Do MSC Cruises Include Meals? (Firsthand Experience) – Your Guide To What is Included

If you are considering a cruise with MSC, you may be wondering if food is included. I have been on many cruises with MSC and I love the value for money that you get on MSC Cruises.

Do MSC Cruises Include Meals?

MSC Cruises include the cost of breakfast lunch and dinner in the cruise fare.

These included meals are provided in the main dining room, or buffet of the ship.

There are extra cost alternatives such as speciality dining or room service, but these are optional extras.

It is possible to cruise with MSC and not spend a penny extra on food. When I cruise with MSC, I rarely spend extra on food, although I do take advantage of my loyalty scheme perks.

In this post, we explore the complimentary options and those that cost extra so you can decide whether to spend extra money on food during your cruise.

At the end of the post I include a tip that could get you a free meal in a speciality restaurant!

The Buffet on MSC Cruises Is Included In The Cruise Fare

All MSC Cruise ships have a buffet. Everything in the buffet is free, eat as much as you would like.

The buffets on MSC ships are usually open from early morning until late at night. The food is usually varied and includes lots of Mediterranean cuisine

We are confident that you will find something to suit your tastes and mood at The Buffet. After all, there are many different areas to discover – from the Kids’ Corner to the Pasta Station – allowing you to find exactly what you fancy. 

Open for 20 hours a day, The Buffet is a great casual option for everyone, from families to couples who don’t want to tie themselves down to mealtimes.

MSC Cruises

What I love about MSC buffets is that they very rarely close.

During the time between breakfast/lunch and lunch/dinner, they will change over the food on offer, but the food doesn’t really ever stop.

The buffet is a great option if you want to grab a quick meal or have a snack between meals.

I cruised as a child and LOVED going to the buffet when my parents went to the main dining room. The amount of choice and flexibility is one of my favourite things about cruising.

Most MSC buffets are made up of the following sections: 

• Meat Carvery
• Kids Area
• Take Away Station
• Dessert Corner
• Pasta Station
• Daily Specials
• Wellness Corner
• Ethnic Corner
• Special Diets & Menus
• Mediterranean Dining
• International Dining

What Drinks Are Available In The Buffet on MSC Cruises?

When the buffet on MSC ships is open, water, tea, and coffee are available at no extra cost.

Juices are often available for breakfast, and on most ships, there is a bar where guests can order drinks at an extra cost.

I went on a Costa cruise where Tea and Coffee were far less readily available:

If you have cruised with Costa and are wondering about the differences between Costa and MSC check out my post about the differences between the two:

MSC and Costa Cruises: 7 Differences.

Find out about my last cruise with Costa here:

Many ships have bars within the buffet where you can order a drink.

If not, you are still able to order a drink from the bar by ordering with one of the waiters. A lot of the newer ships have buttons that you press to order a drink.

If you’re in the buffet for breakfast, try the bread rolls below with little bits of sugar on them. They’re so good! 

The Main Dining Room on MSC Cruises Is Included in The Cruise Fare

The main dining room is open for breakfast, sometimes for lunch and always for dinner. All meals here are all included in your cruise fare.

MSC Cruises offers both fixed and flexible dining, although fixed dining is more common.

You are free to choose whether to eat dinner in the main dining room or not. If you don’t want to eat there, you just don’t show up. You don’t have to let anybody know.

Note: There are occasionally extra cost items on the menu but these will be clearly marked.

MSC Offer Mainly Fixed Dining

There is one early and one late seating per evening. It is possible to request either early or late dining prior to your cruise.

It is not guaranteed that you will get the seating you request, although I have never known anybody who didn’t get the seating that they wanted.

If you get on board and find out that you have a dining time that doesn’t suit you, you are often able to change this onboard.

If you are cruising with MSC Cruises and have fixed dining your table number will be printed on your cruise card.

When you head to the restaurant for dinner, you will be shown to your table, which is your table for dinner each night.

MSC Has Some Flexible Dining

If you have ‘my choice’ flexible dining, available with higher cabin categories, you can arrive at the restaurant anytime during dinner hours. You will then be seated as if you were in a restaurant on land.

Dress codes to apply to this restaurant and all others on board.

To learn more about MSC’s dress codes, and to find out why I think it’s one of the best, check out this post:

MSC Dress Code Photo Guide – 96% Agree The Dress Codes are Relaxed

Is There Any More Complimentary Food On MSC Cruises?

On most MSC ships there is some type of outside pool grill that serves food by the pool. These are always complimentary and will usually serve things like burgers/hot dogs.

This may be the same food from the buffet, but it is often different. This area of the ship may only be open at certain times and may depend on the weather.

Many MSC ships also have a pizzeria outside where you can grab a slice of pizza. MSC has a lot of pizza onboard its ships, so if you’re a pizza fan, you’ll be very happy!

Find a full food review of the food I ate on MSC Seaview, read this article next:

Everything I Ate on my MSC Cruise (Photos and Menus) – Food Review

There Are Also Tapas Snacks/Nuts Available

In a number of the bars, you’ll sometimes find nuts and nibbles to munch on.

On the MSC Meraviglia, the sky lounge also offers tapas-style snacks (and a few crisps) which don’t cost extra.

If you are in a bar and feeling peckish, don’t be afraid to ask the waiter if they have any free bar snacks.

Does MSC Have Room Service?

MSC Cruises do have room service available but there is a charge per item.

Most items are pretty reasonably priced at a few euros each but I personally don’t like paying for room service. The walk to the buffet does me good!

When I sailed on MSC Seaview, I had room service pizza. We arrived on the ship late at night, after a seventeen-hour journey, so I felt I deserved it!

Speciality Dining On MSC Cruises

There are a number of different pay extra for options on MSC Cruises.

On some of the older ships, there may only be one or two speciality restaurants but the newer ships do have more.

In specialty restaurants, you are charged similarly to how you would be on land. Items on the menu usually have a price, and the balance is charged to your onboard account, which is paid at the end of the cruise.

I loved Hola – a Mexican restaurant found on newer MSC ships.

I Loved Indochine On The MSC Virutosa

I recently took a cruise on the MSC Virtuosa and tried a Vietnamese restaurant called Indochine.

The portions were absolutely huge and I didn’t manage to finish the meal. I actually left without having dessert!

To learn more about Indochine and my cruise on the MSC Virtuosa, check out my MSC Virtuosa review and daily diary here:

MSC Virtuosa – Cruise Review 2021 (Covid Safety, Ship and Food)

I’ve Eaten in Butchers Cut

Butchers Cut is one of my favourite MSC specialty restaurants. It’s so good that I’ve been there three times!

Butcher’s Cut is a steakhouse that has the most amazing giant melted cookies for dessert.

It is amazing. They have a set menu for a certain price, or you can pay as you eat, as you would in a restaurant on land.

Eataly

Eataly is an Italian restaurant that you can actually find in Italy.

I have been to Eataly but only on land. I actually had a meal in Eataly in Genoa. It was okay.

I would describe Eataly as the Nando’s of Italy. I hope you’ll understand if you’re from the UK! (I do love Nandos.)

Kaito Teppanyaki Restaurant and Sushi Bar

Due to my hatred of Sushi, I’ve never tried this one. However, this restaurant is about more than just food.

If you have dinner here you’ll be treated to a food show, your food will be thrown up and sliced in mid-air. It’s very fun to watch and quite a performance.

I personally prefer to watch it from outside the restaurant as they have big glass windows, but I imagine it’s a great experience if you like Sushi!

They Even Have a Pub With Extra Cost Food

On the MSC Meraviglia, we visited the onboard pub and paid extra for fish and chips.

It was only a few euros and it was really good. I’ve definitely recommended this.

You’ll often find regular bars on MSC cruises have “paid for” extra food items. This is also the case in the sports bar.

Be Prepared For Upselling

When you are on your MSC cruise, there will be points when staff members try to sell you specialty dining and drinks packages.

I’ve found that this has got worse lately so it is important to be firm.

There is nothing wrong with not spending extra money on a cruise, you’ve already paid for food!

When the waiters/crew ask you if you’d like to upgrade your drinks package or buy a speciality meal be polite but clear.

How to Get a Speciality Meal on an MSC Cruise For Free:

You may be entitled to a free meal in a speciality restaurant and more perks if you have a loyalty status with another cruise line.

MSC Status Match is a program that allows you to ‘match’ a loyalty status that you have gained on another cruise line (and some hotel brands) with MSC.

When you cruise with MSC you will be given the perks that the equivalent loyalty programme on MSC would provide.

A Black loyalty card allows you to have a meal for free in a speciality restaurant. The card entitles you to a meal for two meals – but only one per cabin if you both have the same loyalty status.

To learn how to match your status and why you should check out this post:

MSC Status Match – The free way to get 5% off MSC Cruises.

I was lucky enough to try Yacht Club onboard MSC Euribia. This is MSC’s “ship within a ship” concept.

It was a far cry from my normal, cheap inside cabin. I even had my own Butler! Find out about that amazing experience here:

Before You Go

Find out 19 top tips to save you money when you cruise with MSC here:

19 Essential MSC Cruise Tips That I Use Everytime (Freebies, Money Saving & More)

My parents took a cruise to Norway on MSC Virtuosa, whilst I took a very similar cruise onboard RCI’s Anthem of the Seas at the same time. Find out how the two compare here:

We Took The Same Cruise With MSC and Royal Caribbean: Differences and Comparison