Divina review: a marmite cruise

[little britain]

Ok, this may be contentious!  

I have  been on 66 cruises so I feel able to make comparisons! I take about 5-8 cruises a year. I took the maiden on Bellissima so this is my second MSc cruise this year ( and it’s only June lol)

 

We boarded in Marseille- a lot of people and no special line for Blacks 

 

The ship is beautiful and spotless as usual. Very bling, sparkly staircase and lots of mirrors. 

The only deck that runs front to aft is deck 7 and at one point it is only on one side so there is a huge  pinch point as every one is forced to go via the photo gallery which is full of people trying to find their portraits. Not good.  

Otherwise you have dinner on deck 6 you can only access via one set of lifts so you go up, along and then down again to get to the atrium areas.

Talking of lifts, the middle 2 of the aft lifts go up to 15 and the outer 2 only go up to 14... no signage to indicate this. So found this by accident when I spotted an extra button!!!

 

15 aft is the adults only area and pool. The lifeguards are very good at telling children they are not allowed there. The lifeguards have no life saving equipment with them unlike those on RCI who stand ( not allowed to sit) with life rafts and medical equipment.

Sadly this area is also the smoking area so not pleasant to sit there. I would have chairs and tables on the other side too.

 

The entertainment in the theatre has been very weak in my opinion ( I have spoken with others who rave about the shows...?!). Canned music and heavily Russian accented singers.  However the music in the atrium is excellent, especially the Mexican guitar playing duo; the singing duo: and the cool dude in the wine bar playing the saxophone 🎷!!

 

They have canned ballroom dancing music in Black and White each evening between 6-7p.... but the bar there doesn’t open till 7:30p!!!  Better coordination needed there.

 

Bar service is sketchy... it does not help having only one person behind the bar making the drinks orders and 4 people taking the orders. Sometimes lengthy wait times to receive your drink. I do like the fact that you get nibbles though.  

 

 

[little britain]

Food; ok ...here goes...in the MDR I think it has been very poor.  The beef on formal night was so tough it was inedible; the lamb in the lamb curry must have died from old age ...

The staff don’t seem to know what they are serving... the ladies behind the pudding selection in the buffet didn’t know what flavours the cakes were or what was in the mousses. 

The sports bar with the fantastic Miguel has free burgers ...

 

The sandwiches, rolls and cakes on deck 6 are very good.  And I like the selection of danishes at the coffee shop

[little britain]

English speakers are definitely in the minority on this cruise... a lot of French Spanish Italian and Eastern European’s.

Ive heard more Americans accents than I thought ... speaking to them they either love it or hate it!!! Like Marmite!

[little britain]

[little britain]

Perhaps too much attention to detail... someone actually puts the stripes into the suede effect furniture and wall coverings...!

Edited June 5, 2019 by little britain

[nikkiw60]

Have you heard the pianist in La Luna yet? His piano playing ok but when he starts to sing...

Last week we noticed a lot of Australians on board.

We went into Golden Jazz Bar most nights and found the service to be good.

Any news re a Cruise Critic dinner yet?

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by nikkiw60

[little britain]

1 hour ago, nikkiw60 said:

Have you heard the pianist in La Luna yet? His piano playing ok but when he starts to sing...

Last week we noticed a lot of Australians on board.

We went into Golden Jazz Bar most nights and found the service to be good.

Any news re a Cruise Critic dinner yet?

 

Yes still a lot of Ozzies!! Some seem to have done 3 weeks on 3 different MSc ships as a package deal.

 

Yes to the chap playing the piano but not too keen on that bar due to the smoke skittering up from the casino below.

 

No CC message so guess we didn’t make the numbers this week! 

 

I went to the Black party and there were only about 20 there.

 

Golden Lounge is the only one I have not drunk in yet!! There is time.....

 

 

[nikkiw60]

2 hours ago, little britain said:

Yes still a lot of Ozzies!! Some seem to have done 3 weeks on 3 different MSc ships as a package deal.

 

Yes to the chap playing the piano but not too keen on that bar due to the smoke skittering up from the casino below.

 

No CC message so guess we didn’t make the numbers this week! 

 

I went to the Black party and there were only about 20 there.

 

Golden Lounge is the only one I have not drunk in yet!! There is time.....

 

 

Are you sure it wasn’t the smoke from the smokey cocktails they make in La Luna?

[little britain]

Inconsistent service:

When we arrived in the cabin there were no facecloths or tissues. We asked our steward and they were there that evening.

 

When people I chatted to last night arrived in the cabin there were no facecloths or tissues. They asked their steward and were told it was MSc policy not to provide them.

🤷‍♀️

[Beamafar]

Face flannels are never placed in cabins, but there's no problem getting them.  I always make a point of seeking out the steward as soon as possible after embarkation to request them, as well as extra hangers (they can get the metal ones from the laundry for you) and, if the robes & slippers haven't been supplied, them too, plus making sure he knows what we want in the mini-bar when we have the Deluxe package (though that'll no longer be an issue for us unless we upgrade to Prem+ on future cruises).

[little britain]

38 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Face flannels are never placed in cabins, but there's no problem getting them.  I always make a point of seeking out the steward as soon as possible after embarkation to request them, as well as extra hangers (they can get the metal ones from the laundry for you) and, if the robes & slippers haven't been supplied, them too, plus making sure he knows what we want in the mini-bar when we have the Deluxe package (though that'll no longer be an issue for us unless we upgrade to Prem+ on future cruises).

The other couple haven’t had facecloths or tissues all week! I offered to sell them our box!!!

[nikkiw60]

Here’s a funny I was unable to use the tissues! After a couple of days I realised they were making my nose itch!!!

[emmas gran]

On Splendida we had 2 boxes of tissues (DH had a cold)  1 in bathroom and 1 in cabin. on all cruises we have 2 boxes regardless of line we are cruising.

 

I also like a facecloth and we had 2 in YC 

[G.M.T.]

If there were so many Aussies onboard, then wasn't more of a vegemite cruise.

[little britain]

Computer says no....

And this is where MSC really lets themselves down.  Their staff seem to have no autonomy or ability to think for themselves and keep the customer satisfied 

 

So, We go to the VC party in the B&W lounge and in addition to the complimentary drinks offered on the tray we order, pay and receive a Bells whiskey from the fully open operating bar. About 20 mins later I go to the bar and ask for another Bells.  I am told, No. I cannot have that because the bar is not open. I point out to them that they have actually just served me a Bells ... the barman the walks away; to get me a Bells I hope; but instead he returns with the daily programme and prods his finger at the timings which say the bar doesn’t open the till 8;30.

We have to move elsewhere.  It was all a bit petty and not what you would expect at an event for loyalty guests!

 

 

In La Luna on another occasion we order 2 drinks: we are asked for both cards....given that we had been on board for 6 days and had never been asked for 2 cards before I questioned why he wanted both....it’s company policy I was told... perhaps every other Waiter and bar staff member hadn’t got the memo.....?! 🤷‍♀️

 

Sometimes we had to sign the €0.00 bar bill: sometimes we didn’t.

 

Can you get facecloths....no we do not supply them. 

Can you get facecloths...yes I’ll get them for you now.

2 different people ... 2 different answers 

 

No room service delivery on your last morning. Apparently. Only found this out when I called to ask where our cuppa tea was. I appreciate that on most ships there is no room service delivery on last day: however it is only the last day for 1/7 of the ship and we do not dock till noon so it isn’t the usual early morning rush.   They then delivered the tea after my call!!!

 

Yes I know it is petty complaints but it is inconsistency and  one persons perspective and experience could be totally different. Marmite. Vegemite!

 

Consistently inconsistent is my summary.

 

Respectfully submitted 

LB 

[sidari]

The bar at VC meeting is usually open for business and have been at all the ones we have been to, with regards to cards for drinks, the policy is that you show both but it is rare for that to happen to have to show both. With the receipts, it is somewhat odd that certain bars give then while others no longer do. no idea why.

The usual 2 answer problem ... 😂  happens most of the time, they must tell 50% to say no and the other 50% to say yes, to be fair it could be that they person who says no cannot be bothered to find out.

The same applies to Managers who are that in name only with no actual responsibility to manage and make a decisdion.

Sadly the Left hand still does not know what the Right hand is doing most of the time.

[nikkiw60]

14 minutes ago, sidari said:

The bar at VC meeting is usually open for business and have been at all the ones we have been to, with regards to cards for drinks, the policy is that you show both but it is rare for that to happen to have to show both. With the receipts, it is somewhat odd that certain bars give then while others no longer do. no idea why.

The usual 2 answer problem ... 😂  happens most of the time, they must tell 50% to say no and the other 50% to say yes, to be fair it could be that they person who says no cannot be bothered to find out.

The same applies to Managers who are that in name only with no actual responsibility to manage and make a decisdion.

Sadly the Left hand still does not know what the Right hand is doing most of the time.

There was a new waiter in La Luna on our last night (Friday last week) and he not only asked for both cards but also didn’t want to serve us a glass of wine and a whiskey. Putra saved the day. But he was definitely new so we understood. 

[little britain]

1 minute ago, nikkiw60 said:

There was a new waiter in La Luna on our last night (Friday last week) and he not only asked for both cards but also didn’t want to serve us a glass of wine and a whiskey. Putra saved the day. But he was definitely new so we understood. 

It was a very grumpy older waiter in La Luna who demanded both cards. Possibly the same chap?

[nikkiw60]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

It was a very grumpy older waiter in La Luna who demanded both cards. Possibly the same chap?

Very serious looking sounds like it!

[sidari]

Good job Putra knows what he is doing, but he was the bar manager. Enjoying his holiday at home now ... 😀

[little britain]

478 views... wonder if I’ll get any thoughts from others who were on board agreeing or disagreeing...? 

 

[Captain-John]

Thanks, a great summary on your experience. 🙂

[Preziosa]

I was also on board. Started my Cruise from Genova the 1. Of june.

The shows in the theater every Night were fantastic and the 3 singers were outstanding.

The Music in the bars and in the Athrium has been heard Better. We did not have problems to Be served in the bars. Off cause some times They were Busy.

We had good food in the restaurant. May Be some people Don t like the Italian style of food. We had a Cruise Critic party the Day we were in Mersailles. It was 11 o clock in the Wine bar. We were 8 people and some staff. There were served drinks and small things. The same as on the Black party etc.

[little britain]

2 hours ago, Preziosa said:

I was also on board. Started my Cruise from Genova the 1. Of june.

The shows in the theater every Night were fantastic and the 3 singers were outstanding.

The Music in the bars and in the Athrium has been heard Better. We did not have problems to Be served in the bars. Off cause some times They were Busy.

We had good food in the restaurant. May Be some people Don t like the Italian style of food. We had a Cruise Critic party the Day we were in Mersailles. It was 11 o clock in the Wine bar. We were 8 people and some staff. There were served drinks and small things. The same as on the Black party etc.

They didn’t send me an invite to the CC party.  That was the day we disembarked.

 

Point proved about different perceptions about exactly the same cruise. 

 

Plus point; I lost 2lbs in weight over the week!