Northern/Western Europe - change from Preziosa to Virtuosa

[MeiFong]

Several months ago I  booked a cruise to Northern/Western Europe on the Preziosa coming November. Through CruiseCritic I learned that last Monday MSC issued a statement that the European cruises this autumn/winter will be on Virtuosa as Preziosa will be based in Brazil. I looked at the websites of the different ports (Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton) and they are expecting Virtuosa on the dates of our cruise, except for Hamburg which states Preziosa. When I log in on the MSC website, Preziosa is still mentioned. And the cruise is also still being sold as if it will be on Preziosa.

 

Any idea when I can 'officially' expect to be informed about the ship change?

 

Is anybody else cruising Northern/Western Europe coming October/November/December/January/February and have you received any info from MSC about the change in ship?

 

I guess I should be happy with the ship change as Virtuosa is a much newer ship. I just have to convince my husband that it is no too big. He is not a fan of the big ships (he didn't like Meraviglia that much because of its size and Virtuosa is the same size - maybe I just don't tell him 😉).

 

[sidari]

With MSC who knows if they will even tell you, Virtuosa will sail all next summer from Southampton instead of Grandiosa.

[blordos]

I will be on Presioza in October26th sailing out of Rotterdam. I'm very curious as well.

[kernow]

We're booked on Grandiosa next year which is also supposed to be changing to Virtuosa. Not heard a thing either.

[LifeonMars]

Looking at the Southampton cruise  arrival schedule for 8/15/21/29  Oct and 5th November  MSC Prezosia is shown.  Although the schedule  can change, it has already been updated with the Virtuosa as sailing on 12th November and  30th December.  

 

During October MSC Virtuosa is cruising  from Southampton, Spain and Canary Islands whilst Prezosia is cruising from Southampton.  Hamburg/Rotterdam/Zeebrugge  and Le Harve  

 

It looks like Prezosia will visit until the last sailing on 5th November,  when Virtuosa takes over on 12th November

 

 

https://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

 

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by LifeonMars

[CaroleC]

2 hours ago, kernow said:

We're booked on Grandiosa next year which is also supposed to be changing to Virtuosa. Not heard a thing either.

Us too. I’ve had an email about the change for our Preziosa cruise in December but heard nothing about our April sailing on Grandiosa.

[tweakes]

I was scheduled for Virtuosa in January out of Barcelona. My reservation has been updated to Bellissima already and my room assigned (which irritates me because they changed it when they could have kept it exactly the same in the YC since the set up is identical). I was not informed of the change either - my reservations were just updated. 

[blordos]

I was also scheduled for Virtuosa in January. MSC had changed the ship to Bellissima.

Oh well that is the only ship in the Meraviglia class that I haven't been cruised.

[MeiFong]

7 hours ago, LifeonMars said:

Looking at the Southampton cruise  arrival schedule for 8/15/21/29  Oct and 5th November  MSC Prezosia is shown.  Although the schedule  can change, it has already been updated with the Virtuosa as sailing on 12th November and  30th December.  

 

During October MSC Virtuosa is cruising  from Southampton, Spain and Canary Islands whilst Prezosia is cruising from Southampton.  Hamburg/Rotterdam/Zeebrugge  and Le Harve  

 

It looks like Prezosia will visit until the last sailing on 5th November,  when Virtuosa takes over on 12th November

 

 

https://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

 

 

The Rotterdam schedule seems to agree with the Southampton scheulde, so in the second week of November, Virtuosa will take over from Preziosa.

 

https://www.cruiseportrotterdam.nl/cruise-calls/

 

 

 

 

[sidari]

Exciting news this afternoon from MSC Cruises August 22nd.

MSC VIRTUOSA TO REMAIN IN THE UK OFFERING YEAR-ROUND NO-FLY SAILINGS FROM SOUTHAMPTON

London, England, 22 August 2022 - MSC Cruises today announced MSC Virtuosa will truly become the flagship cruise for the UK by offering sailings out of Southampton in the UK for winter 2022/23 and summer 2023.

This will be the first time that the line has continuously operated one of its vessels from the UK year-round. MSC Virtuosa launched in 2021 and became the first ship to restart UK cruises in May of that year. The ship returned to the UK in April this year and will now continue to operate out of Southampton through to the end of the summer 2023 season.

Antonio Paradiso, Managing Director – UK and Ireland, MSC Cruises, said, “Since MSC Virtuosa first came to the UK, the feedback from our guests has been incredible and the ships has been a huge hit. The increased appetite for stress-free no-fly cruises out of the UK combined with the benefits of the new state-of-the-art Horizon Terminal has resulted in huge demand. The continued deployment of one of our newest and most innovative ships out of the UK is just further proof of the continued importance of the UK market, which began with our first full ex-UK season back in 2018. Since then, we have gone from strength to strength and we are committed to offering the best possible experience for our guests from the UK and Ireland.”

MSC Virtuosa will now replace MSC Preziosa’s itineraries this winter offering the newly introduced ‘Northern Pearls’ itinerary from Southampton to Hamburg for Berlin in Germany; Zeebrugge for Bruges and Brussels in Belgium; Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Le Havre for Paris in France. Itineraries will offer a variety of choice to customers with cruises ranging from three-night breaks to three-week trips for those looking for a longer holiday at sea.

“MSC Virtuosa’s deployment for winter will see us increase our capacity for the season and will provide an even more attractive offering for our guests looking for a winter break without having to take a flight.”

In summer 2023, MSC Virtuosa will replace MSC Grandiosa offering an appealing range of itineraries from mini cruises, 7-night sailings through to longer cruises. Further details of the full programme will be released soon.

[tweakes]

2 hours ago, MeiFong said:

The Rotterdam schedule seems to agree with the Southampton scheulde, so in the second week of November, Virtuosa will take over from Preziosa.

 

https://www.cruiseportrotterdam.nl/cruise-calls/

 

 

 

 

Well this would mean the November 7 one on Preziosa I'm on from Hamburg would be canceled. It is supposed to dock in Rotterdam on November 9, but it is not showing on this schedule. 

[MeiFong]

1 hour ago, tweakes said:

Well this would mean the November 7 one on Preziosa I'm on from Hamburg would be canceled. It is supposed to dock in Rotterdam on November 9, but it is not showing on this schedule. 

That would be a shame if your cruise is cancelled. I hope things are soon clarified by MSC.

[tweakes]

Looks like our 7 November cruise was canceled and my reservation was automatically switched to 14 November. Just noticed in my profile now, no communication yet. 

[MeiFong]

Today I received a new booking confirmation. The mail is very generic with nothing about the change in ship, but the booking confirmation that is attached indeed mentions Virtuosa and a new cabin. The accompanying mail says to check that the information is correct and to contact MSC in case of any inaccuracies. I wonder how many mails they will be getting from confused passengers 😉.

 

 

 

 

[MeiFong]

21 hours ago, tweakes said:

Looks like our 7 November cruise was canceled and my reservation was automatically switched to 14 November. Just noticed in my profile now, no communication yet. 

It is possible for you to change to another week? For me, with work and everything, that would mean I would need to cancel. I hope that is not the case for you. And it you do need to cancel that you get at least a full refund.

[8420PR]

This was announced 1 week earlier to the German market - "MSC Virtuosa will be based in Hamburg next winter".

 

https://www.mscpressarea.com/de_DE/press-releases/msc-cruises-erweitert-sein-winterprogramm-2022-23-die-msc-virtuosa-wird-erstmals

[sidari]

On 8/30/2022 at 4:41 PM, tweakes said:

Looks like our 7 November cruise was canceled and my reservation was automatically switched to 14 November. Just noticed in my profile now, no communication yet. 

Those who were booked on the Virtuosa repo in November have heard nothing.

[MeiFong]

Today I received a mail from MSC Customer Care Benelux about the change in ship. Several options are given:

- go on the cruise

- change to another cruise (no charges for the change, but at current prices of the other cruise, so if that's more expensive additional charges apply)

- a future cruise certificate, new booking needs to be made by 31-12-2022

- full refund (this part is a bit unclear, it seems that you first need to ask for the future cruise certificate and then ask a refund).

 

I guess we'll stick with our cruise and will enjoy Virtuosa.

 

I hope others have also received more info by now.