We recently sailed on a weekend cruise on MSC Virtuosa. And whilst the experience meant this was my first and last cruise on MSC. The ship is beautiful, and maybe on another longer cruise, the experience could have been a much better one.
Photo Tour and Review of a Short Cruise on MSC Virtuosa
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I will start by saying a short cruise is not something I will ever do again. Rather than being a taster of a cruise holiday, it attracts a party audience, putting the staff under a lot of pressure, which acts as a deterrent to cruising.
I talked to a few people who said they would never step foot on a ship again. And were reluctant to believe that this wasn’t what a cruise experience was about. But let me take you on a short tour of the ship, becuase it does have a lot to offer.
The Galleria Virtuosa
The Galleria Virtuosa has an impressive LED Dome that changes throughout the cruise and works to set a theme and tone for special events.
The indoor promenade features both main and speciality restaurants, along with shops, including designer shops and duty-free shops. You will also find the English pub, chocolate shop, Starship bar and champagne bar.
Crystal Staircase on MSC Virtuosa
All of the areas are spacious and modern, connected by a crystal staircase. It has a champagne bar to the side, and although it was always super busy, it has a good choice of champagne and cocktails.
The Main Dining Room on MSC Virtuosa
The entrance to the main dining room is grand the space is truly beautiful. However we were given a 9pm dining time and when I asked to change was told no. Now I don’t want to go on holiday and be told when to eat; this is not an experience I have had before.
I also tried to go into the restaurant for breakfast but was told I could sit down and wouldn’t be served for 40 minutes to an hour, which, in hindsight, I should have done, as the buffet restaurant was chaos with long queues. We decided to pay and eat in the speciality restaurants, which turned out to be a good move.
Speciality Dining on MSC Virtuosa
We really didn’t have a choice but to eat in speciality dining—it was to eat at 9 p.m. or fight in the buffet. However, the experience in every speciality dining venue was exceptional. We always opt for a few nights of speciality dining when we sail on Royal Caribbean. It’s great to have a different, more elevated experience.
Indochine Restaurant
Indochine Restaurant is a French-Vietnamese restaurant; the service and food are excellent. The dining experience costs £49.00 for a three-course meal. I loved the French-inspired design of the restaurant, and because it is small, it feels like a luxury restaurant. The food is quirky and tasty.
Butcher’s Cut Steak House
The Butcher’s cut cost us £47.00, and the steak was delicious; the whole experience was exceptional. Excellent service, a good choice of steak cuts, and options for non-steak lovers.
Hola! Tacos & Cantina
Although Hola Cantina is the cheapest option, with an all-you-can-eat menu priced at £17.99, the atmosphere, food, and service are excellent. We got lots of dishes and shared plates such as Enchiladas, Burritos and Tostadas.
MSC Starship Club
The MSC Starship Club is an out-of-this-world experience aboard MSC Cruises, blending futuristic design with cutting-edge technology. At the club’s heart is Rob, a humanoid robotic bartender ready to serve you cosmic cocktails with a show of flair. It’s super cool, but as it wasn’t part of the drinks package, I didn’t see anyone use it. I did intend to order a drink but time was limited and missed the opportunity.
Kids Pool, Water Slides and Climbing Ropes, The Savannah Aquapark
This is such a great area. MSC Virtuosa is enormous, and the kid’s splash pool, slides, and ropes are at the back of the ship. It’s a great way of channelling people and giving the kids a space to have so much fun without affecting others on the ship, who just want to chill.
The Tropical Pool
Located under a retractable roof, this all-weather pool area boasts a tropical ambience, complete with vibrant greenery, sun loungers, and a spacious swimming pool.
The Atmosphere Pool
The atmosphere pool is beautiful and possibly the biggest pool I have ever seen on a cruise ship. With sunbeds on the outer edge of the pool, plus more around the edges there is plenty of space.
The Pool on Sea Day
However, it does get super busy. We avoided the pool as they were playing football on the screen, so it just didn’t feel like a chilled space. While many people loved the space for me, it felt a bit chaotic. However, as a rule, we prefer to find a quiet place away from the pool.
Artwork on MSC Virtuosa
There is a lot of impressive artwork on the ship; it is worth taking a walk around it, as it’s truly a beautiful ship with lots to look at.
Mistakes We Made
A taster cruise is not a taster cruise; it’s code for a booze cruise unless that’s your thing, avoid at all costs. The first day of a cruise is always chaos, but the chaos didn’t go away; it just felt unsettled and manic all the time.
I also should have complained about the dining time, but I didn’t want to spend time complaining. There didn’t seem to be a point, and the restaurant’s staff just didn’t seem to care. Plus, the speciality dining was fabulous and worth every penny.
Overall Thoughts on MSC Virtuosa
This is a tough one as I am sharing an opinion of a brand after a 2-night taster cruise. However, surely that’s the aim of trying the brand before you book a more extended cruise. This is disappointing as it has made me think booking MSC is too much of a risk. Saying that Donna my partner here at Cruising with Kids loves MSC and is right when she says don’t judge a cruise by a short cruise, she has had the same experience on Royal Caribbean.
Overall, the ship was stunning, and most passengers were friendly. However, the ship just felt overcrowded and chaotic, and the crew seemed so stressed and many were disinterested, making the experience mediocre, to say the least.
Check Out Our Obstructed Balcony Cabin
Take a tour of our cabin onboard MSC Virtuosa.
Take A Tour of MSC Fantasia
