Christmas Magic Onboard MSC Euribia: My Review

I’m booked on MSC Euribia. It’s late November, and I’m looking forward to Christmas markets, decorations, and festive fun.

Travel is my Therapy

I can't get used to being without my husband, and Christmas is particularly a bad time.  I realise many of you who have lost loved ones will be suffering the extra pangs of sadness that festive times bring. It’s not easy is it? I have a lot of wonderful memories of our travels together. Christmas was his favourite time of year, and he made every celebration so special.  I'm trying to honour his memory by cherishing the moments we had together and create new memories whilst keeping his spirit alive in my heart.

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So here I go again. Cruising from Southampton to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, and back to Southampton.

Note: Read my next blog post to find out the Itinerary on MSC Euribia.

Boarding MSC Euribia at City Cruise Terminal, Berth 101

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After completing and printing my embarkation form and a mandatory health questionnaire, I arrived by taxi, passport in hand. I gave my baggage to the staff at the dockside.

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Confident my labels were attached, as I’d upgraded my baggage label method of attachment from my mini stapler to plastic covers for cruise labels. You can see them here. MSC labels are quite wide, so these covers were perfect. 

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It was 11.00 a.m, very quiet, just a few people drifting in. So different from any previous boardings I have done at Southampton. 

On board MSC Euribia

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The first thing you see when you board are the many Christmas decorations. It’s a really pretty ship. 

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The ceiling changes, it’s wonderful, an 80-metre LED screen, changing from sky to patterns, even movies. This ship certainly has the razzamatazz.

If the cabins aren’t ready, you can deposit your hand baggage in the baggage store, which was on Deck 5 at the time of writing this. I thought it was a great service. So it left me free to wander the ship without having to lug my hand baggage about.

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My Cabin on MSC Euribia - 9126 Balcony Room

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So mid-ship, balcony. I'm very excited to be on this, an almost new ship. 

Everything smells so wonderful, as the launch was about six months ago. Lovely fresh carpet, and gleaming decor, let's have a look inside my cabin. 

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All sparkling clean. I certainly notice the extra technology on this ship. So many light switches and plug sockets, which took a while for me to work out, what switched on what.   EU and US. So UK residents, you need to remember your adaptors. They have even added technology for getting your room serviced. 

DND is “Do not Disturb”, and obviously “Make Up Room”. You press your requirement, and it illuminates outside your room for a message for the room steward. No, putting a magnetic sticker on your door like you do on older ships. 

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On the bed are two towels, these are your pool towels. You need to have two pool towels in your room when you finish your holiday, or you will be charged.

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It’s a very pleasant room. Comfortable bed. Blackout curtains. Tea and coffee, and of course a kettle, which is usually onboard for all UK departures, for the Brits. Oh my goodness, there’d be riots if we couldn't have our first morning cuppa. Yorkshire tea bags supplied here are the best, in my opinion. 

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The bathroom is well stocked with shampoo etc., and a wonderful addition of a magnifying mirror. 

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My bags are outside, that was quick, so ready to unpack. 

All set, not many hangers, but I’ve got my trusty travel hangers again which I featured in my previous article, but these are so great that I'll show them again.

You can get them here. 

I know your cabin steward would get some wire ones if needed, but I prefer not to bother him, these take up very little space in your bag. I’m very smug when I show these to travel companions, and we stand in awe, looking at a folding hanger. Even gets a “wow”. 

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Perusing the paperwork on my bed. I have the MSC daily program and a letter saying Welcome Back. I haven’t been on MSC before, nearly, but cancelled due to Covid. Anyway, I have a status match with RCCL, which makes me a member of the Voyagers Club, Gold. 

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The privileges are, a few discounts, a free spa day and an invite to a cocktail party. And a gift, not yet received. 

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I find it strange that the dress code is White Night on the first night. The penny drops, of course, the ship originated in Hamburg, its home port. That’s why it wasn’t overly busy on boarding. Some passengers are halfway through their cruise. MSC has passengers getting on, and passengers getting off at most of the ports they call into.

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There’s an announcement. Advising to watch the safety drill on the TV. The announcement is in English, German, Spanish, Italian, and maybe more. Some people would find this annoying, it does go on a bit, but it's an international ship catering for many nationalities, it needs to be done. Once you've listened to the announcement, you need to phone a number to confirm.  

Exploring MSC Euribia           

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Deck 19 and some of 18/17 and 16. It’s exclusively for Yacht Club passengers. If you are looking for privacy, away from the general throng of passengers, you’ll get it here. Very private, luxurious suites, a butler, concierge, fine dining, and Aurea spa. For full details of all the extras, you can see it here.

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On 19 is also Adventure Reef. Kids' eyes will light up when they see this. 

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It has four twisting waterslides, swimming pools, ropes, an ice cream bar and the Himalayan Bridge, which is an 82-meter-long suspension bridge spanning Deck 19's width.

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Deck 18 is actually deck 17 if you were counting, but 17 is an unlucky number to Italians, like 13 is to some other cultures. 

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Deck 18 There’s the very popular Sky Lounge. A beautiful area with big windows overlooking the pool.  Quite often, there is a guitarist and a pianist here throughout the day. A comfortable seating area and anyone who smokes will be pleased to know there is a designated room, just for you, off the sky lounge.  No more sitting out on a freezing deck. 

At the aft of the ship is the Kid's area. Now this area is so extensive. There are kids clubs, with every age catered for, from babies, mini clubs, junior club, young cluband and teen club, up to 17 years old. I know my granddaughter would love it here, it's colourful and exciting, you can see details of the various kids clubs here. 

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Deck 16. This is where MSC really comes into its own. There are so many great areas for kids, teens and adults. Interactive games, XD cinema, video games arcade, bowling alley, basketball/football court.  Gym, flight simulator, and the best walking/running track I’ve ever seen on board a ship. 

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‍And of course, it's not free, click here to find out more. 

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So an average fun pass is £90, but varies from ship to ship, depending on the length of the cruise. MSC says you can get a discount of 20% if you pre purchase. Also, you’ll get extra credit. 

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What a great track, and it’s so pretty in the evening as it’s lit so well. It goes halfway around the ship. Nothing worse than having to dodge around other guests sunbathing, not that that will happen on this cruise, as it is quite chilly outside. I can see there are some loungers stacked up here, but still plenty of space if they were in use. 

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It’s great to have these signs near the lifts. Talking of lifts, the lifts on Euribia are amazing. 

Every other lift I’ve been in on other ships does not have this system. In other ships, you press the button for up or down, and you all make a dash when it turns up.

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On this ship, and I suspect on other MSC ships; you press the button as to where you want to go. Then you will be allocated a lift on the keypad by letter, i.e.  lift A.  This keeps people together who are going in the same direction. Once inside, there is no button to press, feels a bit weird at first, but works well.

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By some of the lifts, or elevators if you wish, are interactive screens. They are for finding out which entertainment is on, and you can book shows etc., on the screen. 

Entertainment on MSC Euribia

Carousel Lounge

The Carousel Lounge.  A large lounge, comfortable seating, and a bar. Plenty of waiters to take your orders. Snacks too, which were great. In this lounge in the evening, a 19-piece band performs. 

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It was fabulous. Saxophones, trumpets, trombones, a brilliant drummer, pianist, double bass, two guitarists, violinists. I expect I have missed something out. There is a male and female singer, both very good. Definitely the place to go in the evenings. 

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If you go on this ship, watch the band, but check out the drummer, he’s amazing. He throws himself into the music with every bone in his body, wonderful. They did Swing, Movie Night, and Glen Miller, every evening was excellent. 

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The Carousel Lounge is a riot of colour. An LED light system, which changes to theme with the music. Great place to dance.  I preferred to come here rather than the Delphi theatre.

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Times are arranged so you could do both, but it's unlikely you’ll  get a seat in the Carousel lounge and quite possibly end up standing at the back.

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Delphi Theatre

Delphi Theatre is a two-deck theatre. It has its in-house dancers and singers and similar Cirque du Soleil productions. Occasionally an act is flown in. Whilst I was there, for example, there was an Ed Sheeran tribute act and Generation Rock featuring Rock legends. 

If you don't make your reservations, you’ll probably get in but will have to wait for booked passengers to be seated. 

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Euribia Lounge

Euribia Lounge on Deck 6 has a 3 piece band and a singer. They host 60’s and 70’s nights, ABBA, to name a few. Dance lessons too. Quite often, the dance troop is on the floor, encouraging people to join in. 

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The Masters of the Sea, deck 7, is a pub, it hosts quizzes and has a guitarist. Nice atmosphere there. 

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The Attic Club has a DJ until late. 

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TV studio and bar, deck 7, hosts karaoke. 

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Infinity Atrium, deck 5, has various musical acts each night. 

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The Sky Lounge, deck 18, usually has jazz in the evenings.

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The Signature Casino, bar and casino games area

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Above is just a hint of what goes on.

Cocktail party

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So I dressed for the party, then thought I’d pop out onto the balcony for a bit of fresh air…….Ha Ha! Bit windy out there

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This was nice, on a sea day. It was a partitioned off area at Galleria Euribia. Waiters going round with the fizz. The Captain came out on the balcony with all his officers. They were all very handsome and smart. He made a speech, and said a bit about the ship, the environmental technologies and the roles of his colleagues. He welcomed everyone, oozed charm and sophistication, and introduced a great parade.

Cruising solo on MSC Euribia

This cruise was booked through Passion for Cruises.

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Passion for Cruises are specialists in organising and booking cruises and land holidays for solos. This particular cruise was hosted by Lizzy and Phil. They were wonderful. To a certain extent, I like to be independent, but it's great to hook up with other solos in the evening for your meal and maybe go ashore with a newfound friend. 

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The cruise was very reasonable. I always thoroughly research before I book, comparing prices. There was no single supplement, and it's great to have your own cabin. If you'd booked early enough, it also included a drinks package. Sadly I missed out on that, but it did include tips. 

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Phil and Lizzy hosted an event in the TV Studio and Bar and asked if you had a Christmas jumper to wear. Later they moved to the Atrium at the centre of the ship to take photos. 

They started to attract a large crowd, and laughingly the other passengers thought it was a choir assembling. 

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What I’m trying to say is, if you are recently widowed, or for whatever reason, you are on your own, there’s still fun to be had. 

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Give passion for cruises a ring, they are so nice. 

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If you're a little bit nervous about travelling on your own, a hosted cruise is the way to go, you will always have company if you want it. It's an excellent way to make new friends and create unforgettable memories while exploring different parts of the world.

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Anyway, I won’t say anymore, I hope to do a separate article about them and travelling solo another time. 

Time for Festivities on MSC Euribia

I just can't hold back from sharing how incredibly beautiful the Christmas decorations are onboard this ship. It's like a winter wonderland brought to life! The way they've adorned the ship with such colourful and enchanting decorations is simply breathtaking. Everywhere you look, there's something festive and beautiful to see.

The crew has done an amazing job making it all so special. I wish I could describe every detail because it's just so lovely. It's like they've sprinkled magic all over the ship. I'm so glad I got to experience this and soak in the festive atmosphere. It's definitely making this holiday even more wonderful.

Next to the Euribia lounge, there is a chocolate and coffee shop. Oh wow! It was fantastic, I had hot chocolate and cookies. Yum.

Food on MSC Euribia

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I haven’t mentioned the food yet, but you can go to either your allocated main dining room, or the Market Place buffet. There are small bites in the Carousel Lounge. There are 5 specialty restaurants, but I didn't get to try them. There are packages you can pre purchase, to get a discount. You can find details here.

Market Place buffet seating area. In my experience, there is always plenty of room.

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So the food, sad to say, was not as excellent as I’ve experienced on other ships. I certainly didn't go hungry. Possibly it’s to do with the many nationalities on board and they are trying to please so many. I like to try everything, but if you need your fish and chips and pies for a change try the pub Masters of the Sea, between 5 and 10 p.m. There’s a small fee. 

Swimming pools on MSC Euribia

There’s been a couple of sea days on this ship, the sea has been calm, so it's been very pleasant to spend some time around the pool, or in a jacuzzi. There are 5 swimming pools on board, I opted for the indoor one, though I did see a few people in the outdoor pool, it must’ve been very warm as there was steam coming off it. 

The outdoor pool at night is simply stunning. With the lights changing colour, creating a mesmerising display. An enchanting experience by the poolside after dark.

I snuggled up with a cosy blanket, taking in the festive atmosphere. They've set up a German Christmas market-themed area by the pool, where you can savour delicious hot chocolate and other delightful Christmas drinks. Wrap up warm.

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I hope I've managed to give you a glimpse into the MSC Euribia and convey just how safe and enjoyable solo travel can be. This ship is an absolute beauty, and the staff and service are top-notch. 

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Exploring solo might seem daunting at first, but I wanted to show you how wonderful and secure it can be, especially on a ship like this one. You don’t have to go ashore, there’s always something going on onboard. 

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Christmas is a difficult time for some if you are on your own, but there’s something truly special about the experience, and I'm glad I had the chance to share it with you. It certainly put a little Christmas joy back into my heart.  I didn't go ashore much, and one port was cancelled, but here is a short separate article about the ports I visited. 

If my story can inspire just one person to keep going, then it's a story worth telling and sharing. Let me know. 

My next blog post goes into the detais of each port the MSC Euribia visited during this cruise.