6 months later I'm still haunted by it!

[flahagan]

We sailed on the Divina March 22nd, and after 14 cruises it is the only one that I still dream about. We've been on HAL, Princess, RCL, Carnival and Celebrity and I have to say I've never been so "taken" by a cruise as I have by Divina.

 

I absolutely loved the stunning look of the ship, the incredible entertainment, the gorgeous balcony cabin, the fabulous cocktails, but most of all the international feel of the ship.

 

We've been to Europe numerous times in the past 15 years on independent land trips and loved every single one of them, but with increasing airfares from the US, we didn't think we'd ever be able to have that experience again. Well, we did with our Divina cruise. I still go on youtube to watch the Divina shows, the very best we've ever seen!

 

Please, MSC, don't water down your ships for the US market, stay the course and we "ugly Americans" will come to appreciate a more classical experience at sea. Not all of us want hairy chest contests and karaoke as entertainment.

 

Stay the course, PLEASE! You are now my very favorite cruiseline. I just wish we could sail with you more often, but I'm hoping to make that a reality in the future!

 

Just call me a new loyal fan. I'm so tired of the naysayers!

[Aza1972]

It is nice to read such posts at this to reassure any doubts I have regarding my upcoming back to back cruise in December. The amount of negative reviews is amazing although after much reading I think I can some up the two types of reviewers.

 

Firstly there seems to be the haters. The ones that want your typcal American cruise experience. Fast food service, drunken karaoke, and expect to be waited on hand and foot. Pity the poor people that cannot get someone to fetch them a drink when there is only 20 odd bars on the ship. Walk you lazy bums. The haters tend to be high maintenance and very precious. " I paid good money for this cruise and I expect service" blah blah blah.

 

Then we have the lovers. Those who like to stop and smell the roses in life. Those who are laid back and care free and don't think that they need to be waited on like royalty to have a good time.

 

I am really over the whinging whiny Americans. They make the Poms look relaxed (no offence to my Pommy mates). Quit your complaining and maybe the rest of the world may start to hold the Yanks in a much higher regard (and by the way I am half American).

 

Thanks for your post

[the_princess]

What a lovely post... It really made me smile. I've just been on the Poesia and loved it so much. Everything about it was so classy! If some people prefer something else, that's fine by me. I would never set foot on a "party" ship cause that is not my kind of vacation but if that's what people want luckily they can get that with other companies. I would sail with MSC again without a doubt.

[Skipper Tim]

Please, MSC, don't water down your ships for the US market, stay the course and we "ugly Americans" will come to appreciate a more classical experience at sea. Not all of us want hairy chest contests and karaoke as entertainment.

 

Stay the course, PLEASE! You are now my very favorite cruiseline. I just wish we could sail with you more often, but I'm hoping to make that a reality in the future!

 

Just call me a new loyal fan. I'm so tired of the naysayers!

 

The Divina has been adapted for the North American market and MSC is likely to make further incursions into the largest cruise market with the new builds but for the classic Italian cruse experience there is always the rest of the fleet.

[Aussiegrlfl]

It is nice to read such posts at this to reassure any doubts I have regarding my upcoming back to back cruise in December. The amount of negative reviews is amazing although after much reading I think I can some up the two types of reviewers.

 

Firstly there seems to be the haters. The ones that want your typcal American cruise experience. Fast food service, drunken karaoke, and expect to be waited on hand and foot. Pity the poor people that cannot get someone to fetch them a drink when there is only 20 odd bars on the ship. Walk you lazy bums. The haters tend to be high maintenance and very precious. " I paid good money for this cruise and I expect service" blah blah blah.

 

Then we have the lovers. Those who like to stop and smell the roses in life. Those who are laid back and care free and don't think that they need to be waited on like royalty to have a good time.

 

I am really over the whinging whiny Americans. They make the Poms look relaxed (no offence to my Pommy mates). Quit your complaining and maybe the rest of the world may start to hold the Yanks in a much higher regard (and by the way I am half American).

 

Thanks for your post

 

 

My hubby said to tell you to not mention the bit about being half American....:D..........being Australian makes you carefree and laid back...it's in the blood...I was born a pommee...........:) but am Australian by injection and living there my whole life........until I came here....the US that is.......

[Aza1972]

My hubby said to tell you to not mention the bit about being half American....:D..........being Australian makes you carefree and laid back...it's in the blood...I was born a pommee...........:) but am Australian by injection and living there my whole life........until I came here....the US that is.......

 

 

Ha ha well my American heritage are the non whiney ones. Which there are plenty.....just not on the Divina it would seem.

 

I can just imagine the Divina Down Under and what the reviews would be like. They would be vastly different and far more positively focused.

 

Some people just need to lose their sense of entitlement and make the most of life. Perhaps some folks could really learn to adopt the "no worries" and "she'll be right" approach that us Aussies do so well.

[MsTabbyKats]

What is this? An anti-American thread?

 

What is a Pom?

[Aza1972]

What is this? An anti-American thread?

 

What is a Pom?

 

 

 

No, not an anti American thread at all. It is more an anti whiny American who thinks they are above all else page.

 

Plenty of Americans are great.

 

A POM is an English person. Also known affectionately by us Aussies as whinging Poms

[ZoeyVictoria]

Count me in as an American who loved the Divina in May and is counting down the days until my next time (41 at present). There is something very special about that ship. I love the Allure and Oasis for their uniqueness and shows, Vision of the Seas for the "classic" cruise ship experience, and the Divina for all of the reasons you mentioned.

[cruisetrail]

It's fun to read in the same thread:

 

"MSC, don't water down your ships for the US market, stay the course and we "ugly Americans" will come to appreciate a more classical experience at sea"

 

and the opposite:

 

"The Divina has been adapted for the North American market "

 

 

On our cruise on the Divina, however, we did not see neither "classical experience at sea" nor anything "Americanized" since Divina's Med cruises.

Edited September 7, 2014 by cruisetrail

[MsTabbyKats]

Sometimes I just feel like shouting:

 

It's a cruise...for a week. It's not a lifetime commitment. Who cares if dinner takes too long, or if the fish is dry, or the staff doesn't speak English? Who cares if they take photographs...or they don't? Or, if the entertainment isn't what you're expecting. It's just a cruise....and you have the time and money to take it.

 

BE THANKFUL for what you have.

 

When I went on my first cruise....about 35 years ago...the cheapest inside cabin would be about $2500/person when converted to 2014 dollars. MSC prices are so low it's a joke.

 

So stop whinging and whining...and enjoy yourself.

[camofwilliamsburg]

It is exactly how we felt. You can pull up any of my reviews and read them. We found something so special on Poesia when cruising in the Caribbean. We hoped that Divina would be the same experience. We found it was close enough but since they did americanize a lot we lost a lot of contact with the entertainment team. They did their usual stuff around the pool area but also hired others to do 'americanized ' games such as trivia the 'americanized way'. They use to act out answers and do sounds of animals and songs since it was so multilingual. For the answers they would come out in all types of costumes and funny antics acting out the answers. It was quite hilarious. Times are a changing and MSC has adapted to the wants of the passengers. The contact with the staff is a bit different since Divina is so much bigger with more areas and lounges to be in. It is still a great experience.

[American Bear]

Some people thrive on negativity, relish it, live for it,and then there'e the rest of us!:)

We know who they are!:eek:

[AmoMondo]

Sometimes I just feel like shouting:

 

It's a cruise...for a week. It's not a lifetime commitment. Who cares if dinner takes too long, or if the fish is dry, or the staff doesn't speak English? Who cares if they take photographs...or they don't? Or, if the entertainment isn't what you're expecting. It's just a cruise....and you have the time and money to take it.

 

BE THANKFUL for what you have.

 

When I went on my first cruise....about 35 years ago...the cheapest inside cabin would be about $2500/person when converted to 2014 dollars. MSC prices are so low it's a joke.

 

So stop whinging and whining...and enjoy yourself.

 

Like!

[papcx]

Sometimes I just feel like shouting:

 

 

 

It's a cruise...for a week. It's not a lifetime commitment. Who cares if dinner takes too long, or if the fish is dry, or the staff doesn't speak English? Who cares if they take photographs...or they don't? Or, if the entertainment isn't what you're expecting. It's just a cruise....and you have the time and money to take it.

 

 

 

BE THANKFUL for what you have.

 

 

 

When I went on my first cruise....about 35 years ago...the cheapest inside cabin would be about $2500/person when converted to 2014 dollars. MSC prices are so low it's a joke.

 

 

 

So stop whinging and whining...and enjoy yourself.

 

 

I also like!

[cruisetrail]

Sometimes I just feel like shouting:

 

It's a cruise...for a week. It's not a lifetime commitment. Who cares if dinner takes too long, or if the fish is dry, or the staff doesn't speak English? Who cares if they take photographs...or they don't? Or, if the entertainment isn't what you're expecting. It's just a cruise....and you have the time and money to take it.

 

BE THANKFUL for what you have.

 

When I went on my first cruise....about 35 years ago...the cheapest inside cabin would be about $2500/person when converted to 2014 dollars. MSC prices are so low it's a joke.

 

So stop whinging and whining...and enjoy yourself.

 

I too remember how much I paid for my first computer, my first calculator, first video camera.

I cannot imagine how much "Skype" of the past years would cost my parents ("skype" of those days was used by NASA to communicate with austronauts)...:)

 

Anyway, I would have put my signature under your post if cruises were sent to us from God.

 

Unfortunately a cruise is a product in the market for which I pay my hard earned money.

 

That makes difference. :)

[Beamafar]

Unfortunately a cruise is a product in the market for which I pay my hard earned money.

 

You use the word "unfortunately" at the beginning of that sentence as though you don't have a choice. Perhaps you should reconsider what you're spending your "hard earned money" on.

[cruisetrail]

I would have put "fortunately" if cruises were free. :)

[alexkrn46]

I too remember how much I paid for my first computer, my first calculator, first video camera.

I cannot imagine how much "Skype" of the past years would cost my parents ("skype" of those days was used by NASA to communicate with austronauts)...:)

 

Anyway, I would have put my signature under your post if cruises were sent to us from God.

 

Unfortunately a cruise is a product in the market for which I pay my hard earned money.

 

That makes difference. :)

 

I thought as a travel professional you get discounted rates?

 

We too pay with our hard earned money and I have found the MSC ( YC) one of the best bargains at sea.

 

For the price of a balcony on the YC I get:

 

All the free drinks I wish ( I do not care about premium drinks)

Access to the Spa ( Thermal Beds on some the ships) for free.

A great dining experience.

A bathroom with a bath tub and a walk in closet.

Fresh fruit every day.

A complete newspaper daily.

Never worry about finding a shaded area on the deck.

A very comfortable bed with premium linens, bed with complete linen changes.

Access to 24 hour concierge.

Having a bag back for shore excursions.

A quiet room, never heard the person(s) next door.

 

If you can find a product with all these services I am not committed to one cruise line.

[Beamafar]

I would have put "fortunately" if cruises were free. :)

 

:confused:

 

There's no question that this thread has been incredibly informative. However, you've descended now to the level you intended from the outset which is very unfortunate.

[WhiteWineInTheSun]

I agree with you. The Divina was our first experience cruising, and we really enjoyed it. So much so that when the opportunity to join another charter from the same company that held the April cruise, we jumped on it. Especially since the next Cruise the the Edge won't be until November 2015.

 

Different strokes for different folks. Sure, there were things I didn't like, but no one is going to be 100% satisfied.

[Beamafar]

:confused:

 

There's no question that this thread has been incredibly informative. However, you've descended now to the level you intended from the outset which is very unfortunate.

 

This post was meant to be in Cruisetrail's Divina thread - sorry :o:o

[American Bear]

This post was meant to be in Cruisetrail's Divina thread - sorry :o:o

 

You are right Beam, as I said earlier, some are haters, all negative, and then there's the rest of us, and we know who!:D

Edited September 7, 2014 by American Bear

[American Bear]

I too remember how much I paid for my first computer, my first calculator, first video camera.

I cannot imagine how much "Skype" of the past years would cost my parents ("skype" of those days was used by NASA to communicate with austronauts)...:)

 

Anyway, I would have put my signature under your post if cruises were sent to us from God.

 

Unfortunately a cruise is a product in the market for which I pay my hard earned money.

 

That makes difference. :)

 

Sounds like you're starting to come around after all those months in a negativity fog!:eek:

The Divina is the best cruise bargain, best 'bang for your buck, in the Caribbean for your hard earned money!:eek:

The Beauthiful Divina offers Balconies on sale for the price other cruise lines offer inside cabins on old ships for!:D

And I say this as a RCL casino club member where we're routinely offered free cruises, and cruises at large discounts! The Divina ROCKS!:D

[Beamafar]

You are right Beam, as I said earlier, some are haters, all negative, and then there's the rest of us, and we know who!:D

 

There is another type AB who, because they cannot get the deals and promotions they availed of when MSC entered the cruise market originally and was building its market and profile (as the company is now doing with Divina in the US with great offers) are now constantly on with negative views. If you read back through their original posts and threads they were singing a different tune.