The last day of any cruise has its good parts and bad. The good is that there’s one more day left on your vacation, one more day left to take advantage of the unlimited drink package, and on the MSC Divina, one more day to have your fill of prosciutto! The bad is that it’s the last day, you have to pack not only all the clothes you brought with you but all the crap you bought onboard and ashore and then have to deal with the whole debarkation process in the morning.
The last day on the Divina saw us anchor off of Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. The private island is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line and leased to MSC for the day. We arrived shortly before 8am and tender service to the island started shortly afterward.
In order to be one of the first on the island, early-goers needed to get tender tickets and wait in an assigned area to board tenders as they become available. Once the majority of passengers were on the island, the tender ticket system was abolished and around 11am open tender service started. Not wanting to be part of the next rush of passengers waiting to go without a ticket, I had breakfast in the ship’s buffet and headed out on a photographic mission.
Starting up top on Deck 16 and working my way down to Deck 4, I did the usual picture-snapping of the ship’s public areas. I thought I discovered every area of the ship during the week, but there were a few places I meandered into and said, “how did I miss this?”
One of them was a place I totally forgot about, Virtual World. Located up on Deck 16, this area is home to the F1 simulator, where you get behind the wheel of a Formula One race car and take it for a virtual spin, hoping not to wreck. After just a few seconds, I totaled an expensive car but walked away uninjured and without an insurance claim. Had this been real life, well, I wouldn’t be here to tell you about it. The experience mimics everything about driving one of these beauties and I was told that even the most experienced drivers have a hard time making it all the way through without crashing.
Also in Virtual World is the ship’s 4D theater. If you’ve ever been on Soarin’ at Disney World, this is pretty close to it. You sit in a chair and in front of you is a large screen. As you go through different journeys, the fourth dimension kicks in and you feel motion, bumps, vibrations, spins, and everything in your chair while the wind and other assorted things add to the sensory experience. Those prone to motion sickness are advised to sit this one out. As part of the pre-ride briefing, you’re asked that if you feel sick, to please raise your hand and the ride operator will shut off your seat allowing you to recover.
Where Virtual World is located is one of the reasons I passed it by. It’s tucked up in the same area as the ship’s disco, Galaxy, and the teen center, Graffitis. It’s not really a deck, it’s more like a superstructure on top of Deck 15, and unless you’re specifically going up there for a reason, you’re not going to find these two attractions. Oh, and there’s an arcade there for kids as well and another one of the ship’s casino.
Once my photographic journey was complete and I ended up on Deck 4, I waited in line for about 20 minutes for a tender to arrive to take me to Great Stirrup Cay, one of the islands that make up the Berry Islands chain. Once on board, the ride to the island is about 10 slow minutes. The boats are not all that conducive to a smooth ride on the ocean, so even the smallest wave bounces you around, so the tender captains take their time to make the ride as comfortable as possible and stomachs in check.
Having been to private islands belonging to Holland America Line (Half Moon Cay, Bahamas), Disney Cruise Line (Castaway Cay, Bahamas), and Royal Caribbean (Coco Cay, Bahamas, and Labadee, Haiti), I was interested to see how Norwegian Cruise Line’s island compared.
I was a tad disappointed with the island and I kept comparing it to others I’ve been to as I journeyed around in the soft, white sand. There really isn’t a “welcoming” feeling upon arrival at the island. Other islands have a nice, colorful welcome center, with bright signs directing you where to go. I didn’t see anything like that here. I wasn’t getting the “island paradise” vibe I’ve gotten on other islands. I tried to pinpoint exactly what it was that was turning me off and just couldn’t pick out one thing.
Perhaps it was the lack of color? Most of the island’s buildings were painted tan, unlike other islands where multiple colors are used on buildings to make them bright and cheery. The huts where islanders were selling souvenirs and offering hair braiding were different colors, but that was about it. The other buildings for water sports rentals, food, etc., were all drab and unremarkable.
There was a Bacardi bar that looks like it is a recent addition which was done up quite nicely, but then again, it lacked color. Even the private cabanas were all the same dull, drab, and tan. The best way I can describe things is to say the facilities were Army-like. The food service building, where a buffet lunch was being served, reminded me of a mess hall, with long lines of people carrying trays waiting to be served their gruel.
Now don’t get me wrong, there were people who totally enjoyed their day swimming and just laying in the sun. I didn’t go ashore to do that, I went ashore to give my opinion of the island, and my opinion is this…
Norwegian brass needs to take a visit to the other cruise line’s islands and see how colorful, welcoming, and fun they are and invest some money into Great Stirrup Cay to bring that same type of experience to their island. MSC on the other hand, should speak with other cruise lines and work out a deal to use their islands on off days and ditch this one.
It’s simply not the idyllic island paradise they make it out to be.
I walked the entire island and made my way back to the ship on the next available tender. The total time I spent traveling back and forth was more than the time I spent on the island itself. On the other islands I’ve been to, I will usually spend the day. Not here. I wanted to get back to the ship.
Again, that’s my opinion. People loved the island, I just thought it was a disappointment and kept comparing it to others I’ve been to. Those who haven’t experienced a cruise line’s private island didn’t have anything to compare this one to and I’m sure they enjoyed it immensely.
Once back on board, the masses started coming as well, as the last tender to the ship was at 4:30pm. When it arrived and all passengers accounted for, Divina’s engines were started and we departed at exactly 5pm.
As we sailed away, many of us were up on Deck 15 watching the final sunset at sea as we headed back to Miami.
The evening’s entertainment was a second opera, this time the tenor and soprano sang select arias, while the ship’s company of dancers performed. While the other shows filled the 1,600-seat theater to capacity almost every night, this show only filled about half the seats, but those in attendance were enjoying every moment of Italian culture at its finest. It’s unfortunate that more didn’t attend the show, perhaps it was because it was the last night, but I tend to believe that Americans simply choose not to immerse themselves in something as different as opera.
After the show, I had to make one last stop to the ship’s Logo Store to pick up a few Italian captain’s hats, then hit the pool bar for a few dirty martinis while I figured out where I was going to have dinner, which turned out to be Galaxy Restaurant once again. I just needed to have another plate of that amazing pasta with lobster one more time.
Back in my stateroom, my suitcases were waiting for me and it was time to pack. Like any other ship, you place your bags outside your door by 2am and the ship’s crew takes them and the next time you see them will be in the terminal when you disembark.
We anchored off PortMiami around 3:30am this morning then made our way into the port docking around 6am. Staterooms needed to be vacated by 7am so they can be cleaned, sanitized, and prepared for the next round of passengers boarding in just a few short hours. Breakfast on debarkation day was being served in one of the main dining rooms and up in the buffet, which is where I grabbed my last plate of bacon.
As I was waiting in line, one of the cooks brought out a fresh batch of fried eggs to replace an empty tray, about eight eggs total. A woman, two ahead of me, took every fried egg. A man in front of me yelled: “save some for the rest of us, please!” Her reply to him, “F&%k off a$$hole!”
Good morning to you too lady, I hope you enjoyed your vacation.
Like I said yesterday, it’s very easy to pick out my fellow Americans on the buffet line. They’re the ones with two plates of food piled as high as they can manage as if there will never be another morsel of food to eat. Ever. Today was no exception and like egg lady, many were piling their plates as high as they could in order to get one last meal in before they head home.
Unfortunately, this behavior results in an enormous amount of wasted food. You see it every time. The people with the plates piled high are the ones who leave the most uneaten food behind. Come on people, there are starving people out there!
As I sit here at the Garden Terrace waiting for my assigned time to report to the theater to be officially disembarked, a team of carpenters has completely sanded down the Garden Bar where I knocked back quite a few cocktails this week. They are furiously working to sand and varnish the bar getting it in top shape for the next group of passengers. When asked how often they have to do this, the one workman told me, “every three months.”
That’s a lot of sanding and varnishing, but it’s refreshing to see constant maintenance being done to keep up the beautiful appearance of the ship.
8:30am arrived and it was time to head down with the rest of “Yellow 2” to the Pantheon Theatre. As soon as I got there, I was told I’m free to leave. Back out of the theater and into a long line of people all waiting to get off. I stood in line for about 45 minutes as people were stopped from entering the terminal because it was getting too backed up.
Finally inside and instead of areas where luggage was lined up and you make your way through rows of bags to find yours, luggage here came out on a conveyor like at an airport. But unlike an airport conveyor, this was the world’s slowest. Bag after bag went by as I waited for mine. After about a half-hour they finally made an appearance. I was quite disgruntled by then. That was a long time to wait for the bags. I much prefer the non-conveyor system of getting bags, as this was definitely not faster. PortMiami’s issue, not MSC’s.
There was no line for customs and after presenting my paperwork and passport, the customs and immigration officer asked me three questions:
“Are you traveling alone?
Yes.
“Why are you traveling alone?”
I don’t think I need to answer that question.
“It’s an important question for us to ask.”
I’m traveling alone because I like to travel alone.
“Are you related to, or personally know, any customs or immigration officer?”
No.
“Have a safe trip home.”
These are the people protecting us from what? I just don’t get it, but I can only assume there is a method to their maddening questions. I was expecting the usual “are you traveling alone” question as I get it all the time, and I don’t really know why it makes a difference.
So here goes the Reader’s Digest condensed version of my cruise on the MSC Divina:
The Ship:
The MSC Divina is simply a beautiful ship. I would expect nothing less from a ship named after Sofia Loren. Like I mentioned on Day 1, the décor of the ship is splashy in some areas, but doesn’t cross the line into making it gaudy. There’s lots of glass, mirrors, and shiny metal, but no neon, no over-the-top colors, and nothing that makes it look unsophisticated.
The public areas are tastefully decorated as are the staterooms. However, traffic flow in public areas such as the Piazza Del Doge can be improved. It is simply a congested mess in the evening, especially when the shops put out tables to sell merchandise in the walkways. Passengers stopping to look at items on those tables, back up traffic and things come to a standstill.
The seating area inside the Piazza is very tight and the tables are small. It would be a great place to grab one of the ship-made Italian pastries or gelato and people-watch after dinner, but it’s just too crowded to enjoy. This area should be revisited when the ship goes into dry dock.
The pool areas are very nice. The main pool is where all the action is and it’s the biggest. Entertainment on the big screen could be tweaked to make it more attractive to American travelers during the day. At night, current movies are shown and you can grab some popcorn to enjoy the flick.
The infinity pool at the Disaronno Contemporary Terrace / Garden Terrace (this area has an identity crisis as it’s called both) is simply beautiful –, especially at night. I believe it’s a hidden gem!
The La Sirena pool is very nice as well, but being the ship’s indoor pool, it is quite steamy despite the retractable roof being open. As with the other pool areas, there’s a bar, tables, and chairs and this is also where the ship’s Pool Shop is located where you can pick up a new bathing suit or some sundries.
The layout of the ship is perfect. All prime areas are located within two decks connected by the Swavorsky crystal staircase. It’s an easy-to-navigate ship with signage throughout with arrows directing you where to go. However, some things changed on the ship when it moved to America last year, and the signage was not changed. One example was the notation of the Sacramento Tex-Mex Restaurant, which simply does not exist. It is now Eataly Steakhouse.
All areas of the ship were clean and well-maintained. There were some instances of carpet needing replacement or deep cleaning in some of the corridors on the stateroom decks, but I’m sure that will be taken care of during dry dock.
There were no issues with plumbing or air conditioning.
The Stateroom:
As previously indicated the only issue I had with my stateroom was the lack of adequate closet space. For someone traveling with another person, or even three or four in a room, space is going to be an issue. I barely had enough space for my clothes and would not have been able to accommodate another person’s wardrobe in the closet. I tend to blame this on the theft-proof thick hangers that take up a lot of room.
There are only two power outlets and they are located on the writing desk. None were by the bed and there was one for a shaver in the bathroom. If you’re going to need more than two outlets to charge devices, you’re going to need to bring a power strip, something I need to start bringing along.
The television is small and placed near the balcony doors making it difficult to see from the bed.
Like most modern ships, when the balcony door is open, cooling and heating in the room are turned off to conserve energy and to discourage people from sleeping with the door open, which is a no-no.
One pet peeve is, Divina like many ships and European hotels requires that you place your Cruise Card/door key in a slider inside the room in order to activate the lights. When you take the card out, you get about a 15-second delay before darkness sets in. This is one of those energy-saving “conveniences” that drive me crazy. When I encounter these devices, I usually throw a business card or my driver’s license in it to keep the lights on. In this case, every time I did, my stateroom attendant would take it out and remind me not to do it.
The bed was comfortable although the pillows were lumpy. Everything in the room was neat, clean, and in working order.
Fellow Passengers:
Being an Italian ship and a cruise line that sails the Med, it’s no surprise most of the passengers onboard were European. Many are frequent MSC cruisers. Many languages were spoken and there was a fair number of passengers who spoke no English at all, making for some barriers to conversation.
I did run into several foreign passengers who were pushy and felt that they needed to be at the front of every line and first in every elevator. Elevator courtesy was often lacking, as some seemed to not get the point that people get out of the elevator before new passengers get in.
While not nearly as annoying as the group of passengers on the Quantum of the Seas inaugural cruise, there were moments when I just bit my tongue.
I wish I could nail down an average age for the passengers on this cruise, but I can’t even venture a guess. There were so many families with children, many old/elderly, many 20s and 30s, and many middle age. It was a bit refreshing to see a mix like that, especially from my experience on other lines where it’s either the 70-to-dead crowd or the 21 – 25 booze cruise crew.
All in all, I met many nice people from all over the world which is something you don’t always get to do when you’re on ships that are from lines based primarily here in the states and especially in south Florida. Other lines I’ve sailed on have predominantly had American passengers, this was not the case on Divina as it was more like the United Nations.
The Crew:
The crew can make or break a cruise experience for many. Most times I don’t include a note about the crew, but I feel as if I need to this time. The senior officers I encountered were very stand-off-ish and I often felt their Italian bravado was showing just a little too much. During photo night with the Captain, you can tell that standing in a rope line with a photog snapping pictures was the absolute last place he wanted to be. I was told later that Captain Galano is a shy man, so that may explain that.
The bar staff gets mixed reviews. While the majority of bartenders and bar servers I encountered were pleasant and outgoing, there were a few who you could tell wanted to be anywhere but working on a cruise ship taking care of thousands of passengers, especially ones who wanted a glass of water. On Day 1, while at the pool bar enjoying a cocktail, a bar server was garnishing a drink with a lime, and she dropped it. She proceeded to pick it up, squeeze it, and put it in the cup. She saw that I noticed this and did it anyway. I then waved my “no-no” finger at her, at which time she threw the drink away and asked for a new one, mumbling something under her breath. She did not speak or say hello to me again after that.
It was a few nights later when she was working the popcorn machine for the big screen movie. As I sat at the bar I noticed that she kept picking popcorn out of the machine and eating it. She saw that I noticed her doing this again, and she did not stop. As she ate, she filled up bags for others from the same batch she was dipping fingers-to-mouth in.
Some staff did not have a good grasp of the English language, for example, my server at Pizza Eataly. While a lovely gal, she did not understand a lot of what I was saying/asking. She was also the one who told me to go to the buffet, get a salad and bring it down if I wanted one. However, her very outgoing, pleasant personality made up for any language issues.
The restaurant staff was always friendly and helpful and would go out of their way to make the dining experience perfect. It’s important to note that most of the restaurant staff is Italian/European while the bar staff is a mix of Indonesian and other nationalities.
Restaurants:
Black Crab and Villa Rosa ($ – Free) are the ship’s fixed seating (5:30pm / 8:30pm) main dining rooms. As I was seated at a table of 7 others, I did not partake in the dining room experience, as I was unable to get a table for myself. I simply do not enjoy eating dinner with strangers. It’s not something I do in restaurants on land, and I don’t enjoy it at sea. Being there was no open seating for the main restaurant (unless you book your cabin with the added Aurea experience $) and my request for a table on my own could not be accommodated, I passed it by. But you can read the other daily installments for others’ thoughts on the food in there.
I did not experience the ship’s Sports Bar ($ – Ala Carte) which is home to several televisions and a bowling machine, using what else – bocce balls! On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights when football was on TV, this room was packed. They also serve bar food like onion rings, hamburgers, fish, and chips, which are all a la carte. One woman told me she had the “best chicken nuggets ever” in there. Chicken nuggets? Oh well.
Eataly Pizza ($ – Ala Carte) – simply the best pizza at sea! If you’re on Divina, make it a point to eat dinner there once. While pizza is the only thing you’re going to get besides wine, it’s an enjoyable experience and it’s not often crowded despite the pizza being so damn good. Find out about my meal there in the Day 4 report.
Ristorante Italian ($ – Ala Carte & Price Fixe) – the ship’s Italian restaurant, although Italian food is everywhere! With only 5 tables this is a small intimate restaurant with a menu that’s seafood-focused, although there are pasta dishes, part of the pasta course, which is great. Find out about my meal there in the Day 3 report.
Eataly Steakhouse ($ – Ala Carte) – the ship’s steakhouse with the no-frills décor. While not the best steakhouse at sea, it gets the job done for those looking for their steak fix. If you’re looking for a true steakhouse experience, you’re not going to find it here which makes it a bit disappointing. Lobster is not on the menu at this steakhouse, by the way. Find out about my meal there in the Day 1 and Day 6 reports.
Galaxy Restaurant ($ – Ala Carte & Price Fixe) – my favorite on the ship, this Mediterranean fusion restaurant put out the best food during my trip. Each dish I enjoyed thoroughly, especially the pasta with lobster. It’s dark, has live music and an amazing view, and is one restaurant you need to check out if you’re going to be on the Divina. Find out about my meal there on Day 2, Day 5, and this report.
Manitou and Calumet Buffet ($ – Free) – Packed at all hours of the day, mainly because of the variety of food that is offered and the copious amounts of it. One of the best buffets I’ve experienced on a ship as far as variety is concerned. It was far too busy to get in for dinner, but is not as crowded for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a quick slice of delicious pizza. While servers are quick to remove dirty plates, they are not often available to get you a can of soda or a drink from the bar, something that is common on all ship’s I’ve been on, so this is not something unique. The only free beverages offered in the buffet are juices, tea, and coffee. Anything else requires tracking down a server.
Room Service – The room service menu is very limited and there was no compelling reason for me to order. They do offer pizza delivery for a charge.
Other Outlets – Nutella Crepes ($) are available poolside, gelato ($), pastries ($), and specialty coffee can be found throughout the ship in various areas. There is no poolside grill so don’t expect to grab a burger unless you go to the nearby buffet and get one. Ice cream is offered in a self-serve machine that only operates a few hours a day. Check the daily program for operating hours. I believe this is so people buy the ship-made gelato ($) instead of the free ice cream.
Entertainment:
This is not your Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Holland America, or any other line’s entertainment. This is European entertainment! Don’t expect to see splashy Broadway-like shows here. The shows are done with minimal sets, and pre-recorded music but songs are sung by the ship’s entertainment staff live. Expect a different type of show on Divina. You can read a review of each show in the day-by-day reports, but the entertainment during this cruise consisted of a Frank Sinatra tribute, a musical journey through popular Italian songs, a French style review, a Pirate-themed song and dance show, and an opera. Definitely unique, but enjoyable nonetheless and something to watch and appreciate for the cultural value.
At night, almost every bar has some sort of live entertainment as well as a DJ in the Galaxy Disco. The individual entertainers in these areas have all been enjoyable and have kept the crowds entertained.
Activities:
There are the usual bingo and trivia contests, but activities throughout the day are light, which is fine with me. If you scroll down you can see each of the day’s programmes that will give you a sampling of activities on board during the day. There is a child’s care program if you have kids, plus there are two arcades, a water slide, and a teens-only area. As mentioned earlier in this piece, there’s also the 4D Cinema and Formula 1 race car simulator.
Casino / Smoking:
Just a note about the casino, it’s non-smoking. Don’t expect to sit down at a slot, play and light up, it’s simply not allowed here on Divina. There is a cigar bar for smoking and smoking is allowed in a smoking area at the Disaronno Contemporary Terrace / Garden Bar as well as one side of the pool deck and one side of the lifeboat deck. Smoking is not allowed in rooms or on balconies.
Photo Shop:
On most new ships, the photo shop has gone digital where passengers can view their photos on touchscreens and order prints. On Divina, the old-fashioned way of printing out all the photos and putting them on display still exists. I find this to be a very wasteful practice as many, many, many photos get thrown away. When you think of the copious amounts of paper and chemicals needed to develop all those photos that end up in the trash, it’s a shame.
The photographer gets a plus for making me look so great, tho!
Overall Experience:
Overall, this cruise on the Divina was great. It was different from other cruises I’ve been on, but that is to be expected from an Italian line sailing in America. I’m sure the experience would be similar to that of a Costa ship cruising here. I would put this on par with a Holland America cruise, relaxed, not rushed, no belly-flop contests, no endless announcements from the cruise director, and average food and entertainment.
Pluses: great stateroom, great service in the restaurants, expansive buffet, affordable drink package, great Internet connectivity, clean ship, delicious pizza, cultural experiences on board, nightly entertainment in theater and in bars, friendly staff
Minuses: confusing drink package options, drink package not available for use on Day 1, coupon system for certain drink packages, no open seating in the main dining room unless you book the additional ($) Aurea experience package with your stateroom, not being able to change tables to experience the main dining room, entertainment may not suit Americans, lack of hand sanitizer enforcement in buffet and no hand washing stations outside restaurants, selective enforcement of hand sanitization at port stops upon returning to the ship, ala carte pricing can be expensive in specialty restaurants, traffic congestion in Piazza at night, too many “sales” of merchandise all around the ship
Would I do MSC Again?
The big question! And the answer is yes. I would want to use MSC to experience the Mediterranean as I feel they would be “the line” to do it with. As far as cruising here in the states, I would do it again to experience another ship in the fleet. So, if Divina is replaced by another MSC ship out of Florida, I would go to experience another MSC ship.
What’s next?
Time is running out to cruise out of south Florida as most lines pull their ships at the start of hurricane season. One of Holland America Line’s ships, the ms Ryndam is leaving the fleet and is making a brief appearance for some cruises out of Port Everglades. I would like to experience this 1,250-passenger ship before she transferred to P&O in late 2015 and compare it to her sister ship, the ms Veendam, which did not provide me with a very good cruise experience a few months ago. But cruising on a ship at the end of her life for that brand may not be a good thing, as service tends to suffer and the ship may be a little worn since she will be getting an entire makeover in dry dock.
I also want to sail on my favorite ship, the ms Eurodam, once more before she departs for the season.
Since many of my trips are last minute, I don’t have anything booked at the moment, but stay tuned!
Thanks for traveling along on this latest adventure with me and feel free to send me your questions about the MSC Divina or any of the other ships I’ve sailed on. I’d love to hear from you!
Personal Day-By-Day MSC Divina Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the MSC Divina:
Photography is a key aspect of preserving vacation memories, and my recent voyage aboard the MSC Divina was no exception. From the ship’s striking interior design and inviting swimming pools to my own cozy cabin, I captured numerous photos that showcase the highlights of my journey. If you’d like to take a look at my snapshots, feel free to check out the MSC Divina Photo Tour or browse the daily cruise review by clicking on the links provided above.