I went on a cruise holiday from Dubai and it wasn’t what I expected

I have a confession. If someone had told me I had to ditch my all-inclusive package holidays and switch them for a cruise, I might have rolled my eyes and said, ‘Maybe in 20 years?’

But then a global pandemic hit and we couldn’t leave our houses, let alone board a plane and fly to an exotic destination. This also coincided with my new love for a cult reality tv show about a group of people who work aboard yachts. And, after more than 100 episodes, my perception of a holiday at sea was changing - suddenly all I wanted to do was hop on a boat and sail around the world.

Enter MSC Cruises, as it was about to make my dream a reality.

MSC Cruises is one of the fastest-growing cruise brands in the world and it has a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and the Far East. It already has an impressive fleet and plans to have 23 cruise ships by 2025, all of which offer an enriching, immersive and safe cruise experience.

But when I landed at Dubai airport at the beginning of March I still had no idea what to expect, until I caught my first glimpse of MSC Virtuosa waiting majestically at the dock. Somehow, the 100-feet long yachts I’d seen on the aforementioned tv show didn’t seem so impressive anymore.

As one of MSC’s largest cruise ships it ticks a lot of boxes for the ultimate holiday and it does so whilst being one of the most environmentally-sound ships at sea.

When I boarded the ship, I took one look at the Swarovski staircases, glamorous bars and stunning indoor promenade and quickly realised that this holiday would be anything but ordinary. A tour of the cruise ship confirmed this, as I explored the 19 decks which housed five pools, 10 dining venues, numerous bars and shops, a spa and wellness centre, two theatres,