Planning a cruise on the MSC Poesia? If you’re looking to get acquainted with the ship before you set sail, join us for our full MSC Poesia ship tour! During our 7-night Alaska cruise, we explored the ship from the upper decks down to the lower decks, checking out the swimming pools, hot tubs, fitness center, restaurants, lounges, theater, atrium, and more.
In this deck-by-deck MSC Poesia walking tour, we’ll show you the ship’s layout and amenities so you can get a better idea of what to expect onboard.
🎥 Watch Our Full MSC Poesia Ship Tour
🏊 Exploring the MSC Poesia Upper Decks
We begin our tour on the upper decks, where you’ll find the Top 15 Exclusive Solarium, sports court, complimentary fitness center, kids and teens clubs, and outdoor viewing areas.
On Deck 13, the MSC Poesia features two outdoor swimming pools, four raised hot tubs, a children’s splash area, bars, and plenty of loungers. We also explore the Villa Pompeiana Buffet and some quieter outdoor seating areas with beautiful ocean views.
One of our favourite discoveries was the forward-facing observation balconies on Decks 9, 10, 11, and 14. These are wonderful places to enjoy the scenery, especially during an Alaska cruise!
One of the MSC Poesia’s outdoor swimming pools, with raised hot tubs and loungers on Deck 13.
🎭 Lounges, Restaurants & Entertainment Venues
As we make our way down to the lower decks, we’ll explore the outdoor promenade, Pigalle Lounge, Il Grappolo d’Oro wine bar, Casino Royal, and the beautiful Teatro Carlo Felice theater.
We’ll also visit the Zebra Bar, Bar dei Poeti, shopping areas, and both main dining rooms, Le Fontane and Il Palladio.
Inside Teatro Carlo Felice, the main theater aboard MSC Poesia, featuring tiered purple seating and decorative balconies.
🚢 The MSC Poesia Atrium & Public Spaces
One of the more interesting areas of the MSC Poesia is its three-story atrium, featuring decorative lighting that extends up the wall and across the ceiling.
Throughout our tour, you’ll see how the different decks connect, where the elevators and staircases are located, and how to find many of the ship’s public spaces.
The beautiful three-story atrium aboard MSC Poesia, featuring colourful lighting that extends up the wall and across the ceiling.
More MSC Poesia Cruise Planning
If you’re planning a cruise aboard the MSC Poesia, we also have several other guides you might find helpful:
Whether you’ve already booked your MSC Poesia cruise or are still researching the ship, we hope this deck-by-deck walkthrough helps you get acquainted with the layout and amenities before setting sail!
Wondering what the gym looks like on the MSC Poesia? During our 7-night Alaska cruise, we stopped by the complimentary MSC Poesia Fitness Center on Deck 14, located towards the back of the ship. Powered by Technogym, this modern fitness center offers a variety of workout equipment along with beautiful ocean views.
In our MSC Poesia Fitness Center Tour, we’ll walk you through the gym and show you what to expect before your cruise.
🎥 Watch the Video Tutorial
💪 What’s Inside the MSC Poesia Fitness Center?
The gym has a good selection of cardio and strength-training equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines, stair climbers, exercise bikes, rowing machines, weight machines, benches, dumbbells, and free weights.
There’s also a separate fitness studio with spin bikes, a reception area, consultation room, and a gentleman’s barber located nearby. One of our favourite features was the large windows overlooking the ocean, making it a beautiful place to work out while cruising.
Technogym treadmills and strength-training machines inside the complimentary MSC Poesia gym on Deck 14.Dumbbells, workout benches, and beautiful ocean views inside the MSC Poesia fitness center on Deck 14.
⏰ Fitness Center Hours & Age Restrictions
During our sailing, the MSC Poesia Fitness Center was open daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Sports shoes were required, and the following age restrictions were posted:
Ages 13–15: Allowed with an adult after signing a waiver.
Ages 16–17: Allowed without an adult after signing a waiver.
Ages 12 and under: Not permitted.
These details may change depending on your sailing, so check the current guidelines onboard.
🚢 Explore More of the MSC Poesia
If you’re planning an MSC Poesia cruise, you might also enjoy our other guides:
If you’re flying out of Spokane International Airport and looking for a convenient place to stay, the Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport (affiliate link) has one major advantage: location. We stayed here for one night in August 2026 before an early morning flight, and while this is definitely an older hotel, we found quite a bit to like about it.
We paid approximately $124 USD including taxes and fees for a standard room with two queen beds, booked through a third-party website. Breakfast for two was included. We also needed somewhere to leave our vehicle during our 17-night trip, which made this hotel particularly convenient for us.
Our final hotel score will be revealed at the end of this review, along with a breakdown of how we calculate our ratings and what each score means.
The Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport is located just a short walk from Spokane International Airport.The Ramada Spokane Airport has a distinctive older architectural style that reminded us of The Brady Bunch.A covered walkway connects sections of the Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport.
The Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport is located at 8909 W Airport Dr, Spokane, WA 99224, immediately beside Spokane International Airport. Downtown Spokane and Riverfront Park are approximately a 14-minute drive from the hotel, depending on traffic.
If you need supplies before or after a flight, there’s also a Walmart Supercenter on S Hayford Road just a short drive away.
For us, however, the most important distance was the airport. We actually walked the route after checking in, and it took us approximately five minutes to reach the terminal. There are newer hotels even closer, including SpringHill Suites directly across from the airport, but the Ramada is still extremely convenient.
Spokane International Airport is only about a five-minute walk from the Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport.SpringHill Suites by Marriott Spokane Airport is one of the newer hotels located close to the airport terminal.
The hotel also offers a complimentary airport shuttle. During our stay, it began running at approximately 3:30 a.m. Our flight departed at 5:15 a.m., so we needed to leave around 3:00 a.m. and simply walked instead. For families, travelers with mobility issues, lots of luggage or anyone visiting during bad weather, the shuttle could be more useful.
🚗 Long-Term Parking
Long-term parking was another big reason we chose this hotel. Because we booked through a third-party website, extended parking wasn’t guaranteed with our reservation, so we called a couple of nights before our stay to confirm availability.
We were able to leave our vehicle at the hotel for 17 nights for $80 USD. At the time, our backup plan was airport economy parking at approximately $8 per day, which would have cost us around $136 for the same period. We felt comfortable leaving our vehicle at the Ramada and returned 17 nights later to find everything exactly as we’d left it.
The hotel also advertises Park and Fly packages, so if long-term parking is important to your trip, we’d recommend checking directly with the hotel when booking rather than assuming it’s included with every room rate.
🛏️ Our Room
Our room had two queen beds and overlooked the hotel’s central courtyard. The best way to describe it is that the room was comfortable, but even though it had been updated, you could still tell it had been updated. The flooring, bedding, vanity and some of the other finishes were newer, but the underlying age of the property was still noticeable.
The beds were comfortable, the room was quiet, and the air conditioning had no problem keeping the room ice cold despite the hot summer weather. We also had a large TV with a normal selection of channels, mini fridge, coffee maker, desk, plenty of electrical outlets and USB-A charging ports. There was no microwave.
Our standard room with two queen beds at the Ramada Spokane Airport.The queen beds came with four pillows.The room included a television, desk, and workspace.The air conditioner kept our room comfortably cool.The bathroom featured a separate vanity area.The bathroom included a toilet and bathtub with shower.Complimentary toiletries were provided beside the bathroom sink.Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were provided in the shower.Convenient electrical outlets and USB charging ports beside the bed.Additional electrical outlets and USB charging ports were available near the desk and television.Some of the aging and wear we noticed around the bathtub.The bathroom trim and molding showed signs of age.Visible staining on the carpet inside our Ramada Spokane Airport hotel room.Some of the silicone work around the air conditioner looked unfinished.
The bathroom was functional but definitely one of the more dated parts of the room. We did like having the vanity separate from the toilet and shower area, which makes it easier for two people to get ready at the same time. Most importantly, everything was cleaned to our satisfaction. We didn’t notice leftover hair, grime or other obvious housekeeping issues.
One unusual touch was the window blind, which had a large image of a red barn and farmland printed across it. It’s a small detail, but it gave the room a little more personality.
Complimentary Wi-Fi was included and required a password. During our speed test, we recorded approximately 9 Mbps download and 4.8 Mbps upload. That’s fairly slow compared with many hotels we’ve stayed at, but it worked reliably for the basic things we needed to do.
🏨 Amenities
This is where the Ramada surprised us. The property is much larger than it initially appears, with multiple sections surrounding a large landscaped courtyard. There are Adirondack-style chairs, a fire pit, cornhole and giant Connect Four, giving the hotel a more relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere than we expected from an airport hotel.
The landscaped courtyard features a fire pit surrounded by bright red Adirondack chairs for guests to relax outdoors.The hotel’s spacious courtyard includes outdoor games such as giant Connect Four and ladder toss, along with plenty of green space.
There’s also a surprisingly large indoor pool area with multiple pools, a waterslide and hot tub, along with pool towels and life jackets. For families traveling with children, this could be a significant advantage over some of the newer business-oriented hotels nearby. There’s also a fitness centre, although we found it fairly basic.
The main lobby has exposed beams, stone accents, a fireplace and plenty of seating. Andrea’s first impression when we pulled up was that the hotel reminded her of The Brady Bunch, and there’s definitely a late 1960s to early 1970s feel to parts of the architecture. It’s older, but it also has considerably more character than many newer airport hotels.
The Ramada Spokane Airport features an indoor swimming pool with a large waterslide and plenty of seating.Another view of the indoor pool area, showing the large waterslide and two hot tubs.The hotel’s fitness center is fairly basic, with a couple of treadmills and cardio machines.The main reception desk at the Ramada Spokane Airport, featuring dark wood finishes and the hotel’s distinctive older styling.
The property also has Bar 509, an on-site restaurant and a small market selling drinks, snacks and travel necessities. We didn’t eat at the restaurant, so we can’t comment on the food.
🍳 Breakfast
Our reservation included breakfast for two, but unfortunately our flight was too early for us to experience the regular breakfast. At approximately 2:30 a.m., however, the hotel had a small grab-and-go selection available with apples, oranges, Pillsbury mini bagels and coffee. We appreciated having something available that early.
The regular breakfast area itself is quite large with plenty of seating, and we saw juice, coffee and cappuccino machines. Since we didn’t actually eat the full breakfast, though, we’re not going to rate its quality.
The hotel’s breakfast area includes a selection of juices, coffee, and cappuccino.The breakfast serving area at the Ramada Spokane Airport. We departed too early to experience the full complimentary breakfast.The hotel’s spacious dining and lounge area features a large stone fireplace, exposed wooden beams, and a distinctive lodge-style atmosphere.
🧹 Hotel Condition & Service
There’s no getting around the fact that this is an older property. Some areas have been renovated while others, including the elevator and portions of the hallways, clearly show their age. However, we didn’t feel that the hotel was neglected. Overall, it appeared reasonably well maintained for an older property.
Our experience with the staff was also very good. Check-in was easy, everyone we dealt with was pleasant, and the hotel was helpful when we contacted them about leaving our vehicle while we were away.
Who Would We Recommend It To?
If you want the newest and most modern hotel around Spokane International Airport, this probably isn’t the one we’d choose. There are newer properties nearby, and we have friends who would happily spend a little more for a newer room.
However, the Ramada makes a lot of sense for families, value-conscious travelers, people catching early flights and travelers needing long-term parking. The pool, waterslide, courtyard and games also give it something that many newer airport hotels don’t offer.
⭐ Our Final Score: 77/100
We gave the Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport a final score of 77/100, or 7.7/10, placing it in our Recommended for Some category.
Category
Score
🛏️ Room Quality
35/50
🏨 Amenities
16/20
🧹 Hotel Condition
7/10
😊 Service
9/10
✈️ Parking, Safety & Airport Location
10/10
Total
77/100
The room was comfortable and clean but lost points primarily because of its age, dated bathroom and slower Wi-Fi. Amenities were a strong point thanks to the pool complex, waterslide, hot tub, courtyard and other facilities. The property itself shows its age but appeared reasonably maintained, while our experience with the staff was very good. Parking and airport location were excellent for our particular stay.
How We Score Hotels
We score everyday mid-range hotels on a 100-point scale based on Room Quality (50 points), Amenities (20), Hotel Condition (10), Service (10), and Parking, Safety & Location (10). Price isn’t directly included because hotel rates can vary dramatically depending on the date, although things such as complimentary breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi can influence the appropriate categories.
Our recommendation guide is: ⭐ 90–100 Highly Recommended, 👍 80–89 Recommended for Most, 🙂 70–79 Recommended for Some, ⚠️ 60–69 Not Likely to Recommend, and 👎 Below 60 Not Recommended at All.
We may occasionally apply bonus points or major deductions when something truly exceptional happens that isn’t adequately represented by the normal categories. These adjustments are rare and will always be clearly identified and explained. The Ramada Spokane Airport didn’t require either, so its 77/100 comes directly from our standard scorecard.
Would We Stay Here Again?
Absolutely. Would we recommend it to everyone? No, but we’d recommend it to many. Some of our friends would probably spend a little extra to stay at one of the newer hotels nearby, while others would appreciate the value, family-friendly amenities and airport convenience that the Ramada offers.
Planning a stay near Spokane International Airport? You can check current prices and availability for the Ramada by Wyndham Spokane Airport (affiliate link).
Wondering what the casino is like on the MSC Poesia? During our 7-night Alaska cruise, we took a walking tour of Casino Royal, the ship’s casino located on Deck 7 towards the front of the ship. From slot machines and table games to the casino bar, we wanted to give you a closer look at what to expect before your cruise.
Casino Royal has a colourful, elegant atmosphere with large chandeliers, red carpeting, and rows of slot machines surrounding the central table games area. We filmed our tour shortly after boarding while the casino was closed, giving us a great opportunity to explore the space.
🎥 Watch Our MSC Poesia Casino Royal Tour
Join us for a complete walkthrough of Casino Royal on the MSC Poesia, where we explore the slot machines, table games, casino bar, and overall layout.
🎰 MSC Poesia Casino Royal Slot Machines
Casino Royal features a variety of slot machines throughout the gaming floor. During our sailing, we spotted popular games such as Dragon Link, Ultimate Fire Link, Huff N’ More Puff, Prosperity Link, Double Top Dollar, Phoenix Link, and more.
There were also video poker machines featuring games like Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better. With machines lining both sides of the casino, there were plenty of different gaming options to explore.
Some of the slot machines available inside Casino Royal during our MSC Poesia cruise.
🎲 Casino Royal Table Games
In the centre of the MSC Poesia casino, you’ll find the table games area. During our tour, we saw several familiar casino favourites, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, three-card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and Dream 21.
The tables are surrounded by slot machines, with chandeliers overhead and seating throughout the casino. Whether you prefer traditional table games or slot machines, there was a good variety available during our sailing.
A look inside Casino Royal on Deck 7 of the MSC Poesia.
🍹 MSC Poesia Casino Bar & Smoking Policy
Casino Royal also has a bar located near the gaming area, where guests can purchase beverages while enjoying the casino atmosphere.
During our sailing, smoking was permitted in the casino during opening hours for guests who were seated and actively playing. Be sure to check the current smoking policies onboard, as these can change.
🚢 Where Is Casino Royal on the MSC Poesia?
You’ll find Casino Royal on Deck 7 towards the forward section of the MSC Poesia.
The casino is near the upper level of the Teatro Carlo Felice theater, and there’s also a staircase leading down to the Zebra Bar on Deck 6.
If you’re looking to become more familiar with the ship before your cruise, we also have a complete deck-by-deck MSC Poesia ship tour.
Watch our MSC Poesia Full Ship Tour:
Final Thoughts
We hope our MSC Poesia Casino Royal Tour gives you a better idea of the casino’s layout, slot machines, table games, and overall atmosphere.
Whether you’re planning to try your luck at the casino or are simply curious about the entertainment options onboard, we hope this walkthrough helps you get acquainted with another area of the MSC Poesia before you set sail.
Planning a cruise aboard the MSC Poesia and wondering what’s on the menu? During our 7-night Alaska cruise, we collected several MSC Poesia main dining room menus, including breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, Gala Night, and drinks menus. We’ve put them all together here so you can take a closer look at the dining options before your cruise.
We enjoyed several meals at the Le Fontane Restaurant on Deck 5 and Il Palladio Restaurant on Deck 6. From traditional breakfast favourites to seafood, steaks, pasta, and desserts, there was plenty of variety throughout our sailing.
Below, you’ll find links to the actual MSC Poesia menus from our cruise, organized by day. All menus are available as PDFs, making them easy to view.
Please note that menus, selections, and dining availability can change depending on the sailing, itinerary, and ship operations. These PDFs reflect the menus available during our cruise.
🎥 Watch Our MSC Poesia Free Food Tour
If you’d like to see what the food actually looks like, we also put together a complete MSC Poesia food tour on our Northern Viking Explorer YouTube channel.
In the video, we explore the complimentary food available throughout the ship, starting at the Villa Pompeiana Buffet on Deck 13. We take a look at breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, complimentary beverages, and soft serve ice cream.
We then head down to the main dining rooms to show you some of the meals we enjoyed, including breakfast, Tour de Brunch, lunch, and dinner. Some of our highlights included filet mignon, lobster tail, prime rib, and Baked Alaska.
One thing we appreciated about dining on the MSC Poesia was the variety of food available throughout our cruise. The main dining room menus changed regularly, giving us opportunities to try different appetizers, main courses, and desserts.
We also enjoyed having the option of a sit-down breakfast or lunch at Le Fontane instead of always visiting the buffet. During our sailing, we had dinner at Il Palladio, where we were assigned a table for two.
Our Gala Night dinner was particularly memorable, with filet mignon, lobster tail, and Baked Alaska among the options we enjoyed.
Whether you’re planning your first MSC cruise or have already booked a sailing on the MSC Poesia, we hope these menus help give you an idea of what to expect onboard.
🚢 More MSC Poesia Cruise Videos & Information
If you’re researching the MSC Poesia, we’ve also shared several other videos and articles from our Alaska cruise.
We hope these MSC Poesia main dining room menus give you a helpful look at the breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner options available onboard. We certainly enjoyed trying the different dishes throughout our 7-night Alaska cruise!
For an even closer look at the complimentary food, be sure to check out our full MSC Poesia food tour.
Watch the Full MSC Poesia Food Tour:
Thanks for visiting Northern Viking Explorer, and happy cruising! 🚢
After our seven-night Alaska cruise from Seattle, we’re sharing our honest MSC Poesia review to help you plan your own sailing. We cover the ship’s layout and amenities, our aft balcony cabin 11250, the complimentary food and restaurants, and the entertainment and activities.
We had a wonderful week aboard MSC Poesia, but there were also a few things we wished were different. Here’s a quick overview, with the full discussion in our video below.
In this section of our MSC Poesia review, we explore the ship’s layout, pools, hot tubs, fitness centre, lounges, and outdoor viewing areas. We discuss how the different spaces connect, where to enjoy the scenery, and what amenities are available onboard. We also cover the pool and hot tub hours and the differences between public spaces and areas reserved for certain guests.
The outdoor pool deck aboard MSC Poesia, one of the areas we discuss in our review.
🛏️ Our Aft Balcony Cabin 11250
We take you inside our aft balcony cabin 11250 on Deck 11 of MSC Poesia. This section covers the room’s layout, bed, seating, storage, charging options, and bathroom. We also discuss the balcony, wake views, and what to expect when staying at the back of the ship.
A look inside our aft balcony cabin 11250 on Deck 11 of MSC Poesia.
🍽️ Free Food & Restaurants
Our MSC Poesia food review covers the complimentary dining options, including the Villa Pompeiana Buffet and the main dining rooms. We discuss breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner, with examples of the meals and desserts served throughout our cruise. This section also covers dining arrangements, requesting a table for two, and additional charges to be aware of.
Baked Alaska, one of the desserts served during our MSC Poesia cruise.
🎭 Entertainment & Activities
We cover the entertainment and activities available during our MSC Poesia Alaska cruise, from theatre productions to live music, comedy, and onboard games. This includes the two different Dirty Dancing performances, Big Band at Sea, naturalist presentations, and themed parties. We also discuss the activities offered throughout the ship and what families can expect from the onboard attractions.
The evening Dirty Dancing: The Celebration show aboard MSC Poesia.
Whether you’ve followed our Alaska cruise vlog series or are just starting to research MSC Poesia, we hope this review helps with your cruise planning. Watch the full video for our thoughts on each of these four areas, including what we liked and what we wished was different.
Day 7 of our MSC Poesia Alaska cruise brought an unforgettable day of whale spotting followed by an evening in Victoria, B.C., Canada. It was our last full day aboard the ship, and we enjoyed a relaxed morning before some of the most exciting wildlife encounters of the week.
Victoria is one of our favourite cruise ports, so we were looking forward to exploring its waterfront, gardens, and downtown on foot. Add in breaching humpbacks, orcas, and our favourite ice cream, and it made for a wonderful finish to our seven-night Alaska cruise from Seattle.
We started with breakfast before checking out the games and activities in the Zebra Bar. It was rainy and windy outside, so we also spent some time in the theatre, catching part of the naturalist’s Giants of the Pacific presentation.
With our return to Seattle coming the next morning, we attended the disembarkation talk. It was a useful opportunity to hear about luggage collection and leaving the ship, especially before heading out for our evening port visit.
Attending the disembarkation talk in the MSC Poesia theatre before returning to Seattle.
🐋 Orcas and Fully Breaching Humpbacks
The wildlife was a highlight of our MSC Poesia Alaska cruise, and Day 7 certainly delivered. We spotted orcas from the buffet area on our way to get ice cream. Then the naturalist announced that humpback whales were breaching close to the ship.
We hurried upstairs and were treated to an incredible show. Seeing humpbacks come completely out of the water beside the ship was fantastic, and we managed to capture some of the action on video.
This was our eighth Alaska cruise, and we felt it was the most whales we had ever seen up close without taking a whale watching tour.
An incredible humpback whale breach spotted from MSC Poesia on our final full day at sea.
🍁An Evening in Victoria, B.C., Canada
After the MSC Voyagers Club appreciation event and dinner, we arrived in Victoria for our final port visit. The weather had improved, which was a welcome change for our walk into town.
We headed first to Fisherman’s Wharf, where the colourful float homes are always a favourite. From there, we continued towards the Inner Harbour and downtown Victoria.
Welcome to Victoria, Canada! Our final port stop aboard MSC Poesia before returning to Seattle.
The British Columbia Parliament Buildings and their gardens were beautiful to explore. Later in the evening, seeing the buildings illuminated made the waterfront even more memorable.
Exploring the beautiful British Columbia Parliament Buildings during our MSC Poesia cruise stop in Victoria.
We also stopped by the Fairmont Empress Hotel, where the flowers and gardens were gorgeous. One of our favourite details was the orca display made from plants and shrubbery. After all the real whales we had seen, it was fun to find more right in downtown Victoria!
Beautiful orca topiary sculptures surrounded by colourful flowers near Victoria’s Fairmont Empress Hotel.
Ice Cream and a Walk Along the Breakwater 🍦
A visit to Victoria wouldn’t feel complete for us without a stop at Chocolats Favoris. We enjoyed their waffle cones before strolling along the waterfront and making our way back towards the cruise port.
Before returning to MSC Poesia, we walked along the Ogden Point Breakwater. It was getting dark, and the views of the ships made it a lovely way to finish our evening.
Back onboard, we reflected on a wonderful week of exploring Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Endicott Arm, and Dawes Glacier. The whale encounters were especially memorable, and Victoria gave us a beautiful final evening before our return to Seattle.
Day 6 of our 7-night Alaska cruise on the MSC Poesia was a full sea day, giving us a chance to slow down a little while still enjoying plenty of activities, food, and entertainment around the ship. From a fascinating whale presentation and lunch at Le Fontaine to two completely different Dirty Dancing experiences and White Night, there was a lot happening onboard.
After several busy port days, we took advantage of the sea day and slept in a little before grabbing some coffee and heading to Teatro Carlo Felice. The morning included the Whales Alive naturalist presentation, which covered whale behavior, feeding, habitat, and some of the individual whales commonly seen around Alaska.
It was especially interesting hearing about whales we had actually encountered on previous Alaska trips. The presentation was a great addition to the itinerary and a nice way to learn more about the wildlife we had been seeing throughout the cruise.
Lunch at Le Fontaine Restaurant
Instead of heading to the buffet, we decided to have lunch at Le Fontaine Restaurant on Deck 5.
We started with a shared selection of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and focaccia, followed by fried seafood with calamari, shrimp, and white fish. For our main courses, we tried a calzone filled with spicy salami and mozzarella and a pan-fried sea bass with lemon caper butter.
Dessert included pistachio tiramisu and a rich chocolate cake with ice cream.
The food was very good, although lunch took quite a while. We were there for around an hour and a half, so this is definitely a better option when you have time to sit back and enjoy a slower meal.
Exploring MSC Poesia During the Afternoon
The afternoon gave us some time to wander around the MSC Poesia and enjoy the ship.
We checked out several of the onboard shops, including MSC merchandise, Alaska souvenirs, duty-free items, clothing, fragrances, toiletries, and travel essentials. There was actually quite a bit more shopping onboard than we initially expected.
We also headed outside after hearing announcements about whales being spotted from the ship. The forward decks provided some fantastic views, although it was extremely windy and we just missed one of the whale sightings.
Dirty Dancing in Concert
One of the most unusual entertainment options of the day was Dirty Dancing in Concert.
This wasn’t a traditional production show. The full Dirty Dancing movie played on the large screen in Teatro Carlo Felice while a live band performed the music and singers and dancers joined in during key moments.
The combination of the movie, live musicians, and performers made it feel completely different from anything else we had seen during the cruise. The performance runs for roughly the length of the movie, so it is a longer show, but you could easily come and go if you didn’t want to stay for the entire performance.
Dirty Dancing in Concert combined the movie with live musicians and performers in Teatro Carlo Felice.
Italian Night and White Night
That evening was both Italian Night and White Night aboard the MSC Poesia.
The dining room was decorated for Italian Night, and the crew wore red, white, and green accents. We enjoyed another dinner at Il Palladio Restaurant with dishes including grilled Alaskan salmon, chicken parmesan, calamari, salads, and several desserts.
One of the fun parts of the evening was seeing how many passengers participated in White Night. A large portion of the ship seemed to be dressed in white, making it a great evening for photos.
We even managed to be first in line for a group selfie with several of the MSC Poesia officers and crew in the atrium.
White Night aboard MSC Poesia included a group photo with several of the ship’s officers.
Dirty Dancing: The Celebration
After dinner, we returned to Teatro Carlo Felice for the second Dirty Dancing experience of the day, Dirty Dancing: The Celebration.
This show was completely different from the afternoon performance. Instead of watching the movie, this was a fast-paced live production featuring singers, dancers, a live band, colorful lighting, and music from Dirty Dancing.
The live musicians added a lot to the performance, especially the saxophone, and we thought the dancing was some of the strongest we had seen during the cruise.
Dirty Dancing: The Celebration featured live music, singing and energetic dancing aboard MSC Poesia.
The evening continued with the White Party in the Zebra Bar, where passengers could keep the celebration going later into the night.
Our Thoughts on Sea Day Aboard MSC Poesia
Day 6 ended up being a great example of what a sea day can look like aboard the MSC Poesia.
There was enough happening around the ship to stay busy, but we could still slow down, enjoy a long lunch, explore the shops, watch for whales, take in the entertainment, and enjoy White Night.
The two Dirty Dancing experiences were particularly interesting because they were completely different from one another. Dirty Dancing in Concert combined the movie with live music and performers, while Dirty Dancing: The Celebration felt much more like a traditional cruise ship production show.
If you’re planning an MSC Poesia Alaska cruise, White Night and the onboard entertainment are definitely worth keeping an eye out for in the daily schedule.
Day 5 of our 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the MSC Poesia was one of those days that felt like we packed two completely different Alaska adventures into one. We started the morning sailing through the dramatic scenery of Endicott Arm toward Dawes Glacier, then spent the afternoon in Juneau on a trolley excursion out to Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls.
Watch our full Day 5 MSC Poesia Alaska cruise vlog here:
🧊 Sailing Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier
We were up early as the MSC Poesia made its way through Endicott Arm. The morning started out cloudy and a little foggy, but the scenery was beautiful, with steep mountains dropping into turquoise water, waterfalls along the cliffs, and icebergs floating around the ship.
As we got closer to Dawes Glacier, we headed to some of the forward outdoor viewing areas and listened to the ship’s naturalist provide information about the glacier and the surrounding area. The weather changed constantly, with rain, clouds, and even some sunshine breaking through, but it almost added to the atmosphere.
We ended up getting to within roughly two and a half miles of Dawes Glacier, which was one of the closer views we’ve had during our visits to the area. Between the glacier, icebergs, waterfalls, seals, and towering mountains around us, it was an incredible way to start the day.
Our view of Dawes Glacier from aboard MSC Poesia as we sailed through Endicott Arm.
☕ Brunch & a Little Time Aboard MSC Poesia
After heading away from Dawes Glacier, we warmed up and went to Le Fontaine Restaurant for brunch. There was a special brunch menu that morning with a mix of breakfast and lunch choices, which was perfect after spending so much time outside.
We also checked out MasterChef at Sea in the theater before getting ready for our afternoon arrival in Juneau. By then, it really did feel like we had already experienced a full day, and we hadn’t even reached port yet.
🚋 Juneau Trolley to Mendenhall Glacier
When we arrived in Juneau, the MSC Poesia was tendering passengers ashore before moving to the dock later in the afternoon. It did take us quite a while to reach shore, so if you are booking a private excursion on a tender day, we would definitely recommend leaving plenty of extra time.
Our excursion for the afternoon was the Mendenhall Glacier Shuttle Tour with Juneau Tours. We met near the Goldbelt Tram and boarded one of their trolley-style buses for a narrated drive through Juneau and out toward Mendenhall Glacier.
Along the way, our guide pointed out some of Juneau’s well-known sights, surrounding mountains, and other interesting spots around the city while sharing information about the area. It was a fun way to see more of Juneau while making our way to the glacier.
Our Juneau Tours trolley took us through downtown Juneau and out to Mendenhall Glacier.
🏔️ Mendenhall Glacier & Nugget Falls
Once we arrived at Mendenhall Glacier, we had about two hours to explore. We started at the visitor center, where there are some fantastic views overlooking Mendenhall Lake and the glacier.
From there, we walked the trail out to Nugget Falls. The trail is fairly flat and easy to follow, and the waterfall at the end is impressive. Standing near the falls, you can really feel and hear the power of the water, with Mendenhall Lake and the glacier nearby.
On the way back, we stopped at some of the viewpoints closer to the visitor center for more views of Mendenhall Glacier before it was time to meet our trolley for the ride back to Juneau.
A beautiful view of Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake during our afternoon excursion in Juneau.
🌅 Back Aboard the MSC Poesia
We made it back to the ship in time for a beautiful evening sail away from Juneau. Since we had missed our normal main dining room time, we grabbed a late dinner at the buffet and then enjoyed some of the evening entertainment, including the Silent Disco and comedy in Teatro Carlo Felice.
It was a long day, but a fantastic one. Seeing Dawes Glacier in the morning and Mendenhall Glacier in the afternoon made Day 5 feel especially memorable, and the trolley excursion gave us a fun way to see more of Juneau along the way.
If you’re planning an MSC Poesia Alaska cruise, visiting Dawes Glacier, or looking for a Mendenhall Glacier excursion in Juneau, we hope our experience helps with your own Alaska cruise planning.
Day 4 of our 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the MSC Poesia brought us to Icy Strait Point, Alaska, and this ended up being one of the most memorable days of the entire cruise. We had a relaxed morning aboard the ship before heading ashore, with plenty of time to explore since we weren’t due back onboard until later in the evening.
Arriving at Icy Strait Point, Alaska for Day 4 of our MSC Poesia cruise.
Exploring Icy Strait Point
We started by making our way toward the historic cannery area, stopping to explore the shops, displays, and old equipment along the way. Even if shopping isn’t your thing, the cannery is worth walking through. There is a lot of history here, along with information about Alaska, salmon fishing, and the area’s past.
The historic cannery area at Icy Strait Point is filled with shops, displays, and information about the area’s fishing history.
Then came the biggest surprise of the day. As we stepped outside near the cannery, we spotted a large group of humpback whales incredibly close to shore. Several surfaced together, and before long people were following them along the beach as they made their way toward the MSC Poesia. We weren’t expecting anything like this, and it quickly became one of the best whale experiences we’ve ever had in Alaska.
One of the highlights of our day was watching a group of humpback whales incredibly close to shore at Icy Strait Point.
Mini Doughnuts & the Hoonah Sea Walk
After all that excitement, we stopped at Lil’ Gen’s Mini-Doughnuts and tried the salted caramel and snickerdoodle flavours. They were served warm and fresh, and the proceeds help support the local community, which made the stop even better.
We stopped at Lil’ Gen’s Mini-Doughnuts for some freshly made treats while exploring Icy Strait Point.
From there, we headed out along the Hoonah Veterans Memorial Sea Walk. It’s a beautiful waterfront walk even if you don’t plan on continuing all the way into Hoonah. We spotted a family of deer and enjoyed the scenery, but somehow the whales weren’t finished with us yet. A little later, we saw what appeared to be the same group of humpbacks coming back in the opposite direction, which had us hurrying along the shoreline trying to catch another look.
Nature Trail & Transporter Gondola
Later in the afternoon, we explored some of the trails near the ship and made our way through the rainforest toward Wilderness Landing. There are signs throughout the nature trail with information about the local environment and wildlife, including plenty of reminders that this is bear country.
We eventually reached the other cruise landing area and took the free Transporter Gondola back toward Ocean Landing. It’s a fun and easy way to travel between the two sides of Icy Strait Point, and by later in the afternoon the line was quite short.
Back Aboard the MSC Poesia
Back aboard the MSC Poesia, we cleaned up and headed to dinner at Il Palladio Restaurant before finishing the evening with the Total Divas production show in Teatro Carlo Felice. The show featured familiar music, lots of singing and dancing, colourful costumes, and plenty of energy from the performers.
We finished the evening with the colorful Total Divas production show in Teatro Carlo Felice aboard MSC Poesia.
Looking back, Icy Strait Point was one of those days where everything seemed to come together. We enjoyed the cannery, waterfront, trails, gondola, wildlife, and of course the incredible humpback whales right from shore. We went into the day expecting a relaxing visit to one of our favourite Alaska ports and ended up with one of the biggest highlights of the cruise.
Tomorrow, we’ll sail through Endicott Arm to view Dawes Glacier before making our way to Juneau for the afternoon.
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