Wonderful experience on 10 Divina

[Markanddonna]

We just returned from a very pleasant first-time cruise on MSC Divina. We have about sixteen cruises under our belt on four other cruise lines and now MSC rates very high. I’m going to attempt to be very detailed with the intention of being helpful so the reader will understand how to make your MSC cruise more enjoyable. BTW- we now have booked three more MSC cruises!  

 

First, there is a bit of a learning curve for MSC. You have to decide not only on the usual cabin type but also your “experience level.”  You pay more for better cabin location, the choice of dining times, free room service, etc. Take time to examine these options. We chose Fantastica which gave us early dining time and a drink package. Warning: drink packages have changed so be certain of the details. I believe that deal is ending in late March. For some reason, we were given unlimited drinks (still all “lower shelf”), AND 2 packs of coupons for free drinks with no service charge included.  Why we got both???

 

Also, you need to be aware of the status match offer. We are Platinum on NCL and were given the top Black Card Status that came with a number of very nice extras including a dinner for two in one of the two specialty restaurants. Also receive two large solid chocolate ship replicas of the Divina, bathrobes and slippers, a fruit basket, chocolate covered strawberries, a bottle of spumante, a special dance class, and a lovely birthday cake for my husband on his birthday. There were other offers for black card folks like a one-hour thermal area experience that we didn’t use.

 

It appears that MSC was a bit too generous and scaled that offer of their top status back to only the top, top loyalty status on other cruise lines. Unfortunately, no current chart shows which level you will match.  So, the status match program was reconfigured around Oct and Latitudes on NCL and Diamond on RCCL will match to Gold.  We applied in Sept. 

 

Arrival: We hail from the Midwest that was caught in a polar vortex, but had no problems flying to FLL. We found an incredible deal on Hotwire for a hotel. We called for an UBER the morning of the cruise, and he was there in three minutes. The cost was about $34 to the Port of Miami, Terminal F.

 

The Ship: First, it was kept very clean and is just beautiful.  People seemed to be enjoying themselves everywhere we went.  Since it is such a large ship, it takes a while to learn your way around, but most areas are typical of a cruise ship: theater in front, buffet in the back, dining rooms in the middle to back areas.

 

You quickly learn that all the instructions on MSC ships will be given in five languages, so you have to endure that experience. English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.

 

Check-in: MSC gives passengers an assigned time, but that means nothing. You can go whenever you want. We arrived at 10:30 and black status folks should go to the far left.  We were directed to the wrong line and soon realized we were not where we should stand. It was quick and efficient, but you process your credit card at a kiosk onboard the ship. We were on the ship by 11:30.

 

Only the buffet is open for lunch. This area becomes quite crowded, and tables were at a premium for those who arrived after 1:00.  Our cabins were available around 1:00 and our luggage arrived shortly after that time.

 

The muster drill was at 4:30 and in various areas of the ship.  You have to bring your life jacket.

 

Cabin: We chose a SQUARE inside cabin on the 11^th deck which had to be the nicest, most roomy inside cabin we ever experienced. Lots of storage and the bathroom was well designed- especially the shower stall and controls. The fan located in the shower helped to keep the steam off the mirrors.

 

Look on the deck plans to find one of these square cabins. The square cabins also were placed within secluded interior corridors which meant very little traffic. The hallways seemed to be very quiet overall.

 

Our attendant was also top notch.  If you love towel animals, you will be disappointed- not one, but that didn’t bother us at all.

 

Fellow Passengers: Americans were in the minority, but that really wasn’t a huge problem. Reports of “European rudeness” are unfounded IMHO. Many were with family and friends and were pleasant but probably weren’t too interested in making new friends. Some spoke no English, and we were seated for breakfast in the Black Crab on our first sea morning with a non-English speaking couple from Argentina. That didn’t happen again on the cruise.

 

The officers could be found all over the ship and were very visible and friendly.

 

More to come...

[miataman19]

Thanks for the review. We also sailed Divina in January, 1st with MSC, we liked it also. We booked on Seaside in August. Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[Markanddonna]

Part Two: Review of the MSC DIvina:

 

Entertainment: The entertainment was quite different. The shows were more refined, and opera was offered one evening. We enjoyed it but would likely have not attended if a second one was offered.

 

The singers and dancers are top notch and perform almost every night. You won’t find comedians because of the language issues, nor were there jugglers, illusionists, hypnotists, etc. Just very high-quality singers and dancers who integrated acrobats and Circe d Sole sorts of performances into the shows.  The singers have a bit of a foreign accent in their singing, which I thought was delightful.

 

One very nice aspect was the lack of vulgarity in the dancing that is often seen on other cruise lines.

 

The set was very basic- just lighted stairs but that was just fine. They also didn’t have a “show band” because much of the music required orchestra pieces- violins, etc. We understood the different needs but missed the show band who often play “big band” music in the lounges on other ships.

 

There were some very enjoyable musicians in the lounges. Some places were packed. One lounge had a small dance floor that turned into a heavily traveled walkway- an unfortunate design in the Golden Lounge.  I always felt like I should apologize to the singers when I walked past them.

 

The Black and White Lounge featured a very good group with solid vocalists. This lounge had a great dance floor, but it was often used for game shows. The Galaxy lounge is underused because of its poor design and could be better used.

 

Customer Service: This group was perhaps the kindest and most helpful I have experienced on any cruise. We were not Yacht club folks- just plain old inside cabin first timers. The first time I approached the area was to validate my credit card at a kiosk, and one of them kindly escorted me to one that wasn’t being used and helped me through the easy process. I wish I could remember all of their names, but one in the evening was Lisa who was incredibly pleasant. Another woman remembered me as a Cruise Critic passenger and always stopped me to ask how things were going.

 

Cruise Critic Onboard: Although I receive an email before I left reminding me of the Meet and Mingle, I never received a notice once onboard about the date or time nor was I informed about the cabin crawl. The Cruise Critic party was very nice, but our group wasn’t very active as compared to longer sailings in Europe where there is inherently more involvement. They had nice drinks, canapes, and a huge and delicious cake for the party. The captain and the head officers all attended. No one from Cruise Critic spoke, but the party was well attended. Unfortunately, it was in the Galaxy which is not conducive to mingling or comfort.

 

We were all given a group photo for free!

 

One piece of advice: the cruise critic M&G is run by MSC, and so you will not know the exact time or location. Although I received a reminder email, I never received an invitation to the gathering or the cabin crawl.  My name was on the list when I arrived (I asked about this at the front desk.)

 

Cruise Director and staff: On other cruise lines this group is often ho-hum, but not on the Divina!  The CD, Sinan was delightful and managed his staff of 12-15 folks very well. They were very entertaining in creative ways before the shows in the theatre and engaging in all their duties around the ship.  Well done, MSC!

 

Crew: We found the crew very hard working, kind, and friendly. We drink very little, but bar staff was always around for orders when needed.

 

Pool and Fitness Areas: Just like on most cruise ships, there are chair hogs that begin to surface around 6-7 AM and stake out their chair and tables with towels and those big clips. Unfortunately, you have to join in, or you won’t find a chair later on. This problem is pervasive on almost all ships. The fitness area is rather small for the number of passengers.

There are three pools: The Serene pool in the covered area, the main pool, and an aft adult only pool on deck 15 near the smokers’ area.

 

Restaurants and Buffet: There are not many options beyond the MDRs and the buffet. Snack sort of food is offered for free at the Sports lounge, and there is a bakery/deli in the Piazza del Doge that has THE BEST Italian cream cakes. If the desserts in the restaurants seem unappealing, go get a piece of cake!

 

We sat with friends at a smallish table for four on the upper deck of the Black Crab Lounge. We had a fantastic waiter, Orlando who saw that we wanted to go to the 7:00 show (our friends retire early), so he expedited our order each night. Not too fast- paced just right. Very competent, friendly and did his job extremely well.

 

If I could bring Orlando to the Villa Rossa restaurant, I would have asked to eat there.  It was much brighter and more beautiful with an aft and side view.

 

The food varied in quality, but most selections were typical cruise fare. No complaints, but the food is not extraordinary. We dined at Eataly, and it was very authentic- don’t look for the typical Olive Garden menu!

 

The buffet featured several varieties of very good quality pizza, tasty burgers, and a wide assortment of Mediterranean foods, some Asian and Mexican, comfort foods, salads, fruits, desserts. Coffee, tea, and a few juice type drinks were available.

 

Breakfast in the MDR went sour on the first morning when we were seated with Argentinians who spoke no English. Awkward.  The tables are also too close together. The Belgian waffles were the same as the ones in the buffet. The experience wasn’t good, so we didn’t repeat. We did eat on sea days in the MDR and were seated with English speaking folks.  Except for one HAL cheerleader couple who disliked everything about MSC, the experience eating with strangers was just fine.

 

One thing that could be improved is the availability of coffee stations around the ship. In the morning, we had to hike to the buffet for a cup of coffee. Having coffee on the pool deck would have been a nice addition. Coffee was not to be found at most of the buffet stations on disembarkation day. MSC needs to remedy this problem.

 

The drink packages seem to have recently been revised so I won’t give many details. We had the unlimited drink package and paid a gratuity based on the cost of the drink. The waiter will ask you to sign a receipt.  I appreciated this manner of tipping as we drink only once a day, The daily gratuity for "free drinks" on NCL is pricy for someone like us.

 

Our waiter recommended we consider the wine tasting event that also included a galley tour. I learned a lot about wines, and it was only $15 pp.

 

Disembarkation: We chose to leave the ship late because we had a 4:20 flight out of Fort Lauderdale. We left our room at 9:30, sat in the Piazza del Doge until 10:00 and then waltzed off the ship.  No lines, no crowds, customs was a breeze. We called for an UBER to take us to FLL for $37 (shared with another passenger.)

 

For those considering a cruise with MSC, please consider that the experience will be a bit different and more international. I’m quite used to European travel, and the larger number of European and South Americans onboard had little impact. They smiled and often tried to converse a bit. The only obnoxious people I saw onboard was a woman yelling at her friend across the table and a wife dressing down her husband for becoming intoxicated on the previous night- all English-speaking Americans.

 

I’ve read many very nice reviews and a few written by very mean or ignorant people.  One man claimed that he was only offered the SAME dessert EVERY night and that the cake became increasingly stale as the days passed.  Really, maybe we should do only video reviews so that readers can get a sense of our sanity and personality. This same man said he would have had a better time on vacation in his garage.  I can imagine the horrible scenes this man created onboard and his photo was probably pasted all over the crew decks. Cruise Critic: do you really have to publish this nonsense which is filled with ignorance and outright lies?

 

We were treated so well because we approach the staff with a smile and a good attitude. There were a few things that we wished were different, but overall, the cruise was very enjoyable and a good value and quality.  To be honest, I wasn’t certain if we made the right choice while I was booking because of their wonky website. As the final payment date neared, I called up to speak to a supervisor to get things cleared up, and from that moment on, everything on the website worked just great.

This cruise on the Divina helped me become more enthusiastic about cruising. We were on a transatlantic on NCL Jade last April, and it wasn’t at all inspiring, so the Divina really helped me get energized about cruising again. I would definitely book another one, and we already did on one of their new ships!

 

I will discuss the five ports in another posting.

 

[Markanddonna]

Ports: We are not beach people, so please keep that in mind as you read. We also like to travel more independently. Taxis were cheap and numerous at port EXCEPT in Guadeloupe (what a mess!)  We typically got off the ship about 10:00 and walked for a few hours and then came back to enjoy a quiet ship.  The weather was great at each port.

 

Antiqua: We took the local bus #17 to the Nelson Dockyards.  It was an easy 12 minute walk from the ship to the bus station on Market St which is across from the big fish market (turn right at Market St.)  Once you see this LARGE statue of a man’s head, you just bear to the right. You can’t miss it. The bus numbers are on the window.

 

The fare was paid directly to the driver and they accept US$: $3.00 for two people!  The bus is usually a 12-seat van and you can see the interior of the island on the way. There is a $8 pp entrance fee to the Nelson Dockyards. It was a pleasant few hours and we enjoyed a drink at the local café.

 

The bus/van comes about every twenty minutes.  We sat in the shade and waited about 15 minutes. He didn’t wait for more people as is typical on shuttles, and the driver took off promptly. 

 

This was on a Sunday, so many stores were not open when we walked back to the ship.

 

St. Kitts In St. Kitts, the offerings are pretty bleak for tourism, but there are many inexpensive stores for shopping. We were going to go to the museum but weren’t inspired to go in.

 

Road Town, British Virgin Islands: we walked to the Botanical Garden- maybe a 30-minute walk.  The town has few gift type shops except right by the dock, and the walk wasn’t lovely.  I hesitate to discourage you from going to the gardens, but the recent hurricanes really devasted the larger trees. They were grateful that we came because they appreciated our “donation.”

 

Guadeloupe: We had been warned that the islanders here do not knock themselves out as far as being friendly and welcoming to tourists and that was an understatement!  We also learned that English is not widely spoken and tourists must use Euros, so we booked a ship tour.  That seemed like  a good idea, right?

 

We arrived before our 9:30 “Glimpse of Guadeloupe” tour that was to be four hours. The staff in the theater apologized for the delay which was well over an hour.  Finally, we were summoned and lead to a ferry boat near the dock.  I didn’t remember any mention of a ferry… hmmm.

 

What we didn’t know was that the Guadeloupe taxi drivers were staging a protest (they are French so they routinely protest over various issues) and they blocked the tour buses and vehicles from entering the port area.  Is this a smart strategic move for an island with high unemployment? The ship next to us, the Mein Schiff had NO excursions going out because of this.  Kudos to MSC for arranging our ferry trip to the buses across the bay.

 

We boarded and were taken to the lovely National Park and Botanical Gardens.  This was the highlight and then things went downhill. On the way to the waterfalls, our bus driver decided he couldn’t make the tight turn into the very small parking area so he went on further to look for a turnaround. He came across a similar parking lot and decided to back the bus in to swing around into the one bus spot.  HUGE mistake. He got the bus trapped with it blocking the ENTIRE roadway.  I didn’t realize the dangerous situation we were in until I saw a truck coming down the road, but the driver stopped with a long line of cars backed up in both directions. Everyone vacated the bus and were encouraged to walk down the muddy, mosquito-infested path to see a river. I didn’t want messy shoes, so we stayed behind. Long story short: it took over an hour for the driver to maneuver himself out of the mess by turning off the engine and allowing the bus to drift backward. The transmission wasn’t working in reverse- EGADS!  The driver even relinquished control of the bus to an elderly man who used to work for Mercedes Benz. He paniced when he saw the situation and threw up his hands.  I then knew we were in trouble!

 

Once onboard, the passengers were all yelling that they didn’t want him to go back to the waterfalls- we had enough drama!  So, we were taken to the fort on the other side of the island (not exciting) and for a ten-minute photo op.  We were dropped off to take the ferry back to the ship and arrived back at 5:00 PM and had no opportunity to purchase water or food during the entire time although we did receive a glass of juice at the National Park in the morning. Lesson learned: be prepared, bring water- we did! So, our 4-hour excursion turned into a seven and a half hour one.

 

Most everyone was grateful we were on a ship excursion where the ship would wait if we had any more problems, but then I reflected that our big problem was with the BIG BUS.  A private excursion would have involved a car or van that would not have been stuck unless we were caught in the traffic jam caused by the bus!

 

On the ferry, some MSC passengers who did a park and beach break had their beach time cut to just 45 minutes.  No one had time to get into the water!

 

Passengers who walked into town were unimpressed. This experience was sad as it hurt the local economy and gave about 7,000 people a very poor impression of Guadeloupe on that day. We had no time to go to town. The island is really quite beautiful, but the problems we experienced made for a stressful day.

 

St Maarten: We had been to this island before and had a lovely day at the nearby beach and then shopping. We snagged two chairs and an umbrella for $15 (no drinks.)  As you disembark the ship, you either take a taxi to the right or the water shuttle boats to the left ($7 round trip.)  St. Maarten is still recovering. Friends who took an excursion were not impressed.  St. Maarten (Dutch) also has a French side.  There are many great excursions on this island.

[dexddd]

Did you have any issues taking the chocolate ship home through TSA check?

[Markanddonna]

No problems at all, although the ships did get a tad banged up. We haven't tested for taste yet!

 

We put them in our checked luggage.

[Cruisergal1208]

40 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

No problems at all, although the ships did get a tad banged up. We haven't tested for taste yet!

 

We put them in our checked luggage.

Donna, try shaving off some of the ship for hot chocolate.  Delish. It's solid dark chocolate. At least ours have been.  Enjoy.

[sfaaa]

Just to add, one obvious plus about MSC is value for money. Some of their cruise+ perk deals are no fake sale and hard to beat. In Guadeloupe, some shops do accept US$ but the exchange rate is a big ripoff. Better off bringing some Euro along. I did find the island quite interesting given it is very different from other Caribbean ports I'd been to.

[Linda the Book Lover]

I glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Divina. It seems the customer service on the ship was wonderful. We are going on our first MSC cruise in May, and Divina is on my list of ships to try.

[ladylawyer888]

Thanks for your review!  We are on the Divina  May 17 . . first time MSC.  We've been on about 20 cruises:  mostly Celebrity (now becoming too expensive) and NCL. Like you, we wanted to try something new and we are very frequent travelers to Europe.  So, being with Europeans should be nice.

 

We also have found that the loudest, rudest, and most "entitled" passengers are Americans.  How sad for us fellow Americans.

 

One question:  we are going as "gold" status.  So, is coffee, tea and juice included in the MDR and buffet?  I couldn't find any reference to that anywhere and don't want any surprises.

 

Again, thanks!

[jame_g]

Wow, you got lucky with your status match, unless you mean you are Platinum Plus with NCL. I'm NCL Platinum and MSC gave me gold status, just like someone else here who mentioned their status match just a week or two back.

[champagne123]

Thank you for your review!!  I was on the same cruise and wanted to share a picture of Guadeloupe. I don’t even understand why they go here. This is the PORT!!!!

Edited February 14, 2019 by champagne123

[SeaTheW0rld]

15 minutes ago, champagne123 said:

Thank you for your review!!  I was on the same cruise and wanted to share a picture of Guadeloupe. I don’t even understand why they go here. This is the PORT!!!!

 

 

Some would say the same thing about NJ.

Edited February 14, 2019 by SeaTheW0rld
typo

[Markanddonna]

11 hours ago, ladylawyer888 said:

One question:  we are going as "gold" status.  So, is coffee, tea and juice included in the MDR and buffet?  I couldn't find any reference to that anywhere and don't want any surprises.

1

Coffee, tea, and the usual watered down juices are available in the MDR and buffet.  We were also routinely given water at the MDR. Some people wonder about this since Europeans don't typically expect water with their meals.

 

One thing: at the buffet, I drank only coffee and juices. Despite signs warning them not to, some passengers refill their water bottles at the water taps causing cross contamination. This is something that happens on all cruise ships. BTW- this ship didn't seem to be plagued with "cruise cough."  We have often noted ill passengers on our other cruises.  

 

There were people stationed at the entrance to the buffet with the antiseptic gels and the self-applying containers were at the entrance to all dining areas, but it isn't like the "washy washy" people on NCL.

11 hours ago, ladylawyer888 said:

 

 

[Markanddonna]

9 hours ago, jame_g said:

Wow, you got lucky with your status match, unless you mean you are Platinum Plus with NCL. I'm NCL Platinum and MSC gave me gold status, just like someone else here who mentioned their status match just a week or two back.

We have just Platinum status of NCL, not Plus.  MSC stopped matching Platinum to Black around October. That came as a disappointment to many who waited too late.  Gold still comes with some nice perks though.

[FraudBroad]

On 2/13/2019 at 7:44 AM, Markanddonna said:

 

 

Cabin: We chose a SQUARE inside cabin on the 11^th deck which had to be the nicest, most roomy inside cabin we ever experienced. Lots of storage and the bathroom was well designed- especially the shower stall and controls. The fan located in the shower helped to keep the steam off the mirrors.

 

Look on the deck plans to find one of these square cabins. The square cabins also were placed within secluded interior corridors which meant very little traffic. The hallways seemed to be very quiet overall.

 

Our attendant was also top notch.  If you love towel animals, you will be disappointed- not one, but that didn’t bother us at all.

 

 

Loving your review! We sail next week and can't wait to try MSC for the first time. Can you please tell us what cabin number you had? Thank you SO much!

[Markanddonna]

You can find square cabins from 11069-11083, and I am pretty sure these are also square: 11107 & 11111, and 11137-11157. They may also be on other decks.

 

I saw a square cabin video on youtube and that sold me!

 

Edited February 14, 2019 by Markanddonna

[mef_57]

Thanks for the detailed review as a first time MSC cruiser.  I am sure your positive attitude goes a long way during these new experiences. 

As a solo traveler, I am not sure how to best be strategic for getting either a solo table or an amenable group of table companions, but I went for Fantastica level which I believe means I can change seating once on board...if necessary.  I am not a buffet fan, so will keep my fingers crossed.

I also did the #17 bus in Antigua back in November.  It is a nice alternative to a beach when the weather decides to not co-operate.

What a debacle in Guadaloupe.  What a shame.

Thanks again for the review.

 

[ladylawyer888]

3 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

Coffee, tea, and the usual watered down juices are available in the MDR and buffet.  We were also routinely given water at the MDR. Some people wonder about this since Europeans don't typically expect water with their meals.

 

One thing: at the buffet, I drank only coffee and juices. Despite signs warning them not to, some passengers refill their water bottles at the water taps causing cross contamination. This is something that happens on all cruise ships. BTW- this ship didn't seem to be plagued with "cruise cough."  We have often noted ill passengers on our other cruises.  

 

There were people stationed at the entrance to the buffet with the antiseptic gels and the self-applying containers were at the entrance to all dining areas, but it isn't like the "washy washy" people on NCL.

 

Thanks  so much for your info and review! 

[Nashna]

I'll be a MSC newbie next January.  I really appreciate your taking the time to report back.  Looks like you had a great time.

[Markanddonna]

3 hours ago, mef_57 said:

 

As a solo traveler, I am not sure how to best be strategic for getting either a solo table or an amenable group of table companions, but I went for Fantastica level which I believe means I can change seating once on board...if necessary.  I am not a buffet fan, so will keep my fingers crossed.

You might want to try out your roll call to see if there are any other solos.  I met only solo woman, and it seemed she was always alone. Some cruise lines make it easy for solos, but MSC didn't appear to reach out to assist.  May be the many languages issue.

 

3

 

[dexddd]

9 hours ago, champagne123 said:

Thank you for your review!!  I was on the same cruise and wanted to share a picture of Guadeloupe. I don’t even understand why they go here. This is the PORT!!!!

At least the cars look nice.

[Markanddonna]

There were some rather nice homes on Guadeloupe and they certainly have benefitted with the nice highways.  The port city has a poor reputation.

[cruiseguyinorl]

Great positive review of the Divina. She has become one of my favorite ships. In all fairness to Guadeloupe, this was the view from my balcony.

 

Bret

[Captain-John]

18 hours ago, ladylawyer888 said:

Thanks for your review!  We are on the Divina  May 17 . . first time MSC.  We've been on about 20 cruises:  mostly Celebrity (now becoming too expensive) and NCL.

 

Again, thanks!

 

I echo the thanks for your review, Markanddonna.

 

Lady Lawyer - I find your comment about Celebrity becoming too expensive quite interesting. I am finding NCL the same - outrageous, actually. I am NCL Platinum and have sailed with them for over a decade. I have two MSC YC cruises in the calendar for this year.

 

For comparison - I found Celebrity's pricing very reasonable - next year I have booked to sail on Reflection (in a 1C balcony) - 11 nt Southern Caribbean cruise for a bit less than $1700 each (incl. classic drinks package but no other perks).

 

For 7 nts on Epic at the same time of year - same stateroom (balcony) plus drinks package and dining perk - including gratuities for those packages - $1670 each. For a week. 4 extra nights on Celebrity for virtually the same price.

 

In that context, NCL prices are just off this planet. Or else I'm getting a great steal with the Celebrity deal. Don't know which, but I'm happy with it.

 

Likewise - if you find a good deal you can get the MSC YC for about $1700 for a week - so compare that to an NCL balcony cabin for the same price - it's a no brainer.

Edited February 14, 2019 by Captain-John