MSC Opera – Day 6 – Constanta

After a fairly rocky night we had a slightly later start missing both the buffet and the al a carte breakfasts. Thankfully there’s a continental breakfast served until 11.45 in the fast food area outside the buffet so we had croissants and fruit while planning our day in Constanta, Romania.

The destination doesn’t feature on many itineraries and there weren’t many port reviews when I was researching things to do however I did discover that the Mamaia Riveria, a popular and beautiful looking beach resort was just a 10 mile taxi ride from the port. MSC do a half day excursion there for around €30 a person but we were planning to take a taxi however the weather wasn’t looking good. Grey clouds were looming and it was more suited to jumpers than a bikini so we opted for the €3.90 return fare shuttle bus into town for a quick look around. As the clouds got darker and spots of rain started to fall I was glad we hadn’t opted for the beach excursion!

You can actually walk the 2km into town from the port and many were doing so but after a short and easy bus ride we were dropped in Constanta town. We had a wander around the streets looking at the faded grandeur of once beautiful buildings many of which were now in a state of disrepair. We found a main square with an archeological museum and a craft market surrounded by bars and restaurants but didn’t stop for a drink as the local currency is the Lei and we only had Euros. Apparently they will take them but nothing was priced in Euros and we didn’t want to haggle over the price of a drink. It’s worth noting that there’s an official currency exchange in the terminal building so if you’re heading to Constanta you should maybe consider getting a few Lei before heading into town.

Aside from the museum and a small mosque where you could ascend one of the minarets there wasn’t really much else to see or do so we decided to head back to the ship for lunch. You need to take and show your passports at the terminal but there were no queues and we were soon back on board enjoying yet another delicious al a carte lunch, pasta and salad to start followed by pork escalopes with rosemary potatoes. I had a heavenly cream puff and a slice of cheesecake for dessert, washed down with a few glasses of red.

The weather outside resembled our home city of Manchester so we went back to the cabin to relax and have our first siesta of the holiday but after an hour of snoozing Finn was wide awake so I took him off to find some fun. The entertainment team had moved inside and were hosting games and quizzes in the Cotton Club lounge so we founds some seats and watched the other passengers competing. There was also a Cha Cha slide dance lesson I had a go at but Finn wasn’t keen, preferring instead to read his book than dance with his mum! He’s growing up fast.

At 6pm the ship left port and we watched the sailaway from our balcony before changing for dinner. Tonight’s theme was a 60s, 70s or 80s night but take up was low to say the least. Thankfully I’d packed a 60s style shift dress so I did my bit to get in the spirit and the entertainment team had dressed the Piazza Di Spagna lounge for a Flower Power Party later which looked like it could be fun but didn’t start until just before midnight.

Dinner was once again exceptional, Andy enjoyed a pearl barley soup and spaghetti al gamberi, I skipped starter and went for a cheese and basil risotto, then we both had leg of veal with potatoes.

After dinner and a few drinks in the pub watching the same duo we’d seen the night before it was time for the Evergreen show. On our first day on board Finn had seen a preview on the TV which featured can can dancers doing the kind of things the can can is famous for. He thought it was hysterical and wanted to see the show and Daddy didn’t seem to mind going either! I’d booked tickets using the on board system, or at least I thought I had but when we arrived the staff couldn’t find our booking, I probably hadn’t done it properly to be fair. They quickly resolved this and managed to get us in so thankfully Finn wasn’t disappointed. The show was a mix of Opera and dancing and I couldn’t fault the quality of performance but it’s just not really our kind of thing although Finn loved the can can dancing. We ended the night with a quick nightcap and went to bed hoping for better weather tomorrow for another sea day.

MSC Opera – Day 7 – Another Sea Day

We’re halfway through and have yet another sea day as we head up The Black Sea to Sochi in Russia.The weather was much improved with just a few clouds giving way to some blue sky so I was up and dressed early, determined to bag us a day bed on the top deck solarium. I needn’t have rushed, all four day beds were still available and a few remained so until around 11am! The boys followed me up a short while later as the sun broke through and the wind finally dropped. We snuggled up with our books and the occasional trip to the pool as the temperatures soared. We had the best seats in the house with a view over top deck for the Lego Parade which was in fact just the children from kids club singing a song on the outdoor stage and one of the entertainment team dressed in a Lego man costume. It wasn’t quite up to the Royal Caribbean Dreamworks parades but the kids seemed to enjoy it and Lego obsessed Finn liked the man in the costume. We wanted to hang on to the day bed so the boys went to the buffet and came back with burgers and fries that rival any high street chain and we had a few reds as we enjoyed a relaxed and lazy day. It was a pretty much perfect way to spend a Sunday despite the lack of one of Andy’s weekly roast dinners.

The entertainment team were working hard pool side with dance classes, competitions and a beer festival and there was also impromptu shopping opportunities at the tables around the deck including the ever present inch of gold and spa staff offering poolside mini massages and manicures for a very reasonable €10.

Tonight’s evening meal was another mouth watering six (or is it seven) course gala dinner featuring rack of lamb as a main followed by a nightcap and an early night ahead of Sochi tomorrow.

As we’re now half was through the cruise and have had the time to experience the ship I thought it might be helpful to list my pros and cons of MSC Opera so far…

First the rather few cons.

Layout – The ship has no mid ship stairs from decks 9 and 10 to the top deck, this means you need to get in a lift to go up one floor or walk to the aft stairs. It’s not a huge deal just a little frustrating at times as we’d much rather walk a few flights than wait for endless lifts. I guess I need to get used to this as we are booked on P&O Britannia for Christmas and apparently that’s the major complaint on there too!

Entertainment – There’s plenty of it on board, from quizzes to musicians and the quality is good but it’s not really to our taste or of the standard of say P&O or Royal Caribbean. I think for Italians the entertainment is actually a long indulgent dinner so shows are probably of less importance : )

The Cabin – it’s a bit small and when the bunk is down getting around involves climbing over the bed – it’s a good job I’ve upgraded to a suite for our Christmas cruise!

No speciality restaurant – although arguably the food is so good in the main restaurant we possibly wouldn’t have used one anyway but it might be good to have an Oriental or Indian on board just as an optional change from the faultless Italian food

The many pros.

Food Glorious Food – the dining really is outstanding, I dread to think how many pounds I’ve gained on board

Drinks Packages – the inclusions in the Allegrisimo package are much better than many other cruise lines including lots of cocktails, sparkling wines, milkshakes, liqueurs and ice creams. Ours was included in our fare but even if you had to pay it has to be one of the best value packages at sea.

The Aurea Perks – from priority boarding, solarium access to anytime dining and free spa treatments we’ve felt a bit like VIPs only without the suite prices you’d normally need to pay for these privileges

Show reservations – when you use the system properly (unlike I did a few nights ago) it works brilliantly, no rushing from dinner to reserve seats

The itinerary – glorious sea days, interesting cities and idyllic Greek beaches yet to come – heaven!

No corner cutting – unlike other cruise lines MSC seem to go the extra mile, offering amuse bouche tasters at dinner, crisps and snacks with every drink in the bars, multi course dinners, cheeseboard, sorbets etc.

The service – across the ship has been excellent, from dining room to bars and reception and our ever friendly cabin attendant Luis. The staff work their socks off trying to accommodate and converse with guests of all nationalities and always with a smile

The clientele – I really like the cosmopolitan feel of the many nationalities on board, we’ve heard everything from Australian to Russian accents on board and it feels a lot less like being on a British all inclusive package holiday than some of the UK departing cruises we’ve been on. Everyone has been friendly and polite with none of the pushing or queue jumping you sometimes read about in the MSC reviews.

The Spray Park and Top Deck – MSC Opera is a small but recently refurbished ship and the top deck area is tastefully decorated with two swimming pools, two paddling pools, numerous fountains and a fabulous kids spray park. We’ve loved it up there and it’s been the perfect place to cool off in the glorious sunshine

Value for money – we’ve paid half what we’ve paid previously for a two week summer cruise so MSC is an absolute bargain for what you get. Just be sure to do your research and check it’s what you want from a cruise as there’s no big show productions or full English breakfasts but if you’re ready to embrace La Dolce Vita and enjoy pasta and gelato then you’ll have an absolute ball!

Day 3 – A Lazy Sea Say

It was a late start to Day 3 thanks to an overnight time change but thankfully it was a sea day and our only agenda was eating, drinking and swimming. We’d missed al a carte breakfast so Finn & I braved the buffet, Andy was still full from dinner the night before so stopped in the cabin.

The buffet wasn’t as hectic as I thought it may be and following breakfast it was time for top deck and swimming pools. We picked up Daddy and found some chairs in the shade by the Spray Park. Finn is getting braver every day and even stood under the power drencher – a huge bucket that fills and tips over every five minutes causing much squealing by everyone beneath. While Finn was splashing around I finished my daily blog. The wifi on board is surprisingly good, I bought a package online for both myself & Andy before we boarded at approx £60 each for 24 hours access across the two weeks. You just need to remember to log in and out each time you use it. If you’ve not purchased ahead then the package prices onboard are €16.90 for 60 minutes, €24.90 for 100 minutes, €54.90 for 300 minutes or €69.90 for 480 minutes. We made quite a saving by purchasing ahead so I recommend you do this if you plan to go online and you can use your package across multiple devices.

After a morning of sunbathing, swimming and a cheeky beer or two it was time for lunch to escape the blazing sun. It was Pronto Bistro again in the main restaurant and Finn and I had pasta to start, Andy had salad then I enjoyed leg of lamb with potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables and my other half had stuffed neck of pork with Lyonnaise potatoes and asparagus. I managed a gorgeous chocolate mousse for dessert and Finn a chocolate cake.

After lunch Our son decided he wanted to try kids club so I signed him up. He’s a pirate which is for 7-11 year olds. There’s also a mini club for 3-6 year olds and a teen club for 12 plus. Probably worth noting MSC do allow 7 year olds to sign themselves in or out unless you decline this option which I did. He skipped in to play with Lego and we popped back 30 minutes later to check he was ok. He was having a great time (playing that kids club perennial Dodgeball) and wanted to stay.

Andy and I escaped to the Top 13 Solarium, an area on deck 13 reserved for Aurea class guests (or those who are happy to pay a supplement) where we found a table in the shade for a glass of red. There are lots of good quality loungers, a few day beds, cold flannels, a bar area and showers. I had read that Top 13 was adults only but there were some kids up there and the staff clarified that families staying in Aurea Class can use it so we’ll be taking advantage of that in the next few days.

On reflection the Aurea upgrade seems well worth the extra, I’ve been very impressed with the inclusions in the drinks packages such as ice cream, big bottles of mineral water, good quality wine and a great cocktail selection. My time dining has worked really well too and the top deck solarium looks great although we’ve not sampled the inclusive spa treatments yet.

We picked Finn up at 5pm to go and change for our first gala dinner. MSC is not the most formal line however we decided to dress up as I’d bought Finn an M&S tuxedo in April and I’m determined to get the price per wear down! We do have 4 cruises planned this year so providing he doesn’t grow it’s a bargain. He looked absolutely gorgeous and mummy and daddy scrubbed up okay too.

Only around 25% of passengers had made an effort so don’t worry if you don’t want to dress up and complimentary cocktails were plentiful and being served all over the ship ahead of dinner. The gala meal was excellent, Andy had a seafood bisque, we both had asparagus tortellini, a lemon sorbet then an incredible steak with potatoes and pepper sauce followed by crepe suzettes. The dessert was so good I ordered seconds! Finn was in heaven with a pizza with hotdogs on top starter followed by chicken and chips. We then had a quick nightcap on top deck in the warm evening air watching the sprayground lights change as kids played then it was time for an early night as we had a big day in Athens planned from the port of Piraeus tomorrow.

MSC Opera – Day 4- Piraeus

Day 4 began with a room service breakfast, another Aurea class perk. It’s only a continental offering but good quality, delivered on time and handy if you want it make a swift exit on a port day. Today was Piraeus, the gateway port for Athens and one of the main reasons for booking this cruise. Finn loves Greek Gods and thanks to the Percy Jackson books he knows all the myths and wanted to see the Acropolis. MSC do offer some reasonably priced trips but Andy had done a little port research and worked out it was easy enough to DIY here. We had planned to use the metro link train, a short walk from the port and just a few euros each way but it was very hot and on leaving the port we spotted a hop on hop off bus which would take us to the Acropolis in 35 minutes, and give us an Athens sightseeing tour as well. At just €22 for adults and free for kids this seemed like a good deal so we jumped onboard.

We left Piraeus listening to the commentary about the history of the port and were soon in Athens catching glimpses of the Acropolis and Parthenon towering impressively above the city. The HoHo bus has two lines, one green linking the port to Athens and a red line which loops around the main city sights. Handily the two lines meet at the Acropolis stop but we decided to tackle the climb to the Acropolis first before the midday heat became too much and save the city tour for later. We got off the bus and followed the crowds up a pathway to the ticket office and joined the first of many queues. The attraction was incredibly busy even at 10am in the morning, only to be expected I suppose but if you do want to go I’d recommend you go early. The entrance tickets were €12 for adults and Finn at seven years old was free. You can actually wander the grounds and get a good view of the Acropolis and Parthenon from the ground for free and you only need to pay if you want to get up close and visit the temples. We joined another long queue slowly twisting and turning it’s way up to the summit on steps and pathways of well worn and slippy marble which didn’t feel particularly safe and was at times a little chaotic. It’s probably worth noting the official tours didn’t get any preferential treatment and we were all just thrown in together trying to make it to the top. Bearing in mind the money the attraction is taking they really should invest in better infrastructure and planning to get the thousands of daily tourists around the site in a safer way. I dread to think how many slips, trips and falls happen each week.

On the way up we passed an amphitheatre that looked like it was still used for performances and finally after much jostling and a little slipping we reached the top. It was well worth the climb with fabulous views of Athens and so much incredible history in touching distance. We wandered around the ruins, took Parthenon selfies then made the long climb down which was just as hectic as the climb up.

A HoHo bus arrived just as we were leaving the grounds so we climbed aboard, grabbed some seats on the top deck and were off into Athens in no time. The buses are a great way to get a flavour of a city, see the main attractions and enjoy a cool breeze while resting your legs. The commentary was interesting and we saw the Temple of Zeus, the parliament buildings, the birthplace of the modern Olympics, the food and fish markets and the main squares. Athens was more attractive than I expected with lots of shady tree lined streets and squares but as the buses were very busy we decided to stay on rather than risk jumping off and not getting back on board a later bus. We returned to The Acropolis stop and headed into a nearby bar and restaurant called Dionysus where I raised a glass of red to the Greek God of wine with a spectacular view of the temples atop the hill. At €7 a glass it was possibly the most expensive in Greece but at least I was helping the local economy!

We took the green line bus back to Piraeus which officially run every 30 minutes but seemed much more regular than that. There were 4 cruise ships in port today so perhaps they’d increased capacity to accommodate this. Once back at the port we visited a couple of souvenir shops and picked up a statue of Dionysus, a bargain at €9 whereas the same statue was €19 in the other – it pays to shop around.

We were soon back on board and had a quick drink in the pub ahead of a late buffet lunch. I took Finn for a splash and a swim which was so refreshing after the 94 degrees heat of the city then just to ensure we’d cooled down we had an ice cream from on all inclusive package. It’s great quality Italian gelato with a huge range of flavours.

We changed for dinner which was another casual dress night. I was a little concerned I’d be disappointed by the food after the amazing menu and experience on gala night but MSC delighted us again with a chicken satay starter with the most incredible spicy sauce, then a prosecco risotto. I remembered this dish from when I was on MSC Divina and it really is beautiful, I’d order it every night if I could! For main we had rib of beef in a chianti sauce with potatoes and green beans and a raspberry trifle for dessert. Another truly excellent meal washed down with a glass or two of red of course. I really think MSC could be the best food at sea and considering how many meals I’ve sampled with numerous cruise lines that’s high praise indeed. Finn had Parma ham and mozzarella then ordered yet his second hot dog of the day! Well he is on holiday and thankfully had fruit and ice cream for dessert so that’s at least one of his five a day covered…

After dinner we went to the Do Re Mi kids disco in Cotton Club hosted by the kids club team where Finn and I enjoyed a dance to a few europop hits. We had a nightcap on top deck under the stars and then took a very sleepy boy to bed looking forward to a less hectic and more relaxing sea day tomorrow.

MSC Opera – day 5 – sea day

Day 5 was our second sea day giving us time to chill out after Athens. We began with an al a carte breakfast and were sat in a window seat enjoying a full English as we sailed through the Strait of Dardanellia with land close by on both sides of the ship.

After breakfast we headed up to Top 13, the solarium which was just opening at 9am and all climbed into a vacant day bed which provided plenty of space for the three of us on a comfortable mattress with shade for the boys and sun for me. It was a bit cloudy at first and the staff helpfully provided us with extra towels incase we were cold but it soon brightened up and Finn had an ice cream milkshake and a dip in the pool. It was a little windy so the spray ground was turned off to avoid the whole pool deck getting drenched.

We enjoyed the sunshine and a glass of red from the comfort of our day bed but the wind was whipping up and blowing the sun loungers around so we decided to head for lunch as the staff began closing the solarium and strapping down the loungers for safety. Lunch was the usual relaxed and delicious a la carte of pasta and soup starters and chicken as a main.

After lunch Finn decided he’d like to go to kids club so I dropped him off for a couple of hours and Andy and I enjoyed the peace and a relax in the cabin. When we picked him up the wind had dropped and the sunshine was back out so Finn and I had a cheeky slice of wood fired pizza then another dip in the pool. As we were on top deck the ship entered the Strait of Bosphorous with spectacular views of Istanbul on each side. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all and was much greener with impressive water front houses and resorts along the tree lined banks. We sailed through the city and beneath two huge road bridges before the channel opened out into the Black Sea for our next two destinations but we’ll be stopping at Istanbul on our return.

Tonight’s dinner dress code was Red, White & Green as it was Italian night although arguably every night is Italian night on board MSC Opera! Unfortunately we hadn’t really packed appropriately so couldn’t quite join in the theme but many passengers did. The restaurant was dressed with Italian colours and the waiters had brightly coloured waistcoats and bow ties. The food as always was exceptional.

I’m quite proud that we managed 4 courses, Parma ham and melon, tortellini in a broth for me followed by spaghetti and mozzarella while Andy sampled the minestrone and a mushroom risotto. We both had sliced beef with Parmesan, rocket and balsamic for main. We were beaten and declined pudding but did partake in a little napkin waving as the desserts were paraded through the restaurant. The wind had whipped up again and the Black Sea was getting very rocky, so much so that many passengers left the restaurant. Thankfully we were all feeling fine and Finn even managed his chicken parmigiana with pasta and fries without any concern for the stormy weather outside. We went to mid ship where the rocking was considerably less noticeable and had a nightcap listening to guitarist and girl singer duo Golden Brown’s Latin style take on everything from The Doors to Radiohead as Finn fell asleep on my lap. We then got an early night ahead of our visit to Constanta in Romania tomorrow.