Preziosa is simply stunning

I have just returned from a fantastic week on MSC newest ship the Preziosa.

First impressions were WOW, this ship is simply stunning in design and décor.

The fixtures and fittings were very stylish and we were lucky enough to have a cabin with a balcony.

The cabin was fairly spacious with plenty of closet space and the balcony was large enough for 2 people to sit comfortably with a small table. I have travelled on cruise lines where it’s a squeeze for 2 people to sit outside so this made a nice change. The bathroom was also a decent size compared to some lines and we had a bathtub with an overhead shower.

On arrival at Barcelona there were plenty of staff obviously on incentives to try and sell the drinks package. I had already pre booked mine which is much better value at just £20.00 per person per day where if you wait until you arrive it is actually 23 euro per person per day because they add a gratuity to the price. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a drink to take out this package.it includes wine by the glass, beer on draught, cocktails, most brands of spirits, liquers and sparkling wine by the glass. Even though they say wine is only served by the glass they bring you the bottle in the restaurant even if you are having different wine. One night we had a bottle of white and red between 2 of us so that is the same as what we had paid for the package without any of the other drinks or ice-ceams.

We went straight on board and decided to explore the ship. The atrium was beautiful with a glitter staircase that most people had their photographs taken on at some time during their cruise.

We stopped off at several bars to sample the drinks on offer then went for a buffet lunch.

I will tell you more about the choice of meals a little later.

I was very suprised by the weather as being October I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so hot.

The temperatures ranged from about 18 degrees to as high as 26 degrees so luckily we got to spend some time relaxing by one of the many swimming pools.

We did stay around the main pool in the middle of the ship but also went to the infinity pool at the aft which is much quieter. The views from there were lovely and the pool was nice and warm.

There were lots of Jacuzzis and even though the ship was full we never struggled for a sun lounger or for space in the Jacuzzi. We did have 1 day where it was too cold to sit outside so we had a swim and Jacuzzi in the indoor pool instead.

The Preziosa also has the longest water slide at sea that actually hangs over the side of the ship and is transparent. I was a little apprehensive but after the first go you couldn’t keep me off .

We didn’t take our children this time but when I saw the other children enjoying themselves did feel a little guilty. They would have had a great time especially as they enjoy swimming so much and they had the Doremi Aqua park for children next to the vertigo water slide.

I did check out the children’s clubs and they were all busy creating and playing, when we went in they were busy making Halloween costumes. They also had the virtual world to keep older children busy.

A new feature that I haven’t seen before was an F1 formula racing car simulator and a 4D cinema ride. My husband tried to racing car which cost 8 euros for 4 laps which he tells me was very good. We both went to the 4d cinema and having not been to one before was not prepared at all.

We were strapped in to a large yellow seat with headrest and handle bars on the side.

It lasted for 5 minutes and soon as the chair moved I knew it was a mistake on my part. Even though I cruise regularly I do actually suffer from motion sickness and had managed to get through the whole cruise without having to reach for the Kwells until I went on this ride on the last day.

Unfortunately I did not feel well and had to take my pills and have a lie down for a few hours. Everyone else really enjoyed it though so if you don’t suffer from motion sickness it is definitely worth a go at just 6 euros each.

One of the highlights for me on a cruise is the food and I was not disappointed.

I have ready many reviews about MSC saying that its ok if you like Italian food. I love Italian food so I thought that is ok with me anyway. However there is so much other choice.

There is an Italian influence on all of the menus but there are other choices.

For example the main buffet always had a choice of pasta and pizza but they also had the usual choice of burgers, hotdogs, salad bar, ready made sandwiches and also speciality meals.For example when in Spain there were tapas, in Tunisia there was ethnic food etc.

When the ship was in an embarkation port such as Barcelona and Genoa they had a sailaway buffet which is a larger buffet with more choice.

Breakfast was good although the choice of English breakfast was more limited than what was available in the main dining room.

I did find when the ship got busier the buffet was very hectic and it was difficult to find a table so we decided to go the dining room instead. It was a much nicer experience and cooked freshly for you and tea and coffee brought to your table instead of having to make lots of trips back to the buffet.

The main dining room was excellent every night. Our waiter couldn’t have been any more helpful and the food was very good. MSC still offer a 7 course menu every night which a lot of cruise lines no longer offer. If you don’t like what you have ordered the waiter immediately offers to bring something else so the service was excellent.

The 7 courses consisted of a choice of starter, salad, soup, pasta or risotto, main course, desert, cheese. I do like my food but even I didn’t manage 7 courses although I did manage 4.

If you are still hungry later on the pizzeria is open until midnight and you can make your own sandwich in the buffet until 2am. They also have waiter bar service available in the buffet.

MSC also have the own ice cream laboratory on board and they make their own Italian ice-cream.

If you have purchased the allegrissimo drinks package this also includes unlimited ice cream in either a cone or a tub. I can honestly say it is the best ice-cream ever .

Entertainment in the evening was more limited than I have experienced on other cruise lines. The bars and loungers were lovely and the Green Sax and the Safari Lounge were the liveliest but they mainly played European music and were more ballroom dancing than disco. However there was a really good atmosphere and the entertainment staff were really good and very friendly.

They invited passengers up to dance which was really nice for single travellers.

The Galaxy lounge was the nightclub and specialty restaurant which has panoramic views out to sea.

They did play more of a mixture of music on there but again I would say it did cater more to the Spanish/Italian market than the British tastes.

We did enjoy a few good nights there though.

The theatre was very modern with ample seating and the shows were good but not west end style shows. They had acrobats which were excellent as were as were all of cast but the entertainment was not as varied or professional as some cruise lines.

Overall I would say this cruise was fantastic value for money and I will definitely be booking another cruise with MSC in the future. I will also be taking the drinks package because I am sure our final bill would have been a lot more expensive without this.