NewWestwardbound

Missed port (refund of port charges)?

Looking at some Cruise Critic threads on evacuation costs I would also be nervous whether £100k cover would be sufficient. 

Many thanks. Food sounds excellent, and a good variety of styles. I like a Sauvignon Blanc (especially if from Marlborough NZ) and Merlot so all good there as well. 

Loving your review so far Very interested in your views on specific dishes in YC, and any speciality restaurants you visit ahead of our time on Virtuosa later this month. 
 

And if you have an occasional glass of wine with your food, very interested in your thoughts on the “by the glass” offerings in YC too. 

16 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Thank you for an interesting and informative review.

I have enjoyed reading it.

 

Likewise! Balanced and well written. 

26 minutes ago, amurray88 said:

But if you're asking me about the main courses in the MDR I'd say in my experience it was extremely poor.

 

Desserts were fine - I didn't have any starters. But I was completely taken aback at the mains.

Did you try the buffet at all? I’m trying to get a feel for the extent of the issue beyond the mains in the MDR. 

Great first day write up, looking forward to hearing about the rest of the cruise. 

1 hour ago, GangPlankAlf said:

I have to say that, with a few exceptions, they are doing their best to help prevent the spread of Norovirus on the Ventura.

I don’t think I would have necessarily drawn that conclusion from your report if you hadn’t said it explicitly. 
 

Were there perhaps other positive measures being taken beyond those you mentioned?

1 hour ago, debsjc said:

2- Does anyone have a discount code for AB parking at Southampton, that gives any more than 10% off please? 

ABPMSC22 gives 15%. 

1 hour ago, amurray88 said:

Thanks! We're travelling from Glasgow in a few weeks time!

 

Where did you stop off? We were thinking ~Penrith and ~Warwick before an overnight with friends in Abingdon. This would leave us with an hour's drive on the morning of the cruise.

 

Did you book your shows on the app when you got on the ship? 

 

We've never been on Virtuosa before - done Seaview a few years ago so if you have top tips please let us know 👌

We live about 80 mins north of Southampton and travel to just south of Glasgow (East Kilbride) regularly to visit my wife’s mother. Returning from EK we usually stop at Tebay Services and then Stafford North. 

2 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Well we are off on the long journey south from Scotland, at least the weather looks good for the drive. As ever we will stay over and stop off on the journey to see or do something of interest.

 

The plan is to get to Southampton mid day on Sunday as there is a Take That concert on later in the day and the roads and town are likely to be busy. A quiet day before embarking the ship on Monday.

 

We are sailing to the Canary Islands, Madeira etc and have visited all the ports many times before so know them well and what we plan to do. This cruise is a departure for us. We have only ever travelled on MSC in the Yacht Club but as this was a last minute booking (to add onto another cruise in June and make the long journey worthwhile) we are trying the Aurea experience for the first time.

 

We have travelled on Virtuosa several times so know the ship really well. As we have always stayed in the YC area in the evenings other than to visit the theatre so it will be interesting to experience something different. 

 

We are all organised for check in which was easy enough except for taking the photo. Up a bit, down a bit, chin up, chin down, closer, further away ad nasium then when it did eventually take a picture it’s was particularly ugly!

 

The weather for the ports looks good which is always a bonus (particularly if you live in what is probably the worlds wettest country, stunningly beautiful but mainly wet).

 

 

Embarkation Day 1

 

Very smooth embarkation, 15 minutes from car park to the ship.

 

We booked our speciality dining whenever we boarded and I’m glad we did as the queues for this later in the day were massive. We also booked our evening theatre shows.

 

Headed to the buffet at noon, before the crowds descended and enjoyed a really good selection of curry, pakora etc.. I’m not a fan of buffets and only went to look but the curry looked (and was) really good. We sat outside to enjoy the food and the view.

 

We have never eaten at the main buffet before and the choice is really extensive. Much better than some other lines. I also liked the “call” buttons for drinks orders.

 

We tried a couple of cocktails while waiting for our room to be ready and I have a new favourite. The Queens which is ginger based and would be good for seasickness, that’s my excuse to have one in the afternoon!. The  drinks menus are the normal ones (after the short menus for mini cruises) but not everything is available in all of the bars even if it is on the menu. There is however a decent choice so all good.

 

Our cases were at the cabin once it was ready. Cabin is fine, the wardrobe is a bit on the small side but perfectly adequate.

 

We enjoyed the theatre show, though we have seen it before. The cast have good vocals and the dancers are energetic.

 

Dinner was perfectly acceptable as well. A hot chocolate followed, then off to bed .

 

The “Good Ship Murder” is filming onboard at the moment and they are looking for extras from current cruisers. Shirley Balis and Eddie the Eagle are joining the cruise later in the week as well.

Thank you for doing this! Subscribed and following with interest. 

Good to hear; many thanks. 

4 hours ago, Mr Sea Gull said:

Got off Virtuosa on Monday morning after a 2 night cruise, luckily we were in Yacht club and the drinks were still reduced but more available than the rest of the ship. Very disappointed as only options for wine were Chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon or Rose. As a wine drinker these are not premium package choices just generic cheap wines. Only beers were Heineken products but mostly Heineken especially on draft. Having been on several MSC cruises and on again soon I was very disillusioned. My next cruise is longer and not yacht club, I asked TA to speak to MSC who say apparently it will be better on longer cruises but from what I have seen menu wise on the current 5 nighter there are only a few additions to what was on offer for the 2 night.

So who knows!

Do you have photos of the 2 night drink menus?

15 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Im onboard before you so will report back. 

Thanks - we are on board in the autumn so also interested. 

11 minutes ago, 8420PR said:

I think you should book the specialty restaurants package, especially if you are interested in good food.

 

The YC restaurant is good, but I rate the specialty restaurants as better (especially Butchers Cut, Indochine and Kaito Teppanyaki).

 

In any case over the course of the 14 days the YC restaurant will feel like home, whereas visiting a specialty restaurant is "special" - maybe more like a night out.

Thank you. I am minded to book it, especially as It includes a Carousel show. Good point about it feeling like “going out”.

I forgot to say - enjoy your cruise!

That is reply helpful, thank you. I will also take a look at your live report 

I will be following this thread with interest. 

8 hours ago, Momto3girlsintheCarolinas said:

All I want is the same privacy, dignity, and respect that others are granted without question.  We wanted to enjoy our cruise, and with this man’s help, we were able to.  I think that’s reasonable. 

I totally agree. 

#72   

Posted 13 hours ago

👍

Great food pictures and all fantastic flavourful dishes, A quick observation - as an occasional visitor to Marseille (France), the locals would say with some emphasis that Bouillabaisse is way more than a "fish soup"! 

Thanks in large part to advice from this forum (many thanks!) and viewing a lot of YouTube reviews, I have booked a 14 night cruise on MSC Virtuosa from Southampton in the autumn in YC. I am beginning to research and book excursions and ship activities. I am quite drawn by pre-booking a speciality dining experience package; our previous cruise history is P&O initially followed by Celebrity in Balcony and Sky Suite cabins both before and after the introduction of The Retreat concept. We have enjoyed eating in the Speciality Restaurants on both Celebrity Eclipse and Silhouette on occasion, but have also enjoyed eating in the MDR and Luminae and not always felt the need to book Murano; Tuscan Grill etc - especially at the current prices.

So the advice I need is:

- does anyone have copies of the specific dining experience menus for Butcher's Cut; Indochine; Kaito Sushi bar; and Hola! Tacos & Cantina (i.e the menus/food that are included within the package price without any further upcharge); and

- your views on whether such a package (I am drawn to the 4 experience package plus a Carousel production at £104 pp) would be worthwhile and vfm given we will have access to the YC restaurant in any case. I know one answer might be "that's a personal decision" and  "what you spend your money on is your call" but I am interested in your views, particularly on the quality versus price balance and from those who have dined in YC for 14 days;  even though I know the food will be good, will we need a change!

Many, many thanks for your help with this. 

6 hours ago, molecrochip said:

 

- Most ships operating out of UK reporting high cases of norovirus.

 

A further question if I may. To whom do ships operating out of UK report cases of Norovirus, and are such reports accessible to members of the public? 

5 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Just to be clear….

 

- Most ships operating out of UK reporting high cases of norovirus.

- CDC only reports voyages in or out of USA territories.

- Protocols in place to identify and quarantine crew.

- Cleaning protocols at turnaround should be sufficient ONLY if no new passenger takes the virus onboard again at embarkation

Thank you for this. Very clear and helpful.