There’s a Hidden Club on This Massive Cruise Ship…and It’s Invite Only

Don’t worry, I crossed my fingers when they told me not to talk about it.

By Kristy Alpert

There’s a saying on large cruise ships that goes, “Once you know your way around the ship well enough, it’s time to go home.” That feeling came for me around night five of my seven-night cruise onboard MSC World Europa— a ship that can comfortably accommodate up to 6,762 passengers. I assumed I had seen it all at that point, even joining in on karaoke nights and crafternoons during a day at sea, and I was all but ready to start packing up for disembarkation when one bartender turned my whole cruise experience on its head with a tiny token.

I’ve always said I am not a fan of cruising, but you’d never know that as I sauntered about the ship with the confident swagger of a seasoned cruiser, not needing maps to help me get around anymore. My kids had recently discovered the kids club, which left me free to discover the Champagne bar with my husband. We joked with the bartender, made friends with neighbors, and flirted with each other behind glasses of their finest “drinks package included” Champagnes.

“You two are exactly what we’re looking for in here,” the bartender said with a smirk as he handed me and my husband two metal tokens with a QR code engraved on one side and a picture of a telephone booth on the other. He put his finger to his lips, winked, and walked away with a cryptic Wonka-esque grin.

We scanned the QR code only to discover there was a secret club on the ship, and we had just been invited.

Had the bartender known I was a writer, I’m sure he wouldn’t have handed me that token because, as I would come to find out, the MSC World Europa’s speakeasy is one of the best-kept secrets on- and offshore. More than half of the crew doesn’t know it exists, and the ones who do know refuse to speak about it or admit to having any knowledge of it … yes, even when questioned by a writer who was accidentally “let in” on the secret during her family vacation. Although the speakeasy trend has been “well loved” on land, MSC World Europa may be the first ship to pull off a speakeasy at sea, and they’ve taken absolutely any kitsch out of the concept with nearly 100% dedication to their secret … management included.

Because of this, it’s unclear how many tokens are circulating around the ship each day (my guess is anywhere from 100 to 300) and which crew members will have tokens at any point — which I imagine is by design — but even more ambiguous is what it takes to actually “earn” a token. There’s no secret formula to scoring an invite, which is a large part of what makes this speakeasy work so well (i.e., it’s not only reserved for VIPs, Yacht Club members, etc.) and part of the reason the bar has remained such an enigma, even for passengers who have heard rumors of its existence.

On the evening of our invitation, my husband and I called the number we were given from the QR code and made a reservation for a table, even after learning that our precious onboard food and beverage package wouldn’t be valid inside. We were given specific rules not to wear heels and not to talk about the speakeasy with anyone (sorry, MSC!) before getting instructions on where to meet and what to say once we arrived.

I had walked past the meeting point many times that week, even taking pictures in front of it with my kids under the assumption it was a photo prop, but that night we followed our instructions once we were there and eventually heard a lock shaking on the other side of the wall. A well camouflaged door cracked open enough for us to squeeze through into the “other side” of the cruise ship. We followed a guide in silence through crew corridors and down a few flights of stairs, passing by confused employees and workers wearing wellies until we reached a door with a small blacked-out window and a “Danger: Keep Out” sign.

Once inside, live jazz filled the dimly lit room, where private enclaves and leather lounge chairs were set up with views of a central small stage, framed by a velvet curtain. A very Mumford-and-Sons-style band played swing hits while we ordered from a menu of playfully riffed classic cocktails, opting for an Old Fashioned and French 75. Behind us, a low-lite bar topped with glass bottles of housemade syrups was helmed by a single bartender who nodded in beat with the band while spritzing my coupe with lavender aromatics.

I made my way around the room, determined to figure out how the invite process worked, and instead found myself in deep conversations with a truly interesting mix of people. Some were there because they had been chivalrous to others onboard, and a few others were invited after befriending a bartender or butler. One couple had pestered their cousin (an MSC employee) for an invite, and another couple admitted they found two tokens in their room after turndown service. My favorite, though, was the one solo traveler who smugly sipped his Sazerac rye and explained how he had found his token on the casino floor.

The drinks were of a different quality, as were the sweet and spiced nuts served with them, and it was clear that this speakeasy was far from a mere novelty space, but rather a carefully considered concept where music and craft take the lead.

So, if you find yourself onboard the MSC World Europa (or, rumor has it, even the MSC World America), be kind to your bartender, behave like someone is watching, and, sure, keep an eye out for suspiciously large coins on the casino floor … and then maybe you’ll be among the lucky few who are allowed entrance to this exclusive offshore club.

Just don’t tell anyone you heard about it from me. Shhh.