Which side of the Divina will be facing the island of Ocean Cay?

[goldrusher]

Which side of the ship will be facing the island  of Ocean Cay?  MSC agents say the port side, which are odd number rooms and the left side facing forward, but all of the  You Tube videos  show the  right side   facing the island, which are even numbered rooms.

[MotownVoice]

Can’t you just tell by the location of the previous port which would dictate from which direction you would approach?

 

For example it looks like most itineraries put Ocean Cay right after Nassau which would have you approaching from the North, meaning port side would have the view, even if the Captain decided to spin it around before she docked. 

[JAGR]

I believe it is usually the opposite of what Motown is saying.  The incoming direction is irrelevant.  The ships rotate in a turning basin and then ease in, with the starboard side next to the pier.  Forward starboard is the best for viewing the light show at night.

[MotownVoice]

19 minutes ago, JAGR said:

I believe it is usually the opposite of what Motown is saying.  The incoming direction is irrelevant.  The ships rotate in a turning basin and then ease in, with the starboard side next to the pier.  Forward starboard is the best for viewing the light show at night.

If the come in from the north, port side will be facing land.  It’s just 6th grade physics.    What they do once they enter your little “basin” is what’s irrelevant. 

[JAGR]

I won't try and strain your elaborate thought process.  I honestly feel the OP was asking about the docking process and not the approach to the island.  Yes, ships do turn around.  I have not been on board with the port side facing the Ocean Cay, only starboard side.  If you read the similar posts on this topic, all have noted that starboard provided the view.  You can stay on the port side, and enjoy the brief glimpse you have of the island.

 

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by JAGR

[dexddd]

What JAGR said.  They only had a few months sailing there so not lots of data points but all I've read and seen have docked starboard.  Even a miss or two due to weather.

[MotownVoice]

23 minutes ago, JAGR said:

I won't try and strain your elaborate thought process.  I honestly feel the OP was asking about the docking process and not the approach to the island.  Yes, ships do turn around.  I have not been on board with the port side facing the Ocean Cay, only starboard side.  If you read the similar posts on this topic, all have noted that starboard provided the view.  You can stay on the port side, and enjoy the brief glimpse you have of the island.

 

 

 

I forgot why I blocked you.    Now I remember. 

[Homosassa]

The ships back into the berth at Ocean Cay.

 

That means when docked, only the starboard side faces the island.

[shipgeeks]

This question was discussed a week or so ago, here.  For anyone interested, or to see photos, check out the earlier post.

[JAGR]

4 hours ago, MotownVoice said:

 

I forgot why I blocked you.    Now I remember. 

Thank you for your kind action.  Keep it up!  I loved it when you lived in Seattle and went by M.B.!  😉

[rkacruiser]

42 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

This question was discussed a week or so ago, here.  For anyone interested, or to see photos, check out the earlier post.

 

After I returned from my January, 2020 MSC Meraviglia cruise, I responded to the same question that a poster made as this OP did.  The ship's bow was pointed towards the lighthouse; my stateroom was on the starboard side; I looked down on the dock and the rest of the island in the distant; I watched the Lighthouse show while in my PJs from my veranda.    I was told on on this Message Board that I didn't know Port from Starboard.  I was wrong.  

 

Will MSC Divina dock in the same position?  Does any of us know what her Captain will decide to do?  I'd put my money, though, on a Starboard docking with the bow pointed towards the Lighthouse.  

Edited August 1, 2021 by rkacruiser

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, JAGR said:

Thank you for your kind action.  Keep it up!  I loved it when you lived in Seattle and went by M.B.!  😉

I'd have to think about that a bit, but yes, ignored that user long time ago.

[NYHartChapp]

On 8/1/2021 at 4:56 PM, JAGR said:

Thank you for your kind action.  Keep it up!  I loved it when you lived in Seattle and went by M.B.!  😉

Hey John!  Hope you guys are doing well.  Ah MarinerBoy...he'd argue with a sign 😉.

[orangemini]

2 hours ago, NYHartChapp said:

Ah MarinerBoy...he'd argue with a sign 😉.

Now that's funny right there!

[JAGR]

16 hours ago, NYHartChapp said:

Hey John!  Hope you guys are doing well.  Ah MarinerBoy...he'd argue with a sign 😉.

Doing well, thanks!  Just missing the sea water!  Hope you two are doing okay as well!

[NYHartChapp]

1 hour ago, JAGR said:

Doing well, thanks!  Just missing the sea water!  Hope you two are doing okay as well!

Yes, doing well and missing cruising!  We were off the Divina in March 2020 (which I think was the last, or next-to-last MSC cruise before the pandemic) and haven't been since.  Have one booked in December on a new line (for us) Oceania.  Hopefully, the resumption of cruising out of Florida will continue with minimal hiccups and we'll be able to sail.  Then it's back to MSC in March on their new ship, Seashore.

Edited August 11, 2021 by NYHartChapp

[JAGR]

6 minutes ago, NYHartChapp said:

Yes, doing well and missing cruising!  We were off the Divina in March 2020 (which I think was the last, or next-to-last MSC cruise before the pandemic) and haven't been since.  Have one booked in December on a new line (for us) Oceania.  Hopefully, the resumption of cruising out of Florida will continue with minimal hiccups and we'll be able to sail.  Then it's back to MSC in March on their new ship, Seashore.

Very nice!  We're not cruising until February 26th.  Booked Seashore as well for a B2B with March 5th.  Are you sailing on Oceania Riviera?  Food probably won't be as good as Marmalade was for you in San Juan, but Oceania is a food lovers' paradise.

[NYHartChapp]

3 hours ago, JAGR said:

Very nice!  We're not cruising until February 26th.  Booked Seashore as well for a B2B with March 5th.  Are you sailing on Oceania Riviera?  Food probably won't be as good as Marmalade was for you in San Juan, but Oceania is a food lovers' paradise.

Nuts!  We're going to miss you by about two weeks.  And yes, we are booked on the Riviera.  Have heard great things about the food!  We were talking about Marmalade just last night, as the Seashore makes port in San Juan on our cruise.  We would definitely go again, but was it you who was telling me that there's an almost-equally fine restaurant in San Juan not to be missed.

[NYHartChapp]

Apologies to OP for kinda hijacking this thread.

[morpheusofthesea]

Here's a screenshot I saved from MSCCruises_PR. From my understanding it also has to due with wind and ocean currents ? But I am just guessing.

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

I just noticed OP already posted this photo on another thread. Sorry.

[miataman19]

STARBOARD

[twangster]

The general consensus is that ships back but in theory they could go straight in and/or use the turning basin.  

 

On Google Earth you can see the turning basin is already beginning to succumb to the Bahamas shelf.  How often or aggressively are they dredging the turning basin?  Who knows?  Using the crude measuring tools of Google Earth the turning basin is around 420 meters wide from the pier to the buoy or marker. 

 

Feb 2020 satellite images:

 

 

 

An old marketing image has Seaside port side to the pier so it is possible although unlikely.

 

 

I'd selfishly like to see Seashore do this in November since I'm in an aft suite but my money is on her backing in.