The internet at sea with Starlink is around 5 Mbps. Video calls and streaming video seemed to work OK.
It was much faster when we were in port.
On most cruise lines, if you only purchase one internet package, you can only use one device at a time, but you can swap between as many devices as you want. However, on MSC, they only allow one device per internet package.
On most cruise lines, you can also use one device, either a laptop or a cellphone, as a hotspot, and then connect other devices to that hotspot. Again, not on MSC.
So we had to buy an internet package for each device. Since we had already connected my phone, we connected Ogii's work laptop.
People say the internet gets cheaper as you go through the cruise. We paid $139.93 before the cruise for one Browse and Stream high-speed package, which they claimed was a 30% discount from their onboard price (which would be around $200). On day 2, we're now paying $131.94 for a second device.
Then we added her phone, too.
Our list of Effy pendants to collect.
Our first stop was Ocean Cay, MSC's private island.
A map. It's a pretty small island overall.
They have carts to take you around the island if you don't want to walk.
With the ship.
Live music.
South Beach.
Us.
It was pretty hot, so we tried to stay in the shade.
A pretty flower.
Seakers Family Cove.
I'm not sure what all of these buildings are for.
It was 11am and the Seakers buffet didn't open until 12pm.
But the door is half open.
So we can peek in.
Let's try the Boho buffet.
Pretty awnings for shade.
A plumeria tree.
Some of the leaves are curled up.
Ogii put a few in her hair.
The Boho buffet is open at 11:30am, 30 minutes earlier than the Seakers one.
Even though it's only 11:20, they still let us in.
Looks good.
Similar to the ship's buffet.
Desserts.
Our selections.
Ogii's plumeria.
There were many birds hanging around.
This woman put her hot dog on a table and went back for a drink. She only got a few feet away before the birds came for her food.
Now they're all prowling around us. As long as you were with your food, they left you alone, though.
Sunset Beach to the south.
A little bar and the lighthouse to the east.
Beautiful water.
Someone is fishing.
The lighthouse.
Both of us.
And the ship from here.
Some people snorkeling in Lightouse Bay.
The lighthouse has a bar and large lounge chairs.
You can also go up inside, but you have to pay, so we skipped that.
Ogii, the lighthouse, and the ship.
Ship and lighthouse.
A much smaller ship and lighthouse.
A huge chair you could sit on.
The ship's pool/beach towels blended into the sand color, so it was hard to not step on them.
Some organized games between two teams.
They're having fun.
A little fire pit.
Back to the ship.
Some shops on the way.
Nice dishes.
One more selfie here, the back onto the ship.
Looking at the island to the south from the ship.
Looking west.
And northwest.
A lot of my YouTube ads are in German here for some reason.
The next port shopping info talk.
Although we really only want the free coupons.
And planning our route of how best to get them.
This lady won a necklace yesterday, and she won another one today. Our cabin is 13113 and hers is 13131, so for a second, I thought we had won.
Everyone in line to get some freebies. Not too many people were here.
One nice thing about MSC is they status match to other cruise lines and hotels, so we got Gold, even though it's our first cruise with them. You don't get a ton of discounts, but you get a few small ones.
We want to eat at The Green Wave restaurant now, at 5:15pm.
Our reservations are for 7:15pm at Cala Jondal. Even though we requested early dining, I guess there are two seatings for early, at 5:15pm and 7:15pm, and we got the later one, which is too late for us. The late dining at 9:15pm is way too late for us.
However, the table reservations are only held for 15 minutes, so at 5:30pm, anyone can go in.
We got our reservations changed from 7:15pm to 5:15pm.
The dining room.
Ogii's soup.
My soup.
Ogii's entree.
My entree.
Ogii's dessert.
My dessert. We actually prefer dining in the buffet because it's faster, there's more to choose from, and we don't have to dress up as much, but it's nice to eat at the sit-down restaurants every once in a while.
Us at the atrium.
We got a shoe charm today.
There is a sports bar, but you have to pay for food there.
Rain under clouds.
Sunset.
Unfortunately there's no way to access the front of the ship on any deck as they Yacht Club takes up them all.
Dueling pianos.
Effy raffle.
King vs Queen game show, where people have to say if a song is from Michael Jackson or Freddie Mercury.
Love Blooms show.
It's cold in here, so Ogii wrapped herself in her shawl.
It's pretty full.
The best part of the show was the sign language interpreter. He was very emotional about what he was translating.
It's the same performers as from the previous show.
As well as the same acrobats.
And contortionist.
These two were the same, too, and they even performed mostly the same moves.
Closer to the audience.
Throw and catch.
Another ship on the sea.
Dance class by the pool.