Bowling on MSC Cruises

Bowling "alleys" on MSC cruise ships consist of two 10-pin bowling lanes. The lanes are shorter than what you'll find in land-based bowling locations, but the pins are full-sized.

As in any other bowling alley, MSC's bowling provides a variety of balls so you can find a size to fit your hand, and there are optional bumpers so smaller kids can enjoy the game without worrying about throwing constant gutter balls.

On both Meraviglia-class and Seaside-class ships, you'll find the bowling in a space dedicated to indoor amusements, including a 4D cinema, Formula One racing simulator and various arcade games.

Bowling onboard is a novelty, and it's obviously not quite the same as what you'll find on land. That's what makes it fun. Because there were only two of us, we were able to get through a game quickly.

Whether or not spending $45 an hour to bowl is worth it is really up to you. If you or your family are bowling addicts and you bond over a good bowling outing, the cost might be worth it for you.

How much you spend bowling on MSC depends on how fast you are, but a full game of 10 frames will probably be pricey, as it costs $45 per lane for an hour. Speedy bowlers might only need a half hour, which will set you back $25 per lane. You'll also need to pay $2 per person for shoe rentals. Serious bowlers should also note that the lanes are not self-leveling, which means the ball will move a bit with the movement of the ship and could keep even the best-executed release from yielding a strike on days when the seas are rough.

On our sailing the bowling alley was closed four out of six days for repairs that technicians seemed to be having trouble fixing.

Bowling can be found on the following MSC cruise ships:

• MSC Magnifica

• MSC Meraviglia

• MSC Preziosa

• MSC Seaside

• MSC Seaview

• MSC Splendida

• MSC Bellisima

• MSC Grandiosa

• MSC Virtuosa

See photos of bowling on MSC Seaside.