But what exactly contributes to the ship’s popularity? Here, we’re running down just some of the most standout facts on MSC Magnifica.
World cruise debut
MSC Magnifica will be the ship of choice when MSC Cruises introduces its first ever world cruise in 2019.
Embarking from four ports in France, Spain and Italy, the global tour will cover 32,260 nautical miles and take almost a third of the year to complete, taking in 119 calendar days from embarkation to completion.
The mammoth voyage will visit 32 countries spread over six continents and 24 time zones.
MSC Magnifica will do it all again during MSC Cruises’ second ever around-the-world voyage in 2020, stopping by 40 destinations in 23 countries over the course of 117 days.
Tea is for winners
It’s no understatement to say that tea is a big deal to us Brits and MSC Cruises take it so seriously that in April 2018, MSC Magnifica will boast a dedicated onboard tea and cake taster.
This brewiful job involves rigorous testing of the ship’s popular Yorkshire Tea and the person will really have to pour themselves into the role, making sure all the cakes are practically perfect in every way.
More than 1,000 people recently voted through MSC Cruises’ social media channels to make Yorkshire Tea the blend of choice onboard MSC Magnifica, although you can still get hold of your favourite cuppa anywhere on the ship.
MSC Magnifica is massive
With a length of almost 300 metres from bow to stern and weighing more than 95,000 tonnes, there’s no denying that the MSC Magnifica is absolutely huge.
It has 1,259 staterooms spread over its 16 decks with the capacity to accommodate 3,223 passengers.
Chuck into the mix 12 bars, three swimming pools (one with a retractable all-weather roof), a 1,250 Broadway-scale theatre, a casino, a 4D cinema and five gourmet restaurants as well as a 20-hour buffet all scattered across 22,000 sq m of publicly accessible areas and you have an undeniably massive ship.
There are larger - such as the freshly launched Meraviglia, the fourth largest ship in the world - but the Magnifica is certainly amongst the biggest out there.
Everything to everyone
Whatever you’re into, MSC Magnifica is sure to satisfy. This ties into the last point regarding the ship’s size but because it is so vast, there’s the ability to cram more in there.
You can take the opportunity to help your children try something new, such as previously untasted foods and new sports, fitness fanatics can get their sweat on at the high-tech panoramic gym, and there’s no shortage of entertainment and fun activities, many of them cost-free.
Music first
September 2017 saw MSC Magnifica host the first ever underground electronic music festival at sea.
Around 3,200 electronic music fans sailed in the Mediterranean from Genoa - calling at Palma, Ibiza and Barcelona - for a hedonistic cruise focused on fun, partying but also relaxation.
Some 66 artists took to the turntables across five stages and there were also many pop-up events, such as artistic and technological shows, movies and documentaries, contemporary art exhibits, electronic yoga animated by DJs, a noise-free solarium, sport activities, not to mention the chance to relax and discover some of Europe’s most famous cities at the various port stops.
A music festival on a Mediterranean cruise may sound like a crazy idea, but the concept has been an instant hit with bands like Weezer and Paramore curating their own line-ups and staging them at sea.
You can cruise from Southampton on MSC Magnifica right now.
Click here to see where your next adventure with MSC Cruises could take you.
