MSC Sinfonia

MS "MSC Sinfonia" is a cruise ship owned and operated by the Italy-based MSC Cruises. She was built in 2002 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France for the now-defunct Festival Cruises as MS "European Stars". She was the last newbuilding ever to be built for Festival Cruises.cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/FestvalPCs.html |title=Festival Cruise Line |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher= [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ Simplon Postcards] ]

Concept and construction

"European Stars" was the second in a pair of two sister ships ordered by Festival Cruises from Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France (the first sister being MS|European Vision). The contract price for the ship was $245 million, and her yard number was X31. Both new ships were built on the same platform as MS|Mistral, built by the same shipyard for Festival Cruises in 1999, but with an added convert|35|m|ft|abbr=off mid-section providing more passenger spaces, and one additional deck of cabins with private balconies.Ward (2006). pp. 440-441]

Newbuilding X31 was launched in Saint-Nazaire on 2001-03-04. Following fitting out, she was delivered to Festival Cruises on 2002-04-18 and officially christened "European Stars" the following day in Saint-Nazaire.

ervice history

"European Stars" entered service for Festival Cruises on 2002-04-25 on a cruise from Barcelona. Her career with Festival proved short however, as the company went bankrupt in January 2004 and the "European Stars" was subsequently impounded and laid up in Barcelona on 2004-01-19. The ship remained laid up for several months,cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/EuropeanStars.html |title="European Stars - MSC Sinfonia" |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher= [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ Simplon Postcards] ] until she was sold to MSC Cruises in July 2004 for €220 million and renamed "MSC Sinfonia" (her sister "European Vision" also joined the MSC fleet, as "MSC Armonia"). [cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/MSCPCs.html#anchor1183488 |title=MSC Crociere Italiane |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher= [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ Simplon Postcards] ] The "MSC Sinfonia" entered service with her new owners in March 2005.

Design

Exterior design

The "European Stars" and her sister "European Vision" shared a similar box-like exterior appearance as the "Mistral", but with a longer and higher hull, which has been said to have improved the ship's external appearance compared to the "Mistral". As "European Vision" the ship had an all-white hull and superstructure, with blue and yellow decorative stripes painted on the hull, and a blue funnel with the yellow F logo of Festival Cruises. As "MSC Sinfonia" she retained the blue funnel colour but now with the white compass logo of MSC Cruises. Initially her hull was all-white without decorations, but on 2008-04-15 MSC made known their intention to paint their compass logo on the sides of all their ships during 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.cruisebusiness.com/news.php?u=20080415174309 |title=MSC Cruises starts to paint compass logo on hulls |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date=2008-04-15 |work=Cruise Business Review |publisher=Cruise Media Oy Ltd]

Interior design

The interior decorations of the "MSC Sinfonia" are described as European Moderne by cruise review author Douglas Ward, with minimalist furniture that is in places impractical. The public spaces include two main dining rooms, a self-serve buffet, cafeteria, two-deck high showlounge, a discothèque, several bars, a casino and a library. The lido deck includes two outdoors swimming pool and two thalassotherapy jacuzzis.

Decks and facilities

Only including decks with passenger-accessible facilities.

5. "Beethoven Deck" - Showlounge (lower level), pub, cigar room, reception, cafeteria, shops, bar, dining room
6. "Mozart Deck" - Showlounge (upper level), cafeteria, business center, casino, bar, shops, dining room
7. "Brahms Deck" - Lounge, bar, library, medical center, crew accommodations, outside and inside cabins
8. "Bach Deck" - Outside and inside cabins
9. "Tchaikovski Deck" - Outside and inside cabins
10. "Sibelius Deck" - Bridge, outside and inside cabins
11. "Debussy Deck" - Spa, gymnasium, sauna, bars, swimming pools, cafeteria, grill restaurant, buffet restaurant
12. "Bizet Deck" - games arcade, teen's club, discothèque

References

External links

* [http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=373 Cruise Critic Review]