MSC Divina included vs. not

I'm a total cruise newbie, so these questions may seem ridiculous to most of you, but I'll ask anyway...

We are booked on the Divina for a Western Caribbean cruise in June, 2016. So lots of time, I know, but I'm excited and love researching these things. I think I've got a good handle on pretty much everything, with the exception of meals/drinks.

We're a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 7-year-old girls), traveling with a "Bella" experience in a balcony stateroom. When I look at the drinks and specialty dining packages, they make perfect sense, with the exception of a key detail: I don't know what's included in the basic cruise.

So my questions are:

1) I understand that dining in the MDR and buffet are part of my cruise. Are there any other dining options that are encluded, or is everything else additional cost/a la carte?

2) Are there ANY beverage options that are included? I have seen some forums state something about water available at the tables in the MDR, fountain beverages, water, and coffee at the buffet, etc, but I can't find anything at all on their website.

Our family doesn't really drink (maybe one glass of wine or a bottle of beer at dinner). We mostly drink water, and the kids drink milk or juice or water, whatever is available. I love coffee. Other than that not too exciting in the beverage category.

At this point if NOTHING is included then I would purchase a water or soda package. If some of these options are included at some times, I would probably just pay individually.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I'm a total cruise newbie, so these questions may seem ridiculous to most of you, but I'll ask anyway...

 

We are booked on the Divina for a Western Caribbean cruise in June, 2016. So lots of time, I know, but I'm excited and love researching these things. I think I've got a good handle on pretty much everything, with the exception of meals/drinks.

 

We're a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 7-year-old girls), traveling with a "Bella" experience in a balcony stateroom. When I look at the drinks and specialty dining packages, they make perfect sense, with the exception of a key detail: I don't know what's included in the basic cruise.

 

So my questions are:

1) I understand that dining in the MDR and buffet are part of my cruise. Are there any other dining options that are encluded, or is everything else additional cost/a la carte?

2) Are there ANY beverage options that are included? I have seen some forums state something about water available at the tables in the MDR, fountain beverages, water, and coffee at the buffet, etc, but I can't find anything at all on their website.

 

Our family doesn't really drink (maybe one glass of wine or a bottle of beer at dinner). We mostly drink water, and the kids drink milk or juice or water, whatever is available. I love coffee. Other than that not too exciting in the beverage category.

 

At this point if NOTHING is included then I would purchase a water or soda package. If some of these options are included at some times, I would probably just pay individually.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

1. No only included food is available in MDR and buffet. Other restaurants cost extra. Exception is the wine vpbar where they serve Italian snacks when yiu order a glass of wine (cured meats, cheese, breads, olives that sort of thing)

2. On US sailings, iced taap water is available in MDR and buffet. There is juice at breakfast but it isn't very good. There are drinks stations at the buffet that have tea, coffee and water available all the time. Don't know about any drinks fountain though but haven't sailed on a US sailing for some years.

In my humble opinion, the buffet was quite good. We ate at the Main dining room twice only on our 7 day Caribbean cruise last year. We tried Eataly once. It was good, but not really anything to impress. The pizza at the Italian place near eataly was quite good, but the buffet pizza was ALMOST as good. That was truly one of the highlights of our trip.

There are a few pics of the Divina, along with a short review on our blog (below)

Sorry, I was slightly unclear. The PIzza at the Italian place was not free, but the pizza on the buffet was.

I have been on MSC twice with my GS who was 6 and then 8.he loved the food especially hamburgers fries and pizza. By 8 he was into shrimp cocktail and lobster and prime rib. You can get ice tea in the dinning room. The kids club is great. Free ice cream self serve also . He was a pro by end of cruise. We are going again on June 11,2016.

We're going on Divinia on 6th October and I'll try and give a comprehensive reply after that. One thing that has been universal on all the other cruise lines we've beem on is that, without a drinks package, you can buy a bottle of wine in the MDR and they'll have what's left of it ready for subsequent meals. We don't drink a lot and that's always been enough for us.

We're going on Divinia on 6th October and I'll try and give a comprehensive reply after that. One thing that has been universal on all the other cruise lines we've beem on is that, without a drinks package, you can buy a bottle of wine in the MDR and they'll have what's left of it ready for subsequent meals. We don't drink a lot and that's always been enough for us.

My friends like that when they cruise. A glass or two at dinner, and they will store it until you come back....or even go get it at the last left restaurant if you change restaurants.

i don't have kids so i can't remember if the divina also had milk at breakfast in pint cartoons or just in the self serve dispensers. what you can do is bring along some drink cups and take milk back to your cabin frig for the kids . same goes with the breakfast juices. every cruise line has something besides water 24/7 but they always have the most juices at breakfast and before lunchtime turn most dispensers off so some people take juices back to their rooms.

whoops read your post as you having a 2 and 7 year old girl so i guess milk isn't so important. you can even find tea bags of 6-8 flavors in the mornings to make hot or cold tea later on. there is sugar on the tables and you could bring drink mix powders from home.

Other cruise lines we've used have lemonade or punch or flavored water available in the buffet dispensers. Anything like this on the Divina? What about hot chocolate, is it available anywhere?

Other cruise lines we've used have lemonade or punch or flavored water available in the buffet dispensers. Anything like this on the Divina? What about hot chocolate, is it available anywhere?

Yes they do have flavored water in the buffet.

How about iced tea in the buffet during the day and in the MDR? This is what I will mainly drink during meals.

If you like specialty teas or coffees I would take the individual ones in your suitcase in case they are limited at the buffet.'

They have free ice cream for anyone during the day in the buffet area.

What's not to love w/ MSC?. I am going on my fourth one in spite of the tough drive to Miami.

Your girls will have a blast. It was be a fabulous mini Italian exp. for them and they will go wild with the evening shows.

This thread just showed back up in my "subscriptions" page. Now I am missing the Divina and her pizza :(

1) Is there music by the pools on the Divina?

2) Movie screen?

3) What is there to do on sea days?

4) Drink package pricing?

Thank you!

SORRY I DIDNT MEAN TO POST THIS IN THIS POST

1) Is there music by the pools on the Divina?

2) Movie screen?

3) What is there to do on sea days?

4) Drink package pricing?

 

Thank you!

 

SORRY I DIDNT MEAN TO POST THIS IN THIS POST

Drink pack. are super reasonable. If you are registered, follow prompts and go to the drink/alcohol pkg. You do not have to buy the real exp. ones, we don't we are not big of drinkers. For eg. we get the 12 cocktails for $72 pre paid before cruise at least a wk. No grat. or tax. There are other options. You can split the package with your roommate too.

We get one each, but the first time we went on the Divina we split a pkg.

Yes, music at pool.

Forget if there is a movie.

Drink pack. are super reasonable. If you are registered, follow prompts and go to the drink/alcohol pkg. You do not have to buy the real exp. ones, we don't we are not big of drinkers. For eg. we get the 12 cocktails for $72 pre paid before cruise at least a wk. No grat. or tax. There are other options. You can split the package with your roommate too.

We get one each, but the first time we went on the Divina we split a pkg.

Yes, music at pool.

Forget if there is a movie.

Thank you!