hkto

"drop off IS mandatory in USA ports"

Don't believe that it is true. I saw lots of people with luggage in the MSC check queue at Terminal F. After checking in all personal belongings get scanned by security. And then people get on the ship.

There is some free info here http://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/Main/decks.php?ship=MSC%20Divina And more info and photos if membership is paid

It's my first time cruising from US port. Previously we went from Europe and tips for porters were completely up to a client. No one hassled and suggested that luggage might not arrive is tip is not paid.

But tip topic aside I think the wait for luggage to be delivered was too long especially for people on first dinner seating. We ended up going in our plane clothes.

The ones that come with e-ticket are paper. Luggage person just staples both ends around the handle. It's possible that they might fall off but ours were fine. Actually I didn't like the whole luggage procedure starting with aggressive tip solicitation & ending with 3 hrs wait for luggage. Next time we'll bring with us; it can be rolled all the way to the cabin.

People are suppose to leave by 11am at the latest (we left around 10:30). We got on board around 3pm & cabin was ready. However luggage took 3 hrs to get to us which is way too slow. I suggest not dropping it off at all if you need it sooner. I thought that drop off was mandatory which is not the case at all.

5) Ice cream- When and where is it available for free?

Free from a machine (McDonalds type) on desk 14, 2-5pm. Otherwise can be bought from gelato bars, about $2.70 if I remember right, lots of flavors available. Of course much better than one from the machine.

Don't know about check cashing; you can try calling MSC customer service. I think their preferred way of settling the account is by CC. But there are safes in each cabin in case one needs to lock anything of value.

We stayed on the 9th and and our friends - on the 10th (both even #s). Room was exactly identical (same layout & footage) but 10th was higher category. The difference? Bathrobes.

Looks like people who left are Brazilian. Here is a translated quote from http://blogdosakamoto.blogosfera.uol.com.br/2014/04/04/fiscais-flagram-trabalho-analogo-ao-de-escravo-em-cruzeiro-de-luxo/

"MSC Crociere's ships operating in Brazilian waters employ a total of 4,181 crew members, 1,243 of whom are Brazilian. After detailed analysis of thousands of sheets of documentation and conducting hundreds of interviews with crew members, on April 1, 2014 the Ministry of Labor and Employment was on board MSC Magnifica and alleged irregularities in the workweek from 13 Brazilian crew, requesting them to disembark. Of these, 11 agreed to disembark, but 2 refused and decided to continue working on board. MSC Crociere is in full compliance with the standards of national and international work and is ready to cooperate with the competent authorities. Thus, the MSC rejects the allegations made by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, which received no evidence or any notice of violation. "

Here is an useful site http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/ has info on all palaces except Quinta Regalera (which in the city center, 6 euros). According to this website it's possible to buy just park ticket for Pena & come close to the palace without going in. The best value is a combined Pena/Moorish Castle ticket. I liked views from the Moorish castle & walk on the wall http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/parks-and-monuments/moorish-castle/

Yes there are bus 2 stops but walk between them is 5 min or so. As I said there is a walk from gate (ticket booth) to Pena, 10 min uphill if I remember right. They also have paid tourist train that takes people from the gate.

What are the chances of getting a table for two persons only in the main dining room for dinner?

slim

Also is the buffet restaurant opened in the evenings?

yes

If not are there any other eating options for dinner other than the main restaurant?

paid restaurants & buffet

Not knowing much time you got but here some info that will help to plan the trip.

a) Sintra - if in Lisbon center can be reached by train from Rossio station in about 45 min. Pena Palace is on the hill; you can see from anywhere. To get there take tourist bus 434 http://www.scotturb.com from Sintra rail station. But you still can't get close to it as the ticket booth is outside the gardens & ticket (and a hike) is required to get to palace. Moorish Castle is also there (5 min walk from bus drop off)

b) Scott bus 403 goes from Sintra train station to Cascais (no point going back to Lisbon). To get to Lisbon from Cascais take train to Cais Do Sodre. Train schedules from Lisbon to Sintra or Cascais (and vice verso) are http://cp.pt see Urbanos/Lisboa

c) Skip Queluz Palace if time is an issue. There are lots of palaces in Sintra alone.

Also can check out http://www.wehatetourismtours.com they offer combined Sintra/Cascais tour for people who are short on time

THIS TRIP INCLUDES: Pastéis de Belém, wine, and a typical portuguese lunch (light - we eat all day).

THIS TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE: Quinta da Regaleira entrance (6 euros) and ice cream (2.60 euros), queijada and coffee (2 euros), Ginginha (1 euro).

SITES VISITED: Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira, Cabo da Roca, Guincho beach, Cascais and Belém.

THIS TOUR STARTS AT: 9am

DURATION: 7 Hours

PRICE: 48 Euros per person

1 voucher per drink & only for standard items not marked with * in the bar menu. But still a good deal as even some standard items like cocktails are $7-7.50+15%

ALLEGRISSIMO ESCAPE which give 15 vouchers for $72 is offered on website (I was able to book it). Look under Allegrissimo & not wine packages. Don't need to buy pp; I bought one. There is no name on vouchers anyway. Wine menu in the post above is the one for $155/212 wine package.

All prices per package & not person, as someone not very literate posted info on MSC website and it hasn't been fixed since posting.

To the best of my knowledge (Sold on board but 15% more due to SC)

Wine Package "Choose Seven of Ten" - $ 155,00

Wine Package "Choose Ten Of Fifteen" - $ 212,00

This allows selection from a very decent subset of mid priced wines from US, Italy, France, South America, Australia (20 or so). I saw that menu in MDR

Not sold on board

Dinner Wine- 10 bottles - $ 120,00

Dinner Wine- 7 Bottles - $ 85,00

Red or white Italian house wine; no other selection

American Soda Package - $ 30,00

American Beer Package - $ 52,00 - bottled beer only (reg. $5.75 on board)

AmoMondo is correct; book on MSC website & save 15%. Also you can buy one voucher book per cabin. Advantage is cost savings; each voucher is $4.80 each. Most items on board are higher but some lower such coffee, milkshake, ice cream. Also they sell beer vouchers, $52 for 14 ($3.70 each). On board price is $5.75

I wouldn't bother with the transfer. Just don't put the luggage outside (self-assist) & leave the ship with next morning when you need to. Takes no more than 10 min to get to taxi stand & then 20+ min to get to the airport.

You may want to tell the guest services that you'll do self-assist in case they need to give you different color tags. But in any case they'll know that a passenger left because cards are swiped on exit.

I think website navigation is confusing. I was able to do it as long as booking # was available. Start with "Book on board services". Somewhere it'll prompt for booking # & find your reservation. After that applicable drink packages will be displayed. You can add to cart & that's all. Print receipt & get tickets on the ship. Your charges will be added to your account & paid with the final bill.

$72 package is Allegrissimo Escape (15 tickets) & not a wine package.

I don't think that MSC Divina pricing is that much different from general travel industry practices where the operator tries to fill the ship or a plane. Our pricing for Mar 15 departure where quite high until about 30-40 days prior to departure, then they significantly dropped & went up again. And I believe that ship close to capacity on our sailing. Same was true for our flight, cheap 60 days, way more closer to departure & full flight where we couldn't get 2 seats together.

It makes sense to have a full ship as fixed costs such as crew wages, port charges, fuel, etc are still to be paid whether ship is full or not. Also more people will generate more revenue for paid charges such as drinks, casino, merchandise purchases, etc. So why not try to fill the ship at any cost?

There is luggage storage in main train station (St.Lucia) which is located across the bridge from Piazzale Roma

You can buy one $72 package & share; there is no name on the tickets. You can book on MSC website, print receipt, collect in casino bar (show receipt). This amount gets added to the final bill. Same true for beer package. $72 package works out to $4.80 so I wouldn't use for milkshakes, coffee or ice cream which less than this amount. Beer ticket from package is $3.70 vs $5.75 bar price. Also $72 package can be bought on board but it's 15% more. Beer or $85 wine package are not sold on board.

We went on Divina on Mar 15th sailing. I posted a positive review as I had nothing to complain about. I think the value for the money was very good (under $100pp per day with all SC included for a balcony cabin) & we didn't encounter anything negative worth mentioning.

Objectivity of the reviews should be based on facts & not emotions or personal preferences (i.e. I don't like eggs that therefore food is awful because eggs were there every day). Food choice & quality was there and most should've found something that they liked. Ship & cabins were clean. What I understand cruise company should deliver (good service, polite staff, food, cleanliness, punctuality, adherence to itinerary, safety) MSC did deliver.

We only cruised on Costa & NCL; liked both but NCL Jade was better. I personally prefer NCL freestyle dining as compared with MSC or Costa shift & fixed seating dining but that's how they choose to operate. Also there was no chocolate event on MSC. But menus looked similar. Same true for buffets. Also MSC's ice cream (paid) & coffee was very good as compared to NCL.

We got the $85 package which entitles to 7 bottles of house wine in MDR only (lunch or dinner). Choice is red or white, both are Italian wines. Next level is $155 for 7 bottles. This package allows selection from a small selection (there is special menu for that). If I remember correctly it had a choice of 7 or 8 reds (same for white) mid-range wines (may be around $35 in menu) from different regions (France, Italy, US, Australia, South America), 1 or 2 sparkling & 1 or 2 rose. Regular wine line list was huge and prices started at $25+sc.

Allegrissimo tickets allow to purchase certain wines by glass anywhere on the ship (including MDR). As I mentioned before each was $4.80