Between 2017 and 2020, MSC Cruises will receive six new ships, all newly designed prototypes with a high degree of innovation and design.
Article from CruisesNews magazine, issue 48 – March 2019
The MSC Bellissima will be the fourth ship in MSC Cruises' new generation: like its fleetmates, it will be equipped with the latest technologies to enhance the cruise experience. And by the end of 2019, the MSC Grandiosa will become its older sibling.
Construction of the MSC Bellissima began on November 28, 2016, with the steel cutting at STX France. This was the first milestone in its construction, following the signing of the contract in March 2014. The shipyard had to cut 35,000 tons of steel into approximately 300,000 pieces, which were then used to construct 48 enormous blocks (two fewer than the Meraviglia). These blocks were assembled in the construction dock using a massive red crane that dominates the St-Nazaire skyline, capable of lifting 1,400 tons. This enormous crane, delivered in 2015, practically doubles the capacity of the previous one, which could only lift 750 tons. The keel laying took place in October 2017.
The expansion of the MSC Cruises fleet involves
Chantiers de l'Atlantique subcontracting hull blocks to other shipyards, allowing it to reduce lead times and increase its construction capacity. For example, 8 of the 49 blocks of the MSC Bellissima were built at the Crist shipyard in Gdansk and towed across the Baltic and North Seas to St-Nazaire.
The MSC Bellissima was built by assembling 48 enormous steel blocks in a dry dock.
On May 16, 2018, the bridge section, number 48, was installed. Only six small sections remained to be put in place. The next milestone was its first contact with the sea. Thus, on June 14, it was launched, after which more than 1,500 people began outfitting it. At that point, already in the waters of the Loire, it was 40% complete. The presence of the small crane (the 750-ton one) prevented the complete installation of the funnel and foremast due to clearance issues. That day, its owner took advantage of the event to order a fifth Meraviglia, the first in the series to use LNG as fuel.
In October, 1,900 people were working daily. And milestones kept coming. For example, in the fourth week of October, the last of the four engines was started. Finally, between December 21 and 23, 2018, the first sea trials took place, lasting 99 hours, during which the ship covered 1,255 nautical miles, reaching speeds of up to 22.4 knots. The MSC Bellissima carried around 450 technicians from Chantiers de l'Atlantique and its subcontractors to verify the correct operation of all systems and to continue with the ship's outfitting.
On December 23, it entered the Joubert dry dock in St. Nazaire after sea trials, setting a new record for that facility. The previous record had been held by the Norwegian Epic since 2010. On February 3, the ship underwent its second sea trials, to the complete satisfaction of the shipyard, classification society, and owner, after which it returned to the Penhoet dock in St. Nazaire.
Up to 2,000 people participated daily in the construction of the MSC Bellissima.
The ship was delivered on March 27, 2019, after a construction period of approximately 27 months, virtually identical to that of the MSC Meraviglia. The construction of this behemoth required 5,000,000 man-hours.
The Delivery and Christening of the MSC Bellissima
On February 27, Chantiers de l'Atlantique delivered the MSC Bellissima to MSC Cruises in St. Nazaire. The delivery of the first ship in the series, the MSC Meraviglia, was attended by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. On this occasion, in addition to the Aponte-Vago family and Laurent Castaing, the shipyard's CEO, Christelle Morançais, President of the Pays de la Loire Regional Council, was also present. She expressed her gratitude for the visibility that shipbuilding brings to her region. The godmother of the delivery was Ela Aponte, wife of Diego Aponte, head of the company's cargo division, who, along with her son Oscar, launched the champagne bottle to conclude the ceremony. The ceremony concluded with the signing of the handover between Laurent Castaing and Gianluigi Aponte, who handed over command of the ship to Captain Raffaele Pontecorvo, who was also the first captain of the MSC Meraviglia.
Previously, Castaing had indicated that “there were three MSC Cruises ships in the shipyard that day, (MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa), as proof of the alliance between both companies,” while defining the MSC Bellissima as “a European success,” given that 80% of the budget had been spent in Europe.
For his part, Pierfrancesco Vago acknowledged the work of “Chantiers de l'Atlantique,” which employed an average of 1,700 workers in the ship's construction, reaching up to 3,000 at peak times. He also highlighted the long-standing business relationship between the shipyard and the shipowner, which has resulted in the construction of fourteen vessels since 2003.
MSC chose Southampton to christen the MSC Bellissima to emphasize the importance of the British market. Previously, the MSC Poesia had been christened in Dover in 2008.
An average of 1,700 workers were employed in its construction.
At the press conference prior to the christening, Pierfrancesco Vago reiterated that this ship is “the product of reinvesting the company’s profits” and of collaboration “with long-term partners.” In 2018, MSC Cruises carried 2.8 million passengers to 211 different ports on 212 different itineraries, visiting 83 countries. The company “is both global and local,” with 22 of its own offices. Its leading geographic areas are Europe, the Caribbean, South America, South Africa, the Persian Gulf, and Asia, for which “we will triple our capacity by 2027.” This “represents a significant challenge because we are currently working on the ship that will be delivered in ten years.”.
He also announced that MSC Cruises will eliminate single-use plastics on board. And as a prime example of MSC Cruises' environmental commitment, he cited the transformation of MSC Cay Marine Reserve, which has gone from an industrial area to "a paradise, where we have recycled more than 5,000 tons of debris and even restored a coral reef.".
A Bumpy Christening:
Saturday, March 2nd, was the day set for the christening of the MSC Bellissima. Choosing the United Kingdom in March for this ceremony carries its own weather risks. To mitigate these, MSC Cruises erected a spectacular semi-transparent tent in the Southampton docks. However, the St-Nazaire sun turned into a gale, the wind picked up, and although the ceremony began, it soon became clear that alternative arrangements had to be found to ensure the festivities could conclude.
The three-deck-high atrium represents a futuristic approach to the ship's design.
After clearing the tent, Alexa Aponte and Pierfrancesco Vago demonstrated commendable leadership and a remarkable talent for improvisation (it's clear they are a well-matched couple). They were the public face of a backup plan for the christening ceremony, held inside the ship, sheltered from the elements. There, in the middle of the Galleria Bellissima, Sophia Loren, the longtime godmother of the MSC Cruises fleet, broke a champagne bottle against the ship's bow, while all the guests watched on the LED screen in the dome. Vago's enthusiasm was contagious, guiding the entire staff, redirecting the ceremony, and even turning it into a resounding success. This continued with the fireworks, the exquisite gala dinner, and the party that lasted until the early hours. One has to wonder: why not inaugurate the MSC Virtuosa in Hamburg next November in the same location?
The Atrium,
located on Deck 5, is the base of the three-deck atrium, just like on its sister ship, the MSC Meraviglia. It serves as a meeting point, housing the famous four curved Swarovski crystal staircases, which, along with the stainless steel, lend a futuristic touch. Each deck has a bar. At its base, Deck 5, is the Infinity Bar, decorated in black and gray, and a small stage where solo artists or trios entertain passengers enjoying an aperitif before dinner or their first drink afterward. Furthermore, passengers embark directly in the atrium, making it a familiar landmark from the very beginning.
The Galleria Bellissima is configured as the social center of the ship, perhaps emphasizing its role as a shopping arcade, although the presence of bars and restaurants remains very important.
Just above is the Edge Cocktail Bar, decorated in violets and grays, which leads to the Galleria Bellissima. The atrium's volume is crowned by the Champagne Bar, nearly 600 square meters in size, decorated in shades of gray—another gem of the ship's interior design. Its decor evokes ice, even using cool lighting. Its starboard bar is one of the busiest spots on board. To port, its footprint is partially obscured by a jewelry store, which detracts from its brilliance.
Overall, the design maintains an eclectic feel, with stainless steel and glass as the unifying elements, although each deck has its own distinct personality. It lacks the brilliance and vibrant atmosphere of the MSC Seaside atrium, though perhaps the interior designer intended it this way to avoid competing with the Galleria. The effect of the natural sidelight that floods the atrium through two large glass curtain walls on the ship's side is also quite striking, although their flatness means they lack the dramatic curves of the observation deck on the MSC SeaSide class.
The Galleria Bellissima, a floating street.
In this class of ships, MSC Cruises introduced a striking feature: the Galleria, in this case, the Galleria Bellissima, an interior street almost 100 meters long and 8 meters wide, spanning two decks (6 and 7), running from bow to stern of the ship… and crowned by a 480 m² LED dome, capable of recreating a multitude of environments, monuments, etc. But its owners were able to appreciate the merits of its design when the christening ceremony had to be moved inside the ship… and the theater proved too small. Despite being designed as a true artery of the ship, distributing the flow of passengers during the day and evening, it became clear that it could offer other uses, taking advantage of the central "bridge" on deck 6 as a stage, just as Sophia Loren did, further enhanced by the LED dome, through which the impact of the champagne bottle against the ship's bow was broadcast live. It's not just the impressive volume effect, conveying the ship's true size, but also a very interesting space for other recreational uses yet to be explored… such as christening a ship.
The Meraviglia series will consist of five ships, one of them powered by LNG.
The main novelty, on a ship of transalpine origin, is the disappearance of the Italian restaurant in the Galleria, and in its place appears Ramón Freixa's second venture in the MSC Cruises fleet: Hola Tapas Bar.
The sushi restaurant, decorated in shades of green, the steakhouse, and the French restaurant remain. The Galleria offers a much wider range of options (along with MSC for Me and Zoe) than the specialty dining areas on the Seaside class. Boutiques, an ice cream parlor, a chocolate shop by renowned French chef Jean Philippe Maury, an English pub, and a futuristic television studio located on the starboard side of Deck 7, which also doubles as a karaoke bar, also share this space. MSC Cruises has created a veritable street, capable of impressing passengers and accommodating the horizontal movement of the 5,000 passengers the ship can carry. Forward, the Galleria ends at the forward elevator block and the Theater, and aft at the atrium, beyond which lies the main dining room.
Spacious outdoor decks
crown the ship, aft of the funnels on deck 19, is the Arizona AquaPark, an outdoor leisure area designed for the whole family. It features four giant water slides (two of them parallel for racing) that jut out from the side of the ship, a splash pool, and, as its most innovative feature, an 80-meter-long suspension bridge, nearly 60 meters above sea level. This area connects to the Horizon pool aft on deck 16, which offers a terraced sun deck. It also connects to the main Atmosphere pool, located in the center of deck 15, which offers a 1,500 m² sun deck with a giant screen, bar, ice cream parlor, and more. As with all MSC Cruises ships, the use of the outdoor deck space is extensive, providing 10.3 m² per passenger. Another hallmark of the MSC Cruises fleet, the Grand Canyon indoor pool recreates a desert landscape, with an abundance of brown tones, and offers up to four jacuzzis, two of them suspended on the side of the ship.
The Yacht Club of the MSC Bellissima takes onboard luxury to its highest level.
Sports Facilities and Spa:
The Aurea Spa is located above the theater, forward of deck 7. Its Y-shaped entrance, directly from the elevator lobby, is spectacular. Its bulkheads mimic stone. Compared to the Seaside class, it's a more enclosed, perhaps darker, space, lacking the open decks of the "sun-following" ships. Its brown and gray decor contributes to this feeling. Nevertheless, it's remarkably large (1,100 m2), and its Balinese massage therapists offer a wide array of treatments in the twenty massage rooms: 21 types of massages, 38 facials, 20 body rituals, and more. The Spa also features a thermal area, two thalassotherapy pools, two steam rooms (one dark and one illuminated), two saunas, a salt room, two aromatherapy rooms, a ladies' hair salon and a gentlemen's barbershop, and two relaxation areas.
The MSC Bellissima is one of the cruise ships with the widest range of dining options.
The gym, which on Seaside ships is adjacent to the spa, is located beneath the funnel on deck 16. It is separate from the spa and offers 570 square meters of space. The gym features a wide range of cardio equipment, which can be enjoyed while admiring the outdoor pool, surrounded by large windows, and offering magnificent sea views on either side.
Also on deck 16 is Sportplex, a double-height indoor sports arena used during the day for basketball, handball, and other sports, while at night it doubles as a nightclub. Next to it are other recreational facilities, such as a double F1 simulator, a 4D cinema, a double bowling alley, and all the areas for children and teenagers. The Doremiland children's area is a LEGO-themed club, full of sculptures made from colorful LEGO bricks in vibrant shapes, including a bench at the entrance where everyone will want to take photos.
A wide range of lounges and bars.
Just above the gym on deck 18, on the MSC Bellissima, is the Sky Lounge, a spectacular 630 m² lounge surrounded by 80 meters of waterfront, decorated in black and burgundy tones. It features a bar to port and a stage to starboard, in a stunning location.
“With each new ship, we improve and refine the product. We have the ability to listen, which is the first step to being able to innovate.” Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.
The casino loses its forward location next to the grand theater, from the Fantasia series, and is now situated aft on deck 7, next to the Carousel Lounge. It covers 1,400 square meters and is decorated in red and black, with Roman numerals as its theme. Access from the aft atrium is via a spectacular glass bridge.
There are also two distinct shopping and boutique areas in the Galleria Meraviglia, located at opposite ends of it.
The Carousel Lounge and Cirque du Soleil:
A fundamental pillar of the MSC Cruises product is leisure. According to Gianni Onorato, “up to 210 activities are offered on each cruise, 40 hours of live music per day, and six West End musicals per voyage.” The 987-seat theater is conveniently located forward on decks 5 and 6, at the end of the gallery. On the MSC Bellissima, it is called the London Theatre, a nod to the offerings of the British capital's West End. It is decorated in shades of green and black, with stainless steel details on pillars and railings, and occupies two decks. It is a conventional theater, which does not use the wraparound LED screens found on other contemporary ships.
The MSC Bellissima is powered by two state-of-the-art AZIPOD engines.
Like its sister ship, the MSC Meraviglia, the MSC Bellissima features the Carousel Lounge aft on Deck 7, specifically designed to host Cirque du Soleil shows. The 1,000 m² Carousel Lounge can accommodate around 400 spectators and boasts the latest technology and a splendid 180-degree panoramic view aft. Cirque du Soleil presents two original shows aboard the MSC Bellissima: “Syma,” the story of a young sailor, and “Varelia,” which tells the tale of a romance between a princess and a blind suitor. These shows are performed on alternate days, with two performances per week, six days a week, as the artists take a break in Barcelona.
The Carousel Lounge is decorated in shades of gray and red, with abundant use of aluminum and stainless steel. It exudes a sense of spaciousness and modernity, and incorporates two outdoor areas on either side. This venue will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology (such as its revolving stage) and serves as both a dining and entertainment space. The approximately 120 diners, seated in a raised area on either side, must pay a supplement. The area closest to the stage is a classic cabaret, where 300 people can enjoy the show while having a drink.
Given that leisure is another pillar of the MSC Cruises product, the renewal of the commitment to Cirque du Soleil represents the consolidation of a winning alliance.
Daniel Lamarre, president of Cirque du Soleil, stated that they "only work with the best brands in the world, with the leaders," and indicated that "they are pushing the boundaries, the limits, in their new shows." Yasmine Khalil, producer of the shows, announced that they are working "on a show about chefs," which would represent a fusion of the three pillars of MSC Cruises.
A wide variety of culinary offerings.
For Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises' offering is based on three pillars: gastronomy, leisure, and technology. In the first area, the MSC Bellissima offers the new and varied culinary experience that MSC Cruises began providing on its sister ship, the MSC Meraviglia, and which it has maintained in the Seaside class. The themed restaurants, concentrated in the Galleria Bellissima, make up a very diverse culinary selection. The MSC Bellissima has a total of four main restaurants, four themed restaurants, a buffet, and the Yacht Club restaurant. In addition, many of the 21 bars and lounges also offer food and beverage options. Many are exclusive to the Italian cruise line. At the press conference prior to the christening in Southampton, Gianni Onorato introduced the chefs who work for his company in a "strategic collaboration" that "generates value, innovation, and creativity." Thus, he commented on Ramón Freixa's second venture, Jean-Philippe Maury's bet, Harald Wohlfaht's, etc., as well as the new addition of French chef Raymond Blanc.
The grand dining rooms share the same layout as on its sister ship, the Meraviglia, and the Fantasia series. They occupy two decks amidships (5 and 6), always aft of the atrium. Deck 6 houses three of them: Il Ciliego and Le Cerisier are separated by a glass walkway, which also houses the wine cellar, constructed of glass. They can accommodate a total of 828 passengers in their 1,338 square meters. This separating walkway leads to the third dining room on this deck (Lighthouse), located aft, directly below the Carousel Lounge, with expansive windows offering views of the ship's wake. Decorated in shades of gray and maroon, it offers 730 seats in its 1,000 square meters. The menus are based on Mediterranean cuisine, with touches of international fare. The ambiance is refined and elegant, although in some areas there may be an excess of tables.
The fourth dining room is on deck 5, between the kitchens and the atrium, almost in the center of the ship, and is called the Posidonia Restaurant. It can accommodate 604 diners in its 1,050 square meters. As it is named after a Mediterranean seaweed, it is decorated in shades of green, with large porthole windows along the sides.
The MSC Bellissima has 2,120 cabins and suites, offering a very wide range of cabin options.
The ship houses more intimate and alternative restaurants, all located in the Bellissima Gallery. The most significant change compared to its sister ship, the Meraviglia, is the disappearance of the Eataly chain restaurant, known for its Italian specialties, which has been replaced by Ramón Freixa's Hola Tapas Bar (150 m2) and L'Atelier Bistrot (205 m2), both located on deck 6. The Japanese restaurant (Kaito Teppanyaki and Kaito Sushi Bar), now decorated in shades of green, and the American-style steakhouse Butcher's Cut, both on deck 7, remain.
The MSC Bellissima features a single buffet, unlike the two smaller buffets on the Seaside class. The Bellissima's buffet is immense: 3,650 m² (100 m² more than its sister ship) and seats 1,298. It occupies the aft half of Deck 15, located between the two swimming pools. The buffet is open 20 hours a day and offers a wide variety of cuisines in different sections, all with open kitchens: grill, mozzarella, pizzeria, salads, etc. It has a designated family area and an outdoor seating area aft, although much more modest than those on the Seaside ships.
The
MSC Yacht Club on the MSC Bellissima occupies three half-decks of the superstructure forward, directly above the bridge, between decks 15 and 19. It includes 78 suites of 28 m² with balconies, 15 interior suites, and two Royal Suites of 65 m² with a 40 m² terrace at the bow of the ship. The Yacht Club has been modified compared to its sister ship, the MSC Meraviglia. A two-story space has been created aft of the glass curtain wall, similar to the Seaside class, with the restaurant on the mezzanine level of the upper deck. This request was made to the shipyard in November 2017, just before the delivery of the MSC Seaside, when the corresponding block was already in production, but Chantiers de l'Atlantique was able to fulfill it.
Along with this improved layout, it maintains the significant enhancement in exclusivity and privacy compared to the Fantasia-class ships. It does not include the gym: the entire area is exclusively for MSC Yacht Club passengers, with no cross-traffic.
MSC Yacht Club guests can use all the ship's facilities, but also enjoy several private areas, both indoors and outdoors. Among the latter, the MSC Yacht Club pool stands out—a private lido area with a bar, swimming pool, jacuzzi, and solarium on deck 19, dominated by a sculpture of a giant octopus. On deck 18 is the MSC Yacht Club Restaurant, seating 120 and decorated in shades of gray and black, where guests can savor the culinary delights of Ramon Freixa or Harald Wohlfahrt. It is located directly above the Top Sail Lounge. This lounge, with a capacity for 167 passengers, is situated at the bow of deck 18 and features a violet and black décor, offering spectacular panoramic views through an incredible inclined glass curtain wall. MSC Yacht Club guests also have their own access to the MSC Aurea Spa via a private elevator, located in a lobby with its own Swarovski crystal staircase.
“MSC Cruises’ offering is based on three pillars: gastronomy, leisure, and technology.” Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.
Cabins:
In addition to suites, the MSC Bellissima has a total of 2,120 cabins grouped into seven different categories, of which only 662 are interior cabins. The largest cabins are the eight duplex suites, which occupy two decks, with a living room on the lower deck and a bedroom on the upper deck, as well as two bathrooms, a balcony with a Jacuzzi, and two dressing rooms. The 34 suites offer various configurations, including some with a balcony with a Jacuzzi, but all with separate living and bedroom areas. The 1,282 standard balcony cabins are spacious and well-distributed. They have a surface area of 19 m². The MSC Bellissima offers a wide range of cabins for large families (up to ten people) by connecting cabins. The standard family cabin comprises two interconnecting cabins, with two bathrooms, but only one balcony. It can comfortably accommodate up to five people.
The MSC Bellissima offers 650 interior cabins ranging from 15 to 18 square meters. The port-starboard bed configuration improves the interior layout and creates a more spacious living area. Finally, the MSC Bellissima caters to single travelers with twelve interior studios featuring a 1.40-meter bed.
From single cabins to duplexes, the MSC Bellissima has a cabin for every type of passenger.
MSC Bellissima Cruises:
The MSC Bellissima will offer seven-night round-trip cruises in the Western Mediterranean, departing from Genoa, with stops in Naples, Messina (Sicily), Tunis, Barcelona (Fridays), and Marseille. The inaugural cruise departed from Genoa on March 11. The ship will remain in the Mediterranean throughout the summer, before heading to the Persian Gulf for the winter season, becoming the largest cruise ship ever marketed in that region. Finally, in early spring 2020, the MSC Bellissima will arrive in Shanghai, from where it will serve the Chinese market, becoming MSC Cruises' flagship in that region.
Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility on Board:
In keeping with its owners' environmental policy, the MSC Bellissima is a true marvel of energy efficiency and environmental footprint reduction. It is 20% larger than a Fantasia-class ship, yet consumes virtually the same amount of fuel. The generator configuration was selected to allow the ship to operate with just three engines, keeping one in reserve, at service speed and 85% load. The MSC Bellissima has two Wartsila 16V46F diesel engines and two 12V46F engines, with a power output of approximately 1,000 kW per cylinder. It is equipped with two Wartsila hybrid scrubbers that can operate in open circuit at sea and in closed circuit in port, each scrubbing the exhaust gases from a pair of twelve- and sixteen-cylinder engines.
The MSC Bellissima is a marvel of energy efficiency.
The ship's two Azipod XO engines each have a power output of 19,000 kW and a five-bladed fixed propeller with a diameter of approximately six meters. They were specifically designed by ABB for the vessel. To improve maneuverability in port, the MSC Bellissima has four bow thrusters.
Zoe, the interactive personal assistant.
One of the main new features of the MSC Bellissima is the presence of Zoe, a personal assistant installed in each cabin. When this technology was first announced in March 2018, it was called Alexa, but the shipowner decided to change the name because Zoe was less common. The MSC Bellissima is the first ship to have this world's first virtual personal assistant designed for cruise ships installed. It will be introduced to the rest of the fleet over the next five years.
Zoe will answer passengers' questions about onboard services, such as restaurant hours, expense settlements, and more, in seven languages. Passenger data, such as their preferred restaurants, can be stored in the cloud and used when they sail again with MSC Cruises. According to MSC Cruises, it will help improve interaction between ship and passenger and enhance their onboard experience. It also functions as a Bluetooth speaker for passengers to listen to their own music. This device was developed by 400 engineers and technicians from Harman International, a subsidiary of Samsung, and the MSC Cruises innovation team. More than 800 questions and answers have been programmed in seven languages with 30 different accents. Over 40 cabin placements were tested, and more than 3,000 delivery tests were conducted. Harman has developed similar products for Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. It complements the MSC for Me interactive system, which operates on the cabin's interactive television and whose software has also been improved. In his presentation, Mr. Onorato described him as "the most expensive crew member on the MSC Bellissima," and asked Harman to "be more productive," although he also indicated that technology is one of the pillars of the MSC product.
Zoe is able to answer passengers' questions in seven languages.
the MSC Grandiosa,
the third largest ship ever built at that shipyard. With a revised tonnage of 181,000 GT, instead of the initially announced 177,100, it will also be the largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet. During the cutting of the first steel for the G34 (as the ship is known at the shipyard) at Chantiers de L'Atlantique, PierFrancesco Vago announced that it will be named MSC Grandiosa. This behemoth, 331 meters long and 43 meters wide, will have approximately 2,450 cabins, with a maximum capacity of 6,334 passengers. This November, it will become the seventh largest cruise ship in the world, behind only the four sister ships of the Oasis of the Seas, the AidaNova, and the Costa Smeralda.
The MSC Grandiosa will be the first of the Meraviglia-Plus series, with three ships currently on order. The second (the MSC Virtuosa, or H34, as it is known at the shipyard) will be delivered in November 2020. The keel-laying ceremony for this ship took place on the same day as the delivery of the MSC Bellissima. Its two godmothers, Elise Guérin, Project Manager of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and Helen Huang, President of MSC Cruises China, placed coins on the ship's keel.
Pier Francesco Vago emphasized the environmental commitment of his ships: scrubbers, smart air conditioning, etc.
These ships are an expanded version of the MSC Meraviglia (E34) (see article in CN42) and the MSC Bellissima (F34), vessels measuring 316 meters in length, 167,600 GT, and with 2,246 cabins. The MSC Grandiosa will be delivered next autumn and christened in Hamburg. Regarding the second ship, on February 27th, MSC Cruises took advantage of the delivery of the MSC Bellissima to hold the coin-laying ceremony for the MSC Virtuosa at the St-Nazaire construction dock. It will be delivered in 2020. In other words, there will be only an eight-month interval between the MSC Bellissima and the MSC Grandiosa, which will represent a titanic effort for the shipyard, similar to the one Fincantieri had to undertake with the MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview.
CruisesNews commentator
Gianni Onorato, speaking at the inauguration of the MSC Bellissima, stated that technology is one of the pillars of his company. This ship is a compendium of innovation, design, engineering, and also the vision of its owners. It offers the latest in design and technology and impresses with its scale and interior space. Its crew always greets you with a smile and a remarkable level of service. It is also the first ship to feature Zoe, yet another addition to the Italian shipowner's technological arsenal, a process that seems to have no end. But MSC Cruises understands that the images and memories of a cruise are more closely linked to leisure, gastronomy, port calls, and so on. In this area, the MSC Bellissima incorporates new offerings, such as Ramón Freixa's Hola Tapas Bar, which add a more personal and welcoming touch. The leisure options on these ships are incredibly extensive, and the galeria, or atrium, are undoubtedly more than just spaces.
The combination of tradition and technology, elegant interior design, and outstanding leisure activities will make the MSC Bellissima, just as happened in 2018 with the MSC Seaview, the benchmark for next summer in the Mediterranean.
Cirque du Soleil will offer two shows daily at the Carousel Lounge, a 400-seat cabaret designed specifically for its performances.
