MSC Virtuosa has been a firm favourite with UK cruisers since first sailing direct from Southampton back in 2021. Historically seen as a cruise line typically more popular with European guests than the Brits and Irish, MSC Virtuosa was the first to buck the trend and cater more to cruises from the UK, complete with English-language entertainment, dining options and even kettles in your cabin with plenty of carefully selected teabag options. MSC Virtuosa is both that cosy home away from home as you explore the Mediterranean, Canaries, or Iceland and Norway, conveniently without needing to fly anywhere, while also offering that classy MSC feel on top for a unique feel and fusion.
With this hugely popular ship set to start her latest season sailing from Southampton, CruiseKings sent Ian, our Website Manager, onboard for the day to see just what makes MSC Virtuosa so special.
Contents:
- Getting There
- Dining
- Kids Clubs
- Entertainment
- Swimming Pools
- Verdict
Did You Know?
Especially for itineraries departing from Southampton, all guests on MSC Virtuosa have a kettle in their room as standard, plus a great selection of tea bag brands such as Yorkshire, Tetley and PG Tips!
Getting There
The first thing I have to say before getting aboard the ship itself was just how easy it was to get to the Horizon cruise terminal and go through security.
I traveled to Southampton via train from Clapham Junction in South-West London and changed trains in Basingstoke. The whole journey took about an hour and a half with a 15 minute stop between connecting trains to grab some breakfast. The second train had a positively jubilant atmosphere with fellow cruise goers heading to Southampton Central. The carriage was about half full, but there was still plenty of room for the passengers’ luggage to be stored as we made our way up the Solent and the air of excitement built.
Boarding MSC Virtuosa was just as straight forward. Despite the number of people heading to the port, as I made my way to the taxi rank outside the station there was just me and a, what turned out to be, lovely American family. Using my best British rom-com charm, I was able to catch a lift with them in their shuttle bus. This trip took literally three minutes max and as we turned the corner out of the station we were immediately hit with the sight of MSC Virtuosa dominating the skyline over the still relatively new Horizon terminal building - in fact, MSC Virtuosa was actually the first ship to sail out of the Horizon terminal when they made their debut together in 2021.
Once out of the taxi, the queue to check in was equally as easy. There was no commotion or rush as families and groups were helped by staff to get their luggage out of their taxis and queue up to go through security. Here the line was roughly fifty people long and moved at a shuffling walking pace before going through passport control and up the gangway to the ship that would be their home on a seven-night sailing to the Canaries and back via Lisbon.
Did You Know?
The Swarovski crystal staircases in MSC Virtuosa’s grand atrium cost between $35,000 to $40,000 EACH, making each staircase made up of over 61,000 individual crystals worth around $3 million on average!
Dining
Although I’d had some breakfast on the train, my belly was grumbling as I entered the ship foyer and smelled the delicious blend of fresh pizza, pasta and more. So, along with everyone else waiting for their rooms to become available, headed to the buffet and grabbed a plate (or five!).
The buffet area was large and spacious, made up of two mirrored sides in the middle of the ship with seating either side of the port and starboard windows. Having got some authentic Italian pizza (some say it is the best at sea!) I easily found a table by the window to take in the epic skyline of Southampton (the Civic Centre Clock Tower, Saint Mary’s and yes, even the IKEA) as I enjoyed my slices of pepperoni, four cheese and classic margarita.
The buffet was probably at max capacity with almost everyone being aboard at that point and having not much else to do but grab some lunch before their cabins and wider entertainment became available, but it never felt rushed or hard to find a seat as I went back for a delicious freshly-made burger, then some pasta, then dessert and then dessert again (don’t tell my wife!).
After that, I took a wander along “Galeria Virtuosa”, the interior promenade’s digital sky effect lit up with the Union Flag to welcome us aboard as MSC Virtuosa’s first departure from Southampton this season. Here there are a number of speciality dining venues you can book as a special occasion or something different than the main dining hall or buffet for an extra charge.
The cloister-like layout is across two levels and gives you a highstreet cum European plaza feel, giving you both privacy yet feeling right in the middle of the action. With the Masters of the Seas pub down at the end spilling over with atmosphere as holidaymakers grabbed a drink and quickly made friends with those around them, I saw this is definitely the beating heart of the ship when it came to food and drink of an evening.
Here I checked out:
- Indochine which offers an incredible Vietnamese-French fusion
- Butcher's Cut American steakhouse with an intimate setting and premium cuts
- Kaito Teppanyaki is a lively chef-performance Japanese grill
- Kaito Sushi Bar is a quieter spot for freshly made sushi and sashimi
- HOLA! Tacos & Cantina is a casual, Latin-American street food venue which even has an all-you-can-eat option
Unfortunately, the restaurants weren’t serving yet, although they did have a lot of appetizing snacks and ingredients on display from aged cuts to artisan cakes and chocolates. Also unfortunately, my charm credits seemed to have all been used up getting a free lift to the ship and my plucky requests for a sample for research purposes came to no avail…
Did You Know?
At the MSC Starship Club (aka the “Bionic Bar”) Rob, the first humanoid robot bartender at sea, is on hand to serve you a full menu of expertly mixed cocktails - when he’s not cracking jokes and body popping. Unfortunately, flirting with him won’t get you a larger pour, but you don’t need to tip!
Kids Clubs
Now full, I headed to check out the kids clubs where I was instantly impressed by the size of the spaces and variety of toys and activities to play with. I was even further impressed to learn they were completely complimentary, which is not always the case with equivalent family-friendly cruise lines. On top of that, I was assured you’d always be able to get a place if needed, which also isn’t always a guarantee, so parents can rely and plan their day’s schedule to watch a show or have dinner on their own without your date or downtime being at the mercy of availability.
The kids clubs are divided into five groups by age (although this is flexible if wanting to keep siblings or friends together), all with appropriate entertainment and trained staff to look after them as needed.
- Baby Club - 0 to 3 years
- Mini Club - 3 to 6 years
- Juniors Club - 7 to 11 years
- Young Club - 12 to 14 years
- Teens Club - 15 to 17 years
As well as this, there are also kiddies’ events throughout the cruise on both port and sea days, such as mini discos and film nights, as well as a baby sitting service. Next to the kids clubs there’s also a massive indoor sports complex which is ideal for kids to blow off steam even if the weather isn’t great, complete with football and basketball nets, to host fun and games in.
Did You Know?
MSC Cruises has a partnership with Chicco and Lego who kit out their kids clubs with age-appropriate toys throughout. Ideal for little builders and big brick fanatics while mum and dad sneak off to relax (well, if they wouldn’t prefer to stay)!
Entertainment
I’d heard a lot from friends who've been on MSC Virtuosa saying it was great for both couples and families with plenty of activities and entertainment to keep both kids and adults happy between ports of call. However, once actually aboard, it was immediately impressive just how much there is to do!
For adults there’s a fantastic spa, the main theatre and a more intimate show lounge at the back of the ship, a huge casino, kid-free solarium and plenty of differently themed bars.
For kids, the best thing to do is purchase a Fun Pass. With MSC Cruises’ Fun Pass kids can have a blast on the now famous F1 racing simulators, play ten-pin bowling, 4D cinema and VR headset games, classic arcade games like air hockey, pick a prize and racing racing machines, plus for the brave, there’s the popular Cliffhanger rope course up high at the aft of the ship. I was told if you prebook, a Fun Pass is typically £70-85 and with that you get £140 worth of gaming credits. If you’ve got older kids and teens, this is a great way to keep them busy and also great value when bought beforehand!
Did You Know?
The F1 racing simulator moves on four hydraulics so you feel every bump and bend as if you really were whizzing around the racetracks of Monaco or Silverstone, not Southampton and the Med!
Swimming Pools
Personally, the swimming pools on a cruise ship make or break the experience during the day. I love sipping a cocktail and setting the world to rights in the hot tub or taking in the views from the aft infinity pool as you depart that day’s port of call. In this case MSC Virtuosa really makes a splash with no less than five main swimming pools.
These consist of a main pool typical of most cruise ships with plenty of loungers, plus a bar and entertainment throughout the day, an indoor pool for if the weather turns, an adult-only Solarium, exclusive Yacht Club pool and even the Horizon pool at the rear of the ship to take in the views while having a cooling dip.
In addition, there’s also the Aurea Spa area and plenty of hot tubs around the pools - some even facing outwards to soak in the vistas in style! Finally the kiddies’ pool and Savannah Aquapark are a real game changer with a pair of twisting and turning water slides and splash area for the little ones.
Did You Know?
MSC Virtuosa’s main swimming pools are salt water, but the hot tubs are fresh and heated to an idyllic 38 degrees!
Verdict
After MSC Virtuosa being such a popular ship conveniently sailing out of Southampton for so many years now, I was a little worried the reality wouldn’t meet the hype. However, I would seriously consider this as an option for my own family holidays - either as a couples’ getaway with my wife where we can enjoy the food, shows and chilling in the spa and hot tubs, or as a family holiday with our kids and maybe even parents where we can make use of the Fun Pass, swimming pools and waterpark.
The best thing about MSC Virtuosa, and cruising in general, is you can have the best of both worlds, with the kids having fun at the kids clubs while you get some down time.
Being able to sail to such varied destinations as the sunny Med and Canary Islands or Fjords of Norway and Iceland without having to fly is also a big plus for families as there’s no luggage limits, long flights and stress in the airport - with cruises from Southampton, and other regional cruise ports, you just turn up, check in and you’re on the ship in minutes!
How To Book Your Cruise Aboard MSC Virtuosa
If you want to follow in my wake with your very own MSC Virtuosa cruise, we’ve got something for everyone here at CruiseKings! If you’re a first-time cruiser wanting to see what all the fuss is about before planning a longer trip, take a look at our MSC Virtuosa Mini Cruises of between 3 and 5 nights.
Otherwise, take a look at all our MSC Virtuosa Cruises from Southampton and give one of our friendly Cruise Experts a call on 0800 197 8050 to help you find the perfect destination and date for you today!
Oh, and not to forget - if you’re a Rugby or Strictly fan, check out this amazing themed MSC Virtuosa Rugby Legends Cruise!
