January 12 - 28 Divina B2b - Aurea & Yacht Club

[Nashna]

We were originally scheduled to sail in the Yacht Club on the 17th of January sailing and added on the 5-day Aurea portion just 45 days prior to sailing.  I am going to split up my report on our voyage as there is way too much to tell in one post.  

 

While on a January 2019 HAL sailing, we heard from other HAL disgruntled passengers, that the Yacht Club on MSC ships was the place to go for spacious public areas, plus gracious and outstanding service.  Having spent twelve days on HAL enduring lines, horrible MDR service, chair hogs at the pool and crowded shows, we decided to give the YC a try.   Our last-minute decision to add the 5-day Aurea portion of our cruise was a great opportunity to compare dining service in the MDR with the service in the YC.  

 

Embarkation in Aurea class on January 12th was a disaster.  We arrived at the terminal about 10:45 to find a modest line waiting to enter.  At 11:00am, the lines opened and we went through security.  The Divina had been chartered out for a JAM Festival cruise and the ship was trashed.  The party lasted until the wee hours of the morning.  Our very flustered room steward told us that people simply would not get out of bed.  The charter group made the main pool into a stage for the 17 bands and the whole area needed repairing.  Due to the difficulties in getting the passengers off the ship, initial boarding was delayed until 1:00pm.  The crowded conditions in the terminal were made worse by the fact that few terminal employees knew what was happening.  We were supposed to have priority boarding, but, no one knew where it was.  Seating became scarce about 12:00 noon as more passengers arrived.  I finally found a terminal employee who directed us to the priority area.  As seating was scarce throughout the terminal, folks attempted to sit in this area  When the ship was finally cleared to board after 1:00pm, the priority area became swamped with terminal passengers who became a sea of humanity rushing to board.   There was no checking boarding passes at this point and we all boarded together.  We were fortunate to arrive before 11:00am as we avoided the long lines later in the day.  We could see lines snaking out in the hot sun from 3:00pm until 4:00pm.  We spoke to several passengers, who followed instructions and arrived at 3:00pm, who did not board until after 5:00pm.  

 

We had read on CC that lunch would be served in the MDR for Aurea passengers.  We asked upon boarding and three different people that we asked were not aware of this perk and they all directed us to the buffet.  We headed to the buffet in a successful attempt to avoid the crowds.  Later, while we were exploring the ship, we found a sign outside the dining room stating that there was a special lunch for us in that area.  

 

The Aurea experience includes two messages.  Immediately after lunch we headed to the Spa (per CC advice) to make our appointments.  Every time slot was filled except on port days.  We opted for 9:00am on OC as we knew from CC that we probably would not clear the ship until after 10:00am.  I do wish the complimentary spa appointments could be made prior to sailing.  

 

We got to our room shortly after 2:00pm.  Stateroom 11009 is fantastic!  It is a two-room suite with two separate areas to store clothing.   My DH unpacked from the living room while I unpacked from the bedroom...into our OWN closets!!!   The earlier snafus we encountered were erased by the room.  We had a wrap around balcony and our bedroom picture window overlooked the bow.  Unfortunately, the previous occupants partied hard and our carpet was badly soiled by what looked like an entire class or bottle of red wine.  The chair and couch had fresh food (I hope) stains and the room smelled of smoke.  Our room steward made a brief appearance and apologized for the carpet.  The hallways had confetti and fruit peels scattered around which were vacuumed by the end of the day.  It was evident that the previous passengers had been a rowdy  group.  I truly sympathized with the room stewards as they worked so hard to make the ship presentable.  They were still cleaning when we went to bed at 11:00pm.   Our room was "deep cleaned" the next morning.  However, that red wine stain stayed with us for the next five days.  

 

The life boat drill was scheduled for 4:30pm.  Because many passengers had not yet boarded, it was also held the next morning and again the next afternoon.  There must be a better way to conduct these drills.  We were required to bring our life jackets with us.  I question why this was necessary as we were not required to wear them.  The drill was conducted in five or six languages and folks felt free to talk during the instructions given in languages other than their own.  This meant that the poor crew had to constantly shush folks who totally ignored their orders.  Fortunately, the drill was brief.  The usual elevator pile up occurred.  I still don't understand how folks can rush the elevators while passengers in wheelchairs are left behind.  I saw one leave with a bunch of healthy 20 somethings in it while leaving a poor elderly man and his wife to wait.  This is not a MSC issue, I have experienced this on every mass-market cruise ship.  

 

Next...MDR Dining...

Edited February 1, 2020 by Nashna
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[mafig]

Hopefully, things will get better …...🤔

[Nashna]

They certainly do.  We are booked again for 2021.

[Nashna]

The Black Crab experience...

 

We had been advised to call from our room for dinner reservations.  I called and spoke to Pasquale who confirmed our reservations for 7:00pm.  He advised doing so for all five nights...so we did.  We were warmly greeted by Anna who showed us to a very nice private table for two in the Aurea section.   The Aurea section is just as you enter the 5th floor Black Crab and is on a bit higher platform as well as in the front corner of the dining room.  Our wait staff for the 5-nights consisted of Rampuhl and Attich, who were both from Mauritius.  Pasquale came over to introduce himself as we watched him do at most tables.  I can honestly say that the service they provided was five star.  Rolls and drinks were served quickly and they kept the wine pouring.  My husband requires a GF menu.  After the first night, the GF menu was always waiting for us.  Rampulh took the time to chat with us and we enjoyed hearing about her life.  On the third night Pasquale let us in on the secret that Rampuhl was being promoted to Head Waiter.  She was certainly worthy.  On our fifth and last night, hugs and well wishes were given.  We were actually sad to leave Rampuhl & Attichl.  Pasquale and Anna invited us to dine in the Aurea section anytime we wished if we wanted a change from Le Muse.  

 

Food quality in the MDR was very good.  The salads were fresh, bread and rolls were delicious and the ice cream was fantastic.  Because my husband could order from the GF menu, we had access to items such as Prime Rib that were not on the regular menu.  I actually ordered from the GF menu on occasion.  I am going to post the GF topic separately.

Breakfast in the Black Crab was a step down from the Aurea experience in the MDR.  Our first breakfast was rather awkward as we were seated with a couple that did not speak English, and since we don't speak Russian, our interaction was limited.  We were escorted to a table each morning and did not have a choice in where we were seated.  This was fine with us as beakfast was quick and we were happy to eat and go.  We found the breakfast selection to be good.   Eggs Benedict was on the menu as was all the normal cruise ship breakfast offerings.  The bacon was excellent and the fruit was always very fresh.  The omelets were made to order and they were very well done.  The waffle was so tiny that it just took up 1/4 of the plate.  It was fine for me as I am not a big breakfast eater.  The service was fast and impersonal.  I had read on CC that breakfast in the MDR was mainly buffet style.  This is not true.  In fact, I asked and was told that none of the MSC ships offer a buffet in the MDR.  We passed by the buffet on Deck 14 during breakfast time and it was a madhouse.  We opted to have all our breakfasts in the MDR.  

 

 

Meet & Greet

On our first sea day, the Meet & Greet was scheduled for 10:00am in the Black & White Lounge.  MSC put on a wonderful event.  Anna, the Cruise Director was the MC and she gave a brief talk, we posted for a group photo and then the cake was cut.  We had about 75 people in attendance.  We had received a printed invitation in the stateroom and they did collect invitations at the door.  The Meet & Greet was not mentioned in the daily planner.  Interestingly, when we attended the second Meet & Greet of our B2B, the officers were introduced, the Captain said a few words and they circled the room to meet all the guests.  Perhaps, there were too many guests at the first Meet & Greet to do so.  The cake served at the M & G was excellent.  Wine, sparkling wine, martinis and NA punch were served and canapes were passed.  The complimentary group photo was delivered to our rooms on the last night of both our five night and eleven night sailing.  I was impressed that they were able to pick out faces to match with our names and deliver the photos to our correct staterooms.  

 

Entertainment and Divina's public spaces to come...

 

 

[Nashna]

Entertainment & Public Spaces

The Divina is a very attractive ship.  In fact, all the public spaces were well done with the exception of the Golden Lounge.  I thought that lounge looked too much like Vegas in 1970.  I found the elevators to be sufficient and the ship's layout to be convenient.  It did take us awhile to realize that MSC ships do not have a 17th deck.  

 

We do enjoy sitting by the pool.  Of course, the towel game was in effect throughout the cruise.  One of the reasons that we booked the YC for the second part of our cruise was to have access to lounge chairs without rising at dawn to save a seat.  We did not go ashore in Costa Maya and enjoyed a day sitting next to the adult pool.  The Aurea experience does include access to the Spa and the 18th solarium deck.  Unfortunately, we had a few windy days which made it almost impossible to sit on this deck.  The 18th deck offers very limited shade.  The deck does have a small portable bar where you can get basic drinks.  There is no public elevator to get up to the 18th deck, so we took the stairs.  An attendant monitors access to the deck and hands out nice fluffy towels.  We did spend several enjoyable days reading on this deck.  When sitting in the section overlooking the main pool on Deck 15, you can see and hear all the pool activities.  The pool activities seemed to be lots of fun and enjoyed watching from above.    

 

While we did not have the grandchildren with us, we totally enjoyed the way MSC included the kid's program in some of the entertainment.  While enjoying the music outdoors on Deck 15, we saw the children arrive with the MSC staff, capes draped around their shoulders, having a ball dancing on the stage.  We saw children performing on the main stage as well.  It was delightful to see them so happy to be a part of the show.

 

We don't usually attend cruise production shows.  I'm glad we did on MSC.  We saw some great entertainment.  Some of the singers were obviously classically trained and when they sang, the audience awarded them with several standing ovations.  The dancers were also amazing.  There were a couple of shows that were just ok to us.  While the audience totally enjoyed the Italian show, we were a bit bored.  We did not attend the magic show and a few others as we knew it just wasn't our thing.   Only one Opera show was offered, and since that was at 4:00pm, we did not attend.  We did hear from several others that it was fantastic.  

 

Anna, the German Cruise Director was wonderful.  She has a dry wit and was very engaging when we met her at the Meet & Greet.   She is a pro and contributed to our enjoyment of the cruise.

 

Next...General Impressions & B2B Experience

[Nashna]

General Impressions & B2B Experience

 

We were very pleased with the Aurea Experience.  We felt that the small extra charge for this service was definitely worth it as the room was spacious, the extra service in the dinning room was delightful and the 18th Deck was a quiet spot where we always had a deck chair. The Easy drink package was fine and we enjoyed the internet package.  

 

I had read on CC that it was difficult to get questions answered, the staff was curt and the lines were long at Guest Relations.  I never experienced more than three or four people ahead of me in line and the staff was always courteous.  I did have an issue with misinformation.  We were told at Guest Services that towels would be available on OC as we exited the Divina.  There were none which was annoying as we had to return to the ship to our stateroom to get them.  We also asked three different times what the procedure would be for disembarkation as we were doing a B2B.  We were informed that a letter would be delivered to our stateroom a day or two before disembarkation.  When the letter didn't arrive on time, I called Guest Relations to inquire about the procedures and the letter finally appeared at 10:00pm on the night before disembarkation.  The instructions were to leave our luggage in our original room and proceed to the Excursion Desk at 7:30am to obtain our new boarding cards.  We appeared at 7:30am and the YC experience began immediately.

 

Yacht Club

Our butler was called to escort us to the Yacht Club.  He arrived within five minutes and proceeded to take our carry-on bags and escort us to the YC.  We were introduced to our concierge and invited to have breakfast in Le Muse.  Our butler escorted us to breakfast and offered to escort us back to the YC area when we were finished.  Since we had been on the ship for five days, we declined the escort.  We had a delightful breakfast in Le Muse and returned to the TOP Sail lounge to wait for the ship to clear.  Our butler then escorted us to the Black & White lounge about 10:00am to be escorted off the ship to appear before Customs and Immigration.  There were about 40 passengers who were doing B2B cruises and we all were escorted off together, walked to the back halls of the terminal to meet with Immigration officers who quickly checked our passports.  We were then escorted back onto the ship .  It was a very easy process and was seamless.  

 

My only complaint with the YC experience was with the food selection in Le Muse.  I found the menu to be heavily weighed towards fish with chicken dishes lacking.  We spoke to several passengers who dinned in the MDR to get more variety to their meals.  I also felt that the food selection in the One Pool grill was limited.  We did special order omelets and burgers which were fantastic.     Manuel & Trixie, our wonderful servers in Le Muse, went out of their way to make our dining experience pleasurable.  On several evenings, Ali, the maître de, made some fantastic pasta dishes in the dining room.   

 

Our YC experience was delightful.  Many others have described the excellent service and pampering that we experienced in the YC.  We have booked a B2B on the Seaview for January 2021 and can't wait to get back to MSC's YC.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

[Capricruiser]

We are MSC cruisers for many years.  We normally go in Yacht Club but it the itinerary we want has only one of the smaller MSC ships, we book an Aurea suite which is OK but it's not Yacht Club!  I agree with every point you made about the YC enclave but having sailed transatlantic twice on the Divina, I think the food selection in Le Muse was very good.  Naturally, the cruise area and itinerary will determine the menu quite a bit. 

[Kmkub]

We were also on the 17th sailing in the YC.  We disagree on the quality of Ali's pasta dishes. We found them either crunchy or gummy, and there was almost no sauce at all. One of them didn't have enough sauce to have a bit with every bite. 

 

As the saying goes, food is subjective. We also didn't like anything offered on the one deck. We only ate fruit from there. The one time we tried, the pasta in the chafing dish came out in the spoon in one giant clump. The server behind the buffet quickly stirred it around to loosen it up.

[Nashna]

.

I do like al dente pasta.  Ali made several pastas for me as I requested that he leave out the seafood.  I totally agree about the food in One Deck.  I only ate the fruit and salads in the buffet.  We had most breakfasts in Le Muse.  

[Nashna]

30 minutes ago, Capricruiser said:

We are MSC cruisers for many years.  We normally go in Yacht Club but it the itinerary we want has only one of the smaller MSC ships, we book an Aurea suite which is OK but it's not Yacht Club!  I agree with every point you made about the YC enclave but having sailed transatlantic twice on the Divina, I think the food selection in Le Muse was very good.  Naturally, the cruise area and itinerary will determine the menu quite a bit. 

We were told that the chef was new to the YC.  We never asked for food to be returned to the kitchen,  but we did see several guests have their dishes (lobster & filet of beef) returned to the kitchen.  One night, we heard rather loud shouting from the kitchen after multiple meals were sent back.  We live in an urban area with lots of excellent restaurants.  Our dining experiences at sea, rarely measure up to what we experience locally.