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Captain Chris Cruises
United Kingdom
Приєднався 9 чер 2023
This channel is about my experiences going on cruise holidays, and I hope you'll find my videos interesting, or useful if you're thinking of going on a cruise anytime soon.
Dining on P&O Arvia & Iona. How to BEAT the restaurant queues.
Does "Freedom" dining really give you freedom, or are the queues really as bad as they say? Here, I talk about the different restaurants on P&O Arvia, and tell you my best tips and hacks to keep your queue time to a minimum. Whether you dine at Meridian, Zenith, The Olive Grove, The Keel and Cow, Sindhu, Green and Co, The Epicurian, The Limelight Club, Hook Line and Vinegar, Fusion, Roast or the Horizon Buffet, these hacks and tips for travellers will provide advice to keep your holiday running smoothly. You can choose Freedom dining on any of P&O's ships, or you can choose Club dining, where you dine at the same table and time every evening, on all ships except Iona and Arvia. Club dining is available on Britannia, Arcadia, Azura, Aurora and Ventura.
Other videos from Captain Chris Cruises include -
P&O drinks packages
ua-cam.com/video/SmeXNAQ0--I/v-deo.html
The top 10 free restaurants on Arvia
ua-cam.com/video/20N6n5CFvvg/v-deo.html
P&O Arvia versus MSC Virtuosa - which is best?
ua-cam.com/video/aoQOOj9ZKrw/v-deo.html
P&O Arvia - 20 tips & hacks
ua-cam.com/video/zp5TeDEAGhg/v-deo.html
P&O Arvia FULL tour
ua-cam.com/video/6BD8rO51bdw/v-deo.html
Other videos from Captain Chris Cruises include -
P&O drinks packages
ua-cam.com/video/SmeXNAQ0--I/v-deo.html
The top 10 free restaurants on Arvia
ua-cam.com/video/20N6n5CFvvg/v-deo.html
P&O Arvia versus MSC Virtuosa - which is best?
ua-cam.com/video/aoQOOj9ZKrw/v-deo.html
P&O Arvia - 20 tips & hacks
ua-cam.com/video/zp5TeDEAGhg/v-deo.html
P&O Arvia FULL tour
ua-cam.com/video/6BD8rO51bdw/v-deo.html
Переглядів: 250
Відео
Princess Plus or Premier? GREAT new benefit. August 2024 update & DRINKS PACKAGES.
Переглядів 1,7 тис.Місяць тому
Should you pay the Princess Plus fare, or Princess Premier for your Princess Cruise holiday? Is a DRINKS PACKAGE worth the money? This AUGUST 2024 update brings you the new benefit that tips the scales, and foodies will go WILD for it! This video will explain which fare is right for YOU, what the benefits are with each fare level, or whether you'd be better off simply paying the Standard fare. ...
Cruising from PORTSMOUTH PORT - Car Park, Terminal Building & EV Chargers for cruise holidays.
Переглядів 246Місяць тому
Are you taking a cruise holiday from Portsmouth International Port? Perhaps you've only ever cruised out of Southampton before. This video will take you through the basics of finding the car park, making your way to the cruise terminal and finding the EV chargers, for those needing to charge an electric vehicle. Virgin Voyages regularly use Portsmouth for cruise holidays, so this video is essen...
Dining on MSC cruises. How to get a BETTER table or dining time on Virtuosa with fixed time dining.
Переглядів 6202 місяці тому
How to work the system of fixed time dining sittings, so that you get a better table, a table for two or a better dining timeslot than the one you've been allocated in the main restaurants. Although this information refers to our cruise on MSC Virtuosa, it would probably also apply to many of the cruise ships in MSC's fleet, including Virtuosa's sister ships, Meraviglia, Grandiosa, Bellissima a...
Are MSC Virtuosa cruises really ANNOYING? 5 annoying things about MSC and how to deal with them.
Переглядів 8792 місяці тому
What really annoys people who take a cruise holiday on MSC Virtuosa, or one of Virtuosa's sister ships, Meraviglia, Bellissima, Grandiosa and Euribia? Is it really like being at Butlins on sea? Is everything on board really expensive? Are there massive queues? What is the dining experience like? Captain Chris cruises through the problems, and offers sensible advice on how to deal with them. Thi...
MSC Cruises FOOD, restaurants and sample menus on Virtuosa.
Переглядів 8123 місяці тому
All the BEST restaurants, with sample menus, on the MSC cruise ship Virtuosa, so you know which is the PERFECT choice for your cruise holiday. The Butcher's Cut, Kaito Sushi & Teppanyaki, Hola Tacos & Cantina, The Indochine, Il Campo, The Yacht Club Restaurant and the four main restaurants called Minuetto, Opera, Symphony and The Blue Danube are all covered here, as well as the huge and impress...
Choosing the PERFECT cabin on MSC cruise ship VIRTUOSA
Переглядів 1,2 тис.4 місяці тому
How to choose the perfect cabin for your cruise on the MSC cruise ship Virtuosa. Whether it's an inside cabin, an ocean view cabin, a balcony cabin or a suite, you'll need to pick the perfect location. Captain Chris cruises through the details so you can make an informed choice. This information will also mostly be relevant for Virtuosa's sister ships, Meraviglia, Bellissima, Grandiosa and Euri...
MSC VIRTUOSA 20 tips including DRINKS PACKAGES
Переглядів 5 тис.4 місяці тому
Twenty tips & hacks for cruise holidays on the MSC cruise ship, Virtuosa, including advice about the drinks packages, and how to save money when buying one. Other topics covered include choosing the perfect cabin, getting an acceptable dining time, advice on embarkation day, booking theatre shows, avoiding other people's children and much more besides. There's also a tip not found anywhere else...
MSC Virtuosa - 5 GOOD things & 5 BAD things you NEED to know about this cruise ship.
Переглядів 3,5 тис.5 місяців тому
Planning a cruise on MSC Virtuosa? Well, here are five good things and five bad things that smart cruisers need to know before setting sail. What's the food like? Is everywhere packed out? How was embarkation? Were there queues? Is there much to do during the days at sea? What's the evening entertainment like? Which restaurants are available to me if I've paid the Bella, Fantastica, Aurea or Ya...
P&O Arvia v MSC Virtuosa. What's GOOD, what's BAD, which is BEST for your cruise?
Переглядів 1,7 тис.5 місяців тому
If you're planning a cruise holiday on the P&O cruise ship Arvia, or the MSC cruise ship Virtuosa, or any of their sister ships, Iona, Meraviglia, Bellissima, Grandiosa or Euribia, this video will tell you which one would be better for your needs. Comparing style, food & restaurants, dress code & price, Captain Chris cruises through the differences, to make it easy to make the perfect choice. T...
MSC Virtuosa Full Tour + WORLD EXCLUSIVE TIP!
Переглядів 1,5 тис.6 місяців тому
Full tour of MSC cruise ship Virtuosa, including all decks, all venues and all restaurants, plus a top tip about this ship that I haven't read or heard anywhere else. An ideal video to watch if you're travelling on Virtuosa anytime soon, so that you know what to expect when you get onboard. Other videos from Captain Chris Cruises include MSC Drinks Packages ua-cam.com/video/gdFJW3w-4KA/v-deo.ht...
P&O drinks packages May 2024 update + SHOCKING new rule!
Переглядів 44 тис.6 місяців тому
Everything you need to know about P&O's drinks packages May 2024 update, including the shocking new rule about what drinks you're allowed to take on board with you for consumption in your cabin. Refresh, Alcohol Free, Classic and Deluxe. What do they cost? What's included? Would you be better off not buying one? Can you cheat the system? How can you save money? Should you buy one? Is it right f...
P&O drinks packages 2024 updated prices. Worth it?
Переглядів 1,6 тис.7 місяців тому
Everything you need to know about P&O's drinks packages, called Refresh, Alcohol Free, Classic and Deluxe. What do they cost? What's included? Would you be better off not buying one? Can you cheat the system? How can you save money? Should you buy one? Is it right for you? Captain Chris Cruises through the facts, and shows you some sample drinks menus, to help you to decide. Hacks and tips for ...
Is P&O Arvia REALLY ANNOYING? 5 annoying things about Arvia & how to deal with them.
Переглядів 3,9 тис.7 місяців тому
What annoyed me most about P&O Arvia? Are the drinks packages a rip off? Do the queues for dinner takes hours & hours? How can you deal with these problems to avoid being driven mad? Don't worry, Captain Chris has your back. In this video Captain Chris reveals the things that annoy people the most, and what to do about them. Essential viewing for anyone planning a cruise holiday on P&O Arvia, b...
MSC drinks packages for cruises. Worth it?
Переглядів 12 тис.8 місяців тому
Should you buy a drinks package when cruising on an MSC cruise? This video explains all the different types of drinks package, what's included and what isn't, where they can and can't be used and will help you to decide if buying one would be worth it for you. This travel blog video provides hacks and tips for travellers planning a holiday on any of the ships in MSC's fleet, MSC Armonia, MSC Be...
P&O ARVIA 20 tips incl DRINKS PACKAGES
Переглядів 1,4 тис.10 місяців тому
P&O ARVIA 20 tips incl DRINKS PACKAGES
P&O ARVIA. 5 GOOD & 5 BAD things you NEED to know about this cruise ship.
Переглядів 7 тис.11 місяців тому
P&O ARVIA. 5 GOOD & 5 BAD things you NEED to know about this cruise ship.
P&O ARVIA First impressions on embarkation day.
Переглядів 89511 місяців тому
P&O ARVIA First impressions on embarkation day.
Cruise ship PACKING. One ESSENTIAL thing you MUST NOT forget for P&O Arvia.
Переглядів 2,1 тис.Рік тому
Cruise ship PACKING. One ESSENTIAL thing you MUST NOT forget for P&O Arvia.
BARCELONA. 7 of the BEST sights CRUISERS will LOVE from P&O's ships, including Arvia.
Переглядів 166Рік тому
BARCELONA. 7 of the BEST sights CRUISERS will LOVE from P&O's ships, including Arvia.
Cruise ship CABINS. From SUITES to INSIDE CABINS. What to expect.
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Cruise ship CABINS. From SUITES to INSIDE CABINS. What to expect.
FIVE tips first time cruisers MUST know incl DRESS CODE
Переглядів 2,3 тис.Рік тому
FIVE tips first time cruisers MUST know incl DRESS CODE
P&O Cruises - EIGHT great ways to fill your sea days with activities on Arvia to entertain you.
Переглядів 857Рік тому
P&O Cruises - EIGHT great ways to fill your sea days with activities on Arvia to entertain you.
P&O Arvia - TEN of the VERY BEST entertainment venues to enjoy.
Переглядів 779Рік тому
P&O Arvia - TEN of the VERY BEST entertainment venues to enjoy.
P&O Arvia Tips & Hacks - Finding your way around a MASSIVE cruise ship.
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P&O Arvia Tips & Hacks - Finding your way around a MASSIVE cruise ship.
P&O ARVIA ULTIMATE TOUR - TOP RESTAURANTS, TOP ENTERTAINMENT, TOP VENUES.
Переглядів 980Рік тому
P&O ARVIA ULTIMATE TOUR - TOP RESTAURANTS, TOP ENTERTAINMENT, TOP VENUES.
P&O Speciality Dining. The TOP SIX restaurants Smart Cruisers LOVE.
Переглядів 455Рік тому
P&O Speciality Dining. The TOP SIX restaurants Smart Cruisers LOVE.
P&O Arvia dining. The TOP TEN free restaurants on board.
Переглядів 2,2 тис.Рік тому
P&O Arvia dining. The TOP TEN free restaurants on board.
P&O Drinks Packages - The ONLY video you NEED.
Переглядів 28 тис.Рік тому
P&O Drinks Packages - The ONLY video you NEED.
Cruise Like A Pro: How To Choose The Perfect Cabin On P&O Arvia
Переглядів 2,4 тис.Рік тому
Cruise Like A Pro: How To Choose The Perfect Cabin On P&O Arvia
This is a rip off
Many would agree! Best wishes and enjoy your next cruise.
Excellent tips, thank you and I will be reviewing your other videos. Thanks again.
Thank you for your kind comment. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
We were on the Iona in July 23 and the dinner queue was the single most stressful thing of the cruise. We wanted to have a table at 19:30 and joined the queue on the app at about 19:00 and all the main dining restaurants already had loads of people in front of us. We chose the one with the shortest queue, but we still had to wait ages. When we got to the restaurant, it was half empty. So we couldn't understand the long wait. The following day, it was the same sort of thing and we gave up and went to Keel and Cow and was given a table straight away. We didn't bother after that and went to the Epicurean and the buffet. Talking to some people who told us that people would join the queue for ALL the restuarnts, and then go to whichever one comes up first. So the long queues were probably not really that long. I don't remember the option of a pager. Joining a queue at 18:30 doesn't always work if you want to go to the show before dinner. We are on the Arcadia soon and it will be interesting to how it works. I was also irritated that you couldn't just order any drinks from any bar. Even a simple cocktail like a Moscow Mull had to be hunted out.
Thank you for your comment. It's a problem that has spoiled many a holiday. The ships are enormous, but struggle to cope with such a huge number of diners, and paying extra for the speciality restaurants all adds up. I hope your trip on Arcadia goes more smoothly. Best wishes.
Chris should go and do some training to become a real captain.
Haha, good idea! Best wishes, enjoy your next cruise.
Hi, for PLUS package -- 2 casual dining, what are the venues on Royal Princess and if PLUS package members have to pay additional when going to casual dining? Thanks
Hi. The casual dining venues on Royal Princess are Alfredo's Pizzeria, Vines Wine Bar & Ocean Terrace Sushi. Plus package guests get two visits included in their fare. Additional visits are chargeable. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
@@CaptainChrisCruises Still a little bit confused. If we have PLUS package, and say, going to Ocean Terrace Sushi (which the menu have $$ beside each dish) How do we order? Do PLUS packages to these places have a set menu OR can order anything from menu for free as part of PLUS package (2 free casual dining meals per guest)
The $14.99 cover charge is waived for "Plus" guests for their first two casual dining meals, and, in Ocean Terrace Sushi, includes one appetiser, one nigiri or sashimi and two maki rolls. Additional items ordered are chargeable. Hope this helps. Enjoy.
Sailed on the Arvia from Southampton to Barbados on a re-positioning cruise in January 2022. Absolutely loved the ship. Yes, I can be frustrating at times getting a seat for the free to dine restaurants but I didn't have to wait too long. Always found a seat in a bar. Maybe it's just the time of year which is the issue.
Maybe. Thanks for your comment. It was really interesting to hear about your experiences. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
So if I want a long island iced tea for example does every shot cost me one of my 15 drinks?
No it's 1 cocktail that's 1 drink
@theangijt Great that's what I'd hoped.
Thanks for this question. I'm glad another viewer replied to you quicker than I could, I've been away for a few days. Best wishes, and enjoy your cruise.
It’s a Carnival line. Carnival itself has a basic alcohol package that covers alcohol only, and cost $65 US per Person per Day. Never thought we could come out on it. Princess has a more straightforward standard, no alcohol package, and the plus rate which is $65 per day per Person, and includes WiFi, gratuities, and alcohol. Then they have the premium package which includes all that and premium wines and top shelf liquors. It’s $85 a day.
Thank you for this info. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
I assume most people commenting about not being able to take spirits on board haven’t looked at the room service menu. We buy Corvosier VSOP on board for £36 and Bombay 1ltr £28 - both cheaper than in Tesco at the moment!
Thank you for your comment. We found the onboard prices to be quite reasonable. Enjoy your next cruise.
We booked for our last cruise in Iona b4 they changed the rules, however we managed to smuggle on contraband quite easily, loads of tips online, great policy to put you off P&O
Thank you for your comment. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise, whoever it's with.
Xx
All the best.
wtf are you dressed up as a captain?
Thanks for your question. Just to try to be memorable, like your dilligaf name, which made me laugh. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
Shame that if your sharing a cabin you are forced to be on the same drinks package should you choose to purchase one! Considering that each package is unique to the person cant see why all cabin members have to be on the same thing if at all.
Hi, thank you for your comment. I agree it's a shame, especially if one person likes a lot of drinks, and the other one doesn't, or perhaps if one drinks alcohol and the other one doesn't. The reason, of course, is to prevent only one person buying a package, and then gifting their drinks to their cabin mate. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
Very helpful Chris
Thank you for your kind comment. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
If your not on the drinks package ...can you get water and tea and coffee in the main dining room whilst eating ? ...
We were offered water in the main dining room at dinner. If we wanted tea and coffee we would go up to the buffet afterwards and help ourselves to one. Often, we would take it back to our cabin. Hope this helps. Best wishes and enjoy your next cruise.
@@CaptainChrisCruises thanks for that ...not big drinkers so not going for rhe drinks package ...
How much mixers/soft drinks/squash can you take on board? It will be our first cruise and we don’t drink alcohol so would be looking to take just those. Thanks
Hi, thank you for your question. When we last cruised with P&O, there was no limit on soft drinks that you could take with you. These must be consumed in your cabin, not taken with you into restaurants etc. Although there was a change in the rules in May 2024 about what alcohol you can take, I don't believe there has been any change in the rules about soft drinks. How exciting that you're going on your first cruise! I really hope you love it. Check out my other videos about P&O, especially if you're sailing on Arvia, as we did, or Iona, which is her sister ship, and very similar. Search "Captain Chris Cruises" to find all my videos. Best wishes, and have a great time.
Just returned from a North Europe cruise. Took 1 bottle of Prosecco and 1 bottle of wine, 8 cans of tonic and 12 cans of Pepsi. I carried the 2 bottles on with me and put the cans in our cases. No issues at all. We didn't buy any package. We drank about 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks between me and my wife a day, and our boy had 2 to 3 cokes a day. Would have wasted £90. I must say the waiter service was slow at times. Brodies seemed the slowest. One night we waited 25 mins but had to go to a show. Other bars are quicker, depends on the crowd and staff really. Overall prices are very reasonable.
Do you get a tax deduction receipt for the donation?
We didn't, although it is listed on the statement at the end of your holiday. If you want one you could try asking in the MSC Foundation shop on board, or at reception. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
@@CaptainChrisCruises I bet that MSC Get a donation receipt for the TOTAL donations. A great SCAM.
Do msc take £250 pending from bank card and is this per person or per cabin . If you load card either cash on board does this still apply ? Kind regards
Hi. I have been trying to find the answer to your question. First of all, you can register one bank card to pay for the spending of everyone in your cabin. Therefore only one preauthorisation will be necessary. You can enter the card details online before you travel, then it shouldn't be necessary to visit the onboard terminals when you embark. If you don't enter the details online, then you must visit a terminal once onboard to either register a card or prepay in cash. If you prepay in cash, then I don't think you need to enter any card details at all, but I have found this fact hard to verify, so I can't promise it 100%. If you register a debit card, rather than a credit card, there will need to be enough money in your account to cover the preauthorisation. I recommend asking at reception first thing, before you have made any purchases, if you feel you need anything clarifying. Maybe others will leave further comments below, if they've got any experiences that will help you more. I'm sorry that my answer has a small amount of uncertainty. I hope you enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.
I’m a shareholder and receive £150 credit per 14 day cruise I bought 100 shares two years ago at £6.20 wish I had bought 10000 as they are now £11 The last cruise we had in February we bought 3 litres of whiskey at Lisbon nobody checked our bags (if they had would have been ok as it was last port and was for home use )
Thank you for your interesting comments. Sorry I was a bit slow replying, but we have just returned from a cruise with Virgin Voyages. It was a real eye opener, so watch this space for videos about that. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
We have a 17 year old and she has a free drinks package with our drinks package 👍
This is valuable information, and I thank you for it. The website agrees with what you say, but when I phone them to ask for confirmation, I never get the same answer twice! Enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.
Hi Chris, I am exploring options similar to what P&O has to offer at similar price points. It seems like dining options are limited unless I am ready to spend more with MSC. Is this a MSC norm or specific to particular MCS ships? Thank you for the nice and informative video!
No, I think it's the way MSC are across the fleet. The speciality restaurants were excellent on Virtuosa, but they are much dearer than P&O's specialities. If it's the food you're interested in, have a look at Virgin Voyages. We're off on one of theirs soon, so there'll be more from me about that before too long. Best wishes and enjoy your next cruise.
@@CaptainChrisCruises Thank you for your wishes, we’ve just started sailing on Arvia chasing the rest of summer in the Mediterranean. Thought Virgin Voyages is outstanding in many ways, great choice. Wish you all the best on your next cruise and looking forward to your next video.
I am on the Arcadia in September, they changed the rules after we booked it. This will be my last cruise with P&O, THEY ARE A RIP OFF.
It's a shame they don't honour the rules that were in place at the time of booking, isn't it? I hope you still enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.
Hi Chris, We did the 2 night cruise to Cherbourg last week just to try the ship out. I was not sure but my wife really fancied trying MSC and for us it worked out really well. We paid extra for the Aurea experience as we expected there to be loads of children so wanted the opportunity to have access to the thermal spa and top 19. We embarked at 11am and was on board in about 15 minutes, so no issues there. The crew were lovely and we had no issues getting service. Although lots of families we had no issues at all, only the usual with the hot tubs being permanently filled with children so felt too uncomfortable to use. The food was great in the mdr & buffet although the latter can get very busy. Several have commented that if you go aft in the buffet it's quieter and we found that to be true. Our only criticisms were the app which dropped out repeatedly, and the 'West End' quality shows were not a patch on other cruise lines. We paid for the festival productions which were awesome. Top 19 wasn't adult only and the hot tub is much smaller than it appears on video (and was out of action when the weather was good enough to want to be out). Overall, we enjoyed the experience and we would cruise with MSC again, mindful that unless you stick to what's included in your cruise fair, it is no cheaper than the other cruise lines. Enjoy your videos, cheers.
Thank you for your interesting comment. Sounds like your experience was very similar to ours. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
Not being a big drinker usually I only have a couple of beers a day when I cruise. That's far more than usual when I'm at home anyway. I guess cruise lines don't want a lot of passengers getting drunk.
I'm not much of a drinker myself, but the drinks packages are very popular. Thanks for your comment, best wishes and enjoy your next cruise.
Great info, thank u so much. We have just got back from a week on the virtuosa and absolutely loved it. Now have just booked the arvia in March for 17 days on a Caribbean cruise, do u think the ship has enough for 4 kids to do for this amount of time or will they get bored . Thank u again
Sounds wonderful. There's loads to do on Arvia, so hopefully your kids will love it. I've made quite a few videos about Arvia, so search "Captain Chris Cruises" and check them all out. There's info about the entertainment and activities, lots of tips and hacks and all you need to know about the drinks packages. Best wishes and enjoy your cruise.
Bought the package on Anthem of the Seas last year. 14 night cruise.Broke even on day 9😵💫
Well, if you've bought the package, you'd be a fool not to try. Best wishes and enjoy your next cruise.
@@CaptainChrisCruises Many thanks !! What are your thoughts on the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship?
All its residents have my sympathy. Belfast is great, but you wouldn't want to be stuck in port for all that time, would you. Hopefully they can get going again soon.
😂 good to hear
Cheers won’t be booking P&O
Enjoy your next cruise, whichever cruise line you choose. Best wishes.
Are there kettles in the cabins ? ...
Thanks for your question. There was a kettle in our cabin. Sometimes we got a coffee from the buffet, and took it back to our room, as we thought it was nicer. MSC do not allow travel kettles to be taken on board. Breakfast, including tea & coffee, in your cabin is free (£4 delivery charge for Bella guests) and the coffee was nicer, so you could order coffee to your room each morning. I have read online that kettles are only provided on cruises sailing from the UK, but, as I haven't taken an MSC cruise from anywhere else, I cannot confirm this. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.
@@CaptainChrisCruises thankyou for that ..
The lift issue was the only thing that annoyed me on the ship, we were on iona and on harbour days it took ages. Such shame. Everything else is great
Thank you for your comment. I agree, overall everything is great. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
I bought a drinks package and it really couldn't have been a bigger waste of time - the lack of staff meant that you had to wait forever to get a drink anyway; you can't even go to the bar and buy a drink as they only 'make' the drinks and need to be passed on from a waiter. Furthermore, things like a drink at the theatre now means getting a drink before entering, as staff no longer take orders from the theatre (and when the bar is full you're left standing around trying to catch a waiter to place an order). I for one have been so disappointed with the cutbacks that I'm now looking to other cruise lines in future - might as well pay cheap(er) for rubbish service!
Experiences like this can really spoil a holiday, can't they? I hope you enjoy your next cruise, whichever cruise line you choose. Best wishes.
If you have easy plus or higher package and want something that is above the price limit, you only need to pay the difference in price. Example: You have easy plus that covers drinks up to 10 and want class of champagne that is 14, you only need to pay 4 for it. That makes the easy plus package sweet spot for me. All bars have really good specialty coffees. Its Italian line. So I will have cappuccino instead of regular coffee. There is always a bar that also have some snacks and desserts available, but not regular free coffee. Having coffee and snack is free with package. That is a luxury that I would not do (or at least did less) without drink package. Also with drinks package you get bottled water. So every time I get off the ship I get couple of them in the backpack so I don't have to buy any water when I'm on port.
Thank you for all the useful tips, which I'm sure others will find helpful. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
Book way in advance then you save more in general. Particularly going with the Easy Package on your booking.
Good advice. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
Very useful video. Two small points to add: 1) Most MSC cruises sold in the UK offer the Premium extra package at time of booking for c £36 pppn which is even better value & 2) Yacht club also includes the mini bar and one bottle of spirits/wine per cabin.
Thank you for your comment and this information. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.
Yep and sometimes even cheaper than that, I paid less than £25pppn for All Inclusive which includes the premium extra package.
When your video's came up on my feed, I thought it was a bit naff... but I was wrong. Not only do you have clear information about each cruise subject, but you also 'do the math' and illustrated what things actually mean, such as how much (in reality) you have to drink for a drink packages to make sense. Top mark for the video and top marks for you background work and evenclear presentation. I am now officially a fan!!!
Thanks very much for your complimentary comment. All I wanted to be, when I started this channel, was informative, so I'm glad you've found the videos useful. I hope you enjoy your next cruise, wherever it may take you. Best wishes.
Do you get a free glass off wine at dinner time.
No. Some of the dearer cabins get a bottle of bubbly in their cabins on arrival, and some get drinks at a welcome on board lunch, but for the rest of us there's no free booze. You can have tea & coffee after dinner at no extra charge, but alcohol has to be paid for. Enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.
If you order a double vodka and lemonade would they give you 80ml (two measures) on a premium extra package and would the price non package be £8 twice plus £3.50 for the lemonade?
Hi, thanks for your question. As I understand it, that it exactly right. The drinks are fairly pricey with MSC, so the drinks packages are quite attractive, and you can't take any drinks onboard with you, so you have to buy all your drinks, apart from the absolute basics, which you get from the buffet - tea, coffee, ice tea, milk & water, plus fruit juice at breakfast. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise.
Can an adult buy the Kids package? And do both the kids package and Alcohol free include ice cream?
Hi, thank you for your question. The minors package is for kids aged 3-17 in Europe, and 3-12 on North American & Caribbean itineraries (alcohol free package available for minors 13-20 travelling there). Both the minors and the alcohol free package do include soft serve ice cream. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise.
I allwhys buys the drink package if we did not we have a big bill end of the holiday 😂
I know what you mean! Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
Hi Chris, we've booked a 2 nighter because we're not sure what to expect. As P&O Cruisers we expect great service and quality at a reasonable price. However, we want to try MSC so found your video interesting. We upgraded to Aurea because we fancy the spa and thermal area. This quickly made this short cruise quite expensive. That said, we're looking forward to the sparkly ship and try not to spend too much extra. Cheers.
The ship's beautiful and the spa is very impressive. With the Aurea fare you can use Il Campo restaurant and Top 19 sundeck, which should be comparatively peaceful, as the two nighters tend to get a lot of families with children. Search "Captain Chris Cruises" to find my other Virtuosa videos, and have a great time on your cruise. Best wishes.
Can you still buy a bottle of spirits on board for your cabin? Any idea what irish whiskeys they have in bars on board?
Hi. You can buy spirits in the shop, but you only collect it on the last day, so no chance to drink it during your holiday. We bought some gin at a great price. There is Jameson's whiskey in the bars. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.
@@CaptainChrisCruisesThis is still the info in their FAQs........ If you would like to purchase a bottle of spirits for in cabin consumption during your cruise you may do so by ordering via room service (also, from May 2017 we are introducing an exciting new range of chargeable items to the menu). Intra EU Cruises (Cruises visiting only Countries within the European Union) On intra EU voyage we are unable to sell any duty free liquor or tobacco for on board consumption or to take ashore from the shops on board. I wonder if the cruise starts in England (non eu) but travels in eu....can one buy spirits for the cabin? I'm probably as well to email them!! Thanks for your info!
We travelled from Southampton to EU countries, and we bought from the duty free shop, but couldn't have the purchases until the last day. Of course you can order from room service for cabin consumption, but these will surely be at a very different price to the duty free shop. Happy sailing.
@@CaptainChrisCruises Thank you. I looked further into room service and apparently a litre bottle of Jameson is approx 26 pounds! Cheaper than in shops here! Happy days! Nice to have a night cap in the cabin, or a hot one on a cold night!
Think I saw Jameson at a bar. We ordered a bottle of Gin on the room service line on the cabin phone. £2.50 delivery fee also. Some people did have a bottles of gin on the Thursday evening from duty free and were taking them to their room. I think this is because we had no sea days left, but check with the shop.
Thanks for this. We have never tried MSC, but I fully expect that we will be tempted when the right itinerary comes along.
Thank you for your kind comment. I hope you enjoy your next cruise, whichever cruise line you choose. Best wishes.
@CaptainChrisCruises Thanks. Just out of curiosity, we are originally from West Bromwich. I am guessing you are or were not too far away. I think Midlanders have a strange yearning for the seas, being so far away from it in all directions! 😆
@@CaptainChrisCruisesI’m a bit confused, earlier today I came across something saying the atmosphere bar south by the pool that serves burgers pizzas and fries was included but you didn’t mention it amongst free places to eat?
Hi. Thanks for your question. There are two Atmosphere Bars. The North one serves only drinks, & the South one is a bar & grill, with about 80 seats nearby. I didn't eat there myself, but I can't find anything at all to suggest to me that the food is free there. I hope I'm wrong, and you've found a gem, but having experienced MSC, they don't give much away without charge. Perhaps if anyone else has eaten there for free, they'll add their comment below. Wherever you eat, I hope you enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
Yes, Brummie through & through, and you're right about yearning for the sea. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
This will cost P&O in the long run.... hopefully. It's getting out of hand. We had already booked before this nonsense was announced, but out of principle it will be the last we book with P&O.
Thank you for your comment. Lots of people feel the same way. I hope you enjoy your cruise nonetheless. Best wishes.
do they check for spirits when you board? say i put spirits in a coke bottle?
I've heard of people who've done that and got away with it but, as I said in the video, I can't recommend that you try it. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great cruise.
Not a shocker at all, it's what most cruise lines already do. Last year Princess made much more significant changes than this After customers like us had already paid in full for the cruise.
It's annoying when you've already booked, isn't it? Thanks for your comment. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
Great video, Virtuosa is gorgeous and love the Swaroski stairs. Thanks for the tip 👏
Thank you for your kind comment. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.
@@CaptainChrisCruises Have a great weekend 👏
We have just come back from two lovely weeks on Arvia, can definitely recommend this ship! Everything was fabulous! 😊
Yes, we loved Arvia too. Start planning your next cruise! Best wishes.
No not on their website
I hope you have a fantastic holiday.
I’ve booked my cruise with the deluxe package for2025
That's great!