This time last week I was on my way to the airport to catch a flight to Durban as MSC Cruises, the leading cruise brand in South Africa, celebrated the arrival of MSC Musica, the largest and most luxurious cruise ship to do a seasonal tour in South African waters. I’m still not quite sure how I cracked the nod to be invited to this event but I happily joined the other 1499 people who got to experience the cruise life for a night.
It was glorious meeting online friends in real life and sharing this experience together. We were treated to a buffet lunch on arrival, a lavish Gala dinner, a completely wacky but incredible performance of ‘Wonderland’ in the ship’s 1200-seater theatre, fireworks on the deck and cocktails on the house which was followed by a live perfomance from Jeremy Loops and MiCasa in the Crystal Lounge.
MSC Musica has a passenger capacity of 3223 with approximately 990 crew members. Over 16 decks, this luxurious ship offers something for everyone. Dining options include an á la carte Italian seafood and steakhouse restaurant, an authentic Japanese sushi bar, two formal dining rooms, and an all-day world cuisine buffet and pizzeria. On the activity side, MSC Musica offers mini golf, tennis, basketball, virtual games, bowling lanes, children’s activity clubs, a gym, a power walking track, and a Balinese spa. MSC Musica also has exciting nightlife, boasting a casino, bars, dance floors, a cigar lounge and a wine tasting bar.
Until April 2019, the ship will be setting sail from Durban and Cape Town to various locations around southern Africa, including Mauritius, the Reunion Islands, and Mozambique’s Pomene Bay and Portuguese Island.
Us parenting bloggers were invited to scope out the kids area and my verdict is that I’d really love to take our family on a cruise! I think a short 3 day cruise might be best but perhaps I’m not giving my three enough credit. Besides for some play areas on deck, there is a Baby Play Area for under 3s (with prams that you can take out on loan), a Mini Club for ages 3-6 years, a Junior’s Club for ages 7-11 and then a teens area for 12-14 year olds.
There are three daily sessions at sea (09h30-12h00, 14h30-16h30 and 18h00-23h00) with wonderful age appropriate programs. This means that parents will be able to have the best of both worlds – some family time together and some kid-free time at the pool or a sneaky dinner without the kids. Sigh, this sounds amazing.
Here are some photos that I snapped in the different play areas to give you a better idea of what’s on offer:
Doesn’t it look great? I found this video on YouTube of the MSC Musica, take a look for a more in depth insight into life on board the ship.
If you’re interested in enquiring about rates or booking a cruise, I recommend you contact Sharde Tarr on sharde.tarr@cruiseabout.co.za – she will be able to answer all your questions and can tell you more about the special rates for families travelling with kids.