The Fantasia Class is made up of MSC Fantasia, MSC Splendida, MSC Divina and MSC Preziosa. The four ships are new, put in service between 2008 and 2013. All are relatively the same in dimension and capacity with some slight differences. What follows is a look at the MSC Fantasia Class of ships and where they’ll be over the next year.
MSC Fantasia
The oldest of the Fantasia Class, Fantasia went into service in December, 2008. Like all four ships, she was built by STX Europe in St. Nazaire, France. Fantasia was christened by Sophia Loren at Naples, Italy.
At a gross tonnage of 137,936, Fantasia and Splendida are currently tied as the 14th heaviest cruise ships in the world. All four Fantasia Class ships are tied as the ninth longest cruise ships in the world at 333 metres or 1,093 feet. All four ships have 18 overall decks with 13 accessible to passengers. MSC Fantasia has a capacity for 3,900 passengers and 1,313 crew.
The Schedule
Fantasia remains in the Mediterranean through the next 12 months. Currently, she is running eleven night itineraries, alternating embarkation out of Genoa, Italy and Civitavecchia, Italy. These cruises continue until the end of March, 2014 before switching to shorter seven night journies out of Venice, Italy and Bari, Italy.
For the eleven night cruises, the ship generally alternates between western and eastern Mediterranean. The western journey makes stops at Barcelona, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain; Funchal, Madeira, Portugal and Malaga Spain. The eastern journey visits locations in Greece, along with Haifa, Israel.
The seven night itineraries out of Venice and Bari generally run the same circuit in the Adriatic Sea and eastern Mediterranean. Port calls include Katakolon, Santorini, Piraeaus and Corfu in Greece, along with Dubrovnik, Croatia.
MSC switches back to the eleven night jaunts in November, 2014.
MSC Splendida
Pretty much identical to Fantasia, MSC Splendida was put in service in March, 2009. In Fantasia Class tradition, she was christened by Sophia Loren. This time, the ceremony was held at Barcelona, Spain.
The Schedule
Splendida does not roam too far around the world. Through November, 2014, she will be running seven night Mediterranean itineraries. Ports of embarkation rotate between Naples, Italy; Messina, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France; Genoa, Italy; Palermo, Italy and Civitavecchia.
A typical cruise stops at most of the ports listed above with Tunis, Tunisia being the only port of call that doesn’t also serve as a home port. Pricing can be very reasonable on the Splendida with some cruises available as low as in the $400 to $500 range for an interior stateroom.
MSC Divina
Divina and Preziosa are slightly heavier than their sisters at a gross tonnage of 139,400, ranking both as the tenth heaviest cruise ships in the world. MSC Divina was put in service in May, 2012. Sophia Loren christened her at Marseille, France. Divina also has an increased capacity with 3,959 passengers and 1,325 crew.
The Schedule
Divina spends all her next 12 months on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. She is currently running a mix of Caribbean itineraries, all out of Miami, Florida. Over the next month, Divina will run just a few three night Bahamas cruises that stop at Nassau and Half Moon Cay. She does one Southern Caribbean cruise in December that stops at Falmouth, Jamaica; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Cristobal, Panama and Cozumel, Mexico.
Until late May, Divina alternates eastern and western Caribbean seven night cruises. Eastern journies stop at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. Western cruises stop at Falmouth, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.
On May 24, MSC Divina takes a break from Miami and heads on a 19 night South American cruise to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She makes stops at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Bridgetown, Barbados; Saint George’s, Grenada; Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; Fortaleza, Brazil; Salvador, Brazil; Ilheus, Brazil and Santos, Brazil.
On July 14, 2014, Divina turns right around and returns to Miami, making mostly the same stops along the way. She then continues her Caribbean mix through November, 2014.
MSC Preziosa
Brank spanking new, Preziosa was put into service in March, 2013. Nearly identical to Divina, Preziosa has the need for slightly more crew at 1,370.
The Schedule
This girl winters in Brazil and summers in the Mediterranean. She is currently running cruises out of Santos, Brazil with lengths of 3-8 nights. Each is limited to stops along the Brazilian coast.
On March 19, 2014, MSC Preziosa departs from Santos on a 17 night Trans Atlantic Repositioning cruise that ends up in Venice, Italy. Along the way, she makes port calls at Buzios, Brazil; Salvador, Brazil; Lanzarote, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Palermo, Italy and Valetta, Malta.
From April, 2014, Preziosa runs seven night itineraries, alternating home ports between Venice and Bari, Italy. She makes stops at Katakolon, Greece; Izmir, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey and Dubrovnik, Croatia.
