showingdiva

Yes, life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Arcadia in August this year? If so, coming via Edinburgh (always a good thing!) and decent itinerary otherwise. If 2024, she's going the other way round via Ireland. Been in Arcadia suites, but never an aft one. Can't recall when she's off for a refit. Otherwise, if willing to spend that sort of money, would be looking at MSC Yacht Club in June 2024. Similar itinerary. Bigger ship, yes, but without the dining dramas.

The MSC ship that homeports in Southampton in the summer - MSC Virtuosa in 2022, 2023 and 2024 only embarks passengers there. Currency in GB Pounds. The winter / Christmas ship - Virtuosa last year winter, Euribia this winter and next, homeports in Hamburg, but embarks passengers at each port on the continual loop of Hamburg, Rotterdam, Le Havre and Southampton. Currency in Euros.

😲 Even more excited now. Thank you for posting this.

I've experienced this a few times at Southampton with three different cruise lines - P&O, Cunard and MSC. Hotel check out is usually between 11am and noon, so I've gone to the terminal, apologised for being early, and not trying to beat the system, but explained the above and being a solo traveller. The staff at the terminals have always been accommodating. On the other end of the spectrum, the MSC cruise I'm just back from had a 10am embarkation at Horizon. I've never had such an early time before. Quick breakfast, at Horizon for 9.45am. Short wait for group number to be called (No.2). Was on the ship at 10.10am.

And that's why there needs to be transparency. P&O's itinerary change may be something that's completely outwith their control. Or not. But they, and any other cruise line who does similar, needs to be level with their passengers, some of whom, as mentioned already in this thread, may have booked that particular cruise to visit and experience the port that they're cancelling / altering. Cancelling a port at short notice during the cruise because of weather / safety related reasons is entirely different.

Having very recently completed all four scheduled ports on a non-P&O ship similar in size to Iona (which doesn't and never has advertised Geiranger), I can fully understand why there may be reasons why ships this size sometimes have to miss ports / instigate "plan B" etc. It's the transparency, or lack of, that's one of the on-going reasons I'm not currently booking a P&O cruise, Personally, I loved the near 70 mile sail into Olden and the cruise stop itself, and would have been disappointed not to experience the (self-booked) Flamsbana railway at Flam.

Trains in the UK have been on strike on and off for the last year. I would definitely (and do) want to stay in Southampton the night before. The nearest hotels to the Horizon Terminal (where Euribia will berth) are: Holiday Inn (Southampton) The Moxy Premier Inn West Quay Novotel Southampton Leonardo Grand Harbour

Virtuosa leaves Southampton for the winter on 27th October (Euribia just happens to be in the port on the same day - a great photo opportunity of them beside each other). I believe Euribia actually home ports in Hamburg when she begins her winter cruising of Hamburg, Rotterdam, Le Havre and Southampton and her announcements will be multi-national given she embarks at each port, currency is the Euro.. Virtuosa's ship announcements are in English when she's in Southampton and currency is the English pound. Virtuosa returns to Southampton on the 22nd April 2024 for the summer.

Great review. Thanks for taking the time to post it. Having recently returned from the Fjords on a non-P&O cruise, I concur about the two ports I also visited - Flam is lovely, the railway a real highlight and the sail into / out of the fjord is breathtaking. And Haugesund, we were there on a Sunday. Completely closed. Did the Hop on/off, which stops right at the ship. I absolutely agree that anyone visiting this port needs to consider either it or an excursion.

Absolutely awful terminal for both embarkations and disembarkations. Even Mayflower's temperamental air bridge is insignificant in comparison. I was last there with QM2, also huge queues with no-one really knowing if they were in the right line. The whole building needs dismantled and re-built.

Are there still cabins set aside for quarantine? They would have to know the exact number on board. The captain would need to provide the ship's manifest before the port authority (Southampton in this case) cleared them to sail.

Between 2003 and 2017, I would never looked past P&O. Even when I started working on cruise ships in my home port - and I have had the honour of being on some absolutely beautiful ships, over 100 now - P&O was the go to for my own holiday. They owned, and still currently own, Arcadia, which I will always have an emotional attachment to. On the re-start, MSC were one of the first out of the blocks, and my "need" to cruise introduced me to Virtuosa - a cruise ship far bigger than I would have ordinarily have considered, and a cruise line that wasn't really on my radar. Now approaching my third cruise on her (with a re-uniting with QM2 in between), they're everything that P&O offer, and more, and perhaps more crucially, their shore side management are approachable in listening and their attempt to rectify any issues. Their single supplements (as since my Arcadia days, that's how things are) are reasonable, gratuities are included, as is a NHS discount, OBC and drink package. Is MSC perfect? Nope. But from a passenger point of view , P&O clearly still have issues that need sorting. Some of them are industry wide judging by working on board three different cruise lines in the last three weeks, but the problem is not that there are issues - we all understand that in this post-pandemic world - but how they are dealt with. Of course I would consider P&O again, but not whilst MSC keep Virtuosa and her new eco-sister Euribia in the UK.

Yuck! Safe travels to all. (I've packed the Sturgeron!)

"As we were walking we stopped to take a photo of a crashing waterfall, there was another couple from the ship doing the same. We chatted a bit to them and asked where they were from. They said Birmingham which is where my family are originally from. Long story short it turned out the lady is my second cousin that I have not seen since childhood. My grandad and her grandmother were brother and sister so we have spent the rest of the day reminiscing about relatives and childhood memories.Such a strange coincidence." If ever there was a piece of serendipity, that's it. The odds of you choosing the same ship, at the same time let alone bumping into each other on a ship the size of Virtuosa, but on a walk in a small Norwegian village. That story has brightened my day.

It will be in your booking terms and conditions

Yes, the first of her numerous round-UK cruises ex-Southampton. She's turning around today on her second voyage (due back at us on Tuesday).

If you're talking black trainers minus glaringly obvious, bright colour logos, flashes or flashing neon, you will be fine in them. Plenty of passengers who are mobility restricted, chair users or have any other medical issues will be wearing whatever footwear they are most comfortable and safest wearing. Definitely not a deal breaker. Enjoy your first (of many) cruise.

Raspberry is my favourite. Have also had lime, mango and cherry. In fact, I've just had a lot of them. It was the blueberry I was querying. Such attempted healthiness on top of indulgent dessert.

Ahh ... the MSC panna cotta ... but what is that bit of fruit sorcery on top of it? 😕 Thank you for the photo of outside the terminal. As I'm also in Haugesund next Sunday, so might do the hop on/off as it's so close.

What would be helpful would be at booking, passengers could tick whether they wanted (a) PA or its alterative (b) A carton of orange juice or similar non-alcoholic as a substitute (c) Neither Surely it would help stock and save staffing time putting it in / taking it away

I've only had water in the room (I'm not a huge plain water drinker). I asked the cabin attendant for it. I imagine it does work the same in bars / main restaurant / buffet.

I worked on board Norwegian Dawn last Saturday, which departed Southampton. Aside from them initially refusing to play live coverage of the coronation, which was swiftly reversed, I heard no grumblings from any passengers.

Sorry, not sure about bottled water in the packages, but every passenger Fantastica and above gets bottled water included.

Certainly on Virtuosa ex-UK, soft serve ice cream at the pool bar is included in the adult non-alcohol package. The gelato in the galleria isn't. Non-alcoholic cocktails Fresh fruit and protein cocktails Energy drinks Sodas Energy drinks Flavored water Soda by glass and bottle Wide range of hot drinks Soft serve ice cream Beverage gratuities included

Just that you save me some panna cotta and those wonderful daiquiri zeros, as I get on for the same cruise as you get off 😊 Enjoy.