Speakeasy, or the clandestine bar that MSC Cruises has placed on its most cutting-edge cruise ship.
MSC World Europa has just arrived in Barcelona to begin its Mediterranean season throughout the summer, on an itinerary that will include stops in Marseille, France; Genoa, Naples, Messina and Valletta, Malta.
The ship is certainly impressive. It has 22 decks, a beam of 47 meters, 2,626 cabins, and over 40,000 square meters of public space. It boasts a 104-meter-long promenade, 19 different cabin categories with seven new designs, seven swimming pools, and, for the more adventurous, a stainless steel "dry" slide that descends 11 decks called The Venom Drop. Of course, it also features 13 restaurants, several gastro bars, a craft brewery—which uses seawater—and something not everyone knows: a speakeasy.
Few have heard of it, and by the end of the season, only a select few will have visited it. It's not easily visible, and you won't find it unless you're specifically accompanied.
To visit, you'll need to receive a token, a special invitation from a crew member. You can't ask for one; it's not for sale. The token has a QR code with all the instructions. The experience is a lot of fun; the secrecy and exclusivity are captivating, and you're one of the chosen few. It has all the ingredients that make it special: a phone booth, interior stairs, a crew area, and hidden doors. You call a number that appears on the QR code from the phone booth, a crew member escorts you to deck 4, you gently knock on a reinforced door, show your pass, and voilà! It's best not to spoil the surprise, but imagine stepping into a speakeasy in Prohibition-era New York with live music, unique cocktails (and what a cocktail menu!), and that "forbidden" atmosphere—a true speakeasy.
