We’ve just returned from a fantastic family cruise onboard the ginormous and very beautiful MSC Virtuosa! A slightly older, and marginally smaller sistership to the MSC Euribia which we sailed on over Christmas (You can read about that ship here if you’re interested)
Known as a masterpiece at sea, the MSC Virtuosa gained its name from the Italian word ‘virtuoso’. Meaning someone who’s extremely skilled in a creative, musical or artistic way. Perhaps that shines some light on why this impressive 19-deck megaship puts on so many fabulous shows every evening. More on those later!
No matter your age, there is something for everyone to enjoy onboard the MSC Virtuosa. Whether thats for a spontaneous friends trip, fun family vacation or a partying couples getaway.
If you’re considering booking a cruise holiday with this Italian cruise line, and you’re wondering what life is like onboard the Virtuosa. Hopefully this article and review will help you to discover all the facilities onboard (there’s a lot) and enable you to decide if this is the right ship for you.
Plus we will take a look at the perks you get with the Aurea experience, and see if its worth spending the extra money.
Come take a look!
In this article...
How big is MSC’s Virtuosa Cruise Ship?
Let’s begin with the sheer size of this 181 ton megaship. At full capacity, the MSC Virtuosa can accommodate 6334 passengers and just over 1700 staff! Making this floating hotel more like a small city at sea.
With a vessel length of 331 meters, that’s the equivalent of over three Big Bens in tandem! It’s ginormous. This ship’s impressive stats mean it’s currently joint ranked as the 18th largest ship in the world, right alongside MSC’s Grandiosa!
Even though that’s a full towns worth of people, the ship didn’t feel cramped when we were onboard. Sure, it can get busy and congested in certain spots at times. Like when the theatre empties out after a show, or being in the buffet at peak meal times. But we could always find pockets of peace and quiet when we needed to escape the party vibe and busyness of this ship.
Balcony & partial view balcony rooms
Like all cruise ships there are different cabin options to match a variety of budgets, with internal rooms generally always the cheapest. We booked ourselves a balcony room for a couple reasons.
- Because having that small area of private outside space is rather lovely. Especially in the morning and evening when everyone in your cabin is getting ready. The extra space is pretty handy to get out of each others way.
- It was a bargain at the time of booking so we couldn’t resist.
Last time on Virtuosa’s sistership, we were a little lower down on deck 8 which was listed as a partial view room. All I will say is; don’t write off these types of rooms. It’s a great way to gain a balcony at a far cheaper price, so long as you’re content on forgoing a little bit of your sea view.
As it turns out, our partial view balcony was double the depth of this regular balcony. So not only can this route be kinder on our wallet, it was extra generous too. You won’t know exactly what is making your room a ‘partial view’ until you’re there, so I suppose it is a bit of a gamble. Our’s just skimmed over the roof of the lifeboat which didn’t bother us one bit.
Now don’t forget that was onboard the MSC Eurbia, and you can see what that partial room looked like here. But as this ship has an almost identical layout, I would imagine there are very similar partial view balconies available on deck 8 of the Virtuosa too.
Our balcony on deck 11 was just big enough for two chairs and a footstool, or enough space for the 4 of us to stand in a line and look over the balustrade. Even so, we still loved having this extra space.
Aurea Balcony rooms
As we booked this cruise holiday 3 weeks before it departed, the only available rooms that were left in the middle of the ship happened to be ‘Aurea’ cabins.
At the time of booking we didn’t fully understand what that entailed. But now that we have experienced it first hand, i’m happy to report that being an Aurea guest actually gives you quite a few perks. I’ll cover them later.
For now, let’s explore the inside of the cabin.
Top tip: If you’re sensitive to travel sickness it’s best to book a mid-ship cabin, as thats where you feel the least amount of swaying.
Having an Interconnecting cruise cabin
Our Aurea balcony room was an interconnecting cabin. This meant we had an internal door to our neighbours cabin, although this remained locked at all times (yes, I did keep checking).
These types of rooms are super handy for bigger families. As you’ll get more space, but still feel like you’re all part of the same cabin. We were a little apprehensive about having one side of an interconnecting room, but to be honest, it made no difference what-so-ever.
Now obviously it’s pot luck what type of neighbours you end up with, thankfully we never heard a peep from the people in the connected cabin. However the neighbours on the other side of our cabin were very noisy and disrespectful to other guests, so we’re glad we all packed our earplugs.
I guess what i’m trying to say is; if only an interconnecting room is available, or if one comes up at a great price. Then go for it! Our experience was positive.
Virtuosa room tour: The bedroom
There was a definite green theme running throughout our cabin. With a speckled green carpet, matching forest green sofa and a splash of green abstract artwork hung on the walls.
The firm queen size bed was comfortable and simply styled with bright white sheets, green cushions and dressed with a coordinating bed runner. I did’t see a pillow menu onboard the Virtuosa (which we did have on Euribia). Therefor, I don’t think there was an option to select your preferred firmness of pillow. However, the two we were given were perfectly comfortable anyway. We did have to request one more though, as only one of the boys had been provided a pillow.
Our cabin came with a sofa, but as we were travelling as a family of four this had been magically converted into nifty bunkbeds. According to our children (who are 9 and 10 year old) they were perfectly comfortable and we had zero complaints from either of them.
Some rooms come with a regular sofa bed instead of the bunkbeds, so check the symbol key on the deck plans when selecting your room at the time of booking.
We also had a mini bar, kettle, tea and coffee supplies, plus a small safe in the wardrobe to lock away anything valuable. You wouldn’t fit a laptop in there, but it was big enough to hold your passports and wallets. There was also a dressing table, hairdryer and two mirrors; one above the vanity and the other was full length beside the bathroom door.
Plug sockets were a mix of 2-pin EU and 2-pin US, so don’t forget to bring your travel adaptor. You’ll also find a few USB slots around the cabin which were handy. Especially the ones above the night stand which were perfect for charging our phones at night.
Overall the room worked perfectly for what we needed, and having the balcony just gave us a little more space when all four of us were getting ready. I did miss the huge mirror we had in our Euribia cabin, as that made the room feel brighter and created the illusion of it being more spacious.
The cabins aren’t large, but it was big enough for the 4 of us. If you’re coming with older children or teenagers then things might start to feel a little cramped.
Storage options in the cabin
These cabins are compact, so don’t expect to find heaps of storage options or hanging space. Having said that, we still managed to unpack two medium suitcases, and one carry on case worth of stuff perfectly fine.
I slid the empty cases under the queen size bed out the way, and the rest fit in the drawers, cubbies and wardrobe. Talking of the wardrobe, the sliding doors can be a little annoying at times as they don’t allow for the easiest access, but it’s not much of an issue.
This time I also bought these magnetic cruise hooks off Amazon, which helped free up even more space. They say they hold 27lb each (i’m not sure I believe that), but they did hold a decent amount of weight without falling off. Including my longline wool coat which is pretty weighty.
As the ceilings are metal, I stuck them to that. They held all the bulky coats out of the way, leaving more space in the wardrobe for clothes. As they were so convenient and take up no space in your luggage, I highly recommend getting some!
We didn’t pack the lightest, but we were only on a 3 day cruise. Which leaves me thinking a family of four on a longer trip could find storage space a little snug.
En-suite
I think the en-suites on this MSC ship are great. For such a compact room, they have utilised the space perfectly and it just works really well.
To begin with, theres a decent sized corner shower with glass door, so theres no need to worry about a shower curtain trying to wrap you up. Shower gel and shampoo are provided in a handy wall dispenser, so just remember to pack yourself some conditioner and leave the rest at home. You’ll also find a retractible clothes line in the shower which is so convenient when you’re trying to dry off your swimmers.
They have plenty of storage in here too, and the large basin makes getting ready a breeze. I also really like the large mirror as it opens up the room and makes this tiny room feel extra spacious.
MSC Aurea package perks
Now that I’ve covered the Aurea balcony cabin, lets’s talk about the perks of being an Aurea guest on the MSC Virtuosa.
It comes at a cost, so it’s worth deciding if the upgrade is something thats really important to you. Or if you’d rather save some money by booking Bella or Fantasia experiences.
Excluding Yacht club, Aurea is MSC’s top experience. Below that you have Fantasia (what we were last time) and then Bella.
Its worth noting that the Aurea experience can only be booked with a balcony or a suite, and you’ll get all the Bella and Fantasia package, plus all the additional Aurea perks on top.
Fast Track
First up, being an Aurea guest gives you fast track through embarkation with priority boarding and luggage drop off. Meaning you can get on that ship and tuck into your first slice of delicious pizza even quicker. Whats not to love!
My Choice Dining
You also get allocated to My Choice Dining, which was by far our favourite MSC Aurea perk.
As we were travelling with our children this was ideal. It mean’t if we spent longer in the waterpark or we were busy anywhere else, we had the freedom to go to dinner at a time that suited us. No need to finish what we we doing early, or rush around to get everybody ready in time.
With My Choice Dining, we could rock up to our designated restaurant anytime between 6pm – 9pm. This luxury also meant we ate dinner in a separate dining room to the majority of everyone else onboard. Il Campo was smaller, and the tables were more spread out compared to the other main dining rooms.
For us as a family, the Aurea package was worth it just for the anytime dining. We loved it, and would book it again just for this alone.
Welcome gift
Thanks to being an Aurea guest, we also had a lovely welcome gift waiting for us in our cabin. MSC gave us a little bar of dark chocolate, a bottle of Prosecco and a MSC room diffuser in their signature scent. Which is the one you’ll smell all across the ship.
We actually ended up bringing all of it back home with us.
Exclusive sun deck for Aurea guests
Another perk, which again was brilliant, was that we had access to a private section of deck 19. It took us a while to find this Exclusive Solarium, but this area had cushioned sun-beds and it’s own hot tub which overlooked the outdoor pool and tv screen below. The boys even watched the Liverpool game from this hot tub!
This area was such a nice bonus, as it was never busy and meant you could always get a sunbed without any hassle. Not that we had any down time to lay back and relax on a family holiday of course! They even have a small pop up bar to get drinks from whilst you’re in here.
Thermal Spa access
The Aurea experience also gave us access to the Thermal Spa. Sadly as children aren’t allowed, we didn’t get time to use it. Maybe next time!
If you do get the chance, you’ll need to make a reservation to book your slot everyday you wish to visit. No treatments are included, so if you want a massage you’ll have to pay for that.
24 hour room Service
Again, we didn’t use it, but you can get free 24 hour room service (only the delivery is free, items are charged) and free continental breakfast to your cabin with free delivery.
Option to pick the best rooms
These cabins are located in what they class as the most desired part of the ship. You’ll have the choice of picking which available room you want.
Bath Ropes & Slippers
You’ll be provided with bath ropes and slippers too, but nothing for the children which is a shame. It would be nice if they got smaller robes too.
As we didn’t use the Spa, the bath ropes came in really handy when we went to play in the aqua-park.
Discount & points
On top of all that, you’ll also get 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board. Along with other discounted packages, like discounted drinks packages at the time of booking.
You’ll collect MSC Voyager club points too, helping you build your way from a Classic to a Diamond member. You won’t gain any points on short cruises that are 3 night, 4 days or less.
Cleanliness and room service
Our cabin steward wasn’t quite as meticulous as the one we had on our previous MSC cruise. He was still super quick to make up our room every day, and I cannot fault his hard work. But when it came to taking away dirty cups and glasses, he never seemed to collect them so we were starting to gain a small collection on the side.
We also didn’t get the regular daily activity sheet, however, we were given the kids one. I’m not sure if we were only given the kids version because we had children with us. Or because they wanted people to use the digital activity list on the MSC For Me app instead?
Overall the room was clean and tidy, but if i was to nitpick, it did have a few signs of wear and tear. Like a couple stains on the carpet and the basin’s chrome fittings were beginning to show signs of age even though this ship was only built in 2021.
Virtuosa’s Galleria area
Just like the Euribia, the Virtuosa’s galleria area is spanned with the largest LED dome at sea, which seemed to have a different picture on it every time we walked through. The promenade was almost identical too, with the same mediterranean vibe and layout. It’s the place to come when you fancy doing a spot of retail therapy at sea, as this is where you’ll find all the shops and boutiques. Including the Iris gallery where you can get detailed photos of your eyes made into unique pieces of art.
They were having a huge bag sale on the final night, and James kindly treated me to a gorgeous red Valentino bag which was over half price off the retail price! Absolute steal.
The majority of Virtuosa parties seemed to happen outside by the pool. Unlike Euribia’s, which were held in the galleria area during our Christmas cruise. Perhaps this was just due to the time of the year that we were on board, along with the weather being better for them to take place outside.
Carousel productions at sea
The Carousel lounge is different to the Carousel lounge that you’ll find on Euriba. On Virtuosa, this lounge is set out like a small theatre and they actually do separate shows in here, which are known as the Carousel Productions at Sea.
Its worth mentioning that these additional shows in this lounge are chargeable. If you plan on attending one, then I recommend buying your ticket before you embark as tickets are much cheaper prior to sailing.
We booked a few days before and our tickets cost us £9 each and that included a cocktail for the adults and a mocktail for the children. If you waited and booked on the ship, then the tickets were £15 each.
They had two different shows happening in here during our trip, but we chose to watch the one called Ajedrez. There wasn’t much of a story to follow, but the gist of it was all the actors/dancers were different chess pieces. Their makeup and intricate costumes were fabulous too.
It was an action packed performance with aerial acts, circus type activities like Diabolo and plenty of unusual dancing. I’m glad we went to see it, and it was a new experience watching a show in the Carousel lounge. However, I do think £15 each is a little steep for what it was. Had we of paid £60 for the 4 of us to go, i’m not sure it would have been worth it when the free shows in the theatre are also fantastic.
Top Tip: You have to walk through the Red Gem Casino to reach the Carousel lounge. Although children aren’t allowed in the casino, they are allowed to walk through it to reach the venue.
Le Grande Theatre
They had such a mix of shows on Virtuosa which seemed to get better every night. The first night we had a rock and pop show, which was enjoyable and a good one to sing along to. The second night we had a comedian mind reader called Mike McClean who was hilarious. He did an earlier show which was kid appropriate, and then a later viewing for 18+ only.
The final night we had a show called StarWalker, which was a Micheal Jackson tribute act. It was the best show we’re ever seen on a cruise, even the boys thought it was fantastic and have been singing MJ songs ever since!
The shows in here are free, but you do need to prebook them either on your app, or on one of the touch screens that are dotted all throughout the ship. Unlike Eurbia, you’re not allowed to take drinks into this theatre. If you try, you will be turned away.
Each show is performed 3 times per day, so you should be able to find a space at one of them.
Swimming pools
There is no shortage of swimming pools on the Virtuosa, as this ship has 5 different pools to choose from. Each one a different size and depth.
We didn’t go in all of them, but the boys went in the indoor pool (known as the Tropical Pool) which had a retractable roof that can be opened up in hotter destinations. There was always plenty of spare loungers and chairs in this room no matter what time of day we visited.
Oh, and just to let you know, all the swimming pools are filled with salty sea water. So you might want to make your children aware and perhaps tell them to wear goggles to protect their eyes!
Hot tubs
You’ll find hot tubs dotted all over the place on Virtuosa, theres 4 inside the indoor Tropical Pool, and plenty of outdoor ones mostly on deck 15. Some of which are curved and slightly protrude over the side of the ship which is nice.
They were always popular, but we never struggled to find one to hop into. We actually sailed away one evening whilst relaxing in the hot tub which was a lot of fun!
Salt water isn’t used in the hot tubs, they use normal chlorine for these.
Savannah Aquapark
The Savannah water park on Virtuosa is absolutely brilliant. We spent a couple hours in here (even though it was chilly outside!) and had such a laugh.
Thankfully the waterslides were heated which was a welcome discovery. On occasion, we did find ourselves queueing for quite a while to get an inflatable ring. Especially when some kids/adults were repeatedly hogging them and keeping them for themselves.
Perhaps they could have done with having a few more rings available, or a staff member there to help keep it flowing smoothly? That may have helped shorten the amount of time stood waiting. This probably isn’t so bad during the height of summer, but in September the wind felt pretty bitter when you’re wet and stood at the top of the cruise ship. However, I love that it was still open and that we got to go and play on it!
The two green tube slides were excellent, and it was exciting being able to race each other to the bottom. Out of the two, we preferred the tube slide on the right hand side. It seemed to go faster and the turns were more fun! However both were ace and left you wanting to go again.
Theres also a third slide which doesn’t require the use of a rubber ring. This one shoots you out into a bowl where you whizz around until you stop, then you can stand up and talk the steps out from the centre. Word of warning, this seemed to make everyones backs go bright red. Yet that didn’t seem to stop anyone from going again, multiple times! The queue wait time was always quicker for this slide.
Theres also a shallow pool in the outdoor aquapark, and loads of different water jets and buckets tipping everywhere. Plus a couple other smaller slides for younger children, as they did have height and age restrictions on the bigger slides. You need to be 7+ years old for both, and be at least 107cm tall for the tube slides or 122cm tall for the bowl slide.
The aqua-park isn’t open all the time and seemed to close around 5pm every day. But you might want to check opening times when your’e onboard, as these could possibly change due to weather/time of the year.
Top tip: Before going in the aqua-park you need to sign a waiver form. Once signed they will give you a band to wear around your wrist. This also allows you on to the high ropes. When we went this was being done at a small table near the tube slides exit.
Himalayan Ropes Course
If your’e looking for an adrenaline rush, then you need to have a go on MSC Virtuosa’s highropes course.
Although its not overly high above the deck, don’t let that fool in you into a false sense of security. Because when you’re stood on a wobbling rope bridge at the top of a 19 deck ship, take it from me, that begins to feel rather high!
On certain sections of the ropes course, you can see right over the edge of the cruise ship which might make your knees turn to jelly! We were docked at Zeeburge for our Bruges stop, and the cars looked like little ants from up here.
It has two obstacles side by side, one of which tends to be an easier option. Allowing you to switch and change which one you tackle every time you reach another podium.
You don’t need to prebook or pay to go on the Himalayan ropes course. However, you will need to have signed the waiver form and have your wrist band on to be allowed on. You also need to be 122cm tall to have a go.
Top tip: You can’t take phones up with you. You’ll either need to leave it with someone you know, or put it in the crate by the start of the course. We didn’t fancy leaving our phones there, as anyone could walk along and grab your phone if they wanted to. So don’t bring it with you for this activity.
Fun pass
The fun pass can either be booked on the ship or prior to your trip. We bought our’s before our cruise as we knew our children would be wanting to spend some time in here. Especially in the 4D shooting cinema ride, and VR experience.
We bought the £70 fun pass, which gets converted into €140 worth of ride/arcade tokens. You don’t need a fun pass to go on them, you can just do pay as you go with your cruise card. However, if you know you’re going to be in there quite a bit, then it’s worth buying a pass as you get double your moneys worth.
The fun pass get’s linked to which ever card you select. So if it’s only on one of your cards, just remember to scan the correct cruise card when paying for games. Use the wrong one, and this charge will be added to your cruise card and then settled at the end of your holiday.
They did put a ‘fun pass’ sticker on our selected cruise card which was helpful too.
As for game costs, bowling was £25 for 30 minutes, 4D cinema was between £8-£10pp and the arcade games varied between £1.75-£3 per go.
Sportplex
One of our boys favourite areas onboard the Virtuosa was the Sportsplex. It’s where you’ll find the arcade games, but its also where the indoor football and basketball court is located.
They loved going in and joining in with a game of football, or taking some shots with some other children that were in there playing.
We did walk past here a few times and the court was empty. After asking if they had a football available, they informed me that they only put footballs and basketballs in here at certain times of the day.
Therefor, if you have someone coming on holiday who wants to play a hefty amount of football. It may be worth bringing your own ball, which is what some of the other boys had done. They had even packed their own goalie gloves. We tried to see if any of the shops onboard sold a football, but sadly none of them did.
Kids clubs
Right above the Sportsplex is home to the various kids clubs. Now, I can’t comment on if they were any good as the boys didn’t end up going. But they are split into different age groups and you’ll need to go and speak with their receptionist to get them scheduled in for a session.
You can even get it arranged for them to come and collect your little ones from the evening meal. Allowing you to relax and enjoy the rest of your meal in peace, knowing they are off having fun at kids club with their holiday pals.
It’s also possible to book them into kids club whilst you go ashore for an excursion if it isn’t something which they are interested in doing.
The kids clubs are split into 5 different age groups, each one themed and appropriate for that age group. Beginning with baby club for 0-3 year olds, and going all the way to teens club.
Our boys wanted to join in with Zorb football, but sadly that was only for teens club. Which meant they needed to be 12 years old to join in.
Bars
MSC Viruosa has a whopping 21 bars to sip your way through. These are broken down into 5 outdoor bars and 16 indoor bars, all of which have different theming and styling.
The quirkiest bar onboard had to be the MSC Starship Club. At this bar your drink is served by a humanoid robot bartender who shakes up delicious cocktails and can speak 8 different languages. Unfortunately these aren’t included in your cruise fare or drinks package, so you will need to pay with your cruise card if you would like to experience this fun and unique bar.
They also have the Masters of the Sea which is made to look like a traditional British pub. You can even grab some fish and chips from here! Or the adults only Sky Lounge which offers the best views on the ship and a place to relax.
Theres so many others too, from pool side bars, Karaoke bars, to a small night club called the Attic Club.
Main Dining Room Restaurants
The main dining room or MDR, is included in your cruise fare. Although they do have some menu items that are chargeable, like larger steaks and lobster for example. No matter which MDR you’re assigned, they will all be serving up the same food each night, so don’t feel like you’re missing out!
The menus in the main dining rooms change daily, so there will always be something new to try. However, if you like your creature comforts, they do have a few items which are always available. Like one-minute steaks, chicken breast and tomato pasta.
Virtuosa has four main dining rooms; Minuetto, Danube, Symphony and Opera. Plus Il Campo for anyone who has the perk of My Choice Dining.
We really enjoyed our evening meals in Il Campo, and the boys enjoyed picking meals from both the kids and adult menu. Sometimes they would have an adult starter and main, but a desert from the kids menu. It was great that you could mix and match.
We’ve always enjoyed the MDR food that we’ve never felt the need to spend any more money on speciality dining. But they do have some delicious looking options which i’ll cover next.
Specialty restaurants on Virtuosa
If you’re wanting to eat somewhere other than the Main Dining Room or buffet. There’s always the option of heading to one of the four speciality restaurants they have on the Virtuosa.
As none of these are included in your standard cruise fare, they will incur an additional fee. You can usually book a speciality dining experience prior to embarkation and grab yourself a cheaper price. Once on board you’ll need to schedule in a date and time to redeem your experience.
Here’s your options.
Butchers Cut
If we were to book a specialty restaurant with MSC, it would most likely be the Butchers Cut. This American style Steakhouse dishes up the juiciest, most succulent steaks on the ship, and finishes with their decadent chocolate lava cake.
Dark wooden walls and soft mood lighting are used to create a romantic atmosphere in this restaurant. Making it the perfect place to dine with your special someone, or celebrate with friends and family.
Hola
When it comes to speciality restaurants, this would be our next choice – maybe even joint first! Strung with colourful bunting, Hola dishes up Latin American street food in a vibrant but relaxed setting. In here you’ll be able to find all your Mexican faves, like Burritos and tacos, to lighter options like nachos with salsa or guacamole.
If you fancy something sweet their signature ice-cream tacos sound delicious. Maybe if we sail with MSC again, we will treat ourselves to a meal at this jolly speciality restaurant.
Kaito Sushi & Teppanyaki
I always think sushi bars look super fun and Kaito sushi bar is no exception.
They have the sushi belt going around and you can help yourself to all the dishes that take your fancy. The colour of the dish dictates the price, and when you have finished they will calculate your bill from your stack of empty dishes.
Options include items such as; Red Snapper, Octopus, Glazed Eel, and Crab to name a few. Or you can opt for some teriyaki chicken and noodle dishes if thats more up your street.
They have a small Teppanyaki bar too, where you can enjoy a theatrical experience watching the chefs show off their knife skills right in front of you.
Indochine
Indochine is a French-Vietnamese restaurant which you’ll find nestled inside the L’Atelier bar.
This one serves up Vietnamese dishes with a french twist. Expect to see options such as noodles, Bo Bun’s, rice paper vegetable rolls and caramelised pork belly.
Jean Phillipe Chocolate shop
On top of all that, they have a couple options to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth. Both of which are chargeable.
First up, there’s the Jean Phillipe Chocolate Shop. Now this chocolate cafe and shop is the perfect place to indulge in a velvety hot chocolate or buy an intricate chocolate gift for any of the chocoholics in your life. They even sell chocolate Virtuosas in a variety of sizes!
It’s a lovely spot to grab a booth and watch the ocean waves through the port hole, or be fascinated by the chocolate makers creating their masterpieces at sea.
Gelato and crepes
This french-style creperie and ice cream parlor is located almost opposite the chocolate shop, and it will make your mouth water every time you pass by! With so many tasty flavours of creamy gelato and tangy sorbet on offer, its hard to decide which one to go for. You might just have to work your way through the options every day.
MSC Marketplace Buffet
If you want to avoid the crowds, then don’t go to the Market Place buffet on deck 15 during peak times. It can get super busy in here and become a little overwhelming. Even when it is busy, there’s still plenty of tables available so you don’t need to worry about not finding a seat. You’ll just need to venture a little further away from the food counters to find them.
It feels like the buffet is almost open 24/7 when you’re on board, as no matter what time you arrive there seems to be at least a couple sections of it open. Especially the pizzeria which seemed to start from lunch until the early hours of the morning!
The buffet dishes up a vast selection of flavours from across the globe, suiting a variety of taste buds. Offerings in here change daily, but they do keep the popular regulars too.
They also have drink stations in here, where you can grab yourself a hot drink or some fruit juice from the fountain dispenser.
How do the drinks packages work?
Last time we went all in with the premium drinks package (as it was on a great offer) which included everything up to the value of £15 per drink. We’re not big drinkers, but we did have fun sipping our way through the extensive cocktail and mocktail menu over Christmas. It was nice to enjoy a few speciality coffees and hot chocolates too.
As we were with the boys this time, we knew we wouldn’t be drinking and sitting in bars so much on this holiday. Because of that, we opted for a cheaper non-alcoholic package for us, and a minors package for the boys. This worked out around £19pp per day. If we tallied up what we would have spent on bottles of water, cans of fizzy drinks, fruit juice, mocktails, coffee’s etc, then I think we probably broke even on this holiday.
Before you get a drinks package, just work out what you think you would spend per day. Then decide if its worth adding any sort of drinks package, or if you would be better off paying as you go. This calculator tool is really handy to help you figure this out.
On another note; if anyone in your cabin gets a drink package, then everyone else will have to get one too. You can all have an alcohol free package, but if any of the adults opt for an alcohol package, then all the adults in the same cabin will also have to purchase an alcohol package.
As we went for the alcohol free package, this meant we also had to purchase a minors package for the boys. This did also give them free ice-cream by the pool, but we never actually got one.
Wifi package
If you want to have access to the internet whilst at sea, then you’ll need to purchase one of the Wi-Fi packages. There’s a few different internet options to chose from, which mainly depend on how many devices you need to connect and whether you require browsing or streaming.
Browsing packages are cheaper than streaming, so if you don’t plan on streaming videos then I would save your money and get yourself a browsing package instead.
We buy the browsing package that comes with two devices, then split that between mine and James’s phones. We find it’s handy to have a little bit of internet onboard, especially when it comes to planning our onshore adventures and keeping in touch with family and friends.
A little hack we discovered on our last cruise with MSC was, if you connect to a VPN (we use SurfShark) you can then actually stream with the cheaper browsing package!
They might cotton on to this, but for now – there’s a nice little tip for you.
The boys did take their tablets with them, but we got them to download a selection of films on Netflix before we left home. This meant they would still be able to watch films without an internet package on the ship. They hardly used them, but it was nice they had this option when waiting for everyone to get ready to go out.
Conclusion
We had a brilliant family holiday onboard the MSC Virtuosa and created some core memories together. The ship definitely had more of a party vibe compared to the MSC Eurbia, although this was possibly due to it being a 3 night weekend cruise. You could tell some passengers just wanted a weekend booze cruise to consume as much alcohol as physically possible. However, if you wanted to, you could avoid the hot spots where these slightly more rowdy guests liked to spend most of their time . I also think longer cruises would have less of the booze cruisers onboard, so you might want to consider that when looking at shorter Virtuosa itineraries.
Regardless of that, this ship is still a brilliant choice for family holidays. With so many different activities onboard, and a super fun aquapark the boys never had a moment to get bored! We also really enjoyed all the tasty food, the shows were incredible and we loved some of the Aurea perks like the exlusive sun deck and the anytime dining.
This was our second time cruising with MSC, and i’m sure we will book another one in the future.
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