Review for Divina March 22-29

[riclop]

Thanks for your great review and your right just dont understand all the negative reviews.

[wrdtrvllr]

Great review and amazing pictures! Can't wait until we sail on her May 10th.:)

[cruisetrail]

Buffets: This ship had the most extensive breakfast buffet we’ve ever seen. Everyday there was bacon, sausage links, corned beef hash, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, several types of omelets, hard-boiled eggs, hash browns, hot and cold cereals, delicious croissants, pain au chocolat, muffins, doughnuts, Belgian waffles with mixed-berry topping, pancakes, every kind of fruit imaginable (even kiwis). And amazingly, they never ran out of bananas, a first for us! Coffee was delicious and there were many types of juices available, including orange, cranberry, pineapple and white grapefruit. There was a section for more European-style breakfast staples such as herring, cheeses, cold meats, broiled tomatoes and beans.

Lunch buffets were also wonderful, with a different meat carvery each day (beef, turkey, pork loin, veal), assorted pasta dishes, half-a-dozen types of pizzas, little sandwiches on buns (tuna, egg salad, salami and cheese), soups, salad bars, etc. There were also the pre-made burgers, hot dogs and fries. I liked the variety of drinks available from the machines – different fruit-flavored waters, tea, lemonade. At both breakfast and lunch, the buffet stretched for nearly half the length of the ship on both sides, very impressive! We always looked for a table near the rear of the ship and despite the huge number of people onboard (over 4100) we always found one for the 5 of us.

Dinner buffet was the only one that fell short. One evening, several of us didn’t feel like being in the MDR for several hours so decided to try the buffet, but there was very little to choose from. There was only a very limited area open, mostly pizzas and pasta, which one of our picky eaters doesn’t eat. He was forced to have the burgers and fries, while I had salad and pizza.

 

Hi flahagan,

Thank you for your optimisic report.

 

My question about food.

You say "This ship had the most extensive breakfast buffet we’ve ever seen".

Did they have muesli?

Sorry if I missed - were there eggs Benedict and salmon?

For better understanding your impression I would like to ask you what is your benchmark for comparison?

 

Your comment about dinner buffet is unexpected. We don't consider pizza, pasta and burgers cruise ship food...

 

Thanks!

Edited April 1, 2014 by cruisetrail

[neptuno]

Hi flahagan, Thank you for your optimisic report....My question about food....We don't consider pizza, pasta and burgers cruise ship food...Thanks!

 

Agreed, even the pizza on CCL is better than Divina's, and CCL has an under-visited raw bar, with seviche and oysters. But, we still love MSC USA, Poesia and Divina for the sheer elegance of the experience, even without smoked salmon on the breakfast buffet.

[Lerin]

Thank you so much for this review and photos, we have recently begun looking at an MSC cruise for next year. It looks beautiful.

[blackpool belle]

The currency onboard is in US dollars. One nice thing they did was to offer each guest $10 in match play for the slots. The first time you put your sign and sail card in a machine and put $10 on it, the machine would show that you had put in $20.

 

 

Thanks for the info

[Katgoesonholiday]

Great review and I loved seeing the photos! I'm getting more and more excited about our upcoming cruise on the Divina's sister ship, the Preziosa. Thanks for taking the time to post.

[American Bear]

Funny on Celebrity they were making the mojitos with lemon too. It just not Divina. They better have a good supply by September. :) This is just like the shortage of escargo the previous years, how funny we need these things while cruising. :)

 

We're going on a B2B in May and my fav. drink is vodka and tonic WITH A LIME!:D

I've already figured I'd take one of those squit bottles of lime juice, better then nothing!:D

I'll let you know Bosjoe!

[resstation]

We're going on a B2B in May and my fav. drink is vodka and tonic WITH A LIME!:D

I've already figured I'd take one of those squit bottles of lime juice, better then nothing!:D

I'll let you know Bosjoe!

 

I highly recommend "True Lime" packets. They are crystallized lime juice with no other flavoring. I use them (and True Lemon) when I've run out of fresh. They are EXCELLENT, won't leak, and you can always have a packet or two in your pocket. http://www.truelemon.com/true-lime

[American Bear]

I highly recommend "True Lime" packets. They are crystallized lime juice with no other flavoring. I use them (and True Lemon) when I've run out of fresh. They are EXCELLENT, won't leak, and you can always have a packet or two in your pocket. http://www.truelemon.com/true-lime

 

Thank you we will buy this for our cruise!:D

[American Bear]

No problem. I'll be happy to answer any questions I can. I think you'll love it!

 

Thanks for taking the time to give us you views, your pics., and your memories!

Happy future cruising to you!:D

[flahagan]

Thank you so much for this review and photos, we have recently begun looking at an MSC cruise for next year. It looks beautiful.

 

I read your review of the Miracle. We were on her for a 15-nt Hawaii cruise last September and enjoyed the ship. However, we liked the sliding-door access to balconies on Divina a lot better than those awkward single doors on Carnival.

 

If you like dance lessons, Divina had them 2 or 3 times a day, every kind of dance imaginable. They also had zumba classes (free) twice a day.

 

As for wine tastings, Divina has a "cantina" with a number of different wine events, one of which you "make" your own combination and they bottle it for you. We didn't try any of these, but they looked like fun and seemed reasonably priced.

[TheCaveman]

Only read the 1st few posts, but, could not believe it, as we are booked into the same balcony cabin for our October Cruise.

 

Thanks for the room pictures.

[Tobias10]

Thanks for your excellent review of last week's cruise on the Divina. My husband and i also took advantage of that fabulous price for a balcony cabin and ended up at the back of the ship - super-quiet back there. It was hard to believe at times that there were 4000 people on board because you only saw them in the public areas such as the dining room, around the pools or in the theater. The food was good and there was enough variety to please everyone - i always figure you can order two of something you like and skip the rest if it is not to your liking. The ship is beautiful, clean and impressive. The entertainment staff is by far the best we have encountered in more than 12 cruises. We found the ship to be very relaxing and had an amazing week.

[flahagan]

Some more food pictures.

 

These delicious little pastries were always on the lunch buffet.

 

 

 

 

Another pasta course - these were all wonderful and very generously sized.

 

 

 

Appetizers from room service - notice the big chunks of parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

more room service nibbles

 

[rtn]

Have really enjoyed your review and pictures...looking forward to our cruise in August.

[flahagan]

A few more ship photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

double stairway down to casino

 

 

 

La Luna lounge

 

 

 

These light fixtures were over each table in the Golden Jazz bar

 

[flahagan]

Only read the 1st few posts, but, could not believe it, as we are booked into the same balcony cabin for our October Cruise.

 

Thanks for the room pictures.

 

Well, Caveman, I think you'll love the location and the cabin. That's your cabin door that you can see from the photo I took of the elevator bank. It's only two easy flights up and you're at the entrance to the aqua park and the buffet. Very centrally located.

[flahagan]

Thanks for your excellent review of last week's cruise on the Divina. My husband and i also took advantage of that fabulous price for a balcony cabin and ended up at the back of the ship - super-quiet back there. It was hard to believe at times that there were 4000 people on board because you only saw them in the public areas such as the dining room, around the pools or in the theater. The food was good and there was enough variety to please everyone - i always figure you can order two of something you like and skip the rest if it is not to your liking. The ship is beautiful, clean and impressive. The entertainment staff is by far the best we have encountered in more than 12 cruises. We found the ship to be very relaxing and had an amazing week.

 

Completely agree with you. Have never been on a ship with an entertainment staff like this one - where does all of that energy come from? It was one of our best cruises also.

[dogchopper]

I'm loving all the phtoos!! It's so good to see a good review and photos of the ship. I can't wait till September !!

[ashleycrew]

We were on the same cruise and I could not agree more, My comment to my wife when we were off the ship was they knocked it out of the ballpark. MSC is definitely different. IF someone is expecting Carnival, HAL, RCCL or other lines experience in an MSC shell it will not happen but if they are open and looking for a good time they will love it. The only past for us that did not get an A++ was disembarkation was a bit rough (we did self assist and it was a bit slow and crowded) and dinner service was a bit slow for us with 2 kids (we actually figured out how to fix this 1/2 way through by asking them to bring the app. and salad at the same time) other than that perfect. It is worth the price just for the shows, best we have ever seen and nothing else at see has ever compared. Thanks for taking time to review it brought back tons of good memories we are actually booked back on the Divina in October.

[Perfect Stranger]

Does the Divina have daily bingo?

 

Is it an "older" clientele (60+)?

 

Your food/drink pictures look so yummy!

[resstation]

Does the Divina have daily bingo?

 

Is it an "older" clientele (60+)?

 

Your food/drink pictures look so yummy!

 

Yes, there is daily, twice a day Bingo. Sometimes 3x a day. Unfortunately, it is mostly outside in the crazy busy pool area. Sometimes at 8p in the theater. One coverall card. That's it. One game. $10 for one card, $20 for 3 and they HAND WRITE your receipt. Never seen anything like it. All ages.

 

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[flahagan]

Does the Divina have daily bingo?

 

Is it an "older" clientele (60+)?

 

Your food/drink pictures look so yummy!

 

Clientele is across the board, all ages, only saw one walker and a few scooters, very active passengers for the most part.

[resstation]

Clientele is across the board, all ages, only saw one walker and a few scooters, very active passengers for the most part.

 

Pretty sure they meant at BINGO.

 

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