I booked a lovely cruise to Norway with my wife as a last minute holiday, being only the second cruise we were a little out of touch on what to expect however embraced the idea of travelling north for a change and made sure that we packed winter clothes.

In my opinion I can say that from the very start of our holiday we were looked after very well by the Southampton port authorities and the MSC crew/staff made sure that we had a comfortable embarkation.

We were welcomed aboard at lunchtime and sold a drinks deal by a waiter, it wasn't long before we made our way to the very top of the ship (Deck 13/14) I would recommend this as most people go straight to the restaurants and start eating. Slow down guys this cruise will last 11 days and you will soon be fed up with food and drink, make the most of day one (1) have a look around the ship and get to know where the main bars are. This is by far the biggest talked about problem on a ship - Finding your way about will take time, for a fast route around the ship use the strait route through the cabins from front to back. If you are looking around the ship and require a slower walk with passengers in your way then deck 5 6 7 and 8 are for you. Read more