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The MSC Musica recently completed 20 years of service for MSC Cruises, having been delivered on June 19, 2006.
Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the 2,550-passenger ship debuted as the first in a series of four ships known as the Musica class.
After repositioning to the Mediterranean, the vessel was christened in the Italian city of Venice on June 29, 2006. Actress Sophia Loren served as godmother of the ship during the ceremony.
For its maiden season, the MSC Musica offered a series of seven-night cruises from its homeport in Venice, visiting Greece, Croatia, Italy and Turkey.
The weeklong itineraries were highlighted by visits to a range of destinations, including Katakolon, Izmir, Istanbul, Dubrovnik and Bari.
The ship is scheduled to emerge from drydock with a new MSC Yacht Club space, as well as new specialty dining venues and updated public spaces.
After sailing to South America with no guests onboard in November, the MSC Musica will introduce the new features during its 2026-27 winter season in Brazil.
MSC Updating Yacht Club Restaurants Across Fantasia-Class Ships
MSC Cruises announced upgrades to the MSC Yacht Club restaurants, part of the company’s “ship-within-a-ship” concept.
The company said in a press release that the refurbishment will be rolled out across its three Fantasia-class ships, set to undergo drydocks in December 2026, April 2027 and February 2028.
The restaurant onboard its fourth Fantasia-class ship, the MSC Splendida, has already been updated.
The new interior of the MSC Yacht Club restaurant features a modern layout with darker tones, soft textures and sophisticated lighting, the company explained.
Guests can choose from a variety of menus and have a dedicated 24/7 culinary staff as well as a sommelier on-hand, ensuring what MSC describes as an elevated dining experience.
Following her refurbishment at the Palumbo Malta Shipyard, the MSC Splendida began her winter sailings in the Mediterranean in early February.
Itineraries now available to book on the ship include:
Seven-night sailings from Barcelona (Spain) – February through May 2026
The voyages explore Marseille (France), Genoa, Naples, Palermo (Italy), and La Goulette for Tunis (Tunisia).
Seven-night sailings from Barcelona (Spain) – May through November 2026
The voyages visit Marseille (France), Livorno, Cagliari, Palermo (Italy), Valletta (Malta).
Eight-to-nine-night itineraries from Buenos Aires (Argentina) – November 2026 through March 2027
Destinations visited during the voyages include Rio de Janeiro, Ilhabela, Ilha Grande, Balneario Camboriu (Brazil), and Punta del Este (Uruguay).
Nine-night sailings from Trieste (Italy) – April through November 2027
These voyages include calls to destinations such as Split (Croatia), Piraeus (Greece), Kusadasi, Istanbul, (Turkey), Corfu (Greece), and Bari (Italy).
Additional enhancements to Fantasia class ships include a redesigned Future Cruise office onboard, where guests can plan and book their next cruise while on their current voyage.
MSC Cruises is bringing its MSC Yacht Club to two additional ships, the MSC Musica and the MSC Orchestra, according to a press release.
The expansion marks the completion of the MSC Yacht Club refurbishment for the entire Musica class.
The MSC Musica will receive the upgrade later in 2026, ahead of the South American season, followed by the MSC Orchestra in the first quarter of 2027 ahead of its season in the Mediterranean from Bari, Italy.
Once complete, all four ships in the Musica class, the MSC Poesia, the MSC Magnifica, the MSC Musica and the MSC Orchestra will feature the MSC Yacht Club.
The MSC Yacht Club is designed as a ship within a ship concept, featuring spacious and elegant suites, 24-hour butler and dedicated concierge service, as well as exclusive private venues including a restaurant, lounge and sundeck.
Guests of the MSC Yacht Club benefit from personalized services.
This includes daily in-suite indulgences such as fresh fruits, macarons and chocolates, and a complimentary bottle of premium spirits.
Guests can take advantage of unpacking and packing services, private shopping appointments in the onboard boutiques outside regular opening hours, and more.
Guests will also receive MED by MSC, the cruise line’s exclusive collection of organic bath amenities crafted for MSC Yacht Club guests.
With the addition of the MSC Musica and the MSC Orchestra, the MSC Yacht Club will be available across 19 ships fleetwide.
The MSC Musica will sail in South America from November 2026 through April 2027, offering cruises to Brazilian destinations and eight-night to nine-night holiday sailings to Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Punta del Este over Christmas and New Year.
The season concludes with a 16-night transatlantic crossing departing Santos on April 1, 2027, to Genoa.
The MSC Orchestra will begin sailing with the new MSC Yacht Club from Bari, Italy, from March 13 to April 24, 2027, exploring Turkey’s destinations, including Izmir and Istanbul, with calls at Piraeus and Corfu, Greece.
Departing from ports in Italy, Spain and France in early January 2027, the 121-night cruise is set to visit 45 destinations in 25 countries.
According to MSC, the itinerary is highlighted by seven overnight stays in key ports of call, including Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Sydney in Australia and Tahiti in French Polynesia.
With the ship getting a new MSC Yacht Club during its refit, the 2027 World Cruise will also mark the first time that the global voyage offers the company’s upscale suite enclave.
Set to debut onboard the vessel in early 2026, the VIP area will include 63 new suites, as well as an exclusive solarium and a private lounge.
Guests staying in a Yacht Club suite will also be able to dine in a dedicated restaurant, which will serve a premium menu.
Built in 2010, the MSC Magnifica will be the first Musica-class ship to offer the suite enclave, which was first introduced by MSC’s Fantasia class in 2008.
During its refit, in addition to the MSC Yacht Club, the vessel is also getting an updated spa and a new fitness centre.
As the first ship in the company’s namesake class, the 2006-built ship was scheduled to operate the global voyage for the first time.
The MSC Magnifica is also scheduled to offer MSC’s 2026 World Cruise, which departs from Europe next January.
Set to start operations ahead of the ship’s following summer season, the MSC Yacht Club won’t be available for guests sailing on the 119-night global voyage.
MSC Cruises Introduces 7 Districts on World America
MSC Cruises announced seven distinct districts onboard its upcoming ship, the MSC World America, designed to provide tailored experiences, set to launch in 2025.
From a dedicated family area or tranquil zen area to a busy promenade with entertainment, shops and bars, guests can choose among a variety of options to relax.
Combining bars, restaurants, entertainment and leisure facilities, each district will be tailored to the needs and moods and desires of guests throughout their time onboard.
MSC World America’s seven districts include:
MSC Yacht Club: MSC Cruises’ ship-within-a-ship experience opens up to guests staying in this secluded retreat with keycard-only access. This relaxed and elegant atmosphere offers personalized service with 24/7 butler service, priority embarkation and disembarkation, exclusive lounge and dining areas and more.
Family Aventura: Located at the top of the ship, Family Aventura features The Harbour, a new outdoor park for families. The park will feature a new attraction never before seen at sea that will soon be revealed, along with a family dwelling area and a playground modelled after the lighthouse at Ocean Cay island.
Aqua Deck: Home to the ship’s two main pools, the Aqua Deck offers experiences such as wellness offerings in the morning and parties at night.
Zen Area: The adults-only Zen Area, located at the stern of the ship, offers the ideal space for sunbathing, waterside lounging and taking in breathtaking ocean views.
Galleria: In the central heart of the ship is the Galleria, offering dining options, exclusive shopping, games, live music at the Dolce Vita Bar and more.
The Terraces: Featuring nine restaurants and bars, four retail shops and a comedy club, The Terraces offer a diverse range of entertainment from DJ sets to comedy.
Promenade: The half-covered outdoor promenade on deck 8, the area has plenty to offer. From morning coffee at the Emporium coffee bar to drinks and dinners with spectacular water views, the Promenade has something for every guest.
MSC CRUISES EXTENDS BELLISSIMA'S ARABIAN GULF SEASON
MSC Cruises has announced plans to extend its current season in the Arabian Gulf after the destination proved to be "particularly attractive" to its customers this winter.
Bellissima will finish its planned Red Sea itineraries homeporting in Jeddah on 26 March and then move to the Arabian Gulf to take over from Virtuosa on 2 April.
The vessel will then offer additional seven-night cruises calling in Dubai, Sir Bani Yas and Doha from 2 April through to 25 June.
Virtuosa, which has sailed the region since November 2021, will sail back to Europe to homeport in Southampton for the summer season.
In July, Bellissima will move to the Far East to perform its itineraries in Japan and China. Sales for the additional Bellissima cruises opened today.
The line said its Arabian Gulf sailings have proven to be "particularly attractive" to guests this winter, thanks to the "appeal of the itinerary" with extended stays in port and two overnights in Dubai.
Gianni Onorato, chief executive of MSC Cruises, said: "We have seen that the itineraries in the UAE and Qatar have been very popular with our guests and so to respond to this demand we have decided to extend our presence in the region.
"The decision to deploy MSC Bellissima for this extended part of the season was taken because this is a highly popular and well-appreciated ship with a richness of features, entertainment and dining as well as offering the MSC Yacht Club."
Extended MSC Seashore to be the longest ship in MSC Cruises fleet
More than 40% of new ship MSC Seashore has been redesigned and enhanced as a “significant evolution and improvement” over its two sister ships.
The differences to MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview include 200 extra cabins, a larger ‘ship within a ship’ MSC Yacht Club and an additional double-deck lounge at the rear.
The latest MSC Cruises’ vessel, due to enter service in June 2021, will have 10,000 square metres of additional deck space with a 16-metre extension to 339 metres, making it the longest vessel in the fleet.
Features include 28 more terraced suites and two suites with private whirlpools.
The expanded MSC Yacht Club will include two new cabin categories – 41 deluxe grand suites and two owner’s suites with whirlpools.
A ‘cluster cabin’ concept for families – where two or three adjoining cabins can be linked to accommodate between six and ten people – will be introduced, while 75 larger cabins for disabled passengers are added.
Two new restaurants are planned alongside a new location for five speciality dining outlets to allow for al fresco waterfront seating on the ship’s boardwalk.
The interior has been redesigned with two central meeting points positioned at the middle and forward part of the ship, as well as specific measures to improve passenger flows.
MSC Seashore will have a bigger casino and 20 speciality bars.
The ship will feature a new design of its aft swimming pool, an enlarged indoor pool and a new waterpark. Clubs for young children and teenagers have been separated from a larger kids’ zone.
A range of environmental protection measures is to be installed including a selective catalytic reduction system designed to help cut nitrogen oxide by 90% through advanced active emissions control technology.
Wastewater will go through a purification and filtration process that transforms it to “near tap-water” quality.
The new-build will also be fitted with shore-to-ship power connections while in port to reduce emissions.
The details emerged at a keel-laying ceremony for the ship at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
MSC Cruises’ executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Today’s ceremony marks another key milestone in the construction of one of our most innovative all-around ships yet.
“Most importantly, MSC Seashore – which will feature the latest and most advanced environmental technology currently available – represents another proof of our long-standing commitment to preserving the environment in our ongoing journey to minimise and continuously reduce the impact of our operations.”
Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono added: “The beginning of drydock works of MSC Seashore, the largest ship so far built in Italy, is for us a source of great satisfaction.
“It is a real challenge in terms of structural and managerial aspects, which powers the impressive workload for the shipyard and the local area.”
PHOTO: Rendering of MSC Virtuosa. (photo courtesy MSC Cruises)
WHY IT RATES: The MSC Virtuosa will be fitted with state-of-the-art environmental technology to reduce her environmental footprint and it will set sail in 2020. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer
MSC Cruises—the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line and brand market leader in Europe, South America and the Gulf—announced today the opening of sales for MSC Virtuosa, beginning her inaugural season in the Western Mediterranean on November 8, 2020. Sales are open now exclusively for MSC Voyagers Club members, as one of the many benefits of the loyalty program that rewards MSC Cruises guests. For all other guests, sales will open on December 3rd.
MSC Virtuosa will be the fourth ship in the Meraviglia generation and the second Meraviglia-plus ship, an evolution of the Meraviglia class offering additional staterooms and even more public space. MSC Virtuosa has been named to pay homage to the skill and expertise of our architects and shipyard partners at Les Chantiers de l’Atlantique who designed and built this innovative class of ships which delivers “excellence” in both hardware and software when it comes to the guest experience.
This groundbreaking class of ships, including MSC Virtuosa, has been designed with rich onboard features, with a wide range of entertainment, dining, relaxation, shopping and other features as well as the iconic MSC Yacht Club, a “ship within a ship” concept for those seeking exclusivity and luxury within a world of choice. Highlights of the MSC Virtuosa distinct onboard experience include:
—Two brand new Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows created exclusively for MSC Cruises’ guests by the world leader in live entertainment, Cirque du Soleil. With performances six nights per week in the purpose-built Carousel Lounge, guests will be able to enjoy a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else at sea. The partnership overall will total in eight original shows available exclusively onboard MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia generation ships.
—The very latest in technology designed to enrich the guest cruise experience as part of MSC Cruises’ digital innovation program, MSC for Me. Zoe, MSC Cruises’ new digital cruise assistant — an industry first — is a bespoke device designed by HARMAN International, the experts in the field of voice-enabled technology. She will speak 7 languages and will be on-hand to offer guests a simple and stress-free way to find out information about everything the ship has to offer in the comfort of the stateroom. Every stateroom will be fitted with this custom-built voice-enabled Artificial Intelligence technology.
—An unprecedented choice of both fine dining and more casual options serving fresh, authentic food for every taste, served across multiple venues plus a huge range of bars for every occasion.
—The Promenade will be extended with a larger shopping area and will feature a new restaurant concept exclusively for MSC Aurea experience guests. In addition, L’Atelier Bistrot, a new bar and lounge, will offer relaxed seating with a stage and dance floor all located in the heart of the Promenade.
—A wide array of family facilities and entertainment make this ship ideal for family vacations, thanks to programming and spaces designed in partnership with leading family experts including LEGO® and Chicco.
—Six ports in seven nights in the Western Mediterranean, including the iconic ports of Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona as well as other high-demand destinations.
MSC Virtuosa will be fitted with state-of-the-art environmental technology to reduce her environmental footprint including an exhaust gas cleaning system for cleaner emissions; an advanced wastewater treatment system; smart heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) to recover heat from machinery spaces; and LED lighting and smart devices to significantly save energy. This environmental technology is part of MSC Cruises commitment to provide guests with the best vacation experiences at sea in a sustainable way. When booking MSC Virtuosa over the initial two-week opening of sales period exclusive to them, MSC Voyagers Club members will receive a special 5% discount on top of their usual 5% loyalty discount as well as having the first selection of staterooms. All other guests will also enjoy a 5% early booking discount until June 3, 2019. MSC Virtuosa will commence her maiden voyage from Genoa, Italy on November 8, 2020.
Key Stats: 181,000 gross tonnages, 1,086 ft. in length, and 2,421 staterooms with a maximum capacity of 6,334 guests (approx. 4,842 at double occupancy)
MSC Cruises is continuing its impressive growth in the cruise industry as the company today announced an agreement to build four ultra-luxury cruise ships at Fincantieri.
The 1,000-guest, 64,000-ton ships will enter service in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. The memorandum of agreement is for a total value in excess of two million euro, MSC said and marks the company's first dedicated luxury ships.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “It is off the back of the great success of our ship-within-a-ship luxury concept that our guests asked us to enter into the ultra-luxury segment, as a natural evolution of the MSC Yacht Club. These ships will be able to offer unique itineraries, thanks to their size, and the guest services will be taken to another level, including our personalized MSC Yacht Club butler service, available 24/7."
By 2027, MSC will have 25 mega ships in service, up from 15 today. The additional four ships will put the MSC fleet at 29 ships by 2027 with over 98,000 berths and a market capacity of over 5 million guests annually, according to Cruise Industry News estimates.
“I am especially pleased to be able to further extend our partnership with Fincantieri through this new order. The award-winning Seaside and Seaside-Evo class have already been recognized as ground-breaking and innovative designs. We are now introducing another new class, which will establish a new standard of ultra-luxury at sea with ships that will showcase the quality and highest standards that are associated with Made in Italy," Vago said.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “It is with pride that two great brands – an Italian one and one with a strong Italian DNA -, well-known all over the world, today announce an important construction program. We are extremely satisfied that to launch a new class of ships in the luxury segment, MSC Cruises has acknowledged that our project will allow creating a new generation of cutting-edge units from both a technological point of view, safety and with particular attention paid to passenger comfort. With this project Fincantieri can count on 53 cruise ships in its order book, confirming to be an absolute market leader in all the cruise shipbuilding segments."
MSC Seaside offers sights, experiences unlike any other
MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato in the two-story Top Sail Lounge, part of the MSC Yacht Club luxury enclave on MSC Seaside. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
ONBOARD THE MSC SEASIDE -- When executives at MSC Cruises went looking for a design completely different from any other in the industry, they found it gathering dust in a desk drawer at the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
The line's newest ship, the MSC Seaside, was conceived 12 years ago by a visionary Fincantieri engineer, but it languished because no cruise line wanted it, according to MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato.
To start with, the ship's funnel was in the middle, not the back. That alone spooked buyers worried that soot would rain down on sunbathers gathered around the Deck 16 swimming pool behind it.
MSC likens the aft design to a Miami Beach condo. The suites there overlook a broad pool area on Deck 8. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
The design had an oddly narrowed tower of cabins in the back, opening space for a broad, uncovered promenade on Deck 8 and an expansive platform at the very aft where another pool was placed. A pair of glass-walled elevators connected the two pool decks.
When Onorato saw the plans, he knew he'd found something that wouldn't be mistaken for any other cruise ship afloat.
"This is what we wanted," Onorato said.
I had a chance to experience the nearly completed Seaside on a short cruise from Fincantieri's yard in Monfalcone, Italy, to Trieste, about 20 minutes away. I came away thinking that passengers are going to want to try this ship, which is just the response MSC is seeking in its ongoing bid for recognition in North America.
Start with that rear profile, which MSC likens to a Miami Beach condo. It wastes space extravagantly, but it looks very cool. And from my cabin on Deck 15, I could descend to poolside in about 30 seconds.
MSC intends to sail the Seaside in the Caribbean from Miami year-round starting on Dec. 23. The ship has what seems like acres of open space on the top deck, ideal for sun-searchers from cold climates.
Onorato said new exhaust scrubber technologies solve the soot problem. There's a giant LED screen for videos. And the pool on Deck 16 can be covered at night, creating a dance space beneath the tropical stars.
The midship funnel on the Seaside is the starting point for one of the ship's neatest features, a 344-foot zip line that threads riders through two sets of giant hoops before ending on an aft platform.
The four-story atrium features stairs with transparent steps embedded with Swarovski crystals and tiny lights. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
Several waterslides also start on the funnel structure, including one in which passengers ride a board that transmits electronic data, turning it into an interactive video game.
Inside, the design of the Seaside carries on some of the themes of MSC's first year-round North American ship, the MSC Divina. The Seaside has lots of shiny, sparkly metallic surfaces and an assertively neutral colour palette consisting mainly of white, black, grey and beige, with maroon in the carpets.
The levels of a four-story open atrium are linked by stairs that feature transparent steps embedded with tiny white lights and Swarovski crystals. Large LED screens with changing displays adorn the main wall of the atrium.
But the Seaside differs from the Divina, too.
The Seaside's MSC Yacht Club luxury enclave is larger and, unlike on Divina, it includes a restaurant. The two-story Top Sail Lounge has magnificent forward views. (If you're not staying in the Yacht Club, the Seaside has no public views from the bow).
The Deck 16 pool can be covered at night to turn it into a dance floor. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
There's a trio of speciality restaurants (seafood, steak and Asian) on Deck 16, which creates a foodie destination, according to Onorato. The theatre is smaller, but there will be more frequent shows, giving diners the flexibility to eat when they want and still catch the entertainment.
And then there's that promenade, which brings cruisers as close to the water as they're likely to get on a 4,138-passenger vessel.
Inside the ship, one sure-to-be-talked-about feature is the wall of liquid chocolate in the Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar, which sends a sweet fragrance of chocolate wafting through several decks around it.
Although it is not entirely original, I liked the two-lane, full-size bowling alley in the arcade on Deck 7. I also enjoyed the Garage Club, a '50s car-themed room that is a teen club by day and a bar at night.
One thing yet to be determined on the Seaside is whether MSC has tailored the food and service to American sensibilities. Onorato said it has. He said past perceptions of indifferent service and Euro-centric foods are the legacy of a time when the North American market was an afterthought for Geneva-based MSC.
That changed several years ago, Onorato said, and the Seaside will reflect all that MSC has learned about appealing to North American passengers. The reality, he said, is that improvements have been made and should be evident onboard the Seaside.
"Obviously, it takes time for those improvements to be fully acknowledged by everyone," he said.
Several cruise lines employ butlers in their exclusive accommodations. Onboard Royal Caribbean International's ships, they are called Royal Genies.
As the co-owner and president of a Virtuoso-affiliated agency, Paul Largay never had much interest in Norwegian Cruise Line. The Waterbury, Conn., travel seller had cultivated a luxury clientele who preferred upscale lines such as Silversea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Seabourn.
But after Norwegian added the Haven to its ships, Largay began selling the line.
"It's a very viable alternative," he said.
The Haven, a secured enclave of luxury cabins around a courtyard, has re-engineered Norwegian into a line with both a mass-market and a luxury clientele, and its arrival on the scene has led almost every other operator of large cruise ships to tout some sort of exclusive accommodation.
Each has its own variation: MSC Cruises has the MSC Yacht Club, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have Suite Class, Disney has Concierge Level and Holland America Line offers the Neptune Lounge.
Even Carnival Cruise Line, the most egalitarian of the bunch, offers the Havana Cabana enclave on its newest ships.
The reasons that luxury enclaves have evolved on ships are many, but a common thread is the premium pricing that cruise lines can command by creating an aura of exclusivity to which guests can aspire.
Suites in the enclaves tend to be among the largest at sea, an attraction for some guests and yet another revenue enhancement.
In most cases, these cabins come with exclusive use of other areas, such as private pools, restaurants and lounges.
Guests with Suite Class accommodations aboard the Celebrity Silhouette have access to the exclusive Michael’s Club lounge.
Kimberly Wilson Wetty, co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel, said, "I think it has created the aspiration for people to say, 'How do I get to that next level? I want that perk, that experience. What do I have to do to get there?'"
Several agents compared the rise of luxury enclaves at sea to similar choices in other hospitality sectors, such as a business class on international airlines or private luxury railcars added to trains.
Airlines have started opening unadvertised invitation-only dining venues in some airports for their best customers. And hotels-within-hotels are proliferating, especially in Las Vegas. At the Wynn Tower Suites, located in the 2,716-room Wynn Las Vegas, guests have a private entrance, a personal shopper, an exclusive restaurant and a private pool, with amenities.
Gaming also played a role in the creation of the Haven, which can trace its origins to large villa suites built for Star Cruises, an Asian line that shares common ownership interests with Norwegian through parent company Genting Group.
After acquiring Norwegian in 2000, Genting began to swap ships intended for Star Cruises into the Norwegian fleet. Ships such as Norwegian Dawn have a pair of three-bedroom, $25,000-a-week Garden Villas on the top deck. Those evolved into the Courtyard Villa, an enclave of 12 access-controlled suites when Norwegian launched its Jewel class of ships in 2005.
The exclusivity of the Courtyard Villas was one component of a package of extras that has continued to evolve. Rebranded as the Haven in 2011, the enclave cabins now come with access to a private restaurant, a private sun deck, private pool and a dedicated lounge and bar, all within the complex.
When Norwegian Cruise Line began offering the Courtyard Villa enclave in 2005, it opened the mass-market line to luxury clientele and prompted other cruise lines to follow suit. The Villa concept evolved into the Haven by 2011.
Other benefits include the services of a concierge and butler, priority embarkation, debarkation and tendering and preference for seating at shows and for shipwide dining reservations.
In-suite amenities include a cappuccino machine, white-tablecloth room-service dining and sparkling wine, fruit and bottled water on embarkation day.
Bathrobes, linens, bath products and mattresses are all top of the line.
Enclaves such as the Haven tend to be found on mass-market ships, or at least ships above a certain size. One reason is that smaller luxury ships have no need for a separate high-end product. Just as important, they don't have the real estate.
Holland America Line, whose largest ship is the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam, does not offer a luxury enclave but does have the Neptune Lounge, a midship social area with refreshments and concierge service. It is reserved for guests booking the top Neptune and Pinnacle suite categories, who also get exclusive access to the ship's premier Pinnacle Grill for breakfast.
Sally Andrews, vice president of public relations for Holland America, said it's a question of economics.
"Dedicating private space for a segment of guests related to their accommodations really comes down to [return on investment] on use of that space for a small versus a larger number of guests," Andrews said.
A table in the Queens Grill on Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria, which offers a sweeping view. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst
It began with 20 penthouses
Some observers trace the origins of the enclave idea to Queen Elizabeth 2.
In 1972, a refurbishment of the Cunard Line ship resulted in the addition of 20 penthouses to the 70,000-ton ship. A nearby bar/nightclub was converted to an exclusive restaurant called the Queen's Grill.
By the time Carnival Corp. commissioned a successor for the ship in 1998, the Queen's Grill accommodations had become a status symbol, and Carnival incorporated them into the Queen Mary 2, as well as into later ships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria.
Larry Pimentel, one-time president of Cunard and currently president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises, said Cunard was a bridge between the transport era of passenger shipping and modern cruising.
Queen Elizabeth 2 was designed with separate classes in mind, with segregated spaces for each price level.
"They represented a bygone era of cruising, a bygone era of transport, actually," Pimentel said.
Ships designed for cruising post-Queen Elizabeth 2 were one-class ships, Pimentel said. Only recently have separate classes crept back into the equation, in part to attract and keep a discerning type of customer.
The creation of a ship within a ship enables mass-market lines to pitch their cruises to more-affluent guests.
"While it is not strictly class-communicated, the reality is that there is a group of people who always want the best," Pimentel said. "What's happened in the industry is that there's going to be a bigger and bigger play for these people who have these desires to have the most space, to have the most in elegance and luxury, have their own space, their own pools, their own restaurants, etc."
The premium for staying in an enclave like the Haven can be five to 10 times the cost of an inside cabin, depending on deployment and time of year. MSC Cruises calculates that the per-person cost of staying in its Yacht Club enclave averages about $1,500 more than for a standard cabin.
One longtime observer of luxury cruising said it might or might not be worth the price.
"Theoretically, it's good," said Mark Conroy, managing director of the Americas for Silversea Cruises.
Conroy said one of the most appealing parts of the enclave idea is the ability to offer two ships in one. There's an "uptown" sanctuary with refined furnishings and service and a "downtown" for energy, variety and scale. But to make it work, the "downtown" has to be worth going to, he said.
"The challenge is in the execution, and some companies have been better than others," Conroy said.
Another way the uptown/downtown idea plays out is in attracting large family groups.
"It's been wonderful for the multigen families," said Valerie Wilson's Wetty. "If you have a very luxury client, let's say it's grandparents, or mom and dad, but they might want to take the whole family, they're not willing to compromise their standards."
With an enclave, the luxury client can afford luxury accommodations without springing for a luxury ship for the entire group, she said.
A staircase embedded with Swarovski crystals connects two decks in MSC Cruises’ exclusive section, the MSC Yacht Club. Access to a concierge desk and the Top Sail Lounge are some of the perks for Yacht Club guests.
MSC Cruises has earned a reputation for affordable family cruising with its kids-sail-free promotion. Its Miami-based ship, the MSC Divina, is one of five in its fleet equipped with an MSC Yacht Club enclave.
The enclave includes 66 suites arrayed over two decks connected by spiral staircases with embedded Swarovski crystals. There is a private lounge, a library and butler service for all Yacht Club guests. They also get an adjacent private pool, access to a VIP area of the disco and special access to the spa.
Bernard Stacher, vice president of hotel operations for MSC, said guests are paying for more than exclusivity.
"That's a portion of it, but it's not the majority," Stacher said. "It also comes down to the personalized, tailored service, to really unique and fast access to the ship on and off, the choice of the finishings we choose and the no-questions-asked attitude from the staff in the Yacht Club. I think that plays a big part.
"Yes, you are away from the crowds, you have your own private pool, but it's the sum of all the parts that make the Yacht Club so exciting," Stacher said. "It's not one thing."
In marketing the enclaves, cruise executives walk a fine line between appealing to discriminating customers and coming off as elitist.
Wetty said exclusivity inevitably rubs some people the wrong way.
"There was a pushback in the industry of saying, 'Hey, that doesn't feel fair or right,'" she said. "How can you create a ship that you pay a certain price and you only get access to a certain part of the ship?"
Wetty said the key for lines that have made an enclave product successful was positioning it as an extra to an already handsome package.
"Those lines are creating a consistent experience for everybody, so nobody feels they got less than somebody else," Wetty said. "But then if you pay more, you get something a little extra special."
The Royal Loft Suite on the Anthem of the Seas.
Not every line offering exclusive luxury accommodations has gone the route of building a full enclave.
Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International, both brands owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., offer guests a Suite Class package of benefits that includes a separate lounge and restaurant, among other perks.
Suites are in different areas depending on which of Royal's eight ship sizes they are sailing.
On Celebrity, Suite Class guests have the Luminae restaurant and Michael's Club to themselves. On Royal, Suite Class includes a suite lounge and sun deck and the Coastal Kitchen restaurant on some ships.
Top suites come with Royal Genies, a name for what other cruise lines call butlers.
"We thought it was a fun twist on this idea of a butler," Royal Caribbean president Michael Bayley said. "We think part of our success is not taking ourselves too seriously."
Bayley said that Royal has the same package of amenities that competitors do, but "we just haven't put them in one place." Royal guests, he said, "want to be engaging with the world around them." Still, he said, he wouldn't rule out building a dedicated luxury enclave area on future ships.
Even Carnival Cruise Line, which prides itself on being unpretentious, has cosied up to the enclave concept. On its latest ship, the Carnival Vista, it has created the Havana Cabana, an area of 61 cabins with a lounge and pool area with a tropical-leisure theme.
Most of the cabins are on deck five and feature a sliding door that opens to a 100-square-foot patio with a swing chair. A key-card gate keeps the aft part of the promenade that encircles Deck Five closed during the day. Also behind the gate is the aft pool and hot tub area. A few Havana cabins are located on decks six and seven and have enlarged balconies rather than patios; these cabins also include access to the pool.
In the Havana Cabana section onboard the Carnival Vista, guests have exclusive access to an aft pool area and a promenade. Carnival is expanding the 61-cabin exclusive section on the Horizon, due next year. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst
Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said that limiting access to the pool hasn't caused any issues. The Havana Cabana is the only area on Carnival's 25 ships that aren't open to all passengers.
"We really haven't had any complaints, as there are so many other options on the Carnival Vista," Duffy said.
Carnival is expanding the area on the Horizon, due in April, by 18 cabins. Other luxury enclaves are also growing. The Yacht Club on MSC Seaside, which will be christened in Miami in December, will have 80 suites, the most ever.
In the future, cruise executives said, the enclave concept could be expanded to include more dedicated entertainment. MSC has a piano player in its Yacht Club, and it will rotate a violin duo into the mix on the Seaside.
Pimentel said that other ideas will percolate for small musical ensembles.
"I think it is possible that some of the units that have a lot of space begin to have venues for that space that could be a small, tiny jazz club," Pimentel said. "I think the industry's just going to push the edges on that one."
