Divina extreme reviews, is it the Divina, or the Reviewers!

[resstation]

I'm curious if the American cruise lines that sail in Europe change the way they deal with passengers as much as MSC has changed their European ways to deal with American passengers. I've never cruised Europe and I'm interested in knowing if I will see a difference in Royal Caribbean, Celebrity or Norwegian should I choose to cruise there.

 

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[Daniela32]

It was shocking to me that guy who sold me a ticket to Manhattan asked me to merry him, and another guy in Soho NY shoe store asked me if I had a chewing gum. This kind of "we know each other" was shocking to me at the time I was in NY, so what, I enjoyed it after a while, especilly when the free drinks were comming to my table each time I went out. :)

[flahagan]

I'm curious if the American cruise lines that sail in Europe change the way they deal with passengers as much as MSC has changed their European ways to deal with American passengers. I've never cruised Europe and I'm interested in knowing if I will see a difference in Royal Caribbean, Celebrity or Norwegian should I choose to cruise there.

 

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We did a Med cruise on Celebrity Solstice and didn't see much that was different, other than people tended to dress better in the evening. But then again, it was mostly Americans who were on the sailing, so Celebrity didn't have to do much altering.

 

I would suspect that if MSC were trying to appeal strictly to Europeans wanting a Caribbean experience, they wouldn't have to modify much of anything. I think it is because they're hoping to win a big chunk of the US market that they're having to bend over backwards with all the changes.

[cruisingcanadian]

It was shocking to me that guy who sold me a ticket to Manhattan asked me to merry him, and another guy in Soho NY shoe store asked me if I had a chewing gum. This kind of "we know each other" was shocking to me at the time I was in NY, so what, I enjoyed it after a while, especilly when the free drinks were comming to my table each time I went out. :)

 

Hi Daniela,your post brought some memories and smile to my face:42 years ago I went with my 6-year old son on a vacation in Jelsa,on the Hvar island in former Yugoslavia.As travelers from former Czechoslovakia we had very limited funds,so we booked a modest room in a villa (private home at "baka's) without meals which meant going shopping at local markets and cook in a common kitchen. I still remember all those "ja te volim","ja te lubim"

(I like you,I love you),and invitations on dates I kept hearing from local men ;)

Having my son at my side helped a bit in refusing all this unwanted attention.

Was I shocked? No. I knew the reputation Southern European men had....

 

So,you see,it goes on at both sides of the ocean;that time in Jelsa I was young,slim and blond...and I got a lot of attention;). But when visited NYC, I had not encountered any of it...well,maybe it has something to do with the fact that I was in my sixties;).

Enjoy the attention while you are young! :)

Edited March 13, 2014 by cruisingcanadian

[Beamafar]

What's a queue?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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HaHaHa - love it!!!:D:D

[Daniela32]

C'mon, Jelsa is the perfect place where I want to live! There is a name for that guys that approached you . the seagoals. :D

 

But... when I was in NY there was an old lady who kissed my cheacks and calling me my baby (old nanny holding a local restaurant at long island NY) I was talking about that friendliness that was too much (although the old lady was a wellcome because I was homesick and missing my folks).

Edited March 13, 2014 by Daniela32

[cruisetrail]

I'm curious if the American cruise lines that sail in Europe change the way they deal with passengers as much as MSC has changed their European ways to deal with American passengers. I've never cruised Europe and I'm interested in knowing if I will see a difference in Royal Caribbean, Celebrity or Norwegian should I choose to cruise there.

 

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Forums mobile app

 

Cruise ships operated by "American" cruise lines do not need to change anything for cruises in Europe.

They follow cruise industry standards and traditions.

Best "ways to deal with passengers" bring us back to ocean liners of White Star Line, Cunard Line, SGT, HAPAG, etc. This is Europe.

 

If you look for European style cruising look for those products that are closer to best ocean liners traditions, i.e. to Europe.

These products are Cunard, Holland America and Princess - regardless the location of their headquarters. These are the most European cruise lines.

RCI, Carnival and NCL are more American style.

Celebrity is somewhere in between.

Costa & MSC is substandard in many ways ("provincial") style of cruising. Put them next to Cunard and see the difference.

Note that being European is not determined by amount of pizza/pasta served on a cruise ship. It's determined by ships design and concept of the product.

The appearance of the Divina product was slightly carnivalized to make it more attractive for the Carnival and NCL clientele.

Even slightly carnivalized, MSC product is not the same as Carnival and NCL. It's different because all cruise lines are different, not because it's "European" :)

So the answer to your question is "no".

Cunard, Holland America and Princess (Grand class) continue to offer their traditional European style of cruising while in Europe.

RCI and NCL offer "American" style.

And Celebrity (with their problems with product identity) continue to offer something in between.

Costa & MSC in Europe offer what they have been doing for years - so-called "Italian style" cruising that leaves much to be desired in comparison with the best of Cruise Industry Styles - European Style.

Edited March 13, 2014 by cruisetrail

[andrewjb1]

Cruise ships operated by "American" cruise lines do not need to change anything for cruises in Europe.

 

They follow cruise industry standards and traditions.

 

Best "ways to deal with passengers" bring us back to ocean liners of White Star Line, Cunard Line, SGT, HAPAG, etc. This is Europe.

 

 

 

If you look for European style cruising look for those products that are closer to best ocean liners traditions, i.e. to Europe.

 

These products are Cunard, Holland America and Princess - regardless the location of their headquarters. These are the most European cruise lines.

 

RCI, Carnival and NCL are more American style.

 

Celebrity is somewhere in between.

 

Costa & MSC is substandard in many ways ("provincial") style of cruising. Put them next to Cunard and see the difference.

 

Note that being European is not determined by amount of pizza/pasta served on a cruise ship. It's determined by ships design and concept of the product.

 

The appearance of the Divina product was slightly carnivalized to make it more attractive for the Carnival and NCL clientele.

 

Even slightly carnivalized, MSC product is not the same as carnival and NCL. It's different because all cruise lines are different, not because it's "European" :)

 

 

Thank you for your Insight cruisetrail. What did you enjoy most and least about your MSC cruises??

 

I personally can only compare to NCL but found the whole atmosphere felt very much more Mediterranean. My expectations were low but I loved it.

 

 

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[American Bear]

We did a Med cruise on Celebrity Solstice and didn't see much that was different, other than people tended to dress better in the evening. But then again, it was mostly Americans who were on the sailing, so Celebrity didn't have to do much altering.

 

I would suspect that if MSC were trying to appeal strictly to Europeans wanting a Caribbean experience, they wouldn't have to modify much of anything. I think it is because they're hoping to win a big chunk of the US market that they're having to bend over backwards with all the changes.

 

That makes sense, it seems the American Corporate image is slowly taking over! In Moscow there were McDonald's, and Burger Kings, London we saw KFC, and in Paris McDonald's, and Disney!:eek:

[DutchBunny]

Cruise ships operated by "American" cruise lines do not need to change anything for cruises in Europe.

They follow cruise industry standards and traditions.

Best "ways to deal with passengers" bring us back to ocean liners of White Star Line, Cunard Line, SGT, HAPAG, etc. This is Europe.

 

If you look for European style cruising look for those products that are closer to best ocean liners traditions, i.e. to Europe.

These products are Cunard, Holland America and Princess - regardless the location of their headquarters. These are the most European cruise lines.

RCI, Carnival and NCL are more American style.

Celebrity is somewhere in between.

Costa & MSC is substandard in many ways ("provincial") style of cruising. Put them next to Cunard and see the difference.

Note that being European is not determined by amount of pizza/pasta served on a cruise ship. It's determined by ships design and concept of the product.

The appearance of the Divina product was slightly carnivalized to make it more attractive for the Carnival and NCL clientele.

Even slightly carnivalized, MSC product is not the same as Carnival and NCL. It's different because all cruise lines are different, not because it's "European" :)

So the answer to your question is "no".

Cunard, Holland America and Princess (Grand class) continue to offer their traditional European style of cruising while in Europe.

RCI and NCL offer "American" style.

And Celebrity (with their problems with product identity) continue to offer something in between.

Costa & MSC in Europe offer what they have been doing for years - so-called "Italian style" cruising that leaves much to be desired in comparison with the best of Cruise Industry Styles - European Style.

 

How often have you been to Europe? I don't think there is a European style. I live in the Netherlands but the way we live is so different from Southern Europe or the UK and even in Germany it is different. So maybe you can tell me what European style is because I do know this even though I am European.

[andrewjb1]

How often have you been to Europe? I don't think there is a European style. I live in the Netherlands but the way we live is so different from Southern Europe or the UK and even in Germany it is different. So maybe you can tell me what European style is because I do know this even though I am European.

 

 

It's the Mediterranean style they are referring to I think Bunny.

 

 

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[papcx]

Thank you for your Insight cruisetrail. What did you enjoy most and least about your MSC cruises??

 

 

 

I don't think you'll get an answer to THAT question!

[DutchBunny]

It's the Mediterranean style they are referring to I think Bunny.

 

 

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Ohhh, well I have never been on any HAL ship but my inlaws have and it did not sound Mediterranean, more like an elderly persons home :p The food was as tasteful as it can be in these homes. They only did not use the blender.

Edited March 13, 2014 by DutchBunny

[andrewjb1]

Ohhh, well I have never been on any HAL ship but my inlaws have and it did not sound Mediterranean, more like an elderly persons home :p The food was as tasteful as it can be in these homes. They only did not use the blender.

 

I have never travelled on HAL so as such I wouldn't want to comment. MSC definitely had a Mediterranean vibe to it.

[Bosjoe]

Thank you for your Insight cruisetrail. What did you enjoy most and least about your MSC cruises??

 

As far as we can tell he has never been on MSC. He just comes in here and gives thumbs down on a ship he has never been on. From the food to design. He can say he does not like a design of the ship, but thats it, we can not take his judement on food, crowds, service or anythhing else while cruising a ship. An opinion on a design does not make a person an expert on cruising MSC.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Bosjoe

[cruisetrail]

How often have you been to Europe? I don't think there is a European style. I live in the Netherlands but the way we live is so different from Southern Europe or the UK and even in Germany it is different. So maybe you can tell me what European style is because I do know this even though I am European.

 

My post is about cruising, not about Europe.

As I said, pease take Cunard Line, White Star Line, HAPAG, CGT, Holland America best ships (or even Italian Line!) and see what is Europe at sea.

There was nothing else but Europe at sea (US Line was a small portion of the market), so classy sea travel is by definition "European style".

[andrewjb1]

My post is about cruising, not about Europe.

As I said, pease take Cunard Line, White Star Line, HAPAG, CGT, Holland America best ships (or even Italian Line!) and see what is Europe at sea.

There was nothing else but Europe at sea (US Line was a small portion of the market), so classy sea travel is by definition "European style".

 

 

Thank you for the clarification.

 

 

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[Mattingly23]

What did you enjoy most and least about your MSC cruises??

 

When we discuss cruising, we are concerned only with the design of the vessel. We do not discuss such trivial details as food, service, or safety. We discuss if there are pictures of old rust buckets on the walls from the early days of cruising.

 

We decide that if there is a proper promenade, then the bacon will be crispy.

 

[toes_in_sand]

This thread is giving me great entertainment, especially when someone feeds the troll a breadcrumb.

 

White Star was purchased by Cunard, which is owned by gasp!! Carnival Corp.

HAL is own by gasped again Carnival. Wow what great European lines.

 

I will enjoy my lack of wrap around promenade deck, the canned music in the theatre, the canned pineapple on the buffet, and of course my not too crispy bacon each morning.

 

Just for the simple reason, I won't be running into any Anti MSC nay sayers on board.

 

I'm just happy that I'm going cruisin for a week

Edited March 14, 2014 by Laurnat

[SeaYa52]

This thread is giving me great entertainment, especially when someone feeds the troll a breadcrumb.

 

White Star was purchased by Cunard, which is owned by gasp!! Carnival Corp.

HAL is own by gasped again Carnival. Wow what great European lines.

 

I will enjoy my lack of wrap around promenade deck, the canned music in the theatre, the canned pineapple on the buffet, and of course my not too crispy bacon each morning.

 

Just for the simple reason, I won't be running into any Anti MSC nay sayers on board.

 

I'm just happy that I'm going cruisin for a week

 

Agree!!!!! And love your post!

 

 

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[cruisetrail]

When we discuss cruising, we are concerned only with the design of the vessel. We do not discuss such trivial details as food, service, or safety.

 

 

There is an interesting thread about food. For unknown reason it has only four posts:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2004870

 

It's waiting for contributions!

Edited March 14, 2014 by cruisetrail

[cruiseguys2009]

Wave your Pinky at NEG-A-TIV-A-TY!

[cruiseguys2009]

 

"50 Days Until Our Cruise, 50 Days To Go...UNTIL I CAN SAY I WENT ON THE MAGNIFICENT MSC DIVINA!"

[cruiseguys2009]

Any ship that is worthy of Madame Sophia Loren as her God Mother, is the ship I want to go on.

The Gorgeous, Delicious, European, Italian, Magnificent, Incredible, Sensational, Electric MSC USA DIVINA!

[cruiseguys2009]

Wave your Pinky at NEG-A-TIV-A-TY!