Built at Saint-Nazaire, France — by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and its successor STX France — between 2008 and 2013, the four Fantasia-class ships measure between 137,936 and 139,072 GT and were MSC Cruises' largest vessels when they appeared. The class marked MSC's move into the top tier of shipbuilding, and its defining idea was exclusivity within a big ship: MSC Fantasia introduced the MSC Yacht Club, a private, all-suite enclave with its own lounge, pool and concierge — a ship within a ship. Below that, the design scaled up everything MSC had done before, with a large Balinese-style Aurea Spa, a covered pool, and interiors built around glass, stone and sweeping staircases.
