On board Virtuosa 3/3 - 10/3

[elmsliebev]

Back on our travels. We are on MSC Virtuosa from Southampton,  just a week to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges and Le Havre. Ship is huge and first impressions very good. We had an excellent journey down from Blackpool with Eavesway coaches, and quickest ever boarding, less than 10 minutes from getting off the coach. The ship isn't full apparently. 

The buffet was excellent at lunch time and we're very happy with our balcony cabin on deck 12. 

I'll post occasionally but we don't intend to get the WiFi package, so it will be intermittent. 

Off to explore now! 

[FamilyCruiserUK]

Hi hope you have a great cruise. We are on virtuosa on 31st march for a week. We have been upgraded from a window room to a rear facing balcony on deck 13 for free which is nice. Will be interesting to read your review and impressions. Esp the ports and any trips you go on. 

Have fun and enjoy the cruise. 

[LiquidWu]

Oh how nice that you will blog a little here. We have been in contact recently, as I will be going on the same cruise 2 weeks after you.
I wish you a perfect cruise and many great moments in which you hopefully let us participate 😉

[elmsliebev]

In Hamburg today. Ship is beautiful,  very big but we are finding our way around.  Went to the Big Apple show last night,  which was great fun.  Staff are lovely,  our balcony cabin is beautiful and very comfortable.  I asked for tissues and facecloths, which were provided straightaway.  Food is good, though the buffet gets very busy at breakfast.  

[Ryan82]

What capacity do you think you're sailing at @elmsliebev ?

[FamilyCruiserUK]

On 3/5/2023 at 10:44 AM, elmsliebev said:

In Hamburg today. Ship is beautiful,  very big but we are finding our way around.  Went to the Big Apple show last night,  which was great fun.  Staff are lovely,  our balcony cabin is beautiful and very comfortable.  I asked for tissues and facecloths, which were provided straightaway.  Food is good, though the buffet gets very busy at breakfast.  

Did you do any trips for Hamburg? Or was it your own walk around. Any tips for hamburg?.

 

Hope your having a great cruise. 

[bunny76]

 Hope you're having a great cruise - looking forward to hearing more, as thinking to book a short trip on Virtuosa (Bella category) to try it- never sailed on MSC.

 

Is there a free sauna in the ladies gym / changing rooms on Virtuosa please? 

Edited March 6, 2023 by bunny76

[SweetsugarNL]

I am wondering if there are lot of kids sailing now because the school vacation in Hamburg.

[perakcruiser]

2 hours ago, SweetsugarNL said:

I am wondering if there are lot of kids sailing now because the school vacation in Hamburg.

Difficult to say but the ships will be totally full the first two weeks of April when all of Europe having Easter holidays. 

[sidari]

11 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

Difficult to say but the ships will be totally full the first two weeks of April when all of Europe having Easter holidays. 

Good job ours is at the end of April.

[SweetsugarNL]

3 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Difficult to say but the ships will be totally full the first two weeks of April when all of Europe having Easter holidays. 

I embark wednesday🙂
 

Also no easter holiday in the netherlands but end april/ first week may.

Edited March 6, 2023 by SweetsugarNL

[elmsliebev]

On 3/6/2023 at 12:04 AM, Ryan82 said:

What capacity do you think you're sailing at @elmsliebev ?

Not sure but we were told it isn't full. 1200 embarked at Southampton.  

[elmsliebev]

19 hours ago, SweetsugarNL said:

I am wondering if there are lot of kids sailing now because the school vacation in Hamburg.

There are kids on boards, various ages. All well behaved and enjoying themselves. 

[Cathygh]

Thanks for posting this. I have just booked a short break on Virtuosa in April to see if we like it. Could you possible post the drinks menus? And do they add a service charge?

Thanks

[elmsliebev]

On 3/3/2023 at 5:10 PM, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Hi hope you have a great cruise. We are on virtuosa on 31st march for a week. We have been upgraded from a window room to a rear facing balcony on deck 13 for free which is nice. Will be interesting to read your review and impressions. Esp the ports and any trips you go on. 

Have fun and enjoy the cruise. 

I've put a little post up on the main thread about port arrangements.  

[elmsliebev]

On 3/7/2023 at 8:42 PM, Cathygh said:

Thanks for posting this. I have just booked a short break on Virtuosa in April to see if we like it. Could you possible post the drinks menus? And do they add a service charge?

Thanks

There are various drinks menus, you should be able to Google them- they look very similarto the ones I Googled before we went. They do add 15% if you don't have the drinks package.  

[Cathygh]

4 hours ago, elmsliebev said:

There are various drinks menus, you should be able to Google them- they look very similarto the ones I Googled before we went. They do add 15% if you don't have the drinks package.  

Thank you, I have googled and found conflicting info and prices, some in euros, some in £s, some add on a sevice charge, some don't. My TA said a  pint of beer was £4.50, but on ones I found online were in euros. I don't know what exchange rate is used as 7euros is £6.21. £4.50 is reasonable for a pint of beer, £6.21 is daylight robbery. I looked at the easy package and my TA wanted £30 a day, another TA quoted £19 a day. The worst thing is that I can't find any prices in the MSC website, which is very dodgy in my eyes.

[kernow]

33 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

Thank you, I have googled and found conflicting info and prices, some in euros, some in £s, some add on a sevice charge, some don't. My TA said a  pint of beer was £4.50, but on ones I found online were in euros. I don't know what exchange rate is used as 7euros is £6.21. £4.50 is reasonable for a pint of beer, £6.21 is daylight robbery. I looked at the easy package and my TA wanted £30 a day, another TA quoted £19 a day. The worst thing is that I can't find any prices in the MSC website, which is very dodgy in my eyes.

It depends when your cruise is as to the currency onboard. It is currently Euros as the 'home port' is Hamburg at the moment. When the home port switches to Southampton in April the currency will switch to pounds for the summer season. Drink package is always cheapest to buy when you first book, most expensive when you are onboard.

Sterling onboard prices have not gone up per drink for at least 18 months, there is speculation they are about to as the packages just went up (although the dearer Easy package will include a better selection of beers)

From a pub menu I have from last year draught beers start at £6.50 a pint.

[Cathygh]

14 hours ago, kernow said:

It depends when your cruise is as to the currency onboard. It is currently Euros as the 'home port' is Hamburg at the moment. When the home port switches to Southampton in April the currency will switch to pounds for the summer season. Drink package is always cheapest to buy when you first book, most expensive when you are onboard.

Sterling onboard prices have not gone up per drink for at least 18 months, there is speculation they are about to as the packages just went up (although the dearer Easy package will include a better selection of beers)

From a pub menu I have from last year draught beers start at £6.50 a pint.

Thank you. As I am on one of the first cruises out of Southampton I will to probably have to wait. I have booked on Wednesday and I have tried to login to my booking with theTAs ref, which is in letters, not numbers, and ithe ref is not working. I am not sure if the TA is wrong or the MSC website. 

[kernow]

35 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

Thank you. As I am on one of the first cruises out of Southampton I will to probably have to wait. I have booked on Wednesday and I have tried to login to my booking with theTAs ref, which is in letters, not numbers, and ithe ref is not working. I am not sure if the TA is wrong or the MSC website. 

MSC booking number is 8 digits, all numbers. You need to go back to the TA and ask for the MSC number and then you will be able to log in to the website and app. Drink packages and other things are available to see and purchase on there, also you will be able to check in. Everything is more expensive to purchase onboard so make sure you get anything you want before(I think pre purchases close 2 days before the cruise).

 

Any menus you find in pounds will be last years prices so may increase slightly this season. If you search 'Virtuosa ' in this forum topic you will find lots of threads, I myself have done live threads for the last 2 years and others have too so there is plenty of info. Things will not have changed much when you go.

[Cathygh]

7 hours ago, kernow said:

MSC booking number is 8 digits, all numbers. You need to go back to the TA and ask for the MSC number and then you will be able to log in to the website and app. Drink packages and other things are available to see and purchase on there, also you will be able to check in. Everything is more expensive to purchase onboard so make sure you get anything you want before(I think pre purchases close 2 days before the cruise).

 

Any menus you find in pounds will be last years prices so may increase slightly this season. If you search 'Virtuosa ' in this forum topic you will find lots of threads, I myself have done live threads for the last 2 years and others have too so there is plenty of info. Things will not have changed much when you go.

Thank you that's all great advice. I now have my reference number and the app. I shall give at a go in te morning when I am less tired than I am now.

[Ovsa]

Do they serve peanut butter at breakfast,  Mediterranean/Middle east cruise.?

  Gotta have my PB🙂

 

Thx

 

 

[elmsliebev]

13 hours ago, Ovsa said:

Do they serve peanut butter at breakfast,  Mediterranean/Middle east cruise.?

  Gotta have my PB🙂

 

Thx

 

 

Oh gosh, I don't know! I have a vague feeling of seeing some, but I didn't really look. Worth asking when you're there if you can't see it. 

I can't see why they wouldn't have it - there's a huge range at breakfast in the buffet including a lot of sweet buns, congee & other world foods, pancakes and maple syrup etc. 

Edited March 11, 2023 by elmsliebev