MSC Sinfonia cruise ship
The MSC Sinfonia has been offering passenger cruises in South Africa since Nov 2009 (mostly from Durban, with a couple of cruises from Cape Town and including the epic 18-day cruise to Italy).
Reservations for the MSC Sinfonia
We are now taking bookings for cruises to April 2013. You can check availability by filling in the form below (email cruises@southafrica.to if you're experiencing difficulties). Also see MSC Sinfonia cruise prices for the 2011/2012 season. If you are interested in cruises for the new season, see MSC Sinfonia cruise prices 2012/2013 and student specials. Click here to view the prices for 2 adults and 2 children sharing for either an inside or outside cabin. Here is the complete itinerary for the MSC Sinfonia.
Old season cruises
For those interested in the history of the Sinfonia in South Africa, here's what the itinerary of the Nov 2009 to Mar 2010 Sinfonia cruises looked like, the Sinfonia 2010/2011 season, and the MSC sinfonia 2011/2012 cruises.
Design of the MSC Sinfonia
Two jacuzzis and 2 outdoor swimming pools. Inside the ship are 2 dining halls, a library, a disco, 2 showlounges, a casino and a cafeteria.
Quotes
The following is usually included:
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All Accommodation on board
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All Meals on board
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All Live Entertainment on board
Excluded:
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All Drinks
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Transfers to and from the harbour
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Service Charges of $6 per person per day
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Any further item of a personal nature
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Spa treatments
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Any items not mentioned above
Port charges
R400 per person for cruises of 3 nights or shorter, R500 per person for longer cruises.
Cabins
There are 778 cabins on the Sinfonia, of which 135 have private balconies. The cabins are all equiped with televisions, air-conditioning, radio, mini-bar, en-suite bathroom, private safe and 24 hour room service.
Inside Cabin |
Outside Cabins |
Suites With Balcony |
Category 1 - 5 |
Category 6 - 10 |
Category 11 |
Cabins (13 sq. m), disabled cabins are available (21 sq. m), single beds that can be converted into double bed (upon request, excluding cabins for the disabled), airconditioning, TV, telephone,bathroom with shower, minibar and safe. The Sinfonia has 5 category 1 cabins, all of which are 4-berth (but bookings are sometimes available for 2 people to share one). There are 14 category 2 cabins (2 are 3-berths and the rest are 4-berths). Category 3 has a number of 2-berth cabins. The highest inside cabins are the category 5 cabins on deck 10 (same deck as the balcony suites). |
Cabins (13 sq. m), single beds that can be converted into double beds, airconditioning, TV, telephone,bathroom with shower, minibar and safe. Category 6 cabins may have an obstruction to the view (e.g. a lifeboat). Category 6 cabins can only accommodation 2 people. |
Suites with private balcony (22 sq. m), Double bed, airconditioning, spacious wardrobe, bathroom with bathtub, TV, telephone, internet connection (at a fee), minibar and safe. Category 11 cabins can sleep a maximum of 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children (with the possibility of an additional infant). |
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Golf
Golf lovers can play miniature golf and use the golf simulator.
Tonnage & passengers
The MSC Sinfonia can host 2065 passengers, and weighs 58600 tons.
Entertainment
The MSC Sinfonia's entertainment team is known as the "dream team", they're mostly South Africans, and are headed up by the legendary Stephen Cloete. Here's their rendition of Big Bamboo:
Nationality of officers
Italian
Embarkation procedure
The ship sets sail from Durban at 14h00 sharp on the day of departure . All passengers must embark between 10h30 and 13h00 on that day. Embarkation takes place at N-Shed Passenger Terminal, Durban harbour between 10h30 and 13h00 on the day of sailing.
Flying home
The MSC Sinfonia is scheduled to arrive in Durban Harbour by 08h00 on the final day of the cruise, but clearance by port authorities and disembarkation takes a while, and it is recommended you book to fly out of Durban after 13h00 that day.
Pronunciation
The Sinfonia is pronounced "Sin-fin-ee-a", NOT "Sin-phone-ee-a".
Halaal & vegeterian cuisine
Halaal meat is available and a vegetarian choice is served at meal times. Unfortuanately, the MSC Sinfonia does not cater for Kosher meals.
Touch of class packages
Please specify in the reservations form whether you'd like one of these packages added on.
Packages
CODE |
PACKAGE |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
570 |
Romantic sunrise |
|
R 874 per package |
571 |
Bon voyage deluxe |
|
R 242 per package |
572 |
Bon voyage classic |
|
R 143 per package |
573 |
Standard birthday |
This package can only be presented and consumed in the main restaurants on-board. |
R 87 per cake |
574 |
Special moments package |
This package can only be presented and consumed in the main restaurants on-board. |
R 191 per package |
630 |
Fruit basket |
|
R 28 per basket |
631 |
Fruit basket special |
|
R 41 per basket |
632 |
VIP treatment South Africa |
|
R 175 per package |
Wines
CODE |
PACKAGE |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
575 |
Classic South African Selection |
Four bottles of wine selected by our sommelier:
This package can only be presented and consumed in the main restaurants on-board. |
R 492 per package |
576 |
Superior South African Selection |
Seven bottles of wine selected by our sommelier:
This package can only be presented and consumed in the main restaurants on-board. |
R 828 per package |
Sister ships
Other cruise ships the MSC operates from South African waters are the Melody and Rhapsody (the agent in South Africa is Starlight Cruises). Have a look at our photos of the Rhapsody cruising into Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Other cruise ships of the MSC are the MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Musica, MSC Opera, MSC Orchestra and the MSC Poesia (and if the MSC Poesie visits South Africa, the name alone will market it!).
Reviews of cruises on the MSC Sinfonia
Louise's light lunch on the MSC Sinfonia |
Louise and Salvelio were invited on board the MSC Sinfonia in Port Elizabeth to enjoy a lunch cooked by "Sinfonia's splendid executive chef", Pasquale Scarpati. Louise ordered the creamy seafood risotto, " I had this as a first plate and found it scrummy, the risotto perfectly al dente and the prawns beautifully cooked". Salvelio opted for the main course of "succulent Marche-style leg of lamb". |
Durban - Portuguese Island |
A fantastic cruise after which I felt a yearning for another longer one, for more time spent sucking in the salt air off the azure waters of Portuguese Island. Highlights of the cruise were the snorkelling excursion and watching Stephen Cloete's stand-up comedy. |
Durban - Maputo |
An often-missed but fascinating part of the cruise into Maputo is looking at the colonial wreckage of gun platforms on Xefina Island, as you cruise into the bay of Maputo, a stark reminder of the history of Mozambique. In Maputo we did a tour of the city (although our little one so loved being at the play area on the Sinfonia, that we had to leave the tour early), seeing the train station, the fort and the National History Museum (with the only collection of elephant foetuses in the world!). |
Livorno - Durban |
AmoMondo cruise from Livorno (Italy) to Durban (South Africa) on the MSC Sinfonia, in a category 12 balcony cabin suite. The ship was expected to embark passengers and set sail by 11am from Livorno, before embarking more passengers at Genoa. She stayed on board at Monte Carlo, Dakar, Agadir and Casablanca, but visited Valencia, Walvis Bay ("we all absolutely loved this port"), Cape Town ("had a great time despite rather cool and windy weather") and Durban (stayed at the "Beverley Hills Hotel at Umlanga Rocks. This was a fantastic hotel right on the Indian Ocean which I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone"). |
Anne's cruise of a lifetime |
Anne cruised from Genoa (Italy) to Monaco, Valencia Espana, Malta, Tunisia and Rome. |
History of the MSC Sinfonia
28 Mar 2011 |
The Sinfonia makes its maiden stop at Port Elizabeth, as part of a 4-day Durban to Cape Town cruise, leading up to its repositioning cruise. The marketing director of MSC Starlight Cruises, Mr Allan Foggitt, said: "We are very excited about including Port Elizabeth in our itinerary. It gives us a rare opportunity to showcase the uniquely different characteristics of our three leading port cities to our foreign guests. Best of all it allows our loyal local passengers to join the cruise from their home port. Port Elizabeth and the surrounding areas in the Eastern and Southern Cape areas fits into this pattern as well and we are talking about people of all ages. Increasing numbers of couples are also celebrating their weddings or other romantic functions on board ship and cruising is always popular for corporate incentives and conferencing." |
15 - 19 Nov 2010 |
Some footage from the Rainbow cruise on the Sinfonia |
Aug 2010 |
Starlight Cruises introduces priority boarding on the MSC Sinfonia. |
13 Nov 2009 |
The MSC Sinfonia embarks on its first cruise from Durban. |
Nov 2009 |
The MSC Sinfonia cruises from Italy to South Africa via the Strait of Gibraltar. |
9 Nov 2008 |
The MSC Sinfonia embarks on an 18-day cruise from Italy to Brazil; visiting Barcelona, Lisbon, Casablanca and Salvador de Bahia. |
23 Nov 2007 |
The MSC Sinfonia visits Lisbon for the first time. |
Mar 2005 |
The MSC Sinfonia enters service for MSC Cruises. |
Jul 2004 |
The MSC European Stars is auctioned to MSC Cruises (a division of the Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company) for €220 million, and renamed the MSC Sinfonia (it is said to be inspired by great European symphonies). |
19 Jan 2004 |
Following Festival Cruises declaring bankruptcy, the MS European Stars is impounded and laid up in Barcelona. |
25 Apr 2002 |
MS European Stars has its first cruise to Barcelona. |
18 Apr 2002 |
Newbuilding X31 is delivered to Festival Cruises in Saint-Nazaire, and the following day is named MS European Stars. |
4 Mar 2001 |
Having been ordered by Festival Cruises, Newbuilding X31 (its yard number was X31) is launched in Saint-Nazaire (France) by Chantiers de l'Atlantique. |
