STX France and MSC Cruises have announced the final phase of their contract for the construction of two Meraviglia-Plus class ships. The two underlying options were confirmed by Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, on February 1, 2016. Now, the two companies have agreed on all specifications, allowing construction to begin as scheduled.
The two new generation ships – the largest ever built by a European cruise company and the second largest in the world – will be delivered in October 2019 and September 2020, respectively.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, commented: “I am very pleased to see that we continue to meet our industrial plan with the entry into force of the contract for the construction of the two 'Meraviglia-Plus' ships. This reflects the close relationship we have maintained with STX France since our inception. Therefore, in addition to having built the 12 ships in our current fleet, eight more will be built in the STX France shipyards.”
These two units are part of the company's unprecedented €9 billion investment plan to build 11 new-generation ships, which will enter service by 2026. The “Meraviglia-Plus” ships are the evolution of the “Meraviglia” class prototypes, with a displacement of 177,000 tons and 2,450 cabins for customers.
The first of the two identical “Meraviglia” class ships, currently under construction, will enter service in June 2017, displace 167,000 tons and have 2,250 cabins.
MSC Cruises' "Meraviglia Plus" class is the new generation of ships designed for year-round travel. Measuring 331 meters in length and with the addition of 200 extra cabins, the two ships will have a maximum capacity of 6,300 guests. Thanks to their advanced maritime technology, a hallmark of MSC Cruises, they, along with their sister ships in the "Meraviglia" class, will be the only ones capable of calling at every port in the world.
Furthermore, the four “Meraviglia” and “Meraviglia-Plus” ships will be equipped with the STX France ECORIZON program and state-of-the-art environmentally friendly technology. This will allow them to achieve emission levels that comply with regulatory requirements from 2020 onwards.
Finally, on the two “Meraviglia-Plus” ships, Cirque du Soleil will also bring exclusive shows on board, in a space designed for fun.
