Grand Mistral in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on January 30, 2010. Photo: Dex Sularte
Grand Mistral
Cruise Line:
Viajes Iberojet
Entered Service:
July 1999/May 2005
Original Cost:
$245 million
Builder:
Chantiers de l’Atlantique, France
Former names:
Mistral
Gross Tonnage
47,276 tons
Length:
216.0 m
Beam:
28.84 m
Registry:
Wallis and Fortuna, France
Passengers:
1,715
Crew:
470
Navigation Officers:
European
Classification Society:
Bureau Veritas
Overview Grand Mistral was a brand new ship for the now defunct Festival Cruises (Mistral is the name of a famous desert wind and is also the name of a violin concerto). Grand Mistral is owned by a consortium of French investors and banks, and chartered to Viajes Iberojet, a vibrant tour operator for the Spanish speaking family market. The lido deck surrounding the outdoor swimming pool has whirlpool tubs and a large bandstand is set is set in raised canvas –covered pods. Deck lounge chairs have cushioned pads. There is no full wrap-around promenade deck outdoors, although there is a partial walking deck on port and starboard sides under the lifeboats, plus an oval jogging track atop ship. The interior layout and passenger flow is good. As are the “you are here” deck signs and the ship absorbs passengers quite well. The interior décor is light and cheerful without being glitzy in anyway (with not even a hint of colored neon), and there is mu8ch use of blond wood panelling and rich, textured soft furnishings. Public rooms, bars and lounges have names inspired by European places or establishments (example: San Remo Casino, San Marco Lounge, Café Navona and Richlieu Library). There is a smoking room (Le Diplomate), with all the hallmarks of a gentleman’s club former times, a piano bar, and a library that has real writing desks (something many ships seem to omit). Atop the ship is an observation lounge with a twist – it faces aft instead of forward; it doubles as a discotheque for the late-night set. A conference center provides facilities that are useful to meetings. There is also a decent-sized spa/beauty complex, set forward of the mast. This includes a fitness center with lots of muscle toning equipment and lifecycles and life-rowing machines and a view over the bow of the ship through large floor-to-ceiling windows. There are six rooms for massage and other body treatments, as well as a sauna each for men and women, plus an aerobics exercise room. Adjacent is a video game room for teens, and a children’s center.
Suitable for: Grand Mistral is best suited to youthful Spanish-speaking couples and singles, and families with children that enjoy big city life, piazzas and outdoor cafes, constant activity by lots of noise, late nights, entertainment that is loud, and food that focuses on quantity rather than quality.
Accommodation There are three basic cabin types, in nine different price grades. There are 80 suites (each has a private balcony, although partitions are of the partial and not the full type), ocean-view standard cabins and interior (no view) standard cabins. The price you pay will depend on grade, size and location. All cabins have twin beds that convert to a queen-sized unit, bold, colourful bedspreads, a personal safe, a combination colour TV/VCR, telephone, a personal safe and a good amount of closet and drawer space for a one-week cruise. The bathrooms, although not large, do have a good-sized shower enclosure, and there is a decent amount of stowage space for personal toiletry items. Accommodation designated as suites (these are really only large cabins and not suites), as there is no separation of lounge and sleeping space), quite naturally, have more space, larger (walk-in) closets, more drawers and better storage space, plus a two-person sofa, coffee table and additional armchair, vanity desk, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and hairdryer; bathrooms have bath tub/shower combination. In addition, there are two interior (no view) wheelchair accessible cabns for the handicapped, which provide more spacious interiors than standard cabins.
Cuisine/Dining There are two dining rooms (and two seating for meals), which can be configured in any of several different ways. Both have ocean-view windows. The principal dining room (L’Etoile), with 600 seats) has round tables for two, four, six or eight, and a small podium with baby grand piano. A second dining venue – II Borsalino, with 380 seats – is on a different deck: smaller and more intimate, it can be used as an alternative restaurant, has tables for two, four or six and ocean-view windows. Both dining rooms are non-smoking.
Entertainment The Carousel Theater, the showlounge, spans two decks, has a sloping floor, and a good sight lines from most seats (there is banquet-style seating, and there is a small balcony level at the rear. There is also a bar/lounge on the lower (main) level at the entrance to the showlounge.
Spa/Fitness The health/fitness facilities, located forward of the mast, are quit decent. Included is a gymnasium with high-tech muscle-pump equipment, several treatment rooms and beauty salon.
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