Milo Boyd enjoys super-size fun on new MSC Euribia
The flow of bicycles across the Erasmus Bridge in the centre of Rotterdam ground to a halt. Like us pedestrians at Europe’s biggest port, the vast cruise ship on the glistening water had stopped them in their tracks.
Phone cameras were held aloft to try to capture it as it towered 18 decks high over the docks, reaching about half way up the skyscraper that loomed above it.
At 1,086ft long, with a gross tonnage of 184,011 and a passenger capacity of 6,327, MSC Euribia is the 11th biggest cruise ship in the world and undeniably very eye-catching.
Happily, as I discovered over the course of three days bobbing across the seas of Northern Europe in this brightly lit floating hub of fun, the entertainment lives up to the size.
And somewhat remarkably, a week-long holiday can come in at around £50 a night each.
For that, you’ll get an en-suite cabin with a porthole view, TV and hot drinks. Then there’s breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Market Place buffet, and five main dining rooms plus snack, pizza and burger venues included.
As good value as the cruise is, the most important question is whether it’s your kind of thing. And the answer is a resounding yes, if you love to explore a new part of the world, enjoy cheap and cheerful fun, and the chance to meet lots of like-minded people.
If you’re a family with energetic kids that need constant entertainment then MSC Euribia – like a seaborne Butlin’s – is a great bet too.
For the young ones, the back of the ship is crowned by a huge winding mass of colourful flumes that spin around into a large pool.
On the sunny autumn day that I boarded, kids young and older could be seen whizzing around the plastic tubes long into the afternoon. The pools outside are warmed enough to attract big crowds even when the grey weather started to move in as we sailed from Southampton round to Bruges in Belgium and then on to Le Havre in France. But there are plenty of other splash zones inside to keep water-loving youngsters entertained throughout the day.
One of my favourites was the Horizon Amphitheatre, which is centred on one large pool with smaller Jacuzzis either side, so parents can keep a watchful eye on their kids while enjoying a cocktail from the bar.
Ping-pong tables are also on hand for some after-swim fun.
Swimming is far from the only family-friendly offer.
The ship’s arcade is a sprawling delight of dozens of flashing machines that offer the cutting-edge of coin-operated technology. The most in-demand was the VR assisted F1 racers, which let gamers fully immerse themselves in the world of racing through a head-set and wobbling sit-down vehicle.
While younger ones are busy blasting away in the arcade, trying out bowling in the two alleys or blowing off some steam on the basketball court, parents may want to kick back in the ship’s Aurea Spa.
Although a little costly at around £70 for a treatment with access to the steam rooms and plunge pools, the atmosphere is much calmer than elsewhere on the ship and the staff are lovely.
This would prove to be the case in every part of the vessel.
Throughout my stay I had pleasant encounter after pleasant encounter with the crew – and there
are roughly 1,700 people making sure the cruise went off without a hitch. Many of them wouldn’t return home for eight months and worked seven days a week, often in multi-split shifts that took up much of their day.
Despite this they were happy to chat and share stories of their lives on the sea, providing friendly company to a solo cruiser as the dark and windy nights of the Channel closed in.
Their enthusiasm was only matched by that of the ship’s entertainers. On one end, a small crew of sparkly jacketed pop singers ploughed through a jukebox medley of Adele and Robbie Williams hits in the Adelphi Theatre. A short walk through the “high street” and its shops takes you past crooners’ corner, where piano accompanied singers entertained a whiskey-sipping clientele as they propped up the bar.
The entertainment highlight was undoubtedly the ship’s big band. When I saw them they filled an evening with jazz and show tunes to a very high standard, in a classy environment of crushed velvet and champagne waiters.
Like most holidays, a trip aboard MSC Euribia can be as expensive as you make it. Thrifty families determined to keep costs low can get by on the price of a cabin alone, as unlimited food in the Market Place buffet and main dining each day is plenty to keep you going. If you’re a confident traveller and good organiser, you can skip the paid excursions and plan your own routes on shore.
The ship docks right in the centre of Rotterdam meaning walking about the city is easy and a particularly charming option, while Bruges is a
short train
The crew’s enthusiasm was matched by the sparkly jacketed entertainers
ride away from the port at Zeebrugge. Le Havre may be a less obvious draw, but its modern art museum is 10 minutes from the port and has some amazing Monet pieces.
If you want a new place for food, the taco restaurant has an all you can eat offer for around £14 per person. The teppanyaki grill is also fun, with a personal chef who will fling bits of omelette in your mouth, and has a vegetarian option for just £20.
Anyone looking forward to a drink will have to work out whether to stump up for individual orders (which can be quite pricy), or buy a bottomless pass for around £200 for the week.
If you plan to drink more than four beers a day, the latter option is definitely cheaper.