If you’ve ever walked past the arcade on an MSC ship and heard the familiar soundtrack of air hockey, racing sims, and kids negotiating “just one more game,” you’ve already met the Fun Pass ecosystem.
The MSC Fun Pass is basically MSC’s way of turning all the paid amusements into a simple prepaid wallet. It can be a smart move. It can also be a fast way to spend $100 and somehow end up playing a claw machine you did not even want to touch in the first place.
Here’s the real-world breakdown.
What the Fun Pass actually is
On most sailings, the Fun Pass is not an “all-you-can-play wristband.”
It’s a credit package that gets linked to one guest account (your cruise card or wristband), and then you tap to pay for eligible attractions until the credit runs out. MSC also confirms something important: while the credits can be linked to one guest, they can be used by the whole family (translation: everybody taps the same card) without penalty.
One more detail that matters more than it should: when the credit hits $0, the tapping doesn’t stop. The system simply starts charging your onboard account at regular price.
Can you buy the Fun Pass before you sail?
Yes – MSC says you can buy it online before your cruise via the website or MSC for Me app or onboard in the Amusement Area, and the online option typically comes with some level of savings that is typical for pre-sailing bookings.
The real-world wrinkle (from cruisers): some people report it doesn’t always show in the app for certain sailings, so they end up buying onboard anyway.
What’s included in the Fun Pass?
This is where MSC keeps it both simple and slightly chaotic: it depends on your ship. MSC’s Fun Pass page literally lists eligible attractions and shows checkmarks by ship.
That said, the “usual suspects” you’ll see included (when offered on your ship) are:
- Arcade video games
- Formula Racer (F1 simulator)
- VR games / VR experiences
- 4D Cinema
- XD Dark Ride Cinema
- Bowling or mini-bowling (on ships that have it)
- On some ships: flight simulator, Robotron, bumper cars, zip line, etc.
Quick reality check: what about “free” outdoor stuff?
MSC ships have plenty of outdoor fun and sports-court-based activities that is often included in your cruise fare. The Fun Pass is mainly about the paid amusements that live in (or are managed like) the Amusement Area. The best move is always to confirm what’s included on your specific ship in the Fun Pass list.
The “types” of Fun Pass you may run into
Most cruisers will see the credit-based version (the “digital wallet” model), which operates like this: You prepay a set amount and receive extra value compared with paying per play. (This is the one most people mean when they say “Fun Pass.”). Since this is the main focus, we’ll focus on this system for this guide.
Unlimited-style packages: These show up less on older boats and are not seen very often. It’s typically on smaller ships and is more limited in what they cover. If you see wording like “All You Can Enjoy,” treat it as ship and sailing specific and confirm what’s included before assuming it covers everything.
What Does It Cost and What is the Savings?
When available, the packages are lesser cost online. Below are the packages we’ve seen onboard:
- Buy $25, Get $30 in Credit (20% Credit)
- Buy $50, Get $60 in Credit (20% Credit)
- Buy $70, Get $90 in Credit (28% Credit)
- Buy $100, Get $140 in Credit (40% Credit)
- Buy $150, Get $220 in Credit (46% Credit)
If you think you will spend $90+, the larger packages do have an out-sized credit.
The Voyagers Club “Formula Racer” perk (don’t miss this)
This is the sneaky value add that a lot of people forget exists:
- Classic and above: 50% off the F1 simulator for one race. This is only applicable for sailers over 18 that have a membership.
- Gold, Diamond, Blue Diamond: one free F1 simulator circuit per cruise, per member.
MSCCruiseFan tip: if your household has status, use that perk first before you decide how big of a Fun Pass you really need.
Who should buy the Fun Pass?
Families with teens
This is the easiest “yes.” Teens can absolutely vacuum up credits in the arcade, and the Fun Pass at least helps you pre-decide what you’re willing to spend. Multiple cruisers say it can be worth it if you’re actually using the paid rides and games, especially compared with paying everything a la carte.
You’re doing multiple paid attractions
If you plan on doing the F1 simulator, VR, cinemas, and maybe bowling, the prepaid credit model usually looks better than paying each one individually.
You want a spending “ceiling”
Even if you don’t maximize every dollar of bonus credit, the Fun Pass is still helpful as a budgeting tool because once you decide “this is the entertainment budget,” you can stop yourself from nickel-and-diming your way into a surprise bill. Just remember – if you run it to zero, it auto-charges, so you will need to monitor the balance.
Who should skip it?
You’re mostly a “free fun” cruiser
If your vacation happiness is trivia, shows, pools, deck games, and wandering the ship with a coffee, you can skip the Fun Pass and not feel like you missed the “real MSC.” MSC has plenty going on without paid amusements.
Port-heavy itineraries
Several cruisers say it’s not worth it when they’re barely onboard and would rather spend time (and money) in ports or on a shorter cruise where you will spend the majority of the time at port and exploring the ship.
Toddlers and very young kids
This one is situational, but many families report the Fun Pass disappears fast when little kids gravitate toward games that burn credits quickly without much “time value.”
Pro tips that will save you money (and sanity)
- Buy early if the price is better, but if your sailing doesn’t show the Fun Pass online, plan on handling it onboard.
- Use port days strategically. Less crowd, less chaos, and you’ll feel like you’re getting more “ride time” for your credits. (Plus, it’s the easiest way to avoid the sea day arcade traffic jam.)
- You only need one Fun Pass per family. While it’s possible to purchase it for multiple members of the family, it’s a better deal to purchase just for one.
- Check your balance on purpose. Once credits run out, the system keeps going and starts charging your onboard account.
- If you have Voyagers Club status, use the F1 perk first before you size your Fun Pass purchase.
Bottom line
The Fun Pass is worth it when you’re genuinely going to use the paid amusements – especially with teens, sim fans, or families who like a structured entertainment budget.
If you’re more of a pool-and-trivia cruiser (or you’re off the ship a lot), you can skip it and still have a great MSC week.
And if you’ve got MSC Voyagers Club status, don’t forget you may already have a discounted F1 ride (and in the upper tiers, a free one) sitting there waiting to be used.