Some people like to take a cruise to get away from it all, explore new ports of call, get dressed up and dine in specialty restaurants, and catch the latest entertainment. Yet there are many others whose ideal vacation is to simply choose the most ideal location by the pool and relax… every day… by the pool. No matter what cruise you take, you’ll definitely see a mix of passengers like those mentioned above. On MSC Divina, pools, sun, and fun are all part of the cruise life. Despite the great weather and abundance of pools, there was always an open lounge chair near a pool waiting and ready to be used. No need to worry about chair hogs here as there are plenty of lounge chairs for everyone.
If you’re thinking that this is the only pool on the entire ship, don’t worry as it certainly isn’t. With 5 pools and 12 whirlpools onboard the MSC Divina, there is plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the sun and water without having to squeeze yourself in amidst strangers. The main pool area on deck 14 is over 22,000 square feet with a main pool and a few side wading pools for the little ones or even for adults to stick their feet in and cool off while sipping on a beverage. Nothing can beat the large LED Wall also located here which is used for movies throughout the day and also a stage.
The kids may not be overly excited to lay out in the sun, but of course, they always want to be in the hot tub for some strange reason, as you can see here. But don’t feel too bad for them because the little ones might enjoy the 150 spraying fountains and water jets or Il Puffi, the children’s water park and play area. There’s also Teens Toboga, the children and teen’s waterslide and it looked like so much fun!
Maybe you don’t want to jump in the pool, go down the water slide, or bake in the sun. You can always sit in the shaded area and relax, read a book, or even bring your lunch (or breakfast or dinner) outside and enjoy the fresh air.
With so many tables and areas to relax between the pool and the buffet area on deck 14 in Aqua Park, you don’t feel squashed into a small space with thousands of other people… ever!
The Garden Pool area is an aft swimming pool and Zen area featuring an outdoor pool, whirlpools and pool bar for adults only. If you don’t think you can relax here, you can’t relax anywhere.
On this particular day, we were in port in Nassau and most people were off the ship. Hence, the reason why you see a few children in the picture. Other than these few people, it was extremely quiet and there were so many chairs available.
Whether in port or at sea, the view from here would be an amazing one especially through the wall of glass.
Another pool option to consider when on MSC Divina is Le Sirene Pool Area located adjacent to the MSC Aurea Spa on deck 14. A covered pool area featuring a retractable magrodome ceiling, whirlpools, pool bar, and a poolside boutique, this area is open to adults and children.
During our cruise, this pool was not as busy as the main pool in Aqua Park, but I did witness several people in the hot tubs and swimming laps in the large pool.
Other pools not shown here include The One Pool in the MSC Yacht Club, Le Prue, which has a hot tub and an area in which to lay out, which I covered in my last post, and of course, the Teens Toboga. I still wish I had a chance to go down the slide as it looked awesome.
At night when the sun goes down, the lights come up, and the music gets turned way up. You can expect fun from day one until the day you depart the ship when you visit the Aqua Park at night. Whether the sail away party on the first day or the dancing party on deck from 9:45 pm until “late” as they wrote in the MSC Daily Program. This place was hopping with people ready and waiting to dance and have a great time.
When I say everyone was dancing, I mean everyone was dancing! This was party central with great music, a perfect temperature outside, and loads of fun. You can also see the large LED Wall where movies and concerts are also shown throughout the day.
Overall, MSC Divina offers guests of all ages a wide variety of options when it comes time to take a dip in a pool or to dance poolside at night. MSC Cruises has found a way to maximize space on a large ship and yet, still offer what most cruisers want, which is more pools. Unlike other ships of the same size, there are definitely more pools, hot tubs, and areas to lay out or relax on MSC Divina. This is another example of how this cruise line has a pulse on what people want and has found a way to successfully deliver it.
Hi I have been reading your posts and this is not what the pool was like over the holidays…you could not find a chair let alone put your legs between a lounge chair. Your 3 day holiday was not a full taste of MSC including there repetitive meals. May be a beautiful ship with European touches but missing North American Flare that keeps us coming back.. Instead of filling it with free sailing for kids they need to find away to entertain the Adults during the hours not just scream out bingo on the sun deck. After all we are the ones paying and they can put out a great sale…but when on board it all costs…
Be sure to buy drink packages before sailing we did and we are thankful as drinks start at 6.25 and up…..
Wish you would have posted as yourself instead of as “Anonymous,” but glad you posted. I always welcome everyone’s opinion. Granted, not every cruise line is for everyone, but whether a 3, 7, or 14 night cruise, it’s important to find the right cruise for you. I’ve never heard of any cruise line repeating meals in the main dining room. Perhaps you meant the standard offerings that are available for anyone who doesn’t want to try the different choices. Drink prices were fairly standard for what I expected while cruising although I, too, enjoyed the drink package. I always hate getting the cruise bill under the door the last night of the cruise. One of the reasons I wanted to try MSC Cruises was that I have tried most of the major US cruise lines and it was a refreshing change to try something so new and different. Some people have their “favorite” cruise line and/or ship and trying something new reminds them of how much they miss it. I personally embrace change and while not 100% perfect, it was nice to try out a new cruise line in the Caribbean cruise market. Lastly, with so many pools plus areas all around the ship with lounge chairs, while you may not have been able to get a chair right at the pool, there were definitely other places you could have laid out. Having said that, this ship had far more pools and areas to sun than most ships I have been on. It requires a little searching and willingness not to follow the crowds. Lastly, if the entertainment, pools, and children aren’t a right fit for you, it means you should probably research your cruise choices and find a better match. As for me, if the entertainment isn’t right, well… I make my own and always have a great time wherever I go because after all, it’s a cruise and I’m so not going to waste that time at sea.
Are the pools fresh water or salt water?
Hi Jan – I do believe that the Divina has a mix of both saltwater and freshwater pools onboard.