Cruiseforever11

To add to this maybe add an extra tier now for those of us who are loyal who have reached diamond from the start. There does seem a lot of people now who status match get gold/diamond complain like anything then never sail with msc again and while on the cruise enjoy what perks are left.

Hi there smoking on deck 15 on one side of the pool area, they also have a small area at the back of the ship at the Horizon bar on deck 16 and there is a smoking/cigar lounge on deck 16 by the Sky Lounge(adult only lounge) tucked away at the side starboard side and there is also a very small area I think down on deck 7 at the back tucked away before the life boats, you'll find some of the maintenance crew using that. It has a couple plastic chairs to sit on starboard side. Hope this helps

If you decide to cruise with msc then go with an open mind. MSC is different to the other cruise lines as it's has more of European feel than American. I personally have been on the Virtuosa 5 times and going again in April. She is a stunning beautiful clean ship. I've been on her with 700 paxs to nearly 5000paxs. Inside cabin right through to yatch club and sailed Spring Summer and just done a winter one in Dec. It's a ship that will cater for everyone. I have sailed with MSC a few times now not just on the Virtuosa but on some of their older ships and have a couple more cruises booked with MSC for later this year and next. Yes I like MSC, I like the European feel and I love their ships. The staff on board i've never had any issues with. The food which does seem to be a hot topic for complaints. My experience I've not starved yet! Sometimes i will admit the food in the main restaurants can be great others not so. I've always found something to eat in the buffet and the pizza is the best at sea in my opinion. The Butchers cut and Hola! Speciality restaurants i've not had a bad meal yet in those and i've booked everytime i've been on the Virtuosa. I know the food to some people is a major part of their cruise but its something that wouldn't break a cruise for me. Have I ever had issues with MSC where I have banged my head up against a brickwall...yes a few times but more shoreside(customer services) than on the ships themselves. So although I come across like msc are the best thing since sliced bread they are far from perfect but the good outweigh the bad personally for me. Not sure what you meant regarding who you would be travelling with and your concerns regarding that. March there are no school holidays uk wise for that period but not sure for other countries. I doubt the ship will be at full capacity then so I guess not many families on board as showingdiva has pointed out. If you do decide to cruise in March I hope you have a fab cruise. 😊

Thank you for all the info and pictures and taking time to report back whilst on your holiday. The ship looks fabulous and I hope all in all you had a great time. 😊

Wow I can't wait to go on her in October! We will be in yc when we go and have a balcony cabin on deck 16 too! Thank you for your posts. Any pics of anywhere will be great. Enjoy your cruise!

Hi I've been on this ship 6 times and going on her again end of April. I have stayed in the main part of the ship and the last couple of times in Yacht club. My last visit on the Virtuosa was in December and I have to say it was my 2nd favourite cruise on her. The ship as others have said is beautiful clean, the cabins I've stayed in have been absolutely fine. Yes the buffet can get crowded at peak times but head towards the back of the buffet towards the back of the ship and it's quieter and there is outside seating if the weather is nice. The Pizza on board is the best pizza you will find at sea. Made fresh to Italian standards or as near as possible. The Butchers cut is a must if you like your steak and Hola! (Mexican) etc Is really good too. My advice is to book these on board as soon as you can as the butchers cut does get booked up in the evenings. Lunch times not so bad. The shows in the theatre seem to have got better and better each time i've been on board and the evening entertainment is great too. The staff I've never had any issues with them. They are all work very hard and are very friendly. If you want to go somewhere quiet then head towards the Sky Lounge on deck 18 it's Adults only but it can get busy in there especially if the weather is rubbish outside. Everything everyone else has said is pretty much what I would say. Msc are different i'm not saying they are perfect, but no cruise line is perfect but msc is not like your p&os royals etc so go with an open mind. They have done and still try to cater for us brits in the food department and also with the tea, coffee and kettles in your cabin which they never used to do. It should be GBP on board in April as they switch from Euros as Southampton becomes the main embarkation/starting point. I hope you have a great cruise 😊

Just got back from a cold start in Southampton to end on a very wet rainy note. The ship is warm inside in the lounges and walking around, outside make sure you have a coat. Some brave people were going for a swim using the outside swimming pools and hot tubs. Not sure what part of the ship your staying in but i was in yatch club and I did find if you sat by the windows in the lounge it was a bit chilly but with a jumper on i was fine. I took a lot of long sleeve tops and was absolutely fine temperature wise. T.shirt unless dancing i did where my cardigan over the top and was fine too. No immigration checks on this cruise for us brits but everyone one else had to do checks on the day we arrived back in Southampton yesterday and was mentioned nearly everyday in the daily program to let people know this was going to happen. The cruise it's self, fabulous not a bad word to say, the staff were great wherever we went on ship, the entertainment in the evening and the shows were great and the butchers cut still as good as ever! The staff are not wearing masks now and is optional but have to wear if they have any sort of sniffle. Enjoy your cruise when you go.

Thank you for this info. To be honest that sounds better doing that during a sea day rather than at the end of the cruise just when you want to get off as they did beginning of November. What time were you all called up to the gym? I'm going on the 16th Dec so not long now 😊

I can do but not the ship till 16th Dec.

Currency onboard between November 2022 & April 2023 will be Euros as the official starting point is Hamburg. Between April 2023 and November 2023 it will be GBP as official starting point is Southampton.

You will get priority check in with Diamond but this only after you have gone through security with everyone else. When you get to the top of the escalator there will be a priority check in lane for diamond & Aurea guests. I have been on 11 msc cruises and stayed in all different cabins right through to yacht club. You will read good and bad things. Msc are different, they are an European cruise line in their own right, they are not under the umbrella of carnival like royal p&o cunard princess etc are. The ships are stunning beautiful and clean and sparkling. The staff on board are lovely. The Virtuosa is a lovely ship I will be back on her again on 16th Dec. The food each to there own. Personally never had an issue with the food but if I don't like something I just don't have it again or choose something else. The pizza you won't get any better. If your not a veggie/vegan then the butchers cut(steak) is well worth it and so is Hola! (Mexican.) I hope your enjoy your cruise 😊

Hi thank you I'm in yc myself with my daughter in Dec and I was surprised they hadn't done yc separately but as people have explain there wasn't enough of the staff to check the passports. I know border force/immigration have to do these things but why they couldn't do this in the terminal I have no idea. Anyway what will be will be. If we get checked on our cruise I will just wait and just change plans getting off the ship early. (I understand its not easy for those who have booked flights trains etc and I would rather give my slot to someone who needs to get off early for that reason)

I have rung msc this afternoon as I wanted to know if this was a thing that was going to happen everytime moving forward as wanted to be prepared for my cruise in Dec meaning have a plan b in place if I can't get off early because i really dont want to be escorted to the front of the queue by a butler if the butler, me and my daughter are going to get shouted at and abuse because we are in yc. Basically i would rather stand in the queue and allow the time with everyone else then be subject to that. The girl said they are adhoc checks so its not all the time.

Ok I wasn't on this cruise so I don't know how many people were on board in yc or in total and I didn't know only 2 border force people were doing the whole ship which is ridiculous if was that was the case. I was just speaking in general as surprised by the whole thing and actually thought more border staff would of been onboard given the size of the ship and the time it would taken to do the checks. I wasn't out to offend anyone by my comments.

I like to know if any other northern pearl cruises since the beginning of November have had this face to face with boarder force/immigration or if this was just a one off check. I'm on this ship again in less than 30days and done my last 5 cruises on msc from Southampton and not encountered this before. I've encountered it before on NCL many years ago round the Caribbean but never on MSC. If this is now the new normal it will be what it will be but let's hope MSC sort themselves out regarding the queues. I don't understand why they couldn't put a boarderforce person in YC to do people in yc there. I'll find out I guess when I'm next on board.

If you have all booked the Aurea grade of cabin you would all get priority boarding. If you haven’t then Diamond would get priority but others would have to check in as normal as Sidari has said.

The Virtuosa leaves from the Horizon Terminal in Southampton and is clearly signposted from the main road posted as gate 9/10. The car park is run by ABPARKING which you can pre book online. The car park is literally opposite and there are no shuttles needed here. When we went last year msc did a bus into Hamburg centre. Nothing was open as it was a Sunday except for a couple of Xmas markets. They normally have a white night a formal night and themed nights. Themed nights can range from flower power 60/70/80 disco type of thing, Italian/med, tropical etc but you never know till your on board. White night and formal has always happened on 5night plus cruises I've been on. You don't have to do any of these it's not compulsory. I say in the evening if not wanting to join in smart casual.

Not really in my opinion. The food maybe less focus on the British side of things but there is something for everyone and you won't go hungry. Usually they wouldn't have tea and coffee in the rooms on European cruises which they do when out of Southampton as a starting point because us brits like kettles in our rooms but I would be surprised if they go round, take them all out of the rooms for the winter season to then put them all back at the beginning of April. I'm hoping they won't anyway but I will find out in 38 days time when I'm back onboard. I guess the other thing is it won't be all British on board. Having said that when I was on the Magnifica last Dec year on the same cruise there were more people getting on in Southampton then they had from Hamburg.

It's worth it. I'm back onboard the Virtuosa in Dec in yc (was meant to be the Preziosa before anyone thinks i have some weird thing going on with the Virtuosa because it will be my 6th time!). The check in well never got on board so quick. In Southampton there is no queuing at a desk we were sat down offered a drink and the staff came to you to check you in and then they escort you to board the ship and pass the queues to board, definitely priority boarding! Straight up to yc where you are offered another drink! We had barely sat down and the butler was ready to take us to our cabin. The same for disembarkation you get to the front of the queues. I would definitely recommend it. Plus you get to see the whole of the ship and can go back to yc when ever. All my cruises I have booked with msc are all now in yc. 😊

Sorry to hear your cruise was disappointing. I agree with the design flaw for seating. She is a beautiful ship but no where to sit in the bars if its pouring with rain outside when shes at full capacity, especially the most popular bar onboard in the Virtuosa bar lounge. I've sailed on this ship 5 times, when she's had only 800 paxs to 3000 and this summer in the middle of school holidays at nearly full capacity. My last cruise in August on the Virtuosa was my 1st time in YC and what a difference. Yes the ship was packed but YC was a different class. Yes I could still go down in the evening have a drink go to a show etc but when it got too much I just went back to YC at least I could get a seat a drink and relax. You don't have to fight round the buffet and yc have their own restaurant. Don't let one ship in the MSC class put you off. Some of the older ships have just as much style but more seating and not as many paxs. We like the Magnifica med size ship. If you prefer the newer bigger ships and your budget can stretch try the yacht club it is a completely different experience and try and cruise outside of the peak times if you can (school hols I understand not everyone can though)

It will be Euros for the winter season from November and back to pounds come April. This is because the official starting point for the winter season is Hamburg and then in the spring/summer season will be Southampton. On the Virtuosa in Dec and then back on her again in April. Hoping though they don't remove the kettles in the room during winter season as that was a Southampton thing for the British Market. Love my cup of tea in the morning!

On the Virtuosa there is what they call a smoking/cigar room next to the adult only sky lounge on deck 18. You can smoke in the casino in the evenings and also on the pool deck on one side, also there is a small smoking area out of the way towards the back/side of the ship outside, you wouldn't know it was there we just stumbled across it. They have a couple of plastic chairs out. I think its on deck 6 (I can't remember if it's deck 6/7) also on the very back of the ship at the Horizon pool bar they have a small area for smokers and vapers too. I'm not a smoker but been on this ship 5 times.

Hi I stayed in one of these cabin In May on deck 12 right at the front. Not sure which deck your on but it's got a massive balcony i would think one of the biggest balconies on the ship with a good size hot tub. Yes it can be windy when on the move but once in hot tub with a glass of something sparkling all is forgotten until you get out! Enjoy!

I always have the app even if its just to check out the dinner menu is or what is happening during the day on board etc. You should be able to book things on the TV in your cabin too. 😊

The Virtuosa lounge and the pub always busy. Good entertainment in the evening in the Virtuosa lounge just a shame there aren't enough seats especially when they do the discos etc in the evening a bit of a design flaw there. Last time I went on in Aug they had put standing height tables out to put drinks on because it was so popular.