Cruise Talk: MSC Fantasia is delevered today

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Ships » MSC Fantasia is delevered today (Page 1)

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Topic: MSC Fantasia is delevered today

Christophe D
First Class Passenger
Member # 1680

posted 12-10-2008 06:53 AM

This morning, STX Europe Saint-Nazaire delivered MSC Fantasia (133 500 tons, 333 m) to MSC Cruises, the biggest european owner cruise ship (QM2 is owning by Carnival)

First passengers have embarked yesterday and the ship will leave Saint-Nazaire this afternoon for a cruise to Marseille with called to Bordeaux, Vigo and Lisbonne.

Next year, STX will deliver to MSC two ships, MSC Splendida (Fantasia Class) at the end of June and MSC Magnifica (Musica Class) in november.

Posts: 282 | From: Dunkerque, France | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

adriana & norway lover
First Class Passenger
Member # 7184

posted 12-10-2008 08:19 AM

No call in Bordeaux

See here
http://www.voyage-autocar.be/croisieres.html

Lisbon / Gibraltar / Alicante / Barcelona

Posts: 199 | From: Caen, France | Registered: Aug 2006 | IP: Logged

Thad
First Class Passenger
Member # 1224

posted 12-10-2008 05:46 PM

I think she might be the nicest looking post-panamax cruise ship...

See image HERE

Posts: 1967 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 12-11-2008 01:15 PM

MSC FANTASIA calls here at Gibraltar on Saturday. We have also just been notified today that SAGA RUBY will also call the same day. Today, Travel Dynamic's miniscule TO CALLISTO arrived to stay overnight. In the space of two days, calls by probably the smallest cruise ship in the industry, the newest and one of the oldest!

Tony

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Waynaro
First Class Passenger
Member # 3484

posted 12-11-2008 02:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Thad:
I think she might be the nicest looking post-panamax cruise ship...
See image HERE

She looks pretty good for a monster. I am glad MSC rounded up the edges on the two decks above the bridge. The similar structure on the MUSICA looked quite awkward.

The only thing I don't like is the cage-mesh on the aft-part of the funnel. It seems too angular.

Posts: 6108 | From: Vallejo,CA : California Maritime Academy!!! | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

andy cruiser
Just Boarded
Member # 15042

posted 12-11-2008 02:13 PM

Check out these nice videos of the delivery:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7p0xr_saintnazaire-baptme-du-msc-fantasia_news

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/msc-fantasia-101208-033/3096609882

This ship is absolutly beutiful!
Andy Cruiser

[ 12-11-2008: Message edited by: andy cruiser ]

Posts: 2 | From: Sweden | Registered: May 2008 | IP: Logged

Steve Read (sread)
First Class Passenger
Member # 788

posted 12-11-2008 05:18 PM

A nice one here (http://travel.sky.com/inspiration/blogs/1214309221697_813) too, if I may say so myself!
Steve

Posts: 926 | From: Locksbottom, Kent, England | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 12-11-2008 07:05 PM

Thanks for all the links. IMHO she blows SOLTICE out of the water 100x over.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 12-11-2008 08:41 PM

I could not agree with you more, Pam.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

cruiseshipluver
First Class Passenger
Member # 5104

posted 12-11-2008 08:43 PM

Agreed Pam. The vid that Steve showed us gives a sneak peak of some of the public spaces. I saw one of the pool areas and could not believe that was on a ship! The interior is very stately and classy, not classic but classy. Very luxurious affair to be had and all guest I am sure will enjoy her. This is one ship that is both beautiful on the inside as the outside!

cruiseshipluver

[ 12-11-2008: Message edited by: cruiseshipluver ]

Posts: 1797 | From: Barbados--cruiseship capital of the Southern Caribbean | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

reeves35
First Class Passenger
Member # 6021

posted 12-11-2008 08:48 PM

quote:
she blows SOLTICE out of the water 100x over.

I fear Eroller will be apoplectic when he returns from his time on Solstice. So far this week we have had people claiming the aesthetic superiority of both Carnival Dream and MSC Fantasia over Solstice.

This will just not do!!!

Brad

Posts: 343 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 12-11-2008 09:50 PM

Very nice looking ship. As for the exterior, Carnival Dream has a far better looking stern but MSC Fantasia has a much better looking bridgefront, lovely forecastle and bow. In comparison, Solstice has a slightly odd though unique exterior, silly little funnels but cool interiors. The interiors of Fantasia (the ones I could see) look clean and elegant. Carnival Dream's interiors most likely will have the over-the-top trademark Farcus look.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Christophe D
First Class Passenger
Member # 1680

posted 12-12-2008 12:11 PM

Many interiors pictures of MSC Fantasia in :

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=109030

Just one word :splendid, splendid

No doubt, I prefer Aponte Design than Farcus Designh

Posts: 282 | From: Dunkerque, France | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 12-12-2008 12:29 PM

From the short preview, I liked MSC Fantasia's interiors very much with the exception of the dining room. I really dislike the Victorian style chairs. Loved the look-out lounge. I agree that the stern of Carnival Dream is more beautiful.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 12-12-2008 12:38 PM

Merci Christophe D. Most rooms are very, very wonderful. A few get a little close to gaudy for my tastes. I am sure she will please her pax. I still dislike Le Red Velvet, but I am sure like it.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Maasdam
First Class Passenger
Member # 3858

posted 12-12-2008 01:01 PM

Hail to the MSC FANTASIA she's absolute wonderful. The best new cruise ship of 2009.
Happy sailings beauty.

Greetings Ben.

Posts: 4695 | From: Rotterdam home of the tss. Rotterdam. | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

Tim in Fort Lauderdale
First Class Passenger
Member # 953

posted 12-12-2008 01:19 PM

Solstice is very hip and trendy, but Fanstasia is timeless and elegant.

Fantasia makes the Solstice look like a Marriott.

Tim

Posts: 1468 | From: Fort Lauderdale, FL | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 12-12-2008 01:33 PM

Very, very nice. I can see that the MSC yacht club could be an interesting alternative to some premium (luxury?) vessels. We had this discussion before - there are advantages and disadvantages compared to the smaller, more intimate vessels. However, the photos look really nice.

[ 12-12-2008: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

linerguy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4289

posted 12-12-2008 01:59 PM

I have to agree,..she is a beautiful ship! Thanks to everyone for the links.

Her forward superstucture is very pleasing.

-Russ

Posts: 1486 | From: Bright, Indiana | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

eroller
First Class Passenger
Member # 1649

posted 12-12-2008 04:40 PM

quote:

Fantasia makes the Solstice look like a Marriott.
Tim[/QB]

Having now spent almost a week onboard SOLSTICE, I can assure you that NO ship will make her look like a "Marriott". Keep telling yourself that if you want to convince youself, but it's simply not possible.

Without question SOLSTICE is the most sophisticated ship I have sailed on yet, with an attention to detail that is almost absurd. I have looked at the pictures of MSC FANTASIA ... yes she looks nice, but I don't see anything that compares to the level of sophistication and detail that is offered on SOLSTICE. MSC FANTASIA looks cheap and glitzy in comparision, and at least in pictures, the quality of the furnishings and art do not compare to what I'm experiencing on SOLSTICE. Fake palm trees by the pool and a few Disney-esque inspired lounges are simply not something you will see on SOLSTICE. Parts of MSC FANTASIA almost look like a European version of Carnival to me. When I am home I will study the pictures in more detail, but from what I see I don't think the claim of "the most beautiful ship in the world" holds true. When I sail on MSC FANTASIA (and I will), I'll let you know for certain.

Ernie

Posts: 7046 | From: Miami, Florida USA | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 12-12-2008 05:56 PM

While most of the ship looks very nice (i.e. like other MSC ships

), I am sorry to see that some rather tacky-looking kitsch elements are now working their way into MSC design. El Sombrero and the Piazza San Giorgio look like Disney versions of Texas and Italy.

On the other hand, most of the other areas shown in the excellent photos on Mer et Marine (thanks to Christophe for the link) do look very stylish and elegant, just like all the other ships MSC has built so far. As long as they keep the kitsch confined to a few spaces it is tolerable, though I am sad to see it at all.

In particular the MSC Yacht Club looks really elegant and luxurious; if it is as good in person as it looks in photos they have really gotten the "yacht" look right.

Overall, a stunningly beautiful ship inside and out - and for that matter, at least on the inside, I think SOLSTICE looks great too. They are both very exciting-looking new ships and I really want to try both (or their sisters). Certainly if you compare SOLSTICE with EURODAM and FANTASIA with COSTA SERENA (or whichever one is newest at the moment) there is really no comparison, the Carnival-owned ships simply look dull.

After seeing the initial photos of SOLSTICE I thought she was probably a shoo-in for best large ship this decade (the competition being so incredibly feeble) but I think FANTASIA will give her some stiff competition on this. So in the space of a month we have had two huge new ships that show two very different visions of what a stylish, modern, and luxurious new mega-ship should look like and I cannot wait to try and compare them...I think these two are both going to be "must-sail" ships.

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 12-12-2008 06:32 PM

Shes a beautiful ship both inside and out, however I find the Solstice to be much better on the inside then the Fantasia. Some of the Fantasia's interiors are rather tacky to me, some are to flashy or even Carnival-ish. Even still some of her rooms (in fact a lot) are really beautiful, she would definetly be nice to cruise on.

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 12-12-2008 06:58 PM

I would never consider her 'the most beautiful ship in the World'. There are a few newbuilds that blow her out of the water in the exterior beauty department. She does have some very nice exterior design touches such as her bridgefront/forward superstructure and well proportioned forecastle etc.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 12-13-2008 01:29 AM

I agree most beautiful it is certianly not. I would describe her a pleasently glitzy, just a little too much gold etc - Eurotrashy ? But still one of the nicest big builds in a while.

Not so much Venice as Milan perhaps.

Solstice is distinctive and has a contemporary edge that Fantasia does not, from pics of her it just seems so much more thought has gone into the design and while Solstice is modern and contemporary for me her designs still reflect the traditions of that age of ocean travel that we refer to as golden, so on Solstice you still feel that you are on a ship (disco excepted) where as Fantasia could be anywhere ? And they is never an excuse for fake trees or bushes etc. Cunard take note.

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

Atlcruiser
First Class Passenger
Member # 4586

posted 12-13-2008 09:26 AM

She looks nice but I have seen some of those same public rooms on other ships. Much nicer than anything that Costa turns out. IMHO the Solstice is a much nicer looking ship inside and out from the photos that I have viewed. Thanks to those that posted the links to the photos.

Posts: 916 | From: Atlanta | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

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