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MSC is great, if your expectations are to expect ANYTHING to happen

MSC Divina Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 39

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5
MSC Divina

USA, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Bahamas

Sail date: December 02, 2017

Ship: MSC Divina

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 12078

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 6 years ago

Review summary

Love MSC, they need to hire me as their Chief People Officer, because as a seasoned cruiser, I give them a 4/5 when it comes to common cultural norms as they said within the Caribbean waters. I like them, but I don't love them, yet. The ship is super pretty, the staff are great, food was great, drink vouchers were great, but its the little things that country sometimes.

Embarkation

3 out of 5
This is my 2nd time sailing on MSC and the Divina and though we got on earlier, we still didn't hear the call and we were literally sitting right in front of the escalator. Before sitting down, I asked the staff member what time they would make the call and when they did, you had to have dog hearing to hear it, because even she didn't hear it, passengers just bum rushed her when they called Groups 1-20. We were #19.on

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
I love that you can get drink vouchers and not drop hundreds of dollars on a package you won't fully use. Plus, MSC let's drink package holders order MULTIPLE drinks at once. Which is great for sharing when you have the actual package or just the vouchers. 10/10 there!

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5
It was what it was. This ship does not market to US citizens, so there was karaoke once and ONE daily trivia. No newlywed game, themed trivia and the like. It was OK. We did arts and crafts for 2hrs on the sea days, but the stsff member needed an assistant. They ran out of tshirts on the 2nd day at sea. Disappointing. MSC is great for US passengers, if you lower your expectations to adapt to a Euro-American sailing.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
If you are looking for a RCCL/Carnival experience, just skip the first 3 nights of shows until you see Witches In Paris, The Mask or Michael Jackson. MSC is SO over the top with their shows and though the sets are nice, VERY nice and very extravagant, every show isn't a family show. Also, the titles are SUPER misleading. They make US catering ships look like a elementary school production, but unless you like opera, songs in Italian or French or just plain snooze fest singers, wait until you see one of these shows as an option. They have aerialists, gymnasts, acrobats, amazing dancers....but in the most EXTRA way possible. Continuity is not their main point, so yeah, just enjoy the show

Children's Programs

5 out of 5
The kids have their own club, play area, restaurant etc. I have never used the program, but they march the kids through main buffet and the theater before shows so their parents know they are still alive

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
The staff are great...to me. Other US citizens complained they were snooty. I repeat, MSC is NOT Carnival. You have to learn to adapt to a European line working to adapt to us. Its weird that I can't go to reception and get a break down of where the service charge is divided up to and if you want it removed, you need to get a permission slip I called it, from your cabin steward that asks why you want it removed and then you have to return it to reception in a suggestion box to the side. Very off putting that I can't just go to reception like I did on every other line I've sailed on. Also, pay your bill before the last night. MSC doesn't let you put a debit card on file. You can put a hold for x amt on your room, but it will keep.racking up charges and you have to go stand in line at reception to get a breakdown of the bill first or check your room TV and then pay it at the kiosk NEXT to reception

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
Beautiful!! No trash anywhere, even in the Buffet! They are ALWAYS cleaning! They put money into their fleet! Marble, suade, mirrors, the works. I read in a forum that MSC toes the line between gaudy and elegant before I first sadi with them and yeah, they do. But they have a LOT of Italian pride on the ship and the posters scattered about are amazing and informative. Sofia Lore has a private suite on EVERY ship and christens every boat.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Very pretty room. Plenty of drawer and closet spaces. And it had a 3x size balcony because it was a corner room! Read the maps! I love that MSC does not up charge for these rooms, but they should have given us lounge chairs AND regular chairs like Sofia's suite upstairs.

Ship tip

This ship is made for you to enjoy, not to bend to your every whole because you're a US citizen. You see a lot of things that would never happen on Carnival and that's a good thing. Who wants the same thing? On that note, MSC is a dang good line, who has room for improvement, but I very much plan to sail over in Europe on one of their ships.to see what its like in their home turf.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Miami, Florida Did not visit port

This is where we embarked and I am a US citizen
Thumbs Up

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

3 out of 5
If you like weed, go here. Everyone offered it to us. Mmmmay
Thumbs Up

George Town, Grand Cayman

2 out of 5
SO expensive! Geesh! Just walk 10min to the left and go to the beach there for FREE. If you take a taxi,its $4 USD pp AND the beach is at best $2 USD to get on and they drop you off across from the FREE beach anyway on your way back! Its right under the green and yellow building when you get off the tender. The beach next.to the tender is pretty....full of oil from the tenders. Take pics there, but skip the water.
Thumbs Up

Cozumel, Mexico

5 out of 5
As long as you stay in the port area, its great. There is a Mega store 4min away that you can get all the booze and snacks you want at to bring back on the ship. We spent $15 USD and got chips, water, booze filled candy and the like. It was great! But STAY on the main street or take a excursion. Muerte!
Thumbs Up

Nassau, Bahamas

5 out of 5
Walk or take a taxi to Junkanoo Beach. Atlantis' Day pass is $150pp! There's a free beach there,too, I hear, but yeah, pass. We just walked down to the beach near the port
Thumbs Up

Disembarkation

1 out of 5
MSC gets a -500000000 here. We had express disembarkment because we were rolling our own stuff out. Yeah, someone decided.to make a 2nd line on the deck, but you weren't really sure if it was official and you would waste your.time leaving the main line that.goes down the middle of the ship. Horrible! Dislike.
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2 Comments

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise.
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Travelwizard1    6 years ago

I felt the same way. I' m very happy to hear you loved it too. My friend and I felt it was outstanding in many aspects but the lack of courtesy amongst passengers was something I had never encountered before. Not really sure why. My feeling was the crew: passenger ratio was too high. None the less, I liked it so well that I booked the Seaside while onboard.
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Other reviews of this sailing

The cruise was 'just ok'.
This cruise was Eastern, not Western, many positives and one big negative.