There will be eight new cruise ships launched this year, two of them refurbished ships that have been given new names. As 2012 gets underway, we’re giving you a snapshot of all of them…
Launch date: May 26
Capacity: 3,959
Staterooms: 1,739
Sister ships: Splendida, Fantasia
Maiden Voyage: Marseille
Home Port: Venice
Ships now in MSC fleet: 12
Interesting: The great Italian actress Sophia Loren told MSC owner and close friend Gianluigi Aponte that she always wanted to have a cruise ship named after her, so Aponte immediately changed Fantastica — the chosen name — to Divina, which means “divine” which to Italians more aptly describes Sophia.
DAILY DEAL:
Seabourn Odyssey
12 nights
March 21
Transatlantic: Fort Lauderdale, Madeira (Portugal), Lisbon
Oceanview Suite $2,499
www.seabourn.com