Never cruised MSC - help with Virtuoso please.

[K8T]

Hi all

 

We’ve done a lot of cruises on various lines, the last 11 have been Disney Magic and one Royal Caribbean.   
 

We’re looking at booking a 7 night Staycation out of our home port Liverpool am I’m all at sea! 
 

Please can you tell me what should I be aware of - need to know, prior to booking and once on board. Also,  what are your  experiences of the ship if you’ve sailed on her.  
 

I’m looking at Balcony and the premium drinks package. 
 

Many thanks 

 

[ziggyuk]

38 minutes ago, K8T said:

Hi all

 

We’ve done a lot of cruises on various lines, the last 11 have been Disney Magic and one Royal Caribbean.   
 

We’re looking at booking a 7 night Staycation out of our home port Liverpool am I’m all at sea! 
 

Please can you tell me what should I be aware of - need to know, prior to booking and once on board. Also,  what are your  experiences of the ship if you’ve sailed on her.  
 

I’m looking at Balcony and the premium drinks package. 
 

Many thanks 

 

 

If you look at the live reviews of the first few sails you will have everything you could ever want and more.

[K8T]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

 

If you look at the live reviews of the first few sails you will have everything you could ever want and more.

Thanks for the reply. 
 

I have had a look,  but a lot of them say what it’s like on board, the ship, !the service, etc., which is great, but I’d like to know what to think about when booking, are there any specific things to go for? Hints and tips on a cabin etc.  I have never cruised MSC and I know each cruise line has their own  way of doing things and wondered what I need to think about.

 

thanks. 

[hamrag]

9 minutes ago, K8T said:

....Hints and tips on a cabin etc.  I have never cruised MSC and I know each cruise line has their own  way of doing things and wondered what I need to think about.

 

thanks. 

Yacht Club is highly recommended, but the Virtuosa prices are extortionate....unless you work in the NHS, then you are entitled to a discount!

[shipgeeks]

One of the things that MSC does differently is the different "experiences", which have different prices and different benefits.  For example, Bella, the least expensive, does not get free room service, but higher levels do.  Also,  some levels have set dining times and some have anytime dining.

There should be a chart or list of the breakdown, either near the top of this MSC board, or on an MSC website.  Worth looking through before you book.

If you have achieved a loyalty level on Disney, you can apply for Status Match with MSC, by submitting proof of your level.

FWIW, we loved our MSC cruises, and have two more booked.  We choose Bella level because it suits us.

[kernow]

One thing that has happened to a lot of us that have sailed Virtuosa is that we have booked and picked our cabin and then MSC have changed it to a different location. Be prepared they may do this. Also look out for the chance to bid for an upgrade email as the cruise gets closer.

 

There is also a good thread on here about insurance for these cruises, MSC do insist on Covid cover and check you have it in the terminal before you board.

 

I think most questions about these cruises have been discussed at some time in the last couple of months, if you search 'Virtuosa' you'll get loads of threads that will probably answer most of your questions.

 

My experience of the ship summed up, we loved it😀

Edited July 22, 2021 by kernow
additional text

[Cruiseforever11]

Make sure you are aware of what they require regarding vaccinations etc as they won't let you on if you don't have the correct documentation. (please see link below) Check in was a breeze for us at the beginning of July and msc seemed very well organised in Southampton in checking people in and doing covid swabs etc.

Ship is fabulous the staff on board were great. I'm going back on board again on 24th July. 

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/health-and-safety-measures

[Huntingdon1701]

18 hours ago, K8T said:

Thanks for the reply. 
 

I have had a look,  but a lot of them say what it’s like on board, the ship, !the service, etc., which is great, but I’d like to know what to think about when booking, are there any specific things to go for? Hints and tips on a cabin etc.  I have never cruised MSC and I know each cruise line has their own  way of doing things and wondered what I need to think about.

 

thanks. 

 

 

Mine is one of the reviews - https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=681590

 

Happy to answer your questions.

 

The difference between MSC and other lines is mainly in the 'experiences' they offer - Bella, Fantastica, Aurea, or Yacht Club. Yacht Club is the best and worth extra money, but Virtuosa is quite expensive right now. For these, just check the cost of the extra perks you get at each level and work out if they actually equal value. For instance, Aurea gets the basic drinks package, but can still be a higher price than adding the package on to Bella separately. Similarly, you get priority boarding with Aurea, but if you've status matched from another line then you may well get that as a Voyagers Club member anyway. 

 

That aspect aside, it's just the usual considerations of making sure you're cabin isn't directly over the night club or under a restaurant etc. In theory Aurea and Fantastica cabins are better than Bella, with Bella tending to be obstructed - but many of them are only obstructed if you look straight down, and your seaview over the railing is unimpaired. 

 

I've mainly sailed NCL, but I was blown away by the Virtuosa and will be doing more sailings with MSC off the back of that. 

[boxman52]

Did that trip from Liverpool.

Lots of children and only one indoor lounge to escape them and that was full with only 1000 onboard

No adult only outdoor/indoor pool area - this is a major drawback for me

Limited but fresh and tasty buffet

Great staff and service

Really nice ship but the whole front part is closed off for Yacht Club - this was a bit of pain

Hola all you can eat is great bargain, Indochine very good, Sushi as expected, Butchers Cut poor 

Premium Plus drinks great if you want to try really good champagnes , cocktails etc

Rob the Robot will be disconnected once he breaks down as at 18 quid a drink he cannot be worth the cost of repair

 

[Huntingdon1701]

1 hour ago, boxman52 said:

Did that trip from Liverpool.

Lots of children and only one indoor lounge to escape them and that was full with only 1000 onboard

 

 

 

It's funny how people's experiences can differ. On  the 12 June cruise, I never saw any one of the 16 indoor bars/lounges at more than 15% capacity at most. Even the Horizon Bar with it's great views was usually mostly empty.

 

You only saw a crowd at the theatre, but didn't fill half of it, and about a 15 minute period in the evening in the yacht club when people gathered either to go into dinner or after just finishing. 

[ziggyuk]

7 minutes ago, Huntingdon1701 said:

 

It's funny how people's experiences can differ. On  the 12 June cruise, I never saw any one of the 16 indoor bars/lounges at more than 15% capacity at most. Even the Horizon Bar with it's great views was usually mostly empty.

 

You only saw a crowd at the theatre, but didn't fill half of it, and about a 15 minute period in the evening in the yacht club when people gathered either to go into dinner or after just finishing. 

 

We were unable to get a seat in the Horizon bar a couple of time, others times we had to sit in the smoking area due to lack of space, plenty of sunbeds though, just no tables.

 

The sky lounge is the adults only area and I have to agree with @boxman52 that was regularly almost full (never completely though), especially so in poor weather.

 

The Virtuosa lounge was always at capacity in the evenings before a show but that is to be expected as it's outside the theatre doors with live music.

 

3rd July sailing.

[K8T]

Thank you everyone, that was very helpful. 
 

We booked for 24th August, Aurea, but thinking now we should swap to Fantastica and get the Premium + instead.  We have matched - thank you again - and we’re Diamond, so that sort of negates the Aurea package too I think 

I’m just struggling now to get the booking number accepted on the website!  The app shows our cruise, but no other details of the package we have and keeps crashing!  
 

 

 

[K8T]

On 7/22/2021 at 5:14 PM, Huntingdon1701 said:

 

 

Mine is one of the reviews - https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=681590

 

 

Thank you a great review.