MSC Cruises Now Sails in Alaska—Here's What to Expect, On Board and Off

Onboard/Offboard is a series that explores the can't-miss highlights of our favorite cruises—from the shore excursions to book to the spa treatments too relaxing to pass up. After a long weekend adventuring around Seattle—shooting to the top of the Space Needle, forest bathing on Bainbridge Island, floating around Lake Union in a hot tub boat (not a time machine!)—and immersing ourselves in World Cup fever, my sister Karen and I boarded MSC Poesia for its seven-night Alaska voyage. This is the cruise line’s first year cruising to Alaska, and our first time sailing with MSC. Once onboard, we were excited to drop our things and set out to explore the ship. MSC Poesia, originally built in 2008, is the second of the cruise line’s four-ship Musica Class fleet to undergo major refurbishments; the Alaska season is the ship’s first since its glow-up this spring. A big part of its refurbishment was the addition of the cruise line’s popular luxury ship-within-a-ship concept, MSC Yacht Club. (MSC turned the concept into its own at-sea brand, Explora Journeys, in 2023.). MSC Poesia’s Yacht Club includes 69 staterooms and suites, all with 24-hour butler service, and exclusive sp