only direct sister MSC Seaview (2018). The enlarged Seaside EVO sub-class — MSC Seashore (2021) and MSC Seascape (2022) — are separate derivatives, not direct sisters. MSC Seaside was built at Fincantieri Monfalcone, delivered on 29 November 2017, and christened three weeks later on 21 December 2017 at PortMiami Terminal B — MSC Cruises' first ship christening ceremony ever held in North America. Her inaugural cruise departed Miami on 23 December 2017 for a 14-night Caribbean itinerary. Her design introduced a distinctive 'Miami Beach condo' aesthetic centred on the outdoor Waterfront Boardwalk that wraps Deck 8, a cluster of plazas (The Piazza and Piazza Grande) with open-air dining and shops, the glass-floored Bridge of Sighs walkway on Deck 16, twin 120-metre (~394 ft) ziplines across Deck 19, and the Forest Aquaventure waterpark with multiple slides. Her deck names are themed around beaches and resort towns: Cape Cod (5), Copacabana (6), South Beach (7), Ocean Cay (8), Miami Beach (16), Playa Paraiso (18), and Biarritz (19). Her unique Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi — a trio of Pan-Asian à la carte, sushi counter, and teppanyaki — is a signature collaboration not found on the Seaside EVO sisters. A full MSC Yacht Club enclave with 86 suites has been aboard from her 2017 delivery, with the two-story Top Sail Lounge on Deck 16, private Yacht Club Restaurant on Deck 18, and the 1,600 m² Yacht Club Pool on Deck 19.
A First Look at MSC Seaside
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MSC Cruises • Seaside Class
The Logbook: MSC Seaside
Watch: MSC Seaside Highlights
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Key Facts About MSC Seaside
MSC Seaside Deck Plans
MSC Seaside's 20-deck layout uses beach-and-resort-themed deck names: Cape Cod (5), Copacabana (6), South Beach (7), Ocean Cay (8), Miami Beach (16), Playa Paraiso (18), Biarritz (19), and the Sun Deck (20). Deck 5 holds the Seashore Restaurant main dining room, the Seaside Bar atrium, and the Emotions Immersive Gallery. Deck 6 adds the Ipanema Restaurant, the Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar, the Shine Bar, the Piazza Grande plaza with live music, and the lower Metropolitan Theater. Deck 7 is the indoor entertainment axis with the Miami Casino, Miami Casino Bar, Champagne Bar, Haven Lounge, Garage Club disco, the Interactive XD Cinema, F1 Simulator, Bowling Alley, and outdoor South Beach Pool and Bar. Deck 8 Ocean Cay is the signature outdoor Waterfront Boardwalk level with the Marketplace Buffet, Bistrot La Bohème, Seaview Lounge, Sports Bar, The Piazza, the 2,410 m² MSC Aurea Spa (with Snow Room), and the Infinity Bridge glass walkway. Deck 16 Miami Beach is the specialty-dining cluster with the Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi trio, Butcher's Cut, Ocean Cay Restaurant, Biscayne Bay Restaurant & Buffet, Venchi 1878 Gelato & Creperie, L'Enoteca Wine & Cocktails, the glass-floored Bridge of Sighs, the Miami Beach Pool, and the forward MSC Yacht Club Concierge Area and two-story Top Sail Lounge. Deck 18 Playa Paraiso carries the Jungle Pool Lounge (with retractable sky dome), Jungle Bar, and the MSC Yacht Club Restaurant and Grill. Deck 19 Biarritz has the Forest Aquaventure waterpark, the twin 120-metre ziplines, the Top 19 Exclusive Solarium, the Aurea and Miramar bars, and the 1,600 m² MSC Yacht Club Pool. Deck 20 is the topmost Sun Deck with the MSC Sports Arena and the Adventure Trail hanging bridge.
Where Is MSC Seaside Right Now?
See MSC Seaside's current position, speed, heading, and next port on the live AIS tracker below.
See ports for more information about individual ports.
Frequently Asked Questions About MSC Seaside
What dining options are on MSC Seaside?
MSC Seaside has two main dining rooms — Ipanema Restaurant (Deck 6 Copacabana) and Seashore Restaurant (Deck 5 Cape Cod) — plus two buffets: Marketplace Buffet on Deck 8 Ocean Cay and Biscayne Bay Restaurant & Buffet on Deck 16 Miami Beach (formerly branded the Colonial Buffet & Pizzeria at 2017 launch). Specialty dining on Deck 16 includes the signature Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi — a chef-collaboration trio of Pan-Asian, sushi, and teppanyaki venues — plus Butcher's Cut steakhouse and the Ocean Cay Restaurant seafood specialty. Sweet venues include Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar (Deck 6) and Venchi 1878 Gelato & Creperie (Deck 16). Yacht Club suite guests have the private MSC Yacht Club Restaurant (Deck 18) and MSC Yacht Club Grill.
Which ships are in the same class as MSC Seaside?
MSC Seaside is the lead ship of the original Seaside Class, together with her only direct sister MSC Seaview (2018). The enlarged Seaside EVO sub-class — MSC Seashore (2021) and MSC Seascape (2022) — are derivatives at 170,412 GT on 339 m hulls (vs 153,516 GT and 323 m for the original Seaside pair). The EVO ships also carry four main dining rooms and a different interior design language; Seaside and Seaview retain the original 2-MDR layout plus the distinctive Asian Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi chef collaboration that is unique to the original Seaside pair.
Does MSC Seaside have the MSC Yacht Club?
Yes. MSC Seaside has carried a full MSC Yacht Club ship-within-a-ship enclave from her 2017 delivery — the MSC Yacht Club concept had already debuted on the earlier Fantasia-class ships and was integrated into Seaside from build. The enclave spans Decks 16, 18, and 19 with 86 suites and butler service, a 24-hour Concierge Area (Deck 16), the two-story Top Sail Lounge on Deck 16, the MSC Yacht Club Restaurant and Yacht Club Grill on Deck 18, the 1,600 m² MSC Yacht Club Pool on Deck 19 with two whirlpools, and the MSC Yacht Club Sundeck & Bar on Deck 19.
Where does MSC Seaside sail in 2026?
MSC Seaside runs short Bahamas itineraries year-round from PortMiami, Florida — 3-night and 4-night round-trips calling at Nassau and MSC's private island Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, with turnarounds on Fridays and Mondays. Her Caribbean season at Miami runs 13 April through 14 December 2026. Earlier in 2026 she sailed a Mediterranean season from Barcelona (La Goulette, Palermo, Naples, Livorno, Marseille) before a 14-night transatlantic repositioning via Funchal and San Juan back to Miami in October 2026. On 5 February 2026 she experienced a brief mooring incident at Ocean Cay when sudden wind gusts (29-37 mph) snapped mooring lines and her bow drifted from the pier — passengers were ashore, no injuries, no structural damage, and she departed on schedule the same day.
Who christened MSC Seaside?
MSC Seaside was christened on 21 December 2017 at PortMiami Terminal B — MSC Cruises' first ship christening ever held in North America. Her godmother was Sophia Loren, MSC Cruises' long-standing godmother. The ceremony was hosted by Mario Lopez and featured a live performance by Andrea Bocelli with the Voices of Haiti children's choir and Ricky Martin. She had been delivered three weeks earlier, on 29 November 2017, by Fincantieri at Monfalcone, Italy, and her 14-night inaugural cruise departed Miami on 23 December 2017. She is registered in Malta (Valletta) and carries IMO number 9745366.
Sources & Attribution
- IMO (9745366), MMSI (248392000), call sign (9HA4638), flag (Malta), length, and beam verified across VesselFinder and MarineTraffic.
- Venue names, deck layout, and seat counts verified from the MSC Seaside official B2B technical sheet (PDF).
- GT (153,516), 4,140 double / 5,336 max guests, 2,066 cabins, and 1,413 crew from the MSC Technical Sheet and cross-checked against Fincantieri and CruiseMapper.
- 29 November 2017 delivery at Fincantieri Monfalcone from Wikipedia and Fincantieri.
- 21 December 2017 PortMiami christening by Sophia Loren (MSC's first North American christening), host Mario Lopez, live performances by Andrea Bocelli with Voices of Haiti and Ricky Martin from Maritime Executive and Cruise Industry News.
- Twin 120-metre ziplines (not 360 ft as sometimes reported) from the MSC Technical Sheet and Cruise Critic's MSC ziplines article.
- Forest Aquaventure Park slide inventory (including the lighting-interactive slideboarding slide) from Cruise Critic.
- 5 February 2026 mooring incident at Ocean Cay (29-37 mph wind gusts, no injuries, no damage) from CruiseMapper and Cruise Blog.
- 2022 Fincantieri Palermo unscheduled drydock (electrical / engine issue) from Seatrade Cruise News.
- Ship photography credited in each carousel caption.
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