Poor Charter Cruise on MSC Divina after So Many Great Sailings. One off?

[Mrs. Squirrel]

I am an MSC Fan. The Divina is a very special ship to me. I have sailed her four times, including a cruise in which I laid my husband and father in law's ashes at sea.

 

 

During this cruise, both the Hotel Director and the Head of Guest Relations told us that MSC Divina and Seaside were changing to become more like other 'American' cruise lines. We expressed our wish that they wouldn't do so. We liked Divina just as she was. Her 'old-school' cruising differences made her special.

 

 

Fast forward six months to my forth Divina cruise last summer. It was a music charter cruise. Most onboard had never cruised before and booked simply due to the artists. I booked, because artists I liked happened to be on my favorite ship.

 

 

Quite frankly, that forth cruise was the worst I've ever done. The music was the only saving grace. Poor food, poor handling of my food allergy, poor service, unorganized in every way. :o

 

 

I already had my B2B sailing on Seaside scheduled. Anyone who's sailed Divina lately, how has it been? Please tell me my poor experience was due to the full music charter and not due to the 'American' changes MSC proposed for Divina and Seaside?! I would love some reassurance before I board Seaside in a couple weeks.

[andrew2346]

A friend of mine experienced something similar. She had been on Divina previously and then went with her boyfriend for a Monsters of Rock cruise or something like that. She said they "dumbed everything down." She said the MDR food was not as sophisticated as normal and the service was just plain terrible. That was not her previous experience and certainly not mine. I vote for one off!

[riclop]

What did you expect from a MONSTER OF ROCK cruise?

[andrew2346]

I didn't expect anything : ) I was simply commenting that she noticed a difference when it was a charter cruise.

[sverigecruiser]

What did you expect from a MONSTER OF ROCK cruise?

 

What do you mean with that comment?

 

Are you suggesting that people going on a MONSTER OF ROCK cruise are less sofisticated than other people?

[deliver42]

When there is a large charter, the charter group tells the cruise line what they want, and it's done. The same with a charter on all cruise lines.

[Mrs. Squirrel]

When there is a large charter, the charter group tells the cruise line what they want, and it's done. The same with a charter on all cruise lines.

 

I can believe that the charter company controls some aspects of the cruise, but I can't believe they would ask MSC to drop standards that low. Whatever happened, MSC missed a real opportunity to shine in front of a full ship, the majority of whom had never cruised with anyone before. :(

 

Our charter was the DC Talk 'Jesus Freak' reunion cruise.