MSC Splendida is a Fantasia-class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. Constructed at STX France in Saint-Nazaire, she commenced service in July 2009 with $550m investment.
History
MSC Splendida was completed in 2009 at a cost of $550 million and is a sister ship to MSC Fantasia, originally, she was to be named MSC Serenata, but the name was changed in May 2007 to MSC Splendida[7][8] She measures 137,936 GT, and is 333.30 m long with a beam of 37.98 m, a height of 66.81 m and a draft of 8.29 m. Her capacity is 3,900 passengers.[9][10] The two Neopanamax vessels were to be the largest ships in a European cruise line's fleet at the time of delivery.[11]
The then-unnamed vessel was part of a two-ship order made by MSC Cruises with STX France on 16 November 2005, for a tentative delivery in spring 2009.[12] Construction began on then-MSC Serenata on 12 April 2007 with the steel-cutting.[11] The ship was launched from the shipyard on 18 July 2008.[13] She began her sea trials on 21 May 2009 and completed them on 27 May 2009. The ship was delivered to MSC Cruises on 4 July 2009.[14] She embarked on her maiden voyage on 4 July 2009[15] and returned 11 July, to be officially named on 12 July 2009, in Barcelona by Sophia Loren, her godmother.[3]
Areas of operation
MSC Splendida has cruised the Mediterranean and Far East.[16] She was refurbished in 2017 before deploying to China.[17] In 2020 March, the ship docked in Palong, Thailand beach during the coronavirus pandemic, after more the 2,700 passengers was disembarked.[18] The ship is scheduled to serve Southeast Asia until summer 2020 before repositioning to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.[19] The ship is scheduled to be based in Durban for the 2023/2024 cruise season and will serve the South African market sailing to Mozambique, Mauritius, Reunion, Namibia, Port Elizabeth & Cape Town.[20]
Amenities
The ship's horn system is programmed to play multiple songs, including "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" by Queen, "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes and "Happy Birthday to You".[21]
Incidents
Bardo National Museum attack
On 18 March 2015, MSC Splendida was in port in Tunis with Costa Fascinosa when gunmen opened fire on tourists at the Bardo National Museum. Twelve passengers hailing from Japan, Italy, Colombia, Spain, Britain, Australia, Poland, and France, were killed.[22]
Coronavirus pandemic
On 23 March 2020, around 14:00 CET, a Thai crew member working aboard as a buffet attendant was medically evacuated via lifeboat after she exhibited symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and was having difficulty breathing.[23] At the time, the ship was near the island of Sardinia and headed to Marseille to disembark all of its passengers.[23]
On 24 March 2020, MSC Cruises informed the crew that the sick crew member had tested negative.[23] However, two days later, on 26 March, it was reported that the sick crew member had been tested again, and this time, the test had returned positive.[23] As a result, 16 crew members were placed under quarantine.[23] The ship later docked in Genoa so that some of its crew members could disembark.[25]
By 1 April 2020, 26 crew members had been placed under quarantine, with 3 crew members running high temperatures.[23]
In popular culture
MSC Splendida is featured on Indian Tamil film, Manmadan Ambu.[26]
External links
References
- Douglas Ward. Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships Berlitz, 2009^
- MSC Splendida ShipParade, retrieved 9 July 2009^
- MSC Splendida Christening to Feature Sophia Loren TravelPulse, Performance Media Group, LLC, 10 June 2009, retrieved 10 July 2009^
- {{csr|register=BV|id=9359806|shipname=MSC Splendida |accessdate=19 February 2020}}^
- MSC Splendida (IMO: 9359806) vesseltracker.com, retrieved 9 July 2009^
- Technical Sheet MSC Cruises, retrieved 9 July 2009^
- MSC Serenata is renamed MSC Splendida MSC Cruises, 31 May 2007, retrieved 2 January 2008^
- MSC Serenata is Renamed MSC Splendida yourcruiseyourway, 1 June 2007, retrieved 9 July 2009^
- MSC Splendida Cruise Ship Ship Technology, retrieved 1 May 2020^
- Iowans on cruise ship expected to be home soon weareiowa.com, 9 March 2020, retrieved 1 May 2020^
- C. I. N. Staff. MSC Serenata Renamed MSC Splendida www.cruiseindustrynews.com, 31 May 2007^
- C. I. N. Newsletter. MSC Expansion, Two New Ships Ordered www.cruiseindustrynews.com, 16 November 2005^
- {{csr|register=MSI|id=9359806|shipname=MSC Splendida |accessdate=30 January 2020}}^
- MSC Splendida completes trials Ship Management International, 27 May 2009, retrieved 10 July 2009^
- MSC Splendida Pre-Christening Voyage Free Press Release, 22 May 2009^
- Jehan Ashmore. MSC Splendida's Mediterranean Sister Makes An Appearance afloat.ie, retrieved 1 May 2020^
- MSC Splendida ship set to be deployed in China on May 18 | Travel Retail Business Trbusiness The magazine for global retail Duty Free Professionals, 16 April 2018, retrieved 1 May 2020^
- The Phuket News Com. Phuket News: More than 2,700 cruise tourists arrive in Patong The Phuket News Com, 5 March 2020, retrieved 1 May 2020^
- MSC SPLENDIDA MAKES MAIDEN CALL IN KOCHI, INDIA MSC Corporate Information & Media Room, 7 April 2019^
- MSC Splendida To Sail in South Africa for 2023-2024 Season retrieved 11 May 2023^
- Cruise ship MSC Splendida playing We Will Rock You / Seven Nation Army on its horn YouTube, HD1080ide, retrieved 28 February 2017^
- News: MSC Cruises Official Statement on Tunisia Events retrieved 19 March 2015^
- MSC Splendida Emergency Medical Evacuation of Crew Member | Crew Center crew-center.com, 23 March 2020, retrieved 30 April 2020^
- JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Travelweekly.co.uk, retrieved 1 May 2020^
- More than 300 Filipino seafarers from Italy, Portugal back in the Philippines ABS-CBN News, retrieved 30 April 2020^
- MSC Splendida stars in forthcoming Bollywood Film Breaking Travel News, 15 December 2010, retrieved 10 November 2019^