ldoc31

Feature--just like an app. It has an icon--just like an app. Whatever you want to call it I enjoyed having this feature on my phone. Yes it was definitely on the Royal this past week.

You get the app when you hook up to the onboard wifi. It is very nice to be able to see all the information about the shows etc. The message feature was not available on the Royal last week.

I understand that we need to be out of the cabin at 7am and the dining room and buffet will be open for breakfast afterward.

 

Are we assigned a room the night before to await debarkation? Do we have a choice of times to leave/pick up our luggage? (I think RC had a place where you picked colored slips for your luggage based on when you wanted to leave.)

 

What are the usual times that we may leave the ship? (Hope the luggage delay in Miami is now under control)

 

We want to meet friends when we leave the ship and I'd like to give them an approximate idea of what time to be there.

 

Thanks

Barbara

You will need to go to the front desk and tell them you need to be off the ship early. They will give you priority luggage tags and you should be the first off the ship after the self luggage people. We went to the lounge at 8:15 and were immediately let go. I believe our tags were red #1. We did have to make the request--I never saw anything about it in the daily paper.

You were fortunate to get out in one and a half hours. We were moved from late seating to early but it was still a very long meal. It seemed like some waiters had way too many tables and others had just a few. I would have liked anytime dining to be available.

Some aspects of a cruise, especially food, are subjective so reviews will vary. For various reasons, not the least of which are financial status and cruising experience, some people's standards of what is acceptable or not are also quite different. This, too, will cause a variance of opinion of the very same product or service on a cruise.

 

But there are limits to subjectivity. It seems that some people's standards are so flexible that they are willing to gloss over abusive service that only someone with a pain threshold just marginally below that of a masochist (or perhaps a submissive) would find acceptable. The Divina seems to be testing those limits. However, anyone who reads the very credible and well documented* recount of this OP's Divina experience should, at least, be forewarned that most people including Europeans (north and south) will find the food and service seriously wanting.

 

Though he describes numerous shortcomings I was particularly taken aback by the OP's account of his dining room waiter's remonstration, to wit, “if we wanted fast food we should have gone to the buffet.” Unbelievable, in deed, and grounds for immediate termination. I have signed on for a 3 night cruise on the Poesia later this month and have expectations sufficiently low to avoid disappointment or angst, however, if a waiter ever treats me as described by the OP, he and I will immediately be confronting dining room management in an office or, if necessary, in public.

 

footnote *: You need not worry about wearing asbestos underwear. The description of your experience aboard the Divina is itself flame retardant.

I don't think anyone is glossing over the dining room service but this problem can be fixed. It would be a shame if MSC didn't do something about it since it is such a lovely ship.

We too were on the Nov. 23rd cruise. Yes the ship is beautiful but felt a bit crowded. The entertainment was wonderful. Food preferences are such a personal thing but for the most part I felt the food was fine. Service in the MDR was a problem and I think it is because they just don't have a sufficient number of waiters. We were off the ship and in our car by 9:00 so no problem with that.

It seems you just don't like Americans, but the ship is sailing from Miami and there will be plenty of Americans using it. Truthfully the only rude people I saw on the Davina were Europeans who pushed and shoved and let their children run wild. It is amazing that we feel the same way about you as you feel about us. Rude behavior happens everywhere.

I thought the WiFi was better than any cruise I have been on. You can also use the cyber cafe but the pricing is different. The WiFi connected immediately from our cabin.

Who knows you may find you enjoy the Americanized version.

They did have a 7:00 a.m. time listed but no one was rushing you to get out of your room. We had breakfast in the buffet then returned to our cabin to pick up our roll-on and were at our lounge right at 8:00. We left the ship at 8:15. If you need early departure you should let them know so you get the proper luggage tags.

This is a problem since "my" MSC Vacation Planer told me on 11/25/13 that late dining is 8:00PM. 9:00pm is too late and 5:30PM is too early.

 

If first setting is 7:30PM that is an ideal time to eat. The problem is which is the correct time.

 

I'm on the 12/07/13 sailing. Regardless, of the issues that have been reported I'm looking forward to sailing on the Divina.

The dining times on the 11/23 sailing were 6:00 and 8:30. We were scheduled for late dining and had it changed after the first evening. We were still eating at 10:30 and felt it was too late.

I thought that there was less smoking on this ship than any I have sailed on. The casino as well as 99% of the ship was non-smoking. The one side of the pool deck did allow smoking but you could not smell it on the other side of the pool. The ship was beautiful but felt crowded. The dining room service needs work. The entertainment was wonderful.

European values. I suppose.

 

Firstly, when your luggage was delivered, the deliverer would have knocked once. After that, there is an assumption that either you are out or you do not wish to be disturbed. In either case, it would be inappropriate to enter your room.

 

Secondly, MSC use the card-energy-saver system to indicate whether you are in or out. There is a small indicator outside in the corridor. If the indicator shows you are in, the cabin attendant will never disturb you. This is discrete and professional service. Unless you choose to make an effort therefore, you may only meet your cabin attendant and his/her assistant once in a cruise - at the formal introduction.

 

Ice. Mmm. I had to catch my cabin attendant in the corridor and ask him to stop bringing me ice with the explanation that "I am not American!". I can't imagine what people do with ice in their staterooms. Ice cubes were just going to occupy space and melt everyday. I got my wish.

 

Tim.

How funny to think that a little thing like ice would be an issue with different cultures. I can't imagine not having ice for my water or soft drinks.

Ok - I didn't book the mini suite for the perks either. BUT - Usually there are some "extras" that come along with booking higher level cabins and, since I have never been on Princess, I thought I'd ask some experienced cruisers. I feel a little insulted by some of your remarks. I was just curious. I have in the past booked handicapped cabins because I use a mobility scooter - so I doubt the size of the cabin will be much better then those offered for handicapped passengers. However, the tub in a cabin is one of the reasons I wanted the cabin. Nothing better then a long soak in a tub.

Thanks to those of you who answered my questions without commentary on why I wanted to know - or questioning why it should matter.

Just went back and re-read every post. Where are you seeing anyone insult you? I thought people were most helpful. The best thing about the mini is the couch.