Cruiseforever11

I was on Europa in Oct and we just had a normal yc balcony 19012. I only took 2 pics but it will give you an idea. No walk in wardrobe but we aren't bother by not having one of those. It did have a 2 seater sofa in there too but i can not remember if it was a sofa bed or just a sofa. Coffee machine and all the usual stuff you get. Balcony was good too.

I was on World Europa last week we watched the safety info on the Msc app while having a drink in the bar. Once watched, it confirmed you had watched it and then asks you to go to your muster station where there were a couple of crew members waiting to scan your card. It was the quickest safety briefing I have done of all of my msc cruises. No mass rush to get down the staircases then fighting to get in a lift to go back up to the top deck again.

So cruise time is upon us. I can not wait 2 days to get on board! Just wanted to say to everyone, I hope you all enjoy your cruise on board World Europa and have a fab cruise😀

Done Northern Pearls cruise twice once end of Nov on the Magnifica and last year 2nd week in Dec on the Virtuosa. The November one(2021) we couldn't get in to Zeebrugge i think it was, because the weather, well it was stormy. I remember it snowed in Hamburg though. Last December was cold it Snowed in Hamburg and the lake in the centre there was frozen and so were some of the canals. Colder in Hamburg than anywhere else but it was a cold weather wise cruise overall. We just wrap up and take appropriate clothing and get on with it. Love a good walk outside on board even its freezing cold and trust me I hate the cold but I love the sea and being outside (when its not pouring with rain and blowing a gale though) and when we're done we just go and get a hot chocolate or 2. You do get the odd one or 2 who will go swimming in the pools outside at that time of year but the water temperature is probably warmer than the outside temperature. A lot more will go to the indoor pools and hot tubs. YC wasn't really open outside in Dec last year but i would sometimes go up there just for the peace and quiet with a hot mug of tea and watch the world go by. I will be doing this cruise again on the Preziosa Dec 24.

Summer half term for most schools in England and Wales is going to be around 27th May 2024 to June 3rd. Approx 1 week. Most of Scotlands kids break up end of June for Summer holidays. So there will be a 2 week window where there shouldn't be too many children but not sure what the European school holidays are. Having been on the ship 7/8times out of Southampton apart from the covid era where we were lucky to even have 900 onboard, the cruises I've been on have been full or nearly full.

Having been on several cruises with msc, check in times have always changed before you get your final tickets. The only time they checked our check in time was when they started out after covid as we went on one of their first cruises out of Southampton but that didn't last long as I then went a few weeks later and that had gone out of the window. We went on the Virtuosa with 4 other members of our family back in April, all in Aurea and we all had different check in times so we all went at 10 got on no probs. So unless anything has changed since then I wouldn't worry about it. I'm on the World Europa in 24 days and our check in is at 3 but we will be in long before that with msc transfers so will just check in once we arrive.

So when we cruise we usually take each day as it comes and don't normally do tours unless there is something we want to do. So for this cruise we are boarding in Barcelona. Marseille, we don't get off here but last time we were there msc did shuttle buses to the end of the port and into town but if your fit and able walk to the end of port there is or was a free shuttle into Marseille. Genoa, we always seem to board our ship there so not really seen Genoa so this time we have an excursion booked in Genoa which is the 3/4hr city tour and we might visit the Aquarium afterwards as i think its quiet a big one. Naples, we are visiting Pompeii last time we visited Mount Vesuvius. Sicily we just wander around the port but i did want to do the Mount Etna tour this time but shes been very active lately so another time. Malta, the last time we just did a hop on hop off bus tour and did the East side of the Island and what was worth the visit is the Blue grotto its just stunning. This time we are doing the Harbour cruise with drinks at the end. Then back to Barcelona. We sound pretty boring but we treasure our holidays as chill out time and go with what ever we feel like at the time. I hope this helps even a tiny bit! 😊

Unpack! get those suitcases out of the way, do all the things above and relax, chill and enjoy your cruise! 😊

I was on the Virtuosa last mid December and xmas markets were in full flow in most of the places we went to and I love my Xmas markets. We went the year before last but places were still coming out of covid so a bit restricted. End of Nov is when Xmas markets season starts so you should be OK. On the ship there were decorations and trees and the staff had their Xmas hats on. They had a snow party on the pool deck and there were games and Xmas huts to get your mulled wine etc from. It was really cold but they made an effort and lots of people went. When we went the year before it was on the Magnifica and it was the last week of November but into the 1st week of December and the staff were starting to put the decks up on the ship that week. I have booked the same cruise again December 2024 on the Preziosa. Missing this year as needing a bit of sun, so on the Seascape in December across the pond. I hope you have lovely time 🎅

I have just seen this today. Really pleased as far as ships go as I've been on the Bellissima, so to get the chance to go on Splendida would be good depending on the itinerary of course, but it looks like they are just finalising the schedule. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/08/msc-cruises-adds-a-second-ship-for-china-in-2024/

Yes it is. Thank you for the info. 2pm would be perfect for us. I don't know if you could stay that late if you didn't have transfers. If we didn't have transfers we would of still of asked for the latest disembarkation as possible if we had a late flight.

I had to find out as I know they kick you out of your cabin at some un earthly hour in the morning as the last few cruises it's been 7.30/8am and I understand why to get cabins ready for the next lot so not got an issue with that, but it was the thought of are they really going to transfer us in the morning and then spending the day at the airport.(as that has happen before) however it looks like we can stay and then get last transfer we just need to let them know at reception when we get on.😊

I have just spoken today this morning to msc regarding this issue. We are on the Europa 20th Oct 23 and we took msc transfers and flights and our flight on 27th doesn't leave till 18.55. I was told that we could request as late as possible disembarkation which I was told 11/12 and choose which transfer time also. We are in yc so I don’t know if it will be different for people not in yc. Whether this will happen once onboard who knows but I guess we shall find out! 😁

Well at least they have acknowledged South America & Asia, so hopefully it won't be too long now.

It's YC we would like as well and we don't mind if it's even on the Bellissima again as we have sailed on her before, but we weren't in yc that time. So hopefully not to long to wait and hope they are still going to continue to cruise Japan. If not like you going to have to look at another cruise line.

It's a cruise my daughter and I really want to do but we can't go till either later 2024 or anytime in 2025. I thought they would of least got end 2024 out by now. Let's hope its soon.

To be fair I have never booked one of these restaurants packages but if I was booking the butchers cut (which I do on every cruise that has one because it is so good) it is one of the 1st things i do when I get on board.(only because its gets booked up really quick) You can either book it via your on board msc app, on your t.v in your cabin or pop down to the restaurant that you want to book in person.

You drop your luggage off first. The port staff all hover near the main zebra crossing which you can't really avoid and they ask to see your cabin number and then direct you to the correct drop off point. The priority lane is upstairs in the main hall and there's someone normally floating around to direct you to the correct checkin bit.

Can anyone remember when MSC released the Japan cruises that are on sale now? Has anyone heard or know when or if they are releasing Autumn 2024 and into 2025?

I would take the 1700 with a pinch of salt. That will more than likely get change. The only time my check in time was actually checked was my first cruise after Covid which was the very early days when they started up again. Then after that no one has ever checked. I've turned up early and later than my check in times but they have all been before 12pm. Having done over 7 cruises out of the UK with msc, they like you on board asap so they can get the safety briefing out the way so people can get to dinner. The last couple of times it's been between 4 and 4.30ish. Aurea along with Diamond will have its own priority check in lane in Southampton but after you been through security with everyone else. Only in Yacht club will you get to the front of the queue in security. Once you go upstairs then you get priority. Then you queue with everyone else on the gangway unless your in Yacht Club. So really it's just the checkin bit thats quicker.

Maybe more Far East Cruises, Australia and New Zealand (I know bit far fetched) building of med size ships for a change rather than following who can build the biggest ship. Hoping they stay true to their Italian roots and independence. Oh and adding another level to voyager club after Diamond.

A lot of why we like msc has been said. By the end of next year 15 cruises with them. We've been on the smaller ships, the larger ships and will be on the biggest in October the World Europa. We've done all grades of cabin from Bella to Yacht Club. I love their ships so stylish and I don't know if it's me but they seem to sparkle, they are very clean and looked after. The staff, we've never had an issue with. They always say hello if you passing them by in the corridors. We've had some good laughs with some of the staff. The food never had a problem with what's on offer, but I don’t go on cruises for the food aspect. Entertainment, from my very first cruise on Msc there has been a massive improvement. I might be the only one but love the different languages and amazed everytime how many languages one person can speak on the announcements. I feel ashamed that I can only barely speak my own language😄 Price value for money, although Yacht club has increased massively. Drink Packages are really good. Msc are not perfect, but we are chilled out people and go with the flow. They are different from your Carnivals, Royals and Norwegians. Msc is very European and the culture is different and I guess goes against the grain of what a lot of people expect. We like the fact that they are different. If anything now after sailing on their biggest ships Virtuosa, Europa in October and Seascape in Dec we are downsizing as we do prefer the med range ships. Our favourite we think is the Magnifica. Going back on the Orchestra next year. So would we sail with anyone else now? Not at the moment.

Yes, there are! I forgot about them! Also in the other bit where no one ever sits where they have heated table centres (not sure what you call them and i've never seen them used) at the other end as you walk out to the main pool area between the 2 sliding doors also. It's usually the female ones and the mens on the other side.

I agree. Every msc ship I've been on we always go to the back of the buffet. Its quieter and if they have an area where you can go outside even better (only if warm though!) There is a tea coffee station at the back too usually and juice stations not far away. Food stations no where near as busy at the back unless ships are at full capacity/sea days when people realise theres more if you walk a bit further. Even better on port days if you decide to stay on board when everyone has got off the ship, the back of the buffet is practically empty.

That sounds interesting and 4pm is about the right time for a spot of afternoon tea/Elegant Tea Services (well it was on Virtuosa) I shall look out for that when on board in October. Thank you for letting us know 😊