Welcome to our thoughts on the MSC Virtuosa. If you’ve got a cruise coming up or are considering it for your next holiday, we give you the honest truth of what we liked and didn’t like about the ship.
We recently sailed on Virtuosa for a 7-night Caribbean itinerary and had a great trip!
If you’re wondering what a ship like this feels like on a busy schedule, you’re in the right place. We experienced everything from relaxing port days to the crazy deck parties and so much more.
If you’ve watched the video, you’ll know we packed a lot into a week. But while the vlog shows you what we did, it doesn’t really capture what we thought of the ship itself.
Is a ship of this scale too exhausting for a port-heavy trip? Is the infamous MSC pizza actually good? And are the entertainment and shows really worth your time?
By the way, if you’re looking for a guide of what’s on board, check out our complete MSC Virtuosa cruise ship guide here.
But if you want to know our personal highlights, then keep reading. Here’s our honest review of the experience.
The Itinerary
We sailed a busy 7-night itinerary departing from Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe. From there we stopped in Castries in St Lucia, Bridgetown in Barbados, Kingstown in St Vincent & The Grenadines, St George’s in Grenada and Fort-de-France in Martinique. We did a great mix of activities across the week. For some islands we booked shore excursions and for others we just created our own walking tours to make the most of our time.
- In Castries (St Lucia), we booked a Land and Sea excursion and it was easily one of our favourite days of the entire cruise. We visited the Howelton Estate for views over Marigot Bay (and our first taste of banana ketchup!) before heading to Morne Coubaril Estate for a cocoa tour and lunch. The highlight was seeing the iconic Pitons from land at Soufrière and then from the water on a catamaran cruise back to the port.
- In Bridgetown (Barbados), we decided to do our own walking tour to explore the island on foot without needing a taxi. We walked straight from the terminal to Rihanna Drive to see the street where the most famous Barbadian of all grew up. We then rambled through the local markets and saw some of the sights. We finished up at the George Washington House and the Garrison Tunnels. It’s very easy to do at your own pace.
- In Kingstown (St Vincent), we headed along the coast to Wallilabou Bay to see the real Pirates of the Caribbean movie set. It was great to walk through what remains of the original props and docks to see where the Black Pearl entered Port Royal. After exploring the film set we went to Mount Wynne. It’s a black sand beach with a relaxed local atmosphere known as Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite beach on the island.
- In Saint George’s (Grenada), we took a Rainforest, Waterfalls and Fort Frederick excursion to pack in all the major sights. We started by rambling through the rainforest on the Morne LaBaye Trail in Grand Etang National Park and checking out Annandale Waterfalls. Later on, we drove up to Fort Frederick for panoramic views over the island before taking a walk through the streets of Saint George’s right back into the Esplanade Mall and the main cruise terminal.
- In Fort-de-France (Martinique), we split our time between exploring the island’s famous rum history and having a ramble through the capital city. We started at Habitation Clément to check out the botanical gardens, the old rum distillery and the historic mansion. Once back at the harbour, we explored the city centre on our own. Everything is well within walking distance of the terminal so we easily visited Fort St. Louis, St. Louis Cathedral, the covered market and Bibliothèque Schœlcher.
Embarkation
Sailing out of Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe was a fairly straightforward experience.
We actually flew in a day early to spend some time on the island and enjoy a bit of the local culture before the cruise began. It was a great way to start the holiday and meant we weren’t rushing from the airport straight to the port.
One great feature of MSC is that they often use multiple embarkation ports for their itineraries. While we got on in Guadeloupe, other passengers boarded later in the week when we docked in Martinique and Barbados. This meant there wasn’t a huge rush of thousands of people trying to board all at once.
The day you get on a cruise ship is usually absolute chaos as everyone tries to figure out where they are going but we found it very smooth. We grabbed our room keys and headed straight to the buffet to start the trip. The crowds weren’t too bad and we managed to get settled in without any hassle.
Ship Design & Layout
Having sailed on MSC Grandiosa before, Virtuosa felt very familiar and it helped us get our bearings straight away. We generally find MSC’s ship design to be very intuitive anyway. The layout just makes sense and it flows naturally from one area to the next without too many confusing dead ends.
If you do ever lose your way, there are interactive wayfinder screens located near the lifts on every deck. You simply tap where you want to go and it draws out the exact route for you. It takes all the stress out of navigating such a big ship.
You feel it in your legs by the end of the week. We were a lot more able to walk up the stairs at the start of the trip than we were by day seven!
The standout feature of the ship’s design is the Galleria Virtuosa. It feels like an Italian shopping street running right through the centre of the ship. Above you is a magical LED ceiling that changes throughout the day to show things like the Sistine Chapel or different world cities. When they throw themed parties in the evening they light up the whole ceiling to match the vibe. It is very cool and serves as the perfect central hub.
You also can’t talk about an MSC ship without mentioning the signature Swarovski crystal staircases. They’re absolutely gorgeous and always packed on elegant night with people trying to get the perfect photo.
The Cabin
We had a lovely cabin with loads of space. In fact, it was massive. You genuinely could have had a disco in there. It was easily the biggest cabin we’ve had on any cruise ship so far.
It gave us plenty of space to chill out and relax after long days exploring the ports. If you’re booking a cruise with MSC, it’s worth knowing that they don’t just sell you a cabin, they sell you an experience tier. The tier you choose dictates what perks you get and how much flexibility you have.
- Bella: This is the entry-level budget option. MSC assigns your cabin location for you and you might end up with an obstructed view, but it’s perfect if you just want to get on the ship for the cheapest price.
- Fantastica: This is the middle-ground tier and what most people go for. It lets you choose your exact cabin location, includes free room service delivery and offers more flexibility if you need to change your booking.
- Aurea: This tier adds in spa access, anytime dining (so you aren’t tied to a set dinner time), priority boarding and access to a private sun deck.
- Yacht Club: This is MSC’s premium ship-within-a-ship concept. It’s an all-inclusive VIP tier with massive suites, 24-hour butler service and private lounges and pools.
Dining & Drinks
We didn’t book a drinks package on this trip. While they can be great value if you plan on having plenty of cocktails by the pool, we found that paying as we went worked out perfectly fine for the amount we actually drank on this busy itinerary. Both people in the cabin need to get the same package and as Kolyn doesn’t drink, it seldom works out cheaper for us. One thing we love about Virtuosa is that there are so many places to eat that are included in the cruise fare, alongside some fantastic speciality options. Here’s where we ate across the ship:
- Marketplace Buffet (Included): This place is massive. We went straight for the infamous MSC pizza on day one and it didn’t disappoint. We’ve been crazy about the MSC pizza since our first cruise on MSC Divina. The buffet was great for grabbing pizza, pasta, chips and loads more. The desserts are amazing. It’s open nearly 20 hours a day and we found it really relaxing, especially on the evenings we were too tired from excursions to get dressed up for a sit-down meal.
- The Blue Danube (Included): For the main dining room, we were allocated to the Blue Danube on Deck 5. We found the food quality good and the service was solid. The menus rotate daily and mix Mediterranean classics with international dishes.
- Hola! Tacos & Cantina (Speciality): We didn’t do much speciality dining on this trip but we squeezed in Hola! and it’s absolutely amazing. It’s a lively Mexican street food spot where they have incredible tacos, nachos and burritos. They have a fantastic all-you-can-eat deal that’s brilliant value.
We also highly recommend checking out the MSC Starship Club to visit Rob the robot bartender. He claims to be the first robot bartender on planet Earth and mixes up cocktails made to order. You even get a nice souvenir mug to take home which is a brilliant touch.
Service & Staff
Our cabin steward was a lovely chap named Delipe though Denis kept calling him Dua Lipa all week. He kept our room looking spotless and was always friendly.
In the main dining room and across the various bars, the service was fast, friendly and efficient. We always enjoy the friendly but laid-back service on MSC.
The entertainment team were brilliant and full of energy. The cruise director seemed to be everywhere at once (she also happened to be our cruise director on our COVID-affected MSC Seaview cruise!) and the staff at guest services were really pleasant and always willing to help.
Entertainment & Activities
We always found something to do on MSC Virtuosa. We had a brilliant run with the trivia on this cruise and actually won both the ’90s music quiz and the movie song quiz. We love a bit of trivia!
If you want something active, the upper decks are packed with things to do:
- MSC Formula Racer: Step into a replica Formula 1 car and race on virtual tracks. It’s an immersive simulator that’s actually quite difficult to master. It takes a surprising amount of upper body strength to handle the steering wheel but it’s brilliant fun once you get the hang of it.
- Himalayan Bridge: This is a high ropes course suspended 80 metres above the sea. It stretches right across the width of the ship and offers incredible panoramic views of the ocean, provided you’ve got a good head for heights.
- Savannah Aquapark: There’s a huge waterpark at the back of the ship featuring three twisting waterslides and plenty of pools. It’s an absolute lifesaver for cooling down on those hot Caribbean sea days.
- Sportplex & Bowling: Tucked indoors is a sports court that hosts everything from basketball to cricket. Right next door, you’ll find a full-size two-lane bowling alley and an immersive XD cinema.
The evening shows were equally fantastic. In the main Le Grand Theatre, we saw some great shows over the week from the entertainment team. They also had guest performers. Voice of Canada singer Patricia Bernier was on our sailing and we really enjoyed that. However, the absolute highlight of the week was the comedy show in the Carousel Lounge at the back of the ship. We went to see Mike McClean and he picked Denis out of the crowd.
The Verdict on MSC Virtuosa
So, is a 7-night Caribbean cruise on MSC Virtuosa any good?
Absolutely! We had a fantastic week and we’d gladly do it all over again. Because there was so much to see in the ports and so much happening on board, we were never bored for a single second.
It did feel a bit exhausting at times with such a busy itinerary but having a lively and comfortable ship to return to made all the difference. Coming back from a long day of exploring to grab a slice of fresh pizza and catch a comedy show in the Carousel Lounge was the perfect routine.
It isn’t the ship for you if you’re looking for a quiet and meditative retreat. It’s a sprawling and high-energy cruise ship with a crowd that really knows how to have a good time. The atmosphere is vibrant, especially in the evenings when the Galleria lights up and the theatre shows kick off.
But if you’re looking for a fun holiday packed with action, great entertainment and excellent value, this is a brilliant choice. It served as the absolute perfect home base for our Caribbean adventure.
