showingdiva

Mine too. I could never tire of it - the sail in /out, the buzz of the river, the Erasmus Bridge, the city. I was there twice in 2022 - firstly on Virtuosa then on Queen Mary 2. Pleased to hear you had a great first cruise on this lovely ship.

Enthused to read this thread, given I'm also there in May, having changed from Iona in April.

I've read through most of this thread with horror. I am tech savvy, but do not go on any sort of holiday to stare at my phone. Quite the opposite - to virtually ignore it where humanly possible. Surely the way forward is to return, fleet wide, to set dining. The staff are obviously acutely aware of huge (virtual) queues building up, so even passengers who have dodged them by booking earlier times must be getting rushed through dinner due to the pressure on the staff to feed everyone. And as for putting "overspill" into the buffet. I have kept a look out for returning to that first post-pandemic P&O cruise, but this is yet another accumulation to the argument for realising there's more out there for the foreseeable future.

Direct Cross Country train starts at Manchester Piccadilly to Southampton Central. The train also stops at Crewe, Stoke on Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street if they are closer. Euribia will be at the Horizon Terminal (Berth 102), so nearest hotels for walkable entry through Gate 10 are Novotel, Ibis (don't recommend), Premier Inn West Quay or Moxy.

After Lewis Hamilton, she moved on with former Scottish rugby player Thom Evans, with whom she went around the world posing for photos in some beautiful locations (he's rather easy on the eye himself). Apparently, they've now split too. Given the target passenger audience direction P&O now apparently seem to be taking, it's not an illogical booking. Targeted at a similar market, my lovely Virtuosa was one of a few that Sophia Loren has been the godmother of for MSC. She looked very frail at the (very glitzy) christening, although I ashamedly thought she hadn't been with us for some time.

Can only go by the Virtuosa (ex-UK) Hola!, but everything on the menu is included, except tamales which are only available at dinner. No time limit - in fact I wouldn't even attempt to eat there on a speed basis. We didn't eat through the entire menu by any stretch of the imagination, but I've never felt so full of food in my life - my favourite specialty restaurant on board. You definitely need to pace yourself.

Admittedly I've only carried on cans of Coke, but I definitely wouldn't put anything in a glass bottle in a suitcase, no matter how well wrapped.

That's why I love Rotterdam so much Never heard of her (and I'm Scottish for what it's worth)

I agree. A decent vet could revive that.

Without going off topic too much, can I ask what the policy is about school age children being off in term time these days? I'm fully aware that the school holidays here in Scotland are different to those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but was quite surprised to see more children than I anticipated on a (non P&O) ship last year.

"Operational reasons"

I will book something on Iona at some point, but unlikely before 2025 now. I jumped ship a couple of months back. Being half the price was the deciding factor on a virtually identical like for like basis. I've got both Britannia and Arcadia heading my way this summer to work with.

As always, an excellent review,. Whilst nothing major, this has just cemented my decision to jump ship off Iona this spring. Which begs my question .... when are you back in Yacht Club?

The MSC UK website is flaky. Irrespective of whether you book through a TA or directly with MSC, formulate your plan, double check everything ... and stick to it. Changing anything with MSC, especially by means of phoning customer services, can result in a whole lot of crazy shenanigans, quite often resulting in your chosen cabin, dining preference, boarding time etc inexplicably changing. Virtuosa is a beautiful ship. Huge, but beautiful. Deck 11 and a mid ship cabin is about as central is it comes. Tips are included, but if you encounter exceptional service, a little extra is welcome. The Bay of Biscay is sea. How it will be at any time of year is like asking how long a piece of string is. But ... I can identify the cruise the OP is looking at. It's port intensive, and the most open part of the BoB will be after leaving A Coruna. Even if you've partied into the night, you will still be asleep for most of it. Assuming OP is from the UK, take Sturgeron with you. You will be fine. Don't let any stories about the BoB be your defining moment about whether to book this cruise.

That seems to be the basis of their business, certainly post-pandemic, either to other companies or waiting until the price of scrapping is right.

The second part of the sale list solved. After news that AIDAaura is leaving at the end of the 2023 season, now Costa Magica has been sold to Seajets (who also bought and laid up Oceana).

Both times I've been on board Virtuosa (and oddly in picking a cruise on a huge, family orientated ship, I'm not really a fan of any children), I can honestly say that everyone I came across appeared house trained. A cruise on any ship 7 days or more is much more civilised than a 2/3 night "party cruise". Pull the trigger and do it.

😱

Good to see some shy prawns making an appearance in these photos. The desserts look nice and well presented, and the bread appetising. But that bowl of grey (with what looks like chopped green beans), as someone with an inherent fear of mushrooms, which is what it looks like, I would be diving for the nearest lifeboat if that were put in front of me.

MSC Virtuosa is marketed as a family orientated ship. However, in March, and given the cruise you are looking at is the Northern repeat route of Southampton-Hamburg-Rotterdam-Bruges-Le Havre-Southampton or thereabouts, in theory the ship shouldn't be full of school-age children. The facilities for children of any age are vast, as is the ship in general. Not entirely sure what you mean by "concerns" for your fellow passengers. I've had no issues on my two cruises on her in the last 18 months, nor about my upcoming one. The ship is beautiful, spotlessly clean. MSC's presence in the UK cruise market has introduced some competition for some other lines, at very competitive prices on a new, modern ship.

There's not much storage space on "Iona 2" for the infinity supply of green beans

Although those who have previously cruised with any line know that price is a guarantee, inside, based on 2 sharing. The reality of wanting a balcony or more, picking your own cabin, choosing select for OBC / parking, cruising solo etc is very different.

Bruges is lovely. Not unlike York. However, don't discount Ghent or Blankenberge either.

I would hope not. Your choice (I do the same on a situation by situation basis for what it's worth, and did on both Virtuosa and Queen Mary 2). I certainly wasn't the only person.

They seem to be doing away with everything I liked about food on their ships. As a pescatarian, I was always happy with the go-to prawn cocktail and salmon. P&O ignited my love of lobster thermidor, which was reliably on the gala night MDR menu. I keep hoping something may inspire me to book a post-pandemic P&O cruise. Not doing it for me at the moment. If Cunard attempted to do away with afternoon tea, I think there would be a mutiny much worse than the Bounty.