MSC Divina with children review

Just returned from Divina Western Caribbean Cruise. Myself,DH and 10 year old grandson. We all had a great time. The positives out number the negatives. Embarkation was stress free. GS doesn't have a passport. We brought a notorized letter of permission from his mother, and his birth certificate. We were on board and in the Calamet Buffet with in half hour.Dropped off our carry on prior. We always pack our bathing suits etc and a spare set of clothes just in case.

Food: Found the food in buffet to be plentiful and something for everyone. Pizza of course is great,fries although the type served changes as the cruise goes on were very good. Pasta,daily specialty selections changed every day. My GS went to town on the shrimp,lobster and fried calamari in Villa Rosa dinning room.

Service: Couteous, pleasant greeting us with a smile and very patient with us asking questions.

Entertainment: We bought a package for bowling, F1 and 4 D theater. Got our monies worth by first day. Try it ,you won't be disappointed. The shows are wonderful,the entertainment staff are wonderful. May I recommend the Opera that was performed one afternoon on sea day. My first time experiencing any for of Opera.This one is done with ballet incorporated. Superb!

Negatives: Steak and pasta were disappointing. Pool areas too crowded on sea days,with too many chair hogs. Lots of rude people that push into elevators without letting people out first.

please feel free to ask any questions.

Some more helpful hints for newbies. If you prebook a limited drink package or soda card you can pick them up in the casino bar in the afternoon. If you book a cruise tour your time and meeting place will be announced in the daily programs that will be delivered to your room every night.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Just returned from Divina Western Caribbean Cruise. Myself,DH and 10 year old grandson. We all had a great time. The positives out number the negatives. Embarkation was stress free. GS doesn't have a passport. We brought a notorized letter of permission from his mother, and his birth certificate. We were on board and in the Calamet Buffet with in half hour.Dropped off our carry on prior. We always pack our bathing suits etc and a spare set of clothes just in case.

Food: Found the food in buffet to be plentiful and something for everyone. Pizza of course is great,fries although the type served changes as the cruise goes on were very good. Pasta,daily specialty selections changed every day. My GS went to town on the shrimp,lobster and fried calamari in Villa Rosa dinning room.

Service: Couteous, pleasant greeting us with a smile and very patient with us asking questions.

Entertainment: We bought a package for bowling, F1 and 4 D theater. Got our monies worth by first day. Try it ,you won't be disappointed. The shows are wonderful,the entertainment staff are wonderful. May I recommend the Opera that was performed one afternoon on sea day. My first time experiencing any for of Opera.This one is done with ballet incorporated. Superb!

Negatives: Steak and pasta were disappointing. Pool areas too crowded on sea days,with too many chair hogs. Lots of rude people that push into elevators without letting people out first.

please feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks for the information, how much was the package for the F1, bowling etc.

We are on Fantasia in March and would like to know for sure?

TIA xx

Thanks for the information, how much was the package for the F1, bowling etc.

 

We are on Fantasia in March and would like to know for sure?

 

TIA xx

That's brilliant, thanks so much xx

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! :) Was the main dining room open on embarkation day for lunch? Also, was gelato a choice for dessert in the main dining room? :)

Thanks for the information, how much was the package for the F1, bowling etc.

 

We are on Fantasia in March and would like to know for sure?

 

TIA xx

60$ for the room

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! :) Was the main dining room open on embarkation day for lunch? Also, was gelato a choice for dessert in the main dining room? :)

No Gelato offered but ice cream, and brownie Alamode were offered. Not sure about dinning room being opened,but when we went to change our seating no one was in the villa Rosa or Black Crab. It was about 130pm

Also if you like to get really into thencruise,besides 2 formal nights there are 3 themed nights.Whitebattire for the White Party held out at the Aqua Park Italian Night wear red,white and green,and 70s/80s night.

$60 for a cabin? I didn't know about it when we sailed a few weeks ago! That would've been a great bargain! We used the 4D Simulator one time and bowling twice, and we spent $40 just on that. [emoji848]

$60 for a cabin? I didn't know about it when we sailed a few weeks ago! That would've been a great bargain! We used the 4D Simulator one time and bowling twice, and we spent $40 just on that. [emoji848]

I didn't know about it till day 2. We definetly got our monies worth with the bowling alone.

Was the 10 year old bored since there wasn't a slides, rope courses, rock walls etc..

Was the 10 year old bored since there wasn't a slides, rope courses, rock walls etc..

Not at all. You know your kids and what they like. Mine loved the bowling,didn't want to go to kids club or even go in the pool. Watched every show and lover them all. Ate calamari,lobster,hamburgers and fries till he had his fill. Mostly wanted to spend time with us.lol He was afraid of the slide.

Was the 10 year old bored since there wasn't a slides, rope courses, rock walls etc..

I had read a lot of comments about how MSC's kid activities and facilities paled in comparison to Royal's, Carnival's, and other major cruise lines. I was a bit concerned that my kids would be bored on the Divina (specially since they have experienced kids programs aboard ships like the Allure of the Seas and Carnival Dream).

Our concerns were completely unfounded. They loved MSC's kids program SO much that they said that they ONLY want to sail on MSC from now on! My overall opinion is that, while it's true that the Divina doesn't have big water parks, rope courses or rock climbing walls, her kids program shine exactly because it lacked all the gimmicky stuff. That meant that the activities were a bit of a throwback to the old days of cruising, when chef led cooking lessons, foreign language classes, arts and crafts, and passenger talent shows were the way to entertain cruisers. I believe that the reason why my kids were so into MSC's program was exactly because the activities were a departure from the hi tech forms of entertainment that seem to be more common these days.

But don't be fooled. Even though the Divina has a lot of more traditional activities, she has her share of hi-tech entertainment as well. Including the 4D simulator, the F1 race car simulator, the automated bowling alley, and the Toboga waterslide (which, while not as big as other cruise lines, still proves to be a lot of fun for everybody).

As mentioned above, my kids loved MSC's kids program and they wanted to be at the kids facilities any time that they were open.

My GS loved the kids program the first 2 times he was on MSC, but we sailed with friends with children. He is very shy and didn't want to go by himself. So we let him stay with us as this cruise was for us to spend quality time together.

Was it difficult to get a lane for bowling? Do you make a reservation or just show up? It seems like such a good deal for all of that at $60/room that it seems it would be overcrowded.

We're sailing Divina Easter week next spring and are excited to try a new ship and line. Our dd will be six by then and she loves the kids' club. I thought the language and cooking classes would be fun for her too.

taking 2 kids age 9 and 11 with me on july 5 cruise. when and where do i buy the 60 dollar bowling package? short 4 night cruise. wonder if the price is prorated.

Was it difficult to get a lane for bowling? Do you make a reservation or just show up?

 

Our dd will be six by then and she loves the kids' club. I thought the language and cooking classes would be fun for her too.

It was pretty dead when we sailed in May. We used the bowling twice and walked through the sports bar where the bowling lanes are located a bunch of times and we never saw more than one or two groups there. I think that if the dropped the fee for the food serve there, they wouldn't scare people away. There's a big sign as you enter the sports bar itemizing the charges for burgers, chicken wings etc.

The lanes are automated and all you need to do is swipe your keycard on the side of the machine. The card will be charged and the game starts automatically.

Our son was six when we sailed on the Divina and he absolutely loved it. We had to pry him away from the club most times. He had a blast.

Thanks! I hope they still have the package by next spring. DD loves bowling and would also enjoy the movies and car ride. I'm sure there will be a lot of kids on Easter week, but now that she's going into Kindergarten this fall, that's what we're left with. :(

I do have a question about the kids' club. DD has been on six cruises so far, four where she was old enough for the kids' club. We've always tipped the club staff at the end of the cruise and on some of the ships they even leave envelopes on the desk the last day.

On MSC's website it says it discourages tipping crew individually. Does that include kids' club too? I'm sure they'll say they don't need tips but on other lines it seems like an expectation.

Thanks! I hope they still have the package by next spring. DD loves bowling and would also enjoy the movies and car ride. I'm sure there will be a lot of kids on Easter week, but now that she's going into Kindergarten this fall, that's what we're left with. :(

To be honest, I don't think that the F1 simulator is appropriate for a 5 year old. You need to be tall enough to reach the pedals and also know how to shift and drive (you need to know how to brake and when to step on the gas.) Mostly it was teens and grown men driving it. Take a look at this video:

My husband drove it and I can say for sure it was not easy to drive even though he watched 2 other men drive it first - the 2 other men did terrible, btw, they crashed a lot and even went backwards on the track. My husband had recent Jaguar school, so he was more familiar with driving on a track and did quite well.

There is an arcade, however, and that might be more age appropriate and fun for her.

That's good to know. I'm sure my dh would do it if we had the package.

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I do have a question about the kids' club. DD has been on six cruises so far, four where she was old enough for the kids' club. We've always tipped the club staff at the end of the cruise and on some of the ships they even leave envelopes on the desk the last day.

 

 

 

On MSC's website it says it discourages tipping crew individually. Does that include kids' club too? I'm sure they'll say they don't need tips but on other lines it seems like an expectation.

I didn't see any envelopes or anything else that indicated that tips were expected or suggested.

MSC's clientele is very international, probably with varying ideas about tipping, so I'm guessing that this is why they may not encourage tipping staff outside of those already included in the auto tips. Now that I think about it, I don't even remember them suggesting tipping the maitre'd

I think all dining staff, including maitre'd, are included in auto tips. Kids club staff is not. I did think about the international guests but think the Caribbean will be more American. Not sure what to do with drink coupons and tipping either. Our cruise will include 12 vouchers. Not sure if the bar staff gets tipped on those or if we need extra cash available. So many questions about a new line but I am excited to try it.

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