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Ship comparison

Jewel of the Seas vs MSC Sinfonia

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Jewel of the Seas is a large Royal Caribbean ship carrying 2,112 passengers, in service since 2004. MSC Sinfonia is a large MSC Cruises ship carrying 1,950 passengers, in service since 2002.

Choose Jewel of the Seas if you want a more active cruise, better-rated staterooms or more culture: it outscores MSC Sinfonia for active (7.0 vs 5.0), staterooms (8.0 vs 6.0) and cultural (4.0 vs 2.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Choose MSC Sinfonia if you want a lower starting fare or a more romantic trip: it outscores Jewel of the Seas for romantic (5.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $119 (vs $307).

Side by side

Specifications

marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.

Jewel of the SeasMSC Sinfonia
Cruise line Royal Caribbean MSC Cruises
Ship size Large Large
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2004 (better) 2002
Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted 2021 (better) 2015
Gross tonnage 90,090 65,542
Passengers 2,112 1,950
Crew 859 700
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 2.5 (better) 2.8
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 42.7 (better) 33.6
Decks 13 12
Length 962 ft 902 ft
Beam 106 ft 95 ft
Speed 29 mph 24 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 6 / 10 7 / 10 (better)
Cruises on sale 53 71
Upcoming sailings 157 312
Cruise lengths 3 to 17 nights 1 to 31 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted $307 $119 (better)

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Jewel of the Seas leads on 6 of the ten, MSC Sinfonia on 1, with 3 level.

  • Active Jewel of the Seas: 7.0 MSC Sinfonia: 5.0
  • Adventure & nature Jewel of the Seas: 4.0 MSC Sinfonia: 4.0
  • Cultural Jewel of the Seas: 4.0 MSC Sinfonia: 2.0
  • Dining Jewel of the Seas: 6.0 MSC Sinfonia: 5.8
  • Entertainment Jewel of the Seas: 7.4 MSC Sinfonia: 5.5
  • Family friendly Jewel of the Seas: 8.0 MSC Sinfonia: 8.0
  • Party Jewel of the Seas: 5.5 MSC Sinfonia: 5.0
  • Romantic Jewel of the Seas: 4.0 MSC Sinfonia: 5.0
  • Spa & fitness Jewel of the Seas: 8.0 MSC Sinfonia: 8.0
  • Staterooms Jewel of the Seas: 8.0 MSC Sinfonia: 6.0

Royal Caribbean

Jewel of the Seas

Jewel of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean's Radiance-class ships, underwent a $30 million upgrade in 2016 and another dry dock in July 2021, emerging with a fresh sheen. With acres of glass throughout and elevators facing the sea, every view on the ship is picture-worthy.

Highlights

  • Complimentary Adventure Ocean Youth Program
  • Rock-climbing wall, mini-golf course and basketball court on board
  • Solarium, an adults-only retreat
  • Yoga and Pilates classes in fitness center

Sailing now

53 cruises on sale, from $307.

MSC Cruises

MSC Sinfonia

MSC Sinfonia is named after the rousing symphonies of Europe's great classical composers: from Beethoven's romantic masterpieces to Mozart's lively works, paired with the contemporary tones of Debussy, Tchaikovsky and Brahms. Inspired by these, the MSC Sinfonia cruise ship creates an atmosphere that blends romance, passion and adventure.

Highlights

  • Catching a show in the Teatro San Carlo
  • Practicing your golf swing with the Virtual Golf Simulator
  • Testing your gaming skills in the video games room

Sailing now

71 cruises on sale, from $119.

Questions

Jewel of the Seas or MSC Sinfonia?

Which is bigger, Jewel of the Seas or MSC Sinfonia?

Jewel of the Seas is bigger at 90,090 gross tons, against 65,542 gross tons for MSC Sinfonia. Jewel of the Seas carries 2,112 passengers and MSC Sinfonia carries 1,950.

Which ship is newer, Jewel of the Seas or MSC Sinfonia?

Jewel of the Seas is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2004 against 2002 for MSC Sinfonia.

Which has more space per passenger?

Jewel of the Seas, with 42.7 gross tons per passenger against 33.6 on MSC Sinfonia. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

Jewel of the Seas, with one crew member for every 2.5 passengers against one for every 2.8 on MSC Sinfonia.

Which is better for families?

They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.

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