MSC Divina really THAT bad????

We went on Divina on September 16th and we found that Divina is a beautiful ship . We found that everything was consistently good. We left our hotel at Miami Airport just before 11.30 and were sat in our cabin by midday

 

 

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We must see things differently as I didn't see any of what you're describing below - either time we were on the Divina. We are also seeing different pricing. Where are you getting your pricing? We went YC in August and paid about $500 pp more than an Aurea balcony suite. We're also booked on Seaside YC for the Christmas cruise and my family of four didn't cost the prices you show below and holiday cruises are usually the most expensive.

 

The pricing was direct from the MSC website that I looked at while posting the message.

 

The one and only booking we did was also direct MSC website pricing. Balcony, Fantastica package was (this was for a 12/16 sailing for a 10-night cruise) $1049/pp plus taxes/fees/port charges. The YC (Suite only) was what I stated in the post.

The frustrating thing about all the MSC ships is that every person who defends the cruiseline blames the negative reviews on consumers who "expected an American experience", or who "didn't want to have a European experience".

 

At the heart of the matter, it seems that the European experience is inferior to what Americans have become accustomed to.

 

Personally, I enjoy the cruises I've taken from American ports. I DO expect that quality of service when I pay the price of a cruise. If MSC service pales in comparison, then future customers need to know that MSC doesn't pass muster.

 

I'm wavering significantly on the 2016 reservation I made for later 2016. On any cruise, we DO expect the staff to be attentive and to provide above-average service. We love meeting & talking to the staff. We love the unusual experience of being doted on. A cruise experience is supposed to special, a splurge, a treat. I DO NOT want to have a lesser level of service. It's very hard to know what MSC offers, because any positive review about them is always making an excuse about customer expectations being too high. It sounds like a huge red flag.

 

If you aren't going to receive attentive service, then you may as well opt for a land-based vacation. The whole point of cruising is to have a special experience that exceeds land-based dining/lodging.

 

I don't know if you notice it, but you pretty much prove the point of arrogant American thinks the world caters to their needs. Some people actually like not having a waiter come up and ask them if everything is ok every 5 minutes(even Americans). That's not poor service that's different priorities. You like to eat dinner at 6PM and go to bed a 10PM that's fine, but some people like to eat at 8-10PM and go to bed at 12-1AM.

 

Finally, I'm sure this will upset your feeling of right in the world. So let me tell you the same thing I told a hunter who was shooting dangerously with a shotgun at a hunting lodge outside the US. This ISN'T Texas, go somewhere else.

I don't know if you notice it, but you pretty much prove the point of arrogant American thinks the world caters to their needs. Some people actually like not having a waiter come up and ask them if everything is ok every 5 minutes(even Americans). That's not poor service that's different priorities. You like to eat dinner at 6PM and go to bed a 10PM that's fine, but some people like to eat at 8-10PM and go to bed at 12-1AM.

 

Finally, I'm sure this will upset your feeling of right in the world. So let me tell you the same thing I told a hunter who was shooting dangerously with a shotgun at a hunting lodge outside the US. This ISN'T Texas, go somewhere else.

Its terrible how some people think whole world should do what they like to do . I hate when waiter comes every 5 min to ask if everything is OK :mad:

I don't know if you notice it, but you pretty much prove the point of arrogant American thinks the world caters to their needs. ...

Finally, I'm sure this will upset your feeling of right in the world. So let me tell you the same thing I told a hunter who was shooting dangerously with a shotgun at a hunting lodge outside the US. This ISN'T Texas, go somewhere else.

Angry much? You responded to a post from a year-and-a-half ago. I wasn't being arrogant, I was expressing concern about having committed a large sum of a money for a cruise on a line that consistently gets lower ratings for customer service. I've been on cruises with excellent, attentive service and I enjoy it, it's such a special occasion and a unique feeling. It's not arrogance.

 

I did go on the 2016 cruise i mentioned in that old post. It's been over a year ago, so I don't remember all the details, but overall it was such a beautiful trip. The dining hall staff were fully competent and never left us lingering. They were not as social as the dining staff on Florida cruises. I remember there was some confusion about drink packages, and some language barriers, but we figured it out during Night 2. Our waiters were absolutely courteous, and helped us out one night when some of our party was missing. At the beginning of dinner, we had expressed our concern that some of our family was missing after the port day. (We were conversing with the waiters, like we do on American cruises.) To our surprise, ~40 minutes later 1 waiter approached us with the news that the missing guests had just re-boarded the ship. We had no idea they had even looked into it for us! But we were so extremely relieved to get the news. I think it showed exceptional concern and excellence on the part of the waiter.

 

Overall, we LOVED our MSC Splendida cruise. That was primarily because of the amazing & busy itinerary. The ship itself was very "dull" compared to other cruiseships I've been on. The entertainment was much more cultured and I did REALLY love that fact. The cruise director wasn't memorable and there weren't any fun daytime activities that I recall. Some of the nighttime atrium entertainment was higher caliber than the American cruises. Our cruise was not crowded, nobody smoked in our face, nobody cut in front of us in a line. In fact, I got the impression the ship wasn't even full. On a full ship, maybe Europeans behave more rudely, but on our cruise, I didn't observe any bad manners. With a busy port schedule and cultured evening entertainment, I feel we got our money's worth. If we had more sea days, I'm afraid I would've been bored on the ship, because the only activity was going to its various bars.

 

I guess I'd describe the cruise as a "less participatory experience" than an American cruise.

 

I'd repeat that trip in a heartbeat. But I remember that ship as a way to travel from 1 port to another, rather than a cruise experience by itself.

 

Rec33, it was rude of you to tell me to go somewhere else. I am a person just like you, and I was nervous about getting a quality product for the money I had comitted. After the cruise, I felt satisfied because of the number of ports in our itinerary, and because the cruise employees helped us at a scary time. But I did discover that attentiveness of waitstaff, room stewards, and bar staff was less than on American cruises. Sometimes I appreciated the privateness, but sometimes I missed the feeling of friendliness.

I don't know if you notice it, but you pretty much prove the point of arrogant American thinks the world caters to their needs. Some people actually like not having a waiter come up and ask them if everything is ok every 5 minutes(even Americans). That's not poor service that's different priorities. You like to eat dinner at 6PM and go to bed a 10PM that's fine, but some people like to eat at 8-10PM and go to bed at 12-1AM.

 

Finally, I'm sure this will upset your feeling of right in the world. So let me tell you the same thing I told a hunter who was shooting dangerously with a shotgun at a hunting lodge outside the US. This ISN'T Texas, go somewhere else.

You are offensive. I live in Texas and the smart ass remark you made about the gun totting we do here is ridiculous. I am highly offended by it . Better yet come visit Texas , we will show you some southern hospitality.I have reported you to Cruise Critic . Better yet stay your butt in Argentina and climb some mountains.

You are offensive. I live in Texas and the smart ass remark you made about the gun totting we do here is ridiculous. I am highly offended by it . Better yet come visit Texas , we will show you some southern hospitality.I have reported you to Cruise Critic . Better yet stay your butt in Argentina and climb some mountains.

 

I've met many Texans and been there, this a true story, does it reflect all Texans nope. But it did reflect a Texan that happened to be particularly arrogant and was endangering lives(mine included) and I was working at the hunting lodge and trying to keep people safe. It goes back to the main point I was making in that if you don't like something you can go somewhere else and don't just assume your way is superior.

I've met many Texans and been there, this a true story, does it reflect all Texans nope. But it did reflect a Texan that happened to be particularly arrogant and was endangering lives(mine included) and I was working at the hunting lodge and trying to keep people safe. It goes back to the main point I was making in that if you don't like something you can go somewhere else and don't just assume your way is superior.

You did not refer as a Texan who acted rude and showed his ignorance. You said LIKE TEXAS. People here are very prideful , and we are sick and tired of being beat up. Like gun totting idiots who pass calling 911 or haha our express line to the chair . I live in a country where we have freedom of speech and you can say whatever you want but from your posting you appear to the arrogant person. The majority here will give you their shirt off their back. And have!! Thousands lost everything a few months ago and turned around and gave to Florida and San Juan. What I am saying, My parents always told us, if you don't have something nice to say then don't say nothing at all. With that I have nothing else to say.

You did not refer as a Texan who acted rude and showed his ignorance. You said LIKE TEXAS. People here are very prideful , and we are sick and tired of being beat up. Like gun totting idiots who pass calling 911 or haha our express line to the chair . I live in a country where we have freedom of speech and you can say whatever you want but from your posting you appear to the arrogant person. The majority here will give you their shirt off their back. And have!! Thousands lost everything a few months ago and turned around and gave to Florida and San Juan. What I am saying, My parents always told us, if you don't have something nice to say then don't say nothing at all. With that I have nothing else to say.

 

I know Texans are prideful since I grew up in Kansas, I don't go to Texas and expect to do things I do back home. There are clear cultural differences which is why saying the American experience is better than the European is misguided. To be fair I got along with 99% of the people from Texas that visited because they were truly interested in the culture and respectful and heck most of the times a lot of fun (Generally from Houston and Dallas area, ie city folk). I used it as an example because I'm not a fan of the whole American Exceptionalism myth. For instance, lots of countries have free speech even if they don't have the 1st amendment. Lastly, my mom did too, so have a good one!

For what it's worth, since this thread is about MSC Divina... When I was shopping for a Christmas cruise a few days ago, MSC Divina was at the bottom of the price list for 7 day Christmas cruises. That should reflect something. I will say, however, the prices for ALL cruises that week have been fluctuating a good bit, so no idea if it's still the lowest-cost one or not.

 

And, MSC Seaside will be sailing at Christmas. Brand new ship, lots of bells and whistles, but perhaps not as appealing as RCCL's bells & whistles. Who doesn't love a brand new ship, though?