Madrid, November 15, 2017 – MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately owned cruise line and a leader in Europe and South America, today celebrated another milestone in its unprecedented ten-year investment plan. Under this plan, valued at €9 billion, six new ships out of a total of 11 will have entered service between June 2017 and November 2020, effectively doubling the MSC Cruises fleet in just three and a half years.
MSC Cruises today celebrated the coin-cutting ceremony for MSC Bellissima and the steel-cutting ceremony for its first Meraviglia-Plus class ship at the STX France shipyard. These are significant milestones in the simultaneous construction of two of its four new ships. The other two ships, MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, are currently under construction at Fincantieri in Italy. MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago commented, “Today we are witnessing a truly unique moment, as it is the first time that two very important shipbuilding milestones for two different ships have been celebrated on the same day. This is proof of the scope and ambition of our investment plan.”
At the steel-cutting ceremony, Mr. Vago revealed that the first of the two Meraviglia-Plus ships will be named MSC Grandiosa: “The Meraviglia generation of ships is setting a new standard for the cruise industry and is just one of three new prototypes the brand has designed to enhance passenger satisfaction. The name MSC Grandiosa conveys magnificence and grandeur, a very fitting name for this even more sumptuous and ultramodern ship.”
Pierfrancesco Vago continued, explaining: “With MSC Grandiosa, we are reinforcing our commitment to innovation. Just as MSC Cruises 'democratized' the luxury cruise experience by being the first cruise brand to introduce the unique 'ship within a ship' concept – the MSC Yacht Club – we are now doing the same for art and culture with the first fine arts museum at sea. Furthermore, MSC Grandiosa will be the third of only four MSC Cruises ships to feature Cirque du Soleil at Sea, housed in the exclusive Carousel Lounge.”
Mr. Vago concluded, “Of course, these ships will be at the forefront of marine environmental technology. In fact, they will feature, among other innovations, hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), SCR catalysts, as well as the latest exhaust gas cleaning systems, state-of-the-art recycling and waste management capabilities, heat recovery and emissions reduction systems, and highly advanced wastewater treatment .”
The second part of the process was the traditional coin ceremony for MSC Bellissima, in which two commemorative coins were placed on one of the ship's blocks as a sign of blessing and good luck for the vessel and its crew. The two ships will enter service in March 2019 and November 2019, respectively.
Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France, commented: “Today, celebrating the cutting of the first steel and then the laying of the keel on the same day, we have experienced an unprecedented event that marks the beginning of a new era, both for our client and for our shipyard. For MSC Cruises, it is the realization of an extraordinary investment plan, which will make the company one of the top three players in the global cruise industry; for us, it is proof that we are experiencing a truly positive period in terms of orders, allowing us to deliver two ships per year until 2022. In this sector, both parties are linked to the success of our partner; the boldness and performance of each benefits the other.”
The Meraviglia-Plus ships are an evolution and improvement of the hugely successful Meraviglia prototype, which includes the MSC Meraviglia, in service since June of this year, and the MSC Bellissima. They have a gross tonnage of 181,000, a length of 331 meters, and a maximum capacity of 6,334 passengers. The fact that this successful prototype can be expanded further demonstrates the engineering possibilities offered by the partnership between STX France and MSC Cruises, and will provide cruise passengers with an even more intense and satisfying experience. In fact, the Meraviglia-Plus ships will feature the first art museum at sea, with a collection of classical and contemporary art that elevates the onboard entertainment to a whole new level, offering passengers the opportunity to enjoy some of the world's finest works of art.
Another highlight on board both MSC Bellissima and MSC Grandiosa will be the Cirque du Soleil At Sea. The long-term collaboration between MSC Cruises and Cirque du Soleil marks a turning point in the maritime entertainment sector. The world's leading entertainment company will create a total of eight original shows, which can be seen exclusively on MSC Cruises' Meraviglia and Meraviglia-Plus generation ships . Two different new shows will be presented on each of the four ships; the first two premiered on MSC Meraviglia in June of this year, and the creative process for two more shows for MSC Bellissima is already underway.
The two ships being honored today are part of MSC Cruises' current investment plan, which includes the development of new prototypes for each of the three new ship classes: the Meraviglia class, the Seaside class, and the World class. Last June, MSC Cruises unveiled the first of these new ships, the MSC Meraviglia, in Le Havre, France, while the MSC Seaside will enter service in Miami this December. In June 2018, the MSC Seaview will join this state-of-the-art fleet. MSC Cruises is the first global cruise brand to develop an investment plan of this scope and scale, a testament to the company's ambition.
Sales have already begun for MSC Bellissima's inaugural summer season in the Mediterranean. The eagerly awaited start of sales for MSC Grandiosa will be announced soon.
