MSC Cruises
A fine, large, family-friendly ship designed with Europeans in mind
The Ship. This large resort ship, a close sister to MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, and MSC Splendida, will appeal to young-at-heart adult couples, solo travelers, and families with children and teens enjoying an urban lifestyle, with a mix of mostly European nationalities and style.
MSC Preziosa was originally ordered by the Libyan government-owned shipping company GNMTC (the contract was signed by Captain Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi – fifth-eldest son of Colonel Gaddafi) before Switzerland-based cruise line MSC Cruises acquired the hull and configured the ship as the fourth in its Fantasia-class. It has the very latest in green-technology engines.
Outside on the expansive main pool deck, there is a main swimming pool, together with a whole Aqua Park with raised sections, hot tubs, and numerous water features. Slightly forward of the pool deck is a family swimming pool; it’s open well into the late evening, and can be covered by a sliding glass dome in case of inclement weather.
Facilities for all passengers include a large three-deck-high theater-style showlounge, a nightclub/disco, library, card room, an Internet center, a 4D virtual-reality center, multi-deck shopping gallery, a large Millennium Star Casino with gaming tables and an array of slot machines and a nicely-shaped stairway, and, in the aft section, an ‘infinity’ pool that overlooks the stern, and ‘beach club’ area. Drinking places include numerous lounges and bars (including a trendy ‘Green Sax’ jazz lounge/bar), most with live music. One lounge in the aft section of the ship is for adults only.
An area called the MSC Yacht Club – an exclusive community of ‘suite-grade’ accommodation, including a Top-Sail Lounge – has a large observation/lifestyle lounge (like a private club) and social meeting place, private sunbathing with integral dip pool, hot tubs, and concierge services for making dining reservations, booking excursions and spa treatments, and arranging private parties. A marble floor leads to a shiny Swarovski glass staircase that connects the concierge facilities between decks 15 and 16 under a glass-domed ceiling.
Accommodation. If the budget allows, it’s worth paying extra to stay in one of the ‘suites’ in the Yacht Club accommodation. You’ll get silver-tray room service by a team of impressive, well-trained butlers. The suites have a minibar, interactive TV, personal safe, hairdryer, and satellite-link telephone.
Dining. There are two main restaurants: Golden Lobster, on Deck 5, and L’Arabesque, on Deck 6. There are two seatings for dinner, and open seating for breakfast and lunch. Tables are for two, four, six, or eight, and include some cozy alcove banquette seating (although it’s challenging for waiters to serve these alcove tables properly). Both restaurants feature Mediterranean cuisine.
Occupants of Yacht Club-grade accommodation have their own intimate La Palmeraie Restaurant, with North African decor, Moroccan-style arches, and hanging brass lamps. Dining is in an open-seating arrangement.
A 115-seat Eataly Restaurant – a specialty eatery (together with a 30-seat Ristorante Italia) – provides tastes of Italy, the ‘slow food’ way, with a choice of 18 items. A popular Turin-based chain (founded by Oscar Farinetti), Eataly places its major emphasis on local artisanal producers, food education, accessibility and affordability, and sustainable sourcing and production. The chairs in the Ristorante Italia section of the Eataly Restaurant, however, are see-through plastic, and grossly uncomfortable.
The Galaxy Restaurant is an extra-charge venue that sits high above the main pool, and has great views. It has a trendy vibe (it forms part of the disco), and the food – Mediterranean fusion fare, including steaks and seafood items – is good.
Casual serve-yourself buffet-style meals can be taken in the huge Inca and Maya buffet venue (open 20 hours daily) for breakfasts and lunches, and waiter-served dinners in a relaxed, but always busy, setting. A bakery corner provides freshly baked breads and rolls throughout the day.
A Sports and Bowling Diner features a classic American food experience, including sandwiches and burgers. Meanwhile, Segafredo Italian (extra-cost) coffees are available in several locations.
Entertainment. The 1,600-seat Platinum Theater is a vast showlounge – it’s really more like a concert theatre and auditorium. It is spread over three decks, and there are good sight lines from almost all seats except for a few rows at the back on port and starboard sides. It is a well-designed room, except for the fact that no space is allocated for a live showband.
The shows concentrate more on visual entertainment such as mime, magic, dancing, and acrobatics, because the clientele is so multinational. Productions are performed with recorded music (known as a ‘click-track’), and introductions are done at breakneck speed by the multilingual cruise director.
There is live music in almost all the other lounge/bar venues – one of the most popular of which is the Golden Jazz Bar.
Spa/Fitness. The Aurea Wellbeing Center is large and houses a beauty salon, body-pampering treatment rooms, and a gymnasium with great ocean views. A thermal suite contains different kinds of steam rooms combined with herbal aromatherapy infusions, in a calming Asia-themed environment. Features include a Shu Uemura Art of Hair cabin, a vintage barbershop, and a Himalayan salt crystal ‘bed.’ The spa is operated by OceanView, a specialist spa provider, and most of the therapists are from Bali.
Sports facilities include deck quoits, shuffleboard courts, large tennis/basketball court, mini-golf, and a jogging track.