Wine and Spirits Travel

You know you had a great time when you can’t believe a week has gone by. That’s how Mom and I felt on our last full day on MSC Divina . It was another day at sea, but it wasn’t supposed to be. The ship was to go to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, where I was going to finally try windsurfing. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating. It was too windy for the tender to go out. As excited as I was about spending the day in the Bahamas, I was fine with also staying aboard. MSC Cruises always makes sure there’s plenty to do on their ships and I would actually have a chance to finish a book! I had gotten up and ready for the beach and instead headed to the Top Sail Lounge in the Yacht Club section of the Divina for breakfast. Top Sail had my favorite breakfast because there was always a huge selection of fresh fruit. I took a bowlful, along with some yogurt and a freshly baked blueberry muffin. I also enjoyed a cappuccino, another complimentary perk to havi

My immediate family is small and spread out throughout the country. The Thanksgiving holiday has become less about big family dinners and more about getting together with whomever we can. In 2013, Mom and I went on a Seabourn cruise Thanksgiving week. For 2014, we decided to repeat the idea and head on the MSC Divina. It turned out to be an excellent choice. After a couple of days of ports, it was nice to have a sea day. We had hit our first rough patch of sea the previous night and sleeping in was just what I needed. I went to the Top Sail Lounge, which is only available to those staying in the Yacht Club section on MSC Cruises , for breakfast. They had a great selection and I enjoyed a full plate of berries, Greek yogurt, cheese, and an apricot tart. I sat back with a cappuccino and enjoyed the view while I caught up on social media and email. Mom had slept even later than me and was relaxing in the cabin, but I had a galley tour to do with the Executive Chef.

The port of Costa Maya , Mexico, had been damaged heavily during Hurricane Dean in 2007. It had since been rebuilt to include everything you could want in a cruise port stop – shopping, beaches, restaurants, bars, and even a little history. I had never been to Costa Maya so I wasn’t sure what to expect before I got there on my MSC Cruise . Mom decided to stay in for the morning while I explored Costa Maya, but we had breakfast together in Le Muse, the restaurant exclusive to Yacht Club members on the MSC Divina. We had a selection of Danish, croissants, scrambled eggs, and waffles with fruit. It was just the meal I needed to get me ready for the long day of walking ahead. The pier was filled with shops and restaurants, and even a Senor Frogs with a swim-up pool. There was also a museum that I didn’t get a chance to go to, Museo Maya. The three cruises had really filled up the area. There were two other ships in the terminal, one from Royal Caribbean and one from

I was up early for another fun-filled day with MSC Cruises . It was my first time to Grand Cayman, an island I had heard nothing but good things about. I let Mom sleep in and I had breakfast in the Yacht Club’s Top Sail Lounge. It was an excellent cold buffet filed with fruits, Danish, cake, bread, muffins, cheese, cereal, and yogurt. I had a little of everything along with a cappuccino, also complimentary to MSC Cruise’s Yacht Club guests. I had made arrangements with Viator to take a tour so I had a quick breakfast and took one of the first tenders from the MSC Divina to the island. It was warm and sunny as I walked around looking for my guide.                                                                          Rex found me at the pier and took me to the bus to cool off and wait for the others on the tour. Once we were all onboard, he told us about this wealthy island with beautiful beaches and lots to do. As we drove, Rex pointed out some of the inte

After a relaxing day at sea on our MSC Cruise, it was time for our first stop in the Caribbean. It had been about a dozen years since I was in Jamaica. I had previously visited Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, but I had never been to Falmouth. I was excited to discover this city with Falmouth Food Tour Guides . We were already docked in Jamaica by the time I was up for breakfast outside at 8:00. I was happy the wind wasn’t as bad as the previous day so I could enjoy my yogurt, pancakes, and cappuccino outside at One Pool, which was reserved for the MSC Cruises Yacht Club guests. Mom had decided to stay on the boat and I bid her farewell and headed off the boat. The Port of Falmouth was beautiful and new, with lots of souvenir and jewelry shops. I browsed for a bit and then met up with the Falmouth Food Tour Guides at the information booth. We had about a dozen people in our group with two guides, so it was easy to stay together and be able to have all our question