New to MSC and have some questions please

[jmss1950]

We have just booked MSC Divina sailing August 27th, 2016, balcony B1 Bella experience. Despite frequent cruising with several other lines we have not tried MSC before or sailed out of Miami and I hope CC cruise members can offer some information and advice. I have already found the answers to some of my questions, but I keep thinking of more that I need to know so any help will be much appreciated.

1. How or when do I get luggage tags? [i'm used to printing them after doing online check in but cannot seem to find them here].

2. Have requested early dining and want to make sure that we will be able to see all the shows with no problem and also prefer a smaller table, 2,4 or 6. When do we find out about dining times and can we request a smaller table?

3. We are on deck 8, balcony stateroom 8127. Our TA said this was not an obstructed view. Is this correct?

4. I finally joined the Voyager Club online [having spent 45 minutes on the phone trying unsuccessfully to talk to someone and ask questions before giving up!] . We are Platinum with both Carnival and Princess and I used Carnival info to apply online. Any idea how their match status works?

5. I have read some reviews about debarkation being confusing. We prefer not to do self assist. Are you assigned colors, times or waiting locations for debarkation?

6. Do MSC offer future cruise credits or booking while on board?

That's all I can think of at the moment, and thank you for any information and help.

Happy cruising.

Jen

[BermudaBound2014]

We have just booked MSC Divina sailing August 27th, 2016, balcony B1 Bella experience. Despite frequent cruising with several other lines we have not tried MSC before or sailed out of Miami and I hope CC cruise members can offer some information and advice. I have already found the answers to some of my questions, but I keep thinking of more that I need to know so any help will be much appreciated.

1. How or when do I get luggage tags? [i'm used to printing them after doing online check in but cannot seem to find them here]. Sounds like you booked directly with MSC? If you do not receive your documents by two weeks, you should contact them. Both times I've sailed my agent had to contact MSC, they forwarded the documents to my agent, who forwarded them to me, where I printed

2. Have requested early dining and want to make sure that we will be able to see all the shows with no problem and also prefer a smaller table, 2,4 or 6. When do we find out about dining times and can we request a smaller table? My dining time was on my confirmation. I waited in line at embarkation requesting a table for 2 and was denied. A table for 6 is going to be more readily available. The shows are at 7:00 and 9:00. With early seating dinner (5:45) you will not be finished by 7:00 and will most likely attend the 9:00 showing. The shows are terrific.

3. We are on deck 8, balcony stateroom 8127. Our TA said this was not an obstructed view. Is this correct?

4. I finally joined the Voyager Club online [having spent 45 minutes on the phone trying unsuccessfully to talk to someone and ask questions before giving up!] . We are Platinum with both Carnival and Princess and I used Carnival info to apply online. Any idea how their match status works?

5. I have read some reviews about debarkation being confusing. We prefer not to do self assist. Are you assigned colors, times or waiting locations for debarkation? I have the debarkation schedule posted in one of my reviews on here. I believe it was my review from April. I'll see if I can repost for you here. I think the recent debarkation confusion can be pin-pointed to a medical emergency on the June 18th sailing. We were late into port and things were quite confusing. My debarkation in April was extremely smooth. I would not expect debarkation to be a challenge.

6. Do MSC offer future cruise credits or booking while on board? They do. Currently it is $200 pp for YC, $100 pp for auera, $50 pp for Fantasia, and $25 pp for bella. You must know your exact ship and sailing date. The pricing they quoted me onboard was significantly higher than the pricing I can get back home, so my advice is to do your shopping ahead of time so you know the pricing to expect.

That's all I can think of at the moment, and thank you for any information and help.

Happy cruising.

Jen

 

I answered what I could in Red above. Enjoy the Divina!!

[BermudaBound2014]

Here is the Debarkation schedule. You must vacate your room by 7:00 am. If you are a black card holder you can stay in until 8:00 a.m. Full breakfast is provided in both the MDR and buffet beginning at 6:00 a.m.

 

[Essiesmom]

Your cabin, 8127, might not be considered obstructed, but you will have a splendid view of a lifeboat, probably #12. Also down to the promenade deck below. The top of the lifeboat is probably level with the floor of the balcony, but it always looks higher in pictures. We were in 8114 and had no problem with out view of boat #9. We spent more time on our balcony than we usually do, with three sea days. 8127 is one of the Bella cabins with a tub/shower. Because of this, the configuration of the cabin is different from the standard balcony cabin. The length of the tub means the bathroom is wider, and there is no space in the entry for the closets. they are moved into the cabin by the bed, (like on the S class ships of Celebrity). This takes space from the cabin interior, meaning you get a chair instead of a couch. These pictures are of 8114:

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the tub reflected in the mirror.

 

I don't have any pictures of the view uploaded to photobucket yet, must do that. EM

[Essiesmom]

View leaning out from the balcony:

 

 

 

So it's not as if the lifeboats are right up against the balcony. EM

[jmss1950]

Thank you all for your help and information. Much appreciated.

Happy cruising.

[Beamafar]

Enjoy your cruise. Come back and let us know how it went and if it compared favourably or otherwise with previous experiences.

[mscdivina2016]

We have just booked MSC Divina sailing August 27th, 2016, balcony B1 Bella experience. Despite frequent cruising with several other lines we have not tried MSC before or sailed out of Miami and I hope CC cruise members can offer some information and advice. I have already found the answers to some of my questions, but I keep thinking of more that I need to know so any help will be much appreciated.

1. How or when do I get luggage tags? [i'm used to printing them after doing online check in but cannot seem to find them here].

2. Have requested early dining and want to make sure that we will be able to see all the shows with no problem and also prefer a smaller table, 2,4 or 6. When do we find out about dining times and can we request a smaller table?

3. We are on deck 8, balcony stateroom 8127. Our TA said this was not an obstructed view. Is this correct?

4. I finally joined the Voyager Club online [having spent 45 minutes on the phone trying unsuccessfully to talk to someone and ask questions before giving up!] . We are Platinum with both Carnival and Princess and I used Carnival info to apply online. Any idea how their match status works?

5. I have read some reviews about debarkation being confusing. We prefer not to do self assist. Are you assigned colors, times or waiting locations for debarkation?

6. Do MSC offer future cruise credits or booking while on board?

That's all I can think of at the moment, and thank you for any information and help.

Happy cruising.

Jen

 

CCL platinum is MSC gold.

NCL Platinum is MSC Black

 

Keep in mind the match is good for 36 months them it expires. Unless you take another within 36 then the clock starts again

[riclop]

We have just booked MSC Divina sailing August 27th, 2016, balcony B1 Bella experience. Despite frequent cruising with several other lines we have not tried MSC before or sailed out of Miami and I hope CC cruise members can offer some information and advice. I have already found the answers to some of my questions, but I keep thinking of more that I need to know so any help will be much appreciated.

1. How or when do I get luggage tags? [i'm used to printing them after doing online check in but cannot seem to find them here].

2. Have requested early dining and want to make sure that we will be able to see all the shows with no problem and also prefer a smaller table, 2,4 or 6. When do we find out about dining times and can we request a smaller table?

3. We are on deck 8, balcony stateroom 8127. Our TA said this was not an obstructed view. Is this correct?

4. I finally joined the Voyager Club online [having spent 45 minutes on the phone trying unsuccessfully to talk to someone and ask questions before giving up!] . We are Platinum with both Carnival and Princess and I used Carnival info to apply online. Any idea how their match status works?

5. I have read some reviews about debarkation being confusing. We prefer not to do self assist. Are you assigned colors, times or waiting locations for debarkation?

6. Do MSC offer future cruise credits or booking while on board?

That's all I can think of at the moment, and thank you for any information and help.

Happy cruising.

Jen

 

With the Bella experience you are not assured that you will get the dining time you requested.

[Beamafar]

With the Bella experience you are not assured that you will get the dining time you requested.

 

To add to this, you may not even be assigned a table in the MDR if the ship is at capacity. In that instance, a section of the buffet would be set aside for table service dining.

[cruisinfanatic]

Here is the Debarkation schedule. You must vacate your room by 7:00 am. If you are a black card holder you can stay in until 8:00 a.m. Full breakfast is provided in both the MDR and buffet beginning at 6:00 a.m.

 

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Are those times usually accurate for debarkation on Divinia?

[BermudaBound2014]

Are those times usually accurate for debarkation on Divinia?

 

My first trip, yes. Very accurate. In fact, according to our roll call they ran a bit quicker near the end. I think last call was closer to 10 a.m. than 10:45.

 

My second trip, not accurate at all, but as mentioned there was a medical emergency that got us into port late, so that is not the norm (but know that it can happen. In my 25 or so cruises, I've been late to port twice and had customs officer 'strike' once that prevented normal debarkation.

 

Bottom line: MOST of the time, the times posted will be fairly accurate. Always good to plan for unexpected. :).

[jmss1950]

Just heard from MSC that we have been given Gold status after doing status match from our previous cruises and other cruise lines and our TA let us know that we have now been moved to deck 9, stateroom 9219. Hopefully this is good! Our TA has also given us some OBC as well so we are happy cruisers.

Looking forward to experiencing MSC.

Happy cruising.:)