Costa Maya

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Bahamas Day 6 April 23^rd Costa Maya

 

Costa Maya is the second‑largest cruise port in Mexico, right behind Cozumel. It’s jokingly called “Costa Maybe” because high winds sometimes cause ships to cancel port stops at the last minute, gifting everyone an extra sea day whether they wanted one or not.

 

Most people like us book cruises for the onboard fun: the food, the shows, but for plenty of travelers, the destinations matter just as much. So, when a port gets canceled, emotions can rise faster than the tide.

 

That’s what happened aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Spirit in 2019. We weren’t on that cruise but heard all about it. That sailing went down in cruise‑history as the legendary “mutiny cruise.” After multiple ports were canceled, thanks to weather and operational stuff, passengers collectively hit their breaking point. It was reported that hundreds gathered in the atrium chanting, “Refund! Refund! Refund!” I am not sure how it turned out.

 

Today we were torn between three options: splurge on a private luxury beach club, wander around the port, or just enjoy another relaxing day on the ship. The port is beautiful but very touristy with shops everywhere, tequila and chocolate tastings, two huge free pools, tons of restaurants, even a bird aviary. It’s fun, but it fills up fast. And since we already spent plenty of time browsing those same shops last year, we weren’t exactly eager for a repeat.

 

The beach club sounded fabulous… until we remembered that spring is peak sargassum season. And sargassum is basically seaweed—not great to look at, not great to smell, and definitely not something you want to swim in. That made the decision pretty easy, ship day it is.

 

I did a lot of research on this MSC Seashore ship before we sailed, but nothing really prepares you for how big it actually is. It’s huge, about 5,600 passengers, more than 2,200 cabins, ten restaurants, and twenty bars. It’s easily the biggest ship we’ve ever been on.

 

The best way to describe the ship would be to say it is a modern, stylish resort at sea. It’s built for people who love ocean views, outdoor areas, and, since it’s an Italian ship, it has a bit of European flair. Everything feels new, shiny, and bold. One of the flashiest features is the crystal staircase in the atrium. It’s basically a sparkly staircase with clear steps filled with crystals. When you walk on it, the light hits the crystals and makes the whole thing glitter like a giant piece of jewelry.

 

I can report food so far has been ok. We’re not foodies by any stretch, but we’ve enjoyed the filet mignon, and pasta. Nor are we big seafood eaters—aside from our favorite, crab, lobster and salmon—so I can’t really comment on the branzino with lemon butter sauce, seafood linguine, or some of the more adventurous options like beef carpaccio, octopus salad, or tuna tartare. They look interesting, we’re just not the type to branch out that far.

 

People we met poolside warned us that the specialty restaurants were hit or miss. We tried Hola Tacos the other night and, for us, that one was a miss. Another miss would be the Sushi Bar — not because it’s bad, but because we’re just not big sushi people. Plus, the whole conveyor‑belt setup gives me flashbacks to that I Love Lucy episode where she’s frantically stuffing chocolates in her mouth and hat just to keep up. I don’t need that kind of performance pressure at dinner.

 

There is also a specialty seafood restaurant Ocean Cay that boasts they have the freshest seafood on board. Our Yacht Club restaurant already serves plenty of seafood, so paying extra feels unnecessary. Also, if Ocean Cay is ‘the freshest’, I’m trying not to think too hard about what that implies about the Yacht Club’s seafood. And last is the Teppanyaki restaurant that always puts on a great show, knife juggling, food flying but, in our experience, the food rarely lives up to the entertainment. Besides, some lady is always hogging the soy sauce at the other end of the table. But hands down the best hit is the pizza! MSC an Italian ship really does the best pizza at sea. That makes sense cause if anybody knows how to make Pizza it’s the Italians.

 

After a few slices of pizza, we made our way to the White‑Hot Party on the pool deck — hands down the best party we’ve ever been to on a cruise. The DJ was blasting every crowd‑pleaser you can think of while the staff — concierges, butlers, cabin attendants, waiters, bartenders — all lined up and danced for a full hour. It was wildly fun watching them step out of their usual prim‑and‑proper roles and absolutely own the dance floor.

 

Tomorrow is a sea day, and the forecast says rain, which is fine, because today we soaked up enough sun to last us a while. At this point we’re tan, fed, and relaxed, emphasis on fed.