Review-MSC Divina Cruise 4-26-14

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Great review so far, very informative! My husband and I are going in Nov. and were thinking about doing the same spa package/massage that you did, for the same reason...the cost versus purchasing a steam/sauna pass only. I had a question for you though, is it not a couples massage where you are in the same room? I had assumed we would be together since we would buy the couples rate package. This plus the fact that the steam/saunas are not co-ed might be enough to keep us from purchasing the package at all.

 

Thanks for all the information you've given thus far! It has certainly helped us.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thank you. I will start on the ports tomorrow. Have fun Mother's Day plans today, so Happy Mother's Day to all CC moms out there! :)

 

I think it is designed to be a couples massage, because they asked us if we wanted to be together in the same room. We didn't care, so when Rich's therapist was available before mine we just went separately instead of waiting. The treatment room I had was a couples massage room.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Thank you so, so much for an honest, easy to read, and enjoyable review so far.

 

It is nice that you are "de-mything" all the Debbie downers on this board.

I was starting to second guess my decision, but not anymore.

 

You are welcome. I can't tell you the number of cruisers we met that week who said some version of, "I have no idea why Divina gets such bad reviews!" You will have a good time.

[alexkrn46]

Thank you. I will start on the ports tomorrow. Have fun Mother's Day plans today, so Happy Mother's Day to all CC moms out there! :)

 

I think it is designed to be a couples massage, because they asked us if we wanted to be together in the same room. We didn't care, so when Rich's therapist was available before mine we just went separately instead of waiting. The treatment room I had was a couples massage room.

 

happy Mother's Day to you too!

[riclop]

Thanks so much for your very informative review, its very enjoyable to re live our 2 cruises so far on the Divina.

[VacationCrazee]

I don't normally read reviews posted in the forum board but this review is excellent. Very informative. I am loving your point system NCL vs MSC. ;)

[Mrs. Squirrel]

We approached our first port stop, Falmouth, Jamaica, while we were still enjoying morning coffee on our balcony. The day was clear and sunny, promising good weather all day.

 

Approaching the dock in Falmouth

 

 

 

 

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Today, our plans were to take a culinary walking tour of Falmouth through Falmouth Heritage Walks, Ltd. in partnership with Jamaica Culinary Tours. We were to meet at 11:00am at the Tours and Information booth in the center of the Falmouth Port Courtyard. Falmouth has a beautiful port area. It is our understanding that Royal Caribean cruiselines provided the bulk of the funding to build this area and that it is not very old.

 

The tour started promptly, so no island time here!

 

Divina towering over the beautiful port area.

 

Culinary tour meeting place.

 

And away we go!

 

Exiting the main port vendors area. Walking straight ahead takes you out the gated port area and right into downtown Falmouth.

 

The port's craft market. Money from purchases inside the port benefit RCI, not the locals. The local's craft market is the blue tents just outside the gated port area you can see in a photo in my last post.

 

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Our first two stops, we're still inside the port area. The guide explains the history of Falmouth, Jamaica as a busy port for the transportation of slaves and sugarcane.

 

At the second stop, the guide explains how refined sugar was made from raw sugarcane. It was a very slave-labor intensive process.

 

Here we sample sugarcane, watermelon, pineapple and mango. . .all produced on the island. No tiny bites here, by the time we finish the tour, we've had a large meal!

 

Eating while we listen.

 

The vendor demonstrates how sugarcane is cut for eating and tells a few good jokes!

 

You chew the chunks of sugarcane with your molars to release the juice, then discard the fiber.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Mrs. Squirrel

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Exiting the gated port area. Both sides of the walkway are lined with historical info about Falmouth. The last one on the right highlights Usain Bolt. They are understandably very proud of him in Jamaica!

 

Entering downtown Falmouth

 

Our third stop at a local produce stand. Here our guide explains the typical produce produced in Jamaica and how it's prepared there.

 

Even the locals jump in to help explain Jamaican produce. That's a huge ginger root!

 

The owner proudly poses in front of her stand.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Walking past the town square to our next stop. The guide explained that the wooded hand carts have been used throughout the history of Falmouth to transport all sorts of goods to the downtown markets.

 

Toward our next food vendor stop with Divina in the background.

 

Roasted Breadfruit and another starchy veggie I forgot the name of. Scotch Bonnet peppers at the ready for those who want extra spice.

 

This tasting was salted fish, Grilled breadfruit, and the other starchy veggie I forgot the name of. The guide explained that slaves were given meager rations and had to be very creative in what they used to supplement. Small plots added some to their food stores, but required more work on the little free time they were given.

 

Caribbean apples in the foreground.

 

We also sampled Coconut water and the Coconut Jelly, the gel-like lining of the Coconut. Both are suppose to be very health for you.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Headed toward the sea to our next stop.

 

A Veterans' Memorial

 

The Falmouth Courthouse, built in 1817. Our guide explained that this was the Government seat and courthouse as well as the site of every important social gathering like concerts or balls.

 

Walking back up the street toward the town square.

 

Landscaping around the square. This is also courtesy of RCI

 

Walking to the fountain in the middle of the square.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

There was a grocery store on the left where we got our Blue Mountain Coffee. Yum!

 

At this stop, our guide describes the town square area.

 

At the site of the fountain was the location of an old water reservoir, part of the first piped water system in the Americas. Falmouth had indoor water before New York City did!

 

The Albert George Market

 

Moving through the city toward our next stop

 

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Our guide explained that Jamaican culinary culture is a mix of of foods and cooking methods from the original Taino Indians, Europeans and the African-American slaves brought in to work the sugar plantations.

 

We took a good length of a break in the air conditioning with a stop at a local bakery. It sold Jamaican bakery items as well as a typical Jamaican snack or lunch meal of patties.

 

Our guide called this bakery a sweet and savory.

 

Ahh, the cool feels nice!

 

Everyone enjoyed a cold water and a beef patty.

 

Moving toward our next stop

 

He has the right idea. It's midday now and pretty warm.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Our next stop was the William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church.

 

Our guide explained that William Knibb was an English, Baptist Minister who worked as a missionary and then pastor of this church. He was an abolitionist who worked tirelessly to end slavery in Jamaica. The slaves were granted freedom on August 1, 1834, although it was six more years before they were truly free due to a provision in the law requiring an apprenticeship before full freedom. August 1 is still a national holiday celebrated in Jamaica.

 

At a late evening church service here on June 30, 1834, Knibb preached that, "At last, the monster (slavery) is dead!" At 12:01am on August 1, the slaves exited the church and Knibb had them bury their shackles and chains in the churchyard. When he died, this memorial to him was built on top of those buried symbols of oppression. Our guide told us the Jamaicans consider Knibb their Abraham Lincoln. This part of the tour was very moving.

 

Flowers in the churchyard. Beauty from ashes.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Thanks so much for your very informative review, its very enjoyable to re live our 2 cruises so far on the Divina.

 

I don't normally read reviews posted in the forum board but this review is excellent. Very informative. I am loving your point system NCL vs MSC. ;)

 

You are both welcome. I have to stop for today, but will conclude the walking tour within the next few days.

[250373]

Nooooooo!! Come back!!!!

I am totally addicted.... :(

Kidding but barely..... :o

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Nooooooo!! Come back!!!!

I am totally addicted.... :(

Kidding but barely..... :o

 

I wish, because remembering my great vacation is much better than housework and dishes. For the next three days I am going to be in charge of, and proctoring the Stanford Achievement Testing for our home education co-op. Sorry, just bad timing.

[250373]

Totally understand! ;) good luck with that! I will be patiently waiting for your return! :)

[djmess]

I wish, because remembering my great vacation is much better than housework and dishes. For the next three days I am going to be in charge of, and proctoring the Stanford Achievement Testing for our home education co-op. Sorry, just bad timing.

 

Looking forward to you coming back and continuing the review. Loving it! Hope you were able to get house clean and the Testing Finished.

[alexkrn46]

great pictures what kind of camera do you have?

[Mrs. Squirrel]

great pictures what kind of camera do you have?

 

I have the new Nikon S1. It is basically a point and shoot camera that you can attach lenses to. Bought it for our trip to Alaska next year, but still saving for the super zoom lens. It is perfect for those who want the picture quality and some functionality of a DSLR without the heavy weight or learning curve. I have dropped it twice, so it's durable, as well! :o

 

I also have a Panasonic TS3 Lumix waterproof camera that I use for Beach and Snorkeling shots. You will see some of those shots later in the review.

I use to use it for all pictures, its such a great all around camera and virtually indestructible, but it has developed a small shadow internally that shows up on photos with light backgrounds in the upper left corner. It costs more to send it in for repair than what I paid for it, so will just continue to use it around water.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Looking forward to you coming back and continuing the review. Loving it! Hope you were able to get house clean and the Testing Finished.

 

Have one more this am, then will come back and do more on the review. You did see that MSC is kids sail free all the time, right?! :D

[djmess]

Have one more this am, then will come back and do more on the review. You did see that MSC is kids sail free all the time, right?! :D

 

I saw that. I have 3 things booked for 2015, so I can't book anything until 2016 and of course nothing more this year until I have the "all clear" from doctor.

 

I will book this ship sometime!

[Johnny Bananas]

Really enjoying this review.

Along w/ JW and Jerome's review I think I have to give MSC some serious consideration now.

Thanks!

[Mrs. Squirrel]

I am back. Hope to get our first port day completed, today.

 

Our next stop was to Peppers Jerk Chicken. It looked to be a cross between a restaurant and a bar. There were several locals there enjoying lunch break playing on their outdoor pool table. Here we had an interesting lecture on the history of Jerk Chicken. We got to taste Jerk, plus a breadstick-like bread called Festival and a cooked cabbage side. All very good! We made sure to pick up a Jamaican Jerk spice rub at the local grocery later when we bought our Blue Mountain Coffee.

 

Walking to Peppers

 

The bar/restaurant area

 

A nice house right across the street

 

Jerk Chicken and Sides

 

Posing with a local craftsman who made the small bowl I purchased