MSC Virtuosa 14 nights 10/25/24

[schildiams]

We are new to MSC and have booked a 14 night Canary Islands in late October 2024. We've never been on a ship this big. Has anyone done this itinerary around this time of year on the Virtuosa? Should we expect a full ship at this time of the year? Lots of kids? Thanks for your insight 🙂

PS we booked Aurea for this and then YC for the following week 11/8/2024 on the Preziosa Northen Eu itinerary. Also interested in your experience with that trip.

[maehara]

That itinerary runs over the English Halloween school holiday (schools break on 25th Oct, back on 4th Nov) so I'd expect kids. 

[schildiams]

On 11/27/2023 at 10:38 AM, maehara said:

That itinerary runs over the English Halloween school holiday (schools break on 25th Oct, back on 4th Nov) so I'd expect kids. 

I was thinking that most families wouldn't take their kids out for a full xtra week of school. Hoping so 🙂 Thought they'd likely take a 7 day cruise instead. Again, hoping...

[CrazyPengy]

I'm also on this cruise! Although they're marketing it as a half term holiday trip, the half term is only the first week so I can't imagine there will be many school age children on the ship.

 

I'm also hoping it won't be full as I've never been on a ship so large before. My daughter has been on it twice though, in August both times, and she really enjoyed it.

[showingdiva]

6 minutes ago, CrazyPengy said:

I'm also on this cruise! Although they're marketing it as a half term holiday trip, the half term is only the first week so I can't imagine there will be many school age children on the ship.

 

I'm also hoping it won't be full as I've never been on a ship so large before. My daughter has been on it twice though, in August both times, and she really enjoyed it.

 

There will be a lot of children on the ship.   The ship will be full, or very close to it.  Pre-covid, I would have run a mile at the thought of being on a ship this size (and I was brought up on them).  However, having now done multiple cruises on Virtuosa, and one on her virtually identical sister Euribia, one learns quickly to pick your battles with areas on a ship this size like where and when to eat and drink.  You will always find a quieter bit of the ship, you just have to think creatively.

 

Wonderful ship.    Have a lovely cruise.

[NewWestwardbound]

Beautiful ship (on her now). Expect it to be a busy cruise and if it isn’t then that’s another win! Best wishes for a fantastic trip. 

[CrazyPengy]

16 hours ago, showingdiva said:

 

There will be a lot of children on the ship.   The ship will be full, or very close to it.  Pre-covid, I would have run a mile at the thought of being on a ship this size (and I was brought up on them).  However, having now done multiple cruises on Virtuosa, and one on her virtually identical sister Euribia, one learns quickly to pick your battles with areas on a ship this size like where and when to eat and drink.  You will always find a quieter bit of the ship, you just have to think creatively.

 

Wonderful ship.    Have a lovely cruise.

Thanks! I will be asking my daughter about the quiet places she found!

[marktwothousand]

Hoping for a more mature crowd as well. I do realize that it’s partially a school break, and there will be some kids, but hoping it won’t be a full onslaught like a Christmas or summer cruise. Like another poster said, I’m counting on the fact that its two weeks, and hopefully families were more likely to pick a seven day holiday…
 

also, it’s not just an extra week off school, wouldn’t it be two weeks PLUS embarkation day as well? I heard there are fines for taking kids out of school unless it is authorized, and that schools generally don’t approve it just for vacation. Plus, six full days of skewl is a LOT to miss……

[showingdiva]

1 hour ago, marktwothousand said:

Hoping for a more mature crowd as well. I do realize that it’s partially a school break, and there will be some kids, but hoping it won’t be a full onslaught like a Christmas or summer cruise. Like another poster said, I’m counting on the fact that its two weeks, and hopefully families were more likely to pick a seven day holiday…
 

also, it’s not just an extra week off school, wouldn’t it be two weeks PLUS embarkation day as well? I heard there are fines for taking kids out of school unless it is authorized, and that schools generally don’t approve it just for vacation. Plus, six full days of skewl is a LOT to miss……

 

Unfortunately, it is often cheaper to absorb the fine and cruise during term time than it is to wait until July or August.   Given it's a two week cruise, there won't be as many children .. but there will be children.   And a fair amount of them.

[CrazyPengy]

On 10/12/2024 at 10:29 PM, marktwothousand said:

Hoping for a more mature crowd as well. I do realize that it’s partially a school break, and there will be some kids, but hoping it won’t be a full onslaught like a Christmas or summer cruise. Like another poster said, I’m counting on the fact that its two weeks, and hopefully families were more likely to pick a seven day holiday…
 

also, it’s not just an extra week off school, wouldn’t it be two weeks PLUS embarkation day as well? I heard there are fines for taking kids out of school unless it is authorized, and that schools generally don’t approve it just for vacation. Plus, six full days of skewl is a LOT to miss……

We'll soon be finding out! I'm heading down to Southampton a week today; so looking forward to the cruise.

 

I see you're in Toronto - have a good flight!

 

Yvonne

 

 

[marktwothousand]

On 10/17/2024 at 7:36 AM, CrazyPengy said:

We'll soon be finding out! I'm heading down to Southampton a week today; so looking forward to the cruise.

 

I see you're in Toronto - have a good flight!

 

Yvonne

 

 

Thanks so much. Don’t forget some of us on the roll call are planning a cruise critic meet And greet, 11 AM first sea day, near the champagne bar sofa. So far theres four of us in, the link to our roll call is here:
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2976349-virtuosa-october-25-november-08-2024-canary-islands-from-southampton/?do=findComment&comment=67964584

 

[Ergates The Ant]

We are not long back from a weeks cruise on an RCCl cruise from Southampton. Carefully picked the first week in October to avoid school holidays, and there were loads of children on board! Looks like a lot of parents find it’s worth paying the fines to make the off peak savings. We were very surprised at how busy the ship was. Still had a good time.

[CrazyPengy]

Ah well - we'll find out soon enough. Good that it didn't spoil your enjoyment!

 

[ScratchTheRat]

On 10/11/2024 at 6:58 AM, CrazyPengy said:

Thanks! I will be asking my daughter about the quiet places she found!

I recommend the Sky Lounge, lovely bar and its adults only 🙂