Grand Mistral and MSC Musica on the Gulf of Finland, 30 May 2013

Grand Mistral

IMO 9172777
Name history: Mistral, Grand Mistral
Built 1999, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 48 200 GT
Length 216 m
Width 28,80 m
Draught 6,90 m
1 715 passengers
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 31 680 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 22,5 knots

MSC Musica

IMO 9320087
Built 2006, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 92 409 GT
Length 293,80 m
Width 32,20 m
Draught 7,70 m
2 550 passengers (lower berths), 3 031 passengers (maximum)
5 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 58 000 kW
2 propellers
3 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 22 knots

The Grand Mistral was featured in the this blog in the previous entry and probably needs no introduction. The MSC Musica, meanwhile, is the lead ship of MSC's Musica-class, the other ships in the class being the MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia and MSC Magnifica. Interestingly from the point of view of this entry the Musica-class is essentially an evolution of the Grand Mistral's design, via the intermediary designs of Festival Cruises' European Vision -class (today MSC's MSC Armonia and MSC Sinfonia) and MSC's own Lirica-class.

The photographs below show the Grand Mistral and MSC Musica on the Gulf of Finland outside of St. Petersburg, photographed from onboard St. Peter Line's Princess Anastasia. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

The cloudy weather, position of the sun, ship departure times and speeds all conspired together so that I was on the deck of the Princess Anastasia in the right place at the right time.

And the best part is, with the ship backlit like that you don't see the scribbles on her side. ;)

Younger semi-sister MSC Musica catching up on the Grand Mistral.

Mistral obscured by the Musica.

Next time: Princess Anastasia interiors (if I can find the time to look through them. If not, you'll probably get the Romantika instead).

MSC Poesia interiors, 23. May - 2. June 2011

MSC Poesia and icelandic landscape near Akureyri. 28 May 2011.

MSC Poesia

IMO 9387073
Built 2008, Aker Yards Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 93 330 GT
Length 293,80 m
Width 32,20 m
Draugth 7,70 m
3 013 passengers
5 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 58 000 kW
2 propellers
3 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 22 knots

Today's entry continues from yesterday's entry (so to say), as this time we (finally) look at the interior photographs I took on our MSC Poesia cruise from Kiel to Bergen, Tórshavn, Akureyri, Ísafjörður and Reykjavik last May-June. Phose interested in reading more about the cruise itself can do so either in English at Maritime Matters (part 1, part 2 and part 3) or in Finnish from the 1/2012 issue of Ulkomatala (klikkaa kohtaa "arkisto" ja valitse lehden oikea numero).

Deck 16 (Sport deck) - The topmost deck houses a solarium (read=sun deck) and a sports field aft of the funnel.

The funnel, so I'm told, is confusingly a symbol of power and speed, as well as pollution. MSC's choice of design is particularly sleek. 2 June 2011.

Deck 15 (Alfieri deck) - Forward there are cabins and aft, below the funnel, minigolf and shuffleboard courses.

MSC's idea of a minigolf course is, apparently, miniature golf rather than actual minigolf. Or maybe these things are different in different parts of the world. Certainly this is not the only thing MSC did funnily from our point of view. 26 May 2011.

Deck 14 (Pascoli deck) - Again cabins forward, sunbathing spaces surrounding the pool complex (one deck below) midships, a children's play area aft at the base of the funnel and an observation lounge cum dischotheque at the very aft.

Continuing the proud tradition of naming discotheques after the ship's yard number. 25 May 2011.

I love the sleek, technological design of this space. If only MSC would start playing something else than the same tape on repeat a bit earlier than at 1 AM... 25 May 2011.

Not perhaps quite as impressive during the day. Using this space as an observation lounge was somewhat hindered by the layout of the sofas which had their backs facing the windows. We developed some very creative ways of sitting in order to enjoy the views. 23 May 2011.

Deck 13 (Foscolo) - Forward there is a spa compex with a gym and a sauna (the latter could have been better), with the gym being the only forward-facing public room on the ship (!). Amidships there are the main pool areas (Coral Bay and Cavo Levantado) and aft there are two restaurants, Villa Pompeiana and L'Obelisco. For breakfast and lunch both restaurants fuction as a buffet, for dinner the L'Obelisco becomes a (rather expensive) extra-charge a la carte venue while on most night (but not all) Villa Pompeiana has a limited buffet section (mostly salads, burgers and pizzas).

Coral Bay pool area facing forwards (photographed from a walkway on deck 14). 23 May 2011.

Cruising on the North Atlantic in spring the weather doesn't invite you to spend much time on the sun decks - although we did go for a swim despite the weather. As did a number of the German passengers. Both nationalities of course batshit crazy, albeit in different ways. 24 May 2011.

Cavo Levantado pool (as was the photo above) at night time, facing forward. Notice the water level in the pool. Could have been nice for a noctural dip, but MSC nets over the pools at 6 PM regardless of the weather. 26 May 2011.

Villa Pompeiana and L'Obelisco were both finished in very classical style that was a bit at odds with the rest of the ship, as most of the interiors were in art deco -influenced. 2 June 2011.

Villa Pompeiana, starboard side, facing forward. 2 June 2011.

Deck 12 (Leopardi deck) - Navigation bridge & cabins.

Deck 11 (D'Annunzio deck) - Cabins.

Deck 10 (Carducci deck) - Cabins.

Deck 9 (Ungaretti deck) - Cabins.

Deck 8 (Tasso deck) - Cabins.

Deck 7 (Manzoni deck) - Theatro Carlo Felice (the show lounge) forward, followed by the casino, a "Via dello Arti" including a library, card room and a sushi bar. Aft of these, flanking the main atrium (Rendez-Vous reception) was a cigar room and a internet café, followed by a photo arcade and Il Grappolo d'Oro wine bar. At the very aft was one of the largest entertainment venues, Pigalle Lounge. For some reason we spent little to no time in the latter.

Entrance vestibule to the upper level of Carlo Felice. 24 May 2011.

Theatro Carlo Felice, viewed from the balcony level. The space was named after Genoa's opera house if I remember correctly, though the original probably didn't resemble this space very much. Still, this was very cool and the nightly shows rather good. 25 May 2011.

Via dello Arti, fecing towards the library with the sushi bar on the left. The latter was quite expensive (in my opinion anyway) and always empty. The quality of fish foods onboard was very poor overall, which might also have scared potential customers away. 26 May 2011.

Rendez-Vous Reception, facing down from deck 7. 24 May 2011.

Il Grappolo d'Oro wine bar, with what were probably the least comfortable armchairs known to mankind. 26 May 2011.

More of Il Grappolo d'Oro, 26 May 2011.

Deck 6 (Dante deck) - The lower level of Theatro Calro Felice at the bow, followed by Zebra Bar (the clue is in the name), Bar del Poeti (flanked by several small shops), middle level of the atrium (with more shops) and one of the two main dining rooms, Il Palladio, aft.

Zebra Bar. The decor works surprisingly well, although the music played here wasn't to our tastes (except on the first night when the band, playing to a near-empty lounge, treated us with a 10-minute funk jam). 25 May 2011.

Bar dei Poeti's entertainment included a delightful three-piece jazz band, but unfortunately smoking was allowed on the port side of the room and with no partitions the whole place ranked of cigarettes. Suitable for a jazz lounge but still irritating to those of us who do not smoke. 26 May 2011.

Our coze little corner of the Il Palladio restaurant. I rather liked the decor, but the food ranged from almost-ok to downright terrible. 23 May 2011.

Deck 5 (Petrarca deck) - The lowest deck accessible to passengers had a medical center forward, a number of cabins amidships followed by the lowest level of the atrium (flanked by two bars) and aft the other main dining room La Fontane with blue rococo-influenced decor.

The entertainment at the atrium had alternating performers: the guy with guitar and a female singer (who you can see here) and a string trio playing classical music. The former was not my cup of tea while the latter was quite splendid. Sadly the crew had no intention of letting you enjoy the music and particularly on the upper level of the atrium there was a lot of unnescessary, distracting noise. 26 May 2011.

One of the sitting areas off the Rendez-Vous atrium. 26 May 2011.

The atrium, pohotographed upwards from deck 5. 2 June 2011.

MSC Poesia in Tallinn, 16 May 2012

MSC Poesia

IMO 9387073
Built 2008, Aker Yards Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 93 330 GT
Length 293,80 m
Width 32,20 m
Draugth 7,70 m
3 013 passengers
5 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 58 000 kW
2 propellers
3 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 22 knots

Ships of MSC Cruises are starting to become a rarity in Helsinki as the company have decided to stop calling in the city completely due to the high harbour fees levied. Tallinn across the Bay of Finland on the other hand remains a popular destination for the line and fortunately enough I happened to be in that city on 16 May when the MSC Poesia called there. The Poesia and I are of course old friends as I travelled on a year ago on a cruise to Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland (my travel report from that trip can be read at Maritime Matters here, while this previous entry has images of her in Tórshavn, Akureyri and Ísafjörður. I should try to remember to look through the interior photos of her I have and put them up in here as well).

So yes, the MSC Poesia departing from Tallinn's cruise quay on the afternoon of 16 May 2012, photographed from Linnahall. Click on the images to see in larger size.

For some reason the waterfront between Linnahall and the passenger harbour is essentially a wasteland (and judging by the trees has been for some time). While not perhaps very effective use of land, the trees with their newly-sprouted leaves make for a nice foreground.

I never seem to have a chance to photograph the MSC Poesia in sunlight - every time I have photographed her it has been overcast, raining or snowing. Not that I'm complaining, these photos too turned out fine despite the fact it was, in fact, raining lightly.

Linnahall, in case you were wondering, is a Soviet-era building designed by Raine Karp. Originally it was named the V. I. Lenin Palace of Culture and Sport, which also illustrates the building's purpose. Today the interiors of the badly dilapidated building are closed down, but it's exterior is open to visitors.

Most of the ferries visiting Tallinn sail into the harbour a bit too far away from Linnahall to yield good photographs (at least with my equipment), but the Poesia did a nice turn in perfect range for photography.

Another upright photo! I couldn't resist the tree in full bloom in the foreground. ;)

MSC Poesia in Tórshavn, Akureyri & Ísafjörður 26.-29. May 2011

MSC Poesia

IMO 9387073
Built 2008, Aker Yards Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 93 330 GT
Length 293,80 m
Width 32,20 m
Draugth 7,70 m
3 013 passengers
5 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 58 000 kW
2 propellers
3 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 22 knots

MSC Poesia is the third ship in MSC Cruises' Musica-class (currently numbering a total of four ship and two more under construction). As I have undoubtedly mentioned several times in this blog, this class is a futher development from Festival Cruises Mistral of 1999, via two "intermediate" designs in the form of Festival Cruises' sisters European Stars and European Vision and MSC Cruises' own pair MSC Opera and MSC Lirica. The MSC Poesia was ordered in March 2006, her keel laid in December of the same year, she was launched in October 2007 and entered service in April 2008.

I sailed onboard the MSC Poesia on an 11-night cruise from Kiel (Germany) to Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. My three-part review from the cruise can be read from MaritimeMatters here. The photographs below show the MSC Poesia in three of the harbours during the cruise. Click on the individual images to view them in larger size.

MSC Poesia at Tórshavn's cozy (for the lack of a better word) harbour on 26 May 2011. The ship was a snug fit in the quay, but there was just enough space behind her for the local ferry Smyril to dock.

A view of the Poesia from Tórshavn waterfront, photographed from the back yard of a local hospital. 26. May 2011.

Two days later in Akureyri, Iceland. Here the quay was actually too short for the ship, which dwarfed the city. 28. May 2011.

A view down from the mountain overlooking Ísafjörður. The "city" had a little over 3 000 inhabitants, while the Poesia was full, meaning there were about 3 000 passengers onboard. 29. May 2011.

MSC Opera. 12 May 2011

I already posted this entry yesterday, but due to Blogger's technical problems it seems to have disappeared, along with all other changes made. Here's an abridged repost.

MSC Opera

IMO 9250464
Built 2004, Chantiers de l'Atlantique St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 59 058 GT
Length 251,25 m
Width 28,80 m
Draught 6,60 m
2 200 passengers
2 200 berths
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 30 600 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21,7 knots

MSC Opera was MSC Cruises' second newbuild and a sister ship to MSC Lirica. Unlike the MSC Lirica the MSC Opera has carried MSC Cruises' current dark blue funnel colours from the beginning of her career - the MSC Lirica originally carried the old MSC Cruises funnel colours, an all white funnel with MSC written on it with gilded letters. As noted before, the design of the MSC Lirica and MSC Opera was based on that of Festival Cruises' Mistral (now Iberocruceros' Grand Mistral).

The photographs below show the MSC Opera departing from Helsinki Länsisatama (West Harbour) on the afternoon of 12 May 2011. Photographed from Lauttasaari. Click on the individual images to view larger size.

In the afternoon calm just after leaving the harbour.

No idea what the splahes of blue pain on the side are.

Passing the Finnish Navy's new multipurpose vessel Louhi outside Pihlajasaari. The Louhi is an oil and chemical spill response vessel that can also be used a supply ship and minelayer.

Less than a decade ago MSC Opera was the largest ship in MSC Cruises' fleet. Now she's the smallest and actually looks quite humble compared to the giant ships visiting the West Harbour.

Outbound to the open seas and the joys of St. Petersburg.

MSC Sinfonia interiors, May 2009

MSC Sinfonia

IMO 9210153
Built 2002, Chantiers de l'Atlantique St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 58 625 GT
Length 251,20 m
Width 28,80 m
Draugth 6,80 m
2 223 passengers
2 223 berths
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 31 680 kW
2 azimuth pods
2 bow thrusters
Speed 20,8 knots

MSC Sinfonia was built in 2002 for Festival Cruises as European Stars, their third (and last) newbuilt ship. The European Stars and her sister European Vision were essentially enlargened versions of Festival Cruises' first newbuilt ship, the Mistral. Festival Cruises were one of the first companies attempting to offer a "pan-European" cruise experience, but the company was not wholly successful and in early 2004 they went bankrupt. When Festival Cruises' ships were placed for sale, the expanding Italy-based MSC Cruises purchased both sisters, renaming them MSC Armonia (ex-European Vision) and MSC Sinfonia (ex-European Stars). Since then the ships have remained in service with MSC Cruises.

I sailed on the MSC Sinfonia in May 2009 on a Western Mediterranean cruise, hoping for a European cruise experience as (supposedly) MSC Cruises has taken over the mantle of a pan-European cruise line following the demise of Festival Cruises. In this respect I was somewhat disappointed as the onboard product was heavily aimed at Italians and Spaniards, at the expense of us North Europeans. But enough of that.

According to Douglas Ward, the author of Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising, the MSC Sinfonia's interiors are "decidedly European Moderne" with "clean lines" and "minimalism in furniture design". I'm not sure if I agree on the decor being neither European, nor moderne, nor minimalist. There is clear moderne influence in places, but on the whole this is not, in my opinion, moderne. And while the decor is certainly less ostentatious than on many ships designed for the North American market, it's hardly minimalist. But as said, that is my opinion and you can draw your own conclusions from the photographs below.

Click on the individual images to view larger size.

The radar mast as seen from the forward sun deck on deck 13. The ship was dressed overall for the call at Naples, the location of MSC Cruises' head office. 29 May 2009.

The funnel lit by the setting sun while en-route from Valencia to Ibiza. 25 May 2009.

The ship's observation lounge cum discotheque, Club Pasha, on the aft of deck 12, below the funnel. For some unfathomable reason they didn't start playing music at the disco until way after midnight. This was particularly annoying as the entertainment in all other public rooms consisted of Italian popular music from the 1950s and 60s. 25 May 2009.

More of Club Pasha, 25 May 2009. There was a large number of teenagers and 20-somethings onboard who had no entertainment for them for most of the evening, ending up sitting up in the hallways and stairwells to escape the constant onslaught of "Volare". Personally I never managed to stay awake until the disco actually begun playing music, being too tired after a day of wondering around various ports of call.

The bustling sun deck on deck 11, photographed from 12, facing forward. 25 May 2009.

Capri Bar in the forward section of the sundeck on deck 11. The rock climbing wall above the bar was apparently purely decorational; all the handholds in the lower part of the wall had been removed and as far I could notice, the wall was not open for use once during the cruise. 25 May 2009.

More of the sundeck, facing aft. The evening crossing from Valencia to Ibiza had a tropically-themed deck party. It was quite cold and I certainly did not envy the entertainment crew in their shorts and see-though t-shirts when even the cold-accentuated and much warmer-dressed Finns had to escape indoors after a while. 25 May 2009.

Moving downwards a few decks, to Deck 7 and the Sinfonia Lounge with a very neat bar counter. The lounge was the only place onboard with a actual live band playing, making it a favourite haunt for us. The Volare-percentage was also slightly lower than in the other bars. 25 May 2009.

Another shot of the Sinfonia Lounge. Being located on deck 7, somewhat removed from the other public rooms (on deck 5 & 6) meant the lounge was always relatively empty. Sad, as this was probably the best spot on the ship in terms on entertainment. 25 May 2009.

Moving to deck 6 and the Galleria Mazzini jewellery shop, located forward from the Il Covo dining room (where we ate - I do not have photographs of the dining room as I've made my policy not to take photographs while dining). The dark-haired lady in a somewhat unladylike pose is Mrs. Id. 25 May 2009.

The policy on MSC Sinfonia seems to be to give silly names to public rooms: Buddha Bar on deck 6, forward of the Galleria Mazzini from the photo above. I actually liked this particular spot, as the decor really has some discernible moderne stylings. The name of the bar doesn't really match the decor though... 28 May 2009.

Another Buddha Bar shot. The baby grand piana was, as far as I could tell, decorational, as all the music "played" came from a tape (and more often than not, had no piano parts at all). 28 May 2009.

Le Baroque Café on deck 6 had, as the name implies, baroque decor. It's located on a sort of a terrace above the reception area, with a neat two-deck high fountainthat's just visible on the right. Despite (or perhaps because of) the central location, the café was largely deserted for the duration of the entire cruise. 25 May 2009.

The fountain on the reception area on deck 5, photographed down from deck 6. 25 May 2009.

Manhattan bar on deck 5. A pleasant enough space (except for "Volare"), but who on earth picked the 80s-esque colours for the furniture? 28 May 2009.

Finally, a bonus image: Tendering in Monaco on the morning of 24 May 2009.