4-Night Bahamas Cruise | Nassau & Ocean Cay
We recently set sail on the MSC Divina for our honeymoon—a 4-night, 5-day cruise to Nassau and Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island. While the trip was beautiful and filled with special moments, there were a few hiccups along the way. Here’s a full breakdown of our experience, what we’d do differently, and some helpful tips for your future cruise!
Embarkation Day: Smooth Start… with a Small Bump
We were dropped off at PortMiami by my mom, and while the area was busy, it wasn’t overwhelming. Our scheduled boarding time was 1:00 PM, but we arrived a bit early and were pleasantly surprised when they let us board ahead of schedule.
When dropping off our bags, an MSC employee offered to help and was very kind—until he asked for a tip. I didn’t have cash handy, and he seemed visibly annoyed, which made me nervous since we were leaving our luggage with him. A bit awkward, but we moved on.
Security and check-in were efficient, and within minutes, we were heading up the escalator and stepping aboard the ship. So exciting!
Our Cabin: Cozy with a View (Sort Of)
We booked a balcony room with a partial view and were upgraded to a deluxe balcony with an obstructed view. The room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. One thing to note—the lights only work if a card is inserted into the holder near the door, so bring an old gift card to keep the lights on when you’re inside.
The bathroom was surprisingly roomy with convenient shelving and collapsible shower doors that gave us more space. Definitely a plus.
The Great Luggage Scare
Shortly after boarding, one of our suitcases arrived, but hours went by and mine never showed up. We visited reception several times and were sent to check two different areas: one for untagged luggage and another for confiscated bags. Still no luck.
Eventually, after much back and forth, we were told my suitcase was being held by security, and we had to wait to be escorted. When we finally got it back (thankfully), it was a major relief—but it was a stressful few hours not knowing where all my clothes and toiletries were.
Suggestion for MSC: A better system for luggage updates or notifications would ease a lot of stress for guests.
Decor & Door Magnet Drama
I brought cruise-themed magnets to decorate our room door for our honeymoon, but since the doors aren’t magnetic, I stuck them to the metal walls outside the room. Everything was fine until someone traded one of our magnets for another and flipped the rest upside down!
Later, I found out (thanks to a Facebook cruise group!) that someone else had their custom wooden magnets broken. So if you’re decorating, keep your favorites inside the room and only put out what you’re okay with losing.
Food, Drinks & Dining
The food on board wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t spectacular either. The pizza was honestly the highlight for me. Most people seemed to go for staples like hot dogs, burgers, fries, and pizza.
The taco station was a letdown—just chili and cheese, no tortillas or shells. On the bright side, the desserts were great, and there was soft-serve ice cream from 1–5 PM (though the line gets long fast).
We didn’t opt for the drink package ahead of time, which was a mistake. Onboard, the standard drink package was $300 per person, which wasn’t worth it for us. Before the cruise, I saw the premium drink package for $130 per person—much more reasonable.
Entertainment & Activities
MSC Divina has a wide variety of activities on board:
🎭 Nightly shows – Fantastic and worth seeing!
🎤 Karaoke – My favorite! But it fills up quickly, so show up early to get a spot.
🎲 Casino & Games – Trivia, dance classes, and more throughout the day.
The ship has three main pool areas:
- 🏊 Main Outdoor Pool – Great for both adults and kids, with plenty of space and lots of loungers around.
- 💦 Adults-Only Pool – A quieter space, perfect for relaxing without the splash zone.
- 🌧️ Indoor Pool (covered) – A total win during rainy or windy weather since it remains open no matter what.
Ocean Cay: A Private Paradise
MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay, was gorgeous! Unfortunately, all water activities were canceled due to wind, but we brought our own snorkeling gear and still got to explore the clear waters on our own.
The food on the island was great, and the vibe was super relaxing—just keep an eye out for sneaky seagulls. They’ll try to snatch your snacks the moment you look away!
Pros & Cons
Pros
✅ Clean, spacious cabins
✅ Beautiful ship and decor
✅ Great shows & entertainment
✅ Gorgeous private island (Ocean Cay)
✅ Affordable pre-cruise drink package (buy early!)
Cons
❌ Disorganized luggage communication
❌ Pushy tipping at drop-off
❌ Food is average overall
❌ Door decorations not safe from pranksters
MSC Tips for First-Timers
✨ Bring an old gift card – Needed for the room’s light system.
✨ Join your cruise’s Facebook group – Great for tips, updates, and community info.
✨ Buy the drink package ahead of time – It’s significantly cheaper pre-cruise.
✨ Bring lanyards & card holders – Your MSC card is your room key, payment method, and restaurant pass.
✨ Show up early to karaoke & pool decks – Spots fill fast!
✨ Keep valuables/decorations inside – Unless you’re okay with a little magnet swapping.
Would We Sail MSC Again?
Yes, we would definitely sail with MSC again! The overall experience had plenty of fun and special moments—especially Ocean Cay, which we absolutely loved. That said, next time we’d definitely opt for one of MSC’s newer ships. We’re curious to see the upgrades, improvements in dining, and enhanced amenities the newer fleet might offer. With everything we learned this time around, our next MSC cruise would be even better—and now we know exactly how to make it smoother from the start.
Final Thoughts
While our honeymoon cruise on the MSC Divina wasn’t perfect, it was still a fun and memorable getaway. The private island was stunning, the entertainment was top-notch, and we learned a lot for next time. We’d love to cruise again—just with a few tweaks to our prep and packing!
Thanks for reading—and if you’re planning an MSC cruise, we hope these tips help make your trip smoother and even more magical! Down below are some pictures of our cruise including our door decor!!
We will catch you on the next adventure!
-Hailey & Matt
