MS Noordam, a Vista-class cruise ship, at Grand Turk Island, March 2007
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Class overview | |
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Builders: | Fincantieri Marghera shipyard, Italy |
Operators: | Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises |
Subclasses: | Signature class |
Built: | 2001–2010 |
In service: | 2002–present |
Planned: | 11 ships (including derived designs) |
Completed: | 11 ships |
Active: | 11 ships |
General characteristics | |
Length: |
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Beam: | 105 ft 9 in (32.23 m) |
Decks: | 11 passenger decks |
Installed power: | Diesel-electric |
Propulsion: | Azipod |
Speed: |
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Capacity: |
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Crew: | 800–976 |
The Vista class is a class of Panamax-type cruise ships, built by Fincantieri Marghera shipyard, in Italy. Vista class cruise ships are operated by Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, and Costa Cruises. The ships are equipped with a diesel-electric power plant and an Azipod propulsion system. The ships are designed so that eighty-five percent of the staterooms have ocean views and sixty-seven percent have verandas; the extensive use of glass in the superstructure of Vista class ships is also reflected in the class name. Note that Carnival Cruise Line launched a ship in 2016 named Carnival Vista, though it is much larger than and thus not a Vista Class ship.
The Vista class design was originally created for Holland America Line, using the Panamax guidelines to determine their designed size. A fifth hull which was originally intended for Holland America was transferred to Cunard Line in 2003 where it was planned to become the MS Queen Victoria. However, due to restructuring within their parent corporation Carnival Corporation & plc, as well as a later decision by Cunard that modifications should be made to introduce successful elements from the design of the RMS Queen Mary 2, the hull was again transferred to become P&O Cruises' MS Arcadia.
The second derivative design is Holland America Line's Signature class cruise ship, the MS Eurodam. While the same length as the MS Noordam, she has one more deck than the standard Vista class design, and her public areas and cabin placement have been significantly redesigned, especially on her upper-most decks. A second Signature class ship, MS Nieuw Amsterdam, entered service in 2010.