Відео

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 ...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thank you for your interesting comment. Sounds like your experience was very similar to ours. Best wishes, and enjoy your next cruise.

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.

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.

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.

Enjoy your next cruise, whichever cruise line you choose. Best wishes.

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 ..

Thank you for your comment. I agree, overall everything is great. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

Thank you for your kind comment. I've posted plenty more videos about this ship. Search "Captain Chris Cruises" to find the others. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

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.

Thank you for all the useful tips, which I'm sure others will find helpful. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

Good advice. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 know what you mean! Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

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.

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!

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.

Thank you for your comment. Lots of people feel the same way. I hope you enjoy your cruise nonetheless. Best wishes.

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.

It's annoying when you've already booked, isn't it? Thanks for your comment. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

Thank you for your kind comment. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

@@CaptainChrisCruises Have a great weekend 👏

Yes, we loved Arvia too. Start planning your next cruise! Best wishes.

I hope you have a fantastic holiday.

That's great!

Fantastic! Have a great time on both. Best wishes.

Thank you for your comment, you & I sound very alike. Make sure to watch the new, May 2024, version of the drinks package video. Enjoy your next cruise.

Thank you for your kind comment. Enjoy your next cruise.

Ventura is a good bit smaller than Arvia or Iona, but it's still huge, with plenty of facilities. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Enjoy it. Best wishes.

@@CaptainChrisCruises 👍

Fantastic, fantastic. Fantastic

Coffee is available in other places than just the buffet. There's a big chocolate shop and cafe called Jean Phillipe for example. In the buffet there's standard coffee in self service dispensers that are free to all passengers, and there's no problem getting free coffee from there, even when it's busy. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise.

@@CaptainChrisCruisesThanks for the reply but it's the speciality coffees on the drinks package I meant. Chocolate shop is an extra charge and the buffet coffee is available to all. How do I order an espresso or a cappucino that's included with the drinks package?

You can get espresso based coffees, like lattes & cappuccino from the bars, they have espresso machines, and they're covered if you have the appropriate drinks package. Best wishes.

Absolutely not. Everyone in the same cabin must buy the same drinks package, and there must be a 15 minute gap between drinks orders. I notice you've put this question below the older version of my drinks package video, so make sure you watch the updated, May 2024, version before your holiday. Best wishes, and enjoy your cruise.

Thank you for your kind comment. Enjoy your cruise. Best wishes.

Thank you for your comment. I guess they pass through an airport style X-ray device. When you board the ship after visiting each port, everything you're carrying with you gets X-rayed, so I imagine the same happens with your main suitcase after you drop it off at the cruise terminal. Hope this helps. Enjoy your next cruise.

Thank you for your kind comment. The Ts&Cs say "one litre of wine or Champagne" is allowed, and "other alcohol types such as spirits are considered restricted items". My guess is that sherry is not considered to be wine, although I take your point about it being fortified wine, and is therefore prohibited. A quick phone call to P&O would confirm this if you still want certainty. You have posted this question under last year's video, so please make sure you watch the May 2024 update video for the latest information. Have a great cruise. Best wishes.

Thank you for this information. Enjoy your next cruise.

Ha ha! Nor mine! Thanks for your comment. Have a great cruise.

Thank you for your comment. I'm sure you can. Enjoy your next cruise. Best wishes.

Example - room service charge £26 - £38 for 'luxury' branded gin as opposed to 11.99 for your standard duty free bottle.....which would you rather pay?

No problem. Best wishes.

Thank you for your comment. Many feel the same way. Enjoy your next cruise.