Royal Caribbean vs MSC Cruises: Which One Is Right For You?

Royal Caribbean vs MSC Cruises? Which cruise line is perfect for you? Read more here to find out the differences on things like pricing, private islands, drink packages and more!

Wanting to go on a cruise but not sure which cruise line is right for you? Maybe you’re stuck between Royal Caribbean and MSC or just want to learn more about them? This is the post for you!

In this post I am going to give an honest review of 13 different aspects of both cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises are both cruise lines that sail around the world! They are very different but both have a lot to offer.

This post is going to help you decide which cruise line is a better fit for you and why!

This post is all about Royal Caribbean vs MSC Cruises.

SHIPS:

The ships are extremely different in my opinion when it comes to these two cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean continues to top the charts and push the boundaries on what a cruise ship can have. They make the largest ships in the world.

Royal however is catered more to families with children, they have a lot more kid friendly areas and want you to have the ultimate family vacation.

Not to say that MSC doesn’t have things for kids to do because they do, just not a top priority in my opinion.

It seems Royal is trying to compete with Disney Cruise Line when it comes to the level of activities and trying to pull some of that clientele their way.

MSC on the other hand creates GORGEOUS, modern ships. I personally prefer the look of MSC’s ships but I don’t have kids right now.

MSC has stunning concepts like their Swarovski crystal staircases and the bridge of sighs. If you’re looking for a classier look to your ship, MSC will be the one for you.

They also have been creating HUGE ships so don’t count them out if you’re looking for the next big adventure!

PRICE:

When it comes to price MSC wins this category hands down.

Royal Caribbean for years has been a great example of a budget friendly cruise line. However, in 2024 they have raised their prices and do not plan on stopping.

With ship classes like the Icon class, they seem to be wanting to compete with Disney Cruise Line’s market. Disney is known to be a more expensive option compared to others like Royal and Carnival.

You can definitely still find some good deals on Royal but MSC has really been offering the most bang for your buck.

When I’ve looked at similar itineraries between the two cruise lines and either similar sized ships/age of ships, MSC has always been cheaper. If you want to go on vacation but budget is the most important aspect, I’d check out MSC Cruises.

PROMOS:

When it comes to promotions, MSC currently has Royal Caribbean beat.

It’s important to note I am sailing from the US so I am comparing based on the promotions and pricing are for the US market which could differ depending on where you are looking at cruises from.

MSC Free Drinks & Wifi

MSC’s best promotion they have been running is the “free drinks and wifi” promo.

I do want to say just so those who haven’t cruised on MSC before know that this isn’t actually FREE. It is just a heavily discounted promotion compared to the price if you were to book those packages after booking your cruise.

You can’t see the price of the drink package and other add ons for MSC before you book so that factors into people trying to decide what is best for them as well.

An example I have from this promo is a 7 night cruise I booked with MSC. The free drinks and wifi add on while booking was $180/person more than just booking the cruise. (Which is an insanely low price for a drink package for 7 nights!!)

We ended up taking advantage of this and saw after booking JUST the drink package was $360/person and the wifi was $80/person so we ended up saving $520 just because we booked the promotion.

Royal Caribbean does not offer the same type of deal on their cruises.

Kids Sail Free

Both cruise lines do offer a kids sail free promotion.

However, Royal Caribbean does offer this promotion more often it seems than MSC does.

Onboard Credit

Royal and MSC offer onboard credit promotions at the time of booking. If you are looking to get some added spending money for free be sure to look and see if this is an option when booking your cruise.

You can also book your vacation with a travel agent and they might be able to get you additional onboard credit.

POPULARITY:

When it comes to which market in the world the cruise lines are more popular in, these two cruise lines are most popular in different areas.

Royal Caribbean has status in the US as a top player for a family friendly, mostly affordable cruise line. They have a huge reputation and are well loved among American cruisers.

MSC however, has been in the American market for a little bit but is still trying to break into it to be considered on the same playing field as their counterparts here in the US. They are largely popular in Europe and have tons more ports there/more ships.

Currently, MSC cruises out of Miami, Orlando (Port Canaveral), New York City (Brookyln) and is adding Galveston to the mix in 2025.

On the other hand, Royal currently sails out of 14 US ports.

I’m excited for the future personally seeing how MSC will continue to expand into the US market.

STAFF:

The staff on both cruises lines in my opinion are fantastic! Cruise ship staff are some of the nicest, hardworking people I have ever met in my life. I respect them so much for the work they are doing.

I have seen people in the US complain some about the staff on MSC, but I think it is just a cultural difference than what US crusiers are used to on lines based more in America.

Royal Caribbean’s staff is over the top nice and helpful and they may want to make conversation with you at the dinner table.

Whereas MSC’s staff is still super helpful, will get you what you want but is a little less social and that’s really just a cultural difference that does not affect how I feel about the level of service.

FOOD:

I think Royal has a slight lead on food over MSC.

If you look up MSC right now in the US you will see TONS of negative reviews, most of which are based on the food.

I have cruised with MSC and will say that while I didn’t like their food as much in the buffet and some of the main dining food wasn’t great, there were still SEVERAL stand outs that were really good!

READ: MSC Cruise Food: My Honest Review Of Everything I Ate On My 7 Night Cruise

Food that MSC does really well are their freshly baked breads, bakery items such as banana bread, desserts (SO good) and their pizza. Their pizza is honently the BEST at sea. No comparison to Royal’s at all.

Royal Caribbean food in my opinion tastes a little bit better (on most ships) and they usually have more options in the buffet.

READ: Royal Caribbean Cruise Food: What I Ate On My 5 Night Cruise

Either way, don’t let the bad reviews of food on MSC deter you because I have cruised on both and would eat with no problems on either cruise line.

ENTERTAINMENT:

If you’re comparing the two I would say Royal Caribbean has better entertainment on their ships.

This is not to knock MSC’s shows though because the ones I have been to have been great. Like I’ve mentioned, they’re very popular in Europe so I think their entertainment has been catered to that type of clientele and the US is a little different.

One thing that makes Royal Caribbean stand out is their aqua shows on Oasis class ships and higher. They really are amazing.

At the end of the day you’re still going on a cruise, there are tons of entertainment options to choose from and there is something for everyone.

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

Customer serivce is where Royal Caribbean absolutely SHINES.

I am referring to the customer service before you go on your cruise. The type of service you’re getting when you call and/or email the cruise line.

I have never had a bad experience with Royal’s customer service. They are very knowledgable, kind and truly try to find you any answer you need.

MSC on the other hand seems to have a third party customer service line you are calling into with employees that don’t seem to know much about the cruise line at all. At least when you’re calling from the US.

It can be kind of frustrating if you have an issue because it will be hard to get it resolved but I can see MSC improving on this the longer they are expanding into the US market.

ROOMS:

The rooms on both cruise lines are pretty comparable. Staterooms don’t differ too much across all lines unless you’re getting a high level room like a suite.

Some older ships will have dated decor and newer ships will be more modern with more outlets and storage as those are common complaints among cruisers they have tried to improve on.

I do want to say I think MSC’s rooms are a little nicer but that’s just personal preference.

LUXURY CRUISING:

Both cruise lines have their own definition of what they offer to cruisers who want to spend a bit more money to elevate their experience.

Royal Caribbean

Royal has 3 different suite classes: Sea, Sky and Star class.

Depending on your ship and level you could have access to specific restaurants, lounges, your own concierge and special chairs on pool decks. Read more about their suite class here.

MSC Cruises

If you’re looking for luxury on MSC look no further than their Yacht Club experience!

Like Royal, MSC offers a butler service and private restaurants. I do think Yacht Club gets you a little more for your money but you should try both for yourself and see what you think!

Yacht Club guests have more private sections on MSC ships, including their own pool, which would be a nice perk. Read more about Yacht Club here.

PRIVATE ISLAND:

I have not personally been to Royal Caribbean’s private island in Haiti so I will only being comparing Perfect Day at CocoCay and MSC’s Ocean Cay.

They are both as well in the Bahamas so it’s a better location match up to compare.

I absolutely love both of these islands but they are VERY different vibes.

Perfect Day at CocoCay

CocoCay has SO much to offer! This island has several different sections:

Coco beach club (added cost)
Oasis lagoon
South beach
Chill island
Harbor beach
Thrill waterpark (added cost)
Spashaway bay
Hideaway beach (adults only and added cost)

They also offer several different restaurants, included and paid. It really is a great mix of an awesome pool and beach day with some thrills if you want to add them on.

It’s a great island for families where you’ll never run out of things to do or places to see.

Ocean Cay

Ocean Cay on the other hand is a completely different type of day. If you’re looking for a more relaxing, gorgeous beach day then this is the island for you!

Ocean Cay is comprised of 8 different beaches. They have a lighthouse show at night and offer overnight stays at their island, which Royal does not do.

They do not have any pools on this island. It is truly just a stunning beach day with some shops, bars and food.

Tips:

You do not need to spend money on either island to have a great time but you definitely can add on a shore excursion or other options if you want to.
Each cruise line’s drink package works on their private islands which is a nice bonus!

DRINK PACKAGE:

Drink Package Types:

Royal Caribbean offers 3 different types of drink packages whereas MSC offers 5.

Royal Caribbean has a soda package, refreshment package (sodas, water, specialty coffees, mocktails, bascially everything except alcoholic drinks) and a deluxe beverage package (every type of drink you could want, includes alcohol).

MSC has 3 alcoholic packages: easy, easy plus & premium extra. They also have an alcohol free package & a minors package.

Rules:

Royal Caribbean

If you are wanting the deluxe beverage package that Royal Caribbean offers and are sharing a room with someone of drinkage age, you are both required to purchase it.

Pro Tip: The only exception to this rule is if you call customer service and tell them the other person does not drink alcohol due to medical or religious reasons. They still will make you buy the refreshment package though.

They do not allow you do purchase just one online though, you have to call.

If you want the refreshment or soda package however everyone in the room is not required to buy it.

MSC

MSC however is very strict on their rules so if one person wants a particular drink package not only does the other person have to buy a drink package but they have to get the same level as the one the first person wants.

You can’t get an easy package and a premium extra package in the same room.

You might be able to call customer service like Royal and try but their customer service is a third party service that doesn’t seem to know much about the cruise line’s rules.

The only exception is if you have a minor in your room then they are required to get the minors package.

Pricing:

For the most part, Royal’s drink packages are going to cost a lot more than MSC’s. If you’re looking to save some money then MSC is probably the way to go.

Like stated above, MSC also offers “free drinks and wifi” promotions, whereas Royal does not.

WIFI:

I’ve bought the wifi on both cruise lines and they both seem pretty comparable. It is cruise ship wifi so it’s not going to work perfectly, but it does the job for the most part.

Royal used to have 2 wifi packages and now they just have their higher option.

MSC has 2 options available for wifi.

Both cruise lines are adding Starlink to all of their ships though to improve the wifi even more.

This post was all about Royal Caribbean vs MSC Cruises.

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