Msc divina review with pics

[#55worktoplay]

Guru,

 

Tu parlez en francais cest tres bien!

 

You are a hoot.

 

Those Bakery items looked so good.

 

Happy Birthday to Mrs. Guru. Meaningless but thought I would tell you it was hubby's birthday too and his name is Scott.

 

Hope you are having a great trip. Pictures are great.

[rich60]

Oh my, my! Sarafina's is now a definite stop for me! Is there a taxi totally dedicated to an excursion there? I could spend a few hrs. In this shop !

 

You can take a taxi from Phlipsburg to Margot for about $9 pp or a bus on Backstreet for about $2 pp. Last visit I rented a motorcycle and spent most of my time on the French side. (Harleys only no metrics)

The Colonel.

[dinibo]

We are also planning the Bernard tour in about a month. I was curious how much time you felt you had at Sarafina's? I've heard the lines are pretty long, hardly time to buy something and then leave. Did you have time to do any other shopping in the area? Also, if you were just going to get one of the items at the bakery which would you say was your favorite? I'm not a huge bakery person but when in Rome right? ;)

[hockeyguru32]

Known as 'minerals' this side of the pond! Or even 'soft drinks'!

 

You're bringing back great memories of our time visiting St Maarten/St Martin, H! Our guide provided the most fantastic homemade rum punch (as well as beer, wine, water, "minerals") plus snacks. When we arrived back to the port, there was a band singing - due to the rum effect, moi decided to become a member of the band for one of the numbers.

 

To funny Beamafar our group was fairly subdued ok A LOT subdued. Myself and one other lady was the only ones partaking in the adult beverage section of the cooler provided to us.

Minerals eh? Very interesting makes me think of rocks. I could imagine going into a bar and ordering a minerals on the minerals

[hockeyguru32]

Oh my, my! Sarafina's is now a definite stop for me! Is there a taxi totally dedicated to an excursion there? I could spend a few hrs. In this shop !

 

Graminator I wish there was an exclusive taxi. Hey there is your million dollar idea. Get a van and wrap it up in the Sarafina's logo and take people directly there from the pier. I'll be your first customer providing you have "minerals" on board

[hockeyguru32]

Guru,

 

Tu parlez en francais cest tres bien!

 

You are a hoot.

 

Those Bakery items looked so good.

 

Happy Birthday to Mrs. Guru. Meaningless but thought I would tell you it was hubby's birthday too and his name is Scott.

 

Hope you are having a great trip. Pictures are great.

 

Easy there 55 .....je parles et escrit francais un petit peu merci beaucoup....... How do you say 3 cats drowned in French? Oh right trois cat sank.

My writing could never describe the taste of those wonderful pastries. I think Sarifina's should put me on the payroll or give me royalties in pastries.

I'll pass along the belated Bday wishes and thanks so much for commenting and following along I hope I haven't put you to sleep GO GENS GO from this Scott and Happy Birthday to your Scott lol

Edited May 19, 2017 by hockeyguru32

[hockeyguru32]

We are also planning the Bernard tour in about a month. I was curious how much time you felt you had at Sarafina's? I've heard the lines are pretty long, hardly time to buy something and then leave. Did you have time to do any other shopping in the area? Also, if you were just going to get one of the items at the bakery which would you say was your favorite? I'm not a huge bakery person but when in Rome right? ;)

 

Bonjour dinibo. We took Tour #1 and were give a little over a hour. To me not quite long enough I liked the French side maybe cause I was pumped up for this place. As I said I was on a mission to go here and I didn't care if I saw anything else this trip, I knew I would be back again next April. We must have hit the jackpot at Sarafina's we had maybe 3 or people in front of us and we were sitting down and eating in 5 minutes time if that. The line moves quickly and I thought I was no deciding quick enough for the lady behind the counter.

As for what we did after, I can't ruin my review on what we did after Sarafina's geeesh slow your eclaire lol, but that is up next. I would say ALL of what we bought was my favourite. I do not like whipped cream but Lord Tunderin Jaysus as my Newfoundlander friends say that was the best miracle whipped cream I have ever tasted and I am being sarcastic the cream was delicious. I was devouring that like a fat kid on a smartie.

Time for Canadian Education Class pay attention here .......... a smartie is a dollop of chocolate with a hard candy shell on the outside similar to your W and W's opps I had it upside down it's M&M's... ok recess time and I don't mean pieces either and we have those too. We call the American things what they thing is smarties Rockets

[sandpiper35]

Minerals EY!. Funny. Guru, our driver had something to cure the quietness of our group. "Torpedo Juice" I think he called it. LOL.

 

Cheers.

[sandpiper35]

We leave tomorrow Guru, we're going the other way, to the west. Cayman, Jamaica, etc.

 

Will let you know how it goes.

 

Cheers.

[jimbri]

Great review and photos!

[Beamafar]

How do you say 3 cats drowned in French? Oh right trois cat sank.

/quote]

 

Why are 2 eggs for breakfast too many? 'Cos 1 is an oeuf.

[hockeyguru32]

We leave tomorrow Guru, we're going the other way, to the west. Cayman, Jamaica, etc.

 

Will let you know how it goes.

 

Cheers.

 

All the best to you sandpiper I hope you have a wonderful cruise. We are doing the west in October. Hopefully the weather clears up for me and I can get the GF out and ride her for the first time this year.

[hockeyguru32]

Great review and photos!

Welcome jimbri and thank you for the comments much appreciated

[hockeyguru32]

How do you say 3 cats drowned in French? Oh right trois cat sank.

/quote]

 

Why are 2 eggs for breakfast too many? 'Cos 1 is an oeuf.

 

Is that an 8 track tape or a ques que sais

[lovelearnteach]

Thank-you for taking the time to share your vacation. Sailing on the Divina in Oct of this year. Love, love, love Sarafina's, I'm heading directly there when I get off the ship :D.

[Match Game 72]

Thanks for the very amusing review, hockeyguru32! We sailed this cruise in Feb 2017, and it's good fun following along on your tour.

[hockeyguru32]

Thank-you for taking the time to share your vacation. Sailing on the Divina in Oct of this year. Love, love, love Sarafina's, I'm heading directly there when I get off the ship :D.

 

You're more than welcome lovelearnteach AKA Ken I hope you enjoy her as much as I did she is beautiful inside and out. Crew is friendly and helpful and the Captain is very personable. Day one he stopped and talked to us and asked if this was our first cruise with MSC and we replied yes. He thanked us for choosing MSC and wished us a good time.

I think Sarafina's should be should be the Jail square on a Monopoly board or the chance or community chest cards. Go to Sarafina's, Go Directly do Sarafina's

[hockeyguru32]

Thanks for the very amusing review, hockeyguru32! We sailed this cruise in Feb 2017, and it's good fun following along on your tour.

Thank you lanouette glad your following

[wetwash]

Thoroughly enjoying your review… Thanks for the tips and the laughs! Cruising on 7/22 with my husband and 4 (yikes) teenage girls - should be fun!!

[hockeyguru32]

Thoroughly enjoying your review… Thanks for the tips and the laughs! Cruising on 7/22 with my husband and 4 (yikes) teenage girls - should be fun!!

 

Much appreciated wetwash your poor hubby I hope you're not all in one room or he will have to use the washroom in the lobby and bath in the pool

[hockeyguru32]

After Sarafina's we walked around the tented souvenir area where the ladies sell their wares. DW bought a little butterfly fridge magnet just what we needed. It was time to get into the van for the finale of our tour and a wonderful tour it was. As I mentioned before the French side had just finished their election and Sexy had told us that they are building a new international airport and buying house up for 7 million euro each and building new homes farther down the road all the business will have to be relocated too, they need a 2 mile strip for this airport. This is where they are starting the airport just past the water

More pictures I took along the way

 

 

 

End of the road and back to the Dutch side

 

 

I asked Sexy if I could visit some long lost relatives that lived here and he said no problem and I gave him directions in the general area Here is my 3rd cousin 3 million years removed. I think he was happy to see me

 

 

You either love or hate family reunions. As Jeff Foxworthy says "If you go to a family reunion to meet women you might be a red neck"

 

I think my cousins are waiters or strippers not sure they're always looking for tips. My tip was and always is.... don't drink and drive....At this point we are on the Dutch side and there is no welcome sign to the Dutch side.

[hockeyguru32]

It was around 2:00pm when we got back to the cruise port. I thanked Sexy for the great tour and promised him I would write a review on Trip Advisor which I did. I gave him a generous tip. I would definitely use Bernard's Tours again. As I mentione you need to provide your ID and sign and sail card to get back into the cruise port. A trip to the facilities once through security as that Heiny did a number on my bladder. We walked around the cruise port trying to find some Larimar for DW for a birthday gift but she didn't find anything she liked.

 

The famous St. Maarten sign....TIP do this on the way back to port it is a lot less congested

 

Bday girl ... look at that sad no jewelry face:loudcry:

 

 

The relaxed happy face OMG I didn't have to spend money on jewelry look :D. Time to get out our ID and sign and sail cards to get through security to the pier where our chariot awaits.

 

Back on the ship and up to our cabin Bday Girl had this on our door

 

Annalisa had decorated the cabin door and inside the cabin to honour DW's special day, what a nice touch by our cabin steward she was a real sweetheart I can't say enough about her. She also wrote a personal note to her in English and Filipino. Not only was their decorations DW also received a birthday card signed by the Captain no rubber stamp, a MSC visor and that smelly glass container thingy with the 3 sticks hanging out the top. I know it isn't jewelry she was looking for and I was hoping she found something she liked because I never know what to get her for special occasions, she has ME what more can she ask for?

And don't you dare say a divorce that could cost me a fortune lol.

 

 

 

After a great day in St. Maarten it was time for a nap. Next up Netflix and chill oh wait we're on a cruise ship it will be supper and a show.

[sandpiper35]

Guru, did you try the Guavaberry???

 

Cheers.

[hockeyguru32]

Guru, did you try the Guavaberry???

 

Cheers.

No next April I will shouldn't you be going to the ship lol[emoji1]

 

sent from above

[ssmea03]

After the delicious vittles, we waited on dessert which came at 7:38pm

DW had Wild Berry Parfait and yes that is the only wild berry she received.

 

I had the Key Lime pie, heavy on the lime and no keys. It was delish

 

 

Prior to the cruise I ordered online through MSC drink package vouchers. These vouchers can be picked up in the Casino Bar until 6:00pm or you can ask your waiter at supper time to get them as they are available there. So I asked Neil if he would be able to get my vouchers and he did.

This is an 18 voucher package and you can use them at any bar or restaurant, you can use them for any drinks valued at $8.00 or less it also includes milkshakes, non alcoholic drinks, virgin drinks as well as ice cream. I was told they do not expire so if you don't use them all and cruise again on MSC they can be used

 

The vouchers work very well, did you also get the 12 free vouchers?

We also get coffee cuddle vouchers as the drinks vouchers aren't good value for soft drinks or hot drinks. We're also going to go with a wine with dinner package on our next trip in November.