Just returned with a small group from a 10 day cruise on the MSC Divina out of Miami, Florida. The ship has only been operating since last year, so we were excited to be on board such a "new" ship.
The ship is beautiful. There is glass and sparkle at every turn. I have posted photos of the ship on my website under the photo albums tab.
For starters, the ship is huge. There is enough space for over 3,500 guests and over 1,300 crew members on 18 decks.
When we were on board, there were 47 nationalities represented.
I must say, while it was the most beautiful ship I have sailed on thus far, I have to make a comment about the people sailing with me. There were some of the most rude and unkind people I have encountered. There were instances of people pushing others out of the way to get to food or something else they wanted. I know that all cultures are different but there were instances when I felt bad because I would speak and not be spoken to in return. Or someone would lean the other way in their seat when I sat beside them.
That being said, I know that cruise lines cannot dictate who boards their ships or how they carry themselves while sailing. But if rudeness were a crime, a good number of guest would have enjoyed their vacation from a jail cell.
But putting bad behavior aside, the cruise was enjoyable. I was instantly hooked on the pizza. I can say it was the best I have tasted to date. To me, the other foods were good as well.
The staff I had direct contact with were nice and friendly. Some staff would pass and not speak but I don't really blame them for that. There were guests that were doing the same thing. So, perhaps on international sailings, speaking to everyone you meet is not as important as on non-international ones.
I did have some clients that said they would not sail the line again because of the rudeness of some of the other guests. I hate that because I do believe you should not reduce a cruise experience to the actions of some of the guests.
Although the atmosphere was not as jovial as I wanted it to be, the cruise was a great one. I learned a lot about places I had not been to before. I also met some nice and friendly people who would strike up a conversation with "So where are you from?" I met people from Haiti, France, Canada, states in the US and other places around the world. So when the ship made announcements, they did so in five different languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian and German.
Cruising on MSC Divina is certainly not for everyone, But if you want a different itinerary on a beautiful ship and can stand possible rudeness from a few guests, I say book the Divina. I believe you will have a fantastic vacation with memories that will last a lifetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment