Another example of jamming in more passengers in the name of increased revenue.

A couple things are interesting about this one.

First is that it's on a relatively brand new ship. I don't understand why the ship wasn't designed with the increased capacity? Surely on every newbuild the designers are already in "revenue mode" and try and squeeze a cabin in wherever possible?

Second is that MSC Cruises is putting a new twist on how to identify the spaciousness of a cruise ship. The industry standard has always been the entire ship's space ratio. MSC is touting the ratio of total passengers to public space on FANTASIA, stating it's one of the highest in the industry even with the increased capacity.

I'm not sure if cabins were actually added or just upper berths? It wasn't clear to me in the article.

Ernie

Source: Seatrade Insider

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MSC Fantasia’s capacity increased at Fincantieri’s Palermo yard

MSC Cruises has moved to maximise the revenue-generating potential of its flagship MSC Fantasia by adding capacity for an additional 404 passengers, taking the total handling capacity of the ship from 3,959 to 4,363 passengers.

The 2008-built vessel is understood to have spent three weeks in February in Fincantieri’s Palermo yard, where its hull was silicone-painted and some modifications were made to the internal spaces.

Company chief executive Pierfrancesco Vago confirmed that work had been done, but claimed that the vessel remained the most generous afloat in terms of the ratio of passenger numbers to public space. ‘We have increased the density a bit, but we still have the highest ratios,’ he insisted.

MSC subsequently provided figures, based on data supplied by shipbuilder STX, claiming that the ratio of maximum passenger numbers to public space aboard Fantasia, not including staircases, had fallen from 6.6 square metres per passenger to 6 square meters per passenger as a result of the capacity increase. By comparison, it said that MSC Divina, due for delivery in 2012, will have a ratio of 5.1 square metres per passenger.

In addition, MSC said it had increased crew capacity from 1,332 to 1,370. While industry sources in Italy suggested that up to 19 cabins were added for crew, the company denied that it had added any new cabins to the vessel. Rather, it insisted that it had secured certification of compliance for all the beds currently installed on the ship, including third and fourth beds in existing cabins.

Vago said a number of factors played into its choice of yard for refurbishment and repair work, from price and quality to the geographical location of the vessel. Over recent years, the company has used the STX yard in St Nazaire for construction, though Fincantieri has performed drydockings and repairs for the company, notably in Trieste.

The choice of Palermo was a fillip for the Sicilian yard, which has been struggling for workload since the economic crisis began. For MSC, it represents another example of a cruise line seeking to maximise revenue at a time when cruise demand is solid but prices remain under pressure.

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Originally posted by eroller:
Second is that MSC Cruises is putting a new twist on how to identify the spaciousness of a cruise ship. The industry standard has always been the entire ship's space ratio. MSC is touting the ratio of total passengers to public space on FANTASIA, stating it's one of the highest in the industry even with the increased capacity.

Ernie

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This could be a valid, better way to determine space ratios in the future, if more and more lines end up taking away public space to accommodate more cabins. Some ships could be hugely crammed with cabins for thousands of passengers and very little public space, but the old space/ratio figures would be misleading.

Rich

[ 03-09-2011: Message edited by: Linerrich ]

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"secured certification of compliance for all the beds currently installed on the ship, including third and fourth beds in existing cabins"

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.. and so they have apparently added extra crew cabins to cover the extra passengers, most of whom will no doubt be children.

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"the ratio of maximum passenger numbers to public space aboard"

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A far more meaningful figure that everyone should adopt imho. 6sqm I can relate to, I don't have to practice being a trapeze artist for my Cubic allotment

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Originally posted by PamM:

A far more meaningful figure that everyone should adopt imho. 6sqm I can relate to, I don't have to practice being a trapeze artist for my Cubic allotment

Pam

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It would be interesting to obtain this statistic for other ships and compare. It would also be interesting to compare this statistic with the overall space ratio of ships and see if there are any parallels.

Walk further aft and the place can be empty with virtually untouched serveries of mostly the same foods. MSC SPLENDIDA was the prime example of this. A week on a full ship in high season and we ate amongst empty tables at the stern while everyone else fought over tables midship and hung around with plates waiting for space ignoring pleas of the wait staff to walk aft.

I did a little calculation with 4 ships. Carnival Dream came out best, QM2 worst.

Based on
The Gathering seats 1396, 3646 Dble, 4633 Max
Bora Bora/Pago Pago [MSC SPLENDIDA] seats 826, 3274 Dble, 3900 Max [4300 supermaxed]
Kings Court seats 478, 2620 Dble, 3056 Max
Windjammer [INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS] seats 774, 3634 Dble, 4375 Max

The Gathering seats 38.3% Dble 30.1% Max
Bora Bora/Pago Pago seats 25.2% Dble 21.2% Max 19.2% if supermaxed
Kings Court seats 18.2% Dble, 15.6% Max
Windjammer seats 21.3% Dble, 17.7% Max

Highly inconclusive as there are many other factors to take into account as well, but was curious as to the basics. So you have a better chance of a seat in The Gathering than you do in Kings Court, whether or not you can find or get to those seats is another matter.