Italy - MSC Fantasia, Cruise Ship
The 133,500-ton, 3,300-passenger MSC Fantasia debuted in December 2008 as the largest and most innovative cruise ship ever built by Italy-based MSC Cruises. Along with sister ship MSC Splendida, which followed a year later, it represents a brand-new class for the rapidly growing line. Simply put, MSC Fantasia is a beautiful ship. Cruise lines throw that beauty description around a bit too liberally, but Fantasia is special. The atrium area is lofty and towers five decks; the colors in the public rooms and cabins are vibrant without a hint of gaudiness.
As a prototype, Fantasia offers a blend of MSC's signature features with a handful of novel twists. The most notable new-to-MSC feature is the Yacht Club, a luxurious ship-within-a-ship living space, pioneered by Cunard with its Grill-class and NCL with its Courtyard Villa complex. Also new are the fleet's first retractable-roof-covered pool, a popular destination when the weather turns foul, and a 4D cinema that takes strapped-in passengers on a cosmic coaster ride. On the evolutionary front, Fantasia boasts the fleet's highest ratio of balcony cabins, an expanded version of the line's staple Balinese-style spa and a pair of for-fee alternative restaurants.
In North America, MSC Cruises is mostly known in for its hybrid Italian-American-style cruises to the Caribbean. Beyond its efforts to reach out to North Americans in the Caribbean (and, in 2010, Canada/New England), MSC is already one of Europe's leading cruise lines, particularly for travelers from Italy, France, Spain and Germany. But, the expanded range of facilities and the steady inclusion of English in announcements and printed material shows that the line is also targeting travelers from the U.K., U.S. and Canada.
It's important to note, however, that MSC's style is definitely European. English-speaking travelers who are comfortable with European service and cuisine will find the ship a delight. Those who prefer a more traditional experience -- in service, food and activities -- may find MSC Splendida and Fantasia to be a bit too exotic, at least in cruise parlance.
Bedtime
At about 75 percent, MSC Fantasia's ratio of cabins with private balconies is not only the highest in its own fleet, but it also ranks quite well among all new ships. The major benefit to a high ratio for verandahs is that the more balconies a ship offers, the more affordable they are. A standard balcony stateroom measures 194 square feet, not including verandah, which is just above the industry average.
One of Fantasia's most intriguing features is its Yacht Club. The aforementioned ship-within-a-ship concept surrounds a luxury enclave of cabins and private facilities (including a lounge, pool areas and dedicated areas in the main dining venues). For travelers who want to blend a luxury cruise experience's service and amenities with big-ship features like entertainment, spa and kids programs, this ship is a fantastic splurge.
Mealtime
One of the big surprises on MSC Fantasia is the restaurant scene onboard. Beyond the traditional main dining venues -- which include the set-table, set-time Red Velvet (in the center of the ship) and Il Cerchio d'Oro (aft), as well as a pair of buffet restaurants that are typically open for breakfast and lunch -- Fantasia offers a nice variety of dining options. These include L'Etoile, an intimate and red velvet-romantic French restaurant; the boisterous Sombrero, for Tex-Mex; an evening-only pizzeria; the Sports Bar for fast food fare; and La Cantina Toscana for Italian wines and tapas.
Unlike most cruise lines that market to Americans and Canadians, the specialty eateries here -- including L'Etoile, La Cantina Toscana, the Sports Bar, the Italian wine bar and El Sombrero, -- don't levy alternative restaurant surcharges, which can range from $5 to $30 on other lines. That's good, but here's the difference: On Fantasia, the restaurants all operate on an a la carte basis. Instead of a blanket service fee, you pay for every menu item you order. Prices, for the most part, are extremely reasonable and are, to some degree, subsidized by your cruise fare, so you're not paying full retail. At El Sombrero, a huge burrito with freshly grilled chicken, which could comfortably feed two hungry adults and a couple of kids, was about 5 euros.
Editor's Note: Most Europeans, as my European husband told me, won't pay extra to dine on a cruise ship. Indeed, one evening, anxious about getting a last-minute reservation for L'Etoile -- where options include foie gras, escargot, a delicious rack of lamb and creme brulee -- I was shocked to see that we were the restaurant's only customers, at least for an hour or so.