msc divina

Considering taking a one week cruise on divina out of miami 3/12. Have been on Celebrity, NCL, RCCL, etc many times in the past few years so know all their quirks. Having trouble getting information out of the MSC US booking/customer service department. For example I usually only eat breakfast and lunch at the main dining room on most cruise lines, occasionally they will be closed at lunch on port days, so okay. I have had three different answers from MSC booking people. One said main dining rooms only open for dinner, called another day, that person said open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, another day a person said only open for breakfast and they work in the same office. As MSC only has one ship out of the U.S. guessing most of their employees have never been on a MSC ship and just speculate or guess with. Has anyone been on this ship recently and let me know if main dining room is open for all three meals? Would appreciate it. Also, there are 3 of us traveling and they do not offer anytime dining. When I asked if we could request we be seated together at a table by ourselves at the early 5:30PM seating, got a range of answers from my three phone calls to three different MSC employees. Some said should not be a problem, will put it in your reservations when we book the two cabins, one with 2 people, one solo traveler. Other responses included requesting a 5:30PM seating versus 8:30PM is only a request, it may change on the day of departure, more importantly a few said, most tables in the main dining rooms are for 6 or 8 people and only a possibility you may get a table for 3. Anyone have experience with this?

The Dining rooms are normally open for lunch but not sure about port days though it will not normally be open on the day of sailing, the shoreside office staff will not normally know the arrangements for where you will eat and the Dining room you are assigned to will be on the sea pass card.

On embarkation day go and see the Matre`d who I am sure will help you with your table request.

As for the maybe maybe not of the office staff welcome to the crazy world of MSC.

Considering taking a one week cruise on divina out of miami 3/12. Have been on Celebrity, NCL, RCCL, etc many times in the past few years so know all their quirks. Having trouble getting information out of the MSC US booking/customer service department. For example I usually only eat breakfast and lunch at the main dining room on most cruise lines, occasionally they will be closed at lunch on port days, so okay. I have had three different answers from MSC booking people. One said main dining rooms only open for dinner, called another day, that person said open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, another day a person said only open for breakfast and they work in the same office. As MSC only has one ship out of the U.S. guessing most of their employees have never been on a MSC ship and just speculate or guess with. Has anyone been on this ship recently and let me know if main dining room is open for all three meals? Would appreciate it. Also, there are 3 of us traveling and they do not offer anytime dining. When I asked if we could request we be seated together at a table by ourselves at the early 5:30PM seating, got a range of answers from my three phone calls to three different MSC employees. Some said should not be a problem, will put it in your reservations when we book the two cabins, one with 2 people, one solo traveler. Other responses included requesting a 5:30PM seating versus 8:30PM is only a request, it may change on the day of departure, more importantly a few said, most tables in the main dining rooms are for 6 or 8 people and only a possibility you may get a table for 3. Anyone have experience with this?

1) In my experience, 12 cruises with MSC, there is an MDR open on every day for breakfast and lunch, open seating, waiter service.

2)Your evening dining arrangements will depend on which experience you have chosen,

a) Bella, you get very little choice and may not be in the MDR at all if the ship is full

b) Fantastica, you can state a preference of early or late dining or in some circumstances "my time" dining and table size but they are not guaranteed.

this is when talking to Maître D' is essential.

c) Aurea, My time dining with a choice of table size which is guaranteed.

All this info, for point 2, can be seen in the following thread post #1.

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2224649

Here is the actual wording from the UK web site

Dining choice. How will it work?

 

 

Guests booking the Bella Experience will be invited to express their preferred choice at the time of the booking. You will receive confirmation only after the check-in.

 

Guests booking the Fantastica Experience will be granted priority choice of dining times in our gourmet restaurants. The final assignment will be confirmed on board.

 

Guests booking the Aurea Experience will have access to the Dining Room at any time during service, including the break between first and second seating (guests will refer to the Daily Programme delivered in the cabin for opening and service time). A dedicated area in the main dining room will be allocated in order to accommodate them.

 

 

Pete

Considering taking a one week cruise on divina out of miami 3/12. Have been on Celebrity, NCL, RCCL, etc many times in the past few years so know all their quirks. Having trouble getting information out of the MSC US booking/customer service department. For example I usually only eat breakfast and lunch at the main dining room on most cruise lines, occasionally they will be closed at lunch on port days, so okay. I have had three different answers from MSC booking people. One said main dining rooms only open for dinner, called another day, that person said open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, another day a person said only open for breakfast and they work in the same office. As MSC only has one ship out of the U.S. guessing most of their employees have never been on a MSC ship and just speculate or guess with. Has anyone been on this ship recently and let me know if main dining room is open for all three meals? Would appreciate it. Also, there are 3 of us traveling and they do not offer anytime dining. When I asked if we could request we be seated together at a table by ourselves at the early 5:30PM seating, got a range of answers from my three phone calls to three different MSC employees. Some said should not be a problem, will put it in your reservations when we book the two cabins, one with 2 people, one solo traveler. Other responses included requesting a 5:30PM seating versus 8:30PM is only a request, it may change on the day of departure, more importantly a few said, most tables in the main dining rooms are for 6 or 8 people and only a possibility you may get a table for 3. Anyone have experience with this?

We had a table for 3 on our most recent Divina cruise.

RE: Aurea. Can you go to dinner at different times each evening and also get your choice of table size (in our case table for two), or do you have to select the same time every night.

In other words can you just show up and be seated at your choice of table size?

RE: Aurea. Can you go to dinner at different times each evening and also get your choice of table size (in our case table for two), or do you have to select the same time every night.

 

In other words can you just show up and be seated at your choice of table size?

When I went Aurea we booked a time and kept that time slot every night, but we could have booked a different time each night. There was a dedicated Aurea dining supremo, a bit like a cross between a head waiter/Maitre D' and a concierge, with whom you booked your arrangements.

I didn't try to just turn up and see what was available. Certainly on our cruise Christian, the supremo, made bookings very easy and ensured that we were served by the same waiter/assistant waiter although not always at the same table. This allowed them the to get to know your requirements/favourite drinks etc . Our head waiter and Christian were both happy to undertake waiting services so as to make your meal times a very nice experience. All four took the time to hold conversations with me and my wife, which I found gave you a chance to get to know them as people not just staff.

The supremo and the head waiter

waiter, asst. waiter and the supremo

Did you have a two-top for you and your wife?

Was there space between the tables or were you very close to the table next to you?

Did you have a two-top for you and your wife?

 

Was there space between the tables or were you very close to the table next to you?

I'm not sure what you mean by a "two - top " table. we certainly had a table for two each night, most nights (5 out of the 7), we had the same table.

The spacing between tables is one of the poorer things about MSC they tend to be a bit closer than most people like, and in some instances they really are very close, but we found it was not a problem because the time at which we chose to dine was not popular and there were seldom guests on the nearby tables.

Pete

Thank you.

A two top is a table that seats two people (usually just). Sometimes they put two people at a four top, which gives more room.

We were just on Celebrity Reflection where the tables for two were close to each other (maybe 18 inches apart). However, we were fortunate in that we were on the second level, at the balcony railing, so when there were people closs by it was only on one side. Anything like that in Divina's dining room?

Thank you.

 

A two top is a table that seats two people (usually just). Sometimes they put two people at a four top, which gives more room.

 

We were just on Celebrity Reflection where the tables for two were close to each other (maybe 18 inches apart). However, we were fortunate in that we were on the second level, at the balcony railing, so when there were people closs by it was only on one side. Anything like that in Divina's dining room?

As I was in the YC when I cruised on her I didn't go into the MDR, except for a quick look inside to take a photo

So here is that photo of the Black Crab MDR

It doesn't look as crowded as some of the earlier build ships such as the Lirica Class.

looking at the official image on the MSC web site the are two levels to the MDR (Black Crab) so you could be next to a balcony rail.

There is another MDR (Villa Rossa) which is only on one level and I suspect that will be the one used by Aura guests, or at least a dedicated part of it.

image courtesy of MSC

Pete

Thank you. Dining room looks very nice.:)