MSC Virtuosa: this ship is getting TERRIBLE reviews? WHY? We investigate
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- Опубліковано 12 тра 2024
- MSC Virtuosa and sister ship Euribia frequently receive scalding and critical reviews. Are the comments true? Should you be concerned?
We sailed for 14 nights to try out everything, and see what's good, and what's bad.
We score for: food, drinks, bars, the buffet, entertainment, activities, shows, the Yacht Club, cabins, and value for money. This is our FULL ships tour and review.
After our time aboard did we agree with the critics?
Do you need to stay in Yacht Club?
*** Incidentally, this is the ship currently being shown on 'The Good Ship Murder' TV Show.
Cruise ship tour
MSC Virtuosa Party
We cover:
Embarkation
MSC Virtuosa tour
The look and style of Virtuosa
The Market Place buffet
Main Dining Rooms
MSC Yacht Club Experience
The theatre and shows
Sky Lounge
Bars and Cafes
Virtuosa Lounge
Butchers Cut
Indochine
Kaito Sushi & teppanyaki
Hola Tacos Mexican
Robot Bar
Master of the Seas
Bowling Alley
Swimming pools
Horizon Bar
Jacuzzis
Activities aboard
kids club
Yacht Club
Cabin tour
Entertainment
Carousel
Arkymea
Cirque du soleil
balconies
inside
oceanview
casino
resort
cruisetips
cruisingtips
MSC Euribia review
Cruise ship tour
Cruise tips
Cruise news
Captain Jakobus Lefering - MSC Virtuosa
What cruise ship is the The Good Ship Murder filmed on? The MSC Virtuosa
MSC Virtuosa will serve as the backdrop for Channel 5's newest drama series, The Good Ship Murder
In addition to this video, we have several videos covering Cunard Cruises. You can watch these videos :
The complete Guide and ships tour to the Cunard Queen Mary 2:
• CUNARD Queen Mary 2 in...
Which Cunard Cabin to choose:
• Cunard: Choosing the P...
What is a Cunard buffet like:
• Cunard Queen Mary 2 .....
Queen Mary 2- The Coronation Cruise:
• What's it REALLY like ...
The Quirky side of Queen Mary 2:
• Video
QM2: A virtual Walk around:
• Video
MSC sails around the world including the Caribbean, North America, and the Mediterranean
MSC Seascape
MSC Bellisima
MSC Grandiosa
MSC World Europa
MSC Opera
MSC Seaside
MSC Fantasia
MSC Seaview
MSC Euribia
Hi, welcome to Ritzy Travel Guide, my name is Bill, we are here bringing you our latest travel reviews from around the globe! We'll be travelling right around the world on cruise ships, all inclusive resorts, tropical destinations... and the deals of the day.
In this video :
00:00 - Is MSC Virtuosa too crowded and packed?
02:34 - the look and feel of the Virtuosa
06:04 - Main dining room & buffet
17:00 - Yacht Club
18:58 - Swimming Pool chaos
22:37 - Indoor Entertainment
22:57 - Shops
24:24 - Gym
25:33 - Shows
26:30 - Entertainment Arcades
27:33 - Kids Club
28:02 - Evening Entertainment
30:07 - Silent Disco
31:28 - Carousel Cirque du Soleil Show
32:24 - Sky Lounge
33:10 - Aquapark & Himalayan Bridge
34:45 - Speciality Dining
35:07 - Disembarkation Chaos
38:21 - Conclusion - will I sail again on Virtuosa
39:41 - the ship staff & Captain
41:13 - our next video
42:11 - Ports of call videos
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ABOUT ME:
Hi, my name is Bill! Together with my family we have lived in 5 countries around the world, and spend our life travelling, in both a professional and recreational capacity. The aim of this channel is to give an honest, practical viewpoint, showing exactly what we found, and what tips we may be able to offer. We do not sell vacations, and the objective is to give a fully independent, and real picture. We hope you enjoy the reviews we post. Please do feel free to comment and share. Thanks!
If you enjoyed this video, please do leave a comment in the box! By the way you can watch our latest video on Cunard here: ua-cam.com/video/VwicqlGFqOo/v-deo.htmlsi=O9suMAuSuN05_KMM
Another excellent video - as per my comment on your other video, we were quite apprehensive about our sept 30th sailing - luckily we’ve just won our upgrade bid on a yacht club cabin - can’t wait now really looking forward to our cruise. Keep up the good work!
That's great news Phil! So glad your upgrade came through. It should be a totally different experience for you in Yacht Club. Please do let us know how it went, when you get back!
Thanks Bill! I would really recommend bidding on an upgrade if you get the chance - we bid just over the minimum for an interior cabin suite and have been allocated a deluxe balcony suite. I’ll report back on the YC experience when we get back.
Wow, they allocated a balcony, on an interior bid!
I'm on the same Cruise, fingers x it's not as busy as in this vid.
Hopefully not, as you'll be out of season!
Excellent and very fair review. We travelled on the voyage after yours and totally agree with what you are saying about the noise etc. our sanctuary was the aft section of the buffet, you could really escape the madness there. Thanks for the videos, I look forward to your next ones
Many thanks Steve! It must be one of the biggest buffets at sea. I can't recall many that are of that scale and size, and range. We'll now add sanctuary to the buffet description!
@@ritzytravelguide Of course, this is an excellent reminder that, on all cruise-ships, there are areas and times of day/night that are away from the main crowds....and remarkably quiet and enjoyable....Willingness to walk an extra 100 feet can yield free tables, uncrowded food-stations, short/no queues, and much less noise.....Another place is the Library....the quietest place on any ship....Another great invention is the adults-only areas of any cruiseline/cruiseship.....
@@ritzytravelguide To be fair the rear deck and the sky lounge were about the only places that weren’t noisy!
That is true!
Cracking' video Bill.
Many thanks, most kind!
going soon... so excited..
Hi. Wishing you a good cruise. Which itinerary are you going on?
Thank you for a fabulous review. I thought it was very professional, informative and balanced.
Very kind of you to say. Thank you
We were on the same cruise as you and so have been watching all your videos. Our disembarkation was exactly the same, in fact you filmed me waiting in line. However shortly after you passed an MSC representative came along telling everyone that the queue was moving on level 5 and advised us to go down there, so we immediately left the queue on level 6 and went down to 5. The queue was indeed moving and it felt like we got off the vessel in 10 minutes.
Its another good video, but feels like a re-edit of the previous one with 90% of the same material. Looking forward to your videos of the different ports of call. It'll be interesting to see what we did differently and what we missed out on!
Hi there, ports of call coming in the next couple of weeks!
I've been on her, the ship is great, but sometimes there's too many people aboard, don't go from Southampton.
Highly interested in this one seeing as its a week before we embark to the Fjords on her. It will nice to see another upload of not just the Yacht club.
We cover everything on the ship, so you'll have lots to see in the video. Have a great cruise!
I’m on the same cruise and so nervous as boat is full
@@garyatkinson5699 Head straight for the Sky Lounge, near the bar counter with the great tapas and sea views, and give your seat up for no-one!
Wishing you a great trip!
that sewing kit is actually very tempting, last year i went to portugal and needed to alter a dress and i spent ages in a mall looking for a sewing kit but couldn't find anything at all
Looks like I’m going to be really happy to have a suite in the yacht club next week!
I think you will be!
Have a great time!
Let us know afterwards, how it was, we'd love to hear!
Good information, well presented. I normally prefer a cosy village pub with log fire but, on occasions, I would step into a packed beer hall in the Munich Oktoberfest. As long as you we know what we're letting ourselves in for, we can't complain. Your presentation shows us exactly what we're getting. Many thanks.
I love your analogy with a German bierkeller!! Thanks so much
Great and thorough non biased review
Many thanks, much appreciated
@@ritzytravelguide I am on the Virtuosa right now and loving it. I think it’s wonderful, I have never been on a cruise before so can’t compare it to anything else. But what a great experience 👍🏻
@laurencelong Hi Laurence, great to hear the cruise is going well! I just had a quick check on the vessel location.... you've been on a Fjords cruise. I'm sure the scenery has been spectacular!
@@ritzytravelguide That’s right, Flåm especially looked amazing. We actually had a really fast disembarkation, my family and I all walked straight off the boat with no issues, maybe they have improved their processes or something. However the queue when we arrived at the start of the week to embark was really long and I think people were taking hours to move through it (we were extremely lucky to arrive in a minibus and were told to enter near the front of the queue). My sister noticed the staff were all Southampton terminal staff not MSC staff so actually not the cruise line’s fault it seems. Multiple of my group have now booked onto holidays on the Virtuosa again next year as we enjoyed it so much! I think we also did it at a good time as it was outside of school holidays so much fewer children and slightly fewer passengers I think.
I've not been to Flam, I must put it on my bucket list!
What a great great video. The most informative video I’ve seen.
I cancelled our family holiday on the virtuoso in July. Reading all the reviews it just sounded awful, which is a shame as the ship looks amazing.
Hi, many thanks for your kind comments. Yes, you are spot on... it's a gorgeous ship, but MSC is stuffing way too many people on it.
Wow! We love cruising but this cruise we'd find these crowds and queuing challenging. Smaller ships would suit us better! Thanks for sharing.
The sheer numbers aboard did make it very challenging. We'd not choose a mega ship again, unless there was a really compelling itinerary that wasn't available on anything else
Can see it may be good for families but too many people for me, I'll stick to smaller ships with a more adult crowd of about 1,000, Saga, Fred and Ambassador . Thanks for showing, enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching!
I was on the same cruise and thankfully we upgraded to the YC, I would have not been able to stand the crowds in the rest of a ship. However this was my 3rd trip on the Virtuosa and previously it wasn’t so busy. It is a beautiful ship, such a shame it was so full. I have to agree the disembarkation was absolutely chaotic and in the YC there was supposed to be priority disembarkation. One thing to remember though the price point is relatively low compared to other cruise lines, its a true statement particularly when cruising ‘You get what you pay for’
Hi Joy, good to hear from you. Yes, the ship really was rammed. Strange as it wasn't fully in the school holidays. There were a few Scots who were on vacation, but the rest of the holidays had not yet started. I heard that the next few sailings after that were even more full. God forbid!
Really good review! Lots of little tips. Thanks
You're welcome!
Excellent video. We were on same trip but in YC, and had a totally different amazing experience but obviously comes with a price. Disembarkation for us was easy only ten mins from ship to car but understand there was a mixture of problems with both problems with one airbridge at Southampton being out of use and some passengers trying to disembark before allotted time. You are right though it was busy!!!!
Hi Glenn. Many thanks for your comments. Very valuable feedback. YC passengers seem to be having a much different experience to the rest of the ship!
glencorrie3765, thanks for sharing your observations and experiences. How much was the Yacht Club experience versus Aurea or the basic category (e.g., per person for a week)? Did you think that you got good value for money overall?
Fantastic review, great British humor, love it. Thank you.
Very kind, thank you!
A Well balaned review, we are booked for October on a 4 night cruise, was very worried after reading Tripadvisor reviews. Fell a lot easier now as we have booked the Aurea package. I'm still wondering if the upgrade to the Yacht club is an option as it's an extra £1,000.00. Now going to watch your other videos on this ship.
Hi there, the Aurea does give some useful perks, such as flexible dining times, access to private deck areas, and the Spa, and nice cabins. However, if you have the budget, AND you're going over a busy weekend or term break, you might like to spring for Yacht Club. The general rule of thumb: the shorter the cruise... the more likely it is to be a party/booze cruise!
Great review sailed on her in April 2023 down to Spain and Canaries fortunate to be in YC suite cabin, to be honest YC was ok but sadly was not for us. Your review clearly highlights the lack of space on board away from YC our cruise has put us off cruising again have done 9 over the years.
Thanks for your comments Gareth
I definitely recommend YC - been there 4 times so far. Never would do the 95% experience as shown in your videos. I like to enjoy all the offerings of a big cruise ship, but I also like a private, uncrowded cozy retreat.
Thank you so much for this review… going on the Virtuosa this Thursday 22 Dec 2023 in Dubai . Hoping for a great time 🎉
Hi, have a fantastic cruise! From Dubai it should be a great itinerary. Please do let us know in the comments how it went, after your cruise!
Watch this movie went on my MSC Euribia cruise went to the back of the buffet all the time total saved my days! Thanks haha
You're welcome!
I'll be a first-time cruiser in November, so I have been watching many videos on cruising and have enjoyed your detailed videos. Wow. Six thousand people. I can't even imagine spending my money to be stuck on this ship with all those people. I think an older, smaller ship would be best for me.
Hi Stacy, have a fabulous cruise in November!
We recently had to cancel our Norwegian cruise in May on the Virtuosa and I have to say I’m glad I did !!! The cost was good but if it was anything like this , I know we wouldn’t enjoy it , especially my husband 🤦♀️😉!!! I think when we book again it will be with a much smaller ship and possibly with a different cruise line !
@juliewilson3237 Hi Julie, judging by your comment you might like to consider a 'midsize' ship, with approximately 3000 or less passengers. You could consider: Princess, Celebrity, the new NCL ships, or if you're a traditionalist the new Cunard Queen Anne, which is offering European and Scandinavian itineraries this season.
@@ritzytravelguide Thanks for your reply, I would really like to try Princess and maybe P&O if the price was reasonable.
@juliewilson3237 Good luck with your booking!
were on this ship in 3 weeks ,will defo try the buffet tip.BTW every issue people have listed about this ship we have seen every time on Royal Caribbean and PO cruises, there all exactly the same for what we have seen
Have a great cruise! Please do let us know afterwards how it went
Great video.November 22, 7 nights 2300 onboard.June 3rd 14 nights,4500 onboard,going on 30th September for 15 nights Mediterranean,will let you know how many are onboard.
Great statistics! Have a fantastic time in September. Yes. please do let us know how it goes 👍
Yet another great review.
One wonders if you spend more time on land or sea?
Thanks! Though it was tough, at times, trying to remain fair and balanced with this review... when there were quite a few things annoying me with the cruise!
Slightly more time on land 😂
Brilliant video! I love watching cruise videos but I often say oh look how beautiful they are with nobody onboard 😂 So thank you for keeping it real… I deffo want to go on at half capacity 😅
Thanks so much Trena!
Very informative and professionally done vlog. I was considering booking this ship but thanks to your honest and thorough review, I think I will choose an alternative one lol .
Thank you so much for your kind comments about how the video was produced!
Excellent video. Glad to see real actual video. Sooo crowded and information was so helpful. Too noisy for me.
Hi, thanks for the compliment on the video. Yes indeed, busy and noisy for a large portion of the time
Thank you for your detailed and honest video my family of 5 will be on this first time cruise in September
Hope you have a fantastic time
Hello. Ben and David sailed the Norwegian Viva in the Haven. In their review of the ship, the Haven did not live up to the price they paid for the cabin. There were many Negatives to sailing in The Haven suites. The ships offerings were less than stellar. They were not pleased at all.
Really like this hairstyle on you: very smart but modern!
Hi, my name is David, and my wife & I are going on Msc Virtuosa on the 15th of October, 2023, 😊 my wife has just now had new knee replacement, she has an electric scooter, will stalf help us on board, with the Mustard drill, thank you for video tour. David John Bircher
Hi David, I would be stunned if they didn't, on MSC or any other cruise line. I saw plenty of electric scooters on board, so they are clearly permitted. Give MSC customer services a call before hand, and I'm sure they will be able to help
Returned yesterday from the Virtuosa. This video is sooooooo truthful and accurate………in fact we are pleased we didn’t see it before we went……it is soooo noisy and crowded, although a beautiful ship.
Hi there, many thanks for your comment. Yes. A beautiful ship... but packed to the rafters. If only they limited it to 4000 instead of 6000 passengers. Naturally the price would be higher, but I wager many people would be prepared to pay 25% more, for a better experience. The ship is indeed beautiful, but that goes by the wayside if the experience is spoiled by the sheer numbers.
This experience has put us off cruising. Only positive (apart from good cabin & cuisine) was the fact that it was casual dress most nights which suited us as our 3 suitcases were stolen from our car just 3 hrs before our boarding time. We had to make do with very little clothing all week. Nightmare holiday
@@brendahollick9245 OMG, your cases were stolen. God what an awful start to the holidays. Poor you. But, don't let the experience put you off cruising. Fabulous times are available at sea.
@@ritzytravelguide we need to know which cruise line would suit us better and what do they call a cruise which caters for more reserved music tastes. We enjoy some modern music but prefer classical and we’ve heard some cruises include lectures on various subjects. Any ideas?
@brendahollick9245 Cunard would certainly fit your criteria for lectures and music! We've been on a variety of different Cunard Cruises over the years, and they rarely disappoint. And they're not just for retirees. People from all ages go on Cunard. They have great live music, with different music genres. The QM2 even has a nightclub! They are one of the leaders in onboard lectures and talks. And if you wait for sales, their prices are surprisingly affordable.
We also have enjoyed that 'style' of cruise with Holland America, and Oceania. Which have a similar feel to them. Also some of the Princess ships.
By the way, we're on Cunard Queen Elizabeth next month. Keep any eye on our upcoming videos, and you can see if it would suit 🙂.
In the meantime we have several existing videos on the Queen Mary 2. Have a peep at those. Start with this one:
ua-cam.com/video/AhfkYi25Qvg/v-deo.html
Thanks Bill , really enjoyed your video. Never been on a cruise and don't think I ever will after watching
Has this really put you off?!
@@ritzytravelguideAfraid so , all those people....my idea of hell. Love watching your videos though 😂😂
@alanbreeze4731 😁
Just got back of this cruise ship was a great atmosphere I have 3 adult kids with me had a fabulous time family friendly it is more lively compared to other cruise ships but it added to the ship staff were amazing from start to finish this ship was amazing ❤
Glad to hear you had a great time!
Very well done I’d say and a quite balanced review.
This ship doesn’t look remotely like my idea of a good time. Too many people, too much noise, lines everywhere and a predictable disaster of a disembarkation process. I’ll add that unless you missed it there seems to have been no communication from the staff as to the long wait to get off the ship. That’s utterly inexcusable.
jetdriver, to me, it also speaks to the issues affecting mega-ships: there are many positives, including diversity, variety of cuisines, amazing entertainment, and uses of technology, but, on the negative side, too many people in key areas: pools, buffets, and showrooms. The cruiselines have expanded the size of ships from 2,000 passengers all the way to 7,500 plus with Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas....but have not correspondingly increased the number and size of swimming pools, the number and size of the hot tubs, the size of the fitness-centre, or the number of times that main shows are given, or the size of the showrooms.
Hi, I totally agree that of the main issues with megaships is that they have not increased the size of the common, key areas. 6000 people using the same sized facilities that are used on a 3000 passenger ship!
Yes, there were too many lines, and too many packed venues. Despite being a huge ship, it didn't often feel like it. Too many people in the common areas
Hi Bill,just off the 15 night cruise on Virtuosa.Captain told me there were 4992 on board,just over double occupancy.i estimated around 80 school children on board,god knows what job they will get in the future.Had great time as usual. Weather in the med was like summer,28C/82F.I think any more onboard would spoil it.Phil.
Hi Phil, many thanks for your report. That's just about a manageable number. When it gets to 5000+, things start to go wrong. Glad to hear you had a great time and the weather sounds like it was gorgeous for you!
We are just in Barcelona, about to board. This time on Cunard QE. It's shoulder season in the Med, so shouldn't be too busy
Everywhere was rammed when we were onboard, the only peace we had was in our cabin. Over 1000 kids onboard and that was in school time not school holidays 😤😖
Wow. That does seem to be the issue, it's difficult to tactically book a quieter cruise, during school time, if the kids are on the ship instead!
Unless it's a Southampton cruise, most of the clientele on MSC cruise ships are Europeans.. Italian, German etc and their school holidays are different to the UK
Once you do Yacht Club...you dont want anything else on a MSC Ship. Honestly. We are Diamond with MSC and normally booked Aurea, wich is also very nice with a seperate section at the pooldeck on the bigger ships and your own restaurant with anytime dining , but YC is a world apart. Also sailed with Virtuosa Christmas 2022. Full capacity and over 6000 ppl inside because of the weather in north Europe. Crowded! Last may on Seascape booked the YC. What a relief! Nice and quiet with excellence service. Was well worth it.
We may give Yacht Club a try next year, if I can find an interesting itinerary. Perhaps the Dubai and Suez itinerary, as it has great port stops
On some ships the passengers are not allowed to save sunbeds or seats in the theatre. I've only cruised on Cunard where there are more than enough seats for everyone.
All ships may need to start introducing some sort of anti sunbed blocking system. A traffic warden at sea!
They always do it . Crew don't care.
@@Stephanie-vx4zi I sailed P&O Arvia on a transatlantic in March which was very busy and because you have 6 consecutive sea days in hot weather the sunbed situation was awful. My other half was wakeful one early morning and went for a stroll at 5.30am expecting everywhere to be deserted yet came across about a dozen people laying their towels out on beds in the pitch dark. P&O policy clearly forbids it but absolutely nobody enforces it. Next time anyone says Germans are the worst sunbed hoggers just point them in the direction of a P&O cruise ship.
Being packed in with 6000 other people makes me cringe
They've definitely upped their game since 2016! The main dining room food on the Fantasia was borderline inedible and the only thing at the buffet that was half decent was the pizza.... And that's not including what I call the "Floater" incident in the main pool. My top tip for that cruise was to hide in the cigar lounge. Almost nobody invaded the sanctuary of that space and it had a bar too.
I don't recall the later MSC ships having a Cigar Lounge 🤔
@@ritzytravelguide well that's a shame because it was honestly the best room on the entire vessel
Cruises will always be packed in during the holidays. We purposely go outside of the holidays so we don't have a full ship. We've sailed on Virtuosa 3 times now and never had issues. It's a beautiful ship, and if you go with a relaxed mindset, and take the day as it comes, you shouldn't have any issues.
We always find a seat somewhere on the ship, and avoid buffets at the peak times and have never found any issues. Love the ship, love MSC ❤ looking forward to our May sailing. ❤
Have a great cruise in May!
Thank you 😊😊😊@ritzytravelguide
I hope the Virtuosa is pumping when I'm there haha. Hope your kids enjoyed it! Traveling with a 16 & 10 year old.
I tell you what, they really loved the climbing, and water sports. Kept them busy for hours. Have a great cruise. Let us know how it went for you. We always love to hear
I have done two cruises on the Virtuosa, a 14 night, and a 3 night, I also used the open deck buffet at the rear of the ship, a good place to dine. The one thing I thought you may have included are the smart lifts [ elevators ] which tell which one will serve you quickest, and also the exterior ones either side mid ship. Apart from that an excellent guide to this ship, and so true. Well done you.
Hi Robin, many thanks for your comments, and your mention about the smart lifts is absolutely correct, I should have talked about them!
I have booked a cruise on this ship, have paid for in advance the two shows in the Carousel theatre, also for a spa pass and a massage treatment. You don't mention the spa, is there a reason?
Hi there. The Spa actually looked very nice. Upmarket and well done. We didn't try it, but it seemed professional, with extensive facilities. I didn't show the Spa footage, as the video was already running quite long!
I got off in sep. found the ship yes it was loud ,the staff was very good at entertaining,the free entertainment was spot on , got on in no time ,found the buffet food Luke warm . Beef tough . Disembark no problem,no cues.
MSC's embarkation /disembarkation seems a total lottery. Reports back swing wildly from great to dismal.
Where is the video of all Restaurants? I can´t find it. I can only find the bideo about the speciality restaurant.
I worked on that ship for 7+ months. Needless to say you really chose the wrong time to go. I have to agree that it should be better suited to handling 6000 guests, but the reality is that it only gets that busy during school holidays, summer holidays, halloween, and 2 weeks in December. Other than that it will be at around 1500-3000 guests. So sorry you had a bad experience.
Hi there, thanks very much for taking the time to comment, that is much appreciated. Sadly for us, on this occasion, we had no alternative dates to pick, as we were with family, and therefore restricted to holiday dates.
This meant the cruise was heaving with people. It's a very beautiful ship, with really willing staff, but MSC is just putting too many people on board at peak times. The common areas, restaurants, and bars simply cannot cope. There's nothing to stop MSC capping passenger numbers at a more manageable number....but that of course won't happen.
Many thanks again
Hi there, we were just about to book this ship for 4th Oct- 16th Oct. This is during school holidays in Scotland but possibly not in England. I was wondering from your experience if you think it will be as busy then? (None of us are party animals and this review has opened our eyes a wee bit and made us think it maybe isn't the right vibe for our family 🤔). X
@ootandabook Hi, our trip was during mid July. Interestingly, Scottish school holidays had begun, but before the English and Welsh holidays. And it was still full.
MSC ships almost always run 100% capacity during school breaks, so you might want to assume it will be full!
If you have not yet booked, and you're a little bit anxious, a slightly less 'party' ship option would be:
1. P&O. Their ships Arvia and Iona are family minded. Also Azura and Ventura.
2. Princess
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much. Your review has really helped us out! X
@ootandabook You're very welcome!
I was on the ship the same time as yourself during my 6 months on. I work on the bridge and navigate.
Hi, great to hear from you. Well done getting under that Lisbon bridge 🌉, it was a fantastic arrival to the capital! Also, great job getting us out of Southampton on Day 1 with strong winds....I remember the Captain saying it was the only ship that dared to venture out that evening
@@ritzytravelguide Ahh yes! Captain Chris Pugh was determined!!
My Mrs just booked a week in October before school holidays. Will it be busy!!!!???? Thanks for the video.
Very difficult to tell for sure, as many parents take their kids out of school during term time. But it should be quieter than summer
Fantastic Video! You are such a nice guy! What was your job before? Narrator in TV? 🎉🤗
I can agree on much, cos we sailed with Virtuosa in February. When we reached Le Havre the ship went so full that it took us 20 minutes to find a place even in the aft part of the buffet. Very crowded and annoying. Problem 2: Only a few bars include the drinks package. I sailed twice on the beautiful Splendida, where practically every bar had the possibility for you to use the drinking packages and also has more bars for 4000 people. So Splendida never feels full even she is full. On Virtuosa it's the "Virtuosa Bar" that you showed and the "Sky Lounge" so everyone seemed to go there all the time... 🥴
The rest we agree totally and here comes a tip: For a million clicks per video give your daughter more screentime.. 😅🙋♂️
My daughter is quite shy!
been on this ship 3 times. a 3 day a 5 day and a 7 day ... the 7 day cruise was virtually exactly what has been described in this video and if that would of been our first cruise it would of put us off going on any more But i have to say the first 2 cruises were no where near that full and were more enjoyable.... just a little addition we found although we never had to queue to get on or off the ship. i would suggest instead of letting the cabin crew take your bags the night before departure take them down yourself on the day of departure and you can virtually get off straight away....
We traveled on this cruise in 2022 on a weeks trip in October it was so Good from arrival to departure that we went again same time in 2023 .Never been on a ship before and I would recommend this trip .Only problem on second trip was the dinning arrangement they gave us 9.45 far too late for most people .This was a cut above most airline package tours and by the way we are in our mid Seventies
Hi there, many thanks for your message, good to hear from you. Glad to hear your cruise went well!
We've sailed on this ship. We had an amazing time. Despite reading so many negative reviews.
Thanks for your comment. It's good to hear all sides
I know you said you had a fab time but how would you say you found the ques
Swimming pool busyness
I’m on her for a short break to Rotterdam in sept. Previous cruises have been Azura, Ventura, sky princess and QM2… I think I’ve made a mistake with virtuosa….. from what I’ve seen on here I think I’m dreading it lol
Hi Karl, really hoping for you that your sailing in September, (after schools go back) you'll catch a break, and have a less full ship. Let us know how it goes. Fingers crossed for you.
How did it go?
What month did you go on the ship, I’m due to go on this exact trip on the 27th July wondering how busy it’ll be 🙈
Hi there.... end of July, the same time as you! Be prepared!
Hello and thank you for taking the time to make this video while on your holiday. I have booked a 5-day cruise on the Virtuosa for the next May half term. That is the only option for my family as my daughter is in full-time education. We'll also be traveling with the 4 grandparents. It will be our first cruise for us. We live in London and did a few trips to Disneyland at pick times, so I am (probably really naively! ) counting on our skill of crowd management :D My question is as we are all in the Aurea experience, would that help make this family trip more enjoyable?
Also, if you don't mind, how does it work the process of leaving the ship on your on-port days? would that be a nightmare? I am trying as a first-time cruiser to get information about it but I don't seem to find much info about it.
Thank you so much for your time!
Hi there, the Aurea experience will certainly help in terms of privileges and space :
1. Dedicated private deck area. Ample sun loungers, as it has its own space. Also has its own private jacuzzi hot tubs.
2. Aurea allows you to change your dining time in the Main Dining Room. Lower categories do not.
3 Aurea is a more peaceful deck experience
However, the rest of the ship is the same for all passengers (except Yacht Club, which is a category above Aurea)
In holiday periods such as you are on, expect pools to be very busy, ditto the buffet, bars and common areas. The Sky Bar is a refuge you should seek out!
Concerning Port days, the first 40 minutes will be busy, getting off, with lines. Outside of that it eases off.
Remember to book everything you might want to do in the MSC app, whilst aboars. Especially the evening theater shows. There is limited seating, and you must book.
Morning breakfast is far more relaxing in the Main Dining Rooms, if you have time. Far less hectic than the buffet.
Hoping it's not too busy for you!
@@ritzytravelguide thank you so much for the quick reply! I will let you know how it goes :D
Me and my son are going to be on that 5 day cruise too! 🛳 it's also our first cruise! I'm looking forward to it but also anxious as it's just myself and my son xx
@amywilson7109 Wishing you a great time 😊
@@ritzytravelguide thankyou so much xx
Headed from South Hampton to Cherbourg, Zeebrugge, Amsterdam and back this upcoming late June and into July. Hoping to just day trip at the ports with one day at sea.
Hopefully not busy for you
Thank you for your fair comments about MSC Virtuosa, some of the hype was off-putting and as I booked this ship for a trip in October I was quite worried. I feel re-assured.
Thanks so much for watching
Hi there, loved this review, but could you clarify, was the jacuzzi in the inside of the main part of the ship close to one of the swimming pools, or was it part of the Yacht club?
Hi, can you give me the minute and second time on the video, so I can see what you are referring to?
Hello yes, the time is from 20.53- 21.24 near the inside pool of the ship
@mmatthew6792 Hi, that's the indoor pool, it's part of the main section of the ship, with free access. It is not Yacht Club
Hi thanks for yr response- it has helped a great deal!
Just came back from a 5 night cruise during holiday half term as I have a child. I noticed the same staff on board. Worst cruise of my life. I felt stressed even before getting on which took 2.5 hours. Queuing 40 mins for breakfast. Unable to book spa treatments convenient despite pre booking. Delayed excursions, luggage I eventually had to collect myself. I could go on…. Positive was the food and cabin cleanliness. Buffet is what nightmares are made of. First and last MSC.
Hi Craig, many thanks for letting us know how your cruise went. Sadly, it's a recurring theme, with so many people venting on exactly the same annoyances you mention. You'd think MSC might pick up on these frequent COMPLAINTS all over the net, not just here.
Whilst you were travelling over a school break, it doesn't really seem to matter, as we are equally getting the same comments no matter what the time of year is
Very clean ship and the buffet is far better than P&O and the shows are also better than P&O but the MDR service was awful and the food was cold. We loved the decks for sunbathing but there was hardly anywhere to sit in the evenings as it was so busy. Won't rush to go back.
Hi, agreed the buffet is very good, huge variety
I'm about to come of this ship and I loved it because of Rob the robot bar robot but I didn't have a drink because I'm under 18 but he was really cool and he was very mesy😊😊😊
Wish you did a review of the yacht club. Wonder if all the loungers were taken in thr Yacht Club?
Sorry, wasn't travelling Yacht Club on this cruise. Several people have asked me if I can review it. Might see if I can do that early next year on a different MSC ship
I loved the vlog, watching it last night has reinforced my decision to avoid MSC, the ship itself looked great but the queuing, noise & what looked to be naff people confirms the cruise line isn't for me.
Hi. Yes, I don't think Virtuosa is for everyone. It's quite a polarising experience onboard! A real marmite situation
Hi. Many thanks for your comment. Yes, I don't think Virtuosa is for everyone. It's quite a polarising experience onboard! A real marmite situation
Go Yacht club or Áurea experience. Then it won't be a subject in the least . MSC have fares to suit all budgets, so we get what we paid for. 😉
@Stephanie-vx4zi Hi, you are absolutely right, you do get what you pay for. So the idea of the video is to let people see, and judge for the self, if they don't go Yacht Club, or Aurea....what it might be like for them 🙂
Interesting review. I have been on Virtuosa twice already this year and back onboard for Christmas out of Dubai. My experience was nothing like this, but then I would not cruise peak season/school holidays. That said I am onboard for Christmas. Embarkation and disembarking has not been a problem, but I know there have been a couple of major problems this year including Border Force holding things up when they boarded and found contraband belonging to passengers! The crew onboard are outstanding and work so hard. MSC have created a booze cruise atmosphere with their mini cruises out of Southampton and us Brits are using them a hen And stag breaks. Crew dread these sailings and take a lot of abuse with guests banging on bar doors at 7am to get their first drinks and people drinking themselves into a stupor and vomiting everywhere. Much of this is down to guest behaviour I am sorry to say. Yes the ship looks ridiculously busy and lacks seating when at capacity. They have addressed this on Euribia and repurposed the Carousel Lounge and lost ‘Rob’ and his overpriced cocktails 😂
Hi there, many thanks for your detailed thoughts. I think you are absolutely correct in that sailings out of Southampton are being used as a booze cruise by many passengers. We heard many comments from those aboard they were shocked how rowdy, and out of control fellow cruisers were being.
Unfortunately, due to the sheer numbers aboard, with 6400 being a normal capacity at busy times, there just aren't enough places to house everyone. The loungers, bars, and restaurants get hopelessly crowded. Wait times, and frustrations then shoot up, and people start to feel quite angry.
The Dubai loop should be fascinating set of port stops. Please let us know how that goes
Thanks!
I’m from South Africa and I’ll be on board as well for Xmas in Dubai 🎉
@@dumisilembeje1918 The Splendida is currently in South Africa. She is so beautiful and I like her more.
I love your content
Thank you so much!
Great video! Every so often I waiver and consider looking at MSC due to the prices, but your video has convinced me 500% that it is not for us. It looks like my worst nightmare. Good job we all have different tastes and preferences though, otherwise life would be boring. Like that, you showed us there are some positives, like personal space in the MDR, food and the staff. But sadly that is not enough.
Hi there. Yes, you are absolutely right, we all like different things in life, which makes it a rich and varied world to live in. There's a cruise out there for everyone.... it's a matter of finding it!
A prime case for not taking a cruise during school holidays.
Yup!
We are going on here in 5 weeks. 😢 for our 20th wedding anniversary. We going to belgium its a mini cruise.
Hoping it goes fabulously for you 🙂
@ritzytravelguide hoping so too, as its not any kind of hoilday here I'm hoping it will be less busy. I'm going in thinking positively xxxxx
@ilovemydressinggown9715 Quite right, positive thinking!
I went in virtuosa in March for a week and whilst it was a overall lovely, clean and modern ship, it was not my favourite. I think it’s a ship for the warmer destinations as the outdoor spaces were much bigger than inside. We went in the cold and snowy weather and it was just too cold to make use of the outdoor spaces. As a result, the indoor spaces were rammed and just way too small. They also shut a lot of the bars early so everyone was confined to the same few places. Can’t fault the food and drinks at all, some hits and some misses but overall fantastic. The entertainment was ok, we had a good Elvis tribute which was great fun but their general shows we felt was naff. If the price is right, I would go again but it certainly wouldn’t be my first choice.
Hi, many thanks for your well written analysis of the issues with MSC. The ships have some great aspects, but the common areas inside are way too small for the passenger numbers. I think your final comment is spot on, and echos with a lot of people.... wouldn't be their first choice, but if the price is right....
In fact good UA-cam title for a video : Wouldn't be my first choice, but if the price was right
@@ritzytravelguide thanks for the reply! Following on from this, my parents recently came off the sister ship Euribia and said although virtually a carbon copy of Virtuosa it was much better. The Carousel lounge on Euribia is a proper lounge which is open day and night and I think a couple of other smaller changes which makes it a much better experience. Seems MSC have taken on the feedback! ☺️
@niamhrk8451 That's interesting to hear. Thanks do much for letting us know 🙂
I've always wanted to go on another cruise but this would put me off. It's sad to see how many people don't bother to cover up swimwear or dining in shorts and vests and baseball hats. The ballet snd music would be the best thing for me. I'd eat in my cabin and not at the buffet. I'd sit in a library or read my book in a quiet corner if all the hoi poloi are stuffing themselves in the buffets and around the pool. In the evening I'd be in our cabin away from the nightclub with headphones or earplugs in. Or better still I'll go on another cruise. A quieter one.😂
Hi Beki.... this cruise might tantalise you :
ua-cam.com/video/AhfkYi25Qvg/v-deo.html
On disembarking I'd sit on my suitcase, pop in my earplugs and read my book.
It would have to be a long one. War and Peace perhaps
Thank you. We would hate this. We like smaller ships, like Holland America. Like the older, classy, tasteful ships, excrllent food, Broadway shows. Claddical music. Quiet places, libraries.
Hi, yes this would be the exact opposite of that!
Was just on the Virtuosa, the ship, crew and facilities were great. Only problem was 2000 Chinese passengers. With their disgusting habits , saw one cutting his finger nails in the dining room another eating directly off his plate. They swarmed the buffet stripping it of any fruit like a locust infestation. So much so that the ship had to take on more supplies mid Ocean on two occasions. I think MSC should reconsider the type of passengers they market to. A 5 star ship then fill it with 2 star passengers.
Hi, thanks very much for your thoughts, and I think you are spot on with your observations about passenger types: Megaships are now aimed squarely at 'mass market' , with a low ticket price. It's fantastic to get a cruise at a bargain basement price, however, it is starting to attract rowdy, less considerate travellers, of all nationalities. We were 'shocked' at the inconsiderate, anti social behaviour of some of the passengers on our MSC cruise... and that was out of the UK, in Europe. I alluded to it at the time, but in these days of political correctness, there's only so much you can say, before getting closed down.
At the end of the day, I am cautious now about booking Megaships going forward. They are very affordable deals, but with that seems to come a lot of antisocial, inconsiderate types, who are not thoughtful.
Was on ship too, saw it all and more. Feral. Won't msc again
@lilla-kg9gm Hi, many thanks for your comments. It was indeed very noisy, and far too crowded. Such a shame that MSC can't get certain aspects right.
I would rather swim in the pool at night or take a stroll on promenade than watching the show.
We were on Virtuosa in June for a fantastic cruise to Iceland and Norway. Completely agree about the food; we thought it was very pleasant.
We had a fantastic holiday and truly couldn’t fault anything. Some crew were a bit snarly at time - but it was always justified in all honesty. Perhaps they shouldn’t let stupid guests irritate them, but they’re only human and sometimes entitled idiots need a reality check!!
I have cruised P&O as a child and Disney as an adult with my children. I legitimately preferred MSC. Granted, it was not a full ship, nor was it in school holidays - but I really couldn’t fault it 😊
Hi Holly, thank you so much for your lovely long feedback. It always helps potential cruisers to read comments from those who have been on board, with plenty of insight. Sounds like you had a fabulous time!
@@ritzytravelguide I am shocked that you were only on board a month after we were and had such a wildly different disembarkation! For us, it was very smooth, with no queuing. We were in an early disembarkation bracket though.
It was chaos as soon as we got into the cruise terminal however: I expected the port staff to be far more organised and efficient than they were, so I wonder if that was the issue and caused a huge backlog on ship in your case 🤔
@HollyBisson yes, so true, that 1 month seemed to make a huge difference! Southampton has so many Cruises these days, I wonder if they can handle it. We've been in and out of Barcelona, Malaga, Singapore, and Canaveral several times the past year or so, and never had these issues
I love your videos.....but this cruise looks like my idea of hell.
I was on Virtuosa in July and disembarkation was exactly the same nightmare. Took 80mins to get off, missed my Train connection & had a 2hr wait for the next one. MSC could'nt organise the proverbial P up in a Brewery. Pathetic Amateurs.
The disembarkation was quite a nightmare!
Absolutely NOT my style of cruising. While it may be a “good value” for what you pay, I have zero desire to be stuck in an environment with that many people. I would rather be on a smaller ship that costs a bit more with less people and less “activities” than be on a glitzy ship that offers tons of venues and tons of activities but congested with a ton of people.
Hi there, I think you have very succinctly and well written what quite a few people are thinking...!
This was my first cruise. The main regret I had was that I went on my own. I did meet 1 older man at dinner on the first night, however, he looked like he'd gone through a clothes mangle; flat and faded. My main problem was on the first evening I had a Pina Colada at the bar on the 5th floor. I then didn't sleep for 9 nights. I had to go the the medical centre and was prescribed valium to sleep the last 3 nights before the cruise ended. This was the first travel experience of my retirement, and an ill-fated mistake. However, I couldn't complain about the food, staff or my cabin.
I was so tired from the insomnia and the virus I caught on the flight from Australia that I had no energy to go to the entertainment or the pools. Although I did see plenty of flesh-coloured whales at the poolside.
Hi, I do enjoy your writing style.... he looked like he'd gone through a mangle 😂. I do encourage you to try another cruise, perhaps with another cruise line. There are so many choices out there, there's something for everyone.
I see that Virgin Voyages is based for the summer in Australia this year!
You booked a Mediterranean cruise full of English people in the middle of July - what did you expect? A lot of this has nothing to do with the boat but the seasonal clientele…
Hi, yes indeed, peak season. As many people have no choice but to go in that 6 week school break period, I thought it helpful to others to have an idea of what it is like. So they can make a decision on whether it would be suitable.
Very detailed review! Just know that all MSC cruise ships and voyages are NOTHING like this. I'm booked on this ship next year and I expect the same situation. Their larger ships are a disaster. If you sail on their smaller ships it's basically NIGHT and DAY. That's why I like MSC because of their smaller ships. I rather go on Cunard than pay extra for the small section in the Yacht Club. If I'm on a ship I want to have full access to it. One day I may try the YC but not to get away from the crazy loud folks on the cruise ship.
I'm glad you guys survived😁👍
Hi. Very interesting comment about the smaller MSC ships. Thanks for that.
@@ritzytravelguideI love their smaller ships like the Lirica. I felt at home. I sailed their larger ship called Bellísima too and I felt like a little insect at a concert. You weren't recognized by anyone even the stewards. It took forever to get back to your room.
I had an upgrade to a balcony and couldn't even sit out there due to party people next door and some others above throwing cigarette butts onto my balcony which burned holes in the chairs. Steward didn't even care.
On Lirica I got to know the buffet manager, the main bar manager and many others. And you see the same passengers daily and people had their favorite spots. No disrespectful drunks either. But back then they didn't promote included drink packages.
I think you have a really interesting point there about the smallest MSC ships. Several others have said the same. Shame that MSC appears to be phasing them out for their new mega ships. Aboard the Virtuosa, many passengers were complaining about their fellow ship mates... saying they were some of the most feral and out of control they had come across. Quite inconsiderate at times. The MSC megaships are attracting a different crowd aboard. Not sure how that's going to pan out
@@ritzytravelguideIf they totally phase out the smaller ships, I'll have to find e different cruise line😢
@@GlobalAdventurer you make a very interesting point about why restrict yourself to the smaller section of the ship (such as Yacht Club) rather than just going on a ship where its nice throughout. I was having exactly this chat with my wife today. The cost of Yact Club is similar to a medium Cabin tier on premium line, where the entire ship is very smart.
I skipped all the evening shows on Princess and MSC cruise.
Yes it is possible to enjoy a cruise with 6,000 passengers aboard. Especially if you enjoy talking with people you've never met before.
It's when it's full at peak times that subsidises the fares at off peak times.
I'd rather go on 2 cruses on an MSC ship than 1 cruise on a more premium priced ship.
Last MSC cruise we went on (Virtuosa), we spent £0 on board.
We found it easy to synchronise ourselves to the Main Dining Room times.
It's definitely cheaper than most cruislines.... apart from Costa. Now that possibly would be challenging
@@ritzytravelguide I've not tried a Costa Cruise yet. How different are they to MSC?
Costa are quite 'bare bones'... very cheap entry price, by Cruise standards. Very Italian centric. Perhaps might be compared to a low cost airline. Meaning affordable, no frills, but get you there. People either love... or hate Costa!
I can think of nothing worse than being on this ship, all those people what a nightmare. Never been on a cruise and and have no intention of going on one in the future. This confirms all my fears.
Hi, whilst this cruise was very busy, there are some that are way more laid back and relaxed!
Cunard Queen Victoria later this month and Fred Olsen Balmoral in March. So pleased neither is like this dystopian, seizure inducing, nightmare of a ship.
Hi, please do let us know how it goes on Queen Victoria, we always love to hear the feedback. We just got off Queen Elizabeth, which as you know, has a lot of similarities with Victoria. Our video comes out tomorrow. Let us know if your cruise is the same!
@@ritzytravelguide will do I really enjoy your videos so will definitely be tuning in to the QE one. We last did Cunard on the QM2 in 2009 so we are long overdue a revisit to that lovely brand.
@gerardmackay8909 you are overdue!
I love your work! But please trimester nose hair! We love the 360 camera
I know, you are absolutely right, so sorry... I noticed it too, but only after I had already uploaded the video! I agree it's totally off putting... I promise to check all nose hair before future postings!!
We ended up on MSC Seaside in 2019 (not our choice, but European cousins’ travel agent’s). It was a Nightmare! Customer-no-service says it all! In All aspects, down to fixing our own sink stopper (none of us are plumming professionals). Never were able to speak with our room steward. They work their staff to death and no evidence of any training of them, to cut the cost. I could go on and on, but can’t. People! Please Never go with MSC if you already know how Good cruising is set up, not luxury!
Rediculous opening times of restaurants
Tweezers in the post
Awful , awful , awful monstrosity. Give me Queens Grill on the QE2 on a civilised crossing of the Atlantic.
I think I would hate that ship
Too many people, too loud, too many lines...We like ships under one thousand people and all inclusive.The video was a nightmare for us.
Did I give you nightmares?!
LOL I know what you mean 😂
Has anyone here been watching "the Good Ship Murder?"
Not me! I watched the first 15 minutes of Episode 1....and found it quite amateur 🤣