2014-Divina

This is the first cruise we have ever taken on MSC cruise lines. The ship: Divina, it was a very nice ship our cabin was large.

It did feel like you where in the united nations, a lot Europeans on the cruise, lots of different languages could be heard on board. I did find overall the staff was not as forth coming in friendliness at the level I have experienced on other cruises I have taken. I also found that they are quite rigid in the way they run things. There was a handful of exceptions, one on the entertainment team was very nice and friendly.

One evening (formal night) we arrived at the main dining hall close to 6:30 pm (we had the early seating) a few others couples also arrived about the same time and everyone was refused entry. They had a window they expected you to arrive for the early seating of 5:45 to 6 and no later than 6:15 the dining doors would be locked; that was the first time I have ever experience this in the 15 cruises I have taken so far. Also they seemed less accommodating if you asked for anything off menu where other cruises always tried to accommodate anything.

The small bowling alley had a bar close by but did not deal with the bowling, you had to go to another deck at guest services to request use of the bowling alley.

It was the first cruise ship I have been on that did not have a banking ATM machine, you could get a cash advance on your credit card at the guest services desk for a 3 % charge on what you withdrew.

I found the buffet was not open as long as other cruises and not the same variety as other cruises.
They had a lot of opera type shows often in foreign languages.

Violin players would play often near the guest services area.

Guest services area would have some people in red jackets and some in black jackets and never did figure out who did what.

 I found they did attend to disabilities better than some others and did allow me off at the tender port even had an wheelchair elevator down to the tender platform – for more info check the port articles.

Pictures where rarely taken at port, pictures prices where better than carnival but not as good as royal Caribbean (if you wanted everything taken).

I overheard someone praising the cruise and saying it was no comparison to others, however everyone has their own expectations of what they want in a cruise, for me I preferred other cruise lines that I have taken over MSC. As the chances of taking a MSC cruise again, I will not say never, but would look at other cruise lines before them.

By: Donald Kerr