MSC vs P&O From Southampton: Which Should You Choose?

P&O and MSC both sail from Southampton year-round and are the obvious choice for many UK cruisers when they want a no-fly cruise.

Both offer very competitive prices, and both have large modern ships and older, smaller ships in their fleets.

The onboard experience feels very different on the two cruise lines.

I have cruised with MSC and P&O multiple times, and would happily sail with them again in future.

I have sailed on a range of MSC’s ships of all ages – Virtuosa, Preziosa, World Europa, Seaside, Euribia, Meraviglia, Opera, to name but a few.

I am also a fan of a no-fly cruise from Southampton with P&O. I have sailed on the newest, largest ships, Iona and Arvia, and smaller ships, Britannia and Aurora – I only have Azura and Arcadia left to try.

In this article, we compare:

• Price
• Food
• Cabins
• Entertainment
• Families
• Service
• Atmosphere
• Solo cruising
• Who each is best for

That way you can make an informed decision about which cruise line will offer the most enjoyable and best value for money for you and your family.

The Biggest Difference: British vs International

The passenger demographic on each line is very different, which creates a very different onboard feel.

P&O

Offers a very British experience, as most guests are from the UK and P&O advertises widely to a British audience.

The currency used for your onboard account is the British pound.

There is British-style entertainment, and comedians have a very British sense of humour.

P&O ships definitely feel like a “home from home” for the British public.

Food onboard suits a British palate, and you’ll find familiar British brands (such as PG Tips tea bags) onboard.

Have a look at some examples of food served here:

51 Meals I Ate on my P&O Cruise (Photos and Menus) – Food Review

MSC

You will find a much more international feel onboard. Passengers can get on at multiple locations, so a cruise leaving from Southampton might pick up other passengers along the route – France, Netherlands, Germany, etc.

Multiple languages are spoken onboard, and announcements may be repeated in several languages.

The shows in the theatre are often quite “quirky” as they can’t rely on dialogue – you are more likely to see singing and dancing shows, acrobats, etc.

I personally enjoy that international feeling, it makes me feel like I am on holiday – but some people really don’t like it at all.

There is far more of a European atmosphere onboard. Food, entertainment and timings can feel less traditionally British.

Have a look at some examples of MSC food here:

Everything I Ate on my MSC Cruise (Photos and Menus) – Food Review

Price: Which Is Usually Cheaper?

MSC can often be very cheap, especially outside peak periods. You can secure a 7-day winter Northern Europe sailing for under £500 – and all service charges and gratuities are included in that price.

P&O also has very competitive Southampton fares, particularly outside peak season, and they include gratuities in the fare.

Both cruise lines will try and sell you a drinks package, but unless you are a big drinker, I find the “pay as you go” option offers better value for me.

Find out more about that here:

Drinks Packages Aren’t Worth it For Me – Here’s How I Decide (Price Lists & More)

All drink charges will be added to your onboard account, which you settle by credit card at the end of the cruise.

American cruise lines tend to add a service charge of around 18-20% to every individual drink you buy (if you don’t have a package). This is on top of the daily service charges you are already paying.

I am pleased to say neither MSC nor P&O do that when you are booking from the UK.

Drink packages don’t always offer the value the cruise lines try to portray.

Find out more about that here:

Buying a Drinks Package? 5 Things Many People Don’t Realise Until It’s Too Late

Speciality dining with P&O and MSC is also more affordable than on some of the American cruise lines (who can put a cover charge of over $100 on one meal!)

Wi-Fi on P&O Cruises and MSC Cruises costs between £14 and £30 per day, depending on the package tier and whether you book for the entire cruise or use a daily pay-as-you-go rate

MSC have several fare types, which can make choosing your cabin slightly more confusing.

Bella is the bargain-basement rate: guaranteed cabins, no choice in dining times, little flexibility.

Fantastica cabins offer you more flexibility to make changes: you can choose your room, request a dining time (subject to availability), and also get free room service delivery, although some items on the menu are chargeable.

I would recommend not comparing just the headline fare – look at the final cost of the holiday once you have added on anything that is essential for you – WiFi, speciality dining, etc.

The more expensive Aurea-class cabins/experience include the flexibility of “My Choice” dining (you can eat in the main restaurant at any time during its opening hours), complimentary access to the Aurea Spa thermal suite, a welcome gift of Prosecco and chocolates, and free delivery of room service and in-cabin continental breakfast.

If you are really “pushing the boat out” and can afford to stay in the MSC Yacht Club, you will be in the all-inclusive “ship-within-a-ship” area.

This offers a luxury experience featuring 24-hour butler service, a private lounge, a dedicated gourmet restaurant, an exclusive pool and sundeck, and the Premium Extra Drinks and “Browse” Wi-Fi package included.

I have only stayed in Yacht Club once, and it was amazing! Have a look at that here:

Gratuities

P&O’s include all gratuities in the cruise fare – this approach tends to feel simpler for British cruisers, and personally I much prefer this. I would rather pay more initially than end up with a large onboard account to settle at the end of my holiday.

MSC’s approach is a little more confusing!

If you are booking an MSC cruise from the UK, service charges are typically included in the upfront cruise fare. There is nothing more to pay.

If you are booking from the US, South America, and for other International Bookings, a service charge is charged per person, per night as an additional fee (either pre-paid or automatically added to your onboard account).

For UK bookings, if you do not have a drinks package and purchase individual drinks at the ship’s bars, lounges, or restaurants, a 15% bar service charge is automatically added.

If you book a massage, facial, or salon service while on the ship, a 15% to 18% automatic spa service charge is added directly to your final onboard bill.

So, from this perspective, P&O offers better value.

MSC seems to be the middle ground – they don’t charge daily service charges like most American cruise lines, but they do charge for what they consider “extras” – drinks, spa treatments, etc.

Food: P&O vs MSC

MSC seem to get a bad rap when it comes to food, mostly from those used to the portion sizes and choices on American cruise lines.

MSC makes great pizza and bread, and I enjoy the food on their menu. P&O and MSC do differ greatly in food offerings, though.

P&O

• They serve more recognisably British food and traditional British meals.
  • Think roast dinners, Yorkshire pudding, pies, curries, etc.
• They are a strong choice for somebody who likes familiar British food.

MSC

• They have a strong Italian influence.
• Pizza is an obvious strength – they make charcoal pizza with black crusts that tastes far better than it looks!
• There are more Mediterranean & international options available.
  • Pasta, vegetables – and they make the most wonderful bread.
• Dining can feel less tailored to British tastes.

Dining Times and Flexibility

Dining options can vary substantially by ship.

P&O offers a fully flexible dining service on its newer ships, Iona and Arvia.

Older ships offer a mix of flexible and “Club dining” with set meal times and the same table, tablemates, and waiters each evening. There are typically two sittings: an early sitting at 18:30 and a late sitting at 20:30.

On MSC ships, Bella & Fantastica tiers offer fixed dining. Typically, early dining is between 17:45 and 18:00. Late Seating is often between 20:15 and 20:30.

If you book an Aurea-class cabin, you automatically get “My Choice” dining. You can walk into the main restaurant anytime during its dinner hours without needing a reservation.

Those who stay in MSC Yacht Club have access to a completely private, dedicated restaurant where they can dine whenever they want during opening hours.

So basically, when it comes to MSC dining, the less you pay, the less choice you have

Cabins

Cabins can vary hugely, depending on the age of the ship you choose. You really need to check out the cabins on the ship you are thinking of booking.

In general, the newer P&O ships Arvia and Iona have lovely light, bright contemporary decor throughout, and even the cheapest inside cabins are a lovely place to stay.

Have a look at the cheapest inside cabin I shared with my brother on a Northern Europe sailing from Southampton. The ship had only just been launched, and some Covid restrictions were still in place.

We had a fantastic cruise, and really liked the ship!

Older ships have more dated – but perfectly functional cabins.

MSC cabins are very nice, the newer the ship, the better they are!

MSC’s newer ships can feel sleek and contemporary – I don’t think I have ever been disappointed with an MSC cabin.

MSC Virtuosa Cabin Guide – (Honest Reviews and Cabins to Avoid)

The 2013 ship, MSC Preziosa, is sailing from Southampton this winter. Have a look at the cheapest guaranteed cabin on the ship here:

MSC Preziosa – Inside Cabin Photo Review – Space, Bathroom, Cleanliness and More

Entertainment

Entertainment is where I think MSC fall down a little for some people from a British audience. That said, I’ve never been bored on an MSC cruise.

P&O

• Entertainment is geared to a British audience.
  • British comedians, tribute acts, bands, etc.
• There are theatre productions with a different show every night. On the larger ships, the theatre needs to be prebooked via the app; on the older ships, it doesn’t.
• Quizzes and Trivia are very popular on P&O, and the questions are aimed at a British audience.
• You will find more traditional British cruise-style entertainment overall.

MSC

• Theatre shows need to be more visual entertainment, because they need to work across multiple languages.
• You will find plenty of bands and live music.
• Trivia and game shows have to be in multiple languages, so it can be tiring keeping up!
• There is a more international feel onboard.
• You may get later-running nightlife, depending on where you are cruising.

Which Is Better for Nightlife?

• MSC often feels livelier and more energetic late at night – younger cruisers might enjoy this more.
• P&O can still have busy bars, clubs and live music. The pub is always very busy on a P&O cruise!

Families and Children

Both MSC and P&O have good Kids’ clubs, but make sure you get your child booked in early, as on popular school holiday sailings they can run out of space fast!

The larger MSC and P&O ships offer many family attractions and are designed with families in mind.

MSC has water parks, ropes courses, pools, and many child-friendly attractions on its larger, newer ships.

They also offer great-value child fares, with regular offers to attract the family market.

Again, I would recommend you check out the individual ship you will be sailing on to see what attractions they offer.

Be aware that sailings in the UK school holidays will be far busier than those out of season.

Have a look at the ropes course I tried on MSC Meraviglia. There is also a similar one on Virtuosa and other, newer MSC ships.

I Tried a Ropes Course on Top of a Cruise Ship! It was TERRIFYING (MSC Meraviglia)

Which Is Better for Adults Without Kids?

P&O has adult-only ships in its fleet, which is a major distinction.

Be aware that P&O Cruises updated its policy to allow families with children onto its traditionally adult-only ships, Arcadia and Aurora, for a select number of school holiday and peak sailings

None of MSC’s ships are adult only.

On family ships, both can have lots of children during school holidays.

Out of school holidays, things will be far calmer and quieter.

As well as looking at the individual ship, look at the sailing date (is it in the school holidays?) and the length of the cruise ( families don’t tend to take longer cruises), as well as the itinerary.

Longer repositioning cruises with many sea days, for example, are less likely to attract families with children.

Have a look at the adult-only, traditional P&O ship, Aurora, here:

Service

Service can vary from ship to ship and cruise to cruise.

P&O:

You will get a more British-style interaction, which will perhaps feel more familiar to UK passengers.

Waiters and cabin stewards are normally very friendly and welcoming.

As on virtually all cruise ships, the crew are multinational.

P&O Cruises employs a large portion of its hospitality, dining, and housekeeping crew from countries such as India and the Philippines.

Technical, deck, and entertainment officers or staff are often recruited locally in the UK or across Europe.

MSC

There is a very international crew/passenger environment on an MSC ship.

Service style can feel more formal or less chatty depending on your expectations.

Don’t expect an American-style customer service experience!

In my personal experience, I find the waiters to be less attentive, but they are there if you need something. That suits my style of cruising perfectly. I don’t need to be checked up on multiple times during dinner!

MSC Cruises hires its staff globally, employing over 50,000 crew members from more than 140 different countries.

Crowds and Ship Layout

Both MSC and P&O operate very large ships. Big ships can feel busy, particularly when they are sailing at full capacity.

Smaller ships may feel less busy. When i sailed on P&O’s smallest ship Aurora, I was surprised just how much space there seemed to be per person.

You might struggle to find a seat in bars on the big ships during peak times.

When I sailed on Arvia and Iona, we always struggled to find a seat in the pub for trivia – despite the pub being much larger than on other P&O ships.

The buffet can be crowded on both MSC and P&O mega ships – I have heard them described more like a crowded cafeteria than a cruise ship buffet.

Shows often have to be prebooked on the larger ships (via the app) to avoid everyone turning up for the same show at the same time – as there clearly wouldn’t be enough seating.

Have a look at P&O’s newest and largest ship in the video below. I sailed from Southampton to the Mediterranean and back.

Solo Cruisers

On most P&O ships, solo travellers can choose from single Inside, Sea View, or Balcony cabins.

P&O Cruises offers dedicated single cabins on most ships to eliminate solo supplements – but double cabins booked for single occupancy can incur a supplement of up to 100%

MSC Cruises offers dedicated single-occupancy studio cabins on select newer ships, as well as reduced single supplements on standard double cabins across the broader fleet.

P&O routinely hosts structured get-togethers for solo passengers, such as morning coffee meet-ups and welcome drinks receptions.

MSC schedules hosted solo meet-ups, often in a designated lounge or bar area.

I would recommend using a good travel agent to compare solo deals and negotiate complicated solo supplements.

If you don’t have a trusted travel agency, please consider contacting me and my agency.

It doesn’t cost more than booking directly with the cruise line, and our agents have a wealth of cruising experience to help you find the best deal. If you need lots of help, or none at all, we can do as much or as little as you like.

Accessibility

The new mega ships are built with accessibility in mind. The older ships may be less accessible.

Both companies have accessible cabins, but again, I would use a good travel agent to assist with your booking.

Cruise companies need to know about any additional needs at the time of booking.

MSC Virtuosa vs P&O Iona/Arvia

P&O’s Arvia and Iona, and MSC Virtuosa, are all mega ships that regularly sail from Southampton.

Virtuosa is a huge ship with a maximum capacity of 6,334 guests. P&O’s Iona and Arvia hold slightly fewer passengers, with around 5,200 guests at standard double occupancy.

Virtuosa

Virtuosa is a very large, sparkly ship with an international feel.

You can get some very cheap deals on Virtuosa, but the trade-off is that it can feel very crowded onboard, particularly in peak seasons.

The cabins onboard Virtuosa are lovely, and the ship is well maintained throughout.

I would be a little wary of booking short cruises on Virtuosa, as they can become booze cruises where people drink more than usual because they are only onboard for a short time.

I would also avoid cruises where tendering is necessary – Guernsey, for example.

Getting over 6,000 guests into lifeboats and to the port can take hours – and you might find yourself waiting around both on the ship and when you want to get back onboard again.

P&O Iona and Arvia

The feel onboard is very British, with familiar food and entertainment. You won’t hear multiple languages spoken onboard.

Arvia and Iona don’t sail to ports they have to tender to, so you aren’t going to find yourself in a long tender queue, as you might on Virtuosa.

Arvia and Iona are both family-focused cruise ships, and although they are very similar, they aren’t identical.

Southampton Experience

I really enjoy sailing from Southampton. It’s not far from where I live, and it is very well set up for a seamless check-in experience.

Be aware that there are multiple terminals, though; make sure you check which one you need to be at!

Find out more about that here:

Southampton Has 5 Cruise Terminals – Here’s How to Find Yours

There are plenty of parking options available, and hotels, some of which have stay and park options -allowing you to leave your car there when you cruise.

Explore parking options here:

Southampton Parking Options

Southampton is a major coastal city and the cruise capital of the UK. It is renowned for its deep-water port, rich seafaring heritage, and modern maritime industry.

The Titanic famously left from Southampton on her ill-fated voyage in April 1912. Unfortunately, you can no longer get to the dock she left from because it is located within a secure working area of the port.

Southampton streets can become busy when three of four cruise ships are in port, so allow extra time for your journey if that is the case.

Itineraries

Common Itineraries from Southampton for P&O and MSC are:

• Northern Europe
• Norwegian Fjords
• Canary Islands
• Mediterranean
• Short breaks to the Channel Islands, Bruges, Hamburg.
• Exact itineraries vary.

MSC often mixes UK guests with passengers of other nationalities who are embarking at other European ports. P&O tends to feel more like a traditional Southampton round-trip cruise.

So, Who Should Choose P&O?

One cruise line isn’t “better” than the other. It is more a question of “which is the best fit” for your cruising style.

P&O may suit you if:

• You want a very British experience.
• You prefer English-language entertainment.
• You like familiar food.
• You don’t want lots of multilingual announcements.
• You want everything to feel straightforward and familiar.
• You particularly like British-style quizzes, comedians and pubs.

Who Should Choose MSC?

MSC may suit you if:

• You want a great-value cruise.
• You like an international atmosphere.
• You enjoy European-style cruising.
• You like lively ships and late nights.
• You aren’t bothered by multiple languages being spoken.
• You love pizza and bread, obviously!

Who Might Dislike P&O?

• People wanting a genuinely international holiday. It is very much “Brit’s abroad”, and I have heard peak season sailings described as “Butlins at Sea”.
• People who find very British environments a bit too familiar and want something different when on holiday.
• People looking for very late-night continental-style nightlife.

I definitely don’t agree with the Butlins at Sea comparison. Find out why here:

Butlin’s at Sea? Here’s How Cruises Compare to Holiday Parks

Who Might Dislike MSC?

• People irritated by multilingual announcements.
• People expecting everything to run like a British or American cruise line.
• People who want exclusively British food and entertainment.
• People who are expecting American-style customer service.

Price Example

This is a snapshot of two fares currently available – of course, cruise prices change constantly, it is only meant as an example.

Comparing two sailings on MSC Virtuosa and P&O’s Iona to Northern Europe from Southampton – on this occasion, P&O comes out on top, price-wise.

Both fares include gratuities – although drinks, WiFi, excursions, etc. cost extra.

A trip on Iona is coming in at around £75 per night, which is very impressive.

A trip on Virtuosa is more expensive at around £105 per night.

How a Travel Agent Can Help

I would always recommend using a trusted travel agent, as comparing headline prices isn’t always enough.

My Cruise Globe team can compare:

• Different ships
• Different dates
• Drinks packages
• Cabin categories
• Solo pricing

You can literally just say: “We want to sail from Southampton and can’t decide between MSC and P&O.” After speaking to you about your likes and dislikes, they can help you make a good decision.

Conclusion: MSC or P&O?

P&O is the easier choice if you want a familiar British cruise experience.

MSC is the more obvious choice if you want an international, lively experience and often very competitive pricing.

Neither is automatically better than the other.

I would quite happily sail with MSC or P&O, and I am sure I will book cruises with them again in the future! Both are very easy and enjoyable for me – particularly if they are leaving from Southampton.

The important thing is understanding how different they are before booking.

Before You Go

Find out about the things you can try for nothing on an MSC cruise here:

12 Free Things You Have to Try on MSC Cruises (Tried and Tested!)

Have a look at the very unusual Conservatory Mini Suites you can book on Iona and Arvia here:

I Booked the Most Controversial Cabin on a Cruise Ship – P&O’s Iona Conservatory Mini Suite