| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | 2002–2004: European Stars 2004 onwards: MSC Sinfonia[1] |
| Owner: | 2002–2004: Festival Cruises 2004 onwards: MSC Cruises[1] |
| Operator: | 2002–2004: Festival Cruises 2004 onwards: MSC Cruises[1] |
| Port of registry: | 2002–2008: Naples, Italy[1][2][3] 2008 onwards: Unknown, Panama[4] |
| Builder: | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France |
| Cost: | $245 million[3] |
| Yard number: | X31[1] |
| Launched: | 2001-03-04[1] |
| Christened: | 2002-04-19[1] |
| Completed: | 2002 |
| Acquired: | 2002-04-18[1] |
| In service: | 2002-04-25[1] |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9210153[1] |
| Status: | In Service |
| General characteristics [4] | |
| Class and type: | Mistral class cruise ship |
| Tonnage: | 58,625 GT (gross tonnage) |
| Displacement: | 6,980 metric tons deadweight (DWT)[1] |
| Length: | 251.25 m (824 ft 4 in) |
| Beam: | 28.80 m (94 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in)[3] |
| Decks: | 12[5] (9 passenger accessible) |
| Installed power: | 4 × Wärtsilä 12V38 diesels Combined 31680 kW[1] |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Azimuth thrusters[3] |
| Speed: | 21 knots (38.89 km/h; 24.17 mph) |
| Capacity: | 1,566 passengers (lower berths) 2,223 passengers (all berths)[3] 783 cabins |
| Crew: | 710[3] |
| Notes: |
9 accessible Elevators 2 Swimming pools and 2 SPA baths |
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.[1] She was the last newbuilding ever to be built for Festival Cruises.[6]
Contents |
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 35 metres (115 ft) mid-section providing more passenger spaces,[3] and one additional deck of cabins with private balconies.[7]
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.[1]
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,[1][8] 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).[1][9] The MSC Sinfonia entered service with her new owners in March 2005.[3]
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.[7] 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,[1] but on 2008-04-15 MSC made known their intention to paint their compass logo on the sides of all their ships during 2008.[10]
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.[3][4]
Only including decks with passenger-accessible facilities.[4]
Facilities include 2 Swimming pools; 2 Jacuzzis; a sports centre, jogging track, mini golf, video games room, Pinocchio Mini Club with a children's playroom, teenagers club, teens disco club.
Restaurants include the Il Galeone which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner as a sit down and served option. The Il Covo is open for dinner only.
If you would prefer to be on deck an outside breakfast and lunch can be enjoyed on deck at the Cafe Del Mare . Outside bars include the Capri Bar and the Beer Bar.
The Sinfonia also has a Gelateria bar for ice-cream.
The food is a great selection of international and Italian dishes. Midnight snacks are even served after the nights entertainment.
There are numerous bars on board the Sinfonia with all tastes being catered for.
Enjoy a traditional Irish feeling at Shelagh's House Irish Pub - which converts into a sports bar during major sporting events! Relax at the Cafe Le Baroque for drinks and coffee. Smokers can head to the Ambassador Lounge and enjoy cigars and brandies in the quiet comfort of the cigar lounge.
Enjoy the entertainment in the Buddha Piano bar open till late. The Sinfonia Lounge hosts a dance floor and is often used for weddings or private functions on board; while the Manhattan bar is open for that perfect cocktail, dancing and bands.
Video games, children's playroom, teenagers club are great children's options for day time activities. Aboard the MSC Sinfonia is the Galleria where you can browse the many shops and boutiques. A card room and well stocked library is also available. The San Remo Casino is also available on the cruise. For those who want quality entertainment perhaps take in a show at the magnificent Teatro San Carlo.
Aboard the MSC SinfoniaSaunas, steam rooms, post treatment heated chairs, beauty salon, massages - the MSC Sinfonia has the perfect environment for total relaxation! Enjoy the cruise experience even further by taking advantage of the Le Terme Spa and the Solarium.
The MSC Sinfonia has a wide array of sports activities available. Enjoy the Sport Centre for basket ball, volleyball and tennis or take an early morning jog on the jogging track. Shuffleboard, mini golf and the golf simulator are all on board the ship. For those just wanting to soak up some sun, enjoy the pool and its facilities! Golf Simulator : Passengers must book the day before, and it's only open on AT SEA days. They can only book for an hour at a time.
The MSC Sinfonia is the ideal venue for conferences, product launches or company incentives. The Business centre caters for every business need with a fully equipped business centre, cinema and breakaway room facilities. The Sinfonia @cafe allows internet access to 6 workstations for those needing to touch base with land while on board.
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||