EMBARKATION DINING SUGGESTIONS MSC DIVINA 1-9-22

[revrick3]

First MSC cruise. Can you guys give us some guidance for a lunch on embarkation that is not the buffet. Many others have one of restaurants open. Any help form you guys. We are so excited to just walk down a pier and smell the ocean. 

[styles27]

Divina doesn’t have as many restaurants as some of the other ships. Butcher’s Cut and the Japanese restaurant weren’t open for lunch on embarkation day. 
The MDR may have limited lunch seating that day but when we cruised Divina last month the buffet was our only option. Unless you’re in the YC then you my be able to eat in the YC restaurant 

Edited December 15, 2021 by styles27

[perakcruiser]

I dont think there is any other option than the buffet. Before MSC checked very tight if you embarked today and if so you are not entitled to use the MDR for lunch and they will send you to the buffet. Some said it is not so strict on some routes, you can try. All speciality restaurants will be closed. 

[dexddd]

YC restaurant will be open.  Divina few choices for lunch.  Not sure if mdr open.  I'd have to check dailies if any open.  On our four day, BC not open for lunch.  Not sure if sports bar charging now.

[revrick3]

Hoping to have another option than buffet. We try to find a quieter place for our first meal to set the mood after a long day to embark and get settled. I had hoped the sports bar or pizza was open and get away from buffet. Now we love buffet but like to visit when its not in a feeding frenzy. 

[styles27]

11 hours ago, revrick3 said:

Hoping to have another option than buffet. We try to find a quieter place for our first meal to set the mood after a long day to embark and get settled. I had hoped the sports bar or pizza was open and get away from buffet. Now we love buffet but like to visit when its not in a feeding frenzy. 

With the small number of passengers cruising in the Caribbean out of FL you won’t have to worry about the buffet being crowded. 
Our Divina cruise last month was never crowded anywhere. Many many empty tables in the buffet. (Only 1 buffet was open because of so few pax)

It was a completely different cruise experience with less than 500 pax on board. Believe me it was the first time in a lot of cruises that I actually enjoyed the buffet dining. Especially since the staff plate the food. 

[Morgsmom]

12 hours ago, revrick3 said:

Hoping to have another option than buffet. We try to find a quieter place for our first meal to set the mood after a long day to embark and get settled. I had hoped the sports bar or pizza was open and get away from buffet. Now we love buffet but like to visit when its not in a feeding frenzy. 

The pizza on the divina is in the Buffet; the specialty (pay for pizza) is open at nights only and is on Deck 7 right outside Butcher's Cut.  There are no other options for lunch on embarkation day, unfortunately.

[cellfree]

12 hours ago, revrick3 said:

Hoping to have another option than buffet. We try to find a quieter place for our first meal to set the mood after a long day to embark and get settled. I had hoped the sports bar or pizza was open and get away from buffet. Now we love buffet but like to visit when its not in a feeding frenzy. 

Probably only option - pizza will be open but most likely busy too - a buffet hint - when you enter buffet walk all the way to the back where it is quieter especially first day and we think nicer tables to sit at and more peaceful - everyone tries to grab a table as they walk in. 

[styles27]

6 hours ago, cellfree said:

Probably only option - pizza will be open but most likely busy too - a buffet hint - when you enter buffet walk all the way to the back where it is quieter especially first day and we think nicer tables to sit at and more peaceful - everyone tries to grab a table as they walk in. 

The buffet all the way in the back is reserved for parents/pax cruising with young children (who are not vaccinated.) 

Also they didn’t have food in that buffet on Divina in Nov., they were just using it for the families to sit and eat. 

[dexddd]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:33 AM, cellfree said:

Probably only option - pizza will be open but most likely busy too - a buffet hint - when you enter buffet walk all the way to the back where it is quieter especially first day and we think nicer tables to sit at and more peaceful - everyone tries to grab a table as they walk in. 

When we sailed recently on Divinia, they blocked off the front section for eating, only a small portion was open.  I can't say if they allowed unvaxxed to eat in back, but food was only in a small portion, maybe 1/3 of total buffet.

 

The other time we sailed her was a summer sailing and the seating was packed pretty much every time we went.  Never had a hard time finding seats on any ship other than the small buffet on NCL Sun which was one of the earliest buffets.

[WoodyWindy]

We had about 1300 passengers on Divina this weekend. No problem having lunch in the buffet on embarkation day.