Delighted review of my MSC Virtuosa cruise from April 5 to 19, 2026 (page 3 of 3)

Hamburg, continued:







Leaving the ship with a stunning view















That evening, the vibe had completely changed. Some English passengers came on board for a three-day mini-cruise to Southampton. Thankfully for us, it was the end of our trip.

A waiter told me they were only there to drink and party.

There were "corpses" (empty bottles and glasses) all over the floor, and the staff spent their time picking them up.

People were completely wasted.

Luckily, we were on the 9th floor, so we didn’t hear them too much, but I talked to a couple on the 5th floor who found it unbearable.

They say Italians are loud, but the English and Germans aren’t any better! It was so chaotic that the captain had to make an announcement to the whole ship around 2 AM.

Coming up: Disembarkation and final thoughts

Hamburg seems like a really beautiful city—I don’t know it at all. Still sunny, you were lucky!

It’s wild that the captain had to make an announcement to try to calm down the partiers. No wonder the cruise line limits drinks to 15 per day with their packages—you’d think that wouldn’t be enough. 😏

The shift in vibe is so noticeable during the Christmas cruises. When the passengers boarding for the New Year’s cruise start arriving, everything changes. 😄

Hamburg seems like a really beautiful city—I’ve never been there. You were lucky with the sunshine!

It’s crazy that the captain had to make an announcement to try to calm down the partiers. No wonder the company limits drinks to 15 per day with their packages—you’d think that wouldn’t be enough. 😏

The shift in vibe is so noticeable on Christmas cruises. When the New Year’s Eve passengers start boarding, everything changes.

Hi Catherine,

About the 15-drink limit, I totally agree with you, but if there are two people in a cabin, that’s 30 drinks—and that’s probably enough to get drunk. I think they must’ve brought their own bottles of alcohol on board because MSC is pretty relaxed about that. I also don’t think alcohol was the only thing they consumed—you know what I mean to get into that state. 😅 Anyway! !

Today was disembarkation day. We went to the buffet for breakfast because it was going to be a long day. We had to vacate our cabin by 8 AM and leave the ship by 9:30 AM. We had a meet-up at 9:30 AM in the theater to disembark. However, the disembarkation process itself went smoothly, by number. Everyone respected their assigned number, so there weren’t any issues on that front.

The real problem was the port of Le Havre. The port is supposedly new and recently built, but it’s a total mess. I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s definitely room for improvement. Honestly, when you compare it to the port of Ponta Delgada in the Azores or Hamburg’s port, those are proper ports. This one? A complete disaster. I wasn’t the only one saying it—there were two ships docked, the NCL Sky and ours. People were asking, "What is this?" Anyway.

The disembarkation process was well-organized when leaving the ship, but once we got inside the luggage retrieval area—whatever it’s called—it was chaos. In short, there’s a lot of work to be done.

**Conclusion:** Since my cruise on the Mein Schiff was canceled and I didn’t want to spend a lot (I wasn’t sure when Mein Schiff would reimburse me, as it was a significant amount), it had nothing to do with this cruise. We were just looking for a short, affordable cruise to relax and take a break. Then I came across this flash sale, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s happened to me before—spending a lot on a cruise and coming back disappointed. But this time, I’m really satisfied.

I’ll start with the negatives because, let’s be real, no cruise is 100% perfect. There are always a few downsides.

1. **Cabin** * The cabins are well-designed and spacious, but there’s a lack of storage, so we had to leave some things in our suitcases. * **Bathroom:** The toiletries provided were just shower gel and conditioner. No tissues... We asked for some, and the cabin steward told us, "No, MSC doesn’t provide those, sir." My wife wanted tissues, so we ended up buying some during our first stop. * Towels: Same issue. You get one large towel and one small one. If you want an extra towel, you have to ask. * The cabins are serviced twice a day, but in the evening, they only come to change the towels. Eventually, I told them, "Just give us the towels—no need to come just for that."

2. **Bar** * In the bars at night, you can’t get napkins unless you ask. When you order a cocktail or a snack, you need something to wipe your hands, but no—napkins aren’t provided. They put your drink down with a little coaster on top, but that’s it. I had a Mauritian server who always prepared napkins for me when I arrived. They were the same paper towels you find in the restrooms, but at least it let me wipe my hands.

**Positives:** Honestly, I think the fact that the cruise wasn’t fully booked played a big part in why we enjoyed it so much—it met almost all our expectations.

1. **Ship** * The MSC Virtuosa is stunning and packed with modern features, including its spectacular gallery and immersive LED ceiling that changes ambiance. Between the outdoor adventure course and the multiple pools, there’s plenty of excitement and relaxation. A special shout-out to the robotic bartender, which makes futuristic cocktails—it’s a unique experience. The casino, shows, and Swarovski staircase add a touch of luxury and entertainment. It’s a true floating palace where every detail is designed to impress and inspire.

2. **Food** * No complaints here. We ate really well, whether at the buffet or the restaurant. * At lunch in the restaurant, the food was good, but the service was a bit slow. That’s why we ended up sticking to the buffet. The pool is heated and supervised, which is a big plus. There are also large jacuzzis, so no need to wait in line—there are enough for everyone. Though, the fact that the ship was only about 40% full probably helped. The entertainment was great, with something for everyone, whether in the theater or the bars.

MSC has really improved compared to 2021–2022. If this is the new standard, I think we’ll be back often. Honestly, there’s not much to complain about.

**Drinks Package:** We initially chose a package that included everything (flights, transfers, cruise, tips, and drinks), but we had the option to skip the drinks package. My wife and I figured it wasn’t expensive, so why not?

In the end, it wasn’t worth it for us. My wife doesn’t drink alcohol, and I only have two aperitifs at lunch and two in the evening—about four drinks a day on average. Plus, whenever I asked for a good whiskey, I had to pay extra. During the day, I’d order basic cocktails, but in the evening, I’d have to pay extra for something decent. Otherwise, I would’ve needed the premium package.

Even with the basic package, we weren’t saving money. I ended up talking to two couples (one English couple we met on an excursion and one French couple) and offered to buy them drinks since we weren’t using our package. I’d get them drinks at lunch and dinner, but we still never exceeded the daily limit of 30 drinks (15 each).

I also noticed that having a drinks package encourages overconsumption, which isn’t great for your health. Next time, I won’t get a package. I’d rather drink when I feel like it—at dinner, I’ll order a bottle of wine that can last me three or four meals. Thankfully, I found these people to share with—they were thrilled.

Thanks for reading! My next cruise will probably be at the end of the year if all goes well. I’ll be semi-retired in a few months, and my wife, who’s still working, will try to take some unpaid leave. If it works out, we’re planning a 29-day transatlantic cruise with MSC and another 19-day transatlantic with Celebrity early next year.

Thanks again for reading!

Hi Alfred, Thanks so much for this really detailed and enjoyable trip report. I didn’t want to monopolize the conversation, but it seems like readers are pretty quiet or shy? 🙁

It’s really great that this cruise—though very different from what was initially planned—turned out to be a success. In your misfortune, you were lucky, and that’s a good thing. But don’t expect all future MSC cruises to be of such high quality, especially when it comes to the exceptional amount of langoustines. Still, I think MSC is making efforts to generally raise their standards. 🙂

On my last cruise, the cabin was only cleaned once a day, and the steward didn’t come by in the evening. But honestly, I didn’t find that bothersome—though the lack of tissues was more annoying, so I bring my own box now. 😉

Wishing you a wonderful pre-retirement and, I’ve no doubt, many more amazing cruises to come! 😎

Hello Alfred, Thank you so much for this really friendly and detailed review—it was a pleasure to read. I didn’t want to monopolize the conversation, but it seems like readers are pretty quiet or shy? 🙁

It’s really great that this cruise, though very different from what was initially planned, turned out to be a success. In your misfortune, you were lucky, and that’s a good thing. But don’t expect all future MSC cruises to be of such high quality, especially when it comes to the exceptional amount of lobster. Still, I think MSC is making efforts to generally raise the standard. 🙂

On my last cruise, the cabin was only cleaned once a day, and the steward didn’t come by in the evening, but I didn’t find that bothersome. What bothers me more is the lack of tissues, so I bring my own box. 😉

I wish you a wonderful pre-retirement and, I have no doubt, many more great cruises to come! 😎

Hi Catherine!

Thank you for your message—it really made my day and warmed my heart.

About this forum, I’m a bit disappointed and surprised because I feel like it’s not what it used to be, and that’s really too bad. There are so few reviews, and when you post one, there’s very little encouragement. That said, I’ll keep posting them as usual. At least it’ll bring a little cheer to this forum, but that’s just how it is—you’ve got to roll with it.

I don’t think all cruises are like this, so it’s best not to get your hopes up. This one was truly exceptional. If I ever do another, I’ll go in with my eyes open. As long as the food is good and the price is right, there won’t be any issues.

Thanks again for your message!

Hi Alfred, Thanks for your super-detailed account—I really enjoyed reading it. I compared it with my own experience on the Virtuosa. It was a 22-day loop from Hamburg to the Canary Islands in January 2023. The price advertised in November was unbeatable, especially for a solo cabin. And at that price, the ship was packed to the brim. That was a real problem. There’s very little space to relax—way less than on older ships. The gym is also smaller, and the entertainment areas, like the dance floor or gym, are ridiculously tiny. Lines at the buffet, endless queues to get on and off at ports. Restaurants fully booked. Even had to wait to order a coffee at noon—only two bars served it. And always the feeling of being in the middle of a crowd. You had to rush to sign up for the theater to get a seat. Then queue again to get in, just to make sure you’d be decently placed with your friends. Otherwise, I loved the itinerary and the length. And I met some really nice people. The real issue was the ship being completely full and the limited capacity of the public and entertainment areas. I’m glad you had great conditions. Maybe I’ll give it another try.

Hi Laurence,

Sorry for the late reply—I’ve been a bit wiped out lately.

About the comparison with your cruise on the Virtuosa, I completely agree with you. When the ship is at full capacity, it must be something else, with crowds everywhere as you mentioned. But that wasn’t the case at all this time, and for me, that really helped make the cruise a success.

By the way, you told me the price you saw in November was unbeatable. For this one, in April, the rates were also very low. I think the inside cabins started at 400 €, and it was probably a flash sale that only lasted a few days.

Despite that, the ship wasn’t full. I should also mention there were very few port stops—maybe that’s why. But hey, it worked out great for us, and we had a fantastic cruise. Maybe we should try a transatlantic at another time to see. Honestly, though, I don’t have much negative to say.

I’ve been lucky enough to go on several cruises with different companies, and honestly, this one was flawless. Apart from a few minor details, there’s really nothing to complain about.

Hi Alfred, Thanks for this awesome report—it really makes me want to do a transatlantic crossing! I’ve been wanting to do one for ages, but every time I plan it, something unexpected comes up. Anyway, I’ll get there eventually! Do you know how many cabins were still for sale? Because low occupancy seems to be the key to a successful cruise like this 🙂 I see I won’t be the only one in early retirement this year 😎—hope your wife won’t have to wait too long 😉

Hi Alfred, Thanks for this great review! It really makes me want to do a transatlantic cruise! I’ve been wanting to do one for ages, but every time I plan it, something unexpected comes up... Anyway, I’ll get there eventually! Do you know how many cabins were still for sale? Because low occupancy seems to be the key to a successful cruise like this 🙂 I see I won’t be the only one in early retirement this year 😎 I hope your wife won’t have to wait too long 😉

Hi Isa, Thanks for your message.

Absolutely, a transatlantic cruise is great because there are fewer kids running around, it’s significantly cheaper, and it’s rarely 100% full. According to my server, the ship was only about 40% occupied. I don’t know exactly how many cabins were still for sale, but the occupancy rate was pretty low.

Honestly, you should try a short transatlantic cruise first—there are 15-day options to the Caribbean or Brazil, for example.

As for me, I’m retiring two years earlier than planned. There’s a voluntary departure plan at my job, and I’m taking advantage of it. Now, only my wife is still working part-time—just two days a week. I hope she can retire soon so we can enjoy life, because you never know what tomorrow holds.

Thanks again for your message.

[😉]Hi Alfred, I’m totally on the same page as you—we really need to make the most of things while we can. That’s why I’m taking early retirement so I can do it at the same time as my husband, so we can enjoy it together. Life can change in a second, and we’re fully aware of that. Have a great weekend!