carlmm

I don't mind 😉 First I will try to follow your order: The room was a standard size balcony room with metal rather than glass ceiling. The room was big enough with a comfortable sofa and in good conditions and my steward maintained it very well. Everything I asked for was provided. The storage space is rather limited, for a longer cruise or with two people the wardrobes are inadequate IMHO. One only gets soap and shampoo from big bottles. Embarkation was a breeze. Once past the security there was a separate line for diamond guests but it probably would not have made any difference. Lines were short. Altogether maybe 30 minutes at most. Rooms were not ready but there was a conveniently located hand luggage storage. Debarkation was rather well organized by MSC but the long lines and few officers at immigration made it a long and uncomfortable procedure. Unfortunately this was just very similiar to what I have experienced in Miami every time I came from further away countries with ships of other lines, too. Food and restaurants The buffet food was varied and included the hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and their like for those looking for fast food, but also "real food". The fish was surprisingly well, much better than on the average buffet, not cooked or standing around to long. Major food choices were repeated several times, some special food was a bit further to the back. I always found a seat. The drinks service was okay most of the time, not always immediately and sometimes one had to discuss about the availability. My dinner restaurant was the Villa Rossa. I like to share a big table: This time for most of the evenings only two other guests showed up on the table for seven, but these were a good match and we had a great time. The food choice was good; different from the offerings in Europe like less octopus and more steak. Some excellent dishes, most maybe like in an upper middle class Italian hotel. The service was too rushed and inattentive for this European. I am not on a sprint from course to course but prefer a slower but more correct service. I do not want to be made to order my dessert before dinner. Likewise you had to order your wine at the start of dinner, no chance to order eg. a different kind for a different course later. Some wine (from the premium by the glass options) were not available. Probably too few and too untrained, but mostly friendly, waiters. Having that, there were also examples of very good service: When I finally asked for the head waiter regarding the unavailabilty of all the wines, he organized what he said was the last bottle on board of a particular wine and it was kept for me for the next nights. When one of my table mates arrived almost 60 minutes late, the head waiter proactively approached him and offered him to still order a main course and a dessert. Butcher's cut: Well. The steak had to be returned the first time and it was still the worst I have had in any butcher's cut on any MSC ship. Not really bad but not great either. The seafood platter as appetizer was quite large, oyster and scallop were tasteless, all the other items including lobster, crab legs and various kind of mussles were nice.

We had a similiar early tour some time ago. My advice would be to use a taxi for the trip directly to the Vatican. For the more relaxed way back you can still use the train.

This includes a valuable hint for everybody using the trenitalia site: Even if you use the English language you must use the real Italian names of the stations.

So was onion so, salmon, caesars salad and NY strip steak.

On my recent Divina cruise the Shrimps cocktail was always available free of charge.

The excursions offered include eg a partial transit and a visit to the Aqua Clara locks.

Thanks for the review @GPPhilly! I was on the same cruise, albeit in the normal section, thus it was interesting to read your perspective.

Just be warned: The "tram" might run or not. Just this Sunday we had to wait for more than 35 minutes and than it went only straight to one stop (south beach) and no other option to enter or leave.

Thank you all for the answers. The final outcome: Quite well, I planned for some delay. My driver was confused and did not find the way directly. We also got stuck in a traffic jam. Thus it took like 40 minutes or so. All good.

Question for those in the know: How to get from South Beach, Art Deco area to the port in this situation? How long?

Alright ... Burnie, Tasmania. West Beach camera.

Thank you all for all the insights and information!

If I remember correctly, @styles27 reported about quite a number of people wearing tuxedos on their MSC Divina cruise, yet that was over New Years. How is the situation now? Any recent experience? If it matters it will be 10 nights cruise Miami, Central America.

Others who have actually sailed on this specific cruise might verify or falsify but in general MSC uses the respective official local times. Indeed like every cruise line I've ever sailed.

MSC provides for each airport tour the earliest allowed departure times for different kind of flights. Check in the tour description under additional information or similiar. Usually these tours are along the first off in the morning.

That's the only way: Kindly ask if those in Aurea (or is it even YC?) might dine with the rest of the group at a fixed time. Do not try to get something you did not pay for.

To "make it easy" you need transportation from the train station to the flowers market/old town area. It be at least a 25 minutes walk. You can take the tram, a bus or, of course, a taxi.

I'd like to add to the question about the first bus the question, when does the last one go.

I have cruised in February. We had every weather from freezing cold to nice enough to sunbath by the pool but only like one day of either extreme. Most days were rather cool but warm enough for sightseeing and sitting on the balcony. If you are willing to accept the, albeit small, risk of ughly weather, I would go for the combination of prefered line and preferred itinarary.

In almost all cases I would have recommended to go Mont St. Michel. It is such a special and unique site. World heritage, of course, and so much closer than Paris. Yet, in your case, as your children want to go there such dearly, it might be different: Even if you or they might go back in the future, if it is indeed their wish, it will be a special moment to see and climb the Eiffel Tower now. They will probably treasure this moment. Thus I second the idea of showing them pictures and cleary explaing them the effort needed to get to Paris, to make sure, it is really what they want and not just because it is the only place they have heard about.

Thank you for all the information!

Portovenere is a nice enough village but not part of the Cinque Terre and thus lacks the specific characteristics and charme of these. To enjoy the uniqueness of the Cinque Terre I would opt for the tour with the beautiful Manarola und Riomaggiore.

Îs there priority check in for diamond guest in Miami (MSC Divina, terminal E) ? I have seen a video with long lines outside and inside. Is there a difference entrance / line for diamond guests? Other information or advice? Another question: In the same video it looks like hundreds of pieces of luggage just standing around curb side. How does the luggage drop off work there?

I have stayed there, yet it is not near the Spanish steps but directly next to the Piazza Navonna which is an excellent location. It is typical old world European upper middle class hotel. Great roof top terrace. We enjoyed it.

Contrary to other cruiselines, Cunard treats passengers as reasonable and responsible adults when it comes to alcohol. Bring your wine or even your spirit and drink it in your cabin, pay corkage and drink wine at dinner- all fine with Cunard. All fine - as long as passengers behave as reasonable and responsible adults.