My FIRST Italian Cruise Ship... with ZERO Italian Skills

Welcome aboard the MSC Opera for my 24th cruise and my first-ever sailing with an Italian cruise line! Join this BRITISH Cruiser as I tackle the full Canary Islands and Madeira itinerary. This vlog is the honest story of those first four days: from dealing with the confusing language barriers and genuine rough seas to the formal night surprise and, of course, the truth about the tiniest shower I've ever seen. Will this veteran cruiser finally say "Molto Bene"? #mscopera #cruisevlog #canaryislands /// Day 1: Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Sailaway and First Impressions After an included flight with TUI, my adventure starts in sunny Tenerife! After boarding the MSC Opera, I give you an honest cabin review, including a look at the smallest shower I've ever seen on a cruise ship. Later, we head out to witness the ship's sailaway—which turned out to be quite rocky! A key part of the day was dealing with the cruise card activation and the surprising €250 hold. We finish the night by officially setting sail and heading toward our first port of call. 00:00 Early Morning Flight to Tenerife 01:40 Welcome Onboard and Ship Facilities 03:38 Cabin Tour: Tiny Shower and Chilly Hairdryer 05:46 Sailaway: Rocky Seas and Money Deposit (€250 Hold) /// Day 2: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Spanish Aquarium and Late Sailaway We arrive bright and early in Gran Canaria! Come ashore with me as we explore the self-proclaimed "most spectacular aquarium in Europe", followed by a lovely walk and local beach, my plan for exploring the port was quickly cut short when I realized many stops were closed due to a local Spanish Monday holiday. I head back to the ship early to enjoy a bit of quiet time, sun, and food. After watching the other cruise ship set sail, the end of the day brings an unexpected delay as we experience a late sailaway from Gran Canaria, which left us wondering what was going on in the port! 08:09 Arriving at our First Port of Call (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) 08:48 Exploring the Poema del Mar Aquarium 11:33 Beaches and Everything Closed on Monday (Spanish Holiday) 12:19 Marella Discovery 2 Sets Sail 13:40 Mystery of the Late Sailaway /// Day 3: Puerto del Rosario - Hiking and Local Haul Day three brings us to Fuerteventura! With little planned, I decide to spend the day hiking and exploring a desolate spot about an hour's walk from the ship. After a long walk back to civilisation, I hit up a local shop to try some Canary Islands delicacies—including a strange mango lemonade and some very cheesy snacks! The day concludes with a long walk back to the ship, enjoying the unique, windy landscapes, before setting sail into the dark evening. 16:41 Welcome to a Windy Fuerteventura 18:00 Cinematic Hiking and a Mysterious Track 19:50 Finding the Beach in Civilisation 21:22 Tasting the Local Snack Haul: Food and Drink Review 25:16 Nighttime Sailaway from Fuerteventura /// Day 4: Sea Day - Quiet Decks and Formal Night It's our only sea day of the entire cruise, which is unusual! I share my observations about the surprisingly empty sun decks, and the lack of regular announcements from the captain and crew unlike other lines like P&O. Later, I stumble into the theatre just in time, meeting the officers, and realizing—just in time—that it’s Formal Night! We wrap up the day preparing for the next stop: Madeira. 26:01 Empty Sundecks and Rough Seas 27:41 A Sunset at Sea and a Quiet Bridge (Lack of Announcements) 30:02 Meeting the Crew and Theatre Show 34:40 A Surprise Formal Evening and Lucky Suit Song: Markvard - Dreams Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music. Video Link: https://bit.ly/3KJhVre