The first time I stepped onboard a cruise ship was in 1994. The ship was Sovereign of the Seas (now the MS Sovereign) from Royal Caribbean. At the time she was launched in 1988, she was the world’s largest cruise ship carrying 2,852 passengers. By today’s standards, she’s small. On that cruise in 1994, our first port-of-call was St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. I was cruising solo. Yeah, first cruise. Cruising solo, well I was with a group of people from the radio station I was working for at the time, you see it was one of those group cruises and I was the so-called leader. Needless to say, it was still an odd experience.
I remember getting off the ship in St. Thomas, walking a few blocks from the pier, and hitting up a pay phone at Burger King. I wanted to fly home, and fly home then and there. I didn’t care about my luggage. I didn’t care about the group I would be leaving on board, I just wanted to go home. The sane voice of a relative on the other end of the phone convinced me to go back on the ship, have a frozen beverage, and suck it up.
Thankfully I listened and for the rest of the cruise, I enjoyed myself and as they say… the rest is history!
21 years later and we’ve docked in St. Thomas once again. We are docked at the Havensight Dock, one of two piers that ships pull into. The Havensight is the larger of the docks and if you’ve been here before you’ll know which one it is. How? Because chances are you’ve taken the SkyTrain or a bus all the way up to the top of a mountain to have a drink at a bar that’s been there since my first visit. As you sip, you look down, and bingo… all the ships you’re looking at are docked in Havensight. (By the way, if you take a bus up the long, windy road that leads up to the top, you’re going to definitely need a drink once you get there! And drink up, because you’re gonna need one to get down!)
The picture below is of me, during that first cruise taking in the view from that vantage point.
After breakfast in Divina’s buffet, which was nearly empty, I headed back to my stateroom to drop off my laptop, grab my wallet and picture ID, and begin my mission to find…. toothpaste.
I know some of the MSC folks have been following along, so I have a huge suggestion! Please start stocking basic items such as toothpaste, shaving cream, etc in one of the shops onboard, or have them available for purchase at Guest Services. On Saturday when I unpacked and realized the toothpaste never made it into my suitcase, the first thing I did was head to the shops onboard to buy some. I was told items like that aren’t sold on the ship and to ask my room attendant as he may have some or be able to get some. I did that, and he said he checked with the housekeeping manager and someone at reception and nobody could get me toothpaste.
So off the ship, I went. The Havensight Shopping Mall at the port is very low-key. No high-pressure pitching going on by the shopkeepers here like I experienced a few days ago in Cozumel on the Independence of the Seas cruise. In fact, nobody was outside their shop trying to lure people in… the signs in the windows did the barking. A much nicer experience than the harassment that goes on in other ports to get your money.
Once outside of the port area, I began my walk to find the nearest drugstore or supermarket. I passed the spot where I believe the Burger King used to be… it wasn’t there. I walked by a supermarket which was a little too sketchy for me and then up the street what do I see… a big giant “K.” Could there be a Kmart in St. Thomas? The retailer closed up almost all their stores, but could there be one left just a few blocks away?
Yes!
Stepping inside was like stepping back into 1985. Time stood still in Kmart-land. Rows of discount clothes, shoes that would make your feet want to fall off after about 20 minutes of being worn, and an escalator leading to a basement with “more bargains” seemed to beckon. I pretty much came to the conclusion that I was the only non-crew member in the store, as many from the different ships in port were stocking up on their personal goods as well. I quickly made my way to the toothpaste aisle, and like a glistening gold bar worth 24 million dollars, the tube of Colgate stood out and said, “take me.”
I grabbed it like it was the last sandwich on the midnight buffet, checked out, and headed back to the ship to brush my teeth as they’d never been brushed before.
That my friends was the extent of my visit to St. Thomas.
Back onboard, the ship was pretty much empty with most people still off enjoying shore excursions. There wasn’t too much going on around the ship besides the usual trivia games and quizzes.
One thing MSC arranged for me this time around was a tour of the MSC Yacht Club, an ultra-luxurious, ship-within-a-ship. Located on the ship’s top decks, the Yacht Club is home to 69 rooms and the Sophia Loren Suite, the largest suite on the ship named after the ship’s Godmother. Those staying in the Yacht Club accommodations never need to leave their own “ship-within-a-ship” unless they want to. Those not staying in the Yacht Club do not have access to any of the amenities offered in this class of service.
I was met by Francesca Divina’s Event Manager who gave me a tour of the area accessible only by a special keycard. We started out in the Yacht Club’s lobby there a dedicated Concierge is available to attend to every need of these lucky passengers. From making spa reservations to booking excursions in the ports of call, the Yacht Club Concierge is the go-to person.
On to the library, where Yacht Club passengers have access to their very own, well-stocked, library onboard.
The Yacht Club even has its very own Swarovski Crystal Staircase, just like the ones in the atrium of the Divina which is one of the ship’s centerpieces.
From the lobby to be introduced to the Yacht Club’s Chief Butler, who oversees a small group of butlers who are assigned to each of the staterooms and provide personal butler service for the length of the cruise.
The staterooms in the Yacht Club are fairly similar to the staterooms in the rest of the ship. However, furnishings get a major upgrade, as well as the addition of a walk-in closet. Bathrooms get marble and the shower has been replaced with a tub/shower unit.
The concept behind the Yacht Club is you never have to leave your little part of the ship. To make that goal complete, guests staying in the Yacht Club have their own cocktail lounge – the Top Sail Lounge, that serves breakfast and snacks throughout the day as well as full bar service, and as we were walking through, a piano player was tickling the ivories of a grand piano. For dinner, Yacht Club guest have their own restaurant, Le Muse, where they order from an a la carte menu that changes daily.
But it doesn’t end there. The Yacht Club also has its own pool, hot tub, sun deck, and pool bar/grill. Unfortunately, during my tour, it was raining, so I wasn’t able to get the best pictures of the outdoor amenities.
There are more perks to staying in the Yacht Club on MS Divina, including a free mini bar (yeah!), free pizza delivery during Eataly Pizza operating hours (other passengers pay per pizza), and their own private entrance to the MSC Spa.
With 69 staterooms and 27 Yacht Club staff to take care of your every need… that’s service!
After my tour, it was time to get ready for the evening. At 7pm the ship’s cast of singers and dancers were putting on a show that was on Divina last year, “Witches of Paris.” This French-style revue followed the theme of what most of the entertainment onboard Divina follows – singing, dancing, and acrobatics. It featured songs mostly sung in French, with some physical acrobatic comedy routines in between.
Overall, not a bad show. The theater was full (as it has been every night) and everyone seemed to enjoy the entertainment. On a side note, I happened to have found the one chair in the 1,632-seat theater without padding. After sitting on a hard wooden seat for 45 minutes, I couldn’t wait to get up. I’m not going to tell you which seat it was… I’ll let you find it for yourself!
Before dinner, I stopped at La Luna, which has become my pre-dinner cocktail spot. Duo Ameritalia was once again performing to a packed house. I sat down in one of the very plush, overstuffed chairs (my behind thanked me for that) and waited for someone to come take a drink order. Tonight it was very slow getting service and once my order was taken, it took a while for the drink to return. It was not like this other nights and the number of people in the bar was around the same.
Off to dinner at Eataly Ristorante Italiano. The decor of both the Eataly steakhouse and the Eataly Italian restaurant is minimalist at best. Clear plastic chairs, no linen on the tables…. some things that you may think can’t be pulled off in a “fancy” restaurant but are done well here. While some expect the decor to be a little more white linen, for me it’s about what comes out of the kitchen, not how my table looks when I sit down.
I arrived at 8:30pm to more familiar faces. It’s almost crazy to think that this many crew members recognize me and I recognize them from being onboard a year ago, but it happens at each turn of the corner.
My server brought out a glass of Prosecco (which is included with the meal) along with a selection of freshly baked bread and some EVOO and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
The menu is broken out into a la carte items, each with a price, and then there is a $35 per-person Seafood Experience menu as well as a $59 per-person Seafood & Wine Experience Menu. I opted to go a la carte.
I started out with the Roast Duck Breast Dressed with Tea (smoked aubergine compote and shaved radish with red wine vinegar and pistachio caper sauce.) The duck was tender with a thin layer of fat on the outside. Overall, not a bad choice for an appetizer. $7.50
My first choice for the pasta course was the Hand Crafted Tortello (pasta filled with pesto, potatoes, and green beans). I was quickly told they were sold out and was recommended the Pumpkin Gnocchi (duck sauce, candied oranges, and a vermouth reduction.) At first, I was hesitant, but once the dish arrived it was delicious. The gnocchi was light and fluffy, not too pumpkin-ey and the duck meat sauce that came with it was delicious. A superb pasta dish once again. $7.00
For my entree, I started off ordering the Lamb Ribs Scottadito (crunchy thyme breadcrumbs, caramelized endive, wildflower honey, and herb sponge) but my server quickly steered me toward the Beef Filet (crushed potatoes with hazelnuts, red wine reduction, and compote of onion). I explained that I would be eating in the steakhouse Friday night, but he said: “this filet is different and I highly recommend it.” So I took his recommendation and went with it.
It was around a 6 – 8 oz filet, cooked medium rare and lightly seasoned. I was not a fan of the red wine reduction and probably could have been a more flavorful steak if that were left off. Overall, an average filet. $20.00
For dessert, I went with my server’s recommendation of the Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake, which was very good, with a rich, thick mousse that made for a perfect end to a good meal.
Overall, not a bad dinner in Eataly. Still, so far, the best dinner was Italian Night in the main dining room.
Right now we are casting our lines from San Juan and are heading back toward Miami. We have a day at sea tomorrow (Thursday) followed by a day at Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay on Friday with our return scheduled for Saturday.
That’s all for now from the MSC Divina… next update tomorrow!
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.