MSC Cruises
MSC Seaside
- Cruises
- 14
- From
- $159
Ship comparison
MSC Seaside vs MSC Virtuosa
MSC Cruises
MSC Virtuosa
- Cruises
- 51
- From
- $70
The verdict
Which should you choose?
MSC Seaside is a mega MSC Cruises ship carrying 4,132 passengers, in service since 2017. MSC Virtuosa is a mega MSC Cruises ship carrying 4,842 passengers, in service since 2021.
Choose MSC Seaside if you want a more active cruise or more of a party: it outscores MSC Virtuosa for active (9.0 vs 8.0) and party (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose MSC Virtuosa if you want more culture, a lower starting fare or better-rated dining: it outscores MSC Seaside for cultural (9.0 vs 6.0) and dining (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $70 (vs $159).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| MSC Seaside | MSC Virtuosa | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | MSC Cruises | MSC Cruises |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2017 | 2021 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 154,000 | 181,541 |
| Passengers | 4,132 | 4,842 |
| Crew | 1,413 | 1,704 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.9 | 2.8 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 37.3 | 37.5 (better) |
| Decks | 19 | 18 |
| Length | 1,060 ft | 1,087 ft |
| Beam | 135 ft | 141 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 14 | 51 |
| Upcoming sailings | 262 | 430 |
| Cruise lengths | 3 to 14 nights | 1 to 25 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $159 | $70 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. MSC Seaside leads on 2 of the ten, MSC Virtuosa on 2, with 6 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
MSC Cruises
MSC Seaside
Swiss-based MSC Cruises launched the next-generation smartship MSC Seaside in December 2017 to cruise the Caribbean. The megaship holds 4,132 passengers at double occupancy and 5,179 at maximum capacity.
Sailing now
14 cruises on sale, from $159.
MSC Cruises
MSC Virtuosa
MSC Virtuosa debuted in May 2021 as the largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, equalizing the size of twin sister MSC Grandiosa. It's a dazzling megaship with room for 4,842 passengers at double occupancy and 6,334 at maximum capacity.
Sailing now
51 cruises on sale, from $70.
Questions
MSC Seaside or MSC Virtuosa?
Which is bigger, MSC Seaside or MSC Virtuosa?
MSC Virtuosa is bigger at 181,541 gross tons, against 154,000 gross tons for MSC Seaside. MSC Seaside carries 4,132 passengers and MSC Virtuosa carries 4,842.
Which ship is newer, MSC Seaside or MSC Virtuosa?
MSC Virtuosa is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2021 against 2017 for MSC Seaside.
Which has more space per passenger?
MSC Virtuosa, with 37.5 gross tons per passenger against 37.3 on MSC Seaside. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
MSC Virtuosa, with one crew member for every 2.8 passengers against one for every 2.9 on MSC Seaside.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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