MSC Splendida

The 2009-built MSC Splendida cruise ship is the second of MSC’s Fantasia-class liners, with sisterships Divina, Fantasia, and Preziosa.

The vessel (IMO number 9359806) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 357698000) and registered in Colon.

History - construction and ownership

MSC Cruises (MSC Crociere) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. Established in 1960, MSC Crociere is a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) – the world’s 2nd largest container shipping company. MSC Crociere is the world’s largest privately owned cruise company.

By annual passenger volumes, MSC ranks as the world’s 3rd largest cruise shipowner, following Carnival Corporation and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group.

The 4000-passenger MSC Splendida is a large vessel designed primarily for the European source market. She offers a wide range of entertainment options and diverse dining venues, with a design well suited for families. Passengers are typically of all ages and predominantly European.

Decks and Cabins

MSC Splendida staterooms (1637 total, in 12 grades) include 107x Suites, 1142x Balcony, 94x Oceanview, and 294x Inside cabins. Most accommodations are Balcony staterooms (190 ft2 / 18 m2) with verandas sized 40 ft2 / 4 m2. The largest are the MSC Yacht Club Royal Suites (400 ft2 / 37 m2, with a 170 ft2 / 16 m2 wraparound terrace).

The ship has 17 decks, of which 14 are passenger-accessible and 9 contain cabins.

MSC Splendida’s decks are named after famous Italian painters.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The 2-deck-high formal restaurant serves open-seating breakfast and lunch, plus traditional two-seating dinners. Two specialty restaurants offer Tex-Mex and Italian cuisine. The Lido buffet provides casual dining, including late-night pizza. Coffee bars offer pastries (at an extra charge). Room service includes a limited menu of cold sandwiches and Continental breakfast. The nightly Midnight Buffet varies from snacks to gala presentations.

Follows the complete list of MSC Splendida restaurants and food bars.

La Palmeraie (MSC Yacht Club)

• La Reggia Restaurant (2-level, Decks 5–6; 626 seats on level 1, 529 on level 2). Open for Breakfast (7–10 am), Lunch (12–2 pm) and Dinner (two fixed seatings at 7 pm and 9:30 pm). Offers Italian specialties, curated wine list, vegan/vegetarian options, and a 7-course dinner menu.
• Butcher's Cut (121-seat American steakhouse with show galley and bar, Deck 7, 261.5 m2). Fixed-price Chef’s Table menu (EUR 49) or à la carte. Open for brunch on sea days, lunch, and dinner.
• Bora Bora (412 seats, 1288 m2) and Pago Pago (404 seats, 882 m2) – Deck 14 buffet restaurants (complimentary). Open for Breakfast (6:30–11 am), Lunch (12–5:30 pm), Dinner (7–10 pm). Stations include Grill, Pizza, Pasta, Mediterranean, Carving, Bakery, Kids, Desserts, Salads, Fruits, International cuisine.
• L’Olivo Restaurant (136-seat MSC Yacht Club dining room, Deck 15, 218 m2). Offers gourmet French and Italian dishes with premium wines; à la carte surcharge. Open for Lunch and Dinner.
• Sea Pavilion by Jereme Leung (174 seats, 510.5 m2, Deck 16). Chinese-inspired restaurant created for the Asia market.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MSC Splendida offers a cinema, casino, library, fitness center, 5 swimming pools (including the covered L’Equatore Pool), 12 Jacuzzis, sauna, solarium, Turkish bath, relaxation room, and Thalassotherapy. The Aurea Spa provides Balinese massages and holistic treatments. As one of MSC’s largest ships, Splendida also features the MSC Yacht Club exclusive complex (71 suites) and the Top 18 adults-only deck. Additional services include complimentary 24-hour room service, supervised children’s programming, Internet/WiFi access, and laundry services.

Follows the complete list of MSC Splendida lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Medical Center (13-seat infirmary, 284 m2, Deck 4), staffed 24/7 by doctors and nurses. Payments are charged to the onboard account; standard health insurance often does not apply.
• Splendida Atrium (5-deck-high midship entertainment space)
• Reception (93-seat Guest Services, 479 m2, Deck 5)
• Business Center (36-seat conference room, 47 m2, Deck 5)
• Splendida Bar (28-seat Atrium bar, 120 m2, Deck 5)
• Cyber Library (Internet room and library, 52 m2, with 6 Mahjong tables)
• La Prua Piano Bar (108 seats, 393 m2, Deck 7)
• Gallery Plaza (art exhibits and auctions, Deck 7)
• Fashion Bijoux (jewelry shop, Deck 7)
• The Purple Jazz Bar (106 seats, live music and cocktails, 235 m2, Deck 7)
• Galleria D’Arte (fine art gallery, 110 m2, Deck 7)
• Photo Gallery & Shop (145 m2, Deck 7)
• Sports Fun Bar (87 seats, 148 m2, Deck 7; large TVs, 2 bowling lanes, snacks, international dishes)
• L’Espresso (58-seat specialty coffee bar with pastries, 258 m2, Deck 7)
• Dim Sum Bar & Tea House (105 seats, 340 m2, Deck 7)
• The Aft Lounge (268-seat show lounge with full bar, 888 m2, Deck 7)
• MSC Aurea Spa (1700 m2 wellness complex, Deck 14) with salon, solarium, steam rooms, saunas, treatment rooms, relaxation rooms, Thalassotherapy pools, heated indoor pool, 3 whirlpools.
• MSC Gym powered by Technogym (Deck 14, open 6 am–10 pm)
• The Pool Shop (Deck 14)
• L’Equatore Pool (indoor heated pool with sliding roof, 820 m2, 3 whirlpools, Deck 14) served by L’Equatore Bar
• Aqua Park (2091 m2, Deck 14) with 2 whirlpools, splash areas, jets, fountains
• LED Wall (open-air video screen, Deck 14)
• Bar del Riccio (97-seat poolside bar, Deck 14)
• Tartaruga Bar (Deck 14)
• Top Sail Lounge (MSC Yacht Club, 141 seats, 297 m2, Deck 15)
• Power Walking/Jogging Track (6.5 laps = 1 mile, 1140 m2, Deck 15)
• Il Polo Nord (kids club with indoor/outdoor play areas, 195 m2, Deck 15; includes MSC-LEGO partnership activities)
• Mini & Junior Clubs (Deck 15)
• Teen’s Toboga water slide (exit level)
• Playa del Sol Pool (adults only, 320 m2, Deck 15)
• Movida Bar (17-seat alfresco bar, 57 m2, Deck 15)
• MSC Yacht Club Concierge Area (24-seat, 113 m2, Deck 15)
• Teen Club (22 seats, 85 m2, Deck 16)
• Virtual World arcade (Deck 16)
• F1 Simulator (Deck 16)
• 4D Cinema (Deck 16)
• MSC Arena Sports Center (Deck 16; stadium seating, courts, foosball, outdoor movie screen)

The One Pool (MSC Yacht Club exclusive) features 2 whirlpools and is served by The One Bar (lunchtime and dinner restaurant for YC guests), covering a total area of 1177 m2.

Top 18 Exclusive Solarium is an adults-only private area with a whirlpool, garden, Tiki Bar, and paid-access passes (daily or cruise-long). Total size 845 m2.

Itineraries

MSC Splendida's itinerary program is based on Western Mediterranean roundtrips from Civitavecchia–Rome, Livorno–Florence, Genoa, Marseille, Tarragona, and Valencia, all serving as homeports and ports of call.

In 2018, MSC deployed Splendida to China (replacing MSC Lirica) to meet growing demand. After an extensive drydock in late 2017, she began serving the Chinese market.

Following the COVID-19 pause, Splendida was deployed to South America (homeport Santos–São Paulo) for winter 2021–2022.

For winter 2022–2023, Splendida was deployed in the Red Sea, operating 7-night roundtrip itineraries from three homeports: two in Egypt (Sokhna and Safaga) and one in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah). The itinerary featured 33 shore excursions, including Cairo, and visited Aqaba/Petra and Yanbu Al-Bahr. MSC’s 9-night fly-cruise package combined a 2-night Cairo hotel stay with the 7-night voyage.

In August 2024, MSC announced Splendida’s South America deployment for 2024–2025 (December 13–March 21). Homeported in Santos, the ship operates 7-night roundtrips to Buenos Aires, Punta del Este, and either Balneario Camboriu or Itajai.

The vessel (STX France, Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard / hull number B33) has a volume of 137,936 GT, a deadweight tonnage of 13,413 tons, and a max draught of 8.7 m. The powerplant is based on GE Power Conversion marine diesel engines (Converteam model 16V46C) with a combined output of 43.7 MW (58,600 hp). The registered shipowner is SPLENDIDA BAIL SNC, while the registered manager is MSC CROCIERE SA.

Construction officially began with the steel-cutting ceremony on April 12, 2007.

Interestingly, MSC Splendida was originally to be named “MSC Serenata”, but the name was changed in May 2007 by Raphaela Aponte (wife of Gianluigi Aponte, MSC Group founder, owner, and chairman).

Splendida is MSC’s largest Fantasia-class liner (maiden voyage July 4, 2009; christened on July 12 in Barcelona), with sisterships Divina, Fantasia, and Preziosa. The ship’s 7-day inaugural itinerary visited Civitavecchia–Rome, Genoa–Milano, Messina (Sicily), Valletta (Malta), and Barcelona, with multiple embarkation options. For the inaugural season (2009–2010), the ship was scheduled on Eastern Mediterranean and Canary Islands itineraries (10- and 11-day voyages).

Kids sail free on MSC Splendida cruises.

In 2018, MSC deployed Splendida to China (replacing MSC Lirica, positioned there since 2016) to meet increasing regional demand. From May 2018, Splendida began serving the Chinese market following a 2017 drydock refurbishment. The Asian deployment includes itineraries visiting ports in Japan, Korea, and China. The ship was customized for the Chinese market with a new specialty restaurant (developed in partnership with celebrity chef Jereme Leung), the “MSC for Me” program (in collaboration with Deloitte), and a shipwide AI-powered translation system (based on Baidu technology provided by Tuge). This system automatically detects spoken languages and translates in real time to facilitate communication between passengers and crew.

The ship’s Master is Captain Giuseppe Moresco.

On December 18, 2018, MSC announced a partnership with Michelin 3-star chef Harald Wohlfahrt. The German chef created new Mediterranean and international dishes for the exclusive MSC Yacht Club Restaurant on Meraviglia, Splendida, and Preziosa. The enhanced menu is available only on Northern Europe cruises. He also developed two new main courses for “Elegant Night” in the MDRs and provided interactive culinary training for MSC’s onboard chefs.

MSC Splendida’s most recent drydock refurbishment was completed in Malta (Palumbo Shipyard, Valletta Harbour) between May 10–29, 2024. The project included routine maintenance, class and safety inspections, technical overhauls, and full hull cleaning/repainting.