Mikesa1721
-
Posts
3,097 -
Joined
Content Type
Forums
Store
Blogs
Downloads
Events
Gallery
Posts posted by Mikesa1721
-
-
famous,,,,,Good to know you had a great time in the YC!!! If Dayman was The One Bar bartender, he can come off as a little uninterested,,but we sat and talked with him for hours during our sailing back in August. He really is a great guy once you get to know him.:D
-
Wear whatever you like,,,but remember no shorts are allowed in the ding rooms after 6:00pm.
-
Here's a link to the Eataly menu. I'm not sure if it is still current,, but it will give you an idea of what might be available.
-
Hi Mike
We are also sailing in the yc on the grand voyage. Which cabin do you have this time
Excellent JPR61!!! We have two staterooms JPR61,,,16033 and 16035. My girlfriend, her daughter and myself will be in 16035 and my girlfriend's mother, sister and brother will be in 16033.
-
We have only cruised once, and that was in YC on MSC Splendida. I agree that expansion of the drinks package to the equivalent of the Classic Algrissimo with the option to upgrade to the Premium would suit most YC passengers.
Personally we were glad that the Top Sail lounge was empty most of the time as we found it a great place to sit, relax, chat and drink (and smoke for me), nibble on the buffet and read books/papers/tablets. Just like our lounge at home (but a lot bigger and my wife didn't force me outside for a smoke, only to the smoking area and there was waiter service, free drinks etc. etc.), so I suppose it's nothing :) like being at home at all, A LOT BETTER, that's why we've booked a 20 night cruise in YC for next year!!
At the sale prices we got it's almost cheaper than staying at home!!
Nice AVOCATION!!! We're doing the 19 day repo on Divina next October in the YC!! This will be our first time to Europe so we're very excited about this trip!!!
-
I agree. We intended to try Eataly for the steak, but once we saw the cold appearance of the always empty room, we passed and stuck with the surprisingly good MDR. The a la carte prices were pretty shocking, too.
JK,,,most Eataly restaurants around the world are decorated this way: Here is a pic of the Eataly restaurant in Rome:
It's to bad you didn't take a chance and try it because the food is incredible!!!:)
-
A few other thoughts...
I would definitely like to see the Yacht Club drink policy changed. YC guests should be given the package that allows them to get drinks throughout the ship. It makes no sense to only allow the complimentary drinks in the Yacht Club areas. With regards to the included spirits in the Yacht Club, I was satisfied until the second to last day of the cruise. Most of the week, I had been ordering a flavored Absolut vodka. I was never told there was a charge. However, one afternoon a different bar tender told me that it was extra. Apparently, the other bar tender had made a mistake in giving it to me for free. The problem is, on the drink menu, Absolut is listed as being complimentary. They told me because it is flavored there is a charge. To me, Absolut is Absolut.. one does not cost more than the other. It is the same brand. That left a bad taste in my mouth. I really do feel like MSC needs to work on the bar issues most of all.
The only other area for improvement would be the entertainment offered in the Top Sail lounge. Aside from less than 2 hours a day of a piano player, the lounge was almost completely silent. It would have been nice if they would rotate some different entertainment options up there each evening. Even if it is only for an hour or so.
We were hoping maybe MSC would have changed the drink policy for YC members to include drinks beyond the YC venue in their new experience packages, but that didn't happen. The extra drink charges we incurred were minimal,,and quite honestly,,I wished we would have spent more so we could have received a couple more MSC club points.
The Top Sail Lounge is quite empty most of the day which is a shame because it is a nice place to sit and have a few drinks and some canapés before dinner.
-
I too am considering the Bermuda itinerary but it really is a 2 day stay in Bermuda.
Amazing how they always slip Nassau in there somehow...
I have never been to Bermuda so can't say, but am interested to go.
Is everyone flying in? What about departing from NY or MD for Bermuda; longer port times? Is that an option?
Of the other options I'd probably go for the San Juan / Great Stirrup Cay IF that one also includes St.Maarten (doesn't it normally?). That, IMO is a great itin. St.Maarten is great, GSC a laidback beach day, and old San Juan is just a great place to roam and visit the forts.
The only negative to me is a port stop the day before disembarking; but that holds for all lines that do that.
Maxwell,,,Divina is porting in St. Thomas next year instead of St. Maartin.:(
I wish Divina would port in GSC the first day instead of the last though. I would rather have a sea day before disembarkation day than a port day.
-
When is the Divina going to Bermuda? That would be awesome! :)
April 11, 2015 Maureen.
-
Thanks Mike. That railing looks a lot closer then the other picture I saw. I do not think I will have a problem sticking my big fat head forward to peak a bit more to the right or left....
There's enough space between the railing and the wind screen to stand, so you should be able to get right up to the glass and see a little left and right,,it won't be the best view,,but you'll get something.
-
I am booked next door (16005) to that cabin . Looking at a picture of the balcony in 16005 with the rail back as far as it looks, it looks like that would limit my view looking right or left. Did you have that feeling or view on your bacony?
This was taken from our stateroom(16008) which is the identical suite to 16007,,just on the starboard side. You won't have any view left or right because of the wind screen in front of you and the metal dividers between balconies. Pete,,Skier52,,has a great picture of the balcony itself. If I can find it,,I'll surely post it for you.
-
Just got back from an amazing week on the Divina. I won't write a whole review, but I will be happy to answer any questions about the ship, activities, food or Yacht Club. I will say that I tried to sample many different things so I would have a balanced review of the whole ship, and not just he Yacht Club areas.
The quick summary is that the Divina is a great choice. We stayed in the beautiful Sophia Loren Royal Suite. We liked it so much we really did not want to leave it! Unfortunately, it is not easy to reserve so that might be our last time in it!
We have been on 30+ cruises and have sailed with all of the major cruise lines. We usually cruise on Celebrity most often. I will say that the food in Le Muse (the Yacht Club restaurant) was simply the best food we have experienced on any cruise, period. In fact, on most nights (and even some lunches) it was equivalent to some of the best restaurants we have been to. Every night the risotto was better than the next. The filet mignon was probably one of the best pieces of meat we have ever had anywhere, even at top steakhouses. Equally impressive was the service in Le Muse. The waiters were not overwhelmed like they usually are on other ships. We usually dine in Blu (aqua class) on Celebrity and I can safely say that Le Muse is on another level.
The Top Sail Lounge and One Pool were also very nice. Our butler Titan was very very nice. He would have done almost anything we asked, but honestly we didn't really use his services much. We did not really need him to do anything for us, but I am sure that others occupied his time. Some of the other service was a bit hit or miss, however. The bartenders and bar waiters at the One Pool (the ones who were not butlers) seemed to be unhappy and agitated most of the time. The bartenders in particular looked like they would have rather been anywhere else. That really was odd to me, considering that we would have been happy to tip any staff on the Divina who we felt we had good service from. We tipped extra to many staff members, but the bar tenders were not on that list. I guess they don't care? Most of the time, I actually felt guilty asking for a drink! They need to fix that.
Also, my partner went for a haircut at the salon in the spa. It was only $16 which seemed like a great deal. It included a 15% service charge, but when he asked the stylist about the tip she indicated that she didn't actually receive that tip. He would need to give her a cash tip in addition to the service charge. I do believe another company runs the spa services. If this is actually the case, I think that it is wrong.
The entertainment/shows were very good. The quality of the performers (and there are many of them unlike other cruise lines) was high. The tenor and soprano who sang the opera were amazing. The Michael Jackson impersonator was also very good. Being in the Yacht Club, we didn't have a chance to sample the entertainment in too many other lounges, but every time we walked through they had different live music playing in two or three different places at a time. I also noticed that Karoke was held almost every night, despite what I have read on other reviews.
All and all it was a great experience and one that we will repeat again. It felt as if we went to Italy for the week, and all we had to do was fly down to Miami. Like I said, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
Thanks for the review Frederic!!! I'm glad you enjoyed the Yacht Club. We will agree that the food in LeMuse is incredible. The filet??? Absolutely fantastic and available every night!!!
We'll be staying in 16007(Sophia Loren Suite) in January. We've toured the stateroom twice now and were lucky enough to finally book it,,,but it's only a 3 day sail but that's ok!!! My girlfriend wouldn't be able to stand all that red for a whole week I don't think anyway.:eek:
-
We were sitting up in the balcony seats to the right of the stage Maureen where no one really sits. You should have takes some pics!!! They really don't mind if you do,,,I video taped the whole Starwalker show from the front row back in May!!:D
-
At the correct :o time, I went back to hear Captain Scala.
What a great guy! He was charming and funny and made his welcome remarks in so many different languages! Italian, English, French, Spanish, of course. Everyone can speak those! ;) But also, Portuguese, German, Chinese, Japanese, Turkish! Holy Smokes! As he started each new language, a cheer would rise up from the speakers of that language, thrilled to know he was talking to them. :)
MSC doesn't allow pictures during the shows, but, the show that night was Wonderland and I loved it! The costumes were extraordinary, they had acrobats and jugglers and dancers and singers. This is the kind of show I was expecting and I LOVED it. There was no plot to the show, Wonderland was the theme, influencing the costumes, but, that was about it. There was a Mad Hatter who was the stuff of nightmares.
Speaking of nightmares, this was the first night I noticed the kids in the theater. After I had left the sports bar, I came down the elevator and as I descended, I could hear loud chanting. I thought we were being overtaken by pirates! When the door opened, there were about 30 kids there, holding hands and chanting, wearing little jumpers with hearts on them. As per my nature, (I did offend some in this forum by referring to 5 year olds as squirmy), I got the heck out of there, but, they made me smile.
After I had gotten settled in the theater, I could hear the chants getting louder, coming closer. People were wondering what it was, I didn't let on that I knew it was the kids coming. They came down the stairs into the theater, with their chaperones, holding hands and chanting loudly. The 30 I had seen had clearly picked up more of their friends. They basically put on a little parade for us, down the stairs, across the width of the theater (just above the tripping step) , down the other stairs, then across the front to their reserved seats. They had the first 4 rows of the right hand section of the theater.
Every night, the kids would make their entrance wearing jumpers appropriate to that night's show. I don't know if they made the jumpers as an activity or MSC just loaned them to them, but, it was very cute. I never read Alice in Wonderland, but, I think there was a Queen of Hearts in there somewhere, hence, the kids wearing hearts costumes. I would notice occasionally the chaperones taking one or two out for a bathroom break, but, they were very well behaved. Not squirmy at all. :o
That Mad Hatter had to have given them nightmares, though. He looked like Johnny Depp's worst nightmare.
My girlfriend gets creeped out by the guy in the lower right corner of this pic. We really enjoyed this show though!!
-
book a Med cruise and get a 7 night Caribbean cruise free????
MSC gives a free Divina Caribbean cruise for an inclusive Med package
MSC Cruises USA is offering inclusive air/land/sea vacation package deals for MSC Divina while the line's ship dedicated to North Americans is in the Mediterranean, May 16 through Sept. 19, 2015.
As a special promotion, travelers who book the air/land/sea package before Oct. 31 will receive a free seven-night cruise on MSC Divina in the Caribbean for select sailings between now and the end of the year. A non-refundable $500 deposit by Oct. 31 on the Mediterranean package is required to get the Caribbean cruise, which may be transferred to family or friends.
Starting at $1,899, the 10-night package includes round-trip airfare to Rome or Barcelona, a seven-night cruise, a two-night post-cruise stay in a four-star hotel and transfers.
The package deals make it easy and convenient for travelers to visit the Mediterranean, according to Ken Muskat, evp sales, public relations and guest services for MSC Cruises USA.
The packages are offered from Miami, New York and Chicago, with MSC Divina itineraries departing from Civitavecchia (Rome) or Barcelona. MSC Cruises personnel will meet travelers upon arrival at the airport for their port of embarkation as well as at the hotel.
MSC Divina’s Mediterranean season includes the ability to embark at Civitavecchia on Saturdays or Barcelona on Wednesdays. Late-night stays are planned at La Spezia, facilitating visits to Pisa, Florence, Portofino and the Cinque Terre region, and at Palma de Mallorca, allowing passengers to experience the island's lively nightlife. Naples is among the ports visited.
Government fees and taxes and airport taxes are not included in the Mediterranean package, and the free Caribbean cruise entails the base fare, not government fees and taxes, fuel surcharges and service charges.
-
Just curious...are you able to get the frozen "fruity" drinks from the bar menus in the YC? Like pina coladas and such?
Absolutely!!! Our bartender would make all sorts of concoctions for everyone at the bar to try,,,some we loved,,some we didn't.:D
-
It would be very similar except for, in my recent experience where I could get cognac on the drinks package (XO on the premium :D) but not in YC without charge. However, bottled beer is included in YC whereas it's only draught that's included in basic All.
I've noticed from the Divina threads over time that there are quite a few differences in the range of drinks available. I get the distinct impression that MSC are catering to the American market more than you may realise. Same goes for dining - menus seem to me to have items included that I haven't seen in MDRs in the Med.
Bytheway, gelato is available on the basic (it's Classic Allegrissimo I think on your side of the pond), the pastries are included on the premium package. Don't forget, you have them available all day in Top Sail Lounge (I'm drooling at the moment at the image of the TSL buffet LOL)
Thanks Bea!!! I'm hoping our repo next October will be more reminiscent of The Mediterranean Way. We would really like to experience MSC the traditional way without the American influences. This would be a great way to prepare us for the Med cruise we are looking to book in the summer of 2016.
-
Unfortunately, not. In fact when the "Experiences" pricing level was first introduced, the included drinks package was the "Cheers" one which only included wine and beer at mealtimes. In their wisdom (?) MSC upped it to the basic Allegrissimo.
Bea,,,would the all inclusive drinks in the YC be comparable to the basic Allegrissimo package minus the gelato and pastries??
-
Totally agree with you Mikesa1721, double loyalty points and also free wifi when sailing in their Premium product, the Yacht Club.
Yes!!! Free wi-fi!!! Great idea Norwegian!!:D
-
Why don't you write to the MSC rep about that? It seems their changes have messed a lot up!
Unfortunately MSC Cruises USA has about as much pull with the shot callers in Geneva as I have. We are very happy with YC product and like I stated before,,we will still book the YC just for the perks that we do receive now,,,it just would have been nice to see a little bump in perks thats all.
-
When I was in YC on my recent trip I actually bought the Allegrissimo package for that reason, Mike. All the entertainment is outside the YC area which is where I hang out at night so the all-inclusive drinks in YC aren't of much benefit to me. In fact, one night I wanted to get a brandy in Top Sail Lounge and they wanted to charge me for it!! I told them I was drinking it down around the rest of the ship with the package and that it was shocking to think it wasn't available in YC. I was then given a choice of three brandies - none of which I knew - an Italian, a Greek and a Spanish one!!! I opted for the Spanish one. It was undrinkable :mad:
While I enjoy the YC I will only book it when it's on offer which is very seldom. Most of the "suites" are identical in size to B2 balcony cabins. Adding an Allegrissimo premium package to a well-priced Fantastica (now) balcony gives me an alternative luxury cruise to YC. The ONLY extra I miss is the YC restaurant as I do think the MDRs are far too crowded.
Bea,,,we'll still continue to book the Yacht Club,,just for it's privacy and less congested pool area,,and of course the restaurant. It just seems as though MSC could have bumped the amenities up a little,,,we are already paying a premium. I think they could have at least extended the drink policy to the rest of the ship or given us double loyalty points.
-
Thanks, Mike!!
Last minute cruise jitters!! Guess I could have looked on their web site!! I like to open the cruise account with AMX and then pay final bill with my AA credit card so I get the miles!! That way, I don't have to worry about holds and limits. That's a good thing--AND a BAD thing!! LOL! Watch out for bling!!:eek::eek::eek:
So jealous of you right now Susan!!! We'll sail the med summer 2016 so long as MSC has this deal next year:
http://www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/MSC/FLYANDCRUISE.aspx?ref=facebook
-
The 'My Time' dining is also interesting. As Bella and Fantastica guests cannot choose it - at any price - I wonder if there will be a tendency, even among those Aurea guests who prefer traditional dining, to choose My Time in order to be 'first class'.
One can already start to imagine the Aurea experience as a slighter broader Yacht Club. On the Lirica and Musica Class ships, Aurea is practically Yacht Club with the exception that the lower classes are allowed to pay to enter the first class sun deck for a day or half day. Then they have to pay for their drinks too.
I kind of find it odd that nothing was added to the Yacht Club experience. Yes,,we have a private area,,yes all of our drinks are included within the YC venue which we pay a premium for,,,but other than a better stateroom location, a butler and private concierge,,which we hardly ever use,,there really isn't much difference between YC and lets say the Fantastica or Aurea experience. Heck,,,if I want a drink at the Black and White Lounge,,I have to pay for it,,where as a Fantastica or Aurea experience pax will get them for free. Add in gelato, pastries,,,etc,,and the YC experience doesn't seem all that appealing anymore.:(
-
Except now they can honour the requests of non-Bella class guests and tell the Bella class guests who did not get their request that they should have known they were bottom of the pile from the time of booking. MSC no longer has to work-around the randomness of the distribution for late and early sittings.
Agreed Tim!!! Fantastica experience guests have priority dining preference over Bella,,,wondering how the Aurea experience pax "My Time" dining will affect the number of early and late dining pax. I suppose we will have to wait a few months after the program is in effect to see how many Bella and Fantastica experience pax actually were approved or declined their dining preference.
MSC Club.... who can help?
in MSC Cruises
Posted
Try sending a private message on MSC Cruises USA Facebook page. You will get a response usually the same day.