Color Fantasy and Color Magic are the two-sister vessels built at the Aker Yards in Turku, Finland, and owned by Color Line, a shipping company based in Norway.
The M/S Color Fantasy began operation in 2005, as the world’s largest cruise ship incorporating a car deck.
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The €302.5m ($390m) vessel was put into service on Color Line’s traditional scheduled route between Oslo, Norway and Kiel in Germany.
In May 2005, Color Line signed a contract with shipbuilder Aker Finnyards to build a sister ship – the M/S Color Magic, which was put into operation on the same route in 2007.
Design and features
The Color Fantasy vessel has a length of 224m, a width of 35m, and a deep draught of 6.8m. The ship has a gross tonnage (gt) of 74,500.
Classified by Det Norske Veritas, the vessel has a service speed of 22 knots, powered by machinery rated at 42,400hp.
Color Fantasy can accommodate a maximum of 2,605 individuals, with a guest capacity 2,400. The vessel contains 966 cabins with 2,667 beds and has the capacity to transport 750 cars.
Color Magic has similar specifications but slightly surpasses Color Fantasy with 75,100gt and a higher maximum capacity of 2,812 people, including a guest capacity of 2,600.
The Color Magic has 1,016 cabins with 2,975 beds and can carry 550 cars. Both ships are structured across 15 decks.
The vessels feature a three-deck-high, 160m-long promenade, serving as the ship’s central hub and main communication space.
The promenade, considered the centrepiece of the ship’s design, connects panorama lifts, voids, and stairs at each end, as well as shops, restaurants, and other facilities.
Embarkation occurs directly onto the promenade, which is not only a passageway but also a versatile space for parades, events, and lively guest interactions.
Accommodation
The cruise ships offer 12 types of cabins each with a television, Wi-Fi, and minibar.
The accommodation options cater to a variety of preferences and needs. All cabins are situated above the car deck.
The Owner’s Suites, spanning 35m2, are the most luxurious cabins on the ship, and they have ocean views.
It is designed for a maximum of two guests and has a separate bedroom and a seating area. For those travelling with infants, a limited number of baby cots are also available.
The Color Suite with an ocean view of 24.5m2 can accommodate up to two people and features similar facilities.
The Color Junior Suites, exclusive to the Color Magic, offer 20m2 of space along with an ocean view.
For larger groups, the Color Class cabins can accommodate up to four guests in 14m2 of space, with an option of connecting cabins and breakfast at the Oceanic a la Carte restaurant included.
The cabins are available with ocean views or promenade views.
Standard cabins with queen-sized beds or bunk beds and ocean views provide a compact 10.5m2 of space for up to five guests.
Connecting cabins are an option for groups of up to six people.
For guests with disabilities, specially designed cabins are available, measuring 14m2.
These cabins are equipped to accommodate one handicapped person with a companion and feature an accessible bathroom, automatic door opener, and linoleum flooring.
Dining and bar venues
The dining and bar venues offer an array of exquisite culinary experiences.
The Grand Buffet offers a Scandinavian buffet with a diverse selection of shellfish, herring, fish, meat, and the ship’s smokehouse specialities.
The Oceanic a la Carte restaurant encompasses a variety of dishes, from perennial favourites to seasonal delights, as well as popular international cuisine.
The Cosmopolitan/Manhattan Gourmet Restaurant offers fine dining.
Mama Bella Pizza Ristorante offers a warm Italian ambience for both lunch and dinner.
Adjacent to the restaurant is Bella Bar, which provides a broad array of Italian specialities, including a taste of Italian cheeses, meats, fish, and shellfish.
Sports & Burger Bar provides an authentic American diner of a 1950s style while Sushi Bar offers Japanese cuisine.
The Promenade Cafe offers a range of sandwiches and snacks in a casual and cosy maritime environment.
The Tower/Palazzo nightclub spans two decks and features two bars, providing ample seating and a spacious dance floor for an energetic night out.
The Donkey/Monkey Pub offers relaxing drinks, snacks, and live music.
Entertainment and other amenities
The Show Lounge of Color Magic and Color Fantasy offers a vibrant spectacle of dance, music, and a kaleidoscope of colours every evening.
The Observation Lounge offers panoramic views with light meals and refreshments while in the evening the tempo shifts and the dance floor opens with a live band at night.
It also has a library that provides a quiet retreat with newspapers and a selection of books.
The Color Spa & Fitness Center features a fully equipped gym, with rooms for massages, skincare, a whirlpool bath, steam bath, and sauna.
A casino on deck 6 offers a touch of Las Vegas at sea.
There is a fully equipped 1,600m² conference centre and a permanent 1,400m² exhibition area, which can accommodate 850 participants.
The conference centre is equipped with state-of-the-art technological facilities, including full wireless internet coverage.
Onboard shopping experience includes an extensive range of high-quality brands at competitive prices.
The tax-free market spans 408m2, offering an assortment of alcohol, tobacco, food, chocolate, and sweets, all at attractive prices.
The Color Shop offers a diverse collection of clothing from renowned brands. There is also Perfume & Cosmetics shop, which offers a range of famous luxury brands such as Versace, Prada, Chanel and more.
The Fashion Boutique offers a curated selection of leading brands such as Moods of Norway and Tiger of Sweden.
For kid’s entertainment, there is Aqualand Waterpark, featuring a water slide, baby pool, steam bath, sauna, fountains, and even an indoor ‘tropical storm’. Adventure Planet is a vibrant arcade filled with games of all kinds.
Teen’s Plaza, situated on deck 13 offers a dance floor, gaming consoles such as Nintendo Wii, PS4, Xbox 360, karaoke, and more.
Kid’s Corner is a play area designed for young children, featuring cartoons and toys on deck seven.
Engine details
The vessels are installed with a medium-speed diesel-mechanical propulsion configuration comprising four engines with a combined output of 31.2MW.
The eight-cylinder Wartsila L46 engines each develop a 7,800kW at 500rpm MCR.
These engines are attached in pairs via flexible couplings, to twin input/single output Renk reduction gearboxes driving Kamewa shaftlines.
The propulsion is by two Rolls Royce controllable pitch propellers.
Manoeuvring can be facilitated by 6.6kV side thrusters.
There are three 2,200kW 6,600V bow thrusters and a pair of 1,000kW/6,600V aft thrusters.
The main voltage frequency is 690V/50A. Electricity is generated by two 4,800kW ABB shaft alternators connected to each gearbox.
Electric power is also generated by four 1,950kW auxiliary diesel gensets. These are based on Wartsila 6L26 engines and ABB alternators running at 1,000rpm.
Color Line has chosen to retrofit the vessels with Wartsila’s Open Loop Scrubber Systems. The agreement to install these systems was finalised in September 2013.
The system functions by utilising seawater in an open loop process to extract sulphur oxides (SOx) from the ships’ exhaust.
The exhaust gas is infused with seawater across three stages, causing a reaction between the sulphur oxides and the water, resulting in the formation of sulphuric acid.
The natural alkalinity of seawater is sufficient to neutralise this acid, eliminating the need for additional chemicals.
Each ship was equipped with four of these systems, which are designed to significantly reduce SOx and particulate emissions from the ships’ exhaust.
Contractors involved
Hoglund has delivered an all-inclusive retrofit of Color Fantasy that includes Hoglund’s alarm & monitoring system, automation and control system, power management system, and ship performance monitor, to enhance the operational efficiency and safety of the ship.
