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Wondering why MSC Cruises are so cheap? This article covers how they keep costs down and what’s included with the basic cruise fare.
Having recently taken my first-ever solo cruise (and absolutely loved it) I’m already thinking about booking my next one. I’ve been browsing deals trying to find a good price, and I’ve noticed a few cruise lines that always seem to have the best prices. One of those is MSC.
But why are they so cheap? And does that mean that the experience will be worse than other cruise lines? I’ve done some digging to find out.
MSC Cruises is often considered more affordable compared with other cruise lines. There are several reasons for this, which I’ll go into in this post.
Examples of MSC Cruise Prices
To give you an idea of just how cheap they can be, here are a few current MSC Cruise deals:
- 4 Nights France & Belgium from Southampton, October 2024 – from £319 pp (inside cabine, Bella Experience package).
- 7 Nights Norwegian Fjords from Southampton, May 2025 – from £549 pp. Balcony cabins from £777pp!
- 7 Nights France, Portugal and Spain from Southampton, June 2025 – from £663pp.
For UK passengers, sailing from Southampton also helps reduce the cost of cruising as there is no need to purchase flights.
Why are MSC Cruises So Cheap?
They’re a Huge Cruise Line
MSC Cruises is one of the largest cruise lines in the world and has a very large fleet of ships – 25 as of August 2024! This scale of the company is part of what makes MSC cruises so cheap, as being able to have more passengers at sea can reduce the overall cost per passenger.
Cost-Cutting Strategies and Efficient Operations
MSC Cruises is known for operating efficiently, from the design of their ships to their onboard operations, which can help reduce costs. They also employ a number of cost-cutting strategies, most of which wouldn’t be noticeable to the average passenger.
The Cruise Experience is More Basic
MSC offers a more basic cruise experience compared to some premium lines. Basic doesn’t necessarily mean bad, but this is part of what helps keep the cruises so cheap with MSC. These measures include things like:
- Smaller cabins (to get more passengers on each ship)
- More limited range of included amenities.
- Very few drinks included
- Restrictive dining times in the main dining room
There’s Less Staff Onboard
While more luxurious cruise lines have a high staff-to-passenger ratio, MSC Cruises tends to reduce this to the bare minimum (whilst still meeting international safety standards). Cutting staff is another way they can reduce overall company costs – allowing them to sell cruises more cheaply. Of course, this can have a knock-on effect on the service you receive.
Data from Cruisewatch suggests that most cruise ships have 1 crew member for every 2-3 passengers, while ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea has an exceptionally high staff-to-passenger ratio of 1:1 . The average MSC ship, on the other hand, has a staff-to-passenger ratio of 1:3.4 (one member of staff for every 3.4 passengers).
Upsell, upsell, upsell
While the base fare might be low, MSC Cruises often charges extra for services and amenities that might be included on other cruise lines. This includes drink packages, speciality dining, Wi-Fi, and certain activities. The lower upfront cost can be offset by these additional charges.
With the MSC base fare, all food is included – with the option to dine either in the buffet restaurant or the main dining room. All other restaurants on board come with an extra cost – unlike some cruise lines that will have one or two speciality restaurants included in the price.
The biggest extra cost is the drinks. With the base cruise fare, only tap water, tea and coffee are included (plus juice is free at the buffet). Sodas, juices, specialty coffees, and any all alcoholic drinks come with an extra charge (or you have to purchase a drinks package). Compare that with my recent Marella Cruise, which included a vast array of soft and alcoholic drinks in the basic cruise fare (including cocktails).
READ MORE: Is Marella Cruises Good for Solo Travellers
Also – passengers dining at the same table are required to have the same drinks package, and if you purchase a drinks package for yourself you HAVE to purchase the Minors Package for any kids travelling with you. These rules are a bit more restrictive than other cruise lines I’ve travelled with and can drive up the costs once onboard.
I’ve also read a number of reviews that suggest that staff are quite persistent in trying to upsell you throughout the cruise. While you can still refuse, and not pay a penny more than the basic cruise fare, this might drag down the overall experience of your cruise.
What’s Included with MSC Cruises?
The below is what’s always included with the MSC base fare (before any optional add-ons):
- Accommodation
- Full board (all meals in the Buffets and dinner in the Main Restaurants)
- Some drinks at the Buffets: water, hot drinks (milk, coffee and tea) and fruit juices are always available
- At the Main Restaurants, drinks need to be purchased.
- Live entertainment including six different shows a week and numerous leisure activities.
- Some sports and entertainment facilities – although there are usually several that incur an additional fee.
- Gratuities and service charges
So, there you have it I hope this post helps outline what makes MSC Cruises so affordable, and helps you decide if a cruise with them is right for you. I’m looking forward to booking my next cruise soon.
