perakcruiser

Better be discreet, otherwise they will throw you overboard if you consume your foreign instant coffee instead of their Italian coffee 😄 A cup of paid coffee is affordable 2,40 EUR. The free coffee (free for all at the self-service buffet, free for some at the MDR) will probably not satisfy you. But it is ok, the usual quality from hotel breakfast. Tea selection is wide, I see no reason to complain, but I am a coffee drinker.

Nice. As you are not familiar with the Canaries, here is a recommendation. You have to get the permit for going to the top of Mount Teide long in advance. The permit is free. After you got the permit grab the tickets for the cable car. And then reserve your rental car, best choice is Cicar. If your cruises start/end in Tenerife you can do the Teide trip either before, after or in the middle of your back to back. Permit: https://www.reservasparquesnacionales.es/real/ParquesNac/usu/html/detalle-actividad-oapn.aspx?ii=6ENG&cen=2&act=1 Cable car: https://www.volcanoteide.com/en/volcano_teide/teide_cable_car/teide_cable_car This thing you have to organize by yourself. But all islands do offer great trips and MSC has good stuff reasonably priced. Make sure your excursion on Gran Canaria includes the Bandama crater.

The Virtuosa is certainly excellent for teenagers, but unfortunately for teenagers, they have to go to school. It is very easy to spot the school holiday cruises, the price is double as "normal".

Canary Islands in winter is excellent. No problem with rough sea and strong wind, but it is not warm enough to swim in the ocean if that is your desire. Fantastica or Aurea, no recommendation possible, depends all on yourself.

2020 was the main cruise port next to the railway station for MSC.

At least in Malaysia MSC and RCCL mainly sell their cruises with travel agents at travel fairs and not online.

Acqua Panna is usually available, but often enough you just get a cheap nestle non-mineral water if you not tell the waiter you want Acqua Panna.

Basically everywhere in Europe train tickets are much cheaper if booked in advance. It is not uncommon that a ticket purchased on the day of travel is 10 times (!) more expensive. Yes, we are talking about 20 Euro and 200 Euros. Which for a family of 5 means a fortune. If all the cheap tickets are gone, the bus company National Express is an excellent alternative from Southampton to London. You will not believe how cheap the tickets are (of cause also only when booked in advance). We always take the bus.

There is no clear answer to this question. Some MSC ships have been built before the Aurea category has been invented. Some Aurea cabins are just exactly the same as a Fantastica with no differences. Some Aurea cabins (especially on newer ships) are totally different and much better, larger.

Not relevant for you. The EXPO in Dubai. We did the trip because of the EXPO and added the cruise as a bonus. Overall Dubai is certainly the highlight with so many great places to see. We liked also the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. Visited with Careem. Here I have one thing to add, just because Careem was unbeatable in 2022 that does not mean it is still the same. Better prepare Careem and Uber and compare. Yes there was. But we could not leave the boat in Doha because of some strange Covid rules at these days. Well, MSC has failed to do so at Dammam and cancelled that stop because of the visa problems. And not tried again since then. Actually it is not, the Dubai round is very popular with all European cruise lines and basically all offer it. On board will be a even more international clientele as usual on MSC, but with a clear European majority.

Careem. Everywhere. More than enough sun beds with umbrellas. I decided to hang around at the beach, but the one from our group who took the safari loved it. Note that you only can leave the beach area with the safari, no walking allowed.

It is possible to grab a cabin for 4 with Bella, but you need to be very lucky. In 9 from 10 bookings you will have to take Fantastica.

It depends on how many people in the cabin, which port you want to embark and if it is a holiday week.

After first time using it, you will include the priority tender tickets for Gold in all your evening prayers.

Of cause there was! At least until 2018. Not on all ships maybe. It had dishes from the speciality restaurants included, for example the signature pistachio crusted rack of lamb. You remember the MSC Galaxy restaurant? That was gone earlier, but some Galaxy dished survived in the Aurea restaurant, the last time I saw it was on the Armonia in the Caribbean in summer 2018. The menu of the Aurea restaurant usually contained the MDR dished with two or three "high end" extra options.