Delighted review of my MSC Virtuosa cruise from April 5 to 19, 2026 (page 1 of 3)

Hi everyone,

As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.

As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.

So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.

While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*

I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.

I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.

I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops: 1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre 2. We stopped in Saint-Martin 3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...

This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.

First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.

It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*

Here’s the itinerary:

Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre Saint-Martin Five days at sea The Azores Four days at sea Hamburg One day at sea Le Havre



But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.

Departure and boarding details to come

Hi Alfred, I’m really happy this cruise worked out for you after the disappointment of the long-planned one being canceled—it’s such a nice consolation. And at the price you got, it’s a real win. 😏

Hi Alfred, So glad you enjoyed this cruise! Like Catherine, I think the price is great for 2 weeks 😎 Well done! I’m here for the rest 😉

Hi Alfred, I’m so glad this cruise met your expectations after the disappointment of the long-planned one being canceled—it’s a real consolation. And at the price you got, it’s truly satisfying.

Hi Catherine!

It’s been a while since I’ve been this happy with a cruise. You’ll see throughout my review, honestly, there’s almost nothing to complain about.

Yeah, we got an amazing price. Sure, there weren’t many ports, but given the services we had, I think we got a great deal. Just so you know, the price includes: Flight, transfer, cruise, service fees, and the "Easy Package" for drinks.

Hi Alfred, So glad you enjoyed this cruise! Like Catherine, I think the price is great for 2 weeks :)😎 Well done! I’m in for the next one ;)

Hey Isa!

I thought of you on the ship because all the pools were heated to 27°C the whole cruise, and the jacuzzis were a good size (minimum 12 people). Since you love heated pools, you’d have been in heaven—and the jacuzzis were just as great.

Okay, I know I go regularly, but my wife doesn’t. On cruises, she says it’s a "bacterial soup"… but anyway, that’s another story! Still, I thought of you when it came to the pools and jacuzzis—it was perfect!

Departure & boarding:

Our flight was scheduled for 10:50 AM at Orly. We left home around 7 AM. Since it was Easter Sunday, the roads were clear—hardly anyone between my place and the airport. It took about half an hour because we don’t live far from Orly.

I’d checked in online, so all that was left was to drop off our luggage, pick up the boarding pass, and head to the departure lounge to wait for the flight.





About an hour before departure—around 9:30 AM—they started boarding. When we reached the jet bridge, we were all held up because it had come loose.



Nothing serious, we waited about 40 minutes for a technician to arrive. After that, everything went smoothly, and we boarded the plane.

As a result, the flight took off about 45 minutes late. I’d booked our seats in advance and chose aisle seats so I could move around easily and avoid being disturbed. It wasn’t a long flight—about 8 hours and 40 minutes. We moved around without any issues, and my wife had no problems. Everything was perfect, no issues with heavy legs.

However, the plane was packed—full to the brim—with 30 to 40% kids. That’s when we realized it was school vacation for Zone A. I thought to myself, *"I hope all these people aren’t heading to the MSC."* I hadn’t even realized it was school vacation; I’ve lost track.



As for the meal, with Caraïbes, I’m used to flying with them, and honestly, no complaints. We had an aperitif and a very decent meal tray (with real cutlery, not wooden ones).





Before landing, we got a little snack, which I didn’t try because it was sweet, and I don’t eat too many sweet things.

The flight went well. We arrived at the airport, picked up our luggage, and were met by an MSC agent. I think there were about fifty of us. I expected more, but it was around fifty. The MSC agent led us to the bus. However, someone had a luggage issue, so we ended up waiting over an hour in the parking lot before heading to the ship.

On the way, since it was Easter Sunday, everything was closed—it was dead quiet. For those who know Guadeloupe, between the airport, the port, and the city center, it’s usually packed, but this time it was smooth, almost no one around. Because on Easter Sunday, people go to the beach; they take advantage of it since it’s sacred in the French West Indies. It only took about fifteen minutes—I didn’t even count. When we arrived at the port, a few small shops were open.







We boarded the ship directly. I can’t imagine those who’ve never been to Guadeloupe and go straight to the port—*to me, they haven’t really experienced Guadeloupe.*

Embarkation continued:

The Fantastica balcony cabin is very functional but sorely lacks storage space (nothing like American cruise lines).



Departure from Pointe-à-Pitre







Evening aperitif before dinner



Dinner

When it comes to meals, the portions are really small, but you can order two or even three dishes. As a big eater, I sometimes had two or three main courses or two desserts. As you can see in the photos, the portions are truly tiny.











To be continued: St. Martin

It really makes you want to go! Especially with heated pools and jacuzzis! 😎 I dream of doing a transatlantic crossing!!! 😉

Hey Alfred,

It’s true that storage space is still lacking on MSC, even in YC. In my opinion, the best cruise line for this is HAL—it’s what makes Renaissance passengers so happy these days. 😏 I totally agree with your wife about the jacuzzis. 😉 We only passed through Pointe-à-Pitre once, on a bus to catch a boat a long time ago. It was at night, and the city seemed pretty sketchy. We’ve never gone back.

It really makes you want to go! Especially with heated pools and jacuzzis! 😎 I dream of doing a transatlantic cruise!!! 😉

Hi Isa,

Actually, transatlantic cruises are really great. If you've never done one, you should try it to see for yourself. Not a long one, but there are 15-day transatlantic cruises—try one of those, you'll see.

As for me, I really like transatlantic cruises; they let me relax properly. And on sea days, I read, I do whatever I want... I never take part in the games they organize—they're mostly pretty silly (just my opinion). Even if there are 5 or 6 days at sea, I try to make the most of them. Honestly, transatlantic cruises are great. You should try one and see for yourself.

Hi Alfred,

It’s true that storage space is always lacking on MSC, even in YC. The best cruise line in my opinion on that front is HAL—what makes Renaissance passengers so happy these days. As for the jacuzzis, I totally agree with your wife. 😉 We only passed through Pointe-à-Pitre once, on a bus to catch a ship a long time ago. It was at night, and the city seemed pretty sketchy. We’ve never gone back.

Hi Catherine,

I agree with you about Pointe-à-Pitre. It’s really not great, especially in the evening. It’s even worse—it’s dead, and I’d say it’s actually dangerous to go out in the city.

But otherwise, there are some really nice spots in Guadeloupe. I think it’s a shame to leave the airport and head straight to the ship. Even just a short daytime visit could be a nice way to discover the area. There are also: 1. Deshaies 2. Saint-François 3. Sainte-Anne

And that’s not even mentioning islands like Les Saintes—it’s gorgeous! But for Pointe-à-Pitre, I agree with you—there’s nothing particularly exciting there.

Saint Martin:

Today, we're in Saint Martin. It's our only stop in the Caribbean, so we're going to try to make the most of it. The ship leaves at 6 PM.



Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.

My wife ordered a classic breakfast in the cabin, while I decided to check out the buffet to see how it was.

To my surprise, since it was Easter Monday, the buffet was decorated with chocolates.



It wasn’t bad at all. However, what really surprised me was how well-stocked all the stations were: 1. There was hot food, cold food, sweet, and savory options. 2. The fruit was abundant—I’d never seen so much. 3. They even had smoked salmon and warm leg of lamb.

















It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a well-stocked buffet, and I’m speaking from experience—I’ve been on enough cruises to compare. It looked more like lunch, but it was definitely breakfast. I ate well, and since I have the drinks package, I had some sparkling water to help digest all that food.

Saint Martin follow-up:

After that, I picked up my wife to disembark. It was around 9 or 9:30 AM. In Saint Martin, for those who know, there’s a water shuttle. When you get off the boat, you turn left to buy tickets. It’s $3.50 per person for a round-trip to downtown Philipsburg. You *can* walk, but since my wife didn’t feel like too much walking, we bought two tickets.





Once we got to downtown Philipsburg, since it was Easter Monday, everything was closed. Since it was still early, we decided not to head to the beach right away and instead took a local bus (for $2) to go to Marigot, on the French side.

There, we waited over an hour. Usually, buses come every five minutes, but it was dead quiet. Since it was Easter Monday, everyone was at the beach, and very few people were working. In downtown Marigot, it was the same as Philipsburg—everything was closed. We saw an open market in the main square and a few restaurants. We took a little stroll by the water and bought some trinkets at the market.















Then we headed back to Philipsburg to finish the day at the beach. That said, on the way back, we saw a few shops that were open, but not all of them. Usually, the main street—if you know it—is packed with people, but this time, only a handful of shops were open. Just so you know, there were still two ships docked: the MSC Virtuosa and a Royal Caribbean ship. To be continued...

Hi there, Thanks for this review—we’ve never done a transatlantic cruise. I love reading, but my husband would get bored. You’d think the shopkeepers in St. Martin don’t need money at all!!

Saint Martin follow-up:





Back in Philipsburg, my son had tasked me with buying him some Five Star Barbados rum, which is hard to find in Paris. I also took the opportunity to buy some good whisky since it’s always worth it. Nothing like the duty-free in Pointe-à-Pitre. The same rum you buy for 15 € in Pointe-à-Pitre can be found in Saint Martin for between 10 and 12 €. I bought Chivas and Jack Daniel’s—half price. So, two boxes. Since we’re heading back to France, there’s no weight issue. I stocked up on drinks.

On the beach, I negotiated two lounge chairs, an umbrella, and Wi-Fi for $15.

















But then, things took a turn for the worse. Since it was hot, I decided to go for a swim. Afterward, I got out and dried off. There was a coconut vendor nearby. My wife loves them, so I said, "Here, I’ll buy two coconuts—it’s $5 each." As the man was cutting the coconut, the machete slipped from his hands and grazed my fingers. I had a bleeding finger—it was everywhere. I nearly lost a finger! The man panicked, and the people nearby rushed to get a bandage and patched me up...

More fear than harm. I’ve always heard that when you’re at the beach, even a small cut heals faster in seawater. So, I went back into the sea. We drank the two coconuts, which were nice and fresh. I checked—it was just a graze on the skin. Then, while I was back in the water, suddenly, I couldn’t feel my legs. I started scratching. I’d been stung by two jellyfish. I got out immediately. It was itching all over. I rinsed my leg with cold water. My wife said, "No, no, we’re not staying. Let’s go back to the ship." She told me, "I have my medicine kit. Let’s see what we can put on it."

On the way back, I couldn’t take it anymore. It was itching like crazy. Once we got back on the ship, we put a little insect spray on it to disinfect. But it had already swollen up and turned red. Both my legs were swollen. I decided to go to the ship’s hospital. They told me the consultation would cost $150. Well, I told my wife, "It’s not the end of the world—a jellyfish sting will pass." But I swear, for three days, I suffered. I couldn’t sleep—it was itching so badly. With some soothing cream and antiseptics, it finally went away after three days.

When we boarded the ship—it was leaving at 6 PM—I went up to the pool deck to relax a bit. I had gum in my mouth. While chewing it, my dental implant came loose. That really topped off the day! So, I went down to our cabin, where my wife was napping, and explained what happened. She said, "You can’t be serious—all this in one day!" Luckily, it was a back tooth, so it wasn’t too noticeable. I just left it like that for the rest of the cruise. Since I had internet, I made an appointment with my dentist for when I got back. Anyway, it was quite the eventful day!

After all that chaos—which didn’t ruin the cruise at all (I promise, three days later, it was all forgotten)—it was time for aperitifs and dinner.

We ate well, just like the night before, and drank well too...

I’ll still write another post about the drink package because, for us, it wasn’t worth it since my wife doesn’t drink alcohol. Since I’m the only one drinking, I’ll share how I managed to let others on the ship benefit from it.

To be continued! !

Hey Alfred,

What a cursed day! After all that went wrong in one go 🏴‍☠️ I hope you’ll have some peace and quiet for a while Hope the coconut vendor gave you those for free after such a mishap 😉.

Hey Alfred,

What a cursed day! After all that went wrong on the same day 🏴‍☠️ I hope you’ll have some peace and quiet for a while I hope the coconut vendor gave them to you for free after such a clumsy moment 😉.

Hey Catherine!

The rest of the cruise is going to be smooth sailing and nothing but bliss!

The coconut vendor didn’t offer me anything, and even if he had, I would’ve refused because he’s a street vendor just trying to make a living, and he really tugged at my heartstrings. Plus, he was panicked and apologized several times. You know, along the beach, there are several of them with their carts selling coconuts or other things to get by.

5 days at sea:

During the five days at sea, there’s a culinary event every afternoon—either by the main pool when the weather’s nice or at the buffet entrance.





Each day has a different theme: Oriental, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Italian…

There’s always something planned. There’s one thing I’ve seen on luxury ships before that surprised me a little: during sea days, staff walk around offering fruit and sandwiches. It’s something new for MSC. I don’t know if it’s just this ship, but if it’s like this on all their vessels, I think they’ll be seeing a lot of me!

I should also mention the ship was only 40% full (according to a server). Was that the reason? I’m not sure. But either way, the five days at sea flew by: 1. There were activities for those who wanted them.



2. There was always the option to step back and find some peace and quiet.

Anyway, I wasn’t bored at all—I always found something to do. I’ll take this chance to share a few photos of the ship. I think MSC fans will recognize this class: it’s a smaller version of Royal’s Quantum class. Atrium overlooking the promenade gallery

Promenade gallery with the shopping arcades...



Indoor pool

On every deck, there’s a chair in front of the elevators (super handy for some people)

Theater

The robot that makes cocktails

Hi there, Thanks so much for sharing! We did a transatlantic crossing back in 2012 on the MSC Orchestra from Santos to Marseille, and we never found the days at sea long because there’s always something to do. Mum49

More photos from the ship

Reception

Chinese or Japanese restaurant (I can’t remember which)

Butcher's Cut

One of the restaurants

Wine cellar at the entrance of the restaurant

Entrance to the casino

Chocolatier Jean Philippe (to die for!)

Crêperie

Lounge on the 18th floor (adults only) with live music in the evenings—guaranteed atmosphere

A lounge at the back of the ship that doubles as a performance venue