Overall, for a first time cruiser, I think you will enjoy it. I liked it because I simply love cruising and I make the very best of my sea days, my balcony, and my vacation time. MSC is new to year round Caribbean trips from Miami and as they get better I think they will be a fierce competitor. Right now, I think they cater more to Europeans as I felt speaking English that I was in the minority. If you are thinking of taking a cruise with MSC, try it, have a different mindset, and relax. My children sailed for FREE which was a major selling point for me as well as the itinerary locations. Since I have cruised 4 other cruise lines, my expectations are different. However, if I am given the right price, my children sail for free, and they make improvements in the food, service, and entertainment, I will definitely sail will MSC again.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
There were only 2 venues for complimentary dining: the dinning room and the buffet. The buffet was okay, but the overcooked fries and turkey burgers were a turn off for me. I did love the authentic pizza. The dining room gave rise to more variety and taste although I did have a steak dinner that was too tough. Overall, I was not totally displeased, but there was room for improvement. I need to mention there is no 24hr food available, but hey that's a good thing so you can leave a little less heavier. There is a charge for room service if you DO NOT purchase the Fantastica Experience or higher. There is a delivery charge after 11pm; however, the number gets busy from 10:20pm till 11pm, then amazingly the number is not busy anymore when the delivery charge applies. Not sure if that was on purpose or supply and demand.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
They had some of the usual entertainment onboard, but not the typical get the crowd roaring and inspiring activities that usually occur in the lounges and big theaters during the day. I also was shocked to see children in the nightly bars and lounges.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The nightly shows in the theater were the ABSOLUTE BEST. I totally enjoyed 5 out of the 7 shows. I missed one show and left early from another because it was not for me; however, the Mask, the Witches, the Pirates, and the Michael Jackson show were OVER-THE-TOP. There were NO nightly comedy shows as there were soo many passengers that spoke different languages on the ship so MSC does not do comedy shows, sad face:(.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
My 2 children loved it. As a parent, I was concerned about the tracking system. The good thing, they will entertain children until 11pm which is an hour longer than the cruise industry standard. They will also entertain and engage them while you are taking a tour in port free of charge. No more, crying and whining "can we go now?"
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
I think MSC caters to the European market which is okay if that is their target market. I think they have some growing to do to target the American Cruiser. Having been on 4 different cruise lines, I am accustomed to over-the-top service and I did not receive that from the MSC Divina. I also think you get better service if you can speak a language other than English. I speak English and Spanish. For example, a guest service rep was more friendly to me when she found out I spoke Spanish. Overall, the service was not bad, but the staff was not as attentive as I was expecting them to be. I did however receive OUTSTANDING service from Victoria Chakwenya (from Zimbabwee) in guest services as she always had a smile, she was very helpful, she was lively, and made me feel very at ease each time I had a question. She was TOTALLY AWESOME.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
The ship itself is absolutely gorgeous. You can appreciate the Italian design throughout the ship. However, the ship is poorly maintained(cleanliness). Either they need to hire more staff or they need additional training on how to maintain high traffic areas especially along the pool deck and the deck 15 restrooms near the kids club. I even saw mold growing along the bathroom sink.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I loved our cabin steward Imade Putra (from Indonesia) as he was attentive to our every need and wants. He was also very conversational.
Ship tip
Since they don't spend much time in port, book your excursions through the cruise line so they will wait for you if you are late; or know exactly what you want to do off the ship so you can return before the ship leaves
Jules, in my opinion the buffet was pretty good. I am an adventurous eater and found plenty of delicious things. My group were not fans of the main dining room. The food was just okay. By the way, I could eat the pizza at the buffet every day and be thrilled.
I am going on the Divina for the second time . I have cruised on 3 other lines . The Divina is right up there. The food was better then Carnival . The Entertainment was top noch and the theater was very comfortable. I had a balcony cabin and it was very spacious compared to the other lines. Boarding and departing was very smooth. I have no complaints and I have read other reviews that complain about everything from the food to the other passengers and I and I ask myself if the cruised the same ship I did.
We are going on our first cruise in November with MSC. So the food wasn't very good? Did they have a wide variety of food ? I know two of the nights we are to dress up. How dressy should I be ? A formal dress ?
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