MSC Grandiosa - Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral

Where this cruise calls, day by day

6 ports and 2 sea days over 7 Nights.

1. Day 1

   Port Canaveral, FL

   United StatesDepart

   Canaveral is Orlando's cruise port, which is the whole point: most passengers arrive off a theme-park week or straight from MCO, about 45 miles and an hour west. The terminals - 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 - are modern and low-rise, wedged between a working cargo harbour and a Space Force launch complex. Launches are visible from the ship and worth checking the schedule for.

   • Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, half an hour north - the Saturn V hangar alone eats three hours
   • Cocoa Beach and the original Ron Jon Surf Shop, open around the clock
   • Jetty Park, where you can watch your own ship sail out from the beach
   • Historic Cocoa Village for a slower afternoon of shops and riverfront bars

   Getting ashore

   Cruise Terminals 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are spread along the harbour with their own parking garages; Orlando International is roughly 45 miles west (45-60 minutes clear of traffic) and Melbourne is closer at about 35 minutes.

   Best months

   Nov-May (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season; summer afternoons bring daily thunderstorms)

2. Day 2

   Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

   BahamasPort

   Ocean Cay is a rehabilitated industrial site - an artificial island dredged in the 1960s for aragonite sand, stripped of its mining plant by MSC and replanted. Eight beaches ring it, ships dock at a deep-water pier, and MSC frequently stays into the evening so passengers can watch the lighthouse light show after dark. MSC ships only; lunch is included, while cabanas, excursions and drinks are charged.

   • The lighthouse light-and-music show on evening calls
   • The marine conservation centre and coral restoration work
   • Bimini Beach and South Beach among the eight strands
   • Snorkelling inside the marine reserve

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at the island's own pier; the beaches are spread out and shuttles run the length of the cay.

   Best months

   Nov-Apr for calm, clear water; Aug-Oct is hurricane season

3. Day 3 · At sea

4. Day 4

   Costa Maya

   MexicoPort

   Costa Maya is a port with no town attached. The pier was built for ships, and the village behind it - saltwater pools, tequila stalls, a dolphin pen - is a purpose-built shopping compound. The actual settlement of Mahahual is a couple of miles up the road: a sandy malecón, beach clubs, and reef close enough to swim to. Most passengers skip both and head inland to Chacchoben or Bacalar.

   • Chacchoben Maya ruins, about an hour inland
   • Bacalar's Lagoon of Seven Colours (a long day, roughly two hours each way)
   • Beach clubs along the Mahahual malecón
   • Snorkelling the Mesoamerican reef from shore

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at Puerto Costa Maya; Mahahual town is a 10-minute shuttle or taxi, or a hot 25-minute walk from the pier gate.

   Best months

   Dec-Apr is dry; sargassum is common Apr-Aug and Sep-Oct is the wettest, riskiest stretch

5. Day 5

   Cozumel

   MexicoPort

   Cozumel is an island 12 miles off the Yucatán that runs almost entirely on cruise traffic - three piers, up to six ships at once, and a downtown built to absorb them. Which pier you draw matters more than anything else: Punta Langosta puts you in San Miguel on foot, while Puerta Maya and the International Pier sit a few miles south and need a taxi. The reason to come is underwater, on the Palancar and Colombia reefs.

   • Snorkel or dive Palancar Reef
   • Chankanaab Park's lagoon and shore snorkelling
   • A beach club day at Mr. Sancho's or Nachi Cocom
   • San Gervasio Maya ruins in the island's interior

   Getting ashore

   All ships dock; Punta Langosta is a walk into San Miguel, while Puerta Maya and the International Pier are 3-4 miles south, about 10 minutes by taxi.

   Best months

   Dec-Apr is driest and calmest; Jun-Nov is hurricane season, and sargassum can wash ashore May-Aug

6. Day 6 · At sea

7. Day 7

   Nassau

   BahamasPort

   Nassau's berth is at the foot of Bay Street, so you are downtown five minutes after the gangway - a convenience that also means up to six ships emptying into the same few blocks. The terminal was rebuilt in 2023 and works well. What lies beyond is a mix of colonial government buildings, duty-free jewellers, and hair-braiding and taxi touts who do not take a first no.

   • Atlantis Aquaventure day pass on Paradise Island
   • The Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle
   • Junkanoo Beach, about ten minutes on foot
   • Blue Lagoon Island by boat

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at Prince George Wharf and you walk straight into downtown; Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island is a 15-minute taxi or a short water-taxi hop.

   Best months

   Dec-Apr for dry, cooler weather; Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season

8. Day 8

   Port Canaveral, FL

   United StatesArrive

   Canaveral is Orlando's cruise port, which is the whole point: most passengers arrive off a theme-park week or straight from MCO, about 45 miles and an hour west. The terminals - 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 - are modern and low-rise, wedged between a working cargo harbour and a Space Force launch complex. Launches are visible from the ship and worth checking the schedule for.

   • Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, half an hour north - the Saturn V hangar alone eats three hours
   • Cocoa Beach and the original Ron Jon Surf Shop, open around the clock
   • Jetty Park, where you can watch your own ship sail out from the beach
   • Historic Cocoa Village for a slower afternoon of shops and riverfront bars

   Getting ashore

   Cruise Terminals 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are spread along the harbour with their own parking garages; Orlando International is roughly 45 miles west (45-60 minutes clear of traffic) and Melbourne is closer at about 35 minutes.

   Best months

   Nov-May (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season; summer afternoons bring daily thunderstorms)