MSC Cruises to host three England rugby champions and Strictly dance star on Virtuosa

MSC Cruises will host England rugby legends Ben Cohen, Ben Kay and Neil Back on a sailing from Southampton in August.

The winners of the 2003 Rugby World Cup will offer coaching sessions, live Q&As and meet-and-greet photo opportunities.

In addition, Strictly Come Dancing star and ballroom professional Kristina Rihanoff will join the cruise and will provide dance classes for all abilities, as well as a Q&A session and photo opportunities.

All four will be on a 12-night sailing to the Canary Islands on MSC Virtuosa departing on August 8, with fares starting from £1,279.

Vice-president of international sales Antonio Paradiso: “We are looking forward to welcoming three rugby legends - Ben Cohen, Ben Kay and Neil Back – alongside dance star Kristina Rihanoff on MSC Virtuosa this August.

“The holiday will give guests a chance to experience a unique offering on board, meet their heroes and have fun. But they need to be quick - the stars will only appear on one sailing and with the rugby season starting in September, they need to book soon to make sure they don’t miss out.”

Cohen said: “I am delighted to be sailing with MSC Cruises once again, accompanied by my partner Kristina Rihanoff from Strictly Come Dancing, and my fellow 2003 World Cup-winning teammates, Neil Back and Ben Kay.

“We have planned a range of exciting events on board MSC Virtuosa, giving guests the chance to meet us in person and hear our untold stories from our rugby careers, as well as my recent experience taking part in SAS: Who Dares Wins. There may even be some dancing too!”