MSC Splendida
MSC Splendida was one of the world's largest ships at launch in 2009 — the second Fantasia-class vessel and a fixture in the Mediterranean
MSC Splendida (2009) is the second Fantasia-class ship, at 137,936 gross tons carrying 3,274 guests at double occupancy. She was among the largest ships in the world at the time of her delivery, and the Fantasia class was MSC's first foray into the category that the industry then called "mega-ship." Splendida has since been joined by larger MSC vessels, but she remains an active and frequently deployed ship in the Mediterranean fleet, with itinerary patterns covering the Western and Eastern Mediterranean across the summer season and extended Caribbean deployments in winter.
The Fantasia class's design language — the Swarovski crystal staircase in the central atrium, the multiple specialty restaurants around the upper atrium level, the signature MSC Aurea Spa — was established on the lead ship Fantasia and refined on Splendida. The changes between the two are relatively minor from a passenger perspective: small adjustments to cabin-layout percentages, modified specialty-restaurant positioning, and updated spa configuration. The ships are functionally twins in most respects, and guests who have sailed one will recognise the other immediately.
The Swarovski staircase on Splendida is the Fantasia-class's most photographed interior element. It spans three decks in the central atrium, is constructed from thousands of Swarovski crystals worked into the banister, treads, and structural frame, and is lit from within in a way that changes colour through the day. The staircase is a functional element — it connects the concierge-level lounges on the upper atrium decks to the bars and boutiques below — as well as the aesthetic signature of the class.
Splendida's Mediterranean programme rotates between home ports depending on the season and commercial demand: Genoa, Civitavecchia, and Venice have all served as her summer base in different years. The Western Mediterranean circuit (Marseille, Barcelona, Palma, Malta, Naples, Civitavecchia) and the Eastern Mediterranean circuit (Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Dubrovnik) are the two standard patterns; one-week sailings on either circuit can be combined for a two-week round trip.
For Caribbean seasons, Splendida has operated from Santos (Brazil) on South American circuits and from Caribbean embarkation ports. The South American deployments take her to ports along the Brazilian coast, to Uruguay, and to Argentina — a market where MSC has substantial brand recognition and a large existing customer base. Splendida's size fits the Brazilian major ports (Santos, Rio, Buenos Aires) well; the regional infrastructure handles ships of her scale routinely.