Just off Divina Oct 3-Oct 10. Questions welcome

[sheltielover256]

We did independent excursions without a problem. I'd doublecheck though if you are with unvaccinated guests (children).

[Fogfog]

25 minutes ago, sheltielover256 said:

We did independent excursions without a problem. I'd doublecheck though if you are with unvaccinated guests (children).

Perfect we are good to go then

[deb2139]

Do you know what TV stations they have? In the morning getting ready I like to watch TV. Lol

[dexddd]

12 hours ago, deb2139 said:

Do you know what TV stations they have? In the morning getting ready I like to watch TV. Lol

Not much. I'll post on my Divinia thread.  They did have HGTV and TCM.

[waterbabyfish]

The only news channel was CNN (yuck) hgtv,tcm,cartoon channel and can't remember the couple others...not many for sure!

[MonsterJoe]

1 hour ago, waterbabyfish said:

The only news channel was CNN (yuck) hgtv,tcm,cartoon channel and can't remember the couple others...not many for sure!

All I watch at home, other than sports, is Food Network - and they had that, so I was good. 🙂

[apandres01]

We will  be sailing in November and I have a couple of questions about your recent experience on the Divina.  I was on this ship several years ago, but it was a rock music charter cruise and they pretty much didn't care what we wore as long as we had clothes on.  What were the male cruisers wearing to the Yacht Club restaurant for dinner (shorts? jeans? dockers?).  I know the husband is going to ask me what to pack.  Also, what was your experience with masks indoors once you were onboard?  Do you have to wear them to your dinner table, in the showroom, etc.?  Thanks - just trying to manage my expectations!

[sheltielover256]

2 hours ago, apandres01 said:

We will  be sailing in November and I have a couple of questions about your recent experience on the Divina.  I was on this ship several years ago, but it was a rock music charter cruise and they pretty much didn't care what we wore as long as we had clothes on.  What were the male cruisers wearing to the Yacht Club restaurant for dinner (shorts? jeans? dockers?).  I know the husband is going to ask me what to pack.  Also, what was your experience with masks indoors once you were onboard?  Do you have to wear them to your dinner table, in the showroom, etc.?  Thanks - just trying to manage my expectations!

The dress on the ship was pretty casual. Most nights I wore sleeveless silk/rayon blouse and knit slacks. No shorts in the YC dining room, but Dockers and polo or even nice jeans with polo would be ok most nights.  They did have a "white night" (I didn't get the memo) and I felt a bit awkward so that was the one night we got pizza. (Nobody said anything.  It was my choice) One night DH wore a suit and I wore an ankle length sundress because we had packed them.  That also seemed fine. Obviously, if you want photos, dress up a bit.

 

Masks were required everywhere indoors unless at a table eating or drinking, and everyone seemed to comply without much cajoling except for a couple of announcements from the cruise director. I  brought some pretty disposable masks, but they had the blue ones available. Also, they scan your card and take your temp once a day-usually at the breakfast buffet.

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

On 10/11/2021 at 12:59 PM, KennyFla said:

Do you know if they had gluten free pizza?

How full was Yacht Club?

 

I have just returned home from a week in YC on the MSC Grandiosa in the Mediterranean Sea and they offered gluten free pizza. It was not on the pizza delivery menu but our butler arranged it. The pizza came from the GF kitchen. Italian type pizza which tasted delicious 😋 

 

The gluten free pasta in the YC restaurant was also very good 👍 

 

 

 

 

[Fogfog]

On 10/11/2021 at 4:49 PM, syr fan said:

Just off the last sailing, announcements are now only in English. First passenger I saw from our balcony on their way off the ship was at 715. We enjoyed the food in the MDR, though I'm not a fan of most cruise ship desserts. To me, MSC is very similar to the rest of the lines except for the entertainment. 

Going to guess that is because of covid restrictions on sailings right now--when folks from the UK and EU are regularly traveling to the US again--I'd expect those announcements to include all languages.

 

 

[KennyFla]

On 10/15/2021 at 2:31 AM, Norwegian Cruiser 73 said:

 

I have just returned home from a week in YC on the MSC Grandiosa in the Mediterranean Sea and they offered gluten free pizza. It was not on the pizza delivery menu but our butler arranged it. The pizza came from the GF kitchen. Italian type pizza which tasted delicious 😋 

 

The gluten free pasta in the YC restaurant was also very good 👍 

 

 

 

 

On the Divina now.  No gluten free pizza. Word is that it was served to someone with celiac and they got sick

[lyndarra]

On 10/12/2021 at 3:15 AM, Wecruzers said:

Can you explain what you mean by "we bid on a YC room?"  Who did you bid with, the Travel Agency or the Ship itself?

Divina, on some decks, is like negotiating a mirror maze. Take care to avoid flat nose syndrome.😄

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

On 10/21/2021 at 12:59 AM, KennyFla said:

On the Divina now.  No gluten free pizza. Word is that it was served to someone with celiac and they got sick

So the conclusion is that it depends on the ship. To bad that they don't offer gluten free pizza on an Italian ship. Thank you for your feedback. I'm booked on the Seashore out of Miami in March, will be interesting to see if they offer gluten free pizza. 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Norwegian Cruiser 73

[Fogfog]

On 10/15/2021 at 3:31 AM, Norwegian Cruiser 73 said:

 

I have just returned home from a week in YC on the MSC Grandiosa in the Mediterranean Sea and they offered gluten free pizza. It was not on the pizza delivery menu but our butler arranged it. The pizza came from the GF kitchen. Italian type pizza which tasted delicious 😋 

 

The gluten free pasta in the YC restaurant was also very good 👍 

 

 

 

 

TY interesting to know.

Didn't realize that have a GF kitchen. I wonder if its always been there. 

Do know that many cruise lines will make accommodations. Guess an MD note is helpful as opposed to when one choses GF for one thing and is next eating an ice cream cone with a wheat cone.

In YC we did see a young woman ask for a GF option to the bread at dinner. They brought her an individually wrapped (commercial) croissant. I suppose they have some things in the pantry for that. 

 

@KennyFlaThey cannot do a GF pizza in the buffet--as to be called GF it must be in an environment that won't have any cross contamination ...so it can't be prepared on the same counters nor cooked in the same ovens etc. Hence the GF kitchen. Perhaps they tried to accommodate at the buffet and it was a problem.

 

The pizza onboard is excellent--  We lived in Italy for some time and it is like a pizza IN Italy.  If you are expecting pizza like your nearest place in the US- you may not agree. It is always both hilarious and shockingly rude when people complain that the MSC folks dont know how to make pizza....and they are usually comparing it to a US shop/pizzahut/unos etc. 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Fogfog

[styles27]

1 hour ago, Fogfog said:

TY interesting to know.

Didn't realize that have a GF kitchen. I wonder if its always been there. 

Do know that many cruise lines will make accommodations. Guess an MD note is helpful as opposed to when one choses GF for one thing and is next eating an ice cream cone with a wheat cone.

In YC we did see a young woman ask for a GF option to the bread at dinner. They brought her an individually wrapped (commercial) croissant. I suppose they have some things in the pantry for that. 

 

@KennyFlaThey cannot do a GF pizza in the buffet--as to be called GF it must be in an environment that won't have any cross contamination ...so it can't be prepared on the same counters nor cooked in the same ovens etc. Hence the GF kitchen. Perhaps they tried to accommodate at the buffet and it was a problem.

 

The pizza onboard is excellent--  We lived in Italy for some time and it is like a pizza IN Italy.  If you are expecting pizza like your nearest place in the US- you may not agree. It is always both hilarious and shockingly rude when people complain that the MSC folks dont know how to make pizza....and they are usually comparing it to a US shop/pizzahut/unos etc. 

 

I used to have a custom cake business and always told my clients that I did not have a Gf kitchen therefore couldn't guarantee a completely GF product. 

It’s one thing if someone is trying to avoid gluten for diet/trendy reasons but it’s a completely different ballgame when one’s health and well being depend on not eating ANY gluten. 
 

I don’t see how a cruise ship could guarantee a GF pizza option without cross contamination occurring. Especially if they’re preparing that gf option in the same work area/oven etc. 

 

It’s a serious issue and one that made me make the decision to not even offer gf cakes.