A shining light in design and comfort, MSC Sinfonia joined the MSC Cruises fleet back in 2004. After some careful redesign and close attention to detail, the cruise line has turned MSC Sinfonia into a fabulous floating hotel complete with grand staircase and warm and welcoming public areas.
She is able to accommodate just over 1,550 guests and has a crew numbering more than 750. This almost 1:2 guest to staff ratio means that cruisers each receive attentive and personal service, which only serves to enhance the cruise experience. Onboard accommodation is pleasant and varied, with choices including interior and exterior cabins, suites, and cabins designed to suit those with mobility issues. Talk to a cruise advisor about what each accommodation type entails, and the perks they might come with.
MSC Sinfonia boasts two main dining rooms - Il Galeone and Il Covo. These both offer a fabulous array of both classic Mediterranean and international dishes, so there is certainly something to please all palates. Expect delicious pasta dishes, soups, meat and fish, as well as some incredibly decadent desserts. There is also an impressive wine list in both restaurants - either choose your favourite or ask your server to recommend a bottle.
If you prefer a more casual dining affair, head to La Terrazza Buffet restaurant. This al fresco option provides guests with a fantastic spread from which you can pick and choose exactly what you want, as well as the portion sizes. The buffet is open 24 hours a day, so whether you want a full meal here in the evenings or just a light snack to see you through the day, La Terrazza will not disappoint. Close to La Terrazza, you'll find Cafe del Mare, which serves international favourites such as pizza, burgers, and pasta- great for unfussy food served in an informal manner!
In spite of the ship's smaller size when compared to the rest of the fleet, guests will find that there is plenty onboard to keep them entertained. In the theatre - Teatro San Carlo - be awed by a range of special acts including live music, impressively choreographed dance routines and stunning acrobatic shows.
Alternatively, if you prefer a quieter evening, you can opt to spend a few hours chatting with fellow cruisers with a few drinks in one of the onboard bars. La Baroque Cafe has a Parisian cafe ambience, with ornate decor and mood lighting, or there's Shelagh's House, a friendly and informal Irish pub. Otherwise, you could simply while away the hours at the Pool Bar, getting acquainted with the friendly barkeep. Other options include the Sinfonia Lounge, Ambassador, the Manhattan Bar and Buddha Bar.
For something livelier, why not try your luck at some games in the casino or head to Pasha's Club for an evening of drinks and dancing?
During the day, cruisers will find a whole host of different ways to spend their time onboard MSC Sinfonia. Whether you choose to relax by the poolside, browse the shops for souvenirs or challenge friends and family to a game in the Virtual Arcade, there’s bound to be something that catches your eye. The younger guests have also not been forgotten about and with the fun water features at the spray park, the Pinocchio Playroom and Teens Area, children of all ages will be delighted by what they find on the ship.
Cruisers who enjoy staying fit and healthy will be pleased with the array of physical activities that can be done onboard. As well as swimming pools in which to churn out some lengths, there is a jogging track on deck, a climbing wall to test your strength, and a well-equipped gym.
After a workout, why not rest up in one of the whirlpools for a while or spend some time in the relaxing spa? Here you could indulge in a treatment like a facial or massage too. As well as spa treatments, it's possible to book other services such as hair and beauty, or barbering in the salon.
21 Sep 2019
First time with MSC and a good experience. Food choice was good but limited in contrast to other ships. Bar waiter service was poor, average wait when drinks ordered via waiter was 15-20 mins and table clearance was poor compared to other cruise ships. Entertainment was very good. Cabins very good. Overall a good experience though.
03 Aug 2019
3/4 star not 4 star plus as advertised. No library or bridge game Not used to paying for water. Drinks and photographs expensive Tours reasonable but often cancelled because insufficient persons to make up the minimum. Not sufficient personnel on board for guests returning to the ship. Long ques. Disorganized and bad embarkation at the start of the cruise owing to a festival in Venice. This took 3 hours Entertainment in the theatre very low standard with high volume and shrieking female singer. Ridiculous charge of £75 to change one letter of the surname on the ticket owing to error On the plus side excellent service and food and customer relations particularly Natasha very helpful. Clean ship and well maintained. Entertainment for the masses v good. Ports of call chaotic when 7 ships descend on Mykonus or Santorini all at the same time. Not my cup of tea at all.
Show more30 Jun 2019
Very disappointed lack of information and felt really on our own. Cabin staff and dining staff very good and helpful but in other area not enough bar staff always a long wait. Hated the tiny shower with shower curtain very basic . Drinks package had a maximum price per drink could not pay additional cost had to pay total cost again quite ridiculous. Would never go in an MSC cruise bargain totally put off. There was no staff around to make you feel welcome and the level of English spoken and understood even on reception was not good enough in some cases. Had to find out everything as we went along terrible communication. Itinerary was good but not enough time in the 2 main places if interest very disappointed. On the whole a shambles and very basic not even comparable to Tui Marellla cruises which are considerably better value. Did not meet my expectations on any level.
Show more17 Jan 2019
Had the most amazing time cruising the Mediterranean and would definitely recommend to anyone :) At first i was quite hesitant to go on the cruise because it was during Christmas and the year before i spent Christmas on the M25! However,i was completely wrong and every single penny me and my family spent on this cruise was worth it. the MSC Sinfonia is a marvellous ship with many things to do for the whole family, including really fun clubs for kids with heir own designated rooms depending on their age, a panoramic gym, a theatre with amazing inclusive shows and so much more. Also there is an amazing entertainment crew that puts so much effort from hosting parties and mini dance classes in the disco to warmly welcoming you into the theatre. All the staff are so nice and helpful. as well as all this, the food on MSC Sinfonia is exquisite, i am not a big foodie myself however i was very impressed by the number of restaurants, bars and buffets they had, all with big ranges of continental food made to suit anyone's taste. Overall i genuinely loved this cruise and its dedication and organisation into everything. First time i have desperately wanted to go back on the same holiday. Really looking forward to cruising with MSC again!?????????
Show more13 Oct 2018
:really enjoyed my first cruise on this ship. Staff work so hard and put up with some really rude passengers.. Angus our waiter was brilliant. I would recommend this to anyone. Only down point was stopping in acona where there was nothing to do could of stayed longer in Mykonos. . On the whole brilliant. Food fantastic
07 Sep 2018
Not the best experience. Staff on the whole not very friendly. There were exceptions Breina who worked in Buddha bar was extremely professional and Indra our cabin steward room 1024 was excellent Cramped dining facilities in dining room and not enough tables in buffet bar. Not enough dinningchoice and entertainment was mediocre. The pianists and guitarists in the bar were very good Silly times In and out of port. Made seeing cities in dark and rushed
10 Mar 2012
My wife and I was supposed to cruise to Bazaruto in Mozambique over the week of 05-03-2012 / 09-03-2012, this never happened due to back weather. Although this was a disappointment the trip to Port Elizabeth in South Africa was OK, but I must say this that being on the ship was the most incredible experience. The staff and crew were excellent, the entertainment acceptional, and the food wonderful. I would go again anyday and would definitely tell my friends about it. Thanks Again MSC Adrian J. Pillay - South Africa
Show more10 May 2010
Absolutely fantastic holiday, this was our first cruise, the ship was spotless, the food was great, the classical concerts were marvellous, you would have paid at least £25 per ticket for a comparable performance on land, we personally felt that the price of drinks on board was very reasonable, bottles of wine started at $8 plus the 15% surcharge, we bought quite a lot of cocktail packages as well as having wine at dinner each night, but we did not find the prices too expensive. We found it a totally relaxing experience, we did not take any of the shore excursions as being confined on a tour bus is not to our taste, but we went ashore at each stop and walked and took local transport and really enjoyed it. The cabin staff were great, we had an interior cabin which was very comfortable, we only used it to shower, get changed and sleep, we used the lounges for reading and relaxing during the day or we sunbathed on deck. Obviously we would have liked a cabin with a balcony, but given the big difference in price we felt the interior cabin was great value for money. We can not praise the staff enough, the bar staff were lovely, the staff in the restaurants were great, nothing was too much trouble, we were really impressed by the deck staff and cleaning staff who kept the ship immaculate. The Italian officers were very professional and the captains’ presence was evident most evenings. Overall we would really recommend the cruise from Cape Town to Genoa with MSC, we had an exceptionally good package which let us fly out via Dubai and have 5 days in Cape Town before joining the ship, we stayed in a lovely hotel and hired a car, we had a great time, our only regret is that we should have had a 1 or 2 night stopover at Dubai as flying directly out from Manchester left us exhausted. So next time we will stopover and hopefully have a marvellous cruise again with MSC.
Show more27 Oct 2007
4 "girls" (well actually ladies in their fifties) travelled together for a weeks med cruise. We really enjoyed our trip. The food was excellent with lots of choice, the crew friendly, and the ship elegant and spacious. We had plenty to do, and there was never a dull moment. We definitely recommend the this cruise.
21 Jun 2007
We have just returned from a week away on the MSC Sinfonia. We had a fantastic time. It was our first family holiday with our son Harvey who is 18 months old and it couldn’t have been more perfect. The waiters and waitresses were wonderful with him, they spoilt him rotten and brought him any meal we asked for! They made us feel so special. The cabins were lovely, quite small but they had everything you needed. They were cleaned twice daily and even had a mini bar which was lovely. All of the staff were amazing, much better than anything you could imagine. We can’t wait to go back – I am looking to book the same holiday as soon as I can!
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