THE GEN X WANDERER / How to Get into the MSC World America Speakeasy Hidden Bar

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Crew Members Have Not Even Seen this Secret Bar

There is no booking link for this one. No listing in the daily planner, no icon on the deck map, no mention from your cabin steward. Heck, my dinner server has only heard about it and has never actually even been to it and she has lived on the ship for the past 8 months.

The MSC World America speakeasy bar is one of the most exclusive experiences at sea, and the only way in is an invitation you cannot request. You can only earn it. Here is exactly how we got ours, what the night looked like from start to finish, and everything you need to know if you want a shot at getting in yourself.

A Brief History of Speakeasy Hidden Bars

To understand why this hidden bar on MSC World America works as well as it does, it helps to know where the concept came from.

On January 17, 1920, the 18th Amendment took effect in the United States, banning the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol nationwide. Prohibition had begun, and almost overnight, hidden bars started appearing behind unmarked doors, in basements, and tucked behind legitimate-looking storefronts. These secret establishments became known as speakeasies, a name that came from the practice of speaking quietly when asking for a drink so you would not draw attention from the police.

By the late 1920s, New York City alone was believed to have over 32,000 speakeasies. Owners bribed police officers, built hidden liquor cabinets, and installed lookout systems to avoid raids.

>> This article is part of my 7 day cruise aboard the MSC World America with an Eastern Caribbean sailing. Check out my entire series here!

Despite the risk, speakeasies became cultural hotspots. Jazz thrived inside them, and women were welcomed at the bar for the first time. The famous “21” Club in New York survived raid after raid thanks to an elaborate hidden bar system, and it still operates today.

Because bootlegged liquor was often rough and poorly made, bartenders started mixing it with juices, syrups, and bitters to mask the taste. That improvisation is largely credited with giving birth to the modern craft cocktail.

When Prohibition ended in 1933, speakeasies faded, but the idea never really died. Today, speakeasy-style bars have made a massive comeback around the world, hidden behind phone booths, bookshelves, and unmarked doors, selling guests not just a drink but a sense of discovery. The MSC World America speakeasy bar takes that idea and builds an entire evening around it.

Talk to the Right Bartender is How You Get In

Getting into this hidden bar on MSC World America does not start with an app, a concierge desk, or a reservation system. It starts with a conversation, and in our case, it started with a very specific smoked old fashioned drink.

On our last cruise with the Celebrity Beyond, my husband found out that they offered smoked old fashions on the last day of our cruise after talking to some other guests.

He found the bar they were referring to and that scotch completely won him over and he was so upset that he only learned about this on the day 6 of our 7 day sailing. It was one of those pours you do not forget.

So when we booked our MSC World America cruise, he made it his personal mission to track down that exact bottle onboard.

He first asked one of the bars by the Barber Shop.

He described the drink and the bartender said, “no we don’t have that here, but try the Mixology/Elixir bar.” After some more conversation, he said “We have a secret bar that might have some smoked drinks, but you will have to come back tomorrow for more information.” Which we think is his way of seeing if we were actually serious enough.

So the next day, my husband came back and sure enough, that night, we got a special invitation sent to our stateroom cordially printed on cardstock with specific instructions on where to go and what to do.

So I guess we had “earned” it?

Check out how some of these guests were able to snag an invite!

• How to Get Into MSC World America’s Secret Speakeasy
• Inside the Speakeasy Bar on the MSC World Europa.
• I went to an invite-only speakeasy on a cruise ship with $22 cocktails

How Does the Invite System Work?

This is the part most people ask about first, and the honest answer is that there is no guaranteed formula. The token, a metal coin stamped with the MSC logo on one side and a QR code on the other, shows up in different ways for different guests.

Others have had a piece of paper. Some find it slipped into the bottom of a cocktail glass. Some find it left in their cabin with no explanation. Some, like us, earn it by asking the right bartender the right question. The mystery is intentional. It is part of what makes this MSC World America hidden bar experience feel earned rather than purchased.

Many have also said it’s mostly reserved for the MSC Yacht Members because of the high rollers.

Just note that it’s very exclusive and a limited number of guests allowed per night, our group had less than 40? this keeps the room intimate and the tokens scarce. If you want a real shot at getting in, the best strategy is simple: be curious, be polite, and ask your bartenders if they know anything about a hidden experience onboard.

We Start the Night Early with a Scotch Tasting

Coincidently, my husband had arranged a a Maclallan Scotch tasting at the Elixir Bar for 10:00 PM, and at this point, I was super tired and just wanted to go to sleep. But alas, I stayed. A specialist walked us through the history of the distillery and the character of each pour.

We were taught how to nose it properly, what to look for in the color, and how the aging process changes the final flavor. At the end of the tasting, they even handed us personalized certificates, a small and lovely touch that made the whole evening feel like more than just a couple of drinks.

I thought after this tasting, that was it, I can head back to our room.

But nope, he says he got us into a “Speakeasy” at 11:00 PM. I was honestly ready to bail, but something in me told me to go. And I’m glad I did!

Where is the Entrance to the MSC World America Speakeasy

At 11:00 PM, our invitation told us to meet at a red telephone booth on Deck 6 and to dial a specific number. I will admit, I had walked past that booth earlier in the week and assumed it was nothing more than a photo op, a cute design detail on the ship.

I had no idea it was the actual entrance to the MSC World America speakeasy bar.

A small line had already formed by the time we arrived, guests who clearly all knew the same secret. Many others walked by looking bewildered at why a long line of people were lining up in front of this booth. But slowly and surely, one by one, people stepped into the booth, picked up the receiver, dialed a number, and disappeared through the back wall of the booth itself. When it was our turn, I went in with my son (19) while my husband stood outside and filmed us getting in, I picked up the phone, dialed the number on the paper, and heard a soft click. The wall opened.

It’s important to note that there is an age requirement. You must be 21 to enter the MSC World America speakeasy bar, no exceptions. We learned this firsthand. Once we went behind the door, my son was met with a very tall, intimidating person behind the door who kicked him who asked him his age and then proceeded to immediately kick him out for being underage. He was very strong and firm in his tone and I also found a little rather rude. Well, I find out much later, he’s actually in full character, the way an actual Prohibition-era doorman might have handled it, because later I saw him dancing with the other band members on stage 😂.

And down we go… into the bowels of the ship

One important rule: you are not allowed to film any part of this entrance and they will make it known to you. The tall gentlemen then guided us through staff-only stairs, corridors and inside the depths of ship, where we saw the real working crew members. They actually seemed as bewildered at us being there as we were.

MSC World America Speakeasy Drink Menu & Prices

Everything in the menu is NOT included in any drink packages that you have already purchased. These are all separate and will be charged extra to your final stateroom bill. Expect to pay anything from $10 – 30 USD per drink and $18 USD Shots. There are complimentary shared nuts that they place on the table.

Step Inside and Let the Night Take Over

Once inside, what awaits behind that final vault like door is genuinely nothing short of spectacular. The MSC World America speakeasy bar is dimly lit from end to end, with warm, low lighting that makes the whole room feel like a secret. Bartenders are dressed head to toe in 1920s style, vests, suspenders, the works, and they stay completely in character all night.

The drink menu is entirely specialty craft cocktails, and none of it is included in any beverage package onboard. You purchase everything separately. If you are not much of a drinker, do not worry. There are excellent non-alcoholic options on the menu as well, crafted with just as much care as the cocktails.

Then there is the band. One of the best live jazz groups I’ve ever heard, performs throughout the night, and they were genuinely on point, tight, energetic, and clearly having as much fun as the guests. It’s not just ambient background music, it’s a real performance, the centerpiece of the whole room.

The speakeasy runs from 11:00 PM onward, and honestly, after a full day of cruising, I was running on fumes. The band did end their set and I made it to about midnight before exhaustion won and I had to call it a night. Many people stayed to enjoy the drinks and atmosphere.

Was It Worth it Over Sleep?

1000% completely. The whole night, from the scotch tasting at Elixir Bar to the strange thrill of dialing a phone in a booth I had dismissed as decor, to the moment that wall opened into a fully realized 1920s lounge, felt like something we stumbled into rather than something we booked. That is exactly the point.

If you want into the MSC World America speakeasy bar, do not expect a button to press or a desk to visit. Talk to your bartenders. Ask questions. Be the kind of guest who is curious about what else might be onboard. And if an invitation does show up on your door one morning, clear your evening, bring your ID, and get ready for one of the most memorable nights you will ever have on a cruise ship.