swimming with spaniels

It's about half a mile around deck 8 - here is a rather speeded up tour of it (apologies if it makes you dizzy) 😁   

My Friends breed assistance dogs - this little one is about to go off and start the first stage of his training

i air dropped the photo files from my phone to my computer - then drag and dropped them to upload.  I did this too for an earlier cruise i did on the MSCVirtuosa and they still took photos when we boarded,  I had just had my covid swab taken about 30 seconds before and my eye was swollen up! So much for taking a nice photo beforehand  😆

So many butterflies in my garden on Monday evening 🙂

Great review thanks!  How do we book the restaurants before we board please? (will be sailing in two weeks) The planner is letting me book the Spa, beauty salon and drink packages - but no food or entertainment so far

thank you!

5 hours ago, Pink-belle said:

Thank you for this, it is what I had seen online, I can’t remember the vloggers who said about lack of temperature testing, but they could have been late risers, that sort of rings a bell, and missed the morning checks, 

 

Like you, I will just move to areas I feel more comfortable if I need to.  I know my own “issues”  

 

had/if the restrictions been relaxed today it would probably have caused me more worries.  Although my sound sensible head would have said, this is great, the scientists have assessed the risk to be low.  Every other bit of me would be shouting too close too close 🥴😀
 

Glad I went ahead and ordered those additional mask now.

 

on the virtuosa my daughter and I had our temps taken at breakfast in the buffet and the dining room for our evening meal - we didn't see  any people not wearing masks indoors - i believe if you were travelling in the same group, even if you were in multiple cabins it was permitted for you to sit together,  I heard a staff member tell a larger group that as they were together they didn't need to distance from each other. TBH the ship felt very safe, I was never stood in a queue, there were even more hand sanitiser/washing stations than usual - and of course most of us were vaccinated and we were all tested, and we had track and trace bracelets on our wrists should a problem arise.  Enjoy your cruise!

On 6/13/2021 at 10:48 AM, edgwaremike said:

Would anyone know, as the ship sails round the UK coastline, would you be able to pick up a UK mobile signal, or are we best switching onto flight mode to be sure of not getting an unexpected roaming bill.

Hope to be on the Ventura at the beginning of August.

I was on the Virtuosa a couple of weeks ago, I could intermittently pick up UK and French mobile signal, and one night at dinner, even though there was no signal my ring doorbell rang on my phone!

On 6/10/2021 at 6:05 AM, emmas gran said:

According to the Virtuosa UK sailings threads passengers have their temperature checked daily! 

yes twice daily

I grabbed a pic with my phone last week as we sailed back into Southampton on  Virtuosa - thought the ferry gave a nice size comparison. We're due to sail early September  😃

On 6/6/2021 at 1:21 PM, zjc said:

Anyone who had CoverForYou insurance that's sailed so far, what did you show to prove the relevant cover?  I can't find anything in the policy document that stated COVID cover despite the banner on the website confirming they cover COVID. 

I was using Holiday Extras and couldn't find the right bit of policy wording, so i did one of those online chat things, and the operative confirmed i had covid cover for a cruise so i screen grabbed and printed that, and that was perfectly acceptable, took less than a minute for the agent to tick that off her list

photos above from my cruise on Virtuosa - taken with a fisheye lens

54 minutes ago, CaroleC said:

 

As LifeonMars has said, deck 9 was not used on the first sailing, nor was it on the next one departing 24th May. I was on that sailing and my cabin was reassigned by MSC from deck 9 to deck 12 a week before departure. Unfortunately, the cabin we were allocated was much further aft than the one we had chosen on deck 9. I would suggest doing a dummy booking on the website to see which cabins are still available in your category on a higher deck then contact either your TA or MSC direct and request a move to one of your own choosing.

decks 8 and 9 weren't used on the 28th sailing either - i got moved from an obstructed balcony on deck 8 up to an unobstructed on deck 11...  I was very happy as I'd tried to move a couple of times with no luck

38 minutes ago, Notts1964 said:

We are booked on the 17 July Virtuosa cruise, and have just got the embarkation time of 3pm. We have booked the ABP port parking on site. Our journey should take around 3 hours, but we’ll give ourselves plenty of time, say set off at 10.30am, just in case of traffic problems.

Does anyone know whether we could check in early, if we get there early, or will we have to park the car give in our cases, and just hang around or have a walk into town until 3pm? 
Thanks

Oh you're going to love it! So jealous   🤣     We travelled about 2.5 hours and left in good time in case of traffic so we stopped at Cowherds in Southampton for a cuppa first.  When we checked in at about 3.10 there was no queue, straight through,  so i think it wouldn't be too much of an issue if you were a little early.  You do keep your cases  and take them into the terminal with you (i guess they don't load them on the ship until they no your are covid free)

16 hours ago, the wandering two said:

As a good few of you folks have already been onboard what's the live music like in any of the lounges? 

Frequency, duration etc. 

TIA 

The Soul Sisters were on twice a night (30 mins)  in the Carousel Lounge - my daughter and I loved them. So wonderful to be experiencing live music after all this time. There was the strange musical theatre review (30 mins) in the main theatre - what a spectacle, but don't try and figure out what is happening, that way madness lies 🤣  There were other bands playing which i caught from a distance, one classical and one rock/pop i think.

17 hours ago, kernow said:

Today we've also been allocated a deck 11 cabin. Happy that we didn't get deck 14 with the big overhang, hoping 11 will be low enough to get some sun (if the weather stays nice next week).

there's plenty of space on deck if your cabin is the wrong side to catch the sun 

13 hours ago, Enjoyacruise said:

Hello All

 

I have booked the four day cruise Liverpool to Southampton on 13 July. Disembarking on 17th July.

 

I have never been with MSC and looking forward to a new cruise line and ship.

 

I appreciate that in these Covid times they are not doing self disembarkation. Can anyone who has got off the Virtuosa  in Southampton please give me an idea on timing (to book my return train!). The MSC help desk said it would probably be 9.30 but as the ship is due to dock 6.30 that seems later than I would expect.

 

thank you

 

once you have been allocated your debark time - go to guest services and ask them to change you to what ever time it is you want... we did this as we wanted the latest time to leave (husband had a 3 hour drive to pick us up) You can DIY if you want to ( there was a note left in our cabin about what to do if that was your preference) 

On 5/28/2021 at 3:15 PM, kernow said:

Glad you enjoyed the cruise and thanks for the update.

Are both decks 8 and 9 not being used? We're on 5th June and had a deck 8 cabin, today that has gone to guarantee and no cabin number. Wondering where we may end up.

 

our deck 8 cabin was moved to deck 11 a couple of days before sailing - i was happy as we had an unobstructed view 🙂

1 hour ago, CaroleC said:

Grateful thanks to all who have answered questions continually whilst on the inaugural cruise especially Stu UK and Couple-Somerset. Your help has been invaluable and very much appreciated.

 

Safe journey home everyone.

Here here...  thank you all 🤩     I'm not getting aboard until Friday, I'm sure I'll have a few more questions by then too  🤣

7 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

My understanding is you can't split the money between cards but those in the same cabin can use the credit off the primary card but obviously that card must be present at point of use.
I believe the bowling lanes are per lane so that's not a problem, the shoe hire is per person but from the wording, the person who has the credit can purchase for those in the cabin.

I just ordered one pass and selected my own name as I am the lead passenger. 

I would just put it on the card of the person who will use it most if it wont be equal.

I hope we will get £140 credit as I find it a bit strange they say it's 140 Euro/Dollar credit for £72 when the onboard currency is sterling.

If they convert it onboard I guess we will get about £130 credit.

Thanks for replying - I'll order just one in my name then 🙂

On 5/22/2021 at 12:16 AM, ziggyuk said:

 

That's fantastic thank you, it's much better value to buy in advance as you get 140 euro for £72.

That's really helped me decide 🤩

The closest onboard looks to be £140 for £100 so big difference.

I'm slightly confused, as i understood the credit was for the whole of your party (daughter and I) but when i've come to pay it shows a tick box for both our names (which then orders two passes) do we need two - or do we share one and it doesn't matter whose name it goes under?  Thank you

2 hours ago, Stu UK said:

Wear everywhere unless you are seated eating or drinking. That includes outside. 

Amazon has just delivered me a package with some sparkly masks for evening wear... 🤣

10 minutes ago, Stu UK said:

Believe the only bit holiday extras does not cover is if you have to self isolate when told to by test and trace. 

clear as mud (well to me anyway)

4 hours ago, zjc said:

Thanks both

 

Will of course check it out myself but would be useful to have a list of MSC Approved providers who tick all the boxes! 

I've gone with holiday extras because they were recommended by P&O for the UK cruise we are taking with them in September - i double checked i am covid covered. So that's another one to consider

4 hours ago, Couple-Somerset said:

 

 

They did a THOROUGH check of your insurance documents and were specific it MUST refer to Covid cover - even though I had an endorsement letter, it didnt mention Covid. Thankfully my insurer has a front page banner on their website clearly stating all policies cover Covid so that was OK. 

 

There were several people who had to go off and call their insurer to get confirmation of Covid cover or to simply buy a new Policy - so make sure you have everything sorted. 

 

 

cue me doing an online chat with my insurer to check all is covered, they confirmed it was - I have printed out the chat page just in case