The final day onboard the MSC Divina saw us heading toward an alternate port-of-call, Nassau in the Bahamas. As mentioned earlier, our call at Great Stirrup Cay was called off due to our return to San Juan the other day to medevac an ill passenger.
The day started off cloudy, foggy, and somewhat rainy… a day that would not have made for a very good day on the white sand of the Bahamas anyway. After breakfast in the ship’s buffet, which was extremely busy since it was raining outside and most people on board felt that eating was the perfect rainy morning activity.
As we sailed along the coast of the many Bahama islands, around 1:30pm the rising towers of Atlantis could be seen breaking through the clouds as they started to dissipate. The Divina arrived in the harbor and started maneuvers to dock around 2pm. Along with us, the Carnival Paradise, Norwegian Escape, Disney Magic, and Oceania Riviera were in port.
Clearance was given for passengers to begin disembarking around 2:20pm and knowing that lines were going to be long… I decided to wait it out until 3pm. Well, the lines were still long and it took about 20 minutes to get off the ship.
Knowing that Nassau is not the safest port-of-call to go it alone, I went off the ship to just take pictures of the other ships in port and return back to the ship. For cruisers heading to Nassau, it’s important to note that due to the increase in violent crime rates, it’s only recommended you take ship-sponsored tours and don’t go wandering far from the port alone. Leave any valuables on the ship and don’t wear any flashy jewelry. Remember, a piece of jewelry can be replaced… you can’t be!
All aboard was 5:30pm so there were only a few hours available for those heading ashore to do shopping, or take excursions. The crew of the Divina did pull together several shore excursions at the last minute, which many appreciated.
With my picture-taking complete, it was back on board to do a quick run of the ship to take photos of some of the public areas before our lines were cast and we were off on our return run to Miami.
As the sun began to set, the Disney Magic was the first ship to leave port and we followed leaving on time at 6pm.
The evening’s entertainment was the most anticipated show of the cruise… the Michael Jackson tribute called “Starwalker.” I arrived at the Pantheon Theatre at 6:45pm and there were very few seats available. While most shows have been full, “Starwalker” was proving to be standing-room-only.
I did see the show last year and it was the best show of the cruise. Once again, the Michael Jackson impersonator nailed the King of Pop’s moves and the accompanying dancers did an outstanding job keeping up with the high energy of the show.
From “Ben” to “Thriller” and all the most popular songs in between, there were several times during the show when the cast was given a standing ovation. At the end of the show, the entertainment team came on stage to sing “We are the World” as the senior crew of the Divina took the stage one last time as the Captain thanked the audience for sailing with MSC.
On this cruise, Captain Francesco Saviero Veniero, has been very visible on the ship, speaking with passengers, listening to their feedback, and addressing the audience several times during the various performances. Some Captain’s aren’t always the most personable, but Captain Veniero has truly been a gracious host.
After the show, it was off to dinner in the ship’s for-fee specialty steakhouse, Eataly. Upon arrival at 8:30pm there were only a few other tables occupied, one of them being the Captain. The servers in Eataly were the same ones from last year, making me realize that most crew members keep coming back contract after contract to work on Divina, which says a lot in itself.
With the menu presented and a “sack” of fresh bread presented, it was time to order. For an appetizer, I was torn between trying the two different kinds of Italian Prosciutto – Parma or San Danielle, or going with a selection of Italian Cold Cuts.
I went with the cold cuts and a generous portion of salami, pancetta, ham, and speck was laid out, each with its own texture and flavor which was a great start to the meal. $10.
Next up was the pasta course. Being on an Italian ship, no meal is without a pasta course! I chose the Afeltra Gragnano Pacchero. Large tubes of pasta tossed in a seafood sauce with shrimp, scallops, calamari, and fresh tomatoes. Simply incredible and it could have made a meal in itself. The pasta was cooked al dente and the seafood was flavorful and fresh. $10.50.
For the main course, I went with the 10.5oz New York Strip Steak – $18. It was served with a side of romaine lettuce, roasted potatoes, and steamed broccoli. I asked for the steak to be cooked medium rare, which it was. The steak itself was a little tough in parts and the broccoli was overcooked to the point where it was yellow rather than green. While the steak was well seasoned and cooked to temperature, it wasn’t the best steak I’ve had on cruise ships before, and shows that there still is room for improvement in Eataly Steakhouse for it to come up to par with other lines steakhouses.
For dessert, I went with the Bomboloni and Ice Cream. Mini fried dough balls coated in sugar and served with a scoop of vanilla – $4.90. A sweet ending! After all, who could turn away fried dough?
Overall, as I mentioned, there is still room for improvement with the meat here in Eataly. Some may not like the décor of the steakhouse as it’s not the dark, rich wood, white linen steakhouse many are accustomed to on land or on the sea. Instead, it’s bright, there are paper placemats, no linen napkins, and clear lucite chairs. But this is Eataly and that’s how they roll…. even in their steakhouse on Divina.
So after spending 7 days back on board MSC Divina following her return to Miami for year-round service to the Caribbean, how was it different from last year?
First, the most noticeable is the crew. More Filipino and Indian crew members are now onboard, as opposed to a great majority of European crew members last year. The English language barrier which was somewhat annoying last year is now gone. Some crew members who are still on board from last year have improved their English greatly thanks to the language classes crew are now taking on board. I’ve noticed a marked improvement in the friendliness of the crew and their willingness to help. Many of the European crew last year were not friendly and did not go out of their way to provide assistance. Marked improvements in this area. Kudos to MSC for this!
Second, is the food. Yes, there are still areas where the food can be improved, but the number of complaints I heard from fellow passengers about the food last year was very high, this year, I have heard only a few grumblings about food, and that had to do with paying for gelato and pastries.
Speaking of food. Let’s talk about the restaurants for a minute.
Pizza – hands down the absolute best pizza at sea, whether the handmade New York Style pizza on the buffet that’s huge and foldable and simply incredible, or the Neapolitan style available in Eataly Pizza, you just won’t find better pizza than on MSC Divina. I’ll also put it up against any pizza joint on land, it’s that good. Make sure to carve at least one night out to enjoy a pie or a meter of pizza in Eataly Pizza. You won’t regret it. By the way, you can also order a pizza pie to your room ($) during Eataly Pizza hours.
Buffet – variety is the spice of life and the buffet has it. Plenty of different types of food to choose from, and the buffet stations offer something for everyone for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The best variety of buffet food available on a ship, in my opinion. The buffet area is well laid out, with plenty of seating even on the busiest of sea days. Beverage service is hard to come by, but the buffet staff is constantly cleaning tables and turning them around quickly making for plenty of table availability almost all the time in the buffet. I have to say that Divina has one of the best-run buffets out of all the ships I’ve been on.
Main Dining Room – the best meal of my cruise came from the main dining room and it was on Italian Night. The Veal Ossobucco was simply the best I’ve ever had. At the same time, the worst meal of the cruise came from the main dining room on the first night, where the lamb chops were just not good at all, a miss the maitre d’ acknowledged. Getting anything other than beer, wine, or soft drinks in the main dining room is a challenge, as bar servers are difficult to track down and long waits exist as there is not a bar close by to obtain those drinks from – something that MSC should look into to improve, or at least add a service bar to the dining room.
Galaxy Disco Restaurant – some tweaks were made to dishes on the menu, but the food was still good although portions seem to have shrunk a bit in a year. Worth checking out though as the ambiance is nice and the views are spectacular. I do miss the entertainment during dinner that was there last year but was gone this. Also, they need a host or hostess to greet people upon arrival.
Eataly Ristorante Italiano – for an Italian restaurant I would have liked to have seen more pasta offerings and more Italian dishes. You can get a filet in the steakhouse, remove that from the menu and add a veal dish or something more appropriate for an Italian joint. My first choice of pasta was not available during my evening there, but the alternate choice was fantastic. Again, worth checking out, but it’s not a true red-sauce Italian restaurant. If you’re looking for spaghetti and meatballs or a nice lasagna, or even a repeat of that amazing Ossobuco, you’re out of luck.
Eataly Steakhouse – not my favorite steakhouse at sea. That honor still goes to Pinnacle Grill on Holland America Line ships, where it’s a true “steakhouse.” The quality of the beef can be improved upon and more steakhouse “staples” need to be added to the menu to put it on par with other cruise line steakhouses. Right now there is nothing too “steakhouse” about it – from décor to the menu. If you’re looking for a true steakhouse experience, you may want to skip Eataly Steakhouse, because you’re not going to find it. If you’re looking to “go and have a steak” it’s worth checking out.
Specialty restaurants on Divina are a la carte with some offering fixed-priced menus. Unlike other lines that charge at a flat surcharge, that’s not the case here. Take note of that before going, as many times an appetizer, pasta course, main, and dessert will cost you more than say a flat $25 or $35 cover other lines charge. If you’re on a budget, you’ll want to check menu prices out beforehand or see if they offer a fixed price option.
The pasta on Divina is simply amazing. You won’t find anything better unless you go to Italy to have some. Every single pasta dish I had was delicious. Definitely, make a pasta course a part of your dinner if you’re traveling on Divina, you won’t be disappointed.
Other options for food include free soft serve ice cream in very clean machines that are watched over and attended to continue to avoid them from becoming a sticky mess. Free soft serve is only available from 2pm – 5pm. Gelato, for a fee, is available in the Aqua Park and in the Plaza Del Dodge. Italian pastries are also available ($) in the Plaza and tapas are available in the Cafe Italia. The room service menu is varied, with pizza delivery also available, although room service breakfast is continental only – nothing hot. There’s also the Sports Bar, for a burger, hot dog, or even fish, and chips served up with a side of sports. The Sports Bar is all ala carte.
Let’s talk entertainment. Have things changed there in a year? Not really. There are 6 production shows plus the Welcome Aboard show. The shows all use the same set and have the same theme – singing, dancing, and acrobatics – with the exception of the Michael Jackson show. If you don’t mind seeing pretty much the same routine each night put to different types of music, you’re in luck. While still entertaining, and the vocalists do an incredible job, seeing the same thing each night does get old quickly. That’s not to say the shows weren’t bad, as they were not. They just need to be “different.”
Stateroom – Divina’s staterooms are some of the best I’ve stayed in. Well appointed, spacious, and comfortable, with plenty of room for storage. The balconies are a little cramped, but I’d take less space out there for more in the room. The size of the TV could be larger (as I said last year) as it is difficult to see from the bed.
Fellow Passengers – most of the passengers on board were foreign, many Black Card (highest level of MSC loyalty), carrying passengers who have sailed with MSC many times before and were on Divina to cruise the Caribbean. The average age was around 55 with several young couples with children, as children sail for free on select MSC sailings and this may have been one of them. There were a good number of American passengers on as well, but from my observations, the majority of those onboard were European which makes sense for a European cruise line.
Disembarkation was smooth! I was among one of the first groups called at 7:15am. Right on time, we were told we could get off the ship. In less than 15 minutes I went from the ship, through customs, through baggage claim, and out to the curb. A flawless process! One thing about the baggage claim terminal… instead of rows and rows of luggage in a massive warehouse you have to walk through to find your bags, luggage comes out on airport-style conveyors – a welcome change.
Has Divina found her place in America? I believe she has and with a few tweaks to food and entertainment offerings, she will be on par with the lines already dominating the US market. With the addition of MSC Seaside in 2017 as well as the development of MSC’s own private island in the Bahamas, MSC will soon be making waves in the cruise industry here in South Florida.
I definitely recommend giving MSC a try. Keep in mind, MSC isn’t Royal Caribbean. MSC isn’t Carnival. MSC isn’t Norwegian. MSC is MSC and they are still an Italian line and things are a bit different than being on ships from the lines I just mentioned. That’s not a bad thing tho, as those lines simply mimic what each other is doing and put their own spin on it… MSC keeps elements of what made them successful in Europe and tweaks them for the US. Some work, some don’t, but they’re still improving and they’ve improved a great deal in a year.
With Divina here year-round, there’s no reason not to cruise on MSC to see what it’s like and enjoy a week at sea!
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.