Just back from Divina...my review. Any questions???

We were on the Divina 9/13 departure Western Caribbean itinerary. Our group consisted myself (59), DH (74), DS (26), and his GF (24).

Embarkation: No complaints except that MSC should indicate somewhere that passengers are generally allowed to embark around noon. Our group 5 was called to get on the ship at 11:50 AM even though their literature says embarkation is at 4:00 PM!

Cabin: WE opted for the cheapest inside cabins on level 5, Saturno deck. The cabin was fine, except the beds have a plastic slat system instead of box springs, which resulted in several of them popping out from bowing when DS knelt on the edge of the bed, or when I sat on the very end of my bed. The storage was plentiful and well-arranged. I loved the glass shower enclosure...no shower curtain sticking to me. I can't be too specific about the cabin steward since I never saw ours, or even knew his name! I left a note the first day asking to have the ice bucket filled each day, and to empty the mini-bar so we could use it for the soda and water we carried onboard. One tip is that while you have to put a cruise card (or actually ANY credit card-sized card) into the slot by the door to enable the TV or lights in the room to be on, this also activates a signal light in the steward station indicating that you are occupying the room so he will not come to service the cabin while the power is on...so don't leave the card in place when going out to breakfast if you want your room made up.

Pools and jacuzzis THe pools were fine, not very crowded, but they only have a towel station by the main pool. We never had a problem getting a lounger. I wish they would have at least one of the spas turned up hotter...they have signs posted that the temperature is 37 C or LESS... and after a few minutes, that barely seems warm (the hottest it gets is normal body temperature!).

ServiceThe service was good, we never got the wrong meals, or had a problem getting what we needed, and although some have complained about not having servers offering drinks all the time, we enjoyed not being pestered all the time. Also, our water was refilled as needed at dinner without asking.

The Food I have to say, I was prepared for anything as far as the food onboard, since the previous reviews were all over the place... but I was pleasantly surprised! We felt the buffet was generally good, with lots of variety, and contrary to previous reviews, the dishes were refilled quickly, and we NEVER ran out of dishes or silverware. Although I didn't mind, most people were disappointed to find no made-to-order omelette station. The drink stations each have different offerings,randomly rotated, and the ethnic food section is only at the extreme back of the room, so if you really want to see all your food and drink choices before making your selections, you will have to do a lot of walking! The tables were cleared quickly, and we never had to wait to find a table.

We ate in the Black Crab MDR every evening at the early seating. Although the noise level is high, we were lucky to be in a small cove at table 528 which isolated us from a lot of the noise. The food was really a mixed bag... I had some of the very best cruise food, but also the very worst food (cruise or otherwise) ever! We were particularly disappointed with the pasta dishes...I have eaten lasagna all over Europe and USA, and this was the worst! It was as if they took all the correct ingredients, pureed them together, layered them with totally overcooked lasagna noodles, then poached it in water until it was complete mush... the cheese on the top was the only edible part! The prime rib is served in a style unfamiliar to me, too! It is sliced about 1/8" thin and smothered in thick brown gravy... I didn't order it again, but If I did I would have asked for no gravy and a thicker cut. The steaks we got ( about 7 of them between us all) were all over the map--from tasteless, tough and inedible to good. The one constant was that they were always only 1/4" thick.

The rack of lamb was very tough, but tasted good. The fish served as Mahi-Mahi was not mahi-mahi! The soups were all quite watered down, especially the split pea soup and the cold fruit soups. The salads were consistently good and varied daily. So much for the food complaints... the rest of the food ranged from good to excellent. Any dish which included shellfish was great! The shrimp cocktail, scallop appetizers, and the broiled lobster entree were all really good. The fried seafood appetizer as well as the mixed seafood grill entree were wonderful. By and large, the desserts were very good, and authentic. Overall, we were satisfied with the food, even though, taken as a whole, I would rate this ship's food about a C+... somewhere between TGIF and Denny's, with a few terrible items, and several really good exceptions to the rule. Again, we were expecting it to be worse so we were actually pleasantly surprised.

Value We all felt that this was a very good value, since the rates we paid worked out to about $60 pp daily including taxes and tips... the ship was immaculate, the rooms were nice, the food was okay, the ports were good, and the entertainment was the best I have seen on a cruise. All 4 of us were satisfied that we got our money's worth, and then some!

Thx for the review. Question: you mentiined have the mini fridge emptied so you could use it for water and soda that you carried on. I thought they did not allow outside water, soda, wine. :confused:

Thx for the review. Question: you mentiined have the mini fridge emptied so you could use it for water and soda that you carried on. I thought they did not allow outside water, soda, wine. :confused:

Their official position is no drinks allowed, however sealed soda and water was allowed at the port, no hiding or sneaking,LOL. We just put the 12-pack of Dr Pepper right on the x-ray conveyor belt and there was no mention of it. I think that any wine or alcohol would have been a different story. That being said, we purchased rum at the duty free shop in Falmouth, Jamaica and I didn't put it on the conveyor, and just walked through the scanner carrying it in the duty free bag and no one said anything! As an experiment, we left it out in plain sight on the desk in our cabin and there was no mention of it.

glad you had a good cruise and thanks for the balanced review.

Thanks, moondance55!

We're on in a couple of weeks and our edocs have one luggage tag for my wife and one for me - but we'll have a total of 3 bags and a garment bag. Tags say "do not duplicate" and that we can get more filled out at the port if we need.

Is there a problem created with the bar code if we duplicate?

We got our documents as email and had to print them ourselves here at home..so we just printed what we needed, but at the port we decided to send our carry-on as well so the guy there had blank ones to fill in.

It has been mentioned on here many times that they start boarding around noon.

It has been mentioned on here many times that they start boarding around noon.

Right you are riclops! That is why WE were onboard before noon, but there is no mention of it on any official MSC website or documents, so since the majority of the passengers are not cruisecritic.com members, they were not privy to this info through the official channels...and those unfortunate souls had much longer lines and waiting times while we were already having lunch, touring the ship and lounging by the pool!

Right you are riclops! That is why WE were onboard before noon, but there is no mention of it on any official MSC website or documents, so since the majority of the passengers are not cruisecritic.com members, they were not privy to this info through the official channels...and those unfortunate souls had much longer lines and waiting times while we were already having lunch, touring the ship and lounging by the pool!

True. Some would not be arriving until later anyway as many of the flights from Europe do not land until early afternoon, so would likely still be in the air or just at the airport at the time you were having lunch.

Right you are riclops! That is why WE were onboard before noon, but there is no mention of it on any official MSC website or documents, so since the majority of the passengers are not cruisecritic.com members, they were not privy to this info through the official channels...and those unfortunate souls had much longer lines and waiting times while we were already having lunch, touring the ship and lounging by the pool!

Plus if the documents said board after 11.30am then everyone who could would turn up before midday. And the queues would be out of the door. :-)

From my ipad

Moondance55 - Did you find Deck 5 quite? What time were you able to disembark? Do you disembark on deck 5? We are on the deck next year and are thinking of taking our own luggage off!

Well written fair, balanced review of your experiences, thank you for your views!

Many happy future cruises to you and yours!:)

Moondance I was also on this cruise and we played trivia together a few times so hope you don't mind if I add some comments.

You have written a very fair review.

I also loved the ship and wish I was back there.

Many people I met were repeat Divina cruisers, some the 4th time this year and this has to say something.

Of course you do meet the negative nellies and unfortunately they attract each other.

Thanks for taking the time to write and help us future Divinans,

Was there sufficient time to get to the shows after your early eating time?

What was your favorite bar?

Did you attend the Meet & Greet?

Are there any excursions that you recommend?

Are there trays in the buffet?

What was your favorite station at the buffet?

Where is the best place to find an open table at the buffet?

Thanks, Bob

True. Some would not be arriving until later anyway as many of the flights from Europe do not land until early afternoon, so would likely still be in the air or just at the airport at the time you were having lunch.

The ship sailed at 7pm to accommodate those flying in from Europe. With the delay with immigration in Miami Airport some did not arrive until just before 7pm.

That being said, we purchased rum at the duty free shop in Falmouth, Jamaica and I didn't put it on the conveyor, and just walked through the scanner carrying it in the duty free bag and no one said anything! As an experiment, we left it out in plain sight on the desk in our cabin and there was no mention of it.

People boarding in Grand Cayman were stopped and had to hand it over so luck of the draw.

I had the allegrissimo package so didn't have to worry. It was different from Europe in that it included a whole selection of wine by the glass not just the "two white two red one rose".

It was so hot( not sure that I would do the Caribbean in September again) that I got through several litres of bottled water a day. I also loved it for the special coffees. Especially the Italian coffee with amoretto.

Thanks for taking the time to write and help us future Divinans,

Was there sufficient time to get to the shows after your early eating time?

What was your favorite bar?

Did you attend the Meet & Greet?

Are there any excursions that you recommend?

Are there trays in the buffet?

What was your favorite station at the buffet?

Where is the best place to find an open table at the buffet?

 

Thanks, Bob

I am not Moondance but will chime in.

Early seating for dinner at 6pm was over by 7.15 pm for our table. Late show was 9pm so ample time. Bingo was usually before it at 8pm.

My favourite bar was the Divina bar on deck 5 for pre-dinner cosmopolitans and post dinner zambuca or limoncello.;). Then no worry could just walk into the Black Crab restaurant on deck 5.

The Meet and Greet was attended by Andre the CD, the guest relations officer and the host. It was advertised in the programme and on the first sea day.

The only ship excursion I did was afternoon tea at Good Hope Estate in Jamaica. It was fascinating to see the old plantation. Would not recommend walking around Falmouth on your own. The area around the port inside the gate is the usual sanitised shopping area experience. But safe. They had a day pass for unlimited internet for $10 which could also be used on the ship while in port.

No trays in the buffet but large plates.

I loved the bread especially the little sesame seed rolls and the cheese selection in the back of the buffet.There is a large seating area there overlooking the wake. Also loved the pizza.

Honestly I ate nearly all my meals in the MDR and rarely used the buffet.

I am not Moondance but will chime in.

 

Early seating for dinner at 6pm was over by 7.15 pm for our table. Late show was 9pm so ample time. Bingo was usually before it at 8pm.

My favourite bar was the Divina bar on deck 5 for pre-dinner cosmopolitans and post dinner zambuca or limoncello.;). Then no worry could just walk into the Black Crab restaurant on deck 5.

 

The Meet and Greet was attended by Andre the CD, the guest relations officer and the host. It was advertised in the programme and on the first sea day.

 

The only ship excursion I did was afternoon tea at Good Hope Estate in Jamaica. It was fascinating to see the old plantation. Would not recommend walking around Falmouth on your own. The area around the port inside the gate is the usual sanitised shopping area experience. But safe. They had a day pass for unlimited internet for $10 which could also be used on the ship while in port.

 

No trays in the buffet but large plates.

I loved the bread especially the little sesame seed rolls and the cheese selection in the back of the buffet.There is a large seating area there overlooking the wake. Also loved the pizza.

Honestly I ate nearly all my meals in the MDR and rarely used the buffet.

Thanks Maryann2, I guess everyone loves the pizza. That's a big thing for us because we find it very difficult to get good pizza here in NC. I will try and get seating at the back, sounds like a nice spot. I don't think anyone uses trays anymore, oh well. I think we will just stay on board in Falmouth as I have heard the same things you say about it. We are scheduled for early seating for dinner but may try and change it to late. As usual, early is too early and late is too late. Can't win! And early dining means missing sail-away!

How full was your sailing? Was it always crowded?? Should we show up at the port around 11AM? That's what we usually do.

Thanks, Bob

ps - We did an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver last year and absolutely loved Vancouver!!!

Thanks Maryann2, I guess everyone loves the pizza. That's a big thing for us because we find it very difficult to get good pizza here in NC. I will try and get seating at the back, sounds like a nice spot. I don't think anyone uses trays anymore, oh well. I think we will just stay on board in Falmouth as I have heard the same things you say about it. We are scheduled for early seating for dinner but may try and change it to late. As usual, early is too early and late is too late. Can't win! And early dining means missing sail-away!

How full was your sailing? Was it always crowded?? Should we show up at the port around 11AM? That's what we usually do.

Thanks, Bob

ps - We did an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver last year and absolutely loved Vancouver!!!

I just got off also. I did early dining as late did not start until 8:45, a good choice for me as an American. The show was at 9 and then time to go to a lounge for a drink. We loved Shepard in Green in the Golden Jazz. They are full of talent.

Pre dinner we loved the Silver Lounge, deck 6, open deck looking down on deck 5 to hear the Amsterdam Trio. Quiet area for a pre cocktail.

I am not Moondance but will chime in.

 

Early seating for dinner at 6pm was over by 7.15 pm for our table. Late show was 9pm so ample time. Bingo was usually before it at 8pm.

My favourite bar was the Divina bar on deck 5 for pre-dinner cosmopolitans and post dinner zambuca or limoncello.;). Then no worry could just walk into the Black Crab restaurant on deck 5.

 

The Meet and Greet was attended by Andre the CD, the guest relations officer and the host. It was advertised in the programme and on the first sea day.

 

The only ship excursion I did was afternoon tea at Good Hope Estate in Jamaica. It was fascinating to see the old plantation. Would not recommend walking around Falmouth on your own. The area around the port inside the gate is the usual sanitised shopping area experience. But safe. They had a day pass for unlimited internet for $10 which could also be used on the ship while in port.

 

No trays in the buffet but large plates.

I loved the bread especially the little sesame seed rolls and the cheese selection in the back of the buffet.There is a large seating area there overlooking the wake. Also loved the pizza.

Honestly I ate nearly all my meals in the MDR and rarely used the buffet.

Can you tell us more about the tea at the Good Hope Estate? Thanks.

I just got off also. I did early dining as late did not start until 8:45, a good choice for me as an American. The show was at 9 and then time to go to a lounge for a drink. We loved Shepard in Green in the Golden Jazz. They are full of talent.

Pre dinner we loved the Silver Lounge, deck 6, open deck looking down on deck 5 to hear the Amsterdam Trio. Quiet area for a pre cocktail.

Thanks Joybaby, all recommendations are appreciated. I'm making a list of things to do and what to avoid. So far the lasagna and certain fish and meats are to be avoided and I'll add these places to areas to be sure to check out. I'm used to eating early also but the friends we are going with like late dining so I'm not sure what we'll end up with. I guess it depends on the ratio of Americans to Europeans on the ship. People on cruise critic have added greatly to my cruising experiences. Thanks again. Bob (And Stephanie)

We were on the Divina 9/13 departure Western Caribbean itinerary. Our group consisted myself (59), DH (74), DS (26), and his GF (24).

 

Embarkation: No complaints except that MSC should indicate somewhere that passengers are generally allowed to embark around noon. Our group 5 was called to get on the ship at 11:50 AM even though their literature says embarkation is at 4:00 PM!

 

Cabin: WE opted for the cheapest inside cabins on level 5, Saturno deck. The cabin was fine, except the beds have a plastic slat system instead of box springs, which resulted in several of them popping out from bowing when DS knelt on the edge of the bed, or when I sat on the very end of my bed. The storage was plentiful and well-arranged. I loved the glass shower enclosure...no shower curtain sticking to me. I can't be too specific about the cabin steward since I never saw ours, or even knew his name! I left a note the first day asking to have the ice bucket filled each day, and to empty the mini-bar so we could use it for the soda and water we carried onboard. One tip is that while you have to put a cruise card (or actually ANY credit card-sized card) into the slot by the door to enable the TV or lights in the room to be on, this also activates a signal light in the steward station indicating that you are occupying the room so he will not come to service the cabin while the power is on...so don't leave the card in place when going out to breakfast if you want your room made up.

 

Pools and jacuzzis THe pools were fine, not very crowded, but they only have a towel station by the main pool. We never had a problem getting a lounger. I wish they would have at least one of the spas turned up hotter...they have signs posted that the temperature is 37 C or LESS... and after a few minutes, that barely seems warm (the hottest it gets is normal body temperature!).

 

ServiceThe service was good, we never got the wrong meals, or had a problem getting what we needed, and although some have complained about not having servers offering drinks all the time, we enjoyed not being pestered all the time. Also, our water was refilled as needed at dinner without asking.

 

The Food I have to say, I was prepared for anything as far as the food onboard, since the previous reviews were all over the place... but I was pleasantly surprised! We felt the buffet was generally good, with lots of variety, and contrary to previous reviews, the dishes were refilled quickly, and we NEVER ran out of dishes or silverware. Although I didn't mind, most people were disappointed to find no made-to-order omelette station. The drink stations each have different offerings,randomly rotated, and the ethnic food section is only at the extreme back of the room, so if you really want to see all your food and drink choices before making your selections, you will have to do a lot of walking! The tables were cleared quickly, and we never had to wait to find a table.

We ate in the Black Crab MDR every evening at the early seating. Although the noise level is high, we were lucky to be in a small cove at table 528 which isolated us from a lot of the noise. The food was really a mixed bag... I had some of the very best cruise food, but also the very worst food (cruise or otherwise) ever! We were particularly disappointed with the pasta dishes...I have eaten lasagna all over Europe and USA, and this was the worst! It was as if they took all the correct ingredients, pureed them together, layered them with totally overcooked lasagna noodles, then poached it in water until it was complete mush... the cheese on the top was the only edible part! The prime rib is served in a style unfamiliar to me, too! It is sliced about 1/8" thin and smothered in thick brown gravy... I didn't order it again, but If I did I would have asked for no gravy and a thicker cut. The steaks we got ( about 7 of them between us all) were all over the map--from tasteless, tough and inedible to good. The one constant was that they were always only 1/4" thick.

The rack of lamb was very tough, but tasted good. The fish served as Mahi-Mahi was not mahi-mahi! The soups were all quite watered down, especially the split pea soup and the cold fruit soups. The salads were consistently good and varied daily. So much for the food complaints... the rest of the food ranged from good to excellent. Any dish which included shellfish was great! The shrimp cocktail, scallop appetizers, and the broiled lobster entree were all really good. The fried seafood appetizer as well as the mixed seafood grill entree were wonderful. By and large, the desserts were very good, and authentic. Overall, we were satisfied with the food, even though, taken as a whole, I would rate this ship's food about a C+... somewhere between TGIF and Denny's, with a few terrible items, and several really good exceptions to the rule. Again, we were expecting it to be worse so we were actually pleasantly surprised.

 

Value We all felt that this was a very good value, since the rates we paid worked out to about $60 pp daily including taxes and tips... the ship was immaculate, the rooms were nice, the food was okay, the ports were good, and the entertainment was the best I have seen on a cruise. All 4 of us were satisfied that we got our money's worth, and then some!

great post very helpful thank you.... Is their a HAPPY HR.???

Moondance55 - Did you find Deck 5 quite? What time were you able to disembark? Do you disembark on deck 5? We are on the deck next year and are thinking of taking our own luggage off!

Although the hallway had very little foot traffic or noise, our cabin 5050 had all manner of mechanical noises and water sloshing sounds behind the headboard mirror area...luckily we have no problem sleeping through almost anything, but it was very loud. We were called for disembarkation after 10:00 AM even though we had to vacate the cabin at 7:00! Our luggage group was Pink 3, and was the very last group off the ship. My son was on deck 10 and his group was called about 8:30 AM.

Moondance I was also on this cruise and we played trivia together a few times so hope you don't mind if I add some comments.

You have written a very fair review.

I also loved the ship and wish I was back there.

Many people I met were repeat Divina cruisers, some the 4th time this year and this has to say something.

Of course you do meet the negative nellies and unfortunately they attract each other.

MaryAnn, it was nice visiting with you...Like you, we had a good experience overall, and would go back in a heartbeat!

Thanks for taking the time to write and help us future Divinans,

Was there sufficient time to get to the shows after your early eating time?

What was your favorite bar?

Did you attend the Meet & Greet?

Are there any excursions that you recommend?

Are there trays in the buffet?

What was your favorite station at the buffet?

Where is the best place to find an open table at the buffet?

 

Thanks, Bob

Bob,

I think others have already answered but I will add my 2 cents.

Plenty of time between the end of early dinner because the show doesn't start until 9 PM.

We didn't buy any bar drinks, but we enjoyed the music in the Jazz Bar and the Divina Bar.

Skipped the meet n greet.

We just wing it, no organized excursions...We rented a car at all stops except GSC and son rented a scooter in Cozumel.

At the buffet I liked the bacon, sausage and fried eggs at the egg station...the ethnic corner at the back was good...I also liked the large assortment of breads.

No trays, but the plates are large platters

All the way to the back was usually uncrowded.