Jessy74

My daughter's cheer team colors are blue and black so you would match that cheer team!

I'm impressed! I think my makeup alone weighs 13lbs!

What are teens wearing during the summer months to religious sites? I plan to wear capris to the Vatican museums and to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona as well as a few other sites, but I'm not sure what to pack for my teen daughter. She balked at the thought of capri pants. I think pants or jeans will be too hot for her in later June / early July. She suggested leggings but that seems too informal. She has a maxi skirt that might work, but she need a few more options.

We will be in La Spezia for a port day on a Sunday in June. We have booked a tour to Pisa through the cruiseline, MSC. I will not know the time for the tour till we get on the ship but we are in port from 8 a.m. - 2 a.m. I was hoping to find a Catholic Church near the port to attend mass once we return from the tour.

I've looked on google maps and see a few churches, but no links to websites with mass times. Has anyone attended mass in the port of La Spezia and could provide some insight?

Thanks Madflyer! That was super helpful!

Could someone please explain the process of going off an on the ship when it is a split cruise? We embark in Civitavecchia and have a port day in Barcelona. The cruise also has guests disembarking / embarking in Barcelona. I was wondering how the process works for those guests who are not disembarking but just visiting the port. Do we need to wait for the disembarking guests to leave before we can get off the ship? Is there a process similar to US customs?

Is it easy to find a taxi once off the ship in Barcelona? We would like to make Sagrada Familia reservations for the morning and I am trying to determine how much time we will need to get off the ship and find a taxi. Thanks!

We are cruising to the Mediterranean this summer. We embark in Civitavecchia and have a port day in Barcelona. The cruise also has guests disembarking / embarking in Barcelona. I was wondering how the process works for those guests who are not disembarking but just visiting the port. Do we need to wait for the disembarking guests to leave before we can get off the ship? Is there a process similar to US customs?

Thanks!

We are booked on the MSC Divina for June 2015. We disembark on a Saturday in Civitavecchia and plan to stay over one night in Rome before flying to Paris. We would like to visit the Vatican museums on Saturday and are considering booking a tour through the cruise ship. Has anyone else ever done anything like this? We have talked to MSC customer service and they have told us that we could keep the luggage on the bus, then retrieve it at the end of the tour.

One of the main reasons that we are considering booking the tour through the cruise line is so that we do not have to struggle with the luggage on the train into Rome. The tour would include a bus transfer into Rome.

Jessica

I was also on Divina for Easter 2014. We really only noticed the crowding in the Main Dining room. The tables were very close together. The buffet was busy at times, but we never had difficulties finding a table. We found the events and shows to be pleasantly full, but we were always able to find a seat. They set up tables with items to sell in the Piazza in the evenings and that area would get a little crowded but not unpleasantly so.

The previous year I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Sea for Easter 2013 and WOW was that overcrowded. It was really unpleasant. The ship seemed overrun by teenagers. I have a teenager and she would not even go to the Oasis Teen Club because it was so overwhelming.

Cruises during Holidays and peak times are always going to be more crowded.

I'm Diamond on Royal, but I loved the MSC Divinia and I am excited that I will be sailing on her in the Mediterranean this spring.

If I can recall correctly Deck 15 above the Sirene covered pool is a quieter outside area. I cruised on the lovely Divinia last Easter and found that the Galaxy Disco was a nice quiet place to read during the day. I'm sure if you look around when you get on board, you will find a space for your needs.

We are linked together. I don't think that we can switch to regular dining at this point. I'm not sure why we have MTD. I would not have made that choice were it my choice to make, since I know my in-laws like to eat at the same table in the same dining room at the same time each night.

I was really surprised to hear that MTD can only make reservations for groups up to 10 people.

Thanks...I have not been able to do anything with the cruise planner on the Royal website. I've been told that they are having technical issues.

I called Crown and Anchor just now and they made the reservation for 10 people. I was told that the table should be large enough to accommodate 11 though and to ask when we get on the ship. I just want all of this to run smoothly so that we can relax on the ship.

I will be traveling on Liberty of the Seas this Thanksgiving. We have a total of 5 cabins and 11 people in our party. I found out yesterday that we have MTD (it's my first time ever taking a cruise that was booked through a travel agent and didn't realize we were booked under MTD). It is very important to my in-laws that we all are seated together for dinner each night. It is their 50th wedding anniversary and an important trip for all of us.

When I called the travel agent yesterday, she told me that we have to make reservations for dining through Royal Caribbean directly. So I called Royal and was told that they can only make reservations for up to a party of 10, so they would not make the reservation. They gave me the email address for someone who does events on Liberty and mentioned a private dining room as a possible option. I am waiting for a response from her.

Anyone have experience with Liberty, MTD and large parties? I know that I can check with the dining room when we get on the ship, but I'd rather not leave it till that day since we board on Thanksgiving.

Thanks!

Ask that they move you to an ocean view balcony of the same size. OV is better than Boardwalk, unless you want to have people looking in your window when they walk by.

 

jc

We were on Deck 14 in a Boardwalk cabin for an Easter cruise the year before last. Almost directly across from your new cabin. Keep in mind that it is directly beneath the teen club on deck 15. It was outrageously loud. All hours of the night. If I were you, I would request an upgrade to an ocean view.

I could have called up and waited on hold to get it done, or take a minute while I was already on Facebook to send them a message.

 

The choice is completely yours to make, for me Facebook was my option. I sent a message at midnight, and by the time I got up in the morning it was done.

 

Unfortunately or fortunately, social media is the wave of the future. It is faster and more convenient for some people like myself.

I have no problem with social media and use it extensively both for business and personal use. It just seems as though requests could easily fall through the cracks that way.

That policy has now been changed. Sailing on May 10th, tried to book my 15 coupon booklet online, automatically added 2 booklets. Contacted MSC who informed me that the policy has changed and all members have to order the coupon book when ordering ONLINE. If you only wanted to order 1 booklet, you need to either call in, or facebook them and it is added on to you folio.

Facebook them to reserve a drink package? I am looking forward to my cruise and am not one to really sweat the small stuff, but this earned a major eye-roll from me. Does not seem like an efficient way to ensure customer satisfaction.

We were on the Oasis in cabin 14301 last week, which is the highest deck with a Boardwalk Balcony. It was very noisy. We were below the teen club and they tended to hang out outside till curfew at 1 a.m. We could also hear the noise from the sports courts. They were very, very noisy. The last night was the worst. Screaming and hollering.

It might be better when it is not spring break though.

It was cool watching people on the zip line.

On the Explorer in September, there was a drink called the Love Connection that was so good! It was a layered drink with pina colada, strawberry daquiri and mango daquiri.....yum! I want one now!!!