Divina Aurea Suite balcony question

I am looking at booking a cruise on the Divina for next year. The Aurea Suites look lovely but I don't understand the balcony. All the other ships I have been on have had tinted plexiglas at the front of the balcony and the pictures of the Divina seem to show the balcony as simply an outer part of a deck with a metal wall and no dividers between cabin balconies. Is this right? It is hard to tell from the pictures but I am thinking a Yacht Club cabin would be better? Thanks everyone.

I am looking at booking a cruise on the Divina for next year. The Aurea Suites look lovely but I don't understand the balcony. All the other ships I have been on have had tinted plexiglas at the front of the balcony and the pictures of the Divina seem to show the balcony as simply an outer part of a deck with a metal wall and no dividers between cabin balconies. Is this right? It is hard to tell from the pictures but I am thinking a Yacht Club cabin would be better? Thanks everyone.

The Aurea Suites are lovely. Most of the suites are with a panoramic sealed window due to their locations in the front of the ship. However, cabins on the corners on deck 9,10 and 11 have balconies. All Yacht Club cabins have balconies.

I was actually quite Shocked when I found this out. I think on all other ships cabins like that would.....but it is a trade off.

For about $80. more, we could get a Y2 instead of a Y1.

Looking at the pictures, there was no doubt I wanted a Y2 & was amazed you could book that cabin wfor only 2 people. There is NO BALCONY! That will be a bit hard to get used to but to have2 complete rooms & those unbelievable views from the front of the ship.....I think I can live with it. :0)

We will be taking the Caribbean cruise in January. We have sailed Msc before in the U.S. for the itinery. This itinery is nothing special this time but I am so intrigued by the Yacht Club experience that I cannot wait.

The YC 2 cabins are with panoramic sealed windows. YC 3 Royal Suites and YC 1 deluxe suites have balconies. The YC 2 cabins have great views and the YC experience is not to be missed. A very good choice:) instead of the balcony you can enjoy the marvelous one pool deck which is reserved for YC guests.

The YC 2 cabins are with panoramic sealed windows. YC 3 Royal Suites and YC 1 deluxe suites have balconies. The YC 2 cabins have great views and the YC experience is not to be missed. A very good choice:) instead of the balcony you can enjoy the marvelous one pool deck which is reserved for YC guests.

Not to mention the free booze. ;0)

A pic from the balcony of an Aurea Suite (MSC Fantasia)! Hope it helps!

re-posting the picture, I hope it's working now!

I've booked an Aurea balcony suite for my cruise on Divina in May (yacht club is sold out) . I've seen in the past this came with a few perks such as spa access--is this still the case, or is the only perk a large cabin with a great view!

I've booked an Aurea balcony suite for my cruise on Divina in May (yacht club is sold out) . I've seen in the past this came with a few perks such as spa access--is this still the case, or is the only perk a large cabin with a great view!

I am very confused about the existence, or not, of Aurea Suite Balconies.

We are booked into suite 9007, and our friends into 9008. These cabins are at the very front of the ship, one just on the port corner and the other on the starboard corner. Do they have balconies? If not, are the views from the windows worth it (i.e., are they totally unobstructed)? Any thoughts (or pictures) greatly appreciated!

I am very confused about the existence, or not, of Aurea Suite Balconies.

 

We are booked into suite 9007, and our friends into 9008. These cabins are at the very front of the ship, one just on the port corner and the other on the starboard corner. Do they have balconies? If not, are the views from the windows worth it (i.e., are they totally unobstructed)? Any thoughts (or pictures) greatly appreciated!

Aaccording to the UK site it's a panoramic window not a balcony. There is a 360 photo.

Can't comment on whether it's worth it, but would say when I did have a balcony in that position, it could not be used unless we were in port because of the wind when we were sailing.

S3 Suites 9007/8 have sealed panoramic windows and no balconies, there is a small innacessible area beyond the windows that gives the impression that there is a balcony but non exists.

S3 Suites 9007/8 have sealed panoramic windows and no balconies, there is a small innacessible area beyond the windows that gives the impression that there is a balcony but non exists.

The "small inaccessible area" is for crew to clean the large glass windows or else they would be caked in salt and opaque and guests would not be able to see out of them. So who would book one then?

Pete ... I knew what the area was for and assumed others would also hence the reason i did not post it, but i guess that is not always the case ... did not want it to look like trying to make people suck Eggs ... :D

Pete ... I knew what the area was for and assumed others would also hence the reason i did not post it, but i guess that is not always the case ... did not want it to look like trying to make people suck Eggs ... :D

Sorry!! but I've answered questions about the "balconies" on these forward facing cabins before as people were questioning the area outside the window and its use.

Have a great cruise on Divina, look forward to the review and pictures of the balcony!! ( be pleased to see it on cruisingmates)

I'm off on Sinfonia in a few days time

Pete

Pete ... I am sure there will be a review and yes i will post it to the other site as well hopefully with pictures .... :)

Have fun on the Sinfonia ... :D

I am very confused about the existence, or not, of Aurea Suite Balconies.

 

We are booked into suite 9007, and our friends into 9008. These cabins are at the very front of the ship, one just on the port corner and the other on the starboard corner. Do they have balconies? If not, are the views from the windows worth it (i.e., are they totally unobstructed)? Any thoughts (or pictures) greatly appreciated!

I've answered this question with pictures on this thread

THe only extra part is you have asked here is "are they obstructed?"

The quick answer is the lower half of the view is restricted; ("obstructed" has a special meaning when applied to views from cruise ships) by the metal construction of the crew access area. but it probably dioesn't restrict the view any more than the bow does.

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1919670&page=2

Pete

I've answered this question with pictures on this thread

 

THe only extra part is you have asked here is "are they obstructed?"

 

The quick answer is the lower half of the view is restricted; ("obstructed" has a special meaning when applied to views from cruise ships) by the metal construction of the crew access area. but it probably dioesn't restrict the view any more than the bow does.

 

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1919670&page=2

 

 

Pete

Thanks very much for the quick and detailed response, along with the external photo!! Its good to understand what is outside the cabin and why. Yes, I am disappointed this suite comes with no balcony. I guess when you book an upper class cabin that is on the outside of the ship you expect a balcony, and it is a bit off-putting that you are not specifically informed of the lack of the balcony at the time of booking. But the rate was very good, so that may explain why we got what we got. In any event, I know we will have a great time on the Divina with our friends from England as we head down to Brazil next summer and the start of the World Cup!

BTW, someone indicated that there was a 360 degree panorama of the interior of 9007 or 9008 somewhere on this website, and a link to that would be appreciated!

Thanks Again!

Paul

Thanks very much for the quick and detailed response, along with the external photo!! Its good to understand what is outside the cabin and why. Yes, I am disappointed this suite comes with no balcony. I guess when you book an upper class cabin that is on the outside of the ship you expect a balcony, and it is a bit off-putting that you are not specifically informed of the lack of the balcony at the time of booking. But the rate was very good, so that may explain why we got what we got. In any event, I know we will have a great time on the Divina with our friends from England as we head down to Brazil next summer and the start of the World Cup!

 

BTW, someone indicated that there was a 360 degree panorama of the interior of 9007 or 9008 somewhere on this website, and a link to that would be appreciated!

 

Thanks Again!

 

Paul

There is a 360 interactive photo on the mSC web site of an "aurea suite with panoramic window" accessible from this link which is, I think, what the reference was to. My guess is that the cabin in question is on a deck higher up that deck 9, my guess is that it is a deck 10 cabin the larger of the front cabins 10003/4/5/6. Probably 10006 looking at the way the metal "railing" curves

http://www.msccruises.co.uk/uk_en/Ships/MSC-Divina.aspx

just click on the tab "cabins and suites" then click the bottom left picture

Pete

Further news----

I've looked hard at the 360 on the above link and you can see on the notice on the cabin door the cabin is in fact #10004 on SPLENDIDA. Splendida has a slightly different deck plan to Divina, and the cabin is in fact one of the larger of the forward facing suites . It is about 50% bigger than the one you have booked . I would expect yours to have only 2 glass panels not 3 as in the 360 image, and for it to be only two thirds the width of the one in the image.

Pete

Image of front of Splendida

Further news----

 

I've looked hard at the 360 on the above link and you can see on the notice on the cabin door the cabin is in fact #10004 on SPLENDIDA. Splendida has a slightly different deck plan to Divina, and the cabin is in fact one of the larger of the forward facing suites . It is about 50% bigger than the one you have booked . I would expect yours to have only 2 glass panels not 3 as in the 360 image, and for it to be only two thirds the width of the one in the image.

 

Pete

 

Thanks again for the detailed info, its too bad that its so hard to ferret this info out from MSC! Fifty percent smaller and fewer windows (than pictured on the MSC website), no balcony, downward view cut-off . . . I guess so far I am not impressed so far with our cabin choice. Will try to get psyched up again as the cruise date approaches!

Paul

Hi

Slightly confused again

are

9009, 9010, 10007, 10008, 11009, 11010

YC2 Suites

http://www.msccruises.com.au/flotta/technical/MSC_Yacht_Club_ENG.pdf

I see other references on deck plans claiming they are

S3

Junior Suites

Aereo Suites

http://www.msccruises.com.au/au_en/Images/MSC-Fantasia_DeckPlans_Corporate2013_tcm39-79826.pdf

Thanks in advance

I think the only yc2 cabins are on deck 12. The three at the very front. Would be a nice big rooms but the trade off is the distance from the yacht club and what looks to me to be a somewhat dissapointing view from the windows.

After some research decided to sacrifice the room for the location. And we have never had a balcony and would be very happy with a true panoramic wall of windows like the sj suite we had on ncl. These windows did not seem to deliver that view.

Hi

 

Slightly confused again

are

 

9009, 9010, 10007, 10008, 11009, 11010

 

YC2 Suites

 

http://www.msccruises.com.au/flotta/technical/MSC_Yacht_Club_ENG.pdf

 

I see other references on deck plans claiming they are

S3

Junior Suites

Aereo Suites

 

http://www.msccruises.com.au/au_en/Images/MSC-Fantasia_DeckPlans_Corporate2013_tcm39-79826.pdf

 

Thanks in advance

You have posted a link to an old (2008) document which has an out of date deck plan. Since that publication of that document the YC has been redefined and now only has suites on decks 15, 16 and 12.

Here for comparison are the deck plans in your doc and the current deck plan ( these are for MSC Fantasia and by default MSC Splendida as well).

Hope this clears up any confusion

Pete

Pete's just awesome. MSC should give him royalties !

You have posted a link to an old (2008) document which has an out of date deck plan. Since that publication of that document the YC has been redefined and now only has suites on decks 15, 16 and 12.

 

Here for comparison are the deck plans in your doc and the current deck plan ( these are for MSC Fantasia and by default MSC Splendida as well).

 

Hope this clears up any confusion

 

 

 

 

Pete

Thanks.

The MSC webpage is fairly bad in some ways, by having out of date pages

that are still accessible through a Google Search plus its other problems .