First family cruise: Dom’s MSC mini break
In August 2023, we decided to try cruising for the first time as a family, and see if it would be a good option for us for future holidays. Booking a 2-night cruise to Guernsey with MSC as a taster, we thought it would be a good way to test the water (pardon the pun).
Here’s what we thought of our short trip at sea…
“It was a lovely little getaway as a family. Something different, convenient and lots of fun and entertainment for both adults and kids! If you’ve not been on a cruise before and you’re considering it for the first time, we’d definitely recommend giving it a go.“
As my wife suffers with MS, we must always factor in an extra level of planning and consideration when it comes to going away. The travelling side of things are an important factor, so we thought cruising would be a good option as it was conveniently located for us (being based in Bournemouth and sailing from Southampton) and meant that the travelling element was part of the adventure. We went with an open mind and looked forward to seeing whether this could be a game changer for us.
First impressions
Having booked parking, our car was collected, and we made our way to the ship with our luggage. Our 4-year-old daughter was extremely excited, and we were impressed by how big the MSC Virtuosa was. As cruising newbies, we made our way through the various check-in points and made it onto the ship – it took roughly the same amount of time it would to board a flight, so not unmanageable for us. And the intrigue and excitement kept us going! Once aboard, we were blown away by how much was on the ship and how elegant it all was. After a quick bit of exploring, we made our way to the indoor pool so that my wife could relax, and our little one could burn off the excited energy.
After some fun in the pool, we made our way to our cabin which was now ready for us. Our bags were already there, and we took a moment to settle in. It was a good size and had a nice balcony, so we were hoping for some sun during the trip so that we could enjoy it. After getting acquainted with our cabin, we decided to make the most of the drinks upgrade we’d paid for. We all had a cocktail, including Leia who had a strawberry mocktail – she felt very grown up and to this day still talks about it! Of course, she was fascinated by the MSC robot who was making cocktails too.
Lots of fun for kids
After having a drink, we registered Leia with the kids club and she got her wristband for anytime she wanted to dip in and out. There was a play area with access most of the day, and then a party scheduled for after dinner. Rather than go straight to the kids club, Leia opted to have some fun in the arcades before dinner. There was lots to keep her entertained so we were able to kill an hour or so before getting ready for our evening meal.
Making new friends
It was dinner time, and we weren’t really sure what to expect. The restaurant was lovely and had big tables, so we were sat with another family to eat. After the initial spike in social anxiety, it actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Leia became best friends with the couple’s daughter that we shared with – they were a similar age and became the best of friends. After we’d eaten, Leia wanted to check out the kid’s club. She only lasted about an hour or so, but it gave us adults an opportunity to enjoy a drink together as the sun set before we were all ready for bed.
Arriving at Guernsey
Waking up, we realised we were just off of the Guernsey shoreline and were no longer moving. Again, as newbies, we assumed we would be at some sort of port. It turns out that that’s not always the case, so there was a smaller boat taking people ashore if they wanted to spend some time on land. It was easy to book the excursion, but we opted to stay on board and enjoy more of the ship’s facilities.
Evening entertainment
After breakfast, the day was spent exploring and once again enjoying the Virtuosa’s facilities. Swimming, arcades, kid’s club, shopping and even listening to a bit of karaoke saw us right through to dinner time. Having pre-booked the evening’s entertainment, we enjoyed our evening meal and then made our way to the theatre to see an Abba themed music and dancing. It was a highlight to see Leia and her new friend clapping and singing along!
Saying goodbye to the seas
After a night cap, we got our things packed ready for the morning and got our heads down for an early start. We opted to keep our suitcases in our rooms for a more speedy disembarkation, purely because Leia had a party to get to around lunchtime. Everything went extremely smoothly and we picked up our car and were on our way home before 9am.
All in all it was a really fun trip. We would definitely try cruising again, but I think next time we would opt to go for a bit longer. But as a taster it was great, and having the drinks package meant we were free to enjoy ourselves without constantly keeping an eye on what we were spending.
Lauren CÂ | 2023
