As a first time cruise family we didn’t know what to expect, but we did do our homework. Kept our expectations low (mainly due to poor reviews of the Divina on this site). Glad we did, our expectations were far exceeded at every turn! Was delighted by most aspects of the experience, starting with upgrade to the 13th deck “Wellness” cabins after having booked a “Bella” experience (perks did not change, only cabin assignment). Ship was beautiful and service staff exceptional. Kids were blown away by buffet selection, and the wife and I felt pampered in the dining rooms although food did often fall short. But we were never hungry!! Oh, and the pizza is truly excellent. I splurged on a 30 min massage on Day 1, which gave me access to the thermal area for the entire cruise as part of a promotion. Great investment! I had an oasis of calm and tranquility to escape to when needed (which I did up to three times a day!). Loved that massive steam room..
The kids ended up making friends in the kids club which meant they were happy and out of hair for long stretches of sea days.. which led to blissful poolside lounging for my wife and I. Port Days were family adventures, with only 1 organized excursion (not through MSC). We had fun in all ports (except Guadaloupe, as entire town was shut down for XMas), but would recommend booking at least one excursion. Ours was well done, and nice not having to hassle with finding taxis, etc.
Overall, we now see the allure and appeal of cruising, and are happy we chose MSC and the Divina. The European experience, exceptional service, and the ships high level of elegance was an impressive surprise for the price paid. Next time we’ll pack nicer clothes!!
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
About a B+ overall. Variety of buffet selections more than adequate. Xmas midnight buffet extremely impressive. Loved the rolling service carts offering coffee/ wine/ specialty drinks. Some MDR dishes very nicely done, while some very poorly executed.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Pools and water slide lots of fun, although usually very crowded. Dance classes lots of fun. Trivia, meh.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Repetitious musical acts. Seemingly same set lists night after night. Evening theater shows enjoyable, with some very talented performers. Although certainly not to everyone’s taste, and also repetitive. The Mask stood out as a highly entertaining from beginning to end.
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
They made some good friends, but my 11 year old felt babied and patronized in a group with kids as young as 6 yrs old. The supervisors were professional and sweet, but the club was extremely chaotic at time’s during drop off and pick up due to holiday break and large numbers of kids on board.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Everyone we encountered (with few exceptions) exhibited courtesy, pride and professionalism. Was very impressed with sheer number and level of service. Especially cleaning crew and buffet staff.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Takes some getting used to due to sheer size, but it is an elegant and extremely well maintained vessel. The decor borders on gaudy/ garrish, but does feel opulent.. I sometimes felt underdressed, especially seeing how many dresses in ball gowns and tuxedos for the gala nights. Not a casual feel onboard, except by the pools. I actually quite enjoyed this, as I was expecting much less sophistication!
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Adequate size, very comfortable bed. Sofa too, but staining on upholstery visible. Furnishing nice but 1970’s color scheme (didn’t mind it!). Bed far more comfortable than expected. Bathroom functional and well laid out. Housekeeping exceptional! Great veranda. Noise from 14th deck above far less than we had feared. Cabin felt very well insulated when door and balcony slider were closed. Also - we had two rooms — 13128 next door was also ours. Our kids stayed in that room (which was similar, with two twin beds, but room showed more age). We were able to connect the balconies which was incredible — gave us almost 15 feet of balcony, accessibility to our kids, while maintaining privacy. Plus 2 bathrooms!!
Thanks for your honest review as a first cruiser. I will be on the Divina in 51 days, this will be my 41st cruise, i have not sailed on MSC so I am looking forward to it. Welcome to our crazy community of cruise lovers!
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3 Comments
Gwbigdog 2 years ago
crusin4gramma 5 years ago
buckyboy 5 years ago