msc poesia cruise Archives - Northern Viking Explorer

Our next Alaska adventure begins aboard the MSC Poesia! Join us for Day 1 of our 7-night Alaska cruise as we board the ship in Seattle, explore some of the public spaces, check out our aft balcony cabin, enjoy sail away, and experience our first evening onboard.

This sailing takes us to Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Victoria, and scenic cruising through Endicott Arm toward Dawes Glacier. But first, it was time to get settled in and start exploring the MSC Poesia.

🎥 Watch our complete Day 1 vlog here:
https://youtu.be/QOROOzXwsRs

🚢 Boarding & Exploring the MSC Poesia

After making our way through the Seattle cruise terminal, boarding went smoothly and we were excited to finally step aboard. We started exploring some of the ship’s public spaces, including the colorful atrium, Zebra Bar, theater, and upper decks.

One of our first stops was the Lido Deck pool area. There are two outdoor pools, several small elevated whirlpools, a kids splash area, a stage, and plenty of loungers. We had beautiful weather in Seattle, which made it a great place to start getting familiar with the ship.

MSC Poesia outdoor pool deck with swimming pool, elevated whirlpools, loungers, and stage area. — Exploring the outdoor pools and elevated whirlpools on the MSC Poesia shortly after boarding in Seattle.

🍕 Lunch at the Villa Pompeiana Buffet

Once we had explored for a while, it was time for lunch at the Villa Pompeiana Buffet on Deck 13.

There was a wide selection to choose from, including pizza, pasta, roast beef, salads, curries, ramen, fruit, desserts, and plenty more. We also discovered outdoor seating at the back of the buffet with views over the aft of the ship.

That location turned out to be especially convenient because our cabin was only two decks below via the outdoor aft staircase.

🛏️ Our Aft Balcony Cabin 11250

Our home for the week was Aft Balcony Stateroom 11250 on Deck 11, located right at the back of the MSC Poesia. This was our first time staying in an aft-facing balcony cabin, so we were especially excited about the views we would get throughout our Alaska cruise.

The room itself was on the smaller side, but we found the layout comfortable and there was a good amount of storage throughout the cabin. It included a king-size bed that could be separated into twins, nightstands with drawers, a vanity with several charging options, a TV, mini bar, closet space, and a compact bathroom.

Of course, the highlight was the aft-facing balcony. It was angled and not particularly wide, but it gave us a completely different view from a traditional balcony on the side of the ship. We were really looking forward to sitting out there and watching the wake as we sailed toward Alaska.

MSC Poesia aft balcony cabin 11250 on Deck 11 with king-size bed, seating area, and balcony. — Our aft balcony cabin, Stateroom 11250 on Deck 11, would be home for our 7-night Alaska cruise.

We also have a complete tour of this cabin here: https://youtu.be/2zU-h8ofhwY

🌊 Sail Away from Seattle

After settling into our cabin, it was time to head outside for sail away from Seattle. The weather was absolutely beautiful, with blue skies, sunshine, and great views as the MSC Poesia pulled away from the city and began the journey north toward Alaska.

The pool deck quickly came to life with music, dancing, and passengers gathering outside to celebrate the start of the cruise. Between the skyline views, the warm weather, and the energy around the ship, it was a fantastic way to begin our 7-night Alaska adventure.

Passengers dancing during the MSC Poesia sail away party on the outdoor pool deck. — The sail away party gets underway on the MSC Poesia as we begin our Alaska cruise from Seattle.

🍽️ Dinner at Il Palladio

For our first dinner onboard, we headed to Il Palladio Restaurant on Deck 6.

We were happy to have been assigned a table for two, and because we had the early 5:00 p.m. seating, the dining room was especially quiet that evening. It made for a relaxed start to the cruise before we headed out for the evening entertainment.

🎭 Welcome Aboard Show & Evening Entertainment

Our first night included the Welcome Aboard Show in the main theater. It was designed as a preview of the entertainment coming throughout the week, with singing, dancing, comedy, and other performances.

Afterward, we checked out Big Band at Sea, featuring a full live band with brass instruments and vocals. It was a relaxing way to finish a busy first day aboard the MSC Poesia.

MSC Poesia Welcome Aboard Show featuring the Big Band sampler performance in the main theater. — The Welcome Aboard Show on MSC Poesia included a Big Band sampler, giving us a preview of some of the entertainment offered during the cruise.

⭐ A Great Start to Our MSC Poesia Alaska Cruise

Day 1 gave us a great introduction to the MSC Poesia. We explored the ship, enjoyed the pools and buffet, settled into our aft balcony cabin, experienced a beautiful sail away from Seattle, and finished the evening with dinner and live entertainment.

Next up is a full sea day as we continue north toward Alaska!

🎥 Watch MSC Poesia Alaska Cruise: Sail Away from Seattle – Day 1 Vlog
https://youtu.be/QOROOzXwsRs

🧳 Could We Drop Off Our Bags in Our Cabin Right Away?

One of our first questions was whether we would need to carry our bags around until the cabins were officially ready. After boarding, we checked with Guest Services and were happy to learn that we could drop our bags off in the cabin and then leave again until the room was ready.

That made embarkation day much easier, especially when you want to start exploring the ship without carrying everything with you.

🔌 What Outlets Are in the MSC Poesia Cabins?

Our aft balcony cabin had a good selection of charging options, although almost all of them were concentrated around the vanity.

We had two North American outlets, European outlets, USB-A and USB-C charging ports. There were no dedicated outlets on both sides of the bed, which is something we always like to know before sailing.

North American and European electrical outlets with USB-A and USB-C charging ports in an MSC Poesia cabin. — Our MSC Poesia cabin included North American and European outlets along with USB-A and USB-C charging ports.

🍽️ What Complimentary Food Is Available?

For complimentary meals, we used the buffet and the main dining rooms. The buffet served breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, and we especially appreciated the 24-hour beverage station.

The main dining rooms were also included and offered breakfast, lunch, and dinner at different times throughout our sailing.

We had originally been assigned a 7:15 p.m. dinner at a group table. After speaking with the dining staff, we were fortunate to be moved to a 5:00 p.m. dining time with a table for two. Changes are based on availability, but it was definitely worth asking.

🏊 Pool & Hot Tub Hours

This one surprised us. On our sailing, the outdoor pools were open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., while the whirlpools were open from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Those were some of the earliest hot tub closing times we have experienced on a cruise, so it is worth checking the schedule if evening hot tubs are part of your cruise routine.

🚶 Is There a Walking Track?

Sort of!

There are outdoor areas where you can walk, including Deck 7, but you cannot walk completely around the ship there. Up on Deck 14, there is an area MSC identifies as a power walking track, although there were no painted track markings during our sailing and the area can sometimes be obstructed.

⚓ Our Juneau Tender Experience

We had a private excursion booked in Juneau and thought we had left plenty of time to get ashore. Unfortunately, the tender process took much longer than expected and we arrived onshore around 10 minutes after our excursion was scheduled to leave.

Thankfully, our excursion company was able to rearrange things for us, but others were dealing with the same problem. If your MSC Poesia sailing tenders in Juneau and you have a private excursion, we would definitely allow as much extra time as possible.

Is 4 Hours in Victoria Worth Getting Off the Ship?

For us, absolutely.

Our stop was scheduled from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Even with the limited time, we enjoyed walking toward Fisherman’s Wharf and downtown Victoria, seeing the Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel, and simply enjoying the beautiful city.

We would recommend getting in line early to leave the ship so you can make the most of those four hours.

Welcome to Victoria Canada sign at the cruise terminal during our MSC Poesia Alaska cruise. — Even with only four hours in Victoria, we were glad we got off the MSC Poesia and explored the city.

💃 What’s the Difference Between the Two Dirty Dancing Shows?

MSC Poesia offered two very different Dirty Dancing experiences during our sailing.

Dirty Dancing in Concert featured the full movie along with a live band and production performers appearing during the musical and dance portions.

Later, Dirty Dancing: The Celebration was more like a traditional cruise production show, with live music, singing, and dancing but without the movie playing behind it.

They were different enough that we were glad we experienced both.

🌊 Are There Any Hidden Viewing Spots on MSC Poesia?

This was one of our favorite discoveries.

At the front of the ship on Decks 9, 10, 11, and 14, you can walk past the cabins and through the doors at the end of the hallway to reach small forward-facing outdoor viewing areas. Some have seating or more overhead coverage than others, and they can be wonderfully quiet.

There are also outdoor staircases and viewing areas around the aft of the ship, including spaces near the back of the buffet. These became some of our favorite places to enjoy the scenery without the crowds.

Scenic Alaska fjord and glacier views from a forward outdoor viewing area aboard MSC Poesia. — One of the quieter forward viewing areas aboard MSC Poesia gave us incredible scenery during glacier day.

⭐ 10 MSC Poesia Questions Answered

These were some of the questions we had before sailing, and several of the answers genuinely surprised us. If you are already booked on the MSC Poesia or researching the ship before choosing your cruise, we hope our experience helps make your planning a little easier.

🎥 Watch 10 Questions Before Sailing MSC Poesia (Answered!)
https://youtu.be/S4vWBFd5_Sg

Tag: msc poesia cruise

MSC Poesia Alaska Cruise Day 1: Sail Away from Seattle 🚢