Did you know that MSC Preziosa was not originally ordered by MSC? Some of you might already know this, but for those who don’t here is a brief history breakdown of the last Fantasia class vessel!

Back in 2010 a letter of intent was signed between STX France and Libyan state-owned company General National Maritime Transport Corporation (GNMTC), to build one cruise ship similar to MSC Fantasia and Splendida. The fourth son of the late Libyan dictator, Hannibal ordered the ship to entertain guests but the opulent £300 million vessel was still unfinished when his father’s regime was overthrown in 2011.

Hannibal wanted the vessel – which would have been called  Phoenicia as a tribute to the ancient civilisation that once ruled most of North Africa – to impress guests with it’s marble colums,statues,luxury fittings and gold- framed mirrors. The ship would have also boasted  marble floors, panoramic glass lifts with virtual waterfalls, and glass walkways over the aquarium.

But the main feature of this ship was supposed to be a huge seawater shark tank that was designed to accommodate two sand tiger sharks, two white sharks and two blacktip reef sharks. Now I’m not a shark expert so I have no idea if those sharks mentioned above can co-habitate in a tank but it is a. let’s say, unique take on ship entertainment!

The tank would have run troughout the bar and reception area of the ship. Now that would’ve been a unique atrium centerpiece.

Who would have the honor of feeding and taking care of these sharks? Would it be the Captain you ask! Actually we even got the answer to that, four resident marine experts would have looked after the sharks, with a dedicated food store catering to their needs.

In drawings for the ship, which was halfway through being completed, the glass floors around the shark tank can been seen in the main foyer of the pre-diner bar and at the reception desk.

The builders managed to finish one of the main bar areas to Hannibal’s designs, complete with garish red furnishings, marble flooring and gaudy staircases.

In June 2011, STX France canceled the contract and began looking for a new buyer of the hull. On March 12, 2012, MSC announced it had reached an agreement to buy the ship for 550 million euros with specification to be identical to MSC Divina naming the vessel Preziosa. A year later, the Preziosa was delivered to MSC Cruises. She was christened by her godmother, Sophia Loren in March 2013.

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So there you have it, we almost had a cruise ship with sharks onboard, now if that’s a good or a bad thing is on you to decide. Have you sailed on Preziosa and did you know that she had a quite unique and interesting life story?

Thanks for reading, Dominik!