THE GEN X WANDERER / 7 Days Aboard the MSC World America Embarkation Western Caribbean

Day 1: Embarkation
Day 2: At Sea
Day 3: Roatan | Honduras
Day 4: Costa Maya | Mexico
Day 5: Cozumel | Mexico
Day 6: At Sea
Day 7: Ocean Cay Marine Reserve ~ Coming Soon!

And in case you missed it, see what we did on the MSC World America Eastern Caribbean

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Arriving to the Miami

In case you missed it, we were just on the MSC World America Eastern Caribbean 3 months ago. We are back on the MSC World America, and this time we brought reinforcements. Our party grew to 8 people for this Western Caribbean itinerary, stopping in Honduras, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. So why did we want to sail on the same ship? Well to be honest, the cost. MSC does have pretty decent prices and very family oriented.

We figured we already knew this ship inside and out. Well, it turns out there is always more to discover, and this trip proved that in more ways than one.

If you want to see the full embarkation day play out, the vlog footage is linked below. But for those who prefer reading along, here is everything that happened on our Day 1, the good, the chaotic, and the parts that made us laugh by the end of the week.

New to Cruising? Don’t miss my informational articles below so you can get sailing!

• Ultimate Cruise Packing Guide + Itinerary! Free Download
• Fear of Cruising? You’re Fears are Probably all Wrong
• First Time Cruising? Let’s Put Your Mind at Ease
• Prone to Seasickness? Choosing the Right Cabin Matters!

Day 1: MSC World America VLOG

Can’t Decide which stateroom?

Thinking We Knew the Ship, Then Realizing We Did Not

Having sailed on the MSC World America once already 3 months before, we walked on board this time feeling like veterans. We knew where the buffet was, where the pool deck sat, and which elevator bank moved fastest during peak hours.

Except within the first few hours, we found ourselves stumbling into areas we had never even noticed before. Little lounges and places tucked away on deck 7 and 8, quiet corners perfect for reading, and a few spots that we still have not fully explored, the lower level of The Gin Project. This ship is massive, and no matter how many times you sail it, there always seems to be another hallway or hidden nook waiting to be found.

The Dining Plan Mix Up

Here is where our MSC World America embarkation took a bit of a turn. When we booked, we requested the 6:00 pm early dining time so our group of 8 could enjoy dinner and still catch some of the evening shows afterward. Somehow, our reservation got mixed up and we were placed at 8:15 pm instead, which we saw indicated on our stateroom cards.

I mean, was this a deal breaker enough to cause a raucous? No. But what could we even do at this point, get off the ship while it was already on it’s way out of port? So we figured that we would just clear it up at reception. Along with several hundred people who are all going for different reasons of their own.

But basically, going that late to dinner means missing the evening entertainment almost entirely, and with 8 people in our group, everyone wanted to see the shows together. Plus, we had a smaller child, plus, I kinda feel like a senior already and I need an early dinner.

On top of the dining time mix up, a few of us also had stateroom card problems that needed sorting out. (I’ll be honest, this was all self inflicted, we had to book our cabins in a way that would make sense, because MSC doesn’t consider 19 year olds an adult), but that’s another story.

So while we waited in the dining line, we were also doing a bit of room musical chairs. Between the two issues, our first afternoon on board was busier than we expected for a day that is supposed to be about relaxing and settling in.

The Dining Room Situation Solved… Kinda?

We were told that there were 6700 people on board, and that each person was already assigned to tables in various restaurants all week. Because of this, they couldn’t acommodate us with a permanent seating.

However, they said to come at 6:15 every night. If the party for the 6:00 pm time slot didn’t show, then that table was given to us. But we had to do this every single night. I mean, it wasn’t an issue, just come down everyday at 6:15, BUT, there’s a chance the table might not be available.

So that became our routine. Our group of 8 showed up at the dining room praying that the original party never came. Night after night, they never did, until the 7th nigh, yes that’s the last night, we could actually “claim” that table to be ours.

We couldn’t help but laugh , thinking about how we spent almost the entire cruise technically borrowing a table that, in practice, had been ours the whole time. I mean this is the kind of stuff you would probably laugh at later on.

Leaving Miami as the Storm Rolled In

As the afternoon turned into evening, we made our way up to the deck to watch our departure from Miami. While I’m no newbie to cruising, this was definitely the first time I’ve ever seen the sky as dark as this. It turned pretty quick, because when we got on the ship, it was sunny skies. A storm was clearly brewing on the horizon as we pulled away from port, giving our sail away moment a dramatic backdrop we did not expect.

But rather than sailing right out to sea, the Captain did a turn and we sailed the other way, did a loop and headed back out. I’m not sure why though but probably to sail away from the storm.

A Few Notes for Anyone Sailing With a Larger Group

Traveling as a party of 8 adds its own layer to embarkation day. Coordinating dining times, splitting up to fix stateroom cards, and making sure everyone actually makes it back together before dinner all take a bit more planning than a couple traveling alone.

If you are bringing a bigger group on your own MSC World America embarkation, our advice is simple. Get to guest services together if you can, since staff can usually sort out a group’s issues faster when everyone is standing there at once rather than trickling in one by one throughout the afternoon. We also had 4 kids with us and them and us scurrying out the lines in and out, some went to their rooms etc. was not a good idea, we had to run and get them back to talk to the reception. So STICK TOGETHER.

Exploring Beyond the Familiar Spots

Once the dining and stateroom issues were sorted, we finally had a chance to wander. Even with our earlier sailing from months before still fresh in our minds, this ship kept surprising us.

It is a good reminder that even a familiar ship deserves a slower exploration on Day 1 rather than assuming you already know every route. We are already planning to spend part of Day 2 mapping out the rest of what we missed. However I can say that we most definitely felt a little more relaxed this time without the FOMO.

What Our MSC World America Embarkation Taught Us

Even as returning cruisers, our second MSC World America embarkation reminded us that no two Day 1’s are ever quite the same. From getting to Port Miami a few months ago with the insane traffic, to this time around with NO traffic! See what the difference is in my VLOG’s below.

Port Miami in May

Port Miami in August

Still, the overall experience of boarding the ship, running into staff to sort things out, and discovering new corners of the ship we had somehow missed the first time, made for an entertaining start to a packed week.

If there is one takeaway for anyone planning their own MSC World America embarkation, it is this: build in a little patience for Day 1. Even on a ship you think you know, there will be surprises, some annoying and some fun, and they usually end up being the stories you tell for the rest of the week and remember when you look at your pictures years later.

Catch Up on Our Miami Pre Cruise Adventures

Before we boarded, we spent time exploring Miami and documenting everything leading up to embarkation day. If you missed those posts, check them out here:

• Our Stay at The Courtyard by Marriott Miami Downtown Brickell
• Using Waymo for the First Time
• We did the Miami Hop on Hop Off Big Bus Tour

Read Next in the Series
MSC World America ~ Western Caribbean

Click here to see my Eastern Caribbean Itinerary!