If a Goddess Was a Ship, She'd Shine This Bright

By Cruising With Honey - 17:50

Day 2 aboard MSC Cruises Euribia

As I looked up at the whales, frolicking and dancing overhead in resplendent colours, I thought about just how far technology has come on cruise ships. I was mesmerised by the fantastical display on the largest (longest) LED display at sea, utterly amazed by the show.

Entertainment on ships is about igniting all the senses, and here on board MSC Euribia, every sense is seduced – sight, scent, taste, sound – to create a completely immersive cruise experience.

Embarkation day, yesterday, I saw very little and woke up on a mission to explore the ship. Within the first few moments of exploring I found myself exclaiming at every new area, “wow, just WOW”.

Have I mentioned the crystals?

If you read my former post, I mention the Swarovski staircases in the atrium. This collection of crystal creates a dazzling effect as light bounces, refracts and almost appears alive. But, it doesn’t stop at the atrium.

Making my way to the main dining rooms on Deck 6, Aurora Boreale and Aurora Borealis, I was greeted by an almost-blinding wine display. I felt as I was in a diamond cave, submerged in such beauty. If at any point a passenger feels a little down, they should head here for some light therapy.

Continuing up to Deck 7 and through the Casino – which is preceded by a FLOOR OF LIGHT – (are you starting to see the pattern here?) and then to Carousel, a lounge/bar/entertainment space with a floor-to-ceiling windows that (you guessed it) illuminates the massive room. I can’t wait to sit here with my laptop and a mocha.

So many options to tantalise your tastebuds

If you’re hankering for a taco, craving some sushi or just want to dig into a juicy steak, MSC Euribia has several speciality restaurants to satisfy your appetite.

Each restaurant is beautifully styled to reflect the cuisine. These do come at an extra charge, but in my opinion a nice way to have a special meal and create a memory.

For the chocoholics out there, famous pastry chef Jean Phillipe’s signature café, has delectable chocolates, sweet treats and beverages. While visiting the cafe, the pastry chefs were hard at work creating a WHOLE CLOCK FROM CHOCOLATE! Incredible. I can’t wait to see the final product.

Swim indoors or out

Despite the Nordic cooler clime, plenty of guests were enjoying the stunning outdoor pool on Deck 15 (sorry, too cold for Honey). LOTS of space, loungers and close to the Marketplace Buffet so guests can easily grab a snack to enjoy poolside.

Inside, the Bamboo Pool was more my style, complete with heated pool and hot tubs. It’s a tropical oasis to enjoy a swim.

Let’s go bar hopping

Did you know there are 21 bars and lounges on MSC Euribia? I’m not sure I will get to all, but I’ll give it a good try. So far, my favourite is the Sky Lounge that overlooks the pool on Deck 15. I enjoyed a few cheeky cocktails here....

So much more to explore

A few of my observations after Day 2:

- The ship’s decor is stunning and has been very well thought out for maximum light and a feeling of space.

- Despite over 6000 people on board, no areas feel overcrowded

- The crew are vivacious, friendly and wonderful (I already have made lifelong friends)

- The demographic of passengers is much younger than other ships I’ve cruised on with lots of young families and couples in their 20s and 30s

- I had my first mojito and subsequently spilt it. It was very quickly replaced

- You’ll definitely achieve your step count walking around the ship

I know that I have hardly scratched the surface, but give me time as it’s only Day 2!

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Euribia

Day 1 MSC Euribia - First Impressions

By Cruising With Honey - 01:07

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.

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.

If a Goddess Was a Ship, She'd Shine This Bright