Big Improvements on the MSC Divina

I arrived at the registration around 3:30 pm after a 2.5-hour flight delay from LaGuardia airport in NYC. The hall was practically empty, and I sailed through the process and was on the Divina within 15-20 minutes.

I sailed twice on the MSC Divina earlier in the year. I would have to agree with the critics about the food in the buffet and the main dining room--mediocre at best. However, much has changed for the better. I think those comments are no longer justified. The Buffet: The buffet had more variety with fresher and tastier options. However, my one criticism is reserved for the pizza. Though it tasted great, the crust was undercooked for all slices I had. The Main Dining Room: I saw the most improvement in the main dining room--in service and food. The big winners were pasta w/ olive oil and garlic, Atlantic salmon, prime rib, and lamb.

The Gym: The MSC Divina has one of the best and most spacious gyms I've seen on a ship. The gym has plenty of cardio machines and weight machines. However, the gym does lack a full range of dumbbells; for example, the weight went from 2kg to 9kg, jumped to 12kg-16kg, then 20kg. It may not seem much, but when you consider a kilo is equal to 2.2 pounds, those are sizable jumps.

Overall, the entertainment on board was good. On previous ships, I usually did not stop to listen to live music. However, I did on the Divina. For one, the lounges felt like real lounges with a bar and waitstaff. And the live music was generally good and the entertainers engaged with the audience. Main Theatre: No broadway-style musicals here, but the shows were entertaining nonetheless. The audience applauded enthusiastically. However, I question MSC's costume choices for the dancers. Often, the costumes were distracting, overly complicated, and thematically, most bore little relationship to the musical number. Also, the costumes for the male and female dancers were uncomplimentary. For example, in one number featuring the "Nessun Dorma" the female dancers looked like they collided with an 18th-century French chandelier and Carmen Miranda with her signature fruit-laced hat while their male counterparts wore tuxedos. WTH! It was almost comical.

It's a mixed bag across the board, except for housekeeping which gets five stars. However, I think most could be due to a lack of training, experience, and management direction/oversight. Nevertheless, I see plenty of potential. Black Crab Restaurant: The service in the Black Crab on the lower level was impeccable. For example, the waitstaff continuously refilled my wine glass, most times incognito--a real skill. Ship Bars: I found the service at most bars okay. The service at the cafe bar in the piazza and the buffet were particularly good at managing the crowds and delivering good drinks. Having a limited drink menu and good staff helped. At some bars, one or more bartenders would walk by without asking if I or others needed a drink, only to end up on the other side where they conversed with one another or other staff. Perceptually, not good even if they were conducting business. It would be suitable for a bartender to say, "I'll be with you shortly." Instead, bar waiters and waitresses had to intervene to push the drinks out. Compliments to the bar waitstaff for their friendly nature and great table/floor service. The Main Pool Bar: At the two bars around the main pool, I'd see two bartenders flirting with female passengers and, on occasion, walking past male passengers to cater to a woman who had just arrived while their colleagues were frantically filling orders. I walked away, thinking I needed to return with a bikini top. The pool bar wait service was inconsistent. At times, I didn't know if their jobs were to clean tables, take drink orders, or take exercise while strolling around the deck. But, of course, I'm being hyperbolic. However, when waitstaff causally walked by tables carrying empty trays under their arms, looking elsewhere, I couldn't help but ask the question. The Le Sirene Covered Pool Bar: Provided great service despite being staffed with one bartender most times. Ocean Cay Bars: The cruise line probably deliberately builds some chaos into the bar service to slow the flow of alcohol to minimize the loss on those with drink packages. However, I think the delays around the main pool and Ocean Cays bars go beyond this and have more to do with disorganization and staff level. The bartenders knew how to make the drinks. However, the volume of scamblingly I saw didn't match the drink output. Perhaps, MSC could send some of their bar managers on a field trip to a busy NYC bar to pick up some tips. In addition, more often than not, these bars ran out of mixers, juices, syrups, and liqueurs or were not fully stocked, particularly on Ocean Cay. This added a layer of frustration. I understand not having fully stocked bars at most of Ocean Cay's locations. However, MSC should post a limited drink menu if this is the case. This would minimize the bartenders from repeatedly saying, "We can't make that," and help passengers make a quicker drink choice. Quality of the Drinks: General okay. Criticisms. The tonic water is sweet and lacks carbonation. You'd be disappointed if you're a fan of the classic gin and tonic. It was undrinkable for me. The mojito, gin martini, and mango trooper became my default drinks. However, mango juice/syrup always seemed to be in short supply. Peach was a great substitute and was suggested by one of the bartenders at the pool bar. I found the pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris very sweet and artificial tasting. Both are made almost entirely from a packaged syrup mixer.

I love the decor of the ship and the open spaces that separate one lounge from another. It gives the feeling that each space was designed for a specific activity. On some of Carnival and NCL's older ships, the public spaces feel mall-like or railroad-like where space and activities bleed into one another.

When I booked, the cruise line only had Bella cabins or guaranteed cabins. The cabin itself was large enough for my friend and me. The balcony felt smaller than others. We had to move the deck chair or stand up to open the door to walk onto/off the balcony. The lifeboats were directly below the balcony, giving us a partial and interrupted view of the ocean and the port. In addition, we had limited privacy because the forward balconies that angled out from the ship had a partial line of sight. Would I do a Bella experience again? No. I recommend paying extra for the Fantastica experience, which gives you the option of choosing your cabin. I did not use the balcony as I had done on other ships, for example, eating breakfasts, having drinks, reading, and sunbathing. I would have been happy trading it in for an ocean room.

I elected to carry off my own luggage. I couldn't have asked for a smother disembarkation. You had the option of existing from the 5th or the 6th decks. The line on both were short. Any delays were caused by passengers who didn't clear their charges or misplaced their card key.