JULY CRUISING: A personal MSC view

First out of the block for the 2027/28 season is Ambassador.  

www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/deals/2027-28-fares-offers


GET.cruises

A new cruise comparison website, https://get.cruises, has launched in the UK, aiming to provide consumers with a more transparent and impartial way to compare cruise prices.
 
The launch comes at a time of rapid growth for the cruise industry.  According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruise passenger numbers will hit 37 million in 2025, up from 31.7 million in 2023. As demand grows, so does the need for transparent, user-friendly tools to navigate the market.

GET.cruises aggregates live pricing and availability data from a wide range of UK travel agents, allowing users to compare fares for the same cruise itinerary in one place. The platform is positioned as an independent alternative to existing booking sites that may prioritise affiliated partners or promoted listings.


VIRTUOSA – The ship of queues 

Malcolm Ginsberg reports:

Back in October 2022 I was invited by MSC to join the naming of World Europa in Doha at the time of the World Cup.  An impressive ship and an exciting trip.  But its sheer size filled me with unease.  How would it perform in the real world? (See TNU December 2022 The MSC World Europa report).

MSC Virtuosa is an earlier version of the same concept.  I approached a June holiday on Virtuosa with apprehension.  It is by reputation essentially a fine 3-star cruise in a 5-star ship.  In fact, we were persuaded to take the trip by friends.  They then pulled out due to illness!  MSC offered a (paid for) upgrade to The Yacht Club, a large private area, which on reflection we should have taken.  MSC refused a viewing even when on board.  A very short-sighted PR approach.  Reports by passengers were generally favourable.

The secret of a good cruise in 2025 is to log into the ship’s App, click to what you fancy on the ship’s programme, add a timing for anything special (including meals), and keep an eye on what you are spending.  You can quicky rattle up a large bill to be auto deducted at the end of cruise.

The basic balcony cabins at 180 sq ft provides for twin beds and a convertible couch.  USBs but only two-pin European plugs.  If you have a balcony enough space is provided for a couple to take breakfast.  The single Gala evening seems to be less supported these days but is an excuse to dress up.  A “White Night” was included too, not conspicuous in the joining instructions (here MSC could do better all round) and we did our best to comply with the spirit of the evening wearing white trainers.  

Some daubed Virtuosa “The ship of queues”.  We were with 5,200 guests, looked after by 1,700 crew, a one to three ratio.  Some ‘lines’ were inevitable.  Patience is not one of my virtues.  Queuing for the guest enquiry desk was predictably slow.  The trick was to get your timing right visiting late at night or first thing in the morning!  At some ports only a single gangway was provided. MSC need to talk with the local authorities. If they cannot do better, there are plenty of alternative friendly docks around the Bay of Biscay.  Tides do play a role with the booking.

The services provided by the port of Southampton and its CEO Alistair Welch (ex-Managing Director, Southend Airport) for boarding were very quick, except for security, slow and cumbersome.  Wheelchair passengers were particularly well looked after, a landside team who passed passengers onto the ship’s people who delivered us to the Market Place Buffet on the main top activity deck.  This large self-service area was never overwhelmed by numbers, even having a children’s counter, and offered a good selection of hot and cold dishes, plus vegan and gluten-free options.  One could always find a table.

Having experienced MSC Europa the ‘interesting’ elevator system did not present a challenge.  You push a button for the required floor, which lights up the number lift you should enter.  It works well as long as you do not change your mind which floor you wish to exit.  You cannot select a floor from inside the lift.  But do not take a cabin near the stern.  It is a long walk.  There are only two elevator modules, not enough for a ship over 1,000ft long.  There are some auxiliary lifts, if you can find them.

Four matching restaurants provided a good variety of meals at two sittings. Nominally three courses, but those who like a soup after the starter were provided for.  An extensive “always available” selection was offered.  And if your choice did not meet your expectations or you changed your mind, a replacement was quickly provided.
  
It is mass catering, but the chefs do an amazing job with the presentations.  “Il Campo” was another same menu dining area for Aurea guests, those with superior cabins.  Much more relaxed and very pleasant but MSC could do well to open this area for breakfast.  The Minuetto dining area at the stern was the only restaurant open, and could not cope as closing time approached.  The alternative was a rush to the Market Place Buffet before that closed.

Virtuosa offers six alternative dining restaurants.  They do not come cheap, although you can of course use any shipboard credit and various discounts are available. The Butchers Cut is a top-class American-style steak house.  For the best price book in advance or purchase a dining package.  

With any cruise line you have to be lucky with the main entertainment.  Sometimes the acts are really first class, others less so.  It is all recorded music on this ship with a dance ensemble on the Grand Theatre stage for three shows per evening.  Hard work in front of a huge video screen offering a virtual panorama.  It was always packed but you could watch from your cabin.

No daytime movies even in port.  Films on our 40-inch television screen were chargeable. 

There was somewhat tired secondary entertainment at various venues around the ship.  The Carousel Lounge in the stern provided a spectacular show called Ajadez, but chargeable.

Sadly, our trip came with very poor weather but smooth seas.  Only one day could we sit out on the exclusive Top 19 Exclusive Solarium with its elongated whirlpool.

Unlike, say NCL, the senior hotel management was not to be seen around, keen but overwhelmed staff dealing with the queuing guests.

We did not explore the children’s area that covered three decks, including a large sports hall and chargeable ten-pin bowling alley and Formula One simulator.  During a special gala evening in the theatre about 75 children came on the stage, much appreciated by the parents. 

Readers may note a lack of pricing for ‘extras’ in this piece.  It is my policy to take images of these items which were very well displayed on Virtuosa with large touch screens which also served as a guide to the ship.  My Apple phone was recently lost on the London Underground and with it the pictures.  

No free ice cream on Virtuosa.  A limited hours included Pizzeria Bar is provided.  

The cruise itself was a Bay of Biscay trip.  Seven nights including two sea days with visits to La Rochelle, Bilbao, A Coruña, and Cherbourg (on 6 June, the 81st anniversary of D-Day).  For this cruise everything on board is charged in Sterling, with typically the cost of £144 for the five-hour tour to Utah Beach.  

Use of the fine high-speed internet was £30 per single day, or £12 per day if purchased as a seven-night package.  Not all the port terminal buildings offered a courtesy facility.

Would we go again?  Yes, but only to try The Yacht Club.  The acts in The Theatre Royal did not meet our expectations.  However, to be fair this is the same for all cruise ships as noted.  You have to be lucky.

A similar cruise was taken last September on RCCL.  The report details the ports visited.  www.travelnewsupdate.co.uk/article/826

We booked via destination2.  No problems   www.destination2.co.uk

www.msccruises.co.uk/ships/msc-virtuosa

Index/Home page
 

READERS' COMMENT

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 200 words maximum

Fred Fair, Porsmouth

I must agree with Malcolm Ginsberg regarding MSC Virtuoso. I was on the same cruise as him, poor weather and poor entertainment, but a cheap week. We did get on an off quicky. It was value for money. Small ships for me for the future.