MSC Virtuosa Review: Is This the Right Ship for You?

We had a fantastic family cruise onboard the ginormous and very beautiful MSC Virtuosa, which is a slightly older and marginally smaller sister ship to the MSC Euribia which we sailed on over Christmas. (You can read about that ship here if you fancy)

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 explains why this impressive 19-deck megaship puts on so many fabulous shows every evening. More on those later!

No matter your age, I think there’s something for everyone to enjoy onboard the MSC Virtuosa, whether that’s a spontaneous trip with friends, a fun family holiday or a partying couples getaway.

Hopefully this will give you a better idea of what the ship is actually like and whether Virtuosa is the right one for you. And if you’re thinking of booking, make sure to check Cruisenation as they often have some brilliant cruise deals which sometimes includes extra perks like drinks packages or onboard credit!

Virtuosa at a Glance 👀

Glitzy Vegas at Sea vibe!
Brilliant cruise ship for families
Onboard waterpark, high ropes course, bowling alley and more
Can be busy and crowded in places
Great entertainment each evening

In this article...

How big is MSC Virtuosa?

Let’s begin with the sheer size of this megaship, as it’s actually ginormous with a vessel length of 331 metres. At full capacity, MSC Virtuosa can accommodate 6,334 passengers and just over 1,700 staff, making this floating hotel feel more like a small city at sea.

What is the Galleria on MSC Virtuosa like?

One of the most impressive areas of the Virtuosa is the Galleria. Just like Euribia, the Galleria is covered by a huge LED dome which changed multiple times a day and created such a fun feel to the ship.

The promenade has a Mediterranean feel thats lined with shops, boutiques, bars and places to eat. It’s also where you’ll find the Iris gallery, where you can have detailed photographs of your eyes turned into unique pieces of artwork.

The atmosphere here felt quite different from our Euribia cruise. The majority of the Virtuosa parties seemed to take place outside by the pool, whereas on Euribia during our Christmas cruise, there were more parties happening in the Galleria. I’m assuming this change is due to the time of year and the better weather we had on our Virtuosa cruise. It did stop this area from becoming quite so congested which was nice.

What entertainment is there on MSC Virtuosa?

There’s certainly no shortage of entertainment onboard Virtuosa, and we really enjoyed what they had to offer. Its bold and bright and suits the rest of the ship!

Le Grande Theatre

The main theatre on MSC Virtuosa had such a good mix of shows which seemed to get better every night. The first night we watched a rock and pop show, which was enjoyable and a good one to sing along to. Another night we watched a comedian and mind reader Mike McClean, who was hilarious. He had an earlier show that was suitable for children, followed by a later 18+ performance.

The final night was StarWalker, a Michael Jackson tribute act which was probably the best show we’ve ever seen on a cruise! Even the boys thought it was fantastic and have been singing Michael Jackson songs ever since.

All the shows in Le Grande Theatre are included in your cruise fare, but you do need to pre-book them either through the MSC For Me app or on one of the touchscreens dotted around the ship. Shows are performed three times a day, so you should have a decent chance of finding a time that works for you.

Unlike Euribia, you aren’t allowed to take drinks into the theatre on Virtuosa. If you try, you’ll be turned away at the door.

Carousel Productions at Sea

On Virtuosa, the Carousel Lounge is set out like a small theatre where you can watch impressive Carousel Productions at Sea shows.

These shows come at an additional cost, and aren’t included in your standard cruise fare. If you want to see one I’d recommend booking before you embark as the tickets are cheaper then. We booked a few days before our cruise and paid £9 each, which included a cocktail for the adults and a mocktail for the children. If we’d waited until onboard, the tickets were £15 each, so it’s worth being organised if you can!

There were two different shows during our trip, but we chose Ajedrez. I can’t say there was much of a story to follow (or at least I wasn’t following one!) but the gist was that all the actors and dancers represented different chess pieces. Their makeup and intricate costumes were fabulous and it was an action-packed performance with aerial acts, circus-style activities such as Diabolo and plenty of unusual dancing. I’m so glad we went because it was a new experience and something different from the main theatre shows.

One thing worth knowing is that you have to walk through the Red Gem Casino to reach the Carousel Lounge. Children aren’t allowed in the casino itself, but they’re allowed to walk through it to get to the venue at the back of the ship.

Are the swimming pools nice on MSC Virtuosa?

There’s no shortage of swimming pools on Virtuosa, with five different pools to choose from and each varying in size and depth. The boys spent time in the Tropical Pool, which is the indoor pool with a retractable roof. It remained closed on our cruise, but it can be opened up when sailing in hotter destinations.

There were always plenty of spare loungers and chairs in this area whenever we visited, which was useful when the boys wanted to go swimming and we wanted somewhere to sit nearby and read our books. We were onboard in September though, so this could be a different story on a hot summer cruise.

One thing to be aware of is that the swimming pools are filled with salty seawater, not chlorine.

Does MSC Virtuosa have hot tubs?

Yes, you’ll find hot tubs dotted all over Virtuosa, including a couple of long C-shaped ones which slightly hang out over the edge of the ship, making a fun spot to relax and watch the world go by.

There are four hot tubs inside the indoor Tropical Pool area, as well as plenty of outdoor hot tubs mostly around Deck 15. They were always popular but we never struggled to find one to hop into. We actually sailed away one evening while relaxing in a hot tub, which was a lot of fun! Unlike the swimming pools, the hot tubs use normal chlorinated water rather than seawater.

We also had access to an exclusive hot tub as part of our Aurea package. If you’re interested to learn more about that, read my Aurea experience review.

Is the Savannah Aquapark good?

The Savannah Aquapark on MSC Virtuosa is absolutely brilliant. We spent a couple of hours in here, and even though it was chilly outside we all had such a laugh.

Thankfully the waterslides were heated, which was a very welcome discovery. The only downside was that we occasionally found ourselves waiting quite a while for an inflatable ring as some people were just keeping hold of them, rather than returning them for the next person in the queue to use. Perhaps there could have been a few more rings available, or a staff member helping to supervise.

The two green tube slides were excellent, and it was great fun racing each other to the bottom. Of the two, we preferred the tube slide on the right as it seemed to go faster and had more fun turns. Both were brilliant though and definitely left you wanting to go again. There’s also a third slide that doesn’t require an inflatable ring. This one shoots you into a bowl, where you whizz around until you eventually come to a stop. The friction on this slide seemed to make everyone’s backs go bright red, but that didn’t seem to stop anyone from going on it.

There’s also a shallow pool in the outdoor aquapark, along with water jets, tipping buckets and a couple of smaller slides for younger children.

The aquapark isn’t open all the time and seemed to close around 5pm during our cruise. Opening times can vary depending on the weather and time of year, so check the onboard information when you arrive. You’ll also need to sign a waiver before using the aquapark, where you’ll be given a wristband which also allows you to use the high ropes course.

Are there kids clubs on MSC Virtuosa?

The kids clubs on MSC Virtuosa are split into five different age groups, starting with Baby Club for 0–3-year-olds and going all the way through to the teens club, and you’ll need to speak to the receptionist to get them registered for a session. Our boys wanted to join in with Zorb football, but sadly this was only available to the teens club, meaning they needed to be 12 to take part.

Theres also an option to arrange for the kids club staff to collect your children from your evening meal in the MDR, so you can finish your dinner in peace while they head off to have fun with their holiday pals. You can also book them into kids club while you go ashore for an excursion, if they aren’t interested in joining you on land.

How many bars are on MSC Virtuosa?

MSC Virtuosa has a whopping 21 bars to sip your way through, split between five outdoor bars and 16 indoor bars. Each one has its own theme and styling, so there’s plenty of choice depending on what sort of atmosphere you’re after. The quirkiest bar onboard has to be the MSC Starship Club, where your drink is served by a humanoid robot bartender! Sadly drinks from the Starship Club aren’t included in your cruise fare or drinks package, so you’ll need to pay separately if you want to experience this futuristic little bar.

We enjoyed Masters of the Sea which is designed to look like a traditional British pub, and we discovered you can even grab some fish and chips here. Or for a more relaxed atmosphere, there’s the adults-only Sky Lounge which has some of the best views on the ship.

There’s all the poolside bars too, along with karaoke bars and the small Attic Club nightclub. So whether you fancy a cocktail, a quiet drink or somewhere to continue the party, you’ll find something to suit the mood on Virtuosa.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth getting the drinks package, I’ve created this handy drinks package calculator to help you decide.

How does dining work on MSC Virtuosa?

The main dining room is included in your cruise fare, although there are some chargeable items on the menu like larger steaks and lobster for example. Virtuosa has four main dining rooms which all serve the same food: Minuetto, Danube, Symphony and Opera. There’s also Il Campo for guests with the My Choice Dining perk (which we had as one of the perks from our Aurea package – you can read about those here)

A few items on the menu remain consistent like steak, chicken breast and tomato pasta, but the rest is switched up daily so there’s always something new to try. We enjoyed our evening meals in Il Campo, it might not presented quite as beautifully as it is on some other ships, like Enchanted Princess, but it tasted good and thats the main thing. The boys liked being able to choose from both the children’s and adult menus. Sometimes they’d have an adult starter and main, followed by a dessert from the children’s menu. It was nice that they could mix and match rather than being restricted to one menu.

Something else thats worth knowing, is that tables of two are very close together on MSC. We’re talking only a credit card of space between them, but in II Campo they were spread a little further apart which was nice.

What speciality restaurants are on MSC Virtuosa?

There are four main speciality restaurants onboard Virtuosa, which aren’t included in the standard cruise fare. These come with an additional charge, but you can usually book them before embarkation at a cheaper price, so it’s worth checking the offers available before you sail.

Butcher’s Cut

If we were going to book a speciality restaurant with MSC, Butcher’s Cut would probably be our first choice. This American-style steakhouse serves steaks alongside dishes such as their decadent chocolate lava cake, which sounds absolutely divine!

This speciality restaurant has dark wooden walls and soft mood lighting, with a slightly romantic atmosphere that would work well for a special occasion, whether you’re dining as a couple or celebrating with friends and family.

Hola!

Our next choice would be Hola!, although it might actually be joint first.

This vibrant restaurant serves Latin American street food in a colourful and relaxed setting. You’ll find Mexican favourites such as burritos and tacos, alongside lighter dishes like nachos with salsa and guacamole. And if you have a sweet tooth, their signature ice-cream tacos sound pretty tempting to me.

Kaito Sushi & Teppanyaki

Kaito is the place to head if you fancy sushi or a fun theatrical dining experience that you’ll remember forever. There’s a sushi belt running around the restaurant, so you can pick whichever dishes take your fancy, along with a small Teppanyaki area where you can watch the chefs demonstrate their knife skills right in front of you.

Indochine

Indochine is a French-Vietnamese restaurant tucked inside the L’Atelier bar. The menu at this restaurant combines Vietnamese dishes with a French twist, with options such as noodles, Bo Bun, rice paper vegetable rolls and caramelised pork belly.

Jean-Philippe Chocolate Shop

If you have a sweet tooth theres a couple of places onboard designed to tempt you. The first is the Jean-Philippe Chocolate Shop, which is both a chocolate cafe and shop. From here you can grab a velvety hot chocolate, pick up an intricate chocolate gift or just enjoy watching the chocolatiers creating their sweet masterpieces at sea. You can even buy a little chocolate MSC Virtuosa!

None of the items in here are included on your drinks package, so you’ll need to pay for food and drinks from here.

Gelato and Crepes

Almost opposite the chocolate shop is the French-style creperie and gelato parlour, which makes your mouth water every time you walk past. They have plenty of creamy gelato and tangy sorbet flavours to choose from, but again none of these are included in your cruise fare.

Is the Marketplace Buffet good on Virtuosa?

If you want to avoid the crowds, I’d recommend staying away from the Marketplace Buffet on Deck 15 during peak meal times, when it can get super busy and a little overwhelming. The good news is, even when the buffet itself is packed theres always plenty of tables available. You might just need to walk a little further away from the food counters to find one.

The buffet on Virtuosa also feels like it’s almost open 24/7. No matter what time we arrived, there always seemed to be at least a couple of sections open along with the pizzeria which started at lunchtime through to the early hours… and their pizza is so good!

There’s a huge variety of food in the buffet, with dishes inspired by different cuisines and offerings changing throughout the cruise. They also keep some popular favourites available daily, so there should be something to suit even the pickiest of eaters.

You’ll also find drinks stations in the buffet where you can grab a juice, or make your own hot drinks which is what we tended to do at the end of each night before heading back to our cabin.

What is the atmosphere like on MSC Virtuosa?

This was probably one of the biggest differences we noticed compared with our previous MSC cruise on Euribia. Virtuosa definitely had more of a party atmosphere.

Some of this could simply have been down to the cruise we were on, as ours was a three-night weekend sailing to Cherbourg, and Bruges. There were certainly some passengers who appeared to have booked themselves a weekend booze cruise and were making the most of it!

However, it didn’t affect our holiday, and if you want a quieter experience theres plenty of areas where you can escape the busiest spots. I think a longer Virtuosa itinerary would probably have a different atmosphere too with fewer weekend party-goers. So I wouldn’t let that put you off booking this ship, especially if you’re travelling as a family.

Is MSC Virtuosa good for families?

I think Virtuosa is a great ship for families. The boys never had a chance to get bored. Between the aquapark, ropes course, Sportsplex, games, swimming pools and entertainment, there was always something else they wanted to go and do. For a more detailed guide on all the fun onboard stuff, read my review of 8 fun things to do on MSC.

We also enjoyed the food and thought the entertainment was one of the highlights of this cruise and suitable for all ages to enjoy. Virtuosa is big and busy, but we never felt like we were fighting our way through crowds. There are quieter corners to escape to when you need a breather, while the more lively areas are there whenever you want them.

Having the Aurea experience also worked so well for us as a family, especially the flexible dining. I’ll be writing a separate review of our MSC Virtuosa balcony cabin and whether we thought the Aurea package was worth the extra cost.

Family holiday cruise review of MSC Virtuosa

Himalayan high ropes course MSC Virtuosa

Would we cruise Virtuosa again?

We had a brilliant family holiday onboard MSC Virtuosa and created some proper core memories together.

It definitely had more of a party vibe than what we experienced on her sister ship, MSC Euribia. But I think a lot of that was influenced by the short three-night weekend cruise we happened to be on. Virtuosa is a busy ship, and you can feel it at times, but we found it easy enough to avoid the busiest areas.

This was our second time cruising with MSC and after having such a brilliant time on Virtuosa, I’m sure it won’t be our last. If you’re considering an MSC Virtuosa cruise, I’d say its a great choice if you’re looking for a ship with plenty to keep the whole family entertained. Check here for the best cruise deals!

Before you go …

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