MSC Divina Cruise Review – Is It Really Worth It?
Are you looking for an honest and thoughtful cruise review of the MSC Divina? Then you are in the right spot.
The MSC Divina is a stunning, 333 meters long cruise ship that has been roaming the seas since 2012. It was christened by no one less than Sophia Loren herself – and follows the motto of timeless elegance.
Obviously, it is hard to know if the ship is perfect for your next cruise just by online pictures alone. They are rarely accurate and never show the full picture of the experience.
My husband and I have just returned from a 12-day cruise on the MSC Divina. And I am here to give you my brutally honest and unfiltered opinion.
First of all: Yes, the MSC Divina is definitely worth it. Keep on reading to find out why and who will enjoy cruising on this ship.
Let’s set sail!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Read my disclaimer for further information.
MSC Divina Review – Pros and Cons
Pros
😊 Modern and Elegant Design
😊 Friendly and Competent Staff
😊 Spacious Ship & Cabins
😊 Great Entertainment Opportunities
😊 Delicious Food
😊 Fine Dining Dinner Settings
😊 Relaxing Spa & Fitness Area
😊 Amazing Service
😊 Lots of Bars and Restaurants
Cons
😞 Ship was Crowded at Times
😞 Spa Treatments, Internet, and Specialty Dining are super expensive
😞 Excursions were pretty booked up & expensive
😞 Drone was not allowed
😞 Embarkation and Disembarkation was a chaos
The Embarkation Process
⭐ (3/5 Stars)
The Embarkation process on the MSC Divina was sadly less than optimal this time. I am used to this smooth and streamlined procedure from MSC.
In our case, the previous ship in port, MSC Fantasia, did not leave the port on time. This meant, a three-hour delay in our embarkation. We weren’t given too much info and we had to wait forever in a crowded hall.
Once the ship arrived, the embarkation process luckily went a lot smoother. We quickly handed our documents at the counter (our luggage was already taken) and got our embarkation card.
Once on the ship, our cabin was already waiting for us fresh and clean. Also, our luggage was delivered to the cabin in the meantime.
The Cabins
⭐ (5/5 Stars)
We loved our cabin from the moment we entered. It was elegant, modern and so comfy.
The balcony was equipped with two chairs and a footrest. Inside, we had a couch with a small table, a vanity with a chair, and a TV. And of course a super fluffy king-sized bed.
There was absolutely nothing to criticize about our cabin. Our sweet steward Arjun came 2-3 times a day to make sure everything was spotless and perfect.
We also had a lovely surprise waiting for us: a bottle of champagne with strawberries dipped in chocolate. The perfect welcome for our honeymoon.
Buffet Calumet (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
⭐ (3/5 Stars)
Justin and I had a Love/Hate relationship with the big buffet restaurant.
On one hand, the food was absolutely fantastic, and the view and the service were both amazing. Nothing to criticize on the MSC side. I ate Pizza Vesuvio every single day because it was so yummy.
But the buffet was always incredibly packed. It was hard to get a nice table, and people were loud and rude. This is not the fault of MSC per se, but I think they need to give people more space for lunch and breakfast especially. On sea days you had to wait sometimes to sit down for lunch.
The food was amazing. You could sample daily changing dishes, ethnic dishes, pasta, pizza, salads, and much more. And this basically 24/7. Everything was fresh and looked totally good. I can’t compliment the chefs on this ship enough.
The Pool Area
⭐ (5/5 Stars)
The ship has a wide variety of indoor and outdoor pools.
At the main pool area, you can find a big pool and a couple of hot tubs. This is also where all the entertainment happens. Be prepared for some music and good vibes all day long.
In the back of the ship, you can find the big infinity pool (I loved it) and some hot tubs. This was my favorite place on the ship. There was also a less-crowded pool bar.
The indoor pool area was also pretty nice, but I only used it once on a bad weather day. Otherwise, it is a lot nicer to be outside in the sun with some music in my opinion.
Lastly, make sure to go down the water slide. It was so much fun!
The Spa & Gym
⭐ (4/5 Stars)
We splurged a little and treated ourselves to a 12-day spa access package (about USD 150,00 if booked before the cruise).
The spa had a couple of saunas & steam rooms and a relaxation area as well as a tea & smoothie bar. I was a bit disappointed because there was no hot tub, but for the rest it was great.
I booked a massage, which was absolutely divine. Sadly, it was also pretty costly with EUR 150,00 for 60 minutes.
We never used the gym but it was spacious and had lots of great equipment.
My tip: book the spa access pass and the massages in advance, it is a lot more expensive on the ship!
Villa Rossa – Fine Dining
⭐ (5/5 Stars)
In typical MSC fashion, dinner is served in a fine dining manner. You can choose between the first and second seating. We took the first, as we like to eat early.
We were seated with other Austrians together, so we had some nice conversation and we loved our dinners.
The food was outstanding, and the service as well. Every day you could choose between around 5 starters, main dishes, and desserts. You could also order seconds (as I did with the chocolate mousse).
You will have the same two waiters for the entire cruise, so make sure to bring a little tip at the end of the cruise if you like the service. This is not mandatory but we felt like they deserved it.
Good to know: you can also go to the buffet if you don’t like fine dining. We only missed our seating once, when an excursion ran longer.
Important: most days the dress code is casual, but bring something white (for white night) and something fancy for gala night.
The Ship Itself
⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Last but not least in this MSC Divina review, I want to talk about the other parts of the ship.
The ship is modern, and elegant and has a lot to offer. There is a casino (we won, yay!) and a big theater, as well as a Formula 1 simulator (we did not win there) and a 4D cinema.
There is a huge amount of bars, lounges, cafés and nightclubs. I totally lost count, but we did not manage to have a drink in all of them.
The shops are nice, but a bit overpriced in my opinion. They will have a final sale every day, so no need to rush.
The ship has 18 decks, although the highest one is exclusively for MSC Yacht Club members. There is also a sports area, but we did not go there.
The Crowd
⭐ (1/5 Stars)
The people on the ship is sadly something MSC Cruises can’t influence. But I still feel inclined to warn you about those.
We were sad to see many loud, rude, and horrible people on the ship. Since I never had it this bad on MSC ships, I can only assume that they sold the cruises at an insanely low price to get the ship full.
People pushed, shoved, screamed, and harassed the workers. They put so much food on their plates that they never finished. We were so sad to see this.
Nothing about this was upscale or luxurious, as my previous MSC cruises had been. I truly hope this was a one-off.
The Itinerary
⭐ (5/5 Stars)
We absolutely loved our itinerary. It was a great mix of amazing stops and some sea days to relax. There is nothing we would change about this.
Here is our itinerary, and my rating of the ports of call:
- Day 1: Barcelona ⭐ (5/5 Stars)
- Day 2: At Sea
- Day 3: Casablanca ⭐ (4,5/5 Stars)
- Day 4: At Sea
- Day 5: Tenerife ⭐ (5/5 Stars)
- Day 6: Lanzarote ⭐ (5/5 Stars)
- Day 7: At Sea
- Day 8: Malaga ⭐ (5/5 Stars)
- Day 9: At Sea
- Day 10: Marseille⭐ (4/5 Stars)
- Day 11: Genoa ⭐ (4,5/5 Stars)
- Day 12: Barcelona ⭐ (5/5 Stars)
The Disembarkation
⭐ (3/5 Stars)
Disembarkation was a bit of chaos again. We were supposed to disembark at 02:00 in the afternoon, but we already had to leave the cabins at 09:30 in the morning.
This led to masses of people clogging up the buffet and the bars. It was a super uncomfortable, long morning that I would have rather spent in my cabin or on shore, to be honest.
Luckily, the cruise card still worked so we could get cocktails.
In the end, the disembarkation was super smooth (the actual going off the ship part). We got our confiscated drone back (thanks) and happily left the ship with plenty of new memories.
MSC Divina Review – Frequently Asked Questions
Which Is the Best Route For a Cruise on MSC Divina?
We booked a Mediterranean Cruise with a small venture out on the Atlantic Ocean to the Canary Islands. The waves on the Atlantic were super high and it was a bit uncomfortable.
For first-time cruisers, I suggest booking an Eastern Mediterranean or Western Mediterranean Cruise. They are known for calm waters and easy-to-access ports.
More advanced cruisers will probably love the Caribbean Cruises that cover ports like the Dominican Republic or Aruba and Curacao. If you don’t love the sun as much, why not try Northern Europe, with cruise ports like Southampton?
What Is the Best Time for This Cruise Itinerary?
This question is a bit tricky. In some ports (Casablanca, Tenerife, and Lanzarote) we had the perfect weather, as they are so far south (our cruise was at the end of October).
In other ports, like Genoa and Marseille it was a lot colder and rainy. All in all, I think it was a good time for a cruise, but ideally, you go a couple of weeks earlier. This way, you can avoid all the rain in the northern cruise ports a bit better.
To be honest, we could only use the balcony on certain days and it was also a bit too cold to swim sometimes. If you truly want a summer vacation, try going in September at the latest.
When Was the MSC Divina Last Refurbished?
The MSC Divina was first sailing in 2012. It was last refurbished in 2017. The ship was dry-docked for a while in 2021 and is in great shape.
Also, we noticed that little improvements, for example at the floors or the pool are done basically all the time (mostly at night) to keep the ship up to date.
The ship is in amazing shape and I couldn’t see any imperfections on the cruise.
Is the MSC Divina a Big Ship?
Yes, I would consider the MSC Divina a big ship. It is 333 meters long and has 13 decks available for passengers.
Admittedly, it is a lot smaller than the newer vessels from MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean.
However, it is still big enough to have a good time without being crammed.
Is Cruising Safe?
Yes, cruising is pretty safe. There are barely any incidents on bigger cruise ships and the crews are well trained to handle any emergency.
On land, you are responsible for your own well-being, so I suggest good travel insurance for any accidents that might occur.
Do you need travel insurance on a cruise ship? Yes, travel insurance on cruises is highly recommended. Especially during shore excursions, travel insurance could come in handy. EKTA offers worldwide travel insurance with 24/7 service and no hidden fees or restrictions.
Is MSC Yacht Club Worth It?
Yes, I would say MSC Yacht Club is worth it. The MSC Yacht Club offers a private sundeck, a private restaurant, and other small perks.
Most importantly, you can avoid the masses that haunt the buffet. We will definitely book MSC Yacht Club on our next cruise.
Conclusion: MSC Divina Review
That’s a wrap on my in-depth MSC Divina cruise review. As you’ve seen, we have loved the ship, the crew, and the ports of call. One thing that bothered us was the huge crowds of rude people on the ship.
But in the end, we managed to avoid them and had a really good time. The pool area, the restaurants, and the spa on the ship were excellent, and we especially loved our balcony cabin.
All in all, it was the perfect cruise, with less-than-perfect people. We would definitely book it again and totally recommend the MSC Divina to any cruise enthusiast.
More 1 Day Cruise Itineraries
🚢 1 Day in Malta – From Valletta Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in Gibraltar – From Malaga Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in London – From Southampton Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in Aruba from Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in Curacao from Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in Bonaire from Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in Santorini from Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in Mykonos from Cruise Port
🚢 1 Day in the Dominican Republic on the Cruise Ports
🚢 1 Day Blue Mountains Itinerary – From Sydney Cruise Port
About the Author
Sabrina is a passionate travel blogger and content creator, based in the Netherlands. She spends most parts of the year abroad at various destinations with her husband.
She provides slow-paced itineraries that focus on quality over quantity. Sabrina wants to help her readers to get more out of their travel experiences – while doing less. Read more.
