Exceeded expectations in every way

This cruise exceeded our expectations in every way including the weather. Preziosa was perfect for us size wise as we dislike the huge ships. We prefer individual bars with a choice of entertainment rather than everything in the atrium. Some of the performers were outstanding our favourite being Duo81. We found plenty to eat in both buffet and main dining room. We reminded our waiter each night that we liked our food hot and always got it. We had asked for late dining and got it and we changed from a shared table to a table for two by visiting maitre D after we embarked. We had drinks package so enjoyed drinks / coffees / water etc throughout the ship. We had balcony Deck 10 port side perfect to enjoy sail in and out of Fjords. Fantastica so enjoyed breakfast in our cabin each day. Our room attendant was Emilia who was excellent. We found all of the staff on board excellent and never encountered a single instance of poor service. Diamond bar and Preziosa bar were particularly outstanding at busy times and always seemed to have plenty of staff. We never had to wait for a drink in any bar.

Great cruise to the Arctic - August 2025

We took this cruise from Hamburg to the Arctic on August the 7th on the MSC Preziosa, after I wanted to take one since before the Pandemic. The embarkation was quick as we did the pre-check in online and they already had our pictures and information. Our cabin was number on deck 12 towards the back and the right side. Our cabin steward was Putu from Indonesia who kept our room very clean and tidy. This time we didn't ask to lock the mini fridge and the second bed was a pullout sofa, so no bunk bed dangers for our kids. The bathroom had this nice feature where the 2 leaves of the shower box would collapse inside the shower space leaving more room to move around. The ship is not one of the newest ships, but it was very nice nonetheless. Our impression was that a ship of this size with many indoor spaces was perfect for this itinerary compared to the newer ones going to warmer destinations that have many outdoor spaces. The itinerary was Bergen, Molde, Longyearbyen, Honningsvag, Tromso, Leknes and Stavanger. We found that several MSC excursions were too expensive for 4 people and we organized our own or just walked from the ship to the port and spent time as tourists walking and visiting places. The best and most interesting stops were in Longyearbyen in the polar circle, Honningsvag where we did the bus transfer to Cape North, Bergen which is just a beautiful city and Stavanger where we did a 3.5 hour fjord cruise. We didn't find anything to do in Leknes so that was a bit of a let down. My wife got the spa access for the length of the cruise and 3 massages which she loved, plus a hair blowout and she was happy with the result. The spa area is smaller than that on new ships, so they told her to make reservations and book all the appointments for the rest of the cruise on the first day on board. For the breakfast and lunches we always went to the buffet, but for dinner we went several times to the dining room as well. Service was very nice, waiters brought us several dishes and desserts beside those ordered and one waiter also brought several origami to entertain the kids. Very nice from him. Food was good and we always found something that the kids liked, which, almost goes without saying, but it is our constant concern. My wife and I went to the Butcher's cut once which is the steakhouse which we liked. Our waiter was from Honduras and has been working on board for 10 years. My New York strip was great and my wife got the wagyu beef which should have been cooked a tad more. She also went with our daughter alone and got a filet mignon whereas she said my daughter got a kids meal. In both cases my wife and I, and her when she went with my daughter took the burrata starter which was great. We did a few pizza-by-night snacks and it's nice to know that it's always there. I didn't go many times to the shows, but my wife did and she liked them. We went together to a trivia game that was divided in 3 days and we got third place winning a cinch bag, a collapsible bag and a lanyard each. We also went all together to the final "talent" show which was very good and entertaining. I believe the quality of the shows and on board entertainment has improved. A few other things we did on board were to take part to the "parties" in the atrium with the DJs playing music and crew members doing the animation, we purchased several of our pictures from the photo desk because we were pleased with the prints, we brought the kids to the kids club as there were times where the parents can stay in the same room while they played with Lego or did some coloring. We also went to play several times at the arcade rooms. One was upstairs on deck 16 and one near the casino area which has different games. Most of the games and videogames cost 3.75 euro which seemed a bit high, so the people we were travelling with got a fun pass to share that gave us additional play money. 100 euro gave 140 euro to spend if I am not mistaken and now my daughter loves air hockey. Final considerations now that we just debarked the ship a couple of days ago: overall a very good a very fun experience for us. The ship is 12 years old, but it in great condition and so was our room. We liked the food, the atmosphere on board, the attentiveness of the crew and the itinerary of this cruise. We felt that Bergen and Stavanger needed more time to visit, so we should go back again sometime in the future. Leknes could be replaced by another stay in Bergen. We're glad we brought rain jackets and umbrellas, but also lighter clothes as we got a lot of sun in Stavanger. And also I want to thank myself of 2 months ago, when I decided to buy a second battery for my camera.

Overall a good experience

MSC PREZIOSA Embarkation: 18thMay in Hamburg Disembarkation: 29th May in Hamburg. Visiting: Invergordon: Reykjavik: Isafjordur: Akureyri: Kirkwall: Hamburg, Germany This was our 4th Cruise since October with MCS and by far the best from embarkation to disembarkation. On arrival in Hamburg airport on the 18th May we noticed that MSC had a Customer desk at the airport and we were able to book a MSC Shuttle bus to the port at a cost of €26. This was an excellent service as a Taxi would have cost €50 approx. Arrived at the terminal and embarked on the ship without a problem. Dining room: Golden Lobster seating 18:00 Table 642 Our waiter introduced himself as Willie from Indonesia. The service and choice of food was excellent at this restaurant and the waiter was friendly and enjoyed a joke and we never an empty wine glass. Trips: Invergordon: We went on a trip to Lough Ness. We didn’t see the monster but the weather was beautiful. I found the Visitor /shopping area in the area a little expensive, but enjoyed the whole experience. Free Shuttle buses are available at Invergordon Reykjavik: Geothermal Field & Viking history. We witness boiling mud a deserted town due to volcanic activity this trip is well worth the effort. Day 2 in Reykjavik we went on the free shuttle bus into the City and had a very enjoyable day taken in the sights. The City itself as is Iceland is a very expensive place Akureyri: We got to take in a Fishing Village and an old church where we were treated to music played on an organ by a local girl. Afterwards we were given a display of how Fishermen survived in the harsh sea which surrounds Iceland. An enjoyable experience but not good value. It is possible to walk into the town of Akureyri Kirkwall: The day trip here was to take in Stone circles, Viking castle. I felt the whole trip was rushed as the ship was late docking due to high winds and we lost over a half hour. The buses had to return as afternoon trips were planned. I was disappointed with the whole experience. A Free Shuttle bus is available in to Orkney. I have to recommend this free Shuttle bus as Orkney has a lot to offer with one beautiful Cathedral free to visit. Hamburg: We took a Taxi to our hotel which cost €38 when a train tick on the C line would have cost €3.80 approx. Hamburg was a learning experience but an absolutely beautiful City to visit. We booked 2 nights but I should have booked 3 or more as this City has plenty to offer. Travellers should be aware: The Icelandic Government has introduced a Tourist Tax (2025) which I believe is excessive and over the top. We had to pay a total of €68 each before entering. A Country that depend on Tourism this is one way of keeping them out. Overall a very pleasant experience on board the MSC Preziosa and great credit due to all the staff on this ship.