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Anyone else booked Bellissima


thecruisers6
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Hopefully a lot of lessons will have been learned on Meraviglia, Mark. You've got the right approach, though; budget for the speciality restaurants. Butcher's Cut was fab! We didn't try the others as I don't eat Italian or sushi.

 

 

 

We've booked a couple of big trips - one for 2018 and the other in 2019 so it doesn't look like we'll be trying Bellissima in her inaugural season. I'd be looking at Seaview, first, anyway, as she's totally different.

 

 

 

I'm sure they'll have a pub-type venue onboard. As to the pint - DH taught one of the servers to pull a proper pint of Guinness. Unfortunately the barman was totally uninterested and continued to pull pints the way he pulls lager - eh WRONG!!! Our server friend told us that there were many pints being returned.

 

 

 

Oh that must have been frustrating.

I won't be brave enough to show them as I'm still traumatised from the first time I tried. A young Australian lady was working her first shift at our local, all I said was she had to wait for the head to start to collapse! Well within 10 minutes she had disappeared. Never knew if it was my comment or the fact she spent the next 10 minutes looking amongst the Whiskeys for mulligatawny . Which was of course the soup of the day!

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oh that must have been frustrating.

I won't be brave enough to show them as i'm still traumatised from the first time i tried. A young australian lady was working her first shift at our local, all i said was she had to wait for the head to start to collapse! Well within 10 minutes she had disappeared. Never knew if it was my comment or the fact she spent the next 10 minutes looking amongst the whiskeys for mulligatawny . Which was of course the soup of the day!

 

:eek: :D :D

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  • 1 month later...

Dear Bea,

Off to Divina YC for next Saturday if you want me to say hello to anyone?

Just a quick question for advice please...

Temperatures look like about 90F what would your husband wear to dinner?

Thanks Bea

Mark

 

 

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Hi Mark.

 

Thanks for the offer but I don't think I know any of the crew in YC on Divina - all the guys I know were on Meraviglia! :p

 

I wouldn't go by what my DH wears, TBH, though I'll share that he always wears trousers & shirt (sometimes short-sleeved) in the evenings onboard no matter where we are. We like to dress smart for dinner and "going out for the evening" to the various entertainment venues. Don't get too caught up in what to wear - whatever you're comfortable in. It's your vacation, enjoy it. I think they're not too keen on shorts in the restaurant at dinner, though I've seen them being worn in the YC restaurant on occasion. It's a long trek back to your cabin if you do wear them and you're then refused entry, though! :eek:

 

I hope both you and Jane have a fabulous time on your cruise. Go easy on the crew!!! :*

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Dear Bea,

Off to Divina YC for next Saturday if you want me to say hello to anyone?

Just a quick question for advice please...

Temperatures look like about 90F what would your husband wear to dinner?

Thanks Bea

Mark

 

 

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Hi Mark.

 

 

 

Thanks for the offer but I don't think I know any of the crew in YC on Divina - all the guys I know were on Meraviglia! :p

 

 

 

I wouldn't go by what my DH wears, TBH, though I'll share that he always wears trousers & shirt (sometimes short-sleeved) in the evenings onboard no matter where we are. We like to dress smart for dinner and "going out for the evening" to the various entertainment venues. Don't get too caught up in what to wear - whatever you're comfortable in. It's your vacation, enjoy it. I think they're not too keen on shorts in the restaurant at dinner, though I've seen them being worn in the YC restaurant on occasion. It's a long trek back to your cabin if you do wear them and you're then refused entry, though! :eek:

 

 

 

I hope both you and Jane have a fabulous time on your cruise. Go easy on the crew!!! :*

 

 

 

Many thanks Bea. Have just done a little dance when I saw the magical words short-sleeves [emoji27]

Have got some extra dollars for the crew they must have been hit hard last week with a lack of tips and bookings probably down now as a result of Irma. I know people that have pulled out of the current cruise. Hope they haven't let any go.

Will certainly be using this forum to highlight the good bits.

After my NCL adventure I'm certainly more in love with MSC.

Can't wait to see Jane's face waking up on her birthday approaching the Bahamas

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Many thanks Bea. Have just done a little dance when I saw the magical words short-sleeves [emoji27]

Have got some extra dollars for the crew they must have been hit hard last week with a lack of tips and bookings probably down now as a result of Irma. I know people that have pulled out of the current cruise. Hope they haven't let any go.

Will certainly be using this forum to highlight the good bits.

After my NCL adventure I'm certainly more in love with MSC.

Can't wait to see Jane's face waking up on her birthday approaching the Bahamas

 

Have you informed MSC that it's Jane's birthday when onboard? Make sure and talk to the Concierge - they should arrange a cake at dinner. Hope she has a wonderful Birthday! :hearteyes:

 

About the short sleeves - when DH wears long-sleeved shirts, he rolls the cuffs up anyway so he might as well be wearing short sleeves LOL - except, of course, when he's got the tux on!

 

Very thoughtful of you to be considering the crew. You're going to have an amazing time - they respond so well when you're friendly to them (and I don't just mean with extra tips). We had an incredible reaction from all our servers in the YC restaurant on Meraviglia when we were leaving, even though we didn't tip any of them (there were too many who looked after us!). We always had someone come over to us at the table, when they weren't busy, to have a chat and make sure we didn't need anything - even when they weren't assigned to our table! Each to a man, came over to us when we were saying goodbye to the m'D and sommelier to thank us! When we said it was us who should be thanking them, they said it was because of how well we treated them!

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Thanks Bea. I will let them know about the birthday I pre-purchased a cake online. £9 is cheaper than a children's cake at our local pub!

We love chatting to the staff when they have the time think it's the fostering in us. Especially when someone has been rude. We talked a lot to the food and drinks director last month she loved our little ones we look after. She came over after 4 passengers were shouting they had been waiting for 20 minutes for a drink we had great pleasure telling the truth. The young waitress loved her job and could not do enough for us. Missing her family and then get shouted at by people who think it's still ok to treat people like the titanic days.

Oh shouldn't have mentioned that ship so close to Saturday!

 

 

 

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Hope you both have a wonderful time, Mark. Happy Birthday wishes to Jane! :*

 

 

 

We're boarding Magnifica on Monday. It's seems there are quite a few on the forum who'll be on MSC ships next week.

 

 

 

Thanks Bea hope you have a wonderful time. I think its the same itinerary as we've booked for Bellissima. After watching Jane McDonald we cannot wait.

Let us know if you find any must see places to visit. Are you doing a 'live from' this time?

Half of me wishes we were joining you,

We've got everything crossed for another hurricane lurking. Hope all the wonderful people over there are safe over the next week it's heart breaking.

Just asked Jane what we should do if it gets too close.

Answer..... I don't mind if Divina hides in Miami all week as long as the little cafe is open on deck 6 [emoji3]

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Good for her! ;p It looks like Puerto Rico is going to be hit and I also read that Antigua is in the path of the hurricane, too.

 

I think you're confusing Magnifica with Meraviglia, Mark. Bellissima is doing Meraviglia's itinerary. Our cruise is for 9 nights, boarding in Lisbon, Portugal and visiting Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Malaga and Casablanca. We've been to all the ports several times before. We're planning to visit La Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, we've an excursion booked to Aix-en-Provence from Marseille and we may do a DIY to Portofino from Genoa - all things we've never done before.

 

There will be little to no interest in a review as the itinerary is only being repeated twice after our cruise. However, I may do a report on the ship in general as she's homeporting in Southampton next year and there'll be some interest in her - though MSC are planning to make it more appealing to the British with menu changes and probably different entertainment offerings.

 

For your Bellissima trip, I highly recommend going to Taormina from Messina and Pompeii from Naples.

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We just booked on the Bellissima today. We snagged the last cabin in the YC complex for the Oct 21 2019 sailing. This will be our first time on MSC and looking forward to the YC experience. Having sailed the NCL Epic Haven out of Barcelona a few years back it will be a good comparison between their upper tier products. Honestly, the pricing on MSC is far more favorable to us than a comparable cruise on NCL in their suites and it appears that you get more amenities too. I hope we're reading and viewing all info correctly. Anything you may be able to shed light on to this MSC newbie would be greatly appreciated..

John

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We booked on Bellissima May 2019. We went with a Yacht Club Deluxe for family of 4 costing $4800. Not sure if its a good deal as we have never sailed MSC. Our first sail with MSC will be on Seaside, we booked for May 2018, can't wait!!

We also have booked on Bellissima May 19,2019 with the Y/C Deluxe for family of 3 costing the same price as yours so I'm wondering why we are paying the same. Our first sail with MSC will be on Preziosa May 2018, again with Y/C Deluxe.

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We also have booked on Bellissima May 19,2019 with the Y/C Deluxe for family of 3 costing the same price as yours so I'm wondering why we are paying the same. Our first sail with MSC will be on Preziosa May 2018, again with Y/C Deluxe.

 

 

 

I think children are free at the moment.

Currently in the yacht club on Divina and it is the most amazing experience.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Thank you so much. :)

 

 

 

We're flying out tomorrow evening so hopefully will get down to the port and board the ship early on Friday.

 

 

 

Dear Bea,

I hope you had a wonderful cruise if you’re back already!

 

Just to say a huge thank you from us for all your help and advice before we set sail.

We had the most wonderful experience in the Divina Yacht Club.

Everything was as amazing as you said it would be.

The stand out moment was our butler checking we had packed our suncream, literally checking our beach bag and slipping ice cold bottles of water in it. Think it was the sight of my white legs🤦*♂️ They really do care about you.

We spent a lot of time talking with the staff who were so lovely to us. Had great pleasure in buying the guy who helped us out at the life boat drill a drink at the beach in Grand Cayman.

The captain was amazing, we spent half an hour talking to him with our new friends we met from the roll call.

Just upgraded ourselves for Yacht Club on Bellissima [emoji3] and cancelled our RC cruise!

It really was that good

Thanks again Bea

 

Mark & Jane

 

1e65904a05034e4ce3d5abaec17f5e3f.jpg

 

(Even better than the lamb [emoji12])

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Dear Bea,

I hope you had a wonderful cruise if you’re back already!

 

Just to say a huge thank you from us for all your help and advice before we set sail.

We had the most wonderful experience in the Divina Yacht Club.

Everything was as amazing as you said it would be.

The stand out moment was our butler checking we had packed our suncream, literally checking our beach bag and slipping ice cold bottles of water in it. Think it was the sight of my white legs🤦*♂️ They really do care about you.

We spent a lot of time talking with the staff who were so lovely to us. Had great pleasure in buying the guy who helped us out at the life boat drill a drink at the beach in Grand Cayman.

The captain was amazing, we spent half an hour talking to him with our new friends we met from the roll call.

Just upgraded ourselves for Yacht Club on Bellissima [emoji3] and cancelled our RC cruise!

It really was that good

Thanks again Bea

 

Mark & Jane

 

1e65904a05034e4ce3d5abaec17f5e3f.jpg

 

(Even better than the lamb [emoji12])

 

Just wondering what is your sail date for Bellissima for 2019?

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Just wondering what is your sail date for Bellissima for 2019?

 

 

 

Hi. We are embarking in Marseille on April 6 for 2 weeks. I think you are in May I seem to remember?

Will be able to do a live report for you for any questions etc. 537 days to go...... lol.

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Hi. We are embarking in Marseille on April 6 for 2 weeks. I think you are in May I seem to remember?

Will be able to do a live report for you for any questions etc. 537 days to go...... lol.

That would be great! especially since she is a new ship. We are also booked next year on the Preziosa in May as well. Looking forward in trying a new cruise line, always been with NCL

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That would be great! especially since she is a new ship. We are also booked next year on the Preziosa in May as well. Looking forward in trying a new cruise line, always been with NCL

 

 

 

You will love it. We started on Splendida and the went on NCL Jade then Divina. To be honest both MSC won hands down. The ships, food, entertainment, staff and especially drinks. All a hundred times better than NCL.

Didn’t even know what the NCL captain looked like!

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You will love it. We started on Splendida and the went on NCL Jade then Divina. To be honest both MSC won hands down. The ships, food, entertainment, staff and especially drinks. All a hundred times better than NCL.

Didn’t even know what the NCL captain looked like!

 

That is always good to hear, we are booked on the Yacht Club on both ships, we got spoiled in the Haven on NCL and now my wife won't take anything less lol.

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