Review of MSC Divina Sailing Oct 29th-Nov. 4th 2017

[lovelearnteach]

So we just chilled in our cabin until muster drill. We were in Eatly for ours, you have to bring your life jacket from your cabin with you. They peep you in, and some people never even tried to put their life jacket on. I did because better to have some idea in case of an emergency than to be struggling while panicking in the very remote possibility of an emergency. After the drill we went back to the cabin becasue we had a mandatory meeting in the Black and White Lounge with our group at 6p.m. to get ready for. We got ready and just explored a little before we headed to our meeting.

 

 

[Cafedumonde]

Thanks for the info about msc. We are still on the fence about keeping a future cruise we have booked with msc. Great deal, but the more we read about msc, the deal seems less and less "great."

[lovelearnteach]

Great review so far. I've only ever been on Royal and Disney and interested in hearing more about MSC.

Am so very sorry for your loss. Really sad and hard to lose someone so close.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

 

Thank-you so much for following along and your very kind words, it's deeply appreciated.

[lovelearnteach]

Thanks for the info about msc. We are still on the fence about keeping a future cruise we have booked with msc. Great deal, but the more we read about msc, the deal seems less and less "great."

Thank-you for following along :). I would never tell anyone to sail or not sail on any cruise line, I can only relate my experience. I was enjoying our cruise with MSC on the Divina up until I got sick. I do have to say I was not happy with the Black Crab Restaurant overall, I don't know just the whole atmosphere in there is off. It just seemed heavy and unwelcoming as opposed to the Villa Rosa Restaurant where we had our dinners. The atmosphere seemed so light and airy and friendlier in there. Just my humble opinion though.

 

 

Love your username, by the way, love the cafe and their yummy beignets! We absolutely loved sailing out of New Orleans!

 

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[kba1988]

Enjoying your detailed review. The pictures are lovely. I feel like I'm right there with you. Eager to read more...!!:):)

[lovelearnteach]

Enjoying your detailed review. The pictures are lovely. I feel like I'm right there with you. Eager to read more...!!:):)

 

Thank-you so much, so glad your enjoying following along :).

 

 

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[lovelearnteach]

Trying to load some videos, and it's even harder than the dang pix. So does anyone know if the only way to load a video is through a 3rd party?

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Edited November 9, 2017 by lovelearnteach

[lovelearnteach]

So I got to dinner and the batteries decided to go out. They would work on video, but if I switched over to take a pic they would go dead. So I had to video the dinner menu and my dinner. If I can get it worked out I will try to post the video's.

 

After dinner I went back to the cabin changed the batteries and went to the secret deck and snapped some pix of sail-away and Miami at night.

 

 

 

[sabres431]

Trying to load some videos, and it's even harder than the dang pix. So does anyone know if the only way to load a video is through a 3rd party?e

ve

 

 

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Can you upload to youtube and either embed the video or provide the link?

[spidybabe]

We sailed MSC Divina 7 days turned into 13 thanks to hurricane Irma, and had a fantastic time. After 21 NCL cruises we decided to try something different. We had no problems, food, staff, cabins, entertainment all great. The ship never felt crowded, many pools - indoor, outdoor- adults only. The dinner and special dessert presentations were very enjoyable. Did status match from NCL to MSC black card and very much appreciated all the perks that came along with it. Free drinks at most bars prior to formal dinner, many parties and events. Lots of lounges with entertainment around the ship. Great time, and the staff handled everything with the hurricane very professionally. We wound up staying 3 days in Cozumel, but the extraordinary thing is that prior to the hurricane, we were very close to Cozumel and just could of stayed there, but there were people from Florida who really wanted to be home before the storm hit. So at full speed, we returned to Miami, off loaded people who wanted off, loaded more provisions all within a 2 hour window, and took off to Cozumel at full speed again. This cost the company much $$ in fuel costs, but they did it for their customers. No extra charges for the extra days, all perks still in effect, no extra port charges--all picked up by the company. As stated we were very impressed with MSC, and will sail on their ships again.

Safe sailing

PS-- Best pizza ever!!

[lovelearnteach]

[lovelearnteach]

Can you upload to youtube and either embed the video or provide the link?

 

Thank-you I'm trying that.

[lovelearnteach]

We sailed MSC Divina 7 days turned into 13 thanks to hurricane Irma, and had a fantastic time. After 21 NCL cruises we decided to try something different. We had no problems, food, staff, cabins, entertainment all great. The ship never felt crowded, many pools - indoor, outdoor- adults only. The dinner and special dessert presentations were very enjoyable. Did status match from NCL to MSC black card and very much appreciated all the perks that came along with it. Free drinks at most bars prior to formal dinner, many parties and events. Lots of lounges with entertainment around the ship. Great time, and the staff handled everything with the hurricane very professionally. We wound up staying 3 days in Cozumel, but the extraordinary thing is that prior to the hurricane, we were very close to Cozumel and just could of stayed there, but there were people from Florida who really wanted to be home before the storm hit. So at full speed, we returned to Miami, off loaded people who wanted off, loaded more provisions all within a 2 hour window, and took off to Cozumel at full speed again. This cost the company much $$ in fuel costs, but they did it for their customers. No extra charges for the extra days, all perks still in effect, no extra port charges--all picked up by the company. As stated we were very impressed with MSC, and will sail on their ships again.

Safe sailing

PS-- Best pizza ever!!

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise.

[lovelearnteach]

So of course it couldn't work the first time, I'll keep trying with the video's. In the meantime I'll move on with the review. Dinner was good and I felt the flow was typical of a cruise dinner. Many have complained service is slow, I really didn't find it to be any slower or faster than any other cruise I've been on. So that is the end of our first day on the Divina, and a great day it was.

[lovelearnteach]

Got up bright and early this morning. Today is a sea day, the only real plan is a group photo at 9:45a.m. at the sports court. Made my way up to the buffet for a cup of coffee. The coffee in the buffet was ok, I've had better coffee and I've definitely had much worse. I felt the coffee in the Black Crab Restaurant for breakfast was better than in the buffet. I love being up so early and feeling like having the ship to yourself. There were crew out and about cleaning, but very few passengers. There were a few smokers in the adults only area, otherwise I had the joint to myself.

 

 

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

We never ate in the buffet until Sat. morning on debarkation, so I can't commit on variety or consistency. I just snapped these pix as I was getting another cup of coffee. We did eat breakfast in the buffet Friday morning as well, but I only had fresh fruit and a container of strawberry yogurt as I was still recovering from the night before.

 

 

This breakfast pizza looked really good, but I never did try it.

 

My uncle tried one of these donuts, took one bite and said they were awful and threw the rest of it away.

[lovelearnteach]

 

The covered pool, I never swam in this pool but if felt very hot and humid in here to me so I never returned.

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

 

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

After some exploring it was time to head to the Black Crab Restaurant for breakfast. And thus started our week long issues with this restaurant. First of all just the overall atmosphere is heavy in this dinning room, just my opinion. Especially when I compare it to the Villa Rosa Dinning Room, which just felt lighter. It's a beautiful dinning room but I just preferred the Villa Rosa over the Black Crab.

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

 

 

 

[lovelearnteach]

I had read before the cruise in other's reviews that the Chocolate Croissants are a don't miss. I'm adding my voice to that group they are absolutely divine! By mid-week the pastry people were always running out of them becasue they were that popular.

 

So here we are with our first issue, as you can see no potatoes even though it states on the menu that the special comes with Country Potatoes. I ordered the Biscuit Benedict with Country Potatoes. So I flagged the waiter over and asked where are my potatoes? The waiter says what potatoes? The potatoes I ordered with this breakfast special. The waiter says you didn't order any potatoes sir. Yes I did I ordered Biscuit Benedict with Country Potatoes. We don't have any Country Potatoes we only have Hash Brown Patties. Well I didn't make this menu you all did, just bring whatever you have. The BB was good despite not looking the most appetizing.

 

The Hash Brown Patties have onion in them, but are good.