MSC Virtuosa, Northern Europe
5
As first time cruisers, we didn't know what to expect: would it be a posh ferry or Butlins on the Water??? Well we certainly impressed and received excellent value for money on this cruise. The ship was well maintained, although some of the seats were very worn in the Virtuosa bar. That said, it was a lively place to be and the entertainment was good.
While the food in the Blue Danube mainstream dining room left a bit to be desired (Caesar salad was an uncut chunk of lettuce and a teaspoon of Caesar sauce), the food market was excellent with a wide variety on offer throughout the day and evening. We opted for the premium drinks package and this was amply sufficient.
The crew were very friendly and efficient, always smiling and happy to help. We only took one shore excursion, preferring to be independent and this worked well for us. Information from the excursions desk left a lot to be desired - almost felt like it was on a need-to-know basis and, despite leaflets being placed in cabins detailing the offers available the next day, the lady on the excursions desk wasn't aware of them and we had to fetch the leaflet from our cabin to prove what the offer was.
The lifts (which I'm led to believe are sometimes very slow on cruises) were amazingly efficient. The crystal staircase was a sight to behold and the shopping mall with its overhead projection was innovative.
We are now planning to take a cruise next year, again with MSC, to the Norwegian Fjords. Can't wait!
Julie
Post Date: 16/03/2023
