MSC divina boarding problems

[Mikesa1721]

Thanks. Very possible the reason for delay. So sorry to hear of the trouble passengers had today. Sure starts a trip off on a sour note. MSC had situations beyond their control. I'm sure they had their hands full trying to take care of upset pax on board, missing flights, etc. not to mention all the hot and hungry pax waiting to board. Just glad we were not part of it.

 

I agree Cruisergal,,let's just hope the crew onboard can turn the unfortunate situation into a positive one for the pax onboard today!!

Edited August 3, 2014 by Mikesa1721

[Cruisergal1208]

I agree Cruisergal,,let's just hope the crew onboard can turn the unfortunate situation into a positive one for the pax onboard today!!

 

Yes, I sure hope so. A few nice extra perks for them will go a long way for good PR.

 

Wonder how many of the former crew will be back. Lots went home instead of going to Brazil. We will be back on board in November for our third time and hope to see some familiar faces.

[Mikesa1721]

Yes, I sure hope so. A few nice extra perks for them will go a long way for good PR.

 

Wonder how many of the former crew will be back. Lots went home instead of going to Brazil. We will be back on board in November for our third time and hope to see some familiar faces.

 

I know our butler Johnathan, Danny,,,one of the One Bar servers,,and the One Bar bartender,,can't remember his name,,,we had such a great time with all of them,,we can't wait to see them again!!

[Cruisergal1208]

Our favorite, Vasant who worked in the Topsail, said he might go to one of the MSC ships in the Med. Our Butler was Flores the last time. They all did an awesome job spoiling us!!

[Mikesa1721]

Back in May,,one of the One Bar bartenders went to work for Royal Caribbean the day we docked in Nassau. Even though we knew him for one day,, we still managed to give him hell about jumping ship. We love interacting with the crew,,some have fascinating stories to tell.

[riclop]

Yes, I sure hope so. A few nice extra perks for them will go a long way for good PR.

 

Wonder how many of the former crew will be back. Lots went home instead of going to Brazil. We will be back on board in November for our third time and hope to see some familiar faces.

Lots of them were sent home early before Brazil because they said they did not want to re-new there contract.

[Mikesa1721]

Lots of them were sent home early before Brazil because they said they did not want to re-new there contract.

 

I heard the same thing Riclop,,but I thought some of the crew didn't want to go to Brazil and instead went home to their families until Divina returned back to Miami. Uggghhh!!! As long as a few familiar faces will be onboard when we sail in 3 weeks,,we'll be happy,,but we don't mind making new friends as well, so all is good!!:)

[riclop]

I heard the same thing Riclop,,but I thought some of the crew didn't want to go to Brazil and instead went home to their families until Divina returned back to Miami. Uggghhh!!! As long as a few familiar faces will be onboard when we sail in 3 weeks,,we'll be happy,,but we don't mind making new friends as well, so all is good!!:)

Mike i know of 3 that took the job because they wanted to go to Brazil and there contract was to end today, so needless to say they were very disappointed when they were let go early before Brazil. I think there will be alot of new faces. Mike enjoy your cruise in the yacht club.

[maureencruiser]

She's still in port- she looks beautiful at night.

 

 

http://www.portmiamiwebcam.com/

[Mikesa1721]

Mike i know of 3 that took the job because they wanted to go to Brazil and there contract was to end today, so needless to say they were very disappointed when they were let go early before Brazil. I think there will be alot of new faces. Mike enjoy your cruise in the yacht club.

 

Well that's unfortunate Riclop. Crossing my fingers that some resemblance of the crew in the Yacht Club are still there, if not we'll enjoy ourselves either way!! :D

[maureencruiser]

There she goes! Bon Voyage!!

[Mikesa1721]

There she goes! Bon Voyage!!

 

She does look great at night,,even better in person I must say:D but she may be in for a bumpy ride,,looks like that storm in the Bahamas is getting closer to Florida.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Mikesa1721

[Bosjoe]

Wow, the dock area they have no control over. I can't wait to read the reviews. Ugh. Let's see probably over 7000 people and maybe 50-100 terminal workers if that. Who's going to win that battle? Stuff happen out of control of the cruise line. Imagine if they kept people there, and something happened. Msc can not win here, because people think they are always in the right. They should have done this they should have done that.

 

Ship happens. I got stuck once in Miami going to pier because NCL Norway had an explosion some years back. nobody had a time when to come down and taxis were being turned away. We finally got there, it didn't ruin our vacation and I can't blame the cruise line as it was port authority closing things down.

 

I hope you end up having a fabulous cruise and not let an incident that MSC did not cause ruin your cruise.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Bosjoe

[mcatmcat]

My friends was leaving today an board carnival and I was listening to the radio but I didn't know it was a big mess. I knew the ship was leaving at 9pm since the captain was talking in the radio but msc never told his costumers in the terminal :-(

 

 

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[AmoMondo]

Well at least they are away now and hopeful will manage to avoid stormy waters.

 

I remember once having a similar nightmare situation at Efinburgh Airport. Turned out some idiot passengers backpack strap had broken so he just abandoned it causing a bomb scare. I just arrived by taxi as they started evacuating the terminal. We got pushed from one area to another. It was freezing cold in January and we were out there until it was dark. There was no information from the airlines (didn't really expect them to) nor from the airport staff. Police were more helpful. I was trying to get down to London for an early morning flight the next day and was debating taking myself off into town to get a train to Gatwick instaed. He was able to give me an idea that it would be over in another hour.

 

It was a complete scrum getting back in and those of us with special needs fared worse with no one around to assist us from the airport. They were just swamped by the volume of passengers.

 

It was a complete mess. I did blame the eejit passenger who caused the problem and wasn't best impressed bynthe Airports handling of it all but never at any point did I blame British Airways. They were on the receiving end of the issue just as I was.

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

Mike i know of 3 that took the job because they wanted to go to Brazil and there contract was to end today, so needless to say they were very disappointed when they were let go early before Brazil. I think there will be alot of new faces. Mike enjoy your cruise in the yacht club.

 

Cruiseships sailing in Brazilian waters need a certain % brazilian crew according to Brazilian laws. That's why there is allways a lot of crewchange before and after the Brazilian sailing season. This applies to the European based MSC ships as well when they head for Brazil.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Norwegian Cruiser 73

[Mikesa1721]

Cruiseships sailing in Brazilian waters need a certain % brazilian crew according to Brazilian laws. That's why there is allways a lot of crewchange before and after the Brazilian sailing season. This applies to the European based MSC ships as well when they head for Brazil.

 

Interesting Norwegian,,,even if the ship is flying under a flag of convenience??

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

Interesting Norwegian,,,even if the ship is flying under a flag of convenience??

 

Yes, as long as the ship operates from and between Brazilian Ports. The same applies to the foreign offshore oil and gas industry in Brazil.

[moomoocow]

We got off the Divina yesterday and although the gas leak wasn't MSC's fault the VERY slow disembarking of the ship prior to the leak was of their making.

 

Suitcases for people disembarking at 11am were at the terminal on conveyor belts at 8am. But suitcases for priority disembarking didn't appear until an hour after their allotted time. And by then there was a humongous queue of Brazilian families trying to get through US immigration.

 

Coupled with a taxi driver who decided to try and let us off at the side of the freeway by Miami airport after driving around getting lost looking for the Tri-Rail stop (and the meter up to $50 in the process) this made for a very poor end to a great holiday.

 

Still - no one died. Everyone got on or off the ship and we (just) made our flights. As did our luggage.

[Mikesa1721]

We got off the Divina yesterday and although the gas leak wasn't MSC's fault the VERY slow disembarking of the ship prior to the leak was of their making.

 

Suitcases for people disembarking at 11am were at the terminal on conveyor belts at 8am. But suitcases for priority disembarking didn't appear until an hour after their allotted time. And by then there was a humongous queue of Brazilian families trying to get through US immigration.

 

Coupled with a taxi driver who decided to try and let us off at the side of the freeway by Miami airport after driving around getting lost looking for the Tri-Rail stop (and the meter up to $50 in the process) this made for a very poor end to a great holiday.

 

Still - no one died. Everyone got on or off the ship and we (just) made our flights. As did our luggage.

 

Thanks Moo for bringing some clarity to the situation. It looks like MSC's debarkation process still needs some refinement.

[helen haywood]

Just wanted to mention that our sailing in November on Divina has a scheduled departure from Miami at 7 pm. So she was delayed embarking/debarking and leaving on this cruise, but I wanted people to be aware that she wasn't scheduled to sail at 4:30 or 5 as many other ships do.

[AmoMondo]

Cruiseships sailing in Brazilian waters need a certain % brazilian crew according to Brazilian laws. That's why there is allways a lot of crewchange before and after the Brazilian sailing season. This applies to the European based MSC ships as well when they head for Brazil.

 

It is quite a high percentage too. I think on my sailing from Venice to Io, we were told they had to have at least 40% Brazilian, other wise the ship would not be allowed to operate there.

[emarismom]

The ship and staff have been wonderful! The ship is gorgeous. I am enjoying my time there, however most conversations on board discuss what happened during boarding. At the CC meet and greet the captain came and spoke to us. They are looking at ways to compensate passengers. We will see what happens.

 

 

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[Cruisergal1208]

The ship and staff have been wonderful! The ship is gorgeous. I am enjoying my time there, however most conversations on board discuss what happened during boarding. At the CC meet and greet the captain came and spoke to us. They are looking at ways to compensate passengers. We will see what happens.

 

 

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Thanks so much for the update. Look forward to your review and updates. Awesome that the Captain came to your M&G! Hope you enjoy your cruise. We will be back on board in November. :)

Edited August 4, 2014 by Cruisergal1208

[Mikesa1721]

Thanks so much for the update. Look forward to your review and updates. Awesome that the Captain came to your M&G! Hope you enjoy your cruise. We will be back on board in November. :)

 

Love Captain Scala!! He had dinner in LeMuse one night and went to each table introducing himself and thanking everyone for sailing with MSC. Of course everyone had to have their picture taken with him, and he accommodated all of us who were in the restaurant that night. Can't wait to see him again in a few weeks!!!