How I was trying to cruise on MSC. A REAL story step by step in pictures & video.

[Capricruiser]

We must admit that we ALL love cruising. Which line and/or itinerary is a personal choice. What is good for one may not be enjoyed by another.

 

It is truly amazing the amount of drivel that goes on in the MSC main thread..!!!!!....my comment from a Canadian perspective

Amen!

[bltrn]

I just discovered the ignore function!!!!!! Now I might enjoy the threads a lot more.

[cruisetrail]

Let's take a closer look at the Divina "hotel part" layout.

 

The Divina is a sister ship to the Splendida but some changes has been done to the deck plans, cabins and balconies.

 

It may be so disappointing to find out that your actual cabin on a cruise ship what you expected.

 

MSC website has deck plans posted but the image of the ship attached to the deck plans is showing a different ship, not the Divina.

It looks like the older ships (Splendida) and actually has two names at the same time: Fantasia and Divina.

The picture does not match Divina deck plans.

 

[cruisetrail]

First of all a few words about terminology.

Forward "hump" - a wider forward part of the superstructure.

Middle hump - a wider (not as wide as the forward part) midships part.

Aft hump - a wider stern part of the ship.

 

This is my photo of the front hump of the Splendida.

Below the photo you'll find comments on important changes to the Divina layout vs Splendida.

 

MSC Splendida Front Hump

 

 

 

You see open veranda balconies on deck 8 and deck 9 along with in-hull balconies on the Splendida.

 

Note that on the Divina: all balconies on deck 8 and deck 9 on the forward hump are in-hull balconies.

 

Note balcony cabins 8073 and 8077 on the Splendida.

On the Divina 8073 and 8077 are porthole cabins.

Same applies to the other side of the ship.

 

 

Compare deck plans. See the highlighted part:

 

 

Four balcony cabins on the Splendida (8072, 8073, 8076, 8077) have been converted into porthole cabins on the Divina.

Four inside cabins are gone.

 

Cabin numbers now are different from this place aft.

 

Later we'll talk about the middle hump.

Be well prepared, study deck plans before you book a cruise :)

Edited July 22, 2013 by cruisetrail

[SeagoingMom]

We must admit that we ALL love cruising. Which line and/or itinerary is a personal choice. What is good for one may not be enjoyed by another.

 

It is truly amazing the amount of drivel that goes on in the MSC main thread..!!!!!....my comment from a Canadian perspective

What do you perceive to be different about a Canadian perspective than whatever other perspectives have been offered? (I am not being snide -- I really would like to know, as I have only visited Canada.)

 

If you discount the posts which are clearly exaggerations to make a point, most of what is posted regards people's personal choices, as you say, and expressions (however forceful) of personal tastes. What constitutes drivel, from your perspective? (I'm not baiting you -- I would really like to know, since you mentioned it.)

[DutchBunny]

The only point I get from this thread is that HAL has better pictures than MSC and knows how to use photoshop.

 

For one thing, I do not care how food looks, I only care how it tastes. If you go to Italy or Spain or Greece or a lot of other countries, you eat the best food in small local restaurant which look like barns or stables. For instance in India you better stay out of the fancy restaurants with all the nice looking food. This food makes yoy ill because not many people go there. Yes the food looks nice but it doesn't say anything about quality or taste.

[SeagoingMom]

SeagoingMom; I find the MDR and Buffet (excluding the Breakfast) such an insult to my pallet and food in general to the extent that now, while investigating a 28 night cruise of New Zealand and South Pacific Islands on the Oosterdam I am already budgeting an additional US$700 for extra charge restaurants as an alternative.; take into consideration that this is already up and above the US$6,600 fare for an inside cabin.

 

Don't misunderstand me; I don't think there is much wrong with HAL, I just think that it will leave worldly people wanting.

Ouch

 

And I presume you meant the food on HAL is an insult to your palate?

 

P.S. I would not budget too much for the Pinnacle Grill -- at least on the Zuiderdam, the food was not much different than in the MDR, so will leave you wanting. You should perhaps reconsider your cruise on the Oosterdam -- wouldn't want you to starve...

[sidari]

Cunard with all its trappings and history also have issues where food is concerned, when we cruised on the Queen Victoria we met a few people in the main dining room who had cabins in the Princess Grill which entitles them to their own private dining room similar to the Yacht club on Divina.

 

We were quite shocked to be told that they thought the food was much better in the main dining room than theirs ... :eek:

[bachcruise]

Interesting thread, thank you. I'd be interested in sailing both the Eurodam and MSC Divina in the future. My only observation from sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam a few months ago is that the food on HAL is not quite as enticing in person as it appears in the pictures you chose.

[All aboard??]

Interesting thread, thank you. I'd be interested in sailing both the Eurodam and MSC Divina in the future. My only observation from sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam a few months ago is that the food on HAL is not quite as enticing in person as it appears in the pictures you chose.

 

I concur; looks great; tastes like McDonalds

[Tangocherie]

I concur; looks great; tastes like McDonalds

 

VERY cheap shot. Certainly affects your credibility in my opinion. By the way, I'm looking forward to my cruise on the Divina...:cool:

Very much a cheerleader!!!

Edited July 23, 2013 by Tangocherie

[All aboard??]

VERY cheap shot. Certainly affects your credibility in my opinion. By the way, I'm looking forward to my cruise on the Divina...:cool:

Very much a cheerleader!!!

 

I think you got a little lost in translation; comment was directed at HAL food; looks nice but that is about it.

[Boytjie]

I concur; looks great; tastes like McDonalds

 

I don't eat at McDonalds. HAL's food is pretty good for mass produced food.

[cruisetrail]

MSC Splendida / MSC Divina - Middle Hump

 

 

Deck 8 - more cabins added

 

The middle hump on the Divina has been noticeably extended aft.

 

On the Divina: 28 standard balcony cabins (balconies with lifeboats in front of them) have been converted into smaller porthole cabins to give room for additional 22 inside cabins.

 

 

[cruisetrail]

Decks 9 - 13

 

110 standard balcony cabins have been converted into smaller balcony cabins with "shallow" balconies.

 

132 inside cabins have been added to the extended middle hump (decks 8-13).

 

 

 

 

Overall changes (cabins) seen in the Divina deck plans (in comparison with the Splendida):

About 170 standard balcony cabins have been converted into either porthole cabins or smaller cabins with smaller balconies.

Total number of inside cabins icreased by about 110-120 (132 were added to the hump, several cabins were removed on deck 5 and deck 8).

 

 

The theatre seat plan on the Divina has been changed to (I assume) accommodate the increased number of passengers.

 

[sthelder]

Overall changes (cabins) seen in the Divina deck plans (in comparison with the Splendida):

About 170 standard balcony cabins have been converted into either porthole cabins or smaller cabins with smaller balconies.

Total number of inside cabins icreased by about 110-120 (132 were added to the hump, several cabins were removed on deck 5 and deck 8).

 

 

Just curious, what is the purpose of this comparison? Since you have not been on Splendida (or any other MSC ships), so, why would it affect your decision not to cruise on Divina?

[cruisetrail]

Just curious, what is the purpose of this comparison?

 

Technical interest.

Choosing the right cabin on the Divina.

 

Why not ask about the purpose of these changes on the Divina?

[sthelder]

Technical interest.

Choosing the right cabin on the Divina.

 

Why not ask about the purpose of these changes on the Divina?

 

The question is not answered. If you haven't cruised on a ship before, you won't know how much impact adding cabins would affect the experience. If it's a new ship, I would personally look for cabin photo, reviews, rough size etc of the ship I want to sail directly.

 

Why not stick to comparing similar cabin on Divina and HAL ship?

 

And if you could find me a cruiseline that recently removed or reduced significantly the overall number of cabins from one of its existing ship or design...it would be more interesting to me

Edited July 23, 2013 by sthelder

[cruisetrail]

And if you could find me a cruise line that recently removed or reduced significantly the overall number of cabins from one of its existing ship or design...it would be more interesting to me

 

This case is very different...

 

There are a few very well known examples of changes done to the existing design of famous ships:

- Royal Caribbean Voyager to Navigator - balconies enlarged (not added)

- Royal Caribbean Mariner to Freedom - the ship has been stretched with the public space and number of balcony and inside cabins increased accordingly and new features added.

- Princess Grand to (finally) Ruby - added balcony and inside cabins with minimal increase in public space

- HAL Vista class to Signature subclass - added balcony cabins with significant increase in public space

- Celebrity Solstice to Reflection - balcony and inside cabins added with some reduction in public space

 

The changes we see in the Divina are done unlike ever before on cruise ships.

While total number of cabins increased by 110-120, 32 balcony cabins lost their balconies; 140 balcony cabins became smaller, so did their balconies.

This is quite an unusual "sophisticated" way of adding capacity.

 

Do you think this way of sophistication will become a new trend?

[cruisetrail]

Yacht Club 12001, 12002, 12004

 

 

[cruisetrail]

There are no balconies, I stayed in 12002 and 12004 and can confirm is there is a balcony but you can't access it - only large picture windows

 

Are you joking?

Suites without balconies at all?

 

These suites are on offer for about $ 3,700 per couple (7 days in May 2014).

 

However, that's a rule: if you see something outstanding - expect more.

Same here.

If bacony cabins are converted into porthole cabins, why not have a suite with no balcony?

 

Thanks God MSC is not defining the new cruise industry (yet?) :)

[All aboard??]

Are you joking?

Suites without balconies at all?

 

These suites are on offer for about $ 3,700 per couple (7 days in May 2014).

 

However, that's a rule: if you see something outstanding - expect more.

Same here.

If bacony cabins are converted into porthole cabins, why not have a suite with no balcony?

 

Thanks God MSC is not defining the new cruise industry (yet?) :)

 

I don't get your point, Queen Mary 2 has the Queen Anne and Queen Victoria suites, which I might add cost $27,000 for seven days.....not quite the enthusiast you purport to be :rolleyes:

[All aboard??]

And as a post script Princess and Celebrity also have ships with suites with no balconies......Cruisetrail you bore us with your rhetoric and the only reason why I am answering your post is because your narcissism prevents me from sleeping.

[SeaVee]

Decks 9 - 13

 

110 standard balcony cabins have been converted into smaller balcony cabins with "shallow" balconies.

 

 

 

 

The smaller balcony cabins with "shallow balconies" are priced less than those with larger balconies. Great for solos!! :)

Edited July 28, 2013 by SeaVee

[All aboard??]

These smaller balcony cabins with shallow balconies are priced less than the larger balconies. Great for solos!! :)

 

MSC is very solo friendly; even Yacht Club only has a 50% single supplement :D