MSC Divina

MSC Divina Theater and Shows

MSC Divina production shows take place in the massive and magnificent Pantheon Theatre, a two-deck neon-and-crystal spectacle. The space itself is a showstopper, with its bright red seats that alternately have high or low backs (strictly an aesthetic choice). Interestingly, drinks are not served -- nor are they allowed -- in the theater.

The production shows are done twice nightly, early for those with late seating and late for those who dine early. Some of the shows inspired wild applause. But we felt the standouts were the shows that highlighted some of the ship's featured singers, trained sopranos and tenors (keep in mind that they will sing with an Italian accent). Of the MSC Divina shows that take place in the Pantheon Theatre, the ones that get the best reviews are ‘Extreme’, ‘Autumn in Paris’, and ‘Roxanne’s Tango’.

MSC Divina Daily Activities

Divina has plenty of programming during the day, with trivia sessions, game challenges such as Taboo, Jenga and Pictionary, dance lessons and sports tournaments. The MSC Divina Aqua Park pool has a wide array of activities, such as group fitness classes and hairy chest contests.

Virtual World on Deck 16 features a Formula One racing simulator, as well as a 4D Cinema. We went for a ride in the simulator -- shaped like a life-size race car -- and found it great fun, although we don't recommend doing it on an empty stomach. The cinema takes you on a roller coaster and offers discounted rates for kids.

There are two arcades on the ship. One is near Virtual World on Deck 16, and conveniently has a staircase that connects to the teen’s Graffiti Disco. The other is off the casino on Deck 6.

MSC Divina Nightlife

The ship really comes alive at night, with more evening programming than you see on most cruise ships. Besides the production shows, the entertainment staff always holds some sort of themed event, either in the MSC Divina Black and White Lounge or up near the pool. There's nightly name that tune trivia in the Golden Jazz Lounge, as well as karaoke and other adult games. Add in the movies on deck, a selection of live bands and a rocking disco, and you have a ship that goes long into the wee hours.

The MSC Divina’s Casino Veneziano, located on Deck 6, is smoke-free, a concession to North Americans. The space offers a variety of table games and slot machines, as well as a bar. It's particularly busy in the evening hours, although it's open during the day on sea days.

Keep in mind that Europeans and South Americans generally stay up later than Americans, as do their children. We saw kids on the dance floor well past 10 p.m., even though the ship does a family disco hour some nights after the early seating; many parents had their sleeping kids tucked under their arms as they conversed with friends and family. If you're used to having the pool deck to yourself for romantic nighttime strolls, you won't find that here; Divina's passengers are grouped at tables eating ice cream, playing cards and taking in the ambiance. If you're a night owl, it's all lively and delightful.

MSC Divina Bars and Lounges

MSC Divina bars range from cozy venues with chill live music to larger, busier spots with themed events and dancing until the wee hours. The evening action takes place on Deck 7, where most of the live music and sports bar are, and at the pool bars on Deck 14.

Divina Bar (Deck 5): This atrium bar is a good place to take in the action on gala nights. There's usually live classical music here during the afternoons and evenings.

Silver Lounge (Deck 6): This pretty space across from the MSC Divina shore excursions booking office seems underutilized, although we have to give it props for hosting Cruise Critic roll call meetings, as well as other group gatherings.

The Cigar Lounge (Deck 6): The indoor spot for smokers, the lounge is enclosed, with no smoke drifting out. There's a stocked humidor.

Piazza Del Doge (Deck 6): Shaped like a rounded cafe, the Piazza area is a great place to indulge in gelato or pastries during the day. At night, you can get coffee drinks and listen to live music. It can be busy, as many of the shops set out watches and jewelry throughout the day and evening.

Caffe Italia (Deck 7): The specialty coffee bar features Segafredo Italian drinks, and it's worth a stop here for a serious morning pickup. Also a lounge, the space is perhaps the best spot to enjoy the ambiance of the atrium, while remaining slightly above it all. You'll also find the strongest Wi-Fi here.

Black & White Lounge (Deck 7): This snazzy lounge has panoramic windows that provide natural scenery, but it's the black-and-white marble with accents of silver that make it a knockout. The silver sofas are oversized and comfy, and there's plenty of space for socializing. It's extremely popular in the evening, with organized dances, themed events and live music.

Golden Jazz Bar (Deck 7): This funky lounge does have large golden sofas and mod bubble lights. During the day, games and trivia take place here. The bar also hosts name that tune trivia in the evening, which can get packed; come early for a seat. Before and after, live music is the norm.

La Luna Piano Bar (Deck 7): We found this space a bit of a misnomer. Although it's gorgeous and does indeed have a piano, on our cruise it wasn't used as the typical take-requests-and-sing piano space. Instead, a duo played standards in the evening. During the day, it is also used for trivia. The bar menu focuses on martinis.

Sports Bar (Deck 7): The space has plenty of TVs to watch sports games around the world. On our trip, football -- as in soccer -- was the norm, as well as basketball. You can get American fast food here (see the dining info above) as well as MSC Divina’s bowling alley, which features two lanes with mini-pins and balls (akin to candlepin bowling).

La Cantina di Bacco (Deck 7): The pizza restaurant is also used as a wine bar, where you can do tastings, the wine blending experience or simply chill out. Live music takes place in the evenings.

Poseidon Bar (Deck 14): One of two pool bars on the busy Aqua Park, Poseidon features all kinds of fruity cocktails and mocktails. Since waiter service around the pool deck is very sporadic, the bar can get busy on sea days. (We've been told that the ship is planning to become more proactive with its poolside drink service, which will be a welcome change.)

Tritone Bar (Deck 14): The second bar on the Aqua Deck serves the same Caribbean favorites as the Poseidon, and also has a for-fee gelato bar.

The Garden Bar (Deck 15): The space around the infinity-like Garden Pool has bar and table seating. It's a popular spot and is often quite noisy. Drinks made with Italian liquors (MSC has a partnership with DiSaronno) and cordials are the focus here, although you can order almost anything you want. This space is also known as the DiSaronno Contemporary Terrace.

Galaxy Disco Bar (Deck 16): The ship's disco is large. With a bar and restaurant on one side, and a big dance floor on the other, the space is extremely popular with the international crowd, particularly in the summer when there's a younger clientele onboard. The DJ does a good job of trying to balance the musical tastes of the Europeans, the South Americans and the Americans -- a difficult task that sometimes lends itself to an odd yet extremely danceable mix. Open until the wee hours.

MSC Divina drink packages are wallet-friendly and flexible, allowing passengers to either go all inclusive (Premium Extra package) or choose from a smaller selection of alcoholic drinks (Easy and Easy Plus packages). There is also a Non-Alcoholic package for adults (includes mocktails) and a beverage plan for kids.

As might be expected, MSC Divina's dining comes with a Continental flair. The cruise line has gone out of its way to add American standards such as hot dogs and hamburgers to its buffets, but you're better off choosing European favorites. The pizza throughout the ship is delicious; the buffet version is also tasty and even comes in a breakfast version, topped with an egg.

MSCD Restaurants Offer Lots of Variety, from Buffet to Gourmet Pizza

MSC Divina restaurants range from casual eateries for a quick bite to gourmet options with a more elegant vibe and decadent décor. Although we weren’t impressed with the food on our first sailing on this ship, we noticed MSC has made an effort to upgrade its dining offer, not only by adding restaurants but also by overhauling the menus and by retraining the kitchen staff. Fellow passengers have also noticed this – food on Divina now gets better reviews. Still, you should not expect food to be the highlight of your trip onboard MSC Divina, at least in the main dining room.   

In the MSC Divina main dining room we saw a significant improvement from the first time we were onboard, thanks to a subtle tweaking of the menus and recipes. Pasta that was once overcooked and under-seasoned is now al dente and delightfully flavorful. Soups and desserts were delicious, as always. (One small gripe we have: Fresh black pepper is not offered, which we found highly unusual.) We also enjoyed the staff who were happy to accommodate seating requests and dietary issues; vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available in all venues. Keep in mind that portions are European sized, but if you want more of any course, just ask. The meal pace can also seem slow to Americans, but the entertainment offerings are paced accordingly so you never feel like you're missing out if you linger over dinner.

While included dining options are good and offer enough variety, MSC Divina’s specialty and for-fee restaurants are worth the splurge.

MSC Divina dining packages can be purchased ahead of time online or once on board. Passengers can pick their favorite two or three specialty restaurants or book meals at all four for-fee venues at a discount.

MSC Divina Free Restaurants

MSC Divina has three main dining options that are free or all passengers, plus a handful of snack options available throughout the day. Yacht Club passengers have three additional venues included in their cruise rate.

Black Crab (Decks 5 and 6): The larger of Divina's two main dining rooms, Black Crab is decorated in black, gold and purple with marble touches throughout. There are numerous tables for two, as well as plenty of seats with views.

Villa Rossa (Deck 6): The second main dining room, Villa Rossa, with its gold, black and red color scheme, has sweeping panoramic views from Divina's aft.

MSC Divina’s Black Crab and Villa Rossa menus are the same. Both restaurants also have the same hours, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner has two set seating times – though times vary occasionally – and all passengers are assigned either early or late dinner. Waiter-served meals are available every day, including when the ship is in port, and is a popular option among the international clientele.

Breakfast begins with waiter-offered pastries. Menu items include kippers and smoked salmon, as well as eggs prepared any way, breakfast meats (yes, there's American-style crispy bacon), waffles and pancakes.

Lunch has a choice of brunch offerings, appetizers, soups, pasta, entrees and dessert. The menu includes eggs Benedict, shrimp cocktail, chicken noodle soup, choose your own pasta, fish and chips, vegetable curry, French fries (trans-fat free), soup and salad combos and desserts such as make your own sundae, cheesecake and chocolate cake. There's also an Express Lunch where you're guaranteed to get in and out within 30 minutes.

Dinner at these two MSC Divina restaurants consists of five courses: starter, soup or salad, pasta, entree and dessert. Healthy options are identified on the menu each night, complete with calorie, fat and protein breakdowns, and every menu has vegetarian selections. Those with specific dietary restrictions should notify the line when they book. MSC recommends they follow up with the maître d' upon check-in.

A sample menu could include a choice of shrimp cocktail or zucchini mille-feuille for appetizers; followed by fire roasted tomato soup, New England clam chowder or chilled rhubarb soup or spinach salad. Entrees might include fettuccine Alfredo, maccheroni alla boscaiola, lime and creole-spiced blackened hoki fish, dijon and herb-crusted rack of lamb, cacao-dusted pork tenderloin served with red bliss potatoes and grilled asparagus or a fried vegetable wrap. Desserts could include cannoli, ice cream, a cheese plate, molten chocolate cake or cheesecake.

There's an "always available" dinner menu, as well, with fresh fruit, Caesar salad, pasta with marinara sauce, pan-seared salmon, broiled chicken breast and grilled beef striploin.

Calumet and Manitou Buffets (Deck 14): Manitou and Calumet, located on Deck 14, are MSC Divina's casual buffet options. The two adjoin, essentially forming one mammoth buffet area serving the same items; there's a handy map that gives you the full picture of where everything is. Seating is either at tables (mostly for four or larger), high tables or bars.

All in all, we found the MSC Divina buffet to be crowded but to have plenty of tasty options. Servers were quick to clear away plates, and we didn't see the piles of dirty dishes that we've experienced on other lines. Hot foods were piping hot, as was the coffee, and cool items were kept cool. Because of the international crowd, your fellow passengers might not be as clued in to the tradition of queueing, so bring your patience.

At breakfast, diners can choose from standard breakfast fare, such as eggs, bacon, pancakes and toast. There's also a huge cheese selection, available all day, and European staples like beans, bangers and muesli. Early and late risers can grab a continental breakfast. While there is no egg station within the buffet, there's a cart for made-to-order omelets outside at the Aqua Park.

For lunch, options include burgers, fries, stir-fry and a carving station. The carving station routinely offers the best protein option; for example, chefs carved a whole, fresh turkey during one lunch. And, of course, there's plenty of pasta; up here, we found it al dente and tasty.

The buffet includes a pizzeria that remains open until the wee hours. Pizza options include the standards (margherita or cheese) and some unusual options (frankfurter). Divina offers an afternoon buffet, with limited options that include fruit, cheese and salad, and a make-your-own-sandwich bar. Dinner includes more pasta, a carving station and some tasty curry options that are quite flavorful; try the lentils.

Top Sail Lounge (Deck 15): The Yacht Club Lounge has buffet snacks throughout the day but is only open to Yacht Club passengers. In the morning, you'll find gravlax, cereal, yogurt and rolls, as well as delicious sweets and pastries. At lunch and through the afternoon until Happy Hour, this changes to light bites and canapes. A pianist plays in the evening. This space has sweeping views and is an absolutely civilized place to read or have a drink.

Le Muse (Deck 15): The Yacht Club's restaurant is a jewel box of a space. Oddly, it's not within the Yacht Club complex, but on the other side of the ship, near the Garden Bar and pool; thick orange curtains shield patrons from the view of sunbathers.

The restaurant provides full-service breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning, you'll find waffles, pancakes, eggs Benedict, breakfast meats, eggs and omelets made to order. Lunch has a choice of soups and salads, sandwiches and entrees such as fish and chips or seafood tagliatelle. Dinner might have snapper ceviche or escargot as appetizers; roasted sweet pepper and mozzarella soup; and risotto with herb emulsion as pasta. Entrees on gala night were roasted cold-water lobster tail, chateaubriand with truffle-Madeira reduction and Mexican vegetable tacos.

The dinner menu also has a healthy section where calorie counts and nutritional breakdowns are given. Sample dishes are amberjack tartare, rotisserie chicken and strawberry mousse. There is also an "available anytime" menu with Caesar salad, French onion soup, penne pasta in tomato basil sauce, skillet-fried Norwegian salmon, broiled chicken breast and tournedos of beef tenderloin.

The menus in Le Muse may appear to look like those in the main dining room, but the execution is on an entirely different level. Our pasta at lunch was cooked perfectly, as were all the dishes at dinner. Service is superb and -- you get fresh black pepper. The tables are much further apart than in the Black Crab or Villa Rossa, and the portions even seem bigger.

The One Bar (Deck 18): The Yacht Club's pool bar is perhaps the best place to dine al fresco. With plenty of tables and umbrella shade, the grill offers breakfast options such as made-to-order omelets; pasta, a salad bar and light choices like chicken in green curry at lunch; and canapes in the afternoon. Service there is extraordinarily friendly.

Snacks: Croissants are served in the morning at both the Divina Bar on Deck 5 (gluten-free versions) and Caffe Italia on Deck 7 (regular). Self-service soft ice cream is available daily in the afternoon at the Aqua Park on Deck 14. At night, free popcorn is served in small bags that you can eat in front of the big screen, or just take as a snack.

Room Service: A continental room service breakfast is available; you'll find the menu on a door hanger that you place outside your cabin the night before. Choices include cereals, pastries, yogurt and muesli, fruits and juices. Ours arrived a half-hour earlier than we requested.

A full-service room service menu with sandwiches, cheese plates and salads is available 24 hours a day. Overnight orders come with an additional delivery charge. Our mid-afternoon order came quickly.

MSC Divina Specialty Restaurants

Butcher’s Cut (Deck 7); a la carte: Entering the steakhouse, we were a little taken aback by the modern and cheerful decor; you just don't expect a steakhouse to look like a well-lit cafeteria. Don't let the clear chairs fool you; a meal here is a real treat. The menu offers outstanding appetizers such as a prosciutto plate and Caesar salad. Our seafood pasta was perfectly al dente and the tenderloin, served with a choice of sauces, was melt in your mouth delicious. Finish with bomboloni, Italy's version of beignets.

La Cantina di Bacco (Deck 7); a la carte: Open for lunch and dinner, Divina's wine bar also serves as its pizza kitchen. The menu of options is wide ranging but all feature crust that tastes like it just came from Naples. Seriously addicting and -- even better -- you can order it via room service in the evening. If you have a group, go for the one meter pizza.

Sports Bar (Deck 7); a la carte: Billed as the American restaurant, the Sports Bar serves food that goes well with watching the game -- in other words, fried and unhealthy. Options include buffalo chicken wings, a BBQ bacon cheddar burger, or an artery-clogging sampler plate with mozzarella sticks, onion rings, chicken nuggets, coconut shrimp and wings.

Piazza del Doge (Deck 7); a la carte: Gelato is sold at the Piazza del Doge on Deck 7. We found it refreshing, although of surprisingly average quality. Piazza del Doge also has sweets and cupcakes. (You can also get gelato at the Tritone Bar on Deck 14 in the Aqua Park.)

Galaxy Kaito Restaurant (Deck 16); a la carte or prix fixe: We admit that we didn't know what to expect at this restaurant, up in the Galaxy Disco. But it turned out to be one of the best seats in the house, particularly at sunset. The space, high atop the ship, has wall-to-wall windows and light alternative music plays in the background. The menu is Japanese and includes sushi, sashimi, teriyaki, tempura, among other options.

Nutella Cart (Deck 14); a la carte: A small Nutella cart near the Aqua Park encourages passengers to give into their sweet cravings. There are sometimes two-for-one specials.