Is There a Catch? Our 16-Night Caribbean Cruise (MSC Virtuosa)
Fort-de-France PortBrazil CountryFrance CountryGuadeloupe CountryMalta CountryMartinique CountrySint Maarten CountryUnited Kingdom CountryMSC Cruises Cruise LineNorwegian Cruise Line Cruise Line
We booked a 16-night repositioning cruise on the MSC Virtuosa from the Caribbean back to Southampton for under £50 a night. Is this the cheapest Caribbean cruise deal of 2026, or is there a catch? Here is our honest MSC Virtuosa review with full pricing, cabin tour, and two Caribbean excursions. We paid £46 per person per night for a Fantastica balcony cabin on this MSC transatlantic cruise. That is £92 a night for the cabin, and it includes all food, all entertainment, and gratuities. Drinks are not included, but we added a drinks package on top. To put that into context, a decent four-star hotel would cost more and would not include meals, shows, or take you anywhere. This repositioning cruise is essentially our transport home from the Caribbean to the UK, so we did not need to pay for a return flight. We also test an MSC shore excursion to Guadeloupe, a half-day trip including transport, botanical gardens (a Death in Paradise filming location), a beach, food, and a rum tasting for £88 each. The same excursion on Norwegian Cruise Lines costs $145 (approximately £110) and does not include any food. We then visit the famous Maho Beach on Sint Maarten, one of the most photographed aviation spots on the planet, where 737s land just metres above your head. This is the first video in our MSC Virtuosa cruise series. Next week we spend 10 nights at sea crossing the Atlantic. If you are researching repositioning cruises from the Caribbean to Europe, MSC Virtuosa balcony cabin reviews, cheap transatlantic cruises, or whether MSC excursions are worth the money, this is the honest answer from two people who paid for it themselves. Want to see the bits that did not make the main video? Click the 'Join' button below to become a Nomads Club member and watch the exclusive B-Side. Cruise Facts and Prices Mentioned in This Video: Ship: MSC Virtuosa (MSC Cruises) Route: Fort-de-France, Martinique to Southampton via Guadeloupe, Sint Maarten, and the Atlantic Cruise type: Repositioning cruise (Caribbean to UK, one-way, spring 2026) Duration: 16 nights Cabin type: Fantastica Balcony (one category above the cheapest) Cost per person per night: £46 Cost per cabin per night: £92 What is included: All food, all entertainment, gratuities Not included: Drinks (optional drinks package available) Guadeloupe excursion (MSC): £88pp including transport, botanical garden, beach, food, rum tasting Comparable Norwegian Cruise Lines excursion: $145pp (approximately £110) without food Ports visited: Guadeloupe (French Caribbean), Sint Maarten (Maho Beach) Chapters: 0:00:00 Under £50 a Night: Our 16-Night Caribbean Cruise 0:00:41 Inside Our Balcony Cabin 0:01:03 The Full Price Breakdown 0:02:18 Guadeloupe: MSC Shore Excursion 0:03:39 Botanical Gardens and Death in Paradise 0:08:00 Local Food and Rum Tasting 0:10:12 The Longest Beach on Guadeloupe 0:12:58 Back on Board: First Evening at Sea 0:14:28 The British Pub and the Biggest LED Ceiling at Sea 0:18:27 Sint Maarten: Two Countries, One Island 0:21:37 Maho Beach: Planes Landing Over Our Heads 0:23:29 10 Nights at Sea: What Happens Next Original Soundtrack by Adam. All music is original, composed and produced by Adam (PhD in audio-visual composition) to capture the cinematic atmosphere of the Caribbean and the open Atlantic - with the exception of Put Your Records On, which felt too perfect for the beach in Guadeloupe not to use and has been fully licensed. 🎵 Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae, licensed via Lickd. https://t.lickd.co/l/jKZvrLNMZBw | https://lickd.co Who are The Floating Nomads? We are Rick and Adam, The Floating Nomads. We sold the house, quit the 9 to 5 and now live a life of constant slow travel by train, ferry and water. When not on our UK narrowboat, Serenissima, we live abroad for months at a time. Whether spending 200+ days in Malta (and Venice) or travelling from Buxton to Brazil without flying (as seen on CNN), we share the practical maths of life on the move. Our films combine Rick's marketing strategy with Adam's music PhD to capture the authentic atmosphere of every destination we visit. Support the Journey New Films: Every Friday evening (UK time). Channel Members: Early access every Thursday, starting at just £2.99/month. Members also unlock exclusive B-Side videos. Click 'Join' under any video to help support our work. #MSCVirtuosa #RepositioningCruise #CaribbeanCruise #CheapCruise #TransatlanticCruise #FloatingNomads