⚓Our First Cruise as a Family of 6: What We Loved (and Learned)
⚓Departure Port: Southampton
We thought flying from Aberdeen to London and then on to Southampton would be the easy option. Then we remembered a tiny detail: getting from London to Southampton with four children and approximately one million suitcases. After picturing ourselves herding kids and luggage across the country like a travelling circus, the 10‑hour drive suddenly felt like the sensible choice.
There were a few queues at the port, but overall the whole process — from parking to check‑in to actually stepping onto the ship — was surprisingly seamless. You’re given an arrival time to help stagger everyone, but of course not everyone sticks to their slot, so things can get a bit busier than they need to be. Still, for cruise embarkation day, it was all pretty painless.
🛳️Pulling Up to the Port: Holiday Mode Activated
The 10‑hour drive was instantly worth it the moment the kids saw the ship — all 331 metres long and 65 metres high of this so‑called “masterpiece at sea.” Their faces said it all. Suddenly the snacks, the arguments, and the endless “are we nearly there yet” felt like a distant memory.
Stepping onto MSC Virtuosa felt like walking into a futuristic mini street that also happens to float. The “longest LED Dome at sea” was the first thing we saw, and it immediately stole the show.
The indoor promenade is packed with restaurants, cafés, and shops, and we spent our first few minutes just spinning in circles, staring up at the ceiling like confused tourists who’d accidentally boarded a spaceship.
🛏️Our Cabin: Cosy, Chaotic, and Questionable Choices
We booked this cruise so last‑minute that connecting cabins were a distant dream, but we told ourselves it would be fine. They’re only for sleeping in… right? Famous last words.
Within 24 hours, the kids were waging nightly battles over who got to sleep with Mum or Dad, I was running a full‑scale clothing‑logistics operation between two cabins, and my husband and I basically lived like polite neighbours who occasionally waved across the corridor. Romantic, in a “separate‑addresses” kind of way.
**We learned our lesson quickly — and have insisted on large family rooms or connecting cabins ever since. Some people collect souvenirs; we collect travel wisdom earned the hard way.
Cruise ship cabins are notoriously small, but this one really took “cosy” to a new level. We had one double bed and two pull‑down bunks that hovered over us like a game of “Will it bonk me in the night?” Sharing that space with multiple energetic toddlers definitely added to the ambience.
Let’s just say the phrase “couldn’t swing a cat” has never felt more relatable — although, in this cabin, you’d struggle to swing a toothbrush.
**Top Tip - Spend the extra money for an upgraded cabin with more space. Consider it an investment in sleep, sanity, and the preservation of family harmony at sea.
Time for the sail away party — music pumping, people dancing, kids already hyped on nothing but sea air — and us quietly wondering whether we’d just made a terrible life choice. As the land started shrinking behind us, the party atmosphere said “Wooo, adventure!” while my inner voice whispered, “Well… too late now.” But with the ship buzzing, and everyone around us in full holiday mode, it was impossible not to get swept up in the moment.
🌊Swimming Pools
MSC Virtuosa has four incredible pools, including it’s very own waterpark at sea. In theory, the pools can comfortably accommodate over 1,000 guests — which sounds wonderfully spacious… on paper. In reality - at the height of school holidays, they were pretty crowded.
And of course, when the ship was at sea, the pools occasionally transformed into accidental wave pools. The kids thought this was the greatest thing ever — like a free waterpark upgrade — while we were just trying to keep 3 toddlers and 1 baby upright and not drifting toward Spain. Fun? Yes. Relaxing? Absolutely not.
🧸Kids Club
MSC Virtuosa’s kids club starts from just 6 months old and runs all the way up to 11 years, split into three age groups: 0–3, 3–6, and 7–11. Each group has its own space and activities, from games and events to Arts & Crafts that let their imaginations run wild.
My two boys’ absolute favourite part? The mountains of LEGO and DUPLO thanks to MSC’s partnership with the LEGO brand. Honestly, they would’ve happily moved in and lived there forever. I’ve never seen them so quiet, focused, and blissfully entertained — a true cruise miracle.
Some of the kids’ activities also take place in the theatre or the sports hall, giving them an even wider range of fun to explore. From mini‑shows to energetic games, they were constantly being whisked off to something new.
The Junior Club is perfect for 7–11‑year‑olds, designed to spark connection, teamwork, and a whole lot of giggles. They pack the schedule with brilliant activities — everything from MasterChef at Sea Juniors to Dorebro sports competitions, plus the wildly popular Fire & Ice live video game that had kids buzzing for days.
For the older kids, MSC Virtuosa has two dedicated spaces: the Young Club (12–14) and the Teens Club (15–17). The Young Club focuses on age‑appropriate fun with a full programme of sports tournaments, hi‑tech games, and plenty of chances to make new friends whilst the teens club steps things up a bit with dance contests, and everything from social‑network‑style games to Wii, Xbox, and PS4 tournaments. They also run exclusive Teens‑Club editions of the Silent Disco, Golden Party, and Quiz O’Clock, making it the place to be for wholesome, high‑energy fun at sea.
While our kids absolutely adored the kids’ club, the queue to sign them in could be a mission. By the time we’d worked our way through the line and checked in all four children, it sometimes felt like we were already due to pick them back up again. Big‑family problems.
One thing we genuinely loved, though, was the walkie‑talkie system for the littlest one. Knowing the staff could reach us instantly — and that he had that extra layer of attention — gave us so much peace of mind.
🍽️Dining on board
With 11 dining options on MSC Virtuosa, you’re genuinely spoiled for choice. From the main dining rooms to beautifully themed speciality restaurants, there’s something for every kind of eater — including picky little travellers.
You can also choose to purchase a dining package, which gives you a set number of meals in the speciality restaurants, depending on the package you select. It’s a great way to try the more unique venues and adds a fun little upgrade to the cruise experience.
Our favourite spot was Hola! Tacos & Cantina — a casual and colourful Mexican‑inspired restaurant. It had that fun, relaxed vibe that works so well for families, and the food was a big hit with our Taco Loving Terrors!
With four toddlers in tow, the Marketplace Buffet was… a lot. It’s huge, it’s busy almost all the time, and trying to find a table big enough for all six of us felt like a competitive sport. Add in the mission of getting food for everyone and then actually sitting down to eat it, and it often felt like an impossible task — definitely not the relaxing, holiday‑style mealtimes you dream of.
The view, however, did just about make up for the chaos. There’s something about watching the sea roll by that softens even the most hectic buffet experience.
We definitely enjoyed our meals more in the main dining room — once we made it past the nightly gauntlet of photographers trying to capture our starving toddlers before they’d even seen a bread roll. (We did end up buying a few… they got us.)
We managed to secure an early dining time, which made a huge difference, and we genuinely loved both the staff and the food here. It felt calmer, more structured, and far closer to the relaxing holiday mealtimes we’d hoped for.
🍹Bars
With five outdoor bars and sixteen indoor, there was no shortage of cocktails to sample over our 14‑night cruise. We mostly found ourselves gravitating towards Atmosphere Bar North, where we could soak up the sea air and watch whatever entertainment was happening that evening.
Be quick though — tables disappeared fast. If you weren’t out early enough, finding a spot could be tricky. This bar got busy, but MSC did a great job of setting up extra prosecco and beer stalls to ease the queues at the main bar, which made the whole experience feel much smoother.
We booked the Premium Extra Drinks Package, which meant we didn’t have to think twice about extra spending on board — a huge relief when you enjoy a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine as much as we do.
🎭Shows and performances
Le Grand Théâtre: Host to comedians, guest speakers, game shows and plenty of children’s activities by day. By night the space transforms completely offering large‑scale professional productions every night, ranging from musicals to variety shows. It’s a busy, versatile venue that always has something going on.
Carousel Productions: These shows take place twice a night in the Carousel Lounge, a modern, stylish venue filled with impressive technology.
🧗Extra Activities
Starship Club: This isn’t just a bar — it’s a full‑on sci‑fi moment. Meet Rob, the humanoid bartender who shakes cocktails, throws sass, and basically makes you feel like you’ve wandered onto a spaceship.
Red Gem Casino: Roulette, blackjack, poker tables and LOTS of slot machines - something for every type of player.
Bowling, VR, 4D cinemas and loads of arcade games — if this sounds like the kind of entertainment your kids enjoy, they’ll disappear into this area for hours. In that case, a Fun Pass is well worth it. It makes everything simpler, saves a bit of money, and stops you constantly reaching for your cruise card.
** Don’t miss the Himalayan Bridge for an 80‑metre sky walk at the back of the ship— a fun little thrill with incredible ocean views! (This one has a height requirement so take caution walking nearby with daredevil toddlers who won’t be impressed to find out they can’t participate!)
*A quick note to finish — we cruised at the very start of the English summer holidays and the ship was VERY busy. If you don’t like the idea of 20‑minute elevator queues, daily treasure hunts for sunbeds and hectic buffet battles - cruising at this time is not for you!! If avoiding crowds is important to you, we’d recommend choosing a different month, though we know that’s not always possible for every family.
🚢Final thought — would we cruise with MSC again? Yes, we would. We had a great time, the kids were in their element, and there’s a lot MSC gets right. But next time, we’d definitely book connecting cabins so we’re not doing the nightly ‘who sleeps where’ shuffle, and we’d pick a quieter month to avoid the peak‑season chaos. With those two tweaks, we’d be back on board in a heartbeat.
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