MSC Seaside Fitness Center
If you are like me, then the Fitness Center is one of the features you take advantage of on a cruise. It is difficult to find details about the fitness center on a ship, so I am writing some posts about the ship fitness centers I have used recently. My first one was on Sky Princess and now I move to my latest visit on MSC Seaside. This information was current as of my last sailing in January 2026. As before, I will also go over some information about using the fitness center and what type of activities are normally offered onboard but first, let’s take a look at the important topic of gym etiquette and safety.
Gym Etiquette and Safety
If you are not familiar with how a gym works, there are some gym etiquette and safety items that you should follow when you are in the gym. Most are common sense, but the novelty of the gym may have some of these slip your mind.
Read the safety information
Wipe down equipment
See if you need to sign up for the equipment you want to use
Check if there is a time limit for the machine you want to use
Gym equipment can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Even if you have used the same type of machine before, read the instructions anyway. There may be a difference on this particular machine that you are not aware of. If there is an emergency, alert the crew. During my time there, there was always a crew member in the fitness center during open hours.
Wiping down the machine is particularly important on a ship. Not everyone is careful about washing their hands, so take precautions. I recommend you wipe down the machine or equipment before and after you use it. The last person may have forgotten to wipe it down after they were done. The gym will have either disinfectant wipe cloths, or they will have paper towels and a spray bottle with disinfectant in it. I recommend you wipe down the equipment and then use a clean hand towel, usually available in the gym, to wipe it down.
Some equipment, especially cardio equipment like treadmills, may have a signup sheet. Check to see if there is one on the machine or maybe one hanging on the wall near the machines. To be sure, you can ask the fitness center staff.
Also with cardio equipment, there is often a posted time limit. This allows everyone a chance to get access to a machine. Usually, it is 30 minutes if there is one. This may not be long enough for the workout you do, if so then try to go at an off-peak time where other machines would be available for others to use.
Exercise Equipment
On MSC Seaside the Fitness Center is located on Deck 8 fwd. The Fitness Center is not in a prime location as you often find on newer ships, but at least there are views out the port side of the ship.
The Fitness Center on MSC Seaside is smaller than what you would expect considering the size of the ship, but it does have a good selection of equipment from TechnoGym. One thing to note is most of the weights are in kilograms. The posted hours for the fitness center are 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The busy hours are the typical 7-9 in the morning and then around 5-7 in the evening.
The sign at the entrance states that children 0-12 are not allowed at all, 13-15 if accompanied by an adult and a signed waiver, and 16-17 with a signed waiver. There was no restriction on what equipment they may use.
The diagram below is my rough sketch of the layout of the Fitness Center. I’ll break up the area by defining a set of “zones” and then describe the equipment in each of these zones along with some photos. In the diagram you can see I have defined four zones along with the studio where the fitness classes are held and a spinning room. There are changing rooms available free of charge. These are separate from the changing rooms in the Spa and include showers and a sauna. (At least on the gent’s side. I assume the same for the ladies). I’ll describe each zone and what equipment or activities are available in that zone.
MSC Seaside Fitness Center Layout
Zone 1
In Zone 1 is where you will find a large universal machine. This is the TechnoGym Omnia gym functional training system. It has four working areas around the machine.
The first station is a barbell rack, yes you heard right. This is the first barbell setup I have ever seen on a cruise ship. There are two barbells available in the gym (one was slightly bent) and an EZ bar. The rack can be adjusted for multiple heights and there is a bench near the station that can be moved to this station if not already there.
The station also has an overhead pull-up bar along with a battle rope.
The plates available are listed in the following table.
| Number available | Weight |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1.25 kg |
| 2 | 2.5 kg |
| 4 | 5 kg |
| 8 | 10 kg |
| 4 | 20 kg |
The second station was setup with two ring grips. These can be used as a makeshift TRX station.
The third station had a cable and pulley, good for ab twists. It also had what looked like a bar for landmine rows.
Finally, the last station had a punching bag.
You may find some of the equipment for the Omnia station is in a box located in Zone 2.
Zone 2
Zone 2 has the exercise machines along with three weight benches and dumbbells. The machines in this area are:
| Barbell Station with Incline Bench | Leg Extension |
| Abdominal Machine | Lat Machine (also for pulldowns) |
| Leg Press | Shoulder Press |
| Chest Press | Crunch Bench (actually in Zone 3) |
| Leg Curl (actually in Zone 3) | Roman Chair (actually in Zone 3) |
| Adductor | Abductor |
The dumbbells were of two types, all-steel and traditional. The all-steel sizes in kg are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and10. The traditional sizes in kg are: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32.
Zone 3
In Zone 3, overlooking the port side of the ship, are the cardio machines. There are a total of 14 traditional treadmills and 3 alternate-type treadmills. I could not tell what the difference was between the two types. There are also 3 recumbent bikes, 3 upright bikes, and two rowing machines.
Zone 4
Zone 4 is a small area next to the spinning class room that has two TechnoGym Kinesis One cable machines along with a nice stretching table with some small workout accessories. It’s a nice, isolated area that nobody seemed to use (except me).
Spinning Studio
The Spinning Studio is at the far end of the fitness center. Just outside, through the windows, you will see the hot tub that is part of the Aurea Spa.
Changing Rooms
The changing rooms are well hidden and not included on the standard deck plans that MSC provides. There are ladies and gents changing areas that include showers and a small sauna. The lockers work with your room key, however most of the locks were missing or broken. The changing rooms are free to use. There is also a toilet available from the same hallway. The entrance to the hallway that leads to this area is next to the dumbbells in Zone 2.
Conclusion
The Fitness Center on MSC Seaside is a small but functional gym. I visited the gym when it opened every day and there was never a crowd. The gym is well maintained, and I liked that a crew member was always at the desk.
I hope you have found this blog informative and that it helps you to decide if MSC Seaside is the right ship for you.
