showingdiva

Others on here will be able to explain how to cruise with a baby. I happen to know from the P&O forum that you're cruising from the UK, and quite possibly on Virtuosa. There's a UK cruisers thread on this MSC forum (near the top of the page).for anything specific to the UK. However, if you haven't seen this ... https://www.msccruises.co.uk/blog/cruising-with-infants

Delighted to hear all going well so far. I'm not sure why the next few Euribia cruises are leaving from the City Terminal instead of Horizon. Maybe some repair or maintenance work. As for the fruit, I don't do YC, but had noticed on Euribia in particular that the range everywhere was more than the usual suspects of apples, oranges, bananas etc. They seem to have a very large supply of kiwi fruit 🤣

Most of the trains in and out of Southampton Central were on time today, a few were a few minutes late arriving / departing. Mainly Great Western services. The only real delays were to freight trains. Have a great holiday. She's a lovely ship,

They won't deny you it (except for trying to bring it on board).

I think asking at the buffet the first day, then adding it to your room service - order a couple of glasses and put it in your fridge. Buffet is your best bet. There's milk beside the coffee machines in the buffet (sorry, I'm not a tea / coffee drinker) or one of the drink waiters will help.

You can't get a bottle in port, as MSC do not allow any liquids to be carried on board. There's a paper breakfast list in your cabin that you hang on the door handle the night before if you wish continental breakfast (and the time you want it). If you've booked Bella, they will make a small charge for delivery, but Fantastica and above it's free. I'm pretty sure milk is on it. Either way, I can't imagine they would be petty and deny a small child a drink of milk at any time if you ask either the cabin steward or the buffet for it.

The ship in the video, MSC Virtuosa, sails out of the UK in the summer, and a Meraviglia-plus class ship sister to MSC Grandiosa and the new LNG MSC Euribia. I've done three on Virtuosa and one on Euribia. Two further booked on Virtoosa. Pre-pandemic, I would have laughed (nervously) at anyone that suggested these ships to me Yes, they're huge and there's a lot of people, and a very wide age range. However, I've found that the only real chaos is the first night. As most passengers will be new to the ship - and some on a ship for the first time ever, they're getting lost / confused because they can't remember where their cabin / restaurant / soon to be favourite bar is. It settles. I've often found myself on my own in lifts, and found a quieter spot to eat. If you want to dance with the crowds in the galleria, fine, but if not, there's another 300 odd metres of ship that's quieter. I've never been in Yacht Club because I can't justify the cost given I'd never use the facilities to the maximum and I'm teetotal. Loved the cabins I've chosen in Fantastica grade, always had great room stewards and quiet time on the balcony if necessary. I have PTSD, so if Virtuosa (and Euribia a few week's ago) were that bad, I would be first not to cope.

Norovirus is running rampant round hospitals up and down the country at the moment. Like the latter cases during the covid pandemic, it mainly seems to be patients with co-morbidities arriving with it, rather than contracting it whilst there, but it's horrendous to contain. Our Reactive cleaning teams have been very busy these last few weeks. With cruise ships, it may sound like all too familiar advice, but try to only use the cabin toilet, keep washing hands with soap and water (because alcohol gel isn't going to help here) and don't touch your face.

I hope the person evacuated makes a full recovery. Never an easy decision to medivac, especially involving a helicopter.

Thank you for posting this. A great review and photos. And a magnificent cat with talented handwriting.

Below the Marketplace would be a no go in any cabin to be honest. It's a very busy place and the noise of chair scraping is bad enough in it, let alone under it. That said, the under cover outside area, which these solo cabins are under is a very underused area for some reason, certainly on Virtuosa and Euribia, weather / temperature permitting. I've decided to just absorb the cost of a standard cabin as solo occupancy. I appreciate it's not doable for everyone though.

Thanks. I've read thought it, but the ship is Meraviglia, very similar but not quite. I think I'm talking myself out of it in favour of my usual mid ship balcony. The aft location and the connecting door are the main off putting factors,

Does anyone have any experiences of these? The connecting door bothers me, as does the thought of the ones on deck 14 as they are underneath the Marketplace. Also both Virtuosa and Euribia have a bit of a wiggle at the aft end (certainly in the Marketplace). They're very much worlds apart from my usual mid-ship, single occupancy ones, but the price is quite attractive on certain cruises. Thanks in advance.

Just watched the video. Good grief! Personally, I wouldn't book YC as I know I wouldn't take full advantage of what it offers, and am teetotal. I disembarked Eurbia four weeks ago, and whilst I much prefer Virtuosa, I had a good week away, back in my favourite port of Rotterdam and exploring MSC's newest ship. I am also pescatarian, and can honestly say I've never experienced a lack of choice dilemma on either ship - including in Hola!, where they were more than accommodating.

Delighted to hear you enjoyed Euibia. Safe journey back to Scotland.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's sold out. Since the first sailing I was on out of Southampton on 13th October, her sailings have been between 91 - 98% full

A lot of it was the same as Virtuosa, probably a fleet wide thing. But I agree that the overall atmosphere on Euribia was different to Virtuosa, and as I mentioned previously, quite possibly shows how much we've Anglicized Virtuosa over the last few years.

Do you have the option to buy a non-alcoholic drink package? Apologies if that's a stupid question, as I only know what is available here in the UK, which works out at £21 a day (which I think is around $26). And again, more apologies if this sounds flippant, but that would break even if you only drink a couple of specialty coffees, a mocktail and a few cans of soda a day.

Has Christopher Pugh gone home? He was the captain on both my Virtuosa fjord trip in May and a few weeks ago on Euribia. Same jokes!!!! 😆

I would never go the same day as the ship departure. Plenty good hotels in Southampton. I do this route twice a year. Never had an issue until two weeks ago, thanks to Storm Babet, on the way back. Avanti paid an eye watering sum to taxi me home from Preston, where the train terminated.

There's an Avanti that stats in Edinburgh that gets into Birmingham New Street at 11.07, leaving enough time for a pit stop there to the toilet, Pret a Manger (or is that just me?) etc before a connecting XC to Southampton Central at 12.03 that gets in at 14.42 If that helps.

It appears to be some sort of custody dispute. The poor child in the car is only 4 year's old. Hopefully all will be resolved soon. Edit: It's just been confirmed it's over. Peacefully A quiet day is probably not a bad thing. It was raining when I was there three weeks ago, although thankfully did clear up in time to take photos of the Rathaus. Good to hear you're enjoying Euribia so far. I agree about some of the artwork, although I actually ended up really liking the picture in the cabin, which could only be described as the product of an octopus and a peacock having a love child.

I've just watched you turn round and sail down river. Enjoy

Have a great time. She's a beautiful ship. I've been watching her on the Erasmus Bridge webcam this evening. She's departed now, unceremoniously backwards, on her way to Southampton. If all well, she should pass the outbound Arcadia

Is it Friday you embark Euribia?