MSC Virtuosa in Southampton
Credit: Dave Monk
After 14 long months without holidays at sea, the first cruise to leave British shores returned to Southampton this morning after a four-day trip along the Channel.
MSC Virtuosa, which was also on its maiden voyage, carried 1,000 passengers aboard a ship built for five times that number.
As one of the first to board, I was impressed by the way the Switzerland-based cruise line – which has already carried more than 60,000 passengers in Italy since last August – has adapted to the new measures to prevent Covid-19.
MSC Cruises is one of the few among the many companies sailing from the UK this summer not to require passengers to be vaccinated, though anyone who hasn’t had both doses must produce a negative test taken within 72 hours of boarding. Every guest is also given a swab test at Southampton and has to produce adequate insurance cover.