MSC Sinfonia cruises in for 2011-12 Summer Season

The magnificent MSC Sinfonia is back in South Africa with her first port of call in Cape Town on Tuesday 8 November marking the opening of a new summer cruise season in the region. 

The 58 600 ton ship, with capacity for 2100 guests, departed from Livorno, Italy on 22nd October on her southbound repositioning voyage back to Southern Africa for what is set to be another record breaking cruise season. She docked in the Mother City’s Table Bay harbour at around 1pm. 

“The return of MSC Sinfonia is always a treat for Capetonians. She is a beautiful sight with her 9 storeys gracing the Eastern Mole Dock and can easily be seen from the city’s freeways and the harbour area,” said Allan Foggitt, Marketing Director of MSC Starlight Cruises.  

MSC Cruises celebrated the ship’s arrival by hosting an onboard fund raiser cocktail party in support of the Building Blocks Children’s Homes for abused and abandoned babies in Cape Town. The organisation, which has homes in Pinelands and Observatory, works in conjunction with local authorities and serves as a refuge for the children by keeping them safe and providing a loving home environment.  

The initiative is part of MSC Cruises’ long term international commitment to support community projects for less advantaged youth and all funds raised at the event go to Building Blocks.  

MSC Sinfonia is by far the finest floating hotel ever to operate locally in South Africa. The ship departed Cape Town at 10pm on Tuesday for Durban, in KwaZulu Natal, where she will be based until the end of March 2012. 

She has set a new standard for South African cruising by offering an extensive range of top class facilities in an elegant, contemporary environment. The ship features 777 cabins, of which 134 are suites with private balconies and 503 are outside cabins, 3 restaurants and a buffet out on deck, 7 bars, a cigar lounge, disco, casino, business and conference centre. There is also the MSC Aurea Spa - a wellness centre which features a full spectrum of dedicated areas, including a fitness centre, a spa bar, massage rooms, thalassotherapy rooms, a yoga room, an indoor and outdoor solarium and a beauty salon - 2 swimming pools, a sports centre, golf simulator, library, card room, children’s playroom, teenagers club, a shopping area with duty free shops and boutiques, and an internet cafe. 

MSC Sinfonia will once again operate a full schedule of the popular three and four-night cruises to Mozambique with stops in the bustling capital city of Maputo and  the trendy water sport resorts of Barra Lodge, Inhambane, and Portuguese Island. The ship will also offer three four-night cruises to the idyllic tropical island dream destination of Bazaruto after an absence of 2 years.