I’m sitting in the Carousel Lounge on deck seven with around 200 other socially distanced guests watching what can be best described as typical, light-hearted cruise ship entertainment at its best.

After an unprecedented, industry-wide, 14-month pause, Virtuosa is the first vessel to leave a UK port and is certainly stealing the show – with appearances on TV screens across the country this past week.

I can’t help think Antonio Paradiso, MSC’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, and sales director Steve Williams are absolute masters of their craft. 

Over the last five years they have developed an impressive agent-facing trade team and have taken a cruise brand, virtually unheard of in the UK market, to be the first to restart UK cruising.

Not only this, but they have enough confidence in the UK market, that they are doing so with their flagship, launching what will be her inaugural season.

I wanted to be on this sailing to experience first-hand the new health and safety protocols that have been introduced and see if they distract from the enjoyment of a cruise. Also, there is something quite special to be part of an inaugural sailing – even in the strange times we’ve been living in.

Prior to boarding I had expected the new protocols to take away some of the enjoyment of cruising but I’m pleasantly surprised this hasn’t been the case. 

Mask wearing is a slight inconvenience, but you soon get used to it and becomes second nature very quickly.

After all we’ve been living with restrictions to everyday life for more than a year now. It also feels quite special to be one of fewer than 1,000 people on a ship designed to hold around 6,000 guests. 

This obviously will not last as MSC and the cruise ships doing the UK “staycation sailings” will increase guest capacity when they can in line with government guidance and eventually, when permitted, offer itineraries overseas too.

For me a clear highlight of this cruise has been the quality of food, particularly the lunch I enjoyed at Indochine – one of Virtuosa’s newest restaurants – a Vietnamese-inspired speciality venue with a French twist.

The crew, as always, have been amazing. There is a genuine shared joy between the guests and staff of being back on the water.

The investment cruise lines are making into this round-UK staycation season is remarkable. At its height there will be more than 20 ships offering cruises purely for UK guests. 

This would have been unheard of before Covid but the world has changed and with it comes new opportunities. This is shown by the number of passengers I’ve spoken to onboard who are trying cruising for the first time.

MSC are masters of “interporting,” allowing guests to embark and disembark at various ports during a cruise itinerary, which they will also be doing during this summer season. They have also signed a long-term partnership with ABP Southampton.

I wonder if this summer is a success whether there would be a potential for year-round sailings around the UK on this basis? Embarkation and disembarkation points in the likes of Portland, Liverpool, Belfast, Greenock, Newcastle and Dover would certainly appeal to some hesitant cruisers.

This would also open up an amazing opportunity for agents to sell to customers who normally do land-based holidaying within the UK.

Whatever happens, the whole MSC team should be feeling very proud for delivering such a successful relaunch of UK cruising and, like their performers on stage, putting on quite a show! 

Simon Wright is founder and CEO of Treehouse Travel