MSC Divina

[Cloverlady]

Originally Posted by SHREKS OTHER1/2

same one as us ..we fly home that day ... yeah were just deciding which trips to do ... done Nassau before but not the others ...You will love it ..took me 25 years to get hubby on 1 and this will be our 4th in 2 years ... nothing better than waking up eating your breakfast on the balcony as you dock ... you will be smitten x

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As you get off we get on?
Aww I'm sure we will be smitten The more I read about it the more I think I'm going to love it!

[Dissuziq]

I watch a you tube channel called Sea Cruisers and they have just been on the MSC Divina, it had a fabulous main staircase, not sure if you have seen there channel but its one of my guilty pleasures

[Cloverlady]

Originally Posted by Dissuziq

I watch a you tube channel called Sea Cruisers and they have just been on the MSC Divina, it had a fabulous main staircase, not sure if you have seen there channel but its one of my guilty pleasures

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Haha! That is so spooky! Just been watching them , they are so excitable!
How about their balcony?

[Dissuziq]

Originally Posted by Cloverlady

Haha! That is so spooky! Just been watching them , they are so excitable!
How about their balcony?

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They over excited over the balcony that isn't really a balcony. you can see why its a guilty pleasure, but they do give you a good view around all the ships and tell you stuff you would never know or may be want to know

[Cloverlady]

Originally Posted by Dissuziq

They over excited over the balcony that isn't really a balcony. you can see why its a guilty pleasure, but they do give you a good view around all the ships and tell you stuff you would never know or may be want to know

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Haha, yes they were over the moon with it! I even looked their cabin up on a deck plan LOL
Guilty pleasure or not I'm loving it, I'm on to day 3 now I think !

[SHREKS OTHER1/2]

Its the Fantasia Balcony mid ship we have booked ... The drinks package was the icing ...the first one we did last March cost us £1000 for us both with balcony on NCL Epic and drinks package ...we had a ball ..there were 6 of us our bar bill came to $1400 per couple ..thank god it was all Free ..we drank more than the cruise cost . No we fly home that day ...we are having 3 days in Fort Lauderdale ..week on cruise then driving over to AMI for another week x

[Cloverlady]

Originally Posted by SHREKS OTHER1/2

Its the Fantasia Balcony mid ship we have booked ... The drinks package was the icing ...the first one we did last March cost us £1000 for us both with balcony on NCL Epic and drinks package ...we had a ball ..there were 6 of us our bar bill came to $1400 per couple ..thank god it was all Free ..we drank more than the cruise cost . No we fly home that day ...we are having 3 days in Fort Lauderdale ..week on cruise then driving over to AMI for another week x

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LOL @ the bar bill costing more than the cruise! Good on you!

Ah I see, nice to be heading up to AMI, love that coast
We fly into Miami on 30th March then are doing day trip to Marco Island (further down coast from AMI, stayed there last year - sugar white sand...bliss! ) Then getting on the cruise on the 1st, then up to Orlando for a week after to do some parks

Keep in touch if you find any good deals/ideas/tips about the excursions!

[welshwiz]

Originally Posted by Cloverlady

Hi Welshwiz!
Thank you for your reply!

Great to hear you loved it - it sure looks nice on t'interweb pictures!

We have teenage boys so was wondering if anyone knew if there would be enough for them to amuse themselves although as it's a novelty everything will be interesting to them, and the fact it was THEIR idea to do a cruise I'm not too worried!

Other questions I have are -
What happens with turn down service?

We are booked on Aurea experience in a balcony cabin, - we have to prepay all tips, yes? What happens with room service if I want a coffee when I wake up in my cabin (my dream to sit on balcony with a lovely coffee first thing ------ ahhhh)

Nice to hear you loved St Maarten - I'll be sure to pick your brains (if that's Ok?) when I get around to looking at trips off the ship!

Sooo much to look at and look up, been watching a youtube vlog of 2 sisters on a Divina cruise - gets me all the more giddy!

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Not experienced Aurea but if the normal service is anything to go by then you'll be spoilt rotten!

We had two interconnecting fantastica balconies with 4 boys (15,15,20,20). They had plenty to occupy themselves with gym, gamesroom, theatre and excursions plus pool and slide etc and they went to some football tournaments. My sons prefer the themed parties on Carnival (but we were spoiled with the amazing Matt Mitcham on Carnival Breeze the year before he's now the cruise director on the new Carnival Vista and honestly he's one of kind he is such an awesome CD that I'd select a ship just because of him) and they didn't make as many American friends as they usually do as there's a mixture of nationalities but really that was a small thing as there's loads to see and do, you won't get bored at all!

Looking through youtube videos is really helpful to get your bearings and a feel for the ship.

The poster who mentioned the staircase is spot on, it's a must for a formal picture all dressed up!

Yes you do have to pay the service charge but can get it adjusted if you are not satisfied but I'm sure you will be happy with he service. Our room steward was like great, he arrived in secret as we left for dinner and turned down our beds, cleaned the bathrooms, left fresh towels and refilled our drinks fridge nightly in a ninja like operation. I'm sure you'll be impressed!

You can order room service via tv or phone or for breakfast (including your morning coffee) via a tick box door hanger card hat you fill out the night before.

I would urge you to look into organising your own excursions even if it's just a licensed taxi to the local beach or the airplane beach in St Maarten (it's a must - bucket list ticked for me). It's so much cheaper than via the cruise line and you're free to go at times that suit you.

N.B. I'm not sure how true it is but we were told that drinks staff don't get the 15% tip that you are effectively pre-charge in your drinks package so we tipped in cash which was warmly received. (Look at Cruise with Gambee's VLOG he also mentions this).

Once you've tried a cruise you'll be hooked! My sons love cruising , it gives us the freedom to enjoy what we like yet we come together at dinner and make so many wonderful memories.

Keep watching those VLOG's they really help (don't be concerned about some of the reviews on cruise critic they are often way too picky in some of the points raised and try to compare cruises that cost double yet provide way less than double the experience).

Our first cruise was on RCI Majesty of the Seas (a really small older ship) in an interior cabin (tiny ... really tight...one bed out of the wall the other out of the ceiling) yet we LOVED IT ! So cruising in Aurea balcony on a glitzy, newer, bigger ship you'll be really pleased I'm sure! x

[welshwiz]

I found THIS REVIEW along with his (Gambee) youtube walk through of the Divina particularly helpful.

[Cloverlady]

Welshwiz, thank you so much for all this great information, really very grateful!

Oh I saw some photos of the planes over the beach at St Maarten!
I really hope I can see a plane landing there, I bet it's awesome in the extreme!

That sounds great about your sons loving it, I must say. Both mine are under 18, will they get opportunity to play with a ball in the sports area do you think? (both love football )

...and can I just ask you these little things please?

The mini fridge - Did you pay extra for stuff in your mini fridge thing, ? We have bought aurea which includes drinks but I thought not the mini fridge? LOL, I'm finding it all confusing

Oh I'm sure I'll have no issues with the service charge from what I hear Is room service included in this tipping prepay thing?

Do you have a link to a site where you can book your own tours rather than the ship ones? Or do you mean pick a trip from the port when you get there?

Thank you for this, once again