Divina at Spring break Miami

[Ocean Cat]

Would I be sorry if I picked a cruise leaving March 13 2020? I’m thinking since MSC has a prevalence of European travelers,that there may not be an abundance of children on board at this time. 

Edited May 18, 2019 by Ocean Cat

[Jaco5NC]

44 minutes ago, Ocean Cat said:

Would I be sorry if I picked a cruise leaving March 13 2020? I’m thinking since MSC has a prevalence of European travelers,that there may not be an abundance of children on board at this time. 

 

We are not sailing on Divina, however, we are sailing on Meraviglia March 15th for Spring Break from Miami with our kids.  We live in Florida and that lines up with their vacation dates.  Just for your reference.

[QueenofEverything]

Any cruise out of Florida in March will be loaded with kids and college spring breakers.  (any cruise 7 days or less).  Since MSC is budget friendly I would expect to see a lot of college kids. (usually rowdy)   Don't know if there would be a difference since, as you said, there are many Europeans onboard.  If it is when you need to go because of work or school schedules, then go and have a great time.  If not, I would choose something before the end of February or at least a week after Easter.

[dexddd]

This question gets asked a lot and from prior trips on several lines they may have more kids but never have felt like a spring break over run with college kids.  We've only had one like that and it was early June.   YMMV.

 

We just got off mid-March Seaside trip and no different than our August Divinia.

Edited May 18, 2019 by dexddd

[Ocean Cat]

Thanks. It’s the cheaper than any other time, but then looking at airfare to Miami it goes up during that week and the next. It’s a wash. 

[dexddd]

Yeah, our airfare was pretty high and even higher next year.

 

lcookie has a review from recent spring break on Seaside that might give you some idea.  I only skimmed it so not sure if he talked about kids.

[Beamafar]

Divina has been chartered around that time of year for the last couple of years by Holistic Holidays at Sea.  I suggest you check out that it's not chartered for the dates you're considering.

[Ocean Cat]

They are sailing end of Feb. thanks for heads up. Would that be a bad thing sailing with this group?Or any group? I see they are vegetarian and I am most certainly not. I guess the menus could change. 

[Até]

19 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Divina has been chartered around that time of year for the last couple of years by Holistic Holidays at Sea.  I suggest you check out that it's not chartered for the dates you're considering.

That's on Divina Feb 21-28th

 

http://holisticholidayatsea.com/2020-vegan-cruise/

[Beamafar]

2 minutes ago, Ocean Cat said:

They are sailing end of Feb. thanks for heads up. Would that be a bad thing sailing with this group?Or any group? I see they are vegetarian and I am most certainly not. I guess the menus could change. 

 

Because of the size of the group and how much of the ship was taken over by them in both 2017 and 2018 (there was a thread on the subject on here), we cancelled this year's booking on Divina for March 3rd sailing (lost our deposit as a result, though MSC was willing to cruise-move us without charge - within limitations that didn't suit us).

[dexddd]

23 hours ago, Ocean Cat said:

They are sailing end of Feb. thanks for heads up. Would that be a bad thing sailing with this group?Or any group? I see they are vegetarian and I am most certainly not. I guess the menus could change. 

Charters can be a problem. They can restrict services and areas of ships.  NCL has had a group out of NYC in the spring.  Unless multiple people had written about it and over several years I would never have known about it  or believed the things that  happened.

 

I haven't read too much about charters on MSC though.

[Beamafar]

As an FYI ... here's a link to a thread about the Holistic Holidays at Sea charter on MSC's Divina from March (the one we cancelled):

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2650138-msc-cruise-to-panama-canal/?tab=comments#comment-57150959

 

 

[Ocean Cat]

I had a friend that booked a resort in Puerto Vallarta unbeknownst during a porn convention. She got quite the eye opening experience. 

[QueenofEverything]

2 hours ago, Ocean Cat said:

I had a friend that booked a resort in Puerto Vallarta unbeknownst during a porn convention. She got quite the eye opening experience. 

Oh my!!  😲

[lcookie]

On ‎5‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 9:41 AM, Ocean Cat said:

Would I be sorry if I picked a cruise leaving March 13 2020? I’m thinking since MSC has a prevalence of European travelers,that there may not be an abundance of children on board at this time. 

 

I have done Divina and Seaside during spring break.  Both trips have had a decent showing of kids onboard. Seaside moreso than the  Divina.

[Fogfog]

On 5/18/2019 at 1:29 PM, Até said:

That's on Divina Feb 21-28th

 

http://holisticholidayatsea.com/2020-vegan-cruise/

 

How do you find what sailings are chartered to avoid problems like this?

 

TYIA