I dash breathlessly toward the cruise terminal, laden with shopping bags. MSC World Europa’s departure from the port in Barcelona is less than 10 minutes away and the scrum of passengers around the ID checkpoint is so large I’m not sure I’ll make it. But then I see a familiar face, smiling and motioning to me with a paddle that says in big gold letters: MSC Yacht Club. Lanto, my butler, then escorts me to the front of the snaking security line. And in minutes I’m back on board, watching from my stateroom balcony as the remaining passengers file onto the ship.
Luckily for me, priority embarkation and disembarkation are among the perks of sailing in the Geneva-based line’s ship-within-a-ship concept, MSC Yacht Club. On MSC World Europa—launched in 2022 and the first of the line’s World-class vessels—that means that of 2,626 staterooms, 152 (which have pride of place at the bow of the ship) come with premium perks. Among them: butler service; access to three exclusive restaurants, the Top Sail Lounge and a private pool deck; and the assistance of a dedicated concierge.
Although I’ve sailed with MSC before, it’s been only on quickie new-ship preview cruises from PortMiami. This is the first time I’ve sailed in the Yacht Club and also the first time I’ve visited the ports on our Western Mediterranean itinerary. Adding to the novelty is the fact that unlike other lines, which reposition their ships to sail the Caribbean in the winter and the Mediterranean in the spring and summer, MSC’s ships remain in one region year-round. MSC World Europa is in every sense a European ship, designed to appeal to Continental cruisers’ preferences (line executives report that only about 5 percent of passengers are U.S.-based) and it’s been interesting to see what that looks like on board.
It’s demonstrated most noticeably in the variety of languages spoken; a higher proportion of Asian groups and smokers than I’ve seen on my previous 30+ cruises. Apart from that, my shipmates appear to be of a similar demographic to MSC’s North American passengers. Cruisers who prioritize seeing the ocean at every turn and constantly feeling “at sea” may be disappointed, however. While restaurants and public spaces are creatively designed, they feel very much like those on land. And if you’re not a Yacht Club guest, there’s no access to the bow from any of World Europa’s 21 decks.
The biggest difference on World Europa is that passengers change with every port. Unlike in the U.S., where the Jones Act prohibits it, passengers can choose to embark at any stop on the itinerary (although they must sail the full length of the voyage). The good news for clients is that they can take advantage of cheaper flights into smaller airports. The downside: Those fast friends they make at dinner the first night may be disembarking the next day.
Happily, World Europa has plenty of restaurants and bars to distract from their disappointment. Beyond two typical all-day buffets La Brasserie and Le Mercato, there are 15 dining options. Standouts are Butcher’s Block steakhouse (order the deviled eggs with foie gras to start) and La Pescaderia (open for lunch and dinner), where you can pick a whole fish from the iced display, have it cooked to your liking and then expertly filleted at the table. Raj Tea Room is a handsome, colonial-era India-themed lounge where 10 euro for a spread with a three-tiered tray of sandwiches, cakes and scones tastes like money well spent.
At The Gin Project, cruisers choose from 60 craft gins and 20 varieties of tonic water to create the G-and-T of their dreams. World Europa’s most intriguing bar, however is its secret speakeasy. I can’t reveal its location, only that entry is exclusively by invitation. Strike up a conversation with a bartender or another member of the crew and she may give you a card with a QR code, which you scan to make a reservation and get directions. Cocktails here aren’t included in any package (they range between 14 and 16 euro) but the way they’re presented; the charming staff; and the elegant and intimate venue in which guests enjoy them merit the extra spend.
Before breakfast in the elegant Yacht Club restaurant (where, from day one, waiters knew my name and precisely how I like my coffee), I’d often head down to the World Promenade. There I could step outside to enjoy the view from the stern, watching the wake make a lace-like froth on sapphire seas. On the last day of the cruise, I found myself back on the Promenade, this time via the Venom Drop (dry) slide on deck 20, which spirals down and ends steps from La Pescaderia. If there’s a more fun way to get to lunch, I don’t know it!
A few things to note to your clients: Curiously, robes aren’t provided in the Aurea Spa, which, incidentally, seems small for a ship this size; and at the breakfast buffets, coffee, water and condiments are all self-serve.
Sailing the Western Med with MSC
Still, your clients aren’t on board just for the buffet. The ports are at least half of the cruising experience, and this itinerary delivers, with opportunities to explore French, Italian, Maltese and Spanish history and culture en route. From Genoa we drove two hours to Milano, where a walking tour revealed the splendor of the 14th-century Castello Sforzesco. In Palermo, I stumbled upon Ceramiche Di Sicila, filled to the rafters with brightly painted pottery in the traditional Italian island style. And in Barcelona I marveled at the intricate architecture of the still-unfinished La Sagrada Familia basilica. Back in Marseille the next day, I ended my cruise grateful not only for the opportunity to visit new-to-me European ports but also for the ship that took me there.
Take note: World Europa’s sister ship, MSC World America will be launched next April in Miami, where it will homeport and sail Caribbean cruises year-round.
