Name: MSC Splendida
Brand: MSC Cruises
Availability: InStock

At a glance

MSC Splendida is a large-size cruise ship operated by MSC Cruises, in service since 2009. It carries 3,274 guests and 1,332 crew (2.5 guests per crew member) at 137,936 gross tons. It ties with 1 other ship as the 14th largest of 23 MSC Cruises ships by guest capacity. On Cruiseable's Bliss scale it scores highest for spa & fitness (8/10) and lowest for adventure & nature and cultural (4/10). It is rated 4 out of 5 by Cruiseable, 4 out of 5 by Berlitz and 4 out of 5 by Cruise Critic. It has 98 cruises on sale, with lead fares from $299 to $4,829. 24 of its upcoming sailings dropped in price since the previous weekly fare check.

Builder's plate

Specs

Cruiseable: 4 / 5
Berlitz: 4 / 5
Cruise Critic: 4 / 5

Guests: 3,274
Crew: 1,332
Gross tons: 137,936
Decks: 18
Length: 1,016 ft
Beam: 125 ft
Maiden voyage: 2009
Launched: 2009
Space ratio: 2.5; Gross tons per guest
Guests per crew: 2.5
Speed (mph): 24
IMO: 9359806

Bliss scores

What MSC Splendida is best at

Ten dimensions scored by our editors on a 10-point scale. The Cruiseable app ranks every cruise against the mix you care about.

Active 5.0
Adventure and nature 4.0
Cultural 4.0
Dining 6.9
Entertainment 7.4
Family friendly 6.0
Party 5.0
Romantic 5.0
Spa and fitness 8.0
Staterooms 6.0

Our review

MSC Splendida: A taste of 'La Bella Vita'

MSC Splendida, the second in MSC Cruises' Fantasia class of cruise ships, sports cutting-edge technology combined with luxurious features that makes the ship forward-looking while it still draws from the past.

MSC Cruises has laid out a six-star service for guests who enjoy the pleasures of life with the MSC Yacht Club, a VIP area complete with 99 spacious suites and 24-hour butler service. In the Top Sail Lounge, with its Skydome, guests may also delight their palate under a dome of sparkling stars.

For a relaxing time, guests can head to the MSC Aurea Spa, where the highly trained staff combines Balinese massage with the traditional well-being that comes from water treatments, a legacy from ancient Roman times. You can make use of all the facilities, including saunas, a Turkish bath, solarium, relaxation room, thalassotherapy, massage room and whirlpool. For those seeking more sporty activities, there is a sun-kissed exercise room suspended above water. For activities on board, you can choose from four swimming pools, a squash court and the possibility of living the thrills of Formula 1 through a simulator.

A bonus for the environmentally minded: MSC Splendida is equipped with technological systems, such as the water-processing systems, that results in energy savings and protection of the environment.

Where MSC Splendida sails

MSC Splendida sails mostly features 7-night Mediterranean voyages with stops in such destinations as Greece, Rome, Genoa, Marseille, Ibiza, Barcelona, Málaga, Costa del Sol, Lisbon and Casablanca as well as transatlantic journeys and a few sailings out of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Read the full review

Entertainment

MSC Cruises offers a wide variety of entertainment programs and facilities offered on board MSC Splendida, with the 1,600-seat Strand Theatre, futuristic Club 33 Disco and Royal Palm Casino with more than 10,000 square feet of casino gaming and virtual games, and a video games room.

If an artist walked through a lounge and splashed buckets of bright paint across the walls and furniture, it might look like the bold, whimsical interior of MSC Splendida's Club 33 — If an artist walked through a lounge and splashed buckets of bright paint across the walls and furniture, it might look like the bold, whimsical interior of Club 33. Courtesy of MSC Cruises

Bars & lounges

The Purple Jazz Bar

The drink list at The Purple Jazz Bar is inspired by jazz music, offering spirits such as rare whiskies, Cognac, aged grappa, vodka, gin and aged tequila.

Dining

La Reggia Restaurant

La Reggia Restaurant is distinguished by its furnishings, including everything from refined porcelain to crystal glasses and silver flatware. Every evening, La Reggia offers a different menu to celebrate an Italian region with its typical cuisine and most renowned wines.

Villa Verde Restaurant

Villa Verde restaurant, on the ship's stern, features a breathtaking panorama, which inspired the theme of transparency and light used in the restaurant design. This restaurant offers an assorted Mediterranean menu, including light choices and options that are always available, to satisfy those who know what they want each day.

L'Olivo Restaurant

L'Olivo offers select delicacies from 14 different Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey.

Tex Mex Santa Fe Restaurant

For those who love spicy food, Tex Mex Santa Fe is the right choice. Sample all the tastes of Mexican cuisine: from Texas steaks to enchiladas, fajitas to burritos and tacos, and guacamole to tortillas, all of which are accompanied by Mexican beer, tequila and margaritas. The full-view kitchen completes the traditional atmosphere of this restaurant.

La Piazzetta

Sample the delights of La Piazzetta. With its bar ice-cream parlor, pastry and chocolate shop, a world reminiscent of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory awaits guests. Dishes include crème bavaroise with almonds and berries, chocolate semifreddo, vanilla and rose macaroon cream, cannoli, baba, and meringues.

L'Espresso

At the L'Espresso Coffee Bar, the interior design is inspired by the scent of chocolate, evoked by the walls shaped like chocolate bars.

Your take

How about you? Have you sailed on MSC Splendida? We'd like to hear about your experience!

Interested in a cruise on this ship?

For pricing, itinerary information and to reserve your spot on MSC Splendida, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or call 1-877-322-3773.

SEE ALL MSC SPLENDIDA SAILINGS

On board highlights

Top Sail Lounge MSC Splendida
MSC Splendida Mediterranean Sea
MSC Yacht Club stateroom MSC Splendida

Dining

Where to eat on MSC Splendida

Photos

Inside and out

Destinations 8

The famed Barbary Macaques make themselves seen on the Rock of Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar Airport stands in the shadow of the Rock.
St. Michael's Cave is the most visited of the more than 150 caves in Gibraltar.
Moorish fortifications in Gibraltar signal the contested nature of the region over the centuries.
Visitors to Gibraltar can take the cable car to the Top of the Rock.
British pageantry on display as the Corps of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment passes by the Convent.
The Strait of Gibraltar, separating Africa and Europe, brings visitors from across the globe.
Stroll through Gibraltar and stop for refreshments at Casemates Square.

Dining 1

Spend your evening with friends over a spicy Mexican feast in MSC Spendida's Tex Mex Santa Fe restaurant.

On board 3

MSC Splendida's Aurea Spa is inspired by Balinese traditions and designed to help guests leave the stresses of the world far behind.
Children and teens can zip down MSC Splendida's exhilarating Toboga Slide, over and over.
MSC cruise ships are family friendly, with pools and entertainment areas dedicated to children and teens.

Ship exteriors 1

MSC Splendida features four swimming pools, a squash court and the chance to live the thrills of Formula 1 through a simulator.

More photos 12

Streamlined and graceful, MSC Splendida cruises throughout the Mediterranean and northern Europe.
MSC Splendida's Italian heritage is reflected in cuisine and décor of La Reggia Restaurant.
You'll feel like you are staying in a boutique hotel when settling into a suite aboard MSC Splendida.
MSC Yacht Club guests sailing on MSC Splendida receive quite a few additional amenities, including spacious suites located in the upper levels of the bow, private dining, private pool deck, butler service, free well drinks and faster embarkation and disembarkation.
MSC Yacht Club guests sailing on MSC Splendida receive a number of extras, such as access to the private Top Sail Lounge.
MSC Splendida begins a voyage through the Mediterranean.
Multiple pools and sunning areas give guests on MSC Splendida many ways to soak in the seductive beauty of the Mediterranean.
If an artist walked through a lounge and splashed buckets of bright paint across the walls and furniture, it might look like the bold, whimsical interior of MSC Splendida's Club 33.
Decks on the mid-size luxury liner MSC Splendida are named for Italy's legendary artists, including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli.
The Playa del Sol pool is just one of four pools aboard MSC Splendida.
Drinks at the evocative Purple Jazz Bar on MSC Splendida are inspired by music of the Jazz Age.
An exclusive ship within a ship, MSC Splendida's Yacht Club provides cruise passengers with exceptional service, privacy, accommodations, entertainment and dining.