MSC DIVINA Dec 27, 2014 -Jan 3, 2015

MSC quote : “Life should be measured in moments, not minutes”.

Morning of December 30th, 2014, a special moment in St Maarten, to see the re-incarnation of my first cruise ship, in 1980 , the beauty P&O SS Oriana alongside the new beauty Msc Divina ; a time warp of 35 years.

Cruise Msc Divina - December 27, 2014 – January 3, 2015

Itinerary Miami, St Maarten, San Juan, Great Stirrup Cay, Miami

Cruise log : There is no right or wrong feedback, merely my perception of a product/service ; it is directly based on how much i spent ; my expectation for value, and my level of tolerance for undue irritations while consuming the product

Ø Cost$5000 for 2 , $350? per day p.p (airfare & cruise & tips & excursions & on board expenses). I so wish i lived in Miami, i would pedal to the port in my shorts, chain my push bike to any hydrant, get on my 5* floating hotel for $700 for 7 days , $100 per day p.p ; a bargain, i’d even do a B2B2B, better still, taste the famous Yacht club.

Ø MSC airport transfer : our flight from Quebec City landed inFort Lauderdale at 1100am ; a welcome blessing from the minus 30c and snow. Finally cleared US customs at 1200pm, got on the MSC transfer bus at 100pm, and arrived in Miami at 130pm.

Ø Luggage handling in Miami : a 15+ minutes blockade/haggle at the bus door ; most passengers got intimidated by the “in your face” porters. Sorry ! I always roll mine along, even when chased by a porter. I want the option to answer the question “did you have your bag in your possession .. bla bla bla “ with a straight face.

Ø Check-in : in line at 200pm ; actual chk-in process was efficient, took 5 minutes; but the total wait time was 45 minutes ; includes the “queue jumpers circus”. (1) a seemingly lost “Chelo Alonso”, screaming at a clueless paapii , and conveniently ran to the next available chk-in agent. (2) her class act was then copied by “George of Seinfeld” parents (3) Priceless , priceless , an impatient “Eva Longoria” unhooked the retractable strap from the line-up pole to cut across and the recoil hit her little Enrique –ouch!!!

Ø Msc Divina : Finally we set foot on the stunning Msc Divina at 300pm (11 hours later, we left home at 400am, airport chk-in was 500am, our flight left Quebec City at 700am). Quick buffet (ah! my first encounter with the beverage package aka 704 Risk) and tour of the Diva & Swarovski stairs

Ø Our Cabin , a B2 Fantastica balcony on Deck 13 aft was ready at 400pm. We did not see much of our cabin steward Wasil, but a tip on day 1, ensured our room was always well serviced. Noise level was noticeable from the Buffet on deck 14 at times. The large overhang kept our balcony shady for most of the day.

Ø Sail-off : at 730pm, once the last passengers were on board ; one or two shy horn blasts, no major sail off party (or maybe i missed it), except for a merry group on Deck 10 singing and banging on tambourines. Miami lights was a pretty sight, am used to the 400pm-500pm daylight sailing..

Ø Room service : We did not use the room service included with B2 Fantastica; the room service menu was basic, it was easier to walk up to Deck 14 buffet from Deck 13 using the aft side stairs to find food and eat on our balcony.

Ø Food in buffetwas good+, the hidden gem “ethnic corner” at the back , provided an enjoyable foray on different days into Indian - lamb curry & chicken Briyani, Thai green chicken curry, Spanish paella, Greek brochette & moussaka, and Bahamian fish curry.

Ø Beverage package: the TA threw in a pre-paid Cheers package, vino, soft drinks & water at meals only. The cruise card was coded “704 Risk”; Lesson learnt; When i order drinks via 704 Risk , there is no charge to my account and NO 15% tip added; I get poor service; when i order, drinks and charge to my account ; there is a 15% tip added, i get nice smile, I fixed the “risk” fast–cash tips when using 704 Risk. :confused::confused: I assumed tips were pre-paid on beverage packages, and vouchers ? . I will check with the TA.

Ø Food in Main Dining Room was equally good+, second seating at 830pm. Our head waiter Budi managed 30 diners (5 tables), his assistant/busboy served 60 (10 tables) ; they both maintained their great Bali smile despite their running around like chicken with no heads ; obviously service was slow, a tip on day-1 ensured a kinder attention ; we had asked for a table for 2, but were assigned a table for 6, with 2 other Cdn couples; the slow service fostered pleasant dinner conversation; dinner lasted from 830pm to 11pm; on day-2, we figured to order bottles of water and vino right away, and served ourselves

Ø Pools : nice pools,the infinity pool deck 14 aft was great. We figured out the best time to go was 1230pm & 430-500pm, right after the chair hogs’ stampede to the buffet & early dining.

Ø Shows: went to the 645pm early show, a feast for the senses ; mime, lip sync, recorded music, no worries (great costumes, dancers, singers , jugglers and acrobats mostly from Ukraine). We enjoyed Wonderland, La Traviata, Simply Italia, Pirates, Witches of Paris, Michael Jackson and Tribute ;.

Ø Evening lounge music : nice & mellow, great cocktails helped us soothe the irritations of the day

Ø Specialty restaurants : did not try any, the Buffet and MDR food , was fine.

Ø Disco & casino : did not try.

Ø St Maarten : smooth disembarkation , the excursion at $52.90 p.p for a 2 hr tour was not worth it, our dinner friends spent $40 for 2 for a private grand tour of the Dutch & French side and the beaches.

Ø San Juan – smooth disembarkation, did not buy any excursion from ship; did a 1 hour private tour of old town for $10 p.p and a $5 p.p visit of El Morro Fort. A self-visit to the Bacardi Rum factory involved many steps but a bargain, a ferry ride across $ 0.50 each way p.p, then a cab ride $3 each way p.p, and $12 ticket p.p , a drink included.

Ø Great Stirrup Cay tendering irritated many, and left a sour taste on the last day; it was a 2 hour wait; only 2 tenders used and a return trip was 45 minutes in choppy waters , tempers flared when some passengers holding letters L, N, O bumped and conga’ed their way thru when letter F was called. I still wonder why MSC assigned letters , if it was not enforced .

Ø Self-assist : Not available to you; if you hold an MSC transfer to the airport ; You will not be told you cannot use self-assist, Miss Aloof at Guest services will grab the form and scowl “get out kapin at 630am” You will still receive luggage tags and asked to put your luggage outside the cabin door by 200am. So no point getting off the ship early cause your transfer bus only shows up at 830-900am, Breakfast is served at 600am-sit back & enjoy

Ø Disembarkation in Miami was smooth; we were out by800am, after a breeze thru US Customs, we boarded our airport transfer busat 900am, and arrived Fort Lauderdale airport by 930am for our 1230pm flight,

Ø Kudos to the hard working staff (cabin & food/beverages, pool attendants) from Indonesia, India-Goa, & various ex british colonies/islands ; chatting with them, I gathered they work 7 days a week, 11 hrs a day with short nappy breaks between breakfast, lunch & dinner, their contract is avg 7 months.

Ø Customer/guest services : The aloof attitude of a couple of young ladies from East Europe was sadly amusing. George Eliot would have told them “Wear smiles and make friends, wear a scowl and make wrinkles”. Luckily Mr Hamilton, a smily lad from St Vincent , a lone ranger in that group would go the extra mile and save the day for MSC. .

Ø Ship security :another aloof group, no comments. Security on the Norwegian ship, were Nepalese lads from Ex British Royal Gurkhas Rifles, ex Rifleman Thapa , was so proud when we recognized his Khukri epaulettes, “Oh ! sir , next time try Norwegian, better” , wow ! a security lad selling Norwegian, simply sincere and not condescending; i felt like jumping ship right away

As Jan Carlzon, CEO of SAS put it : We have 50,000 moments of truth every day; every time an employee of SAS comes into contact with a customer, those moments of truth will ultimately determine repeat or lost business. They are the moments when we must prove to our customers that SAS is their best alternative

This was my first cruise experience with MSC. The MSC Divina is a no doubt a beauty , but sadly my enjoyable moments were compromised by minutes of hiccups , undue irritations from those who forgot to pack a minimum of etiquette and respect for the cruise ; and especially the Miss Aloof’s/Miss Scowl’s from guests services.

.

Pour commencer Bonjour Quebec :-)

I have seen pretty good pricing for this cruise in March and was actually thinking of coining a B2B.

In the end how is this cruise line ? I know the ship is a beauty as everyone says that but should we go ahead and book it ?

Thanks for you feed back

Eric

Pour commencer Bonjour Quebec :-)

 

I have seen pretty good pricing for this cruise in March and was actually thinking of coining a B2B.

In the end how is this cruise line ? I know the ship is a beauty as everyone says that but should we go ahead and book it ?

 

Thanks for you feed back

 

Eric

To be honest it would depend on the price and your expectations.

The OP was very fair and accurate in their comments and assessment. Yes the ship is beautiful. She is very clean and you will always find someone cleaning. The art decor is a little weird in places and makes you sometimes wonder the thought process but I guess that is what art is all about.

The food is hit and miss but it is ok. As the OP mentioned the Ethnic corner in the back is a hidden gem. Sadly it generally was only opened in the day. The buffet lacked variety and had limited options for dinner. Lunch was not to bad but being in a B2B it did get a little dull (same would apply on most cruises).

The every day staff were lovely. From the room stewards, severs and wait staff. The Guest Relations staff were some of the most rude people I have ever met (with the exception also of Mr Hamilton who was a delight).

Shows were great. Everyday entertainment was boring. Cruise Director zero personality.

If we did not have such massive issues with Customer Service then my view would not be as tainted. MSC has many good qualities and a great deal of potential but they also have a long way to go.

Hope this helps

Bonjour Nimiq

It truly depends on your expectations, your level of tolerance for rogue behaviour, how many of you travelling, and what do you enjoy.

I travelled for New Year's eve - 4300 passengers, 1300 staff. It was very challenging. Am going to an all-inclusive 5* adults only resort in Cuba Feb 5 to recup.

Without doubt a regular balcony at $649 is a bargain (if on board credit and drink package are included), at $100 per day pp; a bargain. I would say try 7 days, Msc means well and tries hard . B2B (2 weeks) might be too much deja vu & cabin fever.

Maybe invest in the Yacht club and be the Lord of Downton Abbey for 7 days.

for now, 3 caution points come to mind.

1. Avoid balcony aft of ship on deck 13, series 13222 or bang your teeth on the railing (see attached pic)
   
   
2. Avoid deals & itineraries following "jam cruises", EDM (Electronic Dance music) parties. Check schedule on www.holyship.com. Divina is also known as the Holy ship, chartered for raves. The lingering aura of pot & upset stomachs of 4000 happy dancers who sailed before you can be challenging to the senses. (Fyi-ptite fierte de papa- mon fils est un EDM artist, il vient d'etre nomme pour 2 Juno awards le 15 mars a Hamilton).
   
3. Choose Grand Turk stopover over Great Stirrup Cay (GSC-slow tendering or you may not disembark pending weather and waves).
   
   

feel free to write if you have specific questions.

Cabin 13222 - aft, deck 13, walk out of cabin-bang your teeth on railing.

Cabin 13194, at the hump ; aft, big angle balcony , very shady and private

First of all, THANK YOU for such a detailed review!!! Thanks for mentioning the ethnic buffet area. That was the area I frequented during a Celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise 2 years ago.

I would really appreciate it if you could answer some questions I have. I am booked on the 2/28/15 cruise and have seen some pretty bad reviews on other websites.

Do you have any suggestions on how to increase our odds for an ENJOYABLE experience? We are a family group of 3 adults and we are especially looking forward to Italian food, wine and cocktails, plus the ports (Falmouth, Jamaica, Georgetown, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Mexico, Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas).

Were you pleased with the food quality in the Main Dining Room? Do you wish you had booked the dine-around package for $107 (or $30 for Eately, etc) ? Would you know the Main Dining Room schedule for special dinners (formal dinners, seafood night, steak night, baked Alaska, etc)? What were White Night, Italian Night and Flower Power Night like? Was the house wine drinkable? Any pictures of food and/or drink menus? What MSC shore excursions are worth the money?

I know I asked a lot of questions but ANY help would be appreciated. THANK YOU!

First of all, THANK YOU for such a detailed review!!! Thanks for mentioning the ethnic buffet area. That was the area I frequented during a Celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise 2 years ago.

 

I would really appreciate it if you could answer some questions I have. I am booked on the 2/28/15 cruise and have seen some pretty bad reviews on other websites.

 

Do you have any suggestions on how to increase our odds for an ENJOYABLE experience? We are a family group of 3 adults and we are especially looking forward to Italian food, wine and cocktails, plus the ports (Falmouth, Jamaica, Georgetown, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Mexico, Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas).

 

Were you pleased with the food quality in the Main Dining Room? Do you wish you had booked the dine-around package for $107 (or $30 for Eately, etc) ? Would you know the Main Dining Room schedule for special dinners (formal dinners, seafood night, steak night, baked Alaska, etc)? What were White Night, Italian Night and Flower Power Night like? Was the house wine drinkable? Any pictures of food and/or drink menus? What MSC shore excursions are worth the money?

 

I know I asked a lot of questions but ANY help would be appreciated. THANK YOU!

Hi There,

I hope you dont mind if I chime in here:) Please go and ENJOY the Divina, she really is a beautiful ship and I am HUGE fan. I have the answer to a lot of your questions at home and I will get to them tonight. But I can tell you that the house wine was very good, the crew was fantastic, keep an open mind, it is true that it is a very European experience all the way up to the speedos you see by the pool. I am 100% honest when I say Divina was one of our best cruises yet, and I hope to sail on her again.

If you are looking for wonderful Italian food then the Fivina was disappoint. It is mass produced food and far from traditional Italian Mamma food. The MDR was hit and miss. One night the food was really good, ok the next and then below average. I love for as much of not more than most. On a 7 day Princess cruise I hained almost 7lb. On the 14 Divina b2b I think i lost weight. That being said its not all bad. The pizza was great but after 14 days it was getting a tad monotonous

My wife and I have the Yacht Club booked for my 1st MSC cruise.

Hope the food is consistently good or great for the 7 days we am there.

I know from viewing pictures and hearing stories that the pool area is pretty quiet, but we do not plan on being there or the lounge 24/7 either. We will have a whole ship to explore. I think we will keep to the Yacht Club food though for all my meals.

Dear Chantalzz

How to increase our odds for an ENJOYABLE experience ? I was unprepared for the undue irritations on my last trip; unprepared for the buffet & pool & tender marauding hordes:mad: led by Pancho Villa, Attila the Hun & Roseanne. My next trip > I will keep an open mind :cool:and lower/manage my tolerance & expectations :D Stay away from Guest services. :eek:

You are sailing Feb 28, (Spring break), ship is sold out, expect 4300 passengers ; potentially lots of kids as kids sail free. Your itinerary is 2 days at sea, 2 docking & 2 tenders.

2 days at sea , 4300 people suffering from cabin fever. Hope you have a nice balcony, use it . Book a spa. Book sunchairs for the day (deck 15 aft ?). Enjoy breakfast & lunch at the Black Crab instead of the buffet as much as you can.

2 docking > Jamaica is Jamaica, safety in numbers ; book an excursion or stay on board. Cozumel is ok to walk off ship & around and negotiate a private excursion.

2 tenders > Grand Cayman & Great Stirrup Cay , do not let the 2 hour wait irritate you. In GSC, expect the BBQ lunch to run out of beer & vino, take the trolley, go to the other end of the island.

-----

Great cocktails , watch for the cocktail of the day about a $1+ less.

Nice wine list. (see attached pdf ; +/- some wine) . House wine was fine; expect to be served the $25 bottle kind or anything around $6 a glass; usually the last 2 on the list.. Also depends on the mood of the barman, for example I got Meridian Chardonnay (middle of the pack) one day , then La Terre Chardonnay (bottom of the pack) next day.

Main dining room food was fine to me, did not feel the need for specialty restaurants. To be honest, i did not really consider Eataly, i think more of fine Italian “mama” restaurants as land based.

In MDR, I enjoyed the rack of lamb, filet mignon, or NY strip, nice fish, basic pasta,

Not a fan of formal nights,no help there, except i enjoyed the show "Simply Italia" and the sights of passengers wearing Italy's green/ /red

Wine list DIVINA USA 2013-14 PDF.pdf

Thanks for your thoughts.

I thought spring break was the middle of March?

My wife and I have the Yacht Club booked for my 1st MSC cruise.

 

Hope the food is consistently good or great for the 7 days we am there.

 

I know from viewing pictures and hearing stories that the pool area is pretty quiet, but we do not plan on being there or the lounge 24/7 either. We will have a whole ship to explore. I think we will keep to the Yacht Club food though for all my meals.

As a yacht club 'pro', (3 cruises in YC so far; 2 more coming up), I can assure you that you will have the best cruise you've ever had as far as service and food are concerned. The YC is the ONLY way to cruise on the Divina. Each week we have sailed has been PERFECT! We represent three generations (21 yr old, 58 year old, 1 yr old) and all of us, baby included, rates the Divina as our favorite ship. Between the three of us, we've been on over 60 cruises so that's quite a testimony! Yes, the baby's been on 3 Divina cruises and 2 Carnival. Just a tad spoiled! Lol.

As a yacht club 'pro', (3 cruises in YC so far; 2 more coming up), I can assure you that you will have the best cruise you've ever had as far as service and food are concerned. The YC is the ONLY way to cruise on the Divina. Each week we have sailed has been PERFECT! We represent three generations (21 yr old, 58 year old, 1 yr old) and all of us, baby included, rates the Divina as our favorite ship. Between the three of us, we've been on over 60 cruises so that's quite a testimony! Yes, the baby's been on 3 Divina cruises and 2 Carnival. Just a tad spoiled! Lol.

Have to agree that the Yacht Club is the only way to go....well it will be mine if I sail Divina again but first Celebrity Solstice in 44 days woo-hoo

Dtfc3, I apologize for the delayed response. Thank you for answering many of my questions. I feel a lot better about the cruise. I plan to book 1 dinner at Eataly and try to stay patient while enjoying several meals at the MDR and the ethnic portion of the Buffet.

Hi There,

 

I hope you dont mind if I chime in here:) Please go and ENJOY the Divina, she really is a beautiful ship and I am HUGE fan. I have the answer to a lot of your questions at home and I will get to them tonight. But I can tell you that the house wine was very good, the crew was fantastic, keep an open mind, it is true that it is a very European experience all the way up to the speedos you see by the pool. I am 100% honest when I say Divina was one of our best cruises yet, and I hope to sail on her again.

Skyking, I still hope to hear from you regarding your experiences on the MSC Divina. Thank you!

Hello from Nova Scotia - A very helpful review. Can I ask what you would tip the cabin steward and waiter on the first day for extra attention?

Thanks

Sorry - another question - you mention booking sunchairs for the day - is this an option for anybody? Can you do it in advance?

Thanks

Sorry - another question - you mention booking sunchairs for the day - is this an option for anybody? Can you do it in advance?

 

Thanks

Yes , anyone can book in the Solarium. We took a look around and it is very quiet, adults only. Not a lot of shade. It was less expensive on port days or later in the day.

Any idea of the cost?

I have had fabulous service on every cruise from my table waiters and from m cabin stewards. I am Australian and tipping is really foreign to us. I have never tipped other than paying the gratuities and have never had to. I have enjoyed excellent service always.

:rolleyes: