The ship
Second Fantasia — full large-ship MSC product
MSC Splendida is the second Fantasia-class ship from 2009 — matching Fantasia at roughly 138,000 GT and 3,274 guests. Yacht Club, multi-deck atrium and a large theatre defined her from day one: MSC’s large-ship template before Divina and Preziosa refined the class. She remains a core large MSC for Med and similar deployments: big enough for the full product, older than Meraviglia’s Galleria generation.
Dining runs at large-ship MSC scale: multiple main dining rooms and a huge buffet in the cruise, then specialty venues — Japanese/Asian, steak, Italian and more — for cover charges. MSC Yacht Club keeps its own restaurant for suite guests. Drink packages are the major onboard upsell; the the cruise is not open bar, so UK bookers should price packages and specialty nights before they sail Specialty tables include steakhouse, Japanese / hibachi and TV-chef specialty.
Evenings run through a large two-deck theatre for Broadway-style MSC productions, atrium spectacles and lounge music. Daytime is pools, spa and kids’ programmes; MSC Yacht Club is a ship-within-a-ship with private restaurant, lounge, pool and sundeck. She is Fantastica-class MSC megaship buzz for Med and warm-water seasons.
If you want classic MSC megaship buzz with Yacht Club as your quieter corner, Splendida fits — price the extras list honestly.
On board
Yacht Club, atrium, shows
- 01
Dining at Fantasia scale
Multiple main dining rooms and a huge buffet cover everyday meals in the cruise. specialty tables include steakhouse, Japanese / hibachi and TV-chef specialty. The MSC Yacht Club has its own restaurant for suite guests who booked the suite or club cabin. Coffee bars and gelato keep the Italian café habit going. Drink packages and specialty covers sit outside the cruise — price the holiday as the cruise plus what you will actually buy. Sea-day specialty tables and Yacht Club reservations still need an early grab when the ship is full.
- 02
Shows and the theatre
A large theatre plus promenade or Galleria spectacle define MSC evenings. Entertainment venues worth planning around include Broadway Theatre and atrium entertainment, among others. Production shows are cruise-stage spectacle and tech theatre, not a West End transfer. Programme titles change by season — treat any named show as current-season colour, not a permanent fixture.
- 03
Yacht Club and nightlife
MSC Yacht Club sits as a ship-within-a-ship: private pool, lounge, butler-led suites and its own restaurant — the quieter corner on a 3,000-plus-guest ship. Downstairs, lounges, disco and casino run late across the atrium decks. Drink packages drive drinks spend for everyone outside Yacht Club’s inclusive-leaning suite world; price what you drink. After-dinner wanders stay atrium-centred rather than Galleria-length.
- 04
Pool decks and spa
Main pool complex, sometimes a second outdoor area, Aqua Park elements on some sisters, plus a big spa with thermal suite (extra). Sport court and jogging track cover active sea days. Sunbeds vanish early on peak holiday weeks — arrive early or use Yacht Club’s private deck if you paid for it. Book spa thermal time ahead on sea days; the thermal suite is a day-pass or package extra, not a free wander-through.
- 05
Kids and families
Full kids’ and teens’ clubs make Fantasia-class ships family magnets on school holidays — expect busy pools and early theatre seat grabs. Hours shift by sea day and port day; clubs are proper facilities, not cupboards. Multi-gen groups who will use the clubs and pool decks get the most; quiet traditionalists will still feel large-ship MSC energy in the atrium. Budget drink packages and specialty nights honestly before you sail. Programme and featured acts change by season — treat any named show as current-season colour, not a permanent fixture.
Main dining rooms
The included evening restaurants — assigned or flexible depending on your booking. Proper plated meals without a cover charge. Best for guests who want a classic cruise dinner without budgeting extras every night.
Buffet
The big casual option for breakfast, lunch and low-fuss evenings. Included in the cruise and usually the quickest seat on a port morning. Ideal if you prefer self-serve over a long dining-room sitting.
Specialty Japanese / Asian
Specialty Japanese or Asian with a cover — more of an occasion than the main dining rooms. Expect a higher spend than buffet or main dining rooms. Book early on sea days if teppanyaki theatre is your kind of evening.
Steakhouse
Steakhouse with a cover — quieter and more dressed-up than the buffet. One of the pricier covers on board. Go here for a splurge, not a cheap filler night. Book early on sea days.
Yacht Club restaurant
Yacht Club restaurant for suite guests — private dining tied to the enclave key. Included in Yacht Club privileges rather than a walk-up cover for everyone. Confirm your cabin benefits. Book early on sea days.
Theatre
Broadway Theatre for MSC production shows — cruise-spectacle and tech theatre, not a West End transfer. Titles change by season; check your sailing. Included; grab a centre seat on night one if the headline matters.
Atrium lounges
Atrium lounges for champagne, cocktails and soft evening sets. Drinks packages decide how expensive evenings feel — price what you pour. The Fantasia-class evening spine.
MSC Yacht Club deck
MSC Yacht Club deck — private pool, lounge and sundeck for suite guests. The quieter corner on a 3,000-plus-guest ship. Costs more than a standard balcony; you are buying space and shortcuts.
Spa thermal suite
Spa thermal suite sold as a day pass or package — not in the simple cruise. A calmer daytime reset than the aqua decks. Book ahead on sea days if heat loungers and steam are your plan.
Aqua / pool complex
Aqua and pool complex for slides, splash and sun. Included once aboard — the queue is the real cost on school-holiday sea days. Best for families; quiet sunbed hunters should look elsewhere.
Fit
Who she is for
- Families and couples who want big-ship MSC — atrium, large theatre, full kids’ clubs — without needing Meraviglia’s Galleria or World Class toy density, often on Med and warm-water weeks.
- Suite guests targeting Yacht Club privacy (private pool, lounge, restaurant) on a Fantasia-class ship, who will still budget drink packages for the rest of the party if not everyone is in Yacht Club.
- Not for small-ship traditionalists, mid-size walkability purists, or guests who refuse drink-package and specialty covers — choose Lirica-class or a British premium line instead.
Where
Where Splendida tends to go
Often Mediterranean and Middle East / repositioning programmes; MSC rotates Fantasia-class ships across warm-water seasons. Exact bases and seasons shift year to year.
Treat this as the ship’s range, not a fixed timetable. When this guide is public, sailings with two or more UK agent prices will sit at the bottom.
Before you book
What the brochure skips
- The MSC headline price often looks sharp before drinks packages, specialty dining, the MSC Yacht Club and thermal-suite fees — price the holiday as the cruise plus what you will actually buy.
- Compare UK agents on the same sailing — same ship, same date, cruise-only, two sharing. The hero price should be the lowest bookable one, not the first logo you recognise.
Next step
Find a sailing
Compare cruise prices for MSC Splendida, or open the live map and see where she is now.
Compare all MSC Cruises prices