Travel Tuesday: The MSC Virtuosa Norway Cruise Review

Gabs Hammond

Welcome back travellers! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Well, hello again anyways. This week I am reviewing and speaking about my time on MSC Virtuosa (a beautiful cruise ship) that I went on to Norway last August. Buckle in… let’s cruise away!

Company:

It would be rude of me not to mention the beautiful company that joined me on board the week-long cruise. The awesome cruising five; me, Lillia (my sister), Flora (my cousin), “Buble”/Charles (my Uncle) and Father Ted/Andrew (my Father). You may recognise some names there from the team! We all have a laugh together and us girls, in the words of Flora, are diva’s the whole time with the Mexican Train Game weaved in there as well. Cannot recommend the awesome company enough - they are available for hire at the rate of the cruise fee lol.

Facilities:

The facilities of the cruise, especially on the MSC Virtuosa, are impeccable. I mean with any cruise you (non-cruisers) would be surprised at how much they can fit onto it. There is a full-sized theatre, bowling alley, arcade, cinema, three pools, around 10 jacuzzi's, a buffet, 21 bars, 19 dining venues/restaurants, a F1 simulation area, waterpark, many shops and boutiques and a casino. So much to do you simply cannot get bored, but it can get very busy at places, especially on sea days, so bare that in mind. But a cruise has so much involved in the price and lots to explore.

Cleanliness:

The cleanliness of the ship is also hard to find any faults in. Your room is turned up once a day and cleaned every other day by your housekeeper who stays as a constant throughout the cruise. The ship as a whole is also very clean with cleaners and staff working super hard to maintain the level of cleanliness. You won’t be disappointed on this front. The buffet can be a little messy at peak times but with 5000 ish passengers it is expected.

Food & Drink:

Now to the best part; the food and drink on board. The buffet is served almost 24 hours a day for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and “midnight snacks” and has a wide range of foods. The foods include homemade pizza (made in front of you with fresh mozzarella) and pastas, as MSC is an Italian company. But they also have English classics such as sausage and mash, fish and chips or burgers and hot dogs. They also have a world cuisine area, vegetarian area, rotisserie area, desserts, salads and a kids area - so there is a lot to choose from! The food I have eaten for the buffet has done the job; it isn’t anything super spectacular, but it is a lovely selection and is what you expect for a buffet. The sit down meals in the evening (you get a set time in a set restaurant although all restaurants have the same menu) are the highlight. You get the same waiter throughout the cruise, so you really get to build a rapport and relationship with them which is lovely and such a great touch by MSC. It is a three course meal every day and bread to start, although you can opt out for any of the courses if you’re not feeling like you want that much. The main menu changes daily and becomes even fancier and arguably nicer on gala nights, however there is also an “always available” menu too, in case you don’t like anything on the main menu. My favourite is always the fresh salmon with roast potatoes and vegetables. The meals have always been of a high standard; hot, fresh, well-presented and beautifully cooked. Moving onto the drinks - they are great! A wide range of cocktails, mocktails, spirits, beers, soft drinks, wines etc, and each bar has different menus, so you get to know which bars sell your favourites! My fav has to be the “Magic Island” mocktail. We won’t mention the Tequila Sunrises as they are dangerous and ended me up quite drunk indeed…

Destinations/Excursions:

On this particular cruise we went to the Norwegian Fjords. It was so picturesque. It was different to a typical holiday as it wasn’t sun and sea (well half of it is true lol), but more of a scenic holiday with astonishing views. It wasn’t freezing cold, but it wasn’t sun bathing weather. But Norway is such a beautiful country, and I am so glad I got to experience it and in such an amazing way as a cruise. In the small port of Flaam we opted for a train journey up the mountains as an excursion. MSC excursions are not cheap but offer great opportunities, a complete package and guarantee that the ship won’t leave without you if it was delayed (great for peace of mind). I would definitely say Norway is somewhere that is a great place to visit; it’s unique, peaceful and serene.

Entertainment:

The entertainment on board is also on the whole great. There is a theatre show each day, showing at three times in the evening to accommodate for the number of passengers. They show an array of genres of theatre; comedy to tributes and magic to electric violinists! The shows are vastly different and offer something for everyone. Apart from this, there is a carousel show (more of a circus feel) but I cannot comment on this as this comes at an additional charge and we have never attended this. Apart from theatre there are quizzes on at various points of the day, live music in many bars and lounges, table tennis tables dotted around the ship, karaoke, discos and themed nights such as 70s night with a silent disco, for example.

Service:

Lastly, the service. The thing cruises just seem to get right time and time again. The staff on board are phenomenal and are always friendly, efficient and work so hard. The cruise wouldn’t be near enough as enjoyable as it is without them.

Thank you for reading this review and I hope it has inspired you to look at cruises if this is something that interests you in the future. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.