CliveJ

'DISCOVER THE BRAND-NEW MSC EURIBIA FROM SOUTHAMPTON! Get ready to cruise with the LNG-powered MSC Euribia, the first ship in our pioneering Meraviglia-plus class. Explore the extraordinary Northern Pearls from Southampton, heading to four of the best European cities: Hamburg, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris. MSC Euribia is also empowered with striking new features, original works of art and for the first time, the hull itself is a visual masterpiece, entitled #SaveTheSea. Enjoy relaxation, dining and entertainment options available on this masterpiece of a ship. Be an early bird and secure your own balcony cabin, book your Winter 2023/2024 cruise on MSC Euribia now!' And the currency, for drinking or gambling , WILL be euros this winter, as it was on Virtuosa last winter.

Have sailed 4 times with MSC this year. Always asked TA to include 'early sitting', which is what came up on the cruise card, but each time went along, as soon as was on board..usually by 11a.m., to the restaurant manager (there is a desk set up, but they'll just put you on a list for confirmation..or not...at a later time), who even on a very busy summer cruise sorted me out with a table exactly as I requested.

Yep - Jan.'23, Virtuosa - euros. May/June, Virtuosa - sterling. Nov./Jan. '24, Euribia - euros. On board, just means that, say, 'top' drinks package includes drinks up to £14...or 14 Euros...can still get champagne by the glass, though !

Thank you - 4 (first rate at the price !) cruises taken on Virtuosa this year...two booked on Euribia Nov./Jan., so pleased to hear how she's getting on. Have been amazed by how easy the cash deposit is on V'osa - saves having money on card 'ring-fenced', & on most cruises my entire on-board spending has been £1 for MSC Foundation ! Yep - unlucky indeed with stewarding problems...anything I've requested/been concerned about has invariably been solved within the hour, so have to hope yours is a 'teething' glitch. Never, sailing out of S'pton at least, had any restaurant worries about exactly where on the menu your orders come from - 2 mains/2 desserts doesn't even raise an eyebrow ! Will be happy to see scans, & anything else you're able to share. Hope 'future cruise' visit has led to something more to look forward to !

Ate in buffet. Happy cruising to all - signing off.

Sadly - 4 months after the event - absolutely NO !

Enjoyed reading your very informative, well-illustrated blog. Was also on this cruise, & was pleased to read all the positive things you had to say about Virtuosa (have just returned from my 4th cruise with her this year...or maybe 3 & a half, since one was the three night bank holiday 'booze cruise' following on from Norway. I love the MSC brand, and yes, to a fair extent the more than decent prices for solo interior cabins, usually with a drinks package (as booked with solo specialist Passion For Cruises) increase the pleasure of feeling I've got rather a lot more than what I paid for. A little sorry to read, then, that at the end you gave the experience the thumbs down. Even with 6000+ folk on the booze cruise, I only felt occasional irritation with the process of spending a wonderful time on board - & will be back with the line on Euribia in Nov. & Jan., when I'm sorry I won't be able to share a drink with you both, who seem, if you'll forgive the presumption, fairly like-minded people to myself ! Enjoy wherever you sail next !

Sorry - recently back from Virtuosa (another EXCELLENT week...including food !) & if you were on that one as well then this is too late ! - yes, for sure you can get off in time for an early-ish train; may mean being prepared to take your own luggage off, but if you do that you can be off by 7:15 or so.

Been on Virtuosa 3 times this year (& again 24th June). It's true they often try to have some sort of roast (& fish/chips crops up), but a lot of the meals, particularly the other fish & pasta, are decidedly Med. in origin.

Yep - quite right...& if you're held up at all after checking in, you can for sure(at least in Southampton, England) book shows on the app. while in the terminal - restaurants haven't tried from there.

Pleasure to read this, good bits &...less good - thanks ! Embark Friday on same itinerary. As long as the weather's good, will put up with whatever isn't !

Ah, OK ! Hey - wherever we are, & whatever we choose to do...every chance of having a great week !

No, you're right - prices are good...have booked Nov. 3rd & Jan. 26th. Presumably it will be back to Euros by then, though, & it's on that I've based my comment. Summer on Virtuosa you can get a glass (or 5) of champagne on the Premium(£14) - just hoping that dosen't change come the winter !

Ah...those lists are a great help, thanks. Looking good for Premium on Virtuosa over the summer ! Hope Euribia's not too dissimilar come next winter.

Looking good for some upcoming cruises on Virtuosa/Euribia with Premium drinks !

Well, can't be sure, obviously, what your issue is - but can say I've had several occasions when trying to get onto the website or into 'MSC For Me' when the site just hasn't wanted to know. Usually short-lived glitches. If it's saying the same in 6/12/24 hrs. then you may have a problem - hope not !

Some excellent reads on this thread ! Was on Virtuosa in Jan., & now doing 'back-to-back' (OK the 2nd one's just 3 nts. !) in the latter half of May. Comments (mostly positive) tie in with my feelings about the line - gorgeous ships, hugely competitive prices (next 4 on V'osa & Euribia are with Premium drinks...at maybe 60% of what the equivalent would cost elsewhere), & it's a real rarity to feel that the service, & what's being provided, is not quite what it might be. Do hope if you're reading this & other threads, & haven't been entirely convinced, we're doing a fair job of converting you !

Well, Mrs./Ms. 'Bunny' - have just read through this thread, prior to my 2nd & 3rd cruises this year on MSC out of Southampton (England). Must say I think the vast majority of comments are entirely fair-minded, & am delighted to see that many of them are most complimentary about MSC. I'm English - we don't see eye-to-eye at all times with our European friends; but these cruises/ships, for the price charged, & my next 4 cruises (the two upcoming in May, + one in Nov. & one in Jan. '24) are with the Premium drinks package at maybe 60% of the price I'd pay for similar on other lines, are magnificent. Enjoy !

Had the 'easy plus' on Virtuosa in Jan. '23. Was a little concerned beforehand - needn't have been ! Waiters at lunch/dinner soon became aware that, if I mentioned a wine to start with, it would eventually be the whole bottle. They just kept pouring ! Elsewhere(& as you might have gathered, I enjoy a drink) can honestly say I never once worried about something being slightly over the price limit...there was plenty under it that did just fine. Next 4 cruises with MSC happen to include the 'top' Premium package anyway....but if they hadn't, would not have felt in any way 'deprived' ! Have a great time !

Yes - do agree. Had a week in Jan., & thought the 3 nighter on May 26th with premium drinks just too good to miss. Curious about 'prices reverting to pounds'. Never had that on MSC (4 other cruises some years back). Is that confirmed now for the summer...will make life easier !

Similar problem in Jan. on Virtuosa. If it's on the boarding ticket then MSC know about it - it shows up on the cruise card (though I had to be shown quite which bit applied !).

Usually on MSC, if you get to the restaurant 'enquiries' pretty soon after getting on board, they can tell you exactly what you've got...& more importantly what options there may be for change. 7:00, for European cruises which is what I know, is rather 'betwixt & between'...may need some small(?) compromise here !

Agree with 'familycruiser'. Was on Virtuosa end of Jan.. Those who wished to dress up on the one 'formal' evening did so, but there was NO condemnation of those, myself included, who (in my case anyway) just put on a tie in addition to a my normal 'decent' shirt, sweater, trousers. Frankly, for a week's holiday, why clutter a case with clothing you're going to wear for maybe a couple of hours ? But then again, if part of the joy is in dressing up...!

Arrived soon after 12:30 - it was busy, but nobody stopped me joining the queue...in fact the lady putting people through to get checked in kept going through the times that people would have been given, & letting those whose time she'd reached go on. Didn't take too long to get to '15:45', & got checked in, sat & waited for about 15 minutes for the security queue to swallow up the folk who'd checked in before me, & was on the ship at almost exactly 13:30. So, yes, DO try it...& have a great trip !

Very informative 'blog', thanks. Although I'm going to Spain/Portugal on Iona in 5 days' time, & should be quite satisfied with that, have to say I'm pathetically jealous ! Do keep tantalising us !