For our 20th wedding anniversary we were given a 7-night cruise aboard the MSC Divina in September 2014. This was our first experience with a cruise of any sort, so in the interest of being informed I read as much as I could about the ship. The reviews I found were mixed; some good, some bad. Our impressions and experiences were as follows:

The boarding process was very quick and simple. Boarding was to begin at 4 pm but they began it at around 1:30. We arrived at the port around 2:30 and breezed through the process in about 15 minutes. Once aboard, there were a few more forms to fill out as we were traveling with a minor, but it was quickly addressed as well.

I don't know that anyone can deny the beautiful interior from bow to stern. This ship has been finished out in a top-shelf fashion that pictures really don't do justice. The main staircases, for example, cannot be appreciated on a picture. They must be seen in person -- absolutely stunning. We had a balcony cabin on Deck 10 and it was more spacious than we expected. We had a queen bed, a sleeper sofa, a table, a desk, plenty of closet space, and a room safe big enough to hold my MacBook Air, iPad mini, cell phones, wallets, and cameras. The balcony had two chairs and a small footstool. The bathroom was about what you'd expect on any cruise ship. The bed was very comfortable but the flat pillows left a bit to be desired. Still, I slept almost as well on the ship as I do on my Sleep Number bed so I guess that says something. All in all, we were very pleased with the size of our cabin as well as its appointments. Read more