It is the second MSC ship to undergo the lengthening and renovation process that will last 10 weeks.
MSC Cruises' Renaissance Programme, valued at €200 million and intended to renew and lengthen four of the twelve ships in its fleet, has entered its second phase following the arrival of MSC Sinfonia at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sicily.
In the next 10 weeks, MSC Sinfonia will undergo the same intensive work program as its "sister" ship MSC Armonia, which resumed service on November 17, 2014.
Fincantieri's renowned naval engineers will carefully cut the hull of the MSC Sinfonia in two and then gradually separate the two halves. On January 20th and 21st, they will install the new, pre-built central section, which has a gross tonnage of 2,200, a length of 24 meters, and 193 additional cabins. At that time, they will also refurbish and redesign much of the ship's interior, enhancing the feeling of comfort and spaciousness.
Before the arrival of MSC Sinfonia last Monday (January 12), Fincantieri was already making the necessary preparations to carry out the upgrade work both on board and at the shipyard. Thus, on January 9, the new section arrived at the shipyard and was placed in the dry dock area where MSC Sinfonia will remain during its stay in Palermo.
Once the refurbishment work and the corresponding sea trials have been completed, the renovated, longer and more elegant MSC Sinfonia ship will set sail on March 25 for Genoa, from where it will begin its inaugural cruise with stops in Ajaccio (Corsica), Barcelona and Marseille.
MSC Sinfonia will feature new dedicated children's areas created in partnership with Chicco® and LEGO®, including a new Baby Club, Mini Club, Young Club, and Teens Club. MSC Cruises has also redesigned the onboard dining experience, extending the buffet hours to 20 hours a day, opening new spaces and a new lounge area, as well as a larger restaurant.
Likewise, the relaxation area, MSC Aurea Spa on the ship, will also feature new massage cabins and a new water park will be unveiled on deck 13.
The Renaissance Program will follow the following schedule until its completion:
- MSCOpera: From May 2 to July 4, 2015
- MSC Lirica: From August 31 to November 9, 2015
MSC Cruises currently carries around 40,000 passengers a day, but by 2022 it will have doubled its capacity to reach 80,000 passengers per day – the equivalent of 3.4 million per year – once the Renaissance Program has been completed and the seven new ships have been delivered as planned.
