Day 1 MSC Euribia - First impressions
It had been a delightful two-and-a-half days of discovery in Copenhagen, and truth be told, I was feeling a little melancholy leaving this fantastic city. The bubbles of excitement of ‘cruise day’ had yet to start forming.
But, as the taxi pulled into the cruise terminal, the mild melancholia vanished and was replaced with awe. A member of the Meraviglia Class, Euribia sits at a whopping 184,000 tonnes, has a max capacity of 6327 passengers and crew and 2419 cabins. She is the second LNG powered ship in the fleet.
Her hull boasts a unique artwork, the winning design following an international competition that was scooped by German graphic artist Alex Flämig and entitled “Save the Sea” and represents MSC Cruises’ ongoing dedication to the environment and commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
My boarding time of 3pm was perfect. MSC’s 300-year shipping history has refined the art of loading cargo and have applied these same principles to human cargo. I can honestly say it took 3 mins to check-in. Present passport, snap pic and on my way.
Have I died and gone to Crystal Heaven? As I stepped on board, other than being blinded by the dazzling Swarovski staircases that bounced light off the shiny metal sculptures and finishes, the ship smelled amazing – a mixture of crisp citrus and rich amber. Later I learned this MSC Signature Scent can be purchased in a diffuser (don’t forget to head to the gift shop, Honey).
I headed to the photo hub to grab my MSC for Me wristband - a device that replaces many of the functions of a cruise card (although you still need your cruise card to embark/disembark). The friendly and efficient crew hooked up my internet in seconds and I was off to find my cabin.
The balcony cabin was elegant, modern and decked out in neutral colours. Lots of storage and an extra comfy bed and pillows. One of my very few pet hates on cruise ships is the dreaded plastic shower curtain, so I might have let out a small squeal of delight when I saw the glass shower screen. And let me tell you, the hot water and shower pressure was PERFECT.
No more congregating in cramped muster stations. Yippee! Muster was conducted by watching a safety video on one's cabin TV, then guests were required to call 811 from their cabin phone to confirm they'd watched the briefing. Final step, was to head down to your muster station to scan your card. So simple.
By 6:30pm I was pretty hungry, so our early dinner seating was a Godsend. I'm glad I was allocated the early seating, as apparently the second later seating is much more popular with the majority European guests. Dinner was in one of the main dining rooms, the Aurora Boreale. I had some tasty potstickers and then trout for main. But my favourite was the sweet pistachio ice-cream. MSC do ice cream EXTREMELY well.
My boarding time of 3pm was perfect. MSC’s 300-year shipping history has refined the art of loading cargo and have applied these same principles to human cargo. I can honestly say it took 3 mins to check-in. Present passport, snap pic and on my way.
Shine bright like a Swarovski
Have I died and gone to Crystal Heaven? As I stepped on board, other than being blinded by the dazzling Swarovski staircases that bounced light off the shiny metal sculptures and finishes, the ship smelled amazing – a mixture of crisp citrus and rich amber. Later I learned this MSC Signature Scent can be purchased in a diffuser (don’t forget to head to the gift shop, Honey).
I headed to the photo hub to grab my MSC for Me wristband - a device that replaces many of the functions of a cruise card (although you still need your cruise card to embark/disembark). The friendly and efficient crew hooked up my internet in seconds and I was off to find my cabin.
Wake view for days
As we were cruising through the Norwegian fjords, I wanted uninterrupted views and so requested an aft-facing cabin on Deck 12, which MSC kindly obliged.
The balcony cabin was elegant, modern and decked out in neutral colours. Lots of storage and an extra comfy bed and pillows. One of my very few pet hates on cruise ships is the dreaded plastic shower curtain, so I might have let out a small squeal of delight when I saw the glass shower screen. And let me tell you, the hot water and shower pressure was PERFECT.
Watch my cabin livestream HERE
No fuss with the Muster
No more congregating in cramped muster stations. Yippee! Muster was conducted by watching a safety video on one's cabin TV, then guests were required to call 811 from their cabin phone to confirm they'd watched the briefing. Final step, was to head down to your muster station to scan your card. So simple.
Europeans dine late
By 6:30pm I was pretty hungry, so our early dinner seating was a Godsend. I'm glad I was allocated the early seating, as apparently the second later seating is much more popular with the majority European guests. Dinner was in one of the main dining rooms, the Aurora Boreale. I had some tasty potstickers and then trout for main. But my favourite was the sweet pistachio ice-cream. MSC do ice cream EXTREMELY well.
With my body clock still in Aussie time, I excused myself after dessert and fell into a peaceful slumber. Tomorrow I’d have plenty of time to discover Euribia’s many gifts.
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