When Kathy booked her first cruise with ClickandGo, she had no idea what to expect. But when she boarded the MSC Divina in Rome to depart on a 7 night tour of Mediterranean, she was blown away by her surroundings; [pi_wiloke_quote quote=” ‘I couldn’t believe the decadence of it all, with the beautiful Swarovski crystal staircases taking you to the upper decks. We didn’t even need to bring towels and had our pick of sun loungers around the infinity pool’!” author=”Kathy”]
When it came to dining, it couldn’t have been easier for the party of 6. The family were assigned their restaurant every night, with no need for queueing, no waiting around for a table and no confusion about where to sit. They were given the same table and waiter every night and the service was flawless. This gave them a real feeling of being welcome and looked after throughout their stay on the ship. And with 24 hour room service, there was always someone around to cater for each member of her large family. As well as the main dining room, the MSC Divina offers amazing speciality dining options such as the authentic slow-food Italian delicacies of Eataly,
From costume balls, themed parties, rock star tributes, karaoke and live Broadway-worthy shows in the enormous Pantheon theatre, everyone on the trip found the choice of entertainment fantastic – and with such a mixture of ages and tastes – this was no easy feat! [pi_wiloke_quote quote=”I was travelling with my husband, two teenage sons, my 82 year old mum and my brother with special needs and they really catered for all of us. The service was 5* – I really wasn’t expecting that level of attention. It was amazing value for money, as we didn’t pay a fortune for the 6 of us.” author=””] A stand-out feature of the entertainment on the ship for Kathy was being able to go to the Casino Veneziano for a flutter in the middle of the day. Guests can even try their luck at Blackjack, Roulette and Poker tournaments during their stay!
Another aspect of the cruise experience that made it stand out from previous holidays on dry land was a feeling of security. Kathy’s brother, who has Downs Syndrome, was able to wander off alone and they didn’t constantly have to worry if he was lost. And with so many attentive staff on board, it wasn’t hard to find assistance if you needed it. She barely saw her two teens throughout the trip. While they were off having fun in the Splash Park or Games Room with the friends they had made on board – Kathy and her husband knew they were safe. This leaves parents plenty of time to treat themselves at the luxurious MSC Aurea spa or work on their tan at the sun-drenched adults-only Top 18 with its premium deck area, breath-taking ocean vistas, dedicated spa service and indulgent bar menu with complimentary fruit skewers.
When Kathy checked out their accommodation on arrival, she was impressed with the huge king-size bed in their cabin. [pi_wiloke_quote quote=”It was so much bigger than I thought a room on a ship would be. And the balcony was terrific – from here we could really enjoy the ocean views and the whole experience of being at sea.” author=””] Balcony cabins also come with air conditioning, a spacious wardrobe to hang your clothes, a bathroom with shower or tub, interactive TV, telephone, wireless internet access (for a fee), mini bar and a safe.
On their journey from La Spezia in Rome, to Cannes in the South of France, Barcelona, Palma de Majorca and Naples, they enjoyed meeting fellow passengers of all different nationalities – from Italy, the UK, Scandinavia and the US. Rather than being an older crowd (a common misconception for people new to cruising), there were guests of all ages on board the ship – from couples enjoying a relaxing getaway to families with teenagers and younger kids.
[pi_wiloke_quote quote=”With so much to enjoy on board this stunning ship, I think this first time cruise was one of the best holidays we ever had!” author=”Kathy B. from Co. Cork – 7 Night Cruise on the MSC Divina – July 2015″]
