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That Hawaii cruise was an adventure. I didn't see anyone stressed out by the damage to the ship. Even the art auction guys, who hardly sold anything, were telling sinking ship jokes. Most of us were over 65 so I guess at that age there is little we haven't seen. As a solo traveler I find that I can make a bunch of friends with just a bit of energy. I do enjoy doing what I want to when I want to. You are a seasoned traveler so you know all there is to do on the ships. I am going to the MSC Davina 1/19. I have gotten a bit tired of Princess. It seems that the ships are all,of same , food included. Although, I have not been on the Royal or Regal yet.

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Thank you all for your support ~ reading your experiences makes me feel like solo cruising is something that I could do and enjoy, given the right attitude and using the resources like cruise critic, meet and greets, organized activities, etc. I don't know that I would enjoy the same table every night, so I might do the anytime dining and ask to be seated with some people in similar circumstances as suggested. I don't know that I'd enjoy flying far alone, which is why I mentioned leaving from SF. AGGHHHH...I guess I've got to get out of my comfort zone to enjoy life more, though! I just saw a quote today by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., that meant is for me, I think: "A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never to go back to it's old dimensions." :)

 

 

 

Thanks again!

Carla, this is Dianea from the most interesting Princess thanksgiving cruise to Hawaii. It was quite an adventure. I hope all is well with you.

I have traveled solo on Princess for about 7 cruises over the past two years. The only issue I have is dinner in the MDR. It is a crap shoot about your table mates. My TA always requests that I sit with other singles. Doesn't always work out. The best group was on the 15 day Hawaii cruise. I had been thinking about then anytime dining myself. During the Hawaii cruise I would go to the MDR for a few breakfasts and lunches and requested to sit with other people and it worked out really well.

Dianea

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Thanks for this information. I know Princess and RCL meet and greets are set up by industrious cruisers. I'm on the 1/19 Davina.

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I usually cruise on Princess and they are casual dressers on board. What is the Davina dressing like?

Thank you

Diana

I hope you have a similar experience to ours because it was wonderful. We arrived at the port around 11:15-11:30 (not watching the clock makes it hard to be exact) and we showed our Black Card status, it was like a Zoomer after that... :p we were on the ship and grazing the Buffet within 20 minutes. The only thing that took a few minutes was registering a CC but once that was done... wow, it was great.

 

 

 

Getting off the ship.. same type of experience, we were in our pre booked shuttle within 15 minutes of leaving the ship.

 

 

 

Hope you have the same experience.

 

 

 

Cheers,

My cruise documents tell me my boarding time is 4pm. I think I shall just ignore that and get there noonish. I can't wait to see that crystal staircase.

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This is very helpful. I will be on the Davina for the first time in January and I will be a party of one, so this video helps a lot. I have had some horrendous embarkations experiences before and I am hoping as a Black card holder that the process will be expatiated. Last Jukt I was on RCL and it took 2 hours to get on board and an hour to get off. Nooooooo.

Thank you and keep having good times at sea!

Diana

Traveling solo on Star Princess 1/23/17, LA to Hawaii round trip. Anyone else?

 

 

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Going to MSC Davina 1/19. First time on MSC, since I am traveling solo I'm a bit uncertain of what to expect. Any suggestions?

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We stayed at embassy suites near airport. They have cruise package which includes transportation to the ship

 

 

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Thank you! This was a great recommendation. I made a reservation with them!

Happy New Year!

[emoji323] Diana

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I have seen waiters pack up meals for asked for someone could not come to the dining room.

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Food

 

 

 

DR: We had absolutely amazing waiter . I would say one of the best one we ever had. The same level of service we had on Celebrity and waiter was from Costa. Guess what? Our MSc waiter was from Costa as well . Take a hint MSC. Dinner never took more than 1.5 hour everything was done proper . For the food itself…I don’t know, for my taste it’s become to American I loved previous menu better. We found beef dishes better than it used to be but not rest of menu. But it’s only my opinion .

 

 

 

Buffet

 

 

 

Usual breakfast –eggs, pancakes ,waffles, ect. Best pasties ever ,I mean I wish they would not be that good, so I would not gain 8 lb

 

Lunch- Surprisingly good Burgers ,lots of different stations with different food .Very good desserts ,don’t miss mini panna cotas. I don’t know why they start doing Taco station and Asian station ( never saw people there) .I guess they try to do what Carnival do… Do yourself a favor go to the back of Buffet ,same food and lots of space. I don’t understand why people want to stay in front in crowd .

 

Snack- After 10 pm they put snack station on with fantastic warm cookies . I hate you MSC.:mad: I wish I would never new about those cookies. :p

 

 

 

Bars

 

 

 

Best service was in Cantina de Baccio . We love this bar from our previous cruises and it’s stay same best place on ship. On first day at sea we ordered 1 miter of Pizza ..boy it was best pizza ever and we almost finished it between 3 people :o. I probably will never eat Pizza in Canada anymore .LOL Had no problem in other bars ,yes ,sometimes you have to wait 5 minutes for service but you on ship and nowhere to run so no problem for us .

 

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

 

MSC can call themselves best cruise line in this area . Great singers and dancers , great shows . I even enjoyed LA Traviata . I am not a big Opera fan but I could not miss the opportunity to listen to a beautiful music(and for free)LOL . Lots of good music in all bars something for everyone. Way better than on Carnival or Celebrity. Thank God no comedians.:eek: On question bothers me for many years – where all those people run after the show? Is there a secret I am not aware off? :confused:

 

Andre is a CD and I think he is a very good one ,as well as all other entertainment team members. One thing we did not like ,that they started to do Carnival games like- Sexy legs contests .Please don’t turn into Carnival ,they have enough ships. Stay MSC .

What time do they have everyone disembark? I will be on my first MSC cruise and will be traveling as a solo and not sure what to expect.

You review was very helpful.

Thank you

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Hello all. Our vacation is over and I am trying to put a review together. As many of you know I used to be a big MSC fan and never understood people who always complained . Sorry,this time I will be one of those people . LOl .For all of you who is going on MSC soon ,don’t worry, you will have a great time. We never had any problem on board . Crew is amazing ,food is good (not as good as it used to be but fine) , entertainment is very good. All my problems are with MSC Miami office. Rule number one : NEVER ,ever trust what they say or promise to you. Always have it in writing . No matter what you do, make them email it to you . Everything you pre- order make sure you have it on your e tickets. Now I have to run but I will try to put more in evening . You welcome to ask any question .

I will be a solo traveler on the Divina 1/19. This will be my first time on MSC. I cruise mostly on Princess. The MSC web site is lacking. Can you recommend a hotel in Miami that also provides transportation from the airport and to the pier later. Thanks

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Last resort is a cruise line shuttle, what airport are you arriving at?

i am flying into Miami on 1/18. When I do this with Princess I stay at a hotel near the airport and use their shuttle to go back to the airport and pick up the cruise line shuttle. Its great, my suitcase gets loaded on to the Princess bus and the next time I see it again is in my cabin. Dose MSC have a shuttle?

Thanks!

Diana

Is that unlimited for the entire cruise or minute based as with Princess.

Thank you

Diana

I usually cruise on Princess, I will be traveling as a solo on MSC for the first time January 19 on the Divina leaving from Miami for a 10 day to the Caribbean. Does MSC have a shuttle to and from the pier as Princess does?

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Miami that is close to the pier or airport? They web cite is not very helpful an seems to have a lot of tech problems.

Thank you

Diana

I would like to thank the CC people who posted these maps while we were at sea and getting little information. Since they turned off the navigation TV channel we had no idea where we were for the rest of the cruise.

Thank you

Diana

I often leave cruises with the start of a cold, and this is not limited to cruises with Princess. My friend in Florida who lives near Ft. Lauderdale asks me to please visit before my cruises, not after! LOL

 

My theory is that the elevators are the culprit, you can always hear hacking and coughing and people are in close proximity. Therefore I do my best to stay off and use the stairs, but sometimes it is just too far to walk up.

I am right there with you!:eek: I have cruised over 6 times in the last two years mostly with Princess and every time except once I began to get a cold the last day or two. The one exception was when I got a cold 3 days after I got home. Otherwise I get a cold maybe once every two years.

Also, I was just on the Princess Grand (the trip Hawaii that a everyone was flown home from Honolulu) and I noticed that at the Horizon Buffet they have a section of no salt foods.

Diana

Where ever did you get that? I work for an airline and the planes we regularly fly to/from Hawaii have between 16 and 32 First and/or business class seats. Our domestic planes are usually about 10% First Class; international planes are around 20% First/Business.

 

 

I flew back on Hawaiian air's 10:45 pm flight Tuesday night. It was a 5 hour direct to Las Vegas where I live. I had the beginning of a cold and was not up to the 10 hours route they had set up for me. I got the last first class seat, there were no "more leg room" seats available. Of course, I paid for it myself and I doubt I will get much if any of it reimbursed.

Besides for this, the rough seas, and cloudy weather it still wasn't a bad cruise. The fellow passengers and crew were always pleasant.:o

 

I got home this morning at 6am. Princess had me booked leaving Honolulu 12/7 at 9pm to my home in Las Vegas through Seattle with a 2 hour lay over. It would have been over 8 hours of travel time. I had also come down with a cold yesterday and was feeling crappy. I called Hawaiian air and booked a 5 hour direct flight for last night, 12/7, at 10:30pm There was only one other person flying on Hawaiian in the group leaving after 6pm last night. I do not know where she was going. It looks like Princess was only using United and Delta. Not sure how much Princess will reimburse me for my air fare, but at least I am home with my dogs and a large bottle of NyQuil and a box of tissues. In all it looks like Princess did a pretty good job of dealing with this mess. The staff were always pleasant and Passenger services were patient. The staff at the excursions desk seems overwhelmed when they assumed some of the work load.

I hope everyone has save travels!:)

Diana

But I have never found out for sure is that do the stewards tips I'll get pooled and they share their tips with other stewards?

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This question has come up often. Do the stewards have to pool their tips or do they get to keep them?

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The Mark Hopkins is a nice hotel. I see Princess is stepping up to the plate again! Good for them. Enjoy your time in SF.

This maybe an update,but many people are staying on the ship and will be transferred to the airport. Seems many fly out on 12/7 including myself.

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The Mark Hopkins is a nice hotel. I see Princess is stepping up to the plate again! Good for them. Enjoy your time in SF.

This maybe an update,but many people are staying on the ship and will be transferred to the airport. Seems many fly out on 12/7 including myself.

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I'm on the Grand and so far everything seems normal. Everyone staff and cruisers seem very pleasant. And I heard that there is a cruise critic meeting today on the fifth deck wish I knew where thanks for all the information everybody still haven't gotten my return Las Vegas info yet. I'

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I'm on the Grand and so far everything seems normal. Everyone staff and cruisers seem very pleasant. And I heard that there is a cruise critic meeting today on the fifth deck wish I knew where thanks for all the information everybody still haven't gotten my return Las Vegas info yet.

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I am on the Grand now and this information is better then what we are getting on board. Thanks

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