MSC Bellissima. Truly a beauty at sea
Whilst traveling down, I reminisced about our family cruise last year and the fab time we had, so I knew it would be a great experience. As soon as I approached the cruise terminal, the ship looked magnificent and instantly I went WOW! Holding 4,500 passengers, I did wonder how MSC would cater for everybody’s choices, wants and needs and I was very excited to step on board to find out.
Everyone loves a little bit of glamour! I went up the ramp, boarded the ship and had my card scanned. I knew this was a special ship when I saw the Swarovski staircase and imagined how I would feel stepping down this when I was dressed for dinner tonight! There are 6 impressive staircases in total and each step has been created by 640 individual Swarovski crystals in every step! I can certainly see why Bellissima has been named as one of most beautiful ships at sea.
So, I thought I would start to explore what the ship had to offer. The main area of the ship has a two deck inside promenade with an 80-metre-long LED screen. This was a great back drop for the numerous restaurants and bars which had tables looking out over this. The ship has 12 dining venues and 20 bars to choose from so knew that anyone choosing to book onboard, would be spoilt for choice. There is certainly a British feel to this ship by the presence of a British pub! MSC is specifically aiming this ship to appeal to the British & Irish tourism market.
Having a family, myself, I was keen to look at the offering. I was blown away by the facilities and knew my kids would love the F1 simulator, bowling alley, aquapark, high ropes, kids/teens club as well as the full-size sports complex and tv studio. The gaming room is also fully equipped with the latest consoles.
For the evenings, the entertainment did not disappoint. MSC had a live entertainment show for us for our one night but will have on offer the fabulous Cirque De Soleil, a multi-purpose karaoke bar, a nightclub, a comedy club as well as musicians dotted around the ship all to entertain you. Some of the events must be pre-booked so that always exciting to do on the lead up to your holiday.
MSC Yacht
For those wanting a more luxurious experience on the ship, MSC have the Yacht Club. It’s an exclusive area on the ship which is for the higher-grade cabins. Guests have a separate section on the ship, and they have access to the club’s lounge, pool and restaurant area. The main benefit of the club is that you have your own personal butler!
Cabins I was lucky enough to have balcony cabin to myself. It had lovely fresh modern décor and well thought out bathroom with shower configuration. New to MSC Bellissima is Zoe, the personal digital assistant. With a lot of touch screen tech on the decks useful for maps and information, this is another added tech feature in all cabins. Just like a little “Alexa”, you can ask questions and gain information by speaking to her. The ship also offers further cabins such as inside and outside cabins. More family cabins come in various sizes with the super family plus cabins that can sleep 10 guests that have interconnecting rooms. The suites on offer, have whirlpool spa’s in a standard or corner floor plan arrangement. Accessible Cabins are available but due to the small number, early booking is needed to secure these.
Book your very own trip on MSC Bellissima
Her first season will be in the Med, then she will then sail over to Dubai for the Winter. If you just fancy a taster cruise, then you can do short mini before you tackle an around the world cruise!
For further details, please do not hesitate to ask.