Mikesa1721

We received the 575.00 off and $40.00 Arcade credit as well.

We already have 4 cruises booked with MSC so we won't be taking advantage of this offer though.

Great review....quick question?....did the shore excursion desk say anything about why the website showed the cabanas as sold out and yet there were ones available...I am wondering if the website just always shows sold out and it's up to the individuals to approach once onboard........I would rather like to get one up front and know it's secured because I went to NCL website and they look amazing...........thanks

Aussie, the cabana excursion for our trip on August 23rd showed as being sold out as well. I called my pvc and he was able to reserve one for me. I had to pre-pay the $250.00 up front though. We are staying in the Yacht Club so I'm not sure if MSC holds a few cabanas for Yacht Club members or not, but I would call MSC and speak to a pvc and see if there may be some available for your sailing.

We have four cabins booked for the October 18 sailing, and cannot find the final payment date listed anywhere on the website or our invoices. My SO is going to call this week and ask, but can somebody remind us of the final payment date?

Hi neighbor!! 75 days before sailing.

IT's quite possible to see through the glass on deck 18 , it's just tinted , a bit like the tinted glass used in the backs of cars these days.

 

I wouldn't recommend taking photos through it , but you can take photos through the gaps between the panels

 

You can see perfectly well in my photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete

Nice pic Skier!! I seem to be able to see through that FENCE.

Be sure to write in and tell them this for when they design the new ships. Obviously your expertise and experience is much needed and I am sure they will be appropriately grateful.

As well as Celebrity,,it seems their "S" class ships have "design flaws":roll eyes:as well.

It's unlikely someone who has sailed on the ship, especially someone who has the expressed intent of doing a review, would actually be confused on this point. So one can draw ones own conclusions...

 

Anyway, I will be on the Divina's sister ship in a month and will be working through a mental checklist: ....bacon...ashtrays in the bathroom...fresh or fake flowers...wind breaks opaque or blocking the view... :D

Ashtrays in the bathroom??? That's a new one. Enjoy the Yacht Club!! We had a fantastic experience there and here's hoping you do as well!!:D

I think they are actually sitting on top of the clamshell!

 

What we need is someone who has actually been on the Divina and utilized this area who can chime in with their experience and preferably photos. The wind screen, an essential feature, looks like it's opaque so it would be interesting to ow what can be seen through it.

Kat,,I've stayed in the Yacht Club where the same glass wind screen surrounds the pool area on deck 18,,the glass is tinted and can be seen through,,

FYI the sun deck above the Galaxy (deck 18) does not have great views.

The views are ruined by the full height fence.

This is one of many MSC Divina design flaws.

Let me clarify some things for you:

A Fence:

A Wind Screen:

I'm pretty sure I can see a view through the wind screen

It isn't like the Divina is sailing in the Alaskan waters where you would definitely want to have access to the open forward decks. Also, I think the Galaxy has great views from a higher vantage.

The sun deck above the Galaxy Disco(Elios deck 18) has great views as well.

Has it worked well for anyone? Would be great if it did!!

It worked great on our i-Phones. It uses the ships ship's intranet like gaddgie mentioned. It tracks your daily spending, excursions, ship activities, and more. Since we were only on-board for 3 days, we didn't get the full use of it,,but just a little taste. We'll be back on Divina in August where we plan to use it a lot more.

Hopefully so!:)

The one thing about these newer, larger ships is there are a lot more balconies to fill! Hopefully this will keep balcony prices very affordable!

Good Luck!:)

I just called my PVC to make my final payment on our August 23rd sailing, and he is holding one of the Bingo offers for my mother-in-law at no charge. He was telling me that some of their inventory availability has been pulled off the website to accommodate the Bingo and Balcony Bonanza promotions, I guess that's why when I do a mock booking for that sail date, very few stateroom options are available.

This leads to the conclusion that the design is somewhat poor in sea views.

 

Every ship I have been on has had some sort of windscreen to block the wind but they have always had a generally unprotected area forward where one could stand and look forward. Sometimes you simply went around the wind block or through it.

 

So even if the ship's forward deck 18 was open to all they would not have the view they think they would have.

 

None have had the lifeboats hanging off the promenade, they usually hang above it.

 

Makes me sound like...you know who :(

We won't mention his/her name here Legion. You can't see it in that picture, but there is also a railing that sits about 4 feet behind the wind screens, so you have to duck under the railing if you want to get up to the glass. The balcony of both Royal suites in the Yacht Club also have this railing which takes away from using the balcony in it's entirety. I'm guessing they put it there so people don't bump their heads on the structure supporting the glass???

Maybe misleading, but not intentionally!

We did 'miss' the small print that this is a 'GUARANTEE' sale, and that needed to be clarified, which we are HAPPY:), it has been done!

 

The sale is to buy at an inside price, and have an 'opportunity' to get an upgrade to a Balcony!

 

I could see how some here would consider this a 'bait and switch', and no this 'isn't' the best sale MSC has run this year, we bought 2 previously that were much better deals!

 

So thank you to those who made sure the total truth was known!:)

No harm no foul American,,our cousins were able to get a balcony stateroom on our 3 day cruise earlier this month for 199.00 via Groupon. I'm wondering if the closer we get to those sail dates and berths still need to be filled if we don't see Groupon offering similar rates but with a guaranteed balcony stateroom.

The forward observation deck, Yacht Club pool deck,,is surrounded by glass wind screens. It's quite difficult to look forward unless you look between the glass panels. We had a better view forward from our balcony.

We know MSC representatives are on this site and I hope they see these posts and take notes of it. I have read threads where people complained about MSC's customer service but I can't say it's been our experience, thanks to David. He made the whole booking/payment experience so easy. I am so looking forward to my cruise if the staff on board is as professional and nice as he is! :)

David was on our May 17th sailing as part of the Ta group that was aboard. I told him before we left that I wanted to buy him a few drinks for taking such good care of us,,,being the gentleman that he is, he never took us up on the offer so I had to call and yell at him,,lol. He may be on our August 23rd sailing though, so I'm hoping we'll have another chance to show him our appreciation.

All taking care of! I finalized my transaction with the help of my MSC agent, David Maceus, who took great care of us and has been so helpful from day 1!

Thanks to everybody who took the time to provide me with advice and recommendation!

 

Mel

David is our PVC as well. We have nothing but great things to say about David. Very helpful, courteous and always answers any and all of our questions.:D

Wow, thanks for sharing this site. Love the blogger's style of writing.

His style reminds me of Anthony Bourdain.

Nice start to a review by a true travel professional, He was actually on our sailing May 17th,

http://travelbyterry.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/cruising-the-caribbean-mediterranean-style/

Love the video at the end!!!

We received an email this morning, and Divina balconies are going on sale this week for $299-$379. for late August and September! The rate is called 'Super Bingo special rates!:eek:

At these rates, they'll go fast!

These prices are TA or direct/MSC from what the email states, so enjoy a balcony on a beautiful new ship!:)

Has there ever been a better time to cruise on the Best Cruise Value in the Caribbean!

Divina, winner of the American Bear Best Caribbean Cruise Value!

 

A note to the negatives out there, we are not connected with any cruise line/agency, we just like to pass along great deals to our fellow cruisers!

We are on the August 23rd sailing along with our cousins who sailed with us earlier this month. Since I see that sailing included in that promotion, I might have to invite a few more family members along. 299.00??? are you kidding me??

My kids are not going for free in the YC over Christmas. Both kids are paying $500 + port fees.

 

They have adjusted who pays what but the kids have never been free. Also I have mocked several other YC cruises and the kids have never been free there has always been some cruise fee + port fees.

We were going to bring our kids with us in April (13 and 16), and they were going to be charged full fare as long as they were in the Yacht Club,,,taxes and port fees if we were all in a regular stateroom though.

I'm also really really really glad that I managed to twist MrKat's arm to upgrade us to Yacht Club for our upcoming cruise! We originally booked an aft cabin on deck 13 with a juliette balcony but the more I read about Yacht Club the more I craved it! :D

 

I am also full aware that this is a very bad way to start cruising and we won't be happy settling for less in future! :D

You are correct Kat,,it took one single 3 day cruise and now look at my Sig!! Ugghhhhhh!!!:)

Your first cruise and its a B2B in the yacht club, what a way to start. Youll be spoiled rotten, ENJOY IT!!!

I agree,,,Never will "Never" book anywhere else on the ship,,just like me. We're hooked.

And is it once only during the cruise? Or can people buy tickets on multiple days?

You can purchase it as many days as you like so long as you are one of the ten for that day. You can not purchase it in advance I believe. Maybe our fellow MSC representative can chime in and give us all the particulars?

:D

 

Well that would be a touche if we were dueling.

 

I guess 10 people wont be an issues as long as they dont sleep in the lounge overnight. :p

Haaaaaa,,after eating about a dozen of those delicious little one bites they offer at night, I could have easily taken a nap on one the couches in there.

I was curious what the experience of a common passenger is like and how the Yacht Club affects the non-Yacht Club guests. Is the section of the ship exclusive to Yacht Club guests a noticeable fraction of the ship? Are the services devoted the YC guests at the expense of the enjoyment of the common guests?

 

I was interested in booking a cruise on the MSC Divina, however the whole notion of the YC (1st class) makes me a bit leery. I was wondering if any of you kind folks have experienced this either way and if you could chime in. Much appreciated!

Pseudo,,The Yacht Club consists of 3 forward decks. Deck 15, 16 and 18. Looking at the ships deck plan:http://www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/Images/MSC-12-050C_DIVINA-FACT-SHEET_CONSUMER_tcm12-73208.pdf

Please don't be put off by "The Yacht Club", we are a 9-5 couple who choose to stay there only for the all inclusiveness of it, and a quiet place to go when we want to get some sun or just have a drink at the bar.