Geobugs

Last month on Divina, we got off at all ports and did not have to show a vac card or passport at all.  We showed security a cruise card and that is all that we needed.

When I do sail on MSC again, it will be on a ship that I can specialty dine every evening.  Butcher's cut was equivalent to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.  I would pay $250 for a nightly dining package on top of the $479 inside stateroom. 

The Prime Rib was good on the second elegant night.  The NY strip on the first elegant night, even asked for rare, was like cutting rubber or shoe leather.

5/5 Embark/Debark - no lines, no delays, no hassles. 

5/5 Cabin - great size, layout, closet space, shower design, cabin steward actually cleaned room three times per day when requested.

5/5 Ship - Divina is beautiful, common areas are elegant, dining rooms spacious, multiple pools and hot tubs.  Elevators were quick.

5/5 Service - Crew were helpful, courteous, friendly, and well trained.

5/5 Cleanliness - Crew always cleaning, wiping, vacuuming, and very safe.

4/5 Ports - Ocean Cay was amazing, Montego Bay was changed to Falmouth but could not leave the port without an excursion, Aruba was beautiful, Columbia was great, Panama Canal crossing excursion was amazing, and  Costa Rica excursion was very nice.

 

Areas of concern: the quality of food and the quality of the entertainment.

The quality of the meat on the should should be increased by several fold.

All of the red meat was tough, low quality, dry, and inedible.

The food lacked flavor with the majority of dishes.

I had to salt, pepper, tobasco sauce, bbq sauce, most of the time.

However, the waiters were amazing and worked very hard to please passengers.

I can go into more detail with pictures and answers to any questions.

 

Cruise director Monica should be replaced.

She was arrogant and rarely present.

The remainder of the cruise entertainment staff were amazing. 

The theater shows were underwhelming.

 

Covid-19 protocols:  I found them to be the perfect balance of reminders and enforcement, but I think I have a very relaxed opinion.

They announced the covid-19 protocols on a frequent basis; ie wear masks, social distance, and wash hands.

Here is my biased experience.

IMHO wearing a mask while vaccinated is unnecessary.

The entire cruise I wore my mask over my mouth and under my nose, without crew or passengers complaining.

Crew members correctly wore masks, except for officers, which regularly wore it under their nose.

In restaurants, 99% of passengers went mask free.  I did see one passenger eat while masked, lifting it with every bite.

In bars/venues with bars, 80% of the passengers went mask free.  Even if no drink was ordered, passengers went without a mask.

In the theater, 50% of the passengers went mask free.  The front row never social distanced. 

On the pool deck, 80% of the passengers went mask free.

When I walked from the pool deck, wet from swimming, I went mask free, while walking back to the room, without incident.

Thank you for the picture and commentary.  Real men eat their steak Medium Rare. 

Are the buses running in Aruba?  I click on the website beach locations and it says something about Covid.

Valuable information, thank you very much.

When are the optional formal/theme nights?

At what time can you see the MDR dining menus?

 

6:15 p.m. sounds great!  Food looks good. Thank for the Dailies and the menus.

Not yet.

Salmon was the catch of the day and very tasty.

Taxi prices to Scotchies?

Lots of good storage space.  Several drawers and plenty of hanging room.

Three months ago, I was at Ocean Cay. 

I will be there again in three weeks. 

I speak from experience.

Yes, it is just a beach day. 

 

However, allow to to suggest why it is a great beach day. 

You dock, you don't tender.

You can return to the ship within five minutes.

The beach chairs and umbrella is free, at the bench nearest the ship.

The buffet food is included, drink packages work, wifi is available if purchased on the ship.

Food truck food is included.

The beach is safe and private.

The atmosphere is calm and serene.

 

Allow me to compare to Jamaica's Doctor's cave beach, which I will visit also.

$20 Taxi each way

$20 food

$6 entrance fee

$6 chair fee

$6 umbrella fee

The noise of the "hip strip."

Hagglers, peddlers, and beggars.

 

Both beaches have their place, but Yes, Ocean Cay is a beach day.

On MSC, you cannot transfer a cruise per se.  MSC gives you a future cruise credit to be used on a subsequent cruise.  The extras typically are not transferred across.  A ship change and an improved drink package could net you over 200 Euros per person of value.  US pricing: Easy drink package $38 per day, Easy plus package $49 per day, Premium extra package $69 per day.

 

If you don't think you have been treated fairly by MSC, you can cancel the cruise and receive your money back.

"If you have purchased the Dining Experience package, you are entitled to 1 dish from either the Appetizers or the Featured Starters or the Soup section, one from either the Entrées or the Steaks section and one from the Desserts section of the Dining Experience menu, up to a maximum of 3 dishes in total.  You may replace a dish from the Dining Experience menu with one from the à la carte menu for 50%  of the listed price."

 

I just pre-paid $37 each for the $47 Butcher's cut Dining experience.

When I order, could I substitute a dish, the Appetizer, with the Ribeye for $48 @ 50% off or $24?

i.e. Order the Filet Mignon, the Ribeye and the NY Cheese cake, and pay $37 plus $24 for two steaks and dessert?

 

I was on the Meraviglia in August. spa was open, including all the thermal areas.  Used my free one hour for being Gold status.

MSC Tote bag, August 16th on Meraviglia.

Another cruise in 30 days on Divina.  I will inquire after the next one.

I did not get my August 16th Meraviglia points.

"B"

August 16, Meraviglia, we parked in NCL garage, no one to take our money.  Free parking.

MSC Meraviglia excelled at the minor things.

 

10/10 Embarkation and Disembarkation - nothing to change here, I can't imagine how it could have been better.

10/10 Ship - nothing to change here.  For comparison sake, Meraviglia is nicer than any other ship that I have sailed, including Sky Princess, Regal Princess, all NCL and all Carnival ships.  However, Sky Princess is a very close second, their medallion technology is amazing.

10/10 Balcony cabin - nothing to change here, I can't imagine how it could have been better.  However, we spend very little time in the cabin.

9/10 Ocean Cay - nothing to change here except the food quality.  For comparison sake, Princess Cays requires a tender to reach their private island.  Princess Cays also has the buffet and food truck with higher quality food.  Again, Princess is a very close second for a private island.

 

However, our priority for cruising and what we look forward to, in order, would be: Food quality, Theater show quality, a funny Comedian, Musicians at small venues quality and variety, Karaoke, Port excursions and Cruise director energy.

 

The major reasons why we cruise and in comparison to other lines, MSC falls short for us.  We are scheduled for the MSC Divina 11 night cruise in November to see if food and entertainment improve.  If it doesn't improve, we will try other cruise lines such as Celebrity Edge/Apex or NCL Encore/Prima or go back to Princess (our favorite) and to Carnival (best bargain). 

 

 

Buffet Lunch Food

The Pizza was very good.

The Burger - the bun was hard, not toasted.  The cheese was dried out, not melted.  The fries were unsalted and flavorless.  The freshly sliced prime rib was good.  But the rest of the week, the carved meat looked unappetizing.  The potato salad was very under-cooked and hard like an apple.  The pasta salad was decent.

 

 

Late night buffet pizza was very good.

 

 

The desserts were not sweet and had little flavor.  The rice pudding was meh.  The carrot cake wasn't sweet. 

 

 

The fish of the day, Salmon every time, was good.  The rice was unsalted, dry and without flavor.

 

 

The artichoke heart dip was good.  But four tortilla chip only?

 

 

The Lunch fish and chips were very good.

 

 

This chicken soup was gross.

 

 

Mozzarella caprese was very good.

 

 

Pasta and meatballs was very good.

 

 

This Indian dish with naan bread, spinach and potatoes was good.

 

 

Ocean Cay food.  Fruit was good.  Jerk chicken good.  Cookies not sweet.  Burger bun hard not grilled or soft.  Fries without salt.  Mahi Mahi was decent.

 

 

 

Guac and three chips was alright.

 

 

Bagel with lox and creme cheese was decent.

 

I got two arancini, very good.

 

 

 

Circ was replaces with a flashback boy quartet, meh it was just okay.

 

 

This musical group in the atrium was just okay.

 

 

Lighthouse show was amazing.

 

 

The theater show was a little bit good, but laughable.

 

 

Karaoke was very entertaining.

 

My son and I are leaving on the MSC Divina in 7 weeks.  Can you post the daily schedule of activities?