MSC Divina from Orlando in the fall?

[NCTribeFan]

Well, my TA doesn't want to work with MSC.  Their customer service is awful (according to many, her included).  I booked my last two online, had two browser windows open and was able to book my B2B in the same cabin.  Had to do it that way because that cabin wasn't available when trying to book it as one sailing.  That's been discussed here before.

 

Re kids - I typically don't cruise when school is out.  I did think there were a more kids in the MDR at late seating, which I haven't found often on other lines (even Carnival, with whom I've sailed >30 times).  I believe that's because of the larger number of non-US families who probably dine later at home.

 

I keep everything on a spreadsheet when I'm searching for cruises.  The December Armonia I'm thinking of booking is, sadly, only a few dollars less for an inside Bella cabin with perks than I'd booked for a balcony (the cruise I should be on right now) with no perks.  The with-perks price is only about $23/night more than without, so since I drink, it makes sense to book the with-perks fare.

 

It all depends on what people want/need.  As a solo cruiser, I need to keep my costs down.  I'd rather sail 4 times a year in an inside than once or twice in a balcony that I'll rarely use.  That means more funds for excursions and casino.

[Elkins45]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

OP, check out the roll calls for those dates, too.  One of them has several solo cruisers, plus you might get some further ideas from people who are booked.

 

Sorry to be an ignorant goober but I don’t know what you mean by “check the roll calls.”

[phissy]

When you are on Cruise Critic, look at top of this forum, below Cruise Critic Community and blue bar.

You will see a heading for FIND your Roll Call.  Click on that, choose MSC and the ship you are sailing on. Under the ship will be the dates listed of sailings that someone has started a Roll Call. Click on the date of your sailing and add your name to conversation.  It is a place for those who want to share information etc about the cruise they are booked on.  Usually, can find contacts for hotels, airfare etc discussed also. 

[kidless]

Which did you end up booking? We are on Divina Oct 17 be our first yacht club. We love Divina have her booked in August also, hopefully she sails! 

[dexddd]

Note that the MSC roll calls tend to be pretty quiet compared to the other large lines.

[Elkins45]

10 hours ago, kidless said:

Which did you end up booking? We are on Divina Oct 17 be our first yacht club. We love Divina have her booked in August also, hopefully she sails! 

Still trying to decide.

[paceyswife]

53 minutes ago, Elkins45 said:

Still trying to decide.

If you decide to book, also register for the meet and greet. MSC is one of the best we’ve attended. They take it very seriously and listen to what you have to say. They appreciate the feedback. 

[Luke104]

As a solo cruiser the prices that were offered on MSC was a "no brainer". I booked a couple of cruises for Sept & Oct on the Divina. I did make the bookings a few months ago, and thought I did very well on cabin selection and OBC also. Since those bookings I have notice that prices are going up, as well as little or no OBC. But I'm looking forward to experiencing what MSC has to offer.

[phissy]

3 hours ago, paceyswife said:

If you decide to book, also register for the meet and greet. MSC is one of the best we’ve attended. They take it very seriously and listen to what you have to say. They appreciate the feedback. 

The Meet and Mingle registration for MSC has been put on PAUSE. The advise us to continue to communicate on our Roll Calls. It should change when cruising opens up again in US.

[mimi7ccr]

We have been booked on the 9/19/21 Divina out of Port Canavaral for several months.  That's my birthday week.  We have fingers and toes crossed that it will go.  I agree as to their meet & mingles.

We attended one on the Seaside 2 years ago and it was the best ever.  Could speak directly with the captain and he was so personable!!  

[kidless]

16 hours ago, dexddd said:

Note that the MSC roll calls tend to be pretty quiet compared to the other large lines.

Facebook groups seem to be more popular now a days. Can usually find a group page for cruise. 

[rkacruiser]

On 4/22/2021 at 7:28 PM, NCTribeFan said:

Well, my TA doesn't want to work with MSC.

 

That's surprising to me.  MyTA had no issues with booking my 2020 Meraviglia cruise.  I needed a bit of special accommodation with embarking and disembarking and she was able to get that a part of my booking without issue.  

[shipgeeks]

Same here.  Each time we've given him our request for an MSC cruise, he's back in just a few minutes with a tentative confirmation for us to review.  All the arrangements have been more than satisfactory, and done accurately on both ends.

[emory2001]

I’m an American in Orlando and I’m also considering a first cruise on MSC. I’ve cruised Princess, Carnival, and mostly Royal Caribbean. MSC has been on my radar for a while, and for summer 2021 cruises, it seems American pandemic fatigue and hopefulness for summer cruising has jacked up the price of Royal Caribbean cruises out of Florida (3-day cruises $750 pp for an interior room - no way). 2 friends and I want to take a weekend cruise and MSC is priced much more typical for short cruises. Divina looks beautiful, I’m excited for it.

 

For what it’s worth, cruising “out of Orlando” means Port Canaveral, 1 hour away. Orlando is inland. 

[vintagegarage]

MSC just loyalty matched me yesterday, and I plan to book a three day on Divina, either for July 8 or July 22 later this afternoon or tomorrow.   Even though the 8th is before "mid-July", I guess if the 8th is canceled, then maybe a move to the 22 will be almost automatic.  In any event, single balconies are very inexpensive, and it's any easy drive for me to the Cape, so I won't have much money at risk.  I'm not expecting either the 8th or 22nd to actually sail, but does anyone have any educated guesses?  What are the odds of the 8th sailing and what are the odds of the 22nd sailing?  I'm saying 10% on the 8th and then 30% on the 22nd.

[shipgeeks]

Emory, I'm envious of you, living in Orlando, and able to drive/shuttle to a cruise!  I don't think an MSC cruise will disappoint.

Do you have a loyalty status with any of your usual cruise lines?  If so, it's worth applying for status match with MSC, even though just for a weekend cruise.  It's also worth studying the different "experiences", before booking, to get the one that suits you.

Vintagegarage, no idea if July will be a Go.  We are booked for September, and feeling pretty confident about that.  July could be!

We really enjoyed our MSC cruises last year, and watching what they've been doing in the Med, we are confident that they will have good health protocols in place.

 

[ericfromri]

16 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Emory, I'm envious of you, living in Orlando, and able to drive/shuttle to a cruise!  I don't think an MSC cruise will disappoint.

Do you have a loyalty status with any of your usual cruise lines?  If so, it's worth applying for status match with MSC, even though just for a weekend cruise.  It's also worth studying the different "experiences", before booking, to get the one that suits you.

Vintagegarage, no idea if July will be a Go.  We are booked for September, and feeling pretty confident about that.  July could be!

We really enjoyed our MSC cruises last year, and watching what they've been doing in the Med, we are confident that they will have good health protocols in place.

 

thank jesus for status match.  pinnacle on royal and they gave me diamond for my first cruise.  there loyalty program is pretty good.  i am booked on 67 days b2b starting in november....cant wait

[emory2001]

27 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Emory, I'm envious of you, living in Orlando, and able to drive/shuttle to a cruise!  I don't think an MSC cruise will disappoint.

Do you have a loyalty status with any of your usual cruise lines?  If so, it's worth applying for status match with MSC, even though just for a weekend cruise.  It's also worth studying the different "experiences", before booking, to get the one that suits you.

Vintagegarage, no idea if July will be a Go.  We are booked for September, and feeling pretty confident about that.  July could be!

We really enjoyed our MSC cruises last year, and watching what they've been doing in the Med, we are confident that they will have good health protocols in place.

 

I am Platinum on Royal and I never thought about asking for status match on a competitor cruise line, but thank you for the tip! I will definitely look into it.

[vintagegarage]

If cruisemapper is correct, and it usually is, Divina is tied up in Civitavecchia right now.  I wonder when it will begin the trip to the Cape?

[KennyFla]

Port Canaveral started vaccinations for cruise ship crews Friday.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 4/21/2021 at 11:23 AM, Elkins45 said:

I know nothing about MSC. I have learned that certain MSC cruises have fairly economical rates for solo travelers so I’m thinking about doing a solo cruise while my wife is working in the fall. One of the cruises I’m considering is the Divina out of Orlando to the Bahamas and Caribbean. Good? Bad? Anything odd I should know?

We sailed one time with MSC a long time ago. We are currently booking on the Divina for a 7 day cruise for Sep 4, 2021. Getting the veterans 5% discount. The cruise itself is a good price. However, I cannot believe the price for a soda package. It is way out of line. The cost is crazy. A child's soda package is $17.00 + 15% a day. I could not believe that price. An adult package is, I think $29.00 a day. Plus the 15% gratuity they will add. At $2.50 for a can of soda plus the 15% $2.88 a can. You would need to consume just about 12 cans a day to break even. By the glass, a fountain soda is even less. So that is what we will purchase. Reading about the steak house, I am a little confused. Is it a la carte? You are charged separately for the steak, the potato etc. or am I totally incorrect. One price for the dinner. Can you tell me about the complimentary drinks offered for the buffet or dining. I read, water, tea and coffee. It that hot and ice tea? Any other, like a sweet drink? I read juice is available for breakfast.

[Elkins45]

9 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

We sailed one time with MSC a long time ago. We are currently booking on the Divina for a 7 day cruise for Sep 4, 2021. Getting the veterans 5% discount. The cruise itself is a good price. However, I cannot believe the price for a soda package. It is way out of line. The cost is crazy. A child's soda package is $17.00 + 15% a day. I could not believe that price. An adult package is, I think $29.00 a day. Plus the 15% gratuity they will add. At $2.50 for a can of soda plus the 15% $2.88 a can. You would need to consume just about 12 cans a day to break even. By the glass, a fountain soda is even less. So that is what we will purchase. Reading about the steak house, I am a little confused. Is it a la carte? You are charged separately for the steak, the potato etc. or am I totally incorrect. One price for the dinner. Can you tell me about the complimentary drinks offered for the buffet or dining. I read, water, tea and coffee. It that hot and ice tea? Any other, like a sweet drink? I read juice is available for breakfast.

I can't tell you anything. I've never been on an MSC ship.

 

I usually just drink water or tea even when I'm at home so drink prices on a cruise don't really matter to me because I never buy them.

Edited May 4, 2021 by Elkins45

[wallyj]

53 minutes ago, Elkins45 said:

I can't tell you anything. I've never been on an MSC ship.

 

I usually just drink water or tea even when I'm at home so drink prices on a cruise don't really matter to me because I never buy them.

Hope someone will verify but I watched a YouTube review regarding MSC dinner in main dining room and there are no ‘free’ drinks, not even tap/ship water.  Also the buffet at dinner seems to have less options than lunch as a long leisurely dinner in the dining room is the preferred option for most European passengers.

[shipgeeks]

Always Cruzin and wallyj, You asked about drinks.  We sailed on Seaside last year; I assume the beverage situation would be similar.  On US cruises, tap water is certainly available, by asking, in the dining room.  In the buffet there are a number of beverages available, depending on the time of day.  Coffee, tea, water any time.  A variety of fruit juices in the morning, iced tea and a few other drinks during the day.  We thought the beer, espresso, etc. were very reasonably priced.

[Elkins45]

It seems fairly strange to me that not even tap water would be available at dinner, but I saw a video from someone saying that was the case on a Costa cruise.