Live on Board MSC Virtuosa European Cruise 27th July 2024

[lgdesign]

20 minutes ago, amurray88 said:

No problem.... What is more the issue is that you admitted a mistake on a forum 😲 you should be banned!!!

 

Gasp... WHAT was I THINKING?  Perhaps a brief shunning will suffice! 

[shopaholic6]

10 hours ago, showingdiva said:

 

Phrase of the day award ....  👏

 

Perhaps those who have joined CC to label Virtuosa the worst experiences of their entire lives (and I'm not saying she's perfect), may wish to email MSC UK directly with their concerns, and the names of the staff members they surely reached out to whilst on board to help alleviate these problems.

 

I am sure ... actually I know .. that MSC UK would appreciate the opportunity to address some of the issues written on this thread.

  

I did email MSC when I returned from my Virtuosa cruise in April and they offered me a voucher off my next cruise with them. Unfortunately, after 9 cruises, the Virtuosa has put me off cruising for life, so I didn’t take them up on their offer.

[MyriamS]

I just find the differences of opinions very hard to understand. Based on this live report, the quality of the food on MSC Virtuosa is inconsistent, with some good and some bad dishes. Based on other reviews, it's "awful", "horrific", "like dog food" etc. We're talking about the same ship, the same crew and (roughly) the same itineraries (European cruises from Southampton). I understand people have different tastes when it comes to food, but I still find it hard to believe anyone would be eating the food and calling it "fine" if it truly was like dog food!

[cruisegal1970]

21 hours ago, Cruiser98761234 said:

 

With so many better options out there MSC are ensuring guests simply will not return. Loads of new cruisers are saying never again!

 

We recently returned from a cruise on Celebrity Equinox, probably spent double what people paid aboard Virtuosa.  Ship was full with exactly the same comments ....poor food quality, lack of sunbeds, lots of unruly children.  

 

If you want a memorable cruise you need to pay a lot more than the typical MSC fare.  Next time try the MSC Yacht Club, that is exceptional, probably the best experience we've ever had cruising in the last twenty years.

[DamianG]

Wednesday 7th August 2024

 

We were up by 8am which was just in time to see the last part of the transit into Lisbon along the river Tagus, including the pass under the 25 de Abril Bridge. Although we have been to Lisbon many times before, this was the first occasion that we were on a ship that docked at the newest cruise terminal which opened in November 2017. This was a bit of a surprise to me as I was thinking to myself “is it really that long since we’ve been here?”  Our first impressions of the (new) terminal were good and I liked the fact that it’s not too far from Praça do Comércio, which has always been a useful landmark on our previous visits here. Michelle and I went up to buffet breakfast at 8:15am and were surprised to find it packed. We were a little frustrated that people were using some of the tables aft to just put their coffees on whilst watching the arrival into port (rather than using them to dine) and we had to settle on a table indoors instead.

 

We returned to the cabin to find Kyle not feeling too well, so we let him go back to sleep for a while. We thought that the Sportsplex reception would open at 10am so we went there to see if we could book ten pin bowling, only to find it closed. There were two signs, one which said that it would open at 2pm and another that said 4pm. We decided to try a few arcade games but a lot of them were out of action, and those working that we tried weren’t that great either. We spent a little more time out of the cabin so that our steward had time to tidy up, and the ship was really quiet as you would expect on a port day.

 

At 1pm we met the in-laws in the Atrium and debarked the ship. Once ashore it was absolutely blazing hot, so we had an extremely slow but short walk along Rua Cais de Santarem before making a very slight diversion to Solar do Vez Restaurante on Campo des Cebolas. We’d seen this small restaurant recommended on a cruise vlog and I instantly recognised the waiter who greeted us and helped us find seats in the shade. He was extremely friendly and helpful, and we were quickly served drinks whilst still making our menu choices. I told him that he was famous on YouTube, and he laughed, saying that he remembered the occasion he had served some cruise vloggers and had put it on his own YouTube channel as well.

 

Everyone had soft drinks apart from myself as I could not resist trying some local Vinho Branco, and very nice it was too. Michelle later joined me in having a glass as well. Kyle and I both had calamari, which was excellent, and I also had some local chorizo which was very good but too big for me to finish on my own. It was presented with a bit of drama as the waiter lit it at the table to burn off the excess alcoholic sauce. Michelle and her mum both had tuna salad, and her dad had sardines but was a little overwhelmed by the large portion served on toast. It was a shame that we could not sit inside where it was a lot cooler, but we all enjoyed the meal, and the final bill came to €93.60. After lunch, Kyle declined the offer to go in search of a shop selling collectibles and Michelle’s parents sent us on ahead, so we were back at the terminal in under 10 minutes. With MSC Orchestra berthed alongside Virtuosa the terminal was very busy, but the security checks were very efficient, and it took just another 10 minutes to get back onboard.

 

Once we’d freshened up Michelle and I went back to the Sportsplex and enquired about ten pin bowling. We were told that it was fully booked all day despite there being nobody using either lane at that time. We were also told that we could not book in advance for tomorrow. I asked what time they open, and the lady said 10am “but you need to get here earlier than that to join the queue to book!”  I then tried the Formula 1 simulator and was very disappointed with my effort, though flip flops were not the ideal footwear choice and a partial excuse. When I’d finished, I went to look at the ten pin bowling. There was still no one playing and one of the lanes looked to be out of service. I couldn’t quite make it out, but it looked like the pinsetter mechanism was broken, though I could be wrong.

 

We returned to the cabin with some soft drinks and spent some time on the balcony. Kyle still wasn’t feeling great, so he had another nap, and we had to wake him to get ready for dinner. We arrived at the Blue Danube at 7:20pm and immediately knew that we would be in for a slow service, with yet another extra table filled with passengers in our corner and all the regular diners present as well.

 

Our orders were taken at 7:41pm, and yet again we were last to be asked. Our table is one of three in a row, then our waiter also covers two more to the side, one of which has different diners every night. For some unknown reason he always starts at the table by the window, then goes to the next one, steps around our table, takes orders from the other two behind us, then us last. The first table that he always visits is for a family that have complained on at least two occasions, but all the same it’s hard to understand why we are always last.

 

Our starters were finally delivered at 8:07pm. Michelle and I had empadinha de queijo, which was an empanada filled with ricotta, nuts, raisins and Parmesan cream. She really liked it, I found it to be just okay. Our main courses were served at 8:37 pm, slightly earlier than when we’d finished our entire meal the previous evening. Michelle had breaded chicken Kiev, which she said was fine, but yet again the mashed potato was lumpy. I had the “always available” chicken biriyani, which was awful. I usually love a biriyani, but this felt overcooked, and I particularly didn’t like the chicken thigh still on the bone. I didn’t finish it, a very rare occurrence for me. Once again there was a birthday parade by waiters and a manager, but as the birthday boy was in our section, our waiter joined in as well.

 

Desserts were served just before 9pm. Michelle had the almond cream and blueberry tart with raspberry coulis, which she enjoyed. Her dad left his yet again, complaining about it not being served with custard. I chose dark chocolate parfait, which didn’t look anything like I expected, but I enjoyed it and again it was the highlight of the meal. When we’d finished a waiter from another section came over to help clear up. We left at 9:15pm and again we were the last to leave.

 

Kyle had left his dessert and already returned to the cabin early. We thought it would be best not to attend any of the White Night activities onboard and just return to the cabin in case he needed us. We got some glasses of wine and planned to have our own White Night event on the balcony, but the Atlantic Trade winds had other ideas, so we quickly retreated indoors. Kyle had an early night, and we passed the rest of the evening watching a film on BBC.

 

 

Edited August 8 by DamianG

[morpheusofthesea]

5 hours ago, DamianG said:

We were a little frustrated that people were using some of the tables aft to just put their coffees on whilst watching the arrival into port (rather than using them to dine) and we had to settle on a table indoors instead.

I'm not surprised,

[amurray88]

23 hours ago, MyriamS said:

I just find the differences of opinions very hard to understand. Based on this live report, the quality of the food on MSC Virtuosa is inconsistent, with some good and some bad dishes. Based on other reviews, it's "awful", "horrific", "like dog food" etc. We're talking about the same ship, the same crew and (roughly) the same itineraries (European cruises from Southampton). I understand people have different tastes when it comes to food, but I still find it hard to believe anyone would be eating the food and calling it "fine" if it truly was like dog food!

I wish I had taken photos Myriam. I'm not a posh guy or some sort of food snob. The OP on this said the "prime sirloin" was really poor and I can only say that it looked 100 times better than what we were served. Ours was soggy, mushy, liquidy. Are these words you'd like to associate with "sirloin" steak?

 

I had duck - it was tough, dry, very very chewy with no moisture in it.

 

I understand when you say there are a few different opinions. Maybe we got unlucky. I'm not here to say the whole cruise was awful - it wasn't and I've got alot of positives to say about it. But if you're asking me about the main courses in the MDR I'd say in my experience it was extremely poor.

 

Desserts were fine - I didn't have any starters. But I was completely taken aback at the mains.

[amurray88]

22 hours ago, cruisegal1970 said:

We recently returned from a cruise on Celebrity Equinox, probably spent double what people paid aboard Virtuosa.  Ship was full with exactly the same comments ....poor food quality, lack of sunbeds, lots of unruly children.  

 

If you want a memorable cruise you need to pay a lot more than the typical MSC fare.  Next time try the MSC Yacht Club, that is exceptional, probably the best experience we've ever had cruising in the last twenty years.

I also say this. For us, the food was awful and I'm not willing to pay for speciality (that's not true...I'm not willing to pay the rate MSC want for speciality). 

 

BUT I paid £1,000 for my cruise. I couldn't get a week in Spain self catering for that. If I paid £1,500 would it be substantially better? Perhaps I could argue P&O could fall into that bracket and IMO compared with my latest MSC then yes it would be a good bit better. But if I wanted really good then I couldn't get it for £3,000 never mind £1,000. I think to get substantially better I'd be creeping into the £6-7k. 

[NewWestwardbound]

26 minutes ago, amurray88 said:

But if you're asking me about the main courses in the MDR I'd say in my experience it was extremely poor.

 

Desserts were fine - I didn't have any starters. But I was completely taken aback at the mains.

Did you try the buffet at all? I’m trying to get a feel for the extent of the issue beyond the mains in the MDR. 

[MyriamS]

33 minutes ago, amurray88 said:

I wish I had taken photos Myriam. I'm not a posh guy or some sort of food snob. The OP on this said the "prime sirloin" was really poor and I can only say that it looked 100 times better than what we were served. Ours was soggy, mushy, liquidy. Are these words you'd like to associate with "sirloin" steak?

 

I had duck - it was tough, dry, very very chewy with no moisture in it.

 

I understand when you say there are a few different opinions. Maybe we got unlucky. I'm not here to say the whole cruise was awful - it wasn't and I've got alot of positives to say about it. But if you're asking me about the main courses in the MDR I'd say in my experience it was extremely poor.

 

Desserts were fine - I didn't have any starters. But I was completely taken aback at the mains.

That's fair. Maybe they had problems with supplies during your cruise and you ended up with terrible cuts of meat. I would rather they not serve sirloin if they don't have it, but I guess they do not want to alter their menu. 

[cruisegal1970]

42 minutes ago, amurray88 said:

I also say this. For us, the food was awful and I'm not willing to pay for speciality (that's not true...I'm not willing to pay the rate MSC want for speciality). 

 

For a little clarity, do you realise that to eat every night in the specialty restaurants aboard MSC will cost you under £250 for your recent cruise.  

 

Specialty dining aboard Celebrity £56pp,  MSC £37pp,  Princess £45pp,  P&O £28pp.

Of course P&O epicurean is no comparison to Celebrity Murano.

[DamianG]

Thursday 7th August 2024

 

We had another poor night’s sleep with our creaking cabin and this time I did not get lucky with my attempts to stop it. Our alarm clock went off at 7:45am and seconds later there was a knock on the door with Kyle’s 8am breakfast delivery. I fancied a change from the buffet, so we went down to Minuetto where we expected a seated breakfast option only to find that it wasn’t open. Instead, there was a brunch option 9-1pm so we decided to get coffee in the Atrium and just wait. We joined a queue at 8:55am and were seated soon after. We were quickly offered coffee, and I asked for mine with plenty of milk. It was probably the best one I’ve had at breakfast aside from the lattes in the Atrium bar.

 

Michelle had yogurt and granola to start with and we both chose a full English breakfast, hers without tomato and mine with added black pudding (just to try it). We were served toast, pastries, and watered-down orange juice which to be fair was better than last time. There was a bit of a delay for Michelle’s pot of tea, but we like how it was served in a proper tea pot with a separate jug of milk. I’d not noticed that fried bread was included (otherwise I’d have excluded it) and the large plate was very full. I’d asked for fried eggs “easy over” and they were the best yet though I’d have cooked them a fraction longer at home. The bacon was cooked to perfection for our taste, very much a contrast to that we’ve had on board previously. The only disappointment were the mushrooms which we both found very salty. The black pudding was very good, the food was hot, and overall, it was a good breakfast. We also enjoyed the environment in Minuetto, and definitely think that we are in poorest restaurant on board (Blue Danube) for our fixed dining time slot.

 

We returned to the cabin to check on Kyle, then went up to the Sportsplex on deck 16 to join the queue and try book ten pin bowling. We got chatting to the lady behind and neither of us were hopeful. We said that we’d been told you could only book on the day, but she advised that she’d been told you can book up to one day in advance. We were three from the front when there was a shout from behind the desk saying that ten pin bowling was fully booked. A staff member came out shortly after and walked down the queue to pass on this information, and when we said that we’d try again tomorrow he advised that there was no point as it was fully booked for then as well. So that leaves us with a large balance on a fun pass that we cannot use for the main reason we bought it. I went round the corner to see if anyone was actually using the ten pin bowling lanes and they were being fixed by two engineers. All the other arcade games that had been out of action yesterday (with a notice stating that they would be available today) were still out of action but the sign had changed with no indication of when they will be fixed.

 

A little later we dragged Kyle out of the cabin and returned to the Sportsplex. This time we were able to book a slot in the Interactive Cinema for a zombie shooting game. The lady taking the booking said ten minutes, but our wait was closer to twenty-five. Only five out of ten seats for our time slot were taken which made it a slightly better experience, and I finished top of the leaderboard for killing zombies. Now that is definitely a skill that I never knew I had! After this I wanted to report our creaking cabin to reception and on the way noticed that there was a member of staff free at future cruise sails. I asked if our booking (Fantastica experience) or our Voyagers Club status made any difference to us being allocated the Blue Danube for our fixed dining arrangement, but she said that we could have been allocated any of the restaurants, expect those for reserved for Aurea experience and of course Yacht Club. Doubtless there will be an explanation, but I’ve not worked it out yet.

 

I went to reception and said that I wanted to report a creaking cabin over the last 36 hours. Though polite, the staff member gave me a lecture on how they have had many comments about this from lots of passengers, and how I must appreciate that the ship will move about when it increases its speed and meets different sea and wind conditions. I did not interrupt, then when it was my turn to speak, I mentioned how many cruises we had been on. I went on to explain that we have experienced this before, and that on many occasions it had been rectified via an engineer visit to the cabin. Then, and only then, did he advise that he would make a service call and request an engineer visit to the cabin to try resolve the issue. If we ever sail with MSC again, I’ll just bring my own can of WD40 and spray the creaking joints myself! Joking aside, we’ve experienced this several times before, usually on older vessels, and seen it often rectified with lubricant and/or strategic placement of cardboard or paper in the cracks where joints clash. It has been a real surprise to experience it so badly on such a new ship.

 

We passed a bit of time wandering the decks and found that the pool areas on deck 15 mid and aft were heaving with all sun beds occupied* despite the strong winds. (*occupied as in with belongings or actual passengers). It would have been lovely and warm without the winds, but we chose to retreat indoors and passed some time in the Starship Club instead. It took over 20 minutes to get served, but we weren’t in a hurry to go anywhere anyway. Whilst there the captain made an announcement that an air evacuation was required for a poorly passenger, and that this would take place forward. Funny enough, last night the diner at the next table was grumbling about not being able to have a view forward on this ship, but obviously this was a blessing on this occasion. Only Yacht Club passengers were requested not to use the outside areas. We didn’t see it ourselves, but the captain announced that the process had been successfully completed a short while later.

 

Around 2:30pm we thought that the lunchtime buffet rush would have quietened down, but were completely wrong as it was the busiest we’ve ever seen it. We bailed out accordingly, then walking through the main pool area realised that the Grab n’Go was closed, so at that time other than specialty dining the buffet was the only option, with not even a seated lunchtime service anywhere. We decided to try Masters of the Seas and pay for a portion of fish and chips instead. All the seats outside on La Galeria were taken, and every seat inside was occupied as well. The number of small children in there was a big surprise, as was seeing a few couples just sat in there occupying seats and tables without actually having a drink or bite to eat. We got extremely lucky to get offered a table for two from a couple who were leaving. We waited over twenty minutes to get served, then were told that any food orders would take another thirty minutes. We therefore decided to leave immediately. As we passed through La Galeria we saw that the Virtuosa Bar was so full that one family were sat on the floor. 

 

I then had the idea to revisit Hola! and just have burritos as we’d declined them on our “all you can eat” visit last week. It was busy but there was space for us, and we were quickly served. It took a while to make our waiter understand that we wanted to pay for individual items, instead of having all you can eat, but we got there in the end. I hadn’t noticed the wine menu before, and could not believe that it had so many of my favourites, including Greco di Tufo, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Rioja etc. Why are these not available in any of the other venues? I chose Greco di Tufo and it did not let me down. We had some nachos to start with, then beef and chicken burritos which were lovely. They were also very filling, and we were right to decline them when working our way through the menu previously. We were also able to order a “takeaway” portion of nachos for our son. I asked if we could just order drinks from there in future but was told that they are only available if dining as well. I am gutted to say the least.

 

The sun was shining on our starboard balcony, and we had some shelter from the wind so that’s where we passed the rest of the afternoon, though Michelle did make an early start on the packing. It was a “Dress to Impress” Gala dinner night though MSC do not have any specific dress code as such, so anything goes. Though I’m neutral on whether there should be a dress code or not myself, I’m not yet used to seeing gentlemen in tuxedos and full dinner suits dining alongside others in t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops!

 

Our waiter took our orders and when it came to Kyle’s turn he said, “Can I have my usual please, pasta with tomato sauce and chocolate cake?”  Our waiter just said “No, you cannot” and we all laughed, thinking he was joking. Then he repeated himself, “You cannot have this, it is not on today’s menu.” I said that we thought that pasta and tomato sauce would be always available but he was adamant that it was not on the menu today so Kyle could not have it. Kyle reluctantly picked braised short rib ravioli which he ate a little of, and he also tried some of his mum’s duck a l’orange.

 

Michelle and I both chose Brie in crispy almond brioche for starter, which we both really enjoyed. For my main I had roasted beef fillet in Marsala wine sauce. I wasn’t asked how I would like it cooked, but when I enquired whether I had a choice our waiter said yes, so I requested medium rare. It was very well cooked, came with a good gravy and very nice roast potato. I left the triangle of puff pastry that was also on the plate as I thought that it might bring back my indigestion. Michelle said that the duck was a bit tough but okay. We all had baked Alaska for dessert, which was nice enough, but we’ve had better. We all got stuck into it straight away though, and forgot to take a photo!

 

Before we left I had a quick word with the passengers at the next table, so I was a little behind the rest of our party when the restaurant manager who had visited our table several times over the last two weeks stopped me and asked if everything was okay. I hadn’t planned on saying anything but in that moment my response was “Actually, I have a question please, if that is okay?” I told him about the refusal of pasta with tomato sauce for Kyle, and simply asked if it was correct that it was not available. His initial reaction was to take me over to the waiter to talk about it, but I declined and stood my ground saying that I just wanted to know if that was right. He said that it wasn’t, and that the waiter could have asked for it. Again, he wanted to talk to the waiter in my presence, but I insisted that I did not want to do this and would leave it with him. I thanked him and said that I had to catch up with my wife and son as they were going to the buffet to get him something to eat. The manager said that he would arrange for a pasta delivery to our cabin, but I said that it was too late as they were already on their way and I needed to catch them up. This was a kind offer and with hindsight I should have accepted, but at that time we thought that there would be something appropriate in the buffet, and as I had not planned for the conversation with the manager Kyle and Michelle were already on their way. Unfortunately, there was only a spaghetti pasta option in the buffet (which Kyle did not want) so he ended up with some pizza marinara.

 

One we had made sure Kyle was okay we caught up with the in-laws on the starboard side of the Starship club. They’d done well to get a table with three chairs, and we soon recovered the fourth so that we were all seated. Kelvin was quickly on hand to serve drinks, and we had a bit of a laugh with him. There was a duo performing songs in the Atrium. Presumably they were Italian and the last two songs were performed in that language, the first being Nel Blu di Pinto di Blu, aka “Volare” where a lot of passengers joined in with the chorus. I have no idea what the last song was called, but it was very upbeat and enjoyable. When they finished the solo guitarist from the Diamond members party started to set up. As he was doing this a large family group in our area started playing their own music very loudly, drawing a lot of attention to themselves though they seemed to be oblivious. Kelvin quietly went over and asked them not to do this, and they turned it off.

 

We enjoyed the brief set by the solo guitarist, then Michelle and I went to La Galeria to catch a bit of the Hollywood Stars party. Maybe they were in character but some of the dancers seemed a little less energetic than usual. Indiana Jones, Charlie Chaplin and Elsa seemed a little subdued, whilst Lara Croft, Catwoman and Little Red Riding Hood were giving it everything. Still it was fun watching everything for 15 minutes or so. When we returned to the in-laws that large family group were playing their own music again and it seemed louder than before. We finished our drinks and called it a day accordingly.

 

 

 

Edited August 9 by DamianG

[morpheusofthesea]

Excellent review !

[MyriamS]

Thanks for your review! It seems you experienced what I call 'the German level of customer service' where polite complaints are met with a lecture on how you, the customer, is at fault. Only when you insist and backs up your claim with proof comes a grudging acceptance that they should do something, or an insincere apology and nothing done at all. 

 

(Before someone says so, I know most Germans are not like that, and are in fact lovely people! But customer service standards in large German companies and public offices is poor and everyone suffers from it.)

 

I'm quite curious that you mentioned brunch as I thought it was only available on MSC Carribbean itineraries. Would you be able to share the menu with us? 

[DamianG]

2 hours ago, MyriamS said:

Thanks for your review! It seems you experienced what I call 'the German level of customer service' where polite complaints are met with a lecture on how you, the customer, is at fault. Only when you insist and backs up your claim with proof comes a grudging acceptance that they should do something, or an insincere apology and nothing done at all. 

 

(Before someone says so, I know most Germans are not like that, and are in fact lovely people! But customer service standards in large German companies and public offices is poor and everyone suffers from it.)

 

I'm quite curious that you mentioned brunch as I thought it was only available on MSC Carribbean itineraries. Would you be able to share the menu with us? 

Sorry, the brunch menu was paper only as far as I could make out. I could not find it on the MSC app.

[amurray88]

On 8/9/2024 at 10:32 AM, cruisegal1970 said:

For a little clarity, do you realise that to eat every night in the specialty restaurants aboard MSC will cost you under £250 for your recent cruise.  

 

Specialty dining aboard Celebrity £56pp,  MSC £37pp,  Princess £45pp,  P&O £28pp.

Of course P&O epicurean is no comparison to Celebrity Murano.

My cruise was £1,000... To then add on £500 would be a huge percentage.

 

I should be able to expect a "reasonable" meal in MDR. If I want "fancy" I can go to speciality. Instead with my last MSC cruise if I wanted edible I had to go speciality.

[amurray88]

On 8/9/2024 at 3:14 PM, MyriamS said:

Thanks for your review! It seems you experienced what I call 'the German level of customer service' where polite complaints are met with a lecture on how you, the customer, is at fault. Only when you insist and backs up your claim with proof comes a grudging acceptance that they should do something, or an insincere apology and nothing done at all. 

 

(Before someone says so, I know most Germans are not like that, and are in fact lovely people! But customer service standards in large German companies and public offices is poor and everyone suffers from it.)

 

I'm quite curious that you mentioned brunch as I thought it was only available on MSC Carribbean itineraries. Would you be able to share the menu with us? 

We had "brunch" on each of our sea days on a 7 night cruise... MDR only opened 9-1 and strangely I'd have said it was a breakfast and lunch menu rather than brunch if that made sense. At 9am they had fish and chips on the menu for example 🤣

 

AND in terms of ordering the pasta, we had the same. "Always Available" is not always available and it seemed that it wasn't available during gala nights?

[DamianG]

Friday 9th August 2024

 

Despite Kyle changing his room service breakfast time to 8:15am we still got a knock on the door at 7:50am. I knew that I wasn’t going to get back to sleep so I made a poor attempt to find clothes and quietly leave the cabin for a wander around. It took me an age to get ready and I eventually got to the Atrium for coffee around 8:20am. The reception was fully staffed and there were a handful of passengers around, but otherwise everything was very peaceful, something to be appreciated on this ship. I took my coffee up to the Champagne Bar which I had to myself and had a bit of a catch-up using Michelle’s iPad and internet pass.

 

Michelle joined me at 8:55am and we made the short stroll to Minuetto for the brunch service again. There was a short queue, and we were quickly seated. Michelle noticed that there was a bacon, egg and cheese muffin on the menu, so I chose that with hash browns on the side. It turned out to be a muffin cut in two with both sides loaded with bacon and a poached egg, with a little Parmesan grated on top. I love Parmesan on my pasta, but it didn’t really work for me, though it didn’t spoil it either. It ended up being a huge breakfast and I was well and truly stuffed. Michelle had yogurt and granola again, followed by a cheese omelette along with bacon and a hash brown. There wasn’t much cheese in the omelette, but she enjoyed it all the same. We were sat on a table for two at the end of a line of three. There was about 4 inches between the tables. The chap next to us kept himself to himself so we respected that. He had a bit of bother requesting a gluten free omelette, and the waiter took a bit of persuading that he had already checked that it would be possible before making his order. He eventually got his though it took a little longer than ours, and he quickly ate it before quietly going on his way.

 

On leaving the restaurant a manager said hello and I asked about swapping restaurants onboard once fixed dining had been allocated. He passed me on to a lovely lady who explained that you can queue at the restaurant of your choice, then when the doors close for each sitting the managers see if they can accommodate the walk-ups.

 

During the morning, we received a telephone call in the cabin from an engineer. He advised that he had visited the cabin whilst we were out yesterday but found that there was nothing specific that he could do to resolve our creaking issues. He said that nothing in particular was faulty or broken, and it was ultimately due to the ship build itself. He apologised and Michelle thanked him for the visit and call.

 

Late morning we got Kyle out of the cabin for a while and found seats on the starboard side of the Champagne Bar. Whilst sat there we could hear the staff farewell presentation from La Galeria which was extremely loud, even from a distance. That was followed by live music from Christo, who plays electric guitar and is very talented, a bit like a pocket size version of Chesney Hawkes. I went to the end of La Galeria for a while to watch and he put on a really good show, even if not all of the chosen pop songs were exactly to my taste. That said, he did play some Status Quo just as I arrived, so must have sensed I am a fan somehow!

 

After that Kyle and I went shopping in Jean-Philippe Maury’s chocolate shop and café on La Galeria. Everything cost a fortune as you would expect, but Kyle and Michelle were keen to get something, so we ended up choosing some small boxes from the “buy 2 get the 3rd free” section. From there Kyle and I went to another shop to buy some fridge magnets for ourselves and the in-laws, and Kyle picked a key ring for himself to get the “3 for £12” promotion.

 

I then visited reception to see if we could get a partial refund on our fun pass. I spoke to the same gentleman as yesterday and I thanked him for arranging the engineer visit, saying that although the matter was not resolved, I appreciated that he had done everything that he could. He then listened as I told him how we’d spent less than we paid for it and no matter how many times we tried we had not been able to book a ten-pin bowling session. I also referenced the arcade games that were out of order, in particular the air hockey game that Kyle usually likes to play. Without hesitation he immediately offered to refund the difference between what we’d paid versus what we’d spent. He also explained that we would forfeit the bonus that we received for paying pre-cruise, which is what I expected. I was very happy with this outcome and after thanking him left him to it.

 

My final bit of admin for the day was to try deposit some spare cash onto our on-board account to help pay-off the outstanding balance. I used one of the terminals that are located at various places around the ship and found it to be extremely easy to use. This is a fantastic innovation and far better than queueing at reception to make a deposit via a person.

 

Before heading back to the cabin I called in the Starship Club to get some soft drinks. Despite being busy the staff member I’d chatted to a few times waved me to the bar and asked me what I would like. I asked for some fizzy drinks and water, and he immediately just handed them over. When I offered my cruise card he just smiled and said “No need!”  Fabulous service and really appreciated.

 

Michelle and I were ready for some lunch around 3pm so our only option was the Grab n’Go (reopened thankfully) or the buffet. We chose the latter, and I was hoping for fish and chips. Instead, we found battered cod balls with sweetcorn, which we both ended up having after hesitating and checking out every other option instead. I actually ended up with a nice plate of fish and chips with salad, just not quite what I’d anticipated. The only disappointment was the potato salad as the potatoes were undercooked and very hard. What on Earth was I doing adding those alongside chips anyway? At least I didn’t choose the Brussel sprouts, and I’ve got a feeling that no-one else did either.

 

It wasn’t too busy but there was a bizarre moment when I was stood waiting to get some salad. I was minding my own business with my back to the passing foot traffic when I suddenly felt someone trip over my heel. I turned round to see a fairly tall man (I’d guess in his 60’s or possibly older) then stumble down the walkway for around 5 or 6 metres before somehow regaining his balance. How he didn’t fall over I’ll never know. Even though I’d had my back to him and was not at fault, I was ready to help and also to apologise. After regaining his balance, he half turned round but never actually looked back and sped off through the buffet, walking really quickly. The whole thing was just really odd.

 

Michelle got a table outside aft and we saw her mum and dad so waved them over to join us. It was the first time they’d sat there, and they agreed about it being a good spot, less chaotic than inside the buffet and lovely in the fresh air, not too hot and not too cold. We helped them get their food and stayed a short while before leaving them to a selection of desserts we’d brought.

 

We took some pizza and pasta back to the cabin for Kyle, along with two glasses of wine for us. We had a leisurely time packing whilst watching the Olympic Games on TV. It has been really fantastic having some “normal” TV channels available in the cabin.

 

We went for our final dinner in the Blue Danube. Our section was full with one of the “walk up” parties from the previous evening having the same table again. The family group at the end wanted pictures with our waiter which was understandable, but at the same time slowed down the service even more. Eventually we placed our orders, and our drinks were served by the assistant a while later, though he was hesitant and unsure who was having what as usual.

 

There were two very noticeable walk up groups on tables near to us. The large family group that were playing their own music from the previous evening had two or even three tables pushed together, and were receiving a lot of attention from a restaurant manager, who seemed to be doing all he could to help them.

 

Immediately behind us were a family of four, and the restaurant manager that I’d spoken to a few times was positively fawning over them. He provided paper menus for all of them (rather than to share) and personally served everything. We can only guess why they received five star treatment. Michelle suggested that maybe they were Yacht Club class who fancied a change of dining venue. The only other thing I could think of is maybe one the adults was a crew member with their family joining them on-board for a holiday.

 

Kyle, Michelle and I all had fried calamari and shrimp Italian salad. The calamari was nice, but one of my shrimps needed the shell and vein removing (which I know is typical but was enough to put me off) and there was no aioli or dressing. There was some courgette and carrot (I think both oven-baked) and despite my best efforts to squeeze two lemons on it all, everything was far too dry. Kyle in particular was disappointed and left his.

 

Our table is tucked away in a corner of Blue Danube, so when there was an announcement in the restaurant we could neither see nor hear what was happening. Loud music started and everyone started waving their napkins so we soon knew that there would be a chef’s or galley parade. Some of the waitresses wore masks used for masquerade balls, and there was some dancing with a few passengers being dragged up to join in. There was lots of clapping to the music then a conga line with passengers and crew started to dance around the restaurant. I glanced around and all the other tables around us had finished their main courses, whilst our table had yet to be cleared of the starter plates. There was all this celebratory stuff going off, and all that grumpy me could think was “I’d just like my dinner.”

 

Once everything had quietened down our table was cleared and a short while afterwards our main courses were served. Michelle had the Mediterranean style mixed seafood grill, consisting of swordfish, cuttlefish and king prawn. She said that it was okay but could not eat the cuttlefish which was too tough. Once again, her dad left most of his. I had paella which was a disappointment. I think that my expectation was too high, as I expected something cooked slowly over several hours, with a delicious sauce. What I got was like a supermarket ready meal, where all the ingredients are fine and well cooked, but it lacks any real depth of flavour. Michelle’s mum had lasagne which was “good, but not as nice as La Cantina” (a local restaurant at home).

 

Both VIP tables were long gone by the time we finished our main courses, and the two regular tables next to us also said their goodbyes. There was then an announcement in the restaurant asking for the members of the medical team to make their way to a checkpoint and that it was an emergency (not a drill). Michelle said, “I bet that includes our waiter” and of course she was right. Eventually a waiter from another section served our desserts.

 

We both wanted to try tiramisu and baklava, and the waiter got a little confused serving me one dish then three to her. It took him a little while to see what we were laughing about then he realised and sorted it out with a smile. The baklava was nice but very heavy and Michelle could not finish hers. The tiramisu was delicious and a lovely way to finish.

 

Whilst we were still at the table there was an announcement warning all staff that the next sitting was due to start in 10 minutes. We left the restaurant a little later at 9:22pm, leaving them 8 minutes to prepare the table for the next diners. On the way out our usual restaurant manager apologised for the disrupted service and confirmed that our waiter had been called away. I didn’t see any point in saying that our particular meal was way behind everyone else before that anyway.

 

We didn’t fancy our chances at being seated in our usual preferred venues and so it proved. We tried the Champagne Bar where Oliver came over and tried to find us some seats but without success. We decided to leave Michelle’s parents to it and just called it a day, and so we thanked Oliver for everything he’d done for us, then moved on. Apparently, the in-laws were seated just a short while afterwards.

 

Michelle and I went for one last stroll around the ship as we didn’t want to go to bed immediately after dinner. The main pool area on deck 15 was a lot quieter, with no entertainment being provided. On the smoking side every table and chair was taken. We were surprised at how passengers were still using the Tropical pool and hot tubs given that it was 9:50pm. It was quieter aft and as you would expect breezy on the decks higher up.

 

We returned to the cabin just after 10pm. I could hear a helicopter so I went out on the balcony and could see that it was approaching Virtuosa. I realised that we were receiving shore side medical assistance again so I stayed out for ages, watching it circle round and round. Virtuosa had stopped completely, and the TV ship tracker showed that we were just off the northern coast of France. At 11pm I’d almost given up watching and was heading for bed when the helicopter became louder than ever. Although I had a limited view, I watched as the helicopter came in very quickly towards the forward end of the ship on a really low trajectory. It was quite spectacular in the darkness. We later read that initially a doctor had been dropped off to assess the emergency, then the helicopter circled before returning to perform a full evacuation. This is second hand information from social media, so we cannot verify it, but it would match what we’d seen, especially the circling round for an hour or so.

 

Edited August 11 by DamianG

[DamianG]

Saturday 10th August 2024

 

We were up at 6:30am and had a small breakfast in the buffet. It wasn’t half as busy as we expected. We had been allocated disembarkation group 5 and we went to meet the in-laws (waiting for assisted disembarkation) in the Startship Club. We were called right on time at 7:45am and then were escorted off the ship by a wheelchair pusher, all the way to the baggage collection. The bags were laid out in disembarkation group order, and we found ours in under a minute. We then strolled out of the terminal, loaded the car (which took around 10 minutes in itself), and were on the road at 8:14am. It was a little slow exiting the car park but overall, the whole operation was the best we’d ever experienced.

 

 

[purplesea]

Thank you for an interesting and informative review.

I have enjoyed reading it.

 

[NewWestwardbound]

16 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Thank you for an interesting and informative review.

I have enjoyed reading it.

 

Likewise! Balanced and well written. 

[FionaMG]

Thanks for sharing. I've enjoyed reading about your adventures. 🙂

[MyriamS]

Baklava looks yummy! Thanks for the trip report. 

[cushyb]

Thank you for taking the time  and effort  to do this. 

[morpheusofthesea]

Very in depth.