Northern France and Spain with MSC Cruises
My first Southampton experience
In July 2022 I took my first cruise departing from Southampton here in the UK. It was great to dispense with all the hassle associated with airports and a breeze in comparison. Due to rail strikes I traveled to Southampton the day before departure, which made the trip even more relaxing because I had time for a leisurely look around Southampton and a nice dinner the night before.
I took a taxi from my hotel to the Horizon cruise terminal, although I could have easily walked and upon arrival back in the UK, I did walk to Southampton station for the train journey back to Bristol. The terminal is just over a mile from Southampton’s railway and coach stations.
Back to my departure, and I had arrived early to check in. Although the terminal was getting busy, there were no queues for bag drop and the check-in and security screening process was swift and efficient. Within an hour or so of leaving the hotel, I was already enjoying all the benefits of Virtuosa, and my holiday had begun.
MSC Virtuosa
It’s an impressive embarkation on MSC Virtuosa, as the terminal’s gangway delivered me directly to deck 6 ‘Beethoven deck’ and the impressive Galleria Virtuosa. This is the heart of the ship, an indoor promenade with the longest LED dome ceiling at sea. The LED dome displays change throughout the day and often complement events or destinations. It can mimic a cloudy sky or a beautiful stained-glass ceiling that made me forget I was walking along the inside of a large ship. The promenade is lined with shops, bars and cafes and often hosts events.
This was MSC Virtuosa’s first year in service, and as you would expect, the newness of everything about the ship contributed to a great experience. The design of most areas seemed well considered and executed. The quality of all the décor, furnishings, lighting (I could go on) was faultless.
I was traveling alone and on a tight budget, so I booked an inside cabin to economise. I don’t usually spend much time in my cabin, so this seemed a no-brainer. It was totally the right decision; this was the best interior cabin I had ever seen. The lighting, large mirror and décor plus large screen television (you can watch an external view if you need it!) totally negated the absence of a window. The wardrobe was spacious and the bathroom clean and bright.
Being a new ship, MSC Virtuosa is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships sailing today. It uses advanced technology to reduce emissions and save energy. Southampton’s Horizon cruise terminal is also exceptionally green. The roof is covered with 2000 solar panels, enabling all docked ships to plug into their clean power while in port.
That evening Virtuosa departed Southampton, navigating Southampton Water through to the Solent and past the Isle of Wight into the English Channel. The first day was at sea as Virtuosa continued its voyage toward the Bay of Biscay and our first port of call.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a beautiful city in Southwestern France on the Bay of Biscay coast. The cruise port is around 6km from the city, close to Pont de l'île de Ré, the bridge connecting île de Ré to the mainland. Due to the distance and secure port area, MSC arranged free coach transfers to Avenue Jean Guiton in the city, from where it’s a short walk to the picturesque Vieux Port de La Rochelle. All the attractions of the historic old town area are within walking distance of here.
I walked around the medieval Vieux Port, a beautiful harbour surrounded by cafes with three landmark towers. The Chain Tower and St Nicholas Tower guard the harbour entrance. As the name suggests, the Lantern Tower was the lighthouse. The towers are open to visitors (although I didn’t go inside this time) and tickets cost around €10. The Maritime Museum and Aquarium are also nearby.
A short walk into the town beyond the harbour you will find lively shopping streets, market, the cathedral and the botanical garden ‘Jardin des plantes de La Rochelle’.
Bilbao
Bilbao is the tenth largest city in Spain and the largest city of the Basque region. This was my favourite destination of this cruise itinerary and somewhere I must return.
The cruise port of Getxo serves Bilboa. Getxo has a great beach, lovely marina and local coastal walks for those wishing to remain in the area. However, I wanted to get into the city, and I planned a trip to the Guggenheim Museum. I took the metro from Neguri station (around 20-minute walk from the ship) to Moyuako Geltokia, a journey of around 30 minutes.
Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum opened in 1997 and the design is an architectural masterpiece of titanium, glass and limestone. Inside you can explore three floors arranged around a bright atrium and connected by interesting walkways. The exhibits on display during my visit included a history of design from the motor car industry as well as items from the Guggenheim collection. However, the building itself and the permanent installations surrounding it (Jeff Coons’s ‘Puppy’ and ‘Tulips’ and Louise Bourgeois’s ‘Maman’) are well worth the visit alone.
After my visit to the museum, I had some time to walk around the the local area and along the banks of the Nervion River to see some of the city’s landmark bridges. But with one eye on the clock and aware of the travel time back to Getxo (cruise ships don’t wait for you to get back) I headed to the metro station. I really hope to see more of this lovely city in the future.
La Coruna
After stopping at two ports with the main attractions quite far from the ship, it was great to be back at a destination with a central cruise port making it easy to explore by foot. I headed to Plaza de Maria Pita and had a leisurely walk around the shops. I had planned to visit the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse with coastal views. But for reasons I can’t quite remember, I didn’t get there. One for next time. La Coruna is a lovely little town for a wandering with attractions like the tower and the Castle of San Anton accessible without transport.
Le Havre
Many sailors arriving at Le Harve plan trips to Paris or attractions around Normadie. I wanted to see the city itself and experience its unique post-war architecture by Auguste Perret. MSC provided a shuttle bus to Place de l’Hotel de Ville for a small fee, as the cruise port is around a half hour walk from the city centre.
I made no plans other than to walk and soak up the city design and brutalist concrete architecture. The highlight of my walk included the church of St. Joseph, a memorial to the civilians lost during the second world war. There's also plenty of shops, I popped into the COTY shopping centre and left empty handed. I didn’t have time to get to the bigger Docks Vauban mall but will head straight to it next time as it includes some big names.
Return to Southampton
MSC Virtuosa left Le Havre in the early evening to slowly cross the English Channel overnight. Waking up in the UK and enjoying breakfast with a view of Southampton yet again made me feel joy that I didn’t have a long wait in an airport. No check-in or security to navigate. The only procedure to follow is the disembarkation by group that all cruise lines manage to avoid a crush at the exit and an orderly departure for those with onward travel arrangements. At the allotted time I just had to stroll off the ship, collect my suitcase from the terminal (on most cruises the crew collect this from outside your cabin door overnight, however some now offer a ‘self-carry off’ for a limited number of early bird guests) and make my way home. Easy and stress free. Sailing from the UK was a great experience and something I will do again.