When families are looking for the best ships for kids, they may overlook new ships.
MS World America may not be well-known, but MSC has added many family-friendly options to the ship that are only on their World Class ships.
Custom-built for the North America market, World America deviates from the other MSC ships currently sailing in North America.
MSC opted for many changes in design, layout, and attractions, hoping to attract those cruisers seeking a new experience with familiar offerings.
Best Ship for Kids – Fares
When parents search for cruise ships that cater to families, they typically seek several important components that make the ships family-friendly.
While each family searches for activities and attractions that appeal to the kids, they also look for features that appeal to adults.
MSC World America fills these needs. One of the most important factors in family cruising is finding a good value. Historically, MSC has offered pricing that fits the budget of many families.
Families with young children will find value in the policy of kids under 2 years old sailing free in the same cabin with parents. (Note that these young children may not sail at all on cruises longer than 11 nights.)
Those youngest kids do still pay port fees and taxes. They are exempt from gratuities, which is a great savings.
MSC offers a reduced rate of $8 per night for gratuities for those children aged 2-11. This is half of what older kids and adults pay per night.
In addition, MSC offers many sailings with Kids Sail Free promotions. When the 3rd and 4th guests are under 18 and sailing in the same cabin as parents, they pay just taxes, fees, and gratuities.
If connecting cabins work better for a family, there are sailings that offer a discount off the adult fare.
MSC even makes cruising more affordable for single-parent cruises. Whether you are a solo parent or a family with a parent who can’t get off work, or even a grandparent taking the grandkids on a cruise, MSC has special pricing for that situation.
With the All-in-One fare, the adult pays the full fare, and the first child under 18 pays 60% of the adult fare. The other kids get a reduced fare. To easily find sailings with these special promotions, contact your cruise advisor, who will be able to quickly find the sailings where these special fares apply.
Best Ship for Kids – Dining
World America certainly doesn’t lack family-friendly dining options. Families will find plenty of options in the main dining room. For the pickiest eaters, the two buffets, Il Mercato and La Brasserie, serve a variety of dishes sure to please the palates of kids who may have a special food request or may want to have a taste of some new foods.
Other quick options for families include the diner-like Luna Park Pizza & Burger. Hot dogs, wings, and even arcade games are found in the large and complimentary dining area.
On the World Promenade, Promenade Bites satisfies those looking for a snack. Pulled pork, sliders, popcorn, hot dogs, and even cotton candy are available in this complimentary snack stop.
If parents choose to enjoy a night out without the kids in tow, the kids can enjoy dinner at the Kids Club area. And if your child or anyone in the family has dietary restrictions, it’s a simple matter to fill out the accessibility and medical request form found online.
Best Ship for Kids – Supervised Kids Clubs
With 10,000 square feet of space, Doremiland (say it like the notes in a musical scale) is divided into several areas to accommodate kids up to age 18.
The Baby Club allows kids from 6 months to 3 years old. Something unusual for many kids’ clubs is that they offer both a drop-off service and welcome parents to join playtime sessions.
MSC has partnered with the Lego brand, and guests of the Mini Club (3-6 years) get to play and build with these popular blocks. Additionally, they can join games and storytelling circles. Arts and crafts are also popular, and there is even a family disco event.
Like all of the levels of the kids club, there is supervision and direction by trained professionals. Age-appropriate activities are offered. MSC has done a great job of dividing the groups into age groups that make sense.
The Junior Club is for kids 7-11 years old. They do more challenging activities, like green screen filming, scavenger hunts, and sports tournaments. Master Chef at Sea and LEGO building are popular offerings. Themed parties are also a highlight.
The 12 -14-year-olds belong in the Young Club and have their own lounge space.
They can take part in video games where an entire video game room is on the same deck. (Outside of club hours, kids will pay for these video games. Parents may load a My Smart Card with set amounts of money. That prevents the shock of seeing a video game bill of hundreds of dollars.)
Although still supervised, this age group starts to have a bit more independence. Karaoke, social mixers, and other activities appropriate to the age group keep the tweens coming back.
The Teen Club for the oldest kids aged 15-17 is also set in its own lounge. They have late-night events to hang out with their contemporaries.
The lounge focuses on tech. There are popular gaming consoles in the space. They may also engage in social media challenges, silent disco, and themed parties.
The kids’ clubs are all included in the fare. Moreover, should parents wish to dine alone or have an evening out, the kids may join Happy Dinners, where the entire family goes to the main dining room.
The kids are served dinner, and then the kids club staff takes the kids (must be in Mini or Junior Club) back to the club, where they may stay until 11 PM.
One real draw to MSC and its commitment to families is that it provides an assortment of equipment that parents can leave at home. Strollers, bottle warmers, cribs, and baby products are curated by Chicco, the Italian brand that caters to babies and young kids.
Best Ships for Kids – Activities
World America has taken thrills and chills to a new level.
The most unusual and new attraction, the Cliffhanger, is a swing that extends beyond the ship at 160 feet above the sea. Kids should be a minimum of 4 feet tall to participate. There is a $5 charge to enjoy this thrill a minute.
This thrilling activity is found in the Family Aventura District, which extends over three decks.
On Deck 20, the Harbour area includes not only the Cliffhanger, but a variety of activities for the family. A shark with threatening teeth bared lures adventurers into its mouth, swallowing them down into a spiraling slide that dumps them out 11 decks below.
A ropes course challenges takers on a two-level course, which presents many trials, including a zipline. For younger kids, there is a rock-climbing wall and a lighthouse playground.
The aqua park has a variety of slides and even a splash zone. Other activities include parades, game shows, and disco. The SportsPlex has a basketball court, roller skating, and bumper cars.
In addition to the onboard activities, MSC also organizes shore excursions dedicated to families. With interactive tasks for both kids and adults, the Family Explorer Club shore excursions provide a fun and engaging on-shore experience.
Kids might become investigators looking for clues to find a treasure. Other excursions include scavenger hunts or solving a mystery. These excursions vary by port and ship.
Best Ship for Families with Kids – MSCWorld America
With a 10,000 square foot kids club and plenty of family activities for all ages, MSC World America merits strong consideration. Multi-generational families have opportunities to do their own thing or join with the other members of the family.
With special pricing on certain sailings, it’s worth the effort to take a chance on World America. What do you have to lose?
