Amanda PhillipsEnjoying Sunshine in Dubai Onboard the MSC Orchestra
We left the Marriott for the port at lunchtime, and were amazed to arrive at the ship to no queues at all -especially as we knew that MSC Orchestra was full for the sailing, so thousands of people would be aboard. Embarkation was very quick and very smooth, so we were on board and exploring the ship within a hour.
We have a balcony cabin which is great – our own little bit of outside space. That said, despite the ship being full, it doesn’t really feel crowded and there’s always somewhere to sunbathe. There’s a choice of different bars – we’re still making up our minds as to which we like best! – and there’s a different show each night in the ship’s theatre as well as a programme of entertainment and activities for all ages.
There must be more than 20 different nationalities on Orchestra, and so when we trooped into dinner on the first night we did wonder who would be at our table. MSC are good at choosing who sits with you – we have a Scottish couple and an English couple, so the conversation flowed freely.
Handy MSC tip – the Allegrissimo drinks package makes sense if you like an afternoon cocktail, wine with dinner, soft drinks and coffee. For 24 euros per day (we paid ours when we booked our cruise through Barrhead Travel), you can have a whole range of drinks included – and ice cream too! It means not having to worry about totting up your expenditure each day and there’s no shocking bill at the end of your trip. There’s a kids’ version too, and various other package are available too.
After dinner, we had the lifeboat drill, then MSC Orchestra horn blew and we headed up on deck t
o see the ship leave port and watch as Dubai’s lights faded into the distance. We’re on our way to Abu Dhabi as we head back to our cabin for a welcome sleep.