I’m back from a week aboard the MSC Divina on the Holistic Holiday at Sea and am bringing home tons of great info and experiences to share!
Let me start by saying that it was one packed week. My good friend Anne came with me on the trip and we both agreed that the experience was a perfect mix of fun and education. One of the hardest part about the trip was deciding which classes and lectures to attend because there were so many to choose from. I couldn’t ask for a better problem to have!
I could go on and on about the details but photos do a great job at telling the story…
The Ship:
The MSC Divina is a classy ship with great service, and our room was very comfortable.
The Dining:
For breakfast and lunch, Anne and I went for the vegan buffet because there were so many activities we were trying to squeeze in during the daytime. We went for the sit-down dinners though, which included a 5 course meal every night! It was refreshing not to have to question the servers about how the food was made. For once, being vegan was the norm not the exception. So cool!!! Dinner was also the time we met the most interesting people from all over the country, everyone with a unique story about how they came to be on the cruise. I definitely recommend attending the dinners every night, and sitting with new people each meal.
The Excursions:
Book your excursions early! We made the mistake of waiting until the last minute and many of the excursions were booked, especially the ones that came with a vegan lunch included. This year we went to Saint Thomas, Nassau, Bahamas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. We have a good friend who lives in San Juan so were lucky enough to have a personal, local tour guide on that stop.
The Classes/Lectures:
There were inspirational classes and lectures of different topics offered over the course of the week by some of the world’s leading experts on nutrition, cooking, and fitness. It was hard to pick which ones to attend because I was interested in so many! I even tried a qi gong class one day, which is something I’ve always been curious about. I was thrilled that one of my all-time favorite speakers, Dr. Greger, was there, and after his last talk, I ran up to the stage to say hello and give him a copy of my book. He was so thankful and we agreed we needed to team up because, as he put it, “The paleo people are killing me!”
The Amenities:
I managed to make it to the gym early most mornings. The gym is at the very front of the ship and give you a gorgeous view of the sunrise over the water. Yoga and other classes were also offered every day at 7am as well as throughout the day as well. The ship also has a nice spa where Anne and I got an amazing massages after loosening up in the steam room and relaxing for a bit.
The Book Signings:
There were book signings every evening. I felt so honored to be there among such inspirational authors.
A big thank you to Sandy Pukel, the dedicated founder of the Holistic Holiday at Sea for inviting me on the cruise. I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of such a special week.
Stay tuned for more info on next year’s cruise including early bird specials!!!
view overlooking Biscayne Bay and the downtown Miami skyline. I can’t speak highly enough about the creative and gracious founders, Omar Barberini, Nicola Dominici, and Alessandro Farana, whose mission is, “to bring animal-caring, health conscious cuisine to food levels in Miami and provide an intimate special dining experience.”
