Our cabins on board the new MSC Virtuosa

The time had come in February. We set off on our first cruise to the Orient. We wanted to spend eight days discovering the port cities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha on board the MSC Virtuosa. The date and time of the trip were by no means a coincidence, as we also wanted to visit EXPO 2020, which was taking place in Dubai from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. We planned a few days in Dubai before and after the cruise, but you’ll find out more about that in another report.

The MSC Virtuosa was christened somewhat belatedly in Dubai in November 2021 and has only sailed in the Orient since then. The godmother of the new MSC Virtuosa was – as always with large MSC ships – Sophia Loreen and we were very excited about the largest ship in the Meraviglia class to date. Since we last sailed the Mediterranean on board the MSC Seaview, the second ship in the Seaside class, in fall 2021, we were looking forward to discovering the new features and differences on board.

Our cabins on decks nine and twelve on board the MSC Virtuosa

This time we booked two balcony cabins. One of them is a guaranteed cabin in the Bella Experience World category and one is a balcony cabin in the Fantastica Experience World category. We were lucky, because the guarantee cabin and therefore both cabins are deluxe balcony cabins. We had deliberately booked cabin 12344 on deck 12 as it has a particularly large corner balcony and cabin 9174 on deck 9 was the guarantee or lucky cabin. But what is the difference between the two cabins, apart from the price difference of around 200 euros?

The location of the cabins

First of all, the cabins, both on the starboard side – i.e. on the right in the direction of travel, differ in deck height and position in the ship. The MSC Virtuosa has a total of 19 decks. The cabin on deck 12 has a better view, but from time to time you can hear some music from the pool area, which is located on deck 15. Not seriously disturbing, but audible. Cabin 9174 is centrally located near the panorama lift and in the slightly forward part of the ship. The next social contact point is on deck 7, where there are several stores and bars.

Cabin 12344 is located in the slightly set-back part of the ship and has two special features. It is marked with two dots on the deck plan. This means that the sofa can be converted into a bed for a 3rd/4th person. person can be converted. However, as there were two of us in the cabin, it was a normal sofa. This cabin also has a particularly large corner balcony because it is located at the corner of the row of cabins that leans towards the inside of the ship. However, we have not noticed any noticeable differences in the interior. The color concept of the cabin is very modern and kept in green-beige tones, which leaves a calm and fresh impression.

The cabin interior

Our cabins both have approx. 17 square meters. The layout and design of the cabins on board the MSC Virtuosa remind us very much of the cabins on board the MSC Seaview. At the entrance there is a short corridor area from which the door to the bathroom opens. Here are also the coat hooks for jackets, the light switches and the switch for cleaning the cabin (Make up my Cabin) or for “Do not disturb”, as well as the air conditioning control. In the cabin there is a desk with a mirror, a TV, two closets and a sofa.

The double bed consists of two single beds joined together, which can also be separated. There is a bedside table with storage compartments on each side. There is a socket and a light switch above each bedside table.

Two recessed wardrobes with hanging and storage space are available so that you can hang up dresses (cocktail, evening or summer dresses), suits, blouses and pants. There are several storage compartments and drawers so that you can keep your clothes organized. In the storage compartments you will also find the cabin safe with space for a camera, wallets and jewelry or even a tablet. Unfortunately, our laptop didn’t fit in the safe. The storage space in the cabin is absolutely sufficient for a week, as there are even more drawers and storage compartments on and in the desk.

The bathroom

The bathroom has a walk-in shower with glass door. Shower gel and shampoo are sustainably available in dispensers and are refilled as required. The washbasin only has a narrow shelf, but there is a small wall shelf. There is also a make-up mirror with magnification and everything is well lit.

The balconies

The biggest difference is, of course, the balcony. Both balconies are glazed and have two chairs and a stool for sunbathing. We would always prefer to have a small table instead of an angled stool, but this way we always use the stool as a table. The corner balcony of cabin 12344 is really huge! More than twice the size of a normal balcony. Unfortunately, there are still only normal chairs on the large balcony and no loungers or a table, although there would be enough space for them.

Another difference is the incidence of sunlight. On deck 9, when the sun is on the side of the ship, you naturally always have sun. Unfortunately, this is not the case with cabin 12344. As the cabin is located in the slightly recessed part of the cabin, there is more shade per se. As deck 12 is also very high up and a few decks above extend further forward, the balcony is often in the shade. For a lot of sun, the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays must be right and the sun should be slightly lower. But if you don’t like it too hot, this is ideal.

Another difference is the view. From the balcony of cabin 9174, we have a good view to the left and right, as the cabin is located in the side section in front. From the balcony of cabin 12344, the view is limited to one side, as there is a long steel wall in front that we cannot see past. On the other side, however, you have a beautiful view in the direction of travel and of all the cabins set back. The view from the balcony is not directly onto the water, but onto the outer decks on deck 7.

Our overall impression on board the MSC Virtuosa

For us, the design of the cabins and the furnishings correspond to the MSC standard, which is similar to that of a well-equipped hotel room. When choosing your route and cabin, you should consider what you prefer. A large balcony with less sun and a somewhat restricted view or a panoramic view with sun, but a smaller balcony. We were very happy with both cabins. A tip from us: If you like to enjoy the sun on the balcony, you should definitely look at the route map beforehand to see which side of the ship the sun is on in the direction of travel. Cabins with even room numbers are on the right-hand side (starboard), odd room numbers on the left-hand side (port). As the ship docks differently in the ports, it is usually a matter of luck whether the cabin is on the sunny side or not during the port stay. But who stays on board in port? 😉