On May 31, Chantiers de l'Atlantique delivered the MSC Euribia to MSC Cruises in a double ceremony that marked the end of the ship's construction and the beginning of the laying of blocks for the MSC World America, the next ship to be launched by the shipping company, which has no other projects of its own in the pipeline, unless it confirms the two options it has to build two more World class units.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 65 – June 2023
Pierfrancesco Vago, an apostle of sustainability, marked a new milestone in the cruise industry by promoting the MSC Euribia to make the first net-zero emissions major cruise voyage using bioLNG .
The route from St. Nazaire to Copenhagen, using a mass balance system, proved to be the most cost-effective and environmentally efficient method for harnessing the benefits of renewable biogas. The MSC Euribia can be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which virtually eliminates sulfur oxides and particulate matter and reduces nitrogen oxides by 85%. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20% (in CO2 equivalent).
MSC Euribia is the fourth Meraviglia-Plus class ship but with dual-fuel LNG engines.
Once in Copenhagen, the inauguration ceremony took place on June 8th, featuring, as is customary for MSC Cruises, the legendary film actress Sophia Loren, who serves as godmother to the entire fleet. The gala was hosted by the renowned Danish television presenter, actress, and model Sarah Grünewald. Following the gala dinner, Bob Sinclair, the internationally acclaimed French DJ and record producer, provided the perfect ending to the festivities with a grand onboard party.
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MSC Euribia is a Meraviglia-Plus class vessel, with a gross tonnage of 184,000, that uses liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel—a notable difference from its predecessors, but not the only one. Its four dual-fuel engines can run on LNG or marine diesel if needed, and they have also been designed to accept future fuels such as methanol.
Externally it also represents a big change, since traditionally MSC Cruises ships have always been white with a blue funnel, but on the MSC Euribia they have opted for a hull decoration alluding to the biodiversity of the oceans, the work of the artist Alex Flaemig, who won the ideas competition organized by the shipping company.
Like its Meraviglia-class sister ships, the MSC Euribia boasts a wide range of onboard entertainment, starting with the large aft water park and surrounding Tibetan bridge circuit. Below the water park is a vast two-deck indoor entertainment area that includes the Sportplex sports arena, a Doremiland children's area with half a dozen rooms for age-appropriate activities, a teen disco, a bowling alley, two Formula 1 simulators, two virtual reality games, and a 4D interactive cinema, as well as numerous other video games.
The sports court is used on some nights for large parties, serving as a makeshift nightclub. Its proximity to the aft pool is ideal for smokers, but also for those who want to alternate partying with cooling off outdoors in the summer.
Sophia Loren served as godmother once again at the Copenhagen ceremony.
The MSC Euribia boasts three pool areas: the aforementioned aft pool, the two central pools, and the indoor pool with a retractable roof. The two central pools are surrounded by a spacious open area to accommodate as many sun loungers as possible. On the upper deck surrounding this area, there are two crescent-shaped jacuzzi pools that extend over the ship's side. Additionally, Aurea-class guests have access to a private area called the Top19 Solarium, which, as the name suggests, features sun loungers and another elongated jacuzzi pool overlooking the central area.
Also overlooking the central pools and the sea is the Sky Lounge, one of the quietest on board, and below it, the gym, equipped with the latest technology in cardiovascular and strength equipment, as well as a cycling room.
This is MSC Cruises' second Liquefied Natural Gas ship.
Completing the facilities in this upper area is the enormous Marketplace buffet, which extends across almost a third of the ship, with a special area for families. As on previous occasions, the mozzarella workshop, where it is made on board, can be seen through a glass wall at the entrance.
Forward is the indoor pool, elegant yet tropical, with abundant decorative vegetation. On sunny days, the roof opens. In addition to two jacuzzis on either side of the pool, there are two more on the upper deck that jut out over the side, protected by glass walls, offering fabulous views of the ship's side, especially while underway.
At the top of the bow, as is usual on most MSC Cruises ships, is the MSC Yacht Club, a private area of facilities and services, exclusive to passengers who book this category, where the best suites on the ship are located, but also interior cabins.
The MSC Yacht Club on the MSC Euribia features a concierge service, providing access to the expansive Top Sail Lounge, where snacks are always available. This lounge connects to the restaurant on the upper deck via a Swarovski crystal staircase. Above this is the private sun terrace, complete with cushioned loungers, a small plunge pool, and a Jacuzzi, as well as a grill bar offering the option of dining in this pleasant outdoor area. The entire MSC Yacht Club area is attended by butlers.
On the lower decks, the MSC Euribia revolves around the Euribia Gallery, a spacious, two-story promenade almost 100 meters long, crowned by an LED dome where different animations are projected throughout the day. These can range from a whale swimming overhead to Renaissance decorations, displays of color, or any other creative animation the moment calls for.
The indoor pool with a retractable roof is ideal for the climate of the Norwegian Fjords.
This gallery houses several restaurants, although the novelty compared to previous ships in the series is the disappearance of the Butcher's Cut restaurant, whose offer of grilled meats is now available at The Grill, a new restaurant concept located inside the l'Atelier du Voyageur bar, where a giant screen is also being unveiled showing an artistic animation of people walking, the work of renowned British artist Julian Opie.
The selection of sweets plays a key role in the gallery, with the ice cream and creperie next to l'Atelier and a large chocolate shop by the French pastry chef Jean Phillippe Maury, where we can watch the chocolate artisans at work behind a glass window, and we can buy everything from macarons to chocolate bars customized to our liking, or also have a gourmet coffee at their tables.
Much of the ground floor of the gallery is dedicated to luxury shops, although we also find the Mexican restaurant Hola Tapas & Cantina, and the Euribia Lounge with a dance floor and live music.
In the gallery, as well as on the sports field, some nights also feature massive parties, with the enormous LED screen on the ceiling as both accomplice and center of attention.
The upper floor of the gallery mainly houses themed restaurants and bars, in addition to the multipurpose TV Lounge and the main restaurant for Aurea Il Campo category passengers.
The Masters of the Sea brewery faithfully recreates the look and feel of an English pub and is one of the most welcoming spots on board. Next is Kaito Sushi & Robatayaki, with bar seating and tables overlooking the gallery, and a spacious room for Kaito Teppanyaki, the acrobatic dinner concept that's so popular on cruise ships.
Forward of the gallery, on deck 7, we will find the MSC Aurea Spa, with a wide variety of thermal rooms, and the theater below, on deck 6.
The Galleria Euribia is a spacious, two-story, nearly 100-meter-long interior promenade where specialty restaurants, bars, and shops are located.
In the center of the MSC Euribia, the gallery converges in the atrium, where the Swarovski crystal staircases, along with curvilinear metallic structures, create a truly glamorous and captivating atmosphere, and that is why at all hours we will see cruise passengers taking photos here.
From the atrium aft are the four main restaurants of the MSC Euribia. Accessed via a wide central corridor, we find Aurora Borealis and Aurora Boreale, twin and symmetrical restaurants, and continuing aft we reach Colorado River, the largest restaurant on the MSC Euribia. Also located aft on deck 5 is the Green Orchid restaurant.
From the atrium aft on deck 6 are two major leisure facilities: the casino and the expansive Carousel Lounge. This double-height space features floor-to-ceiling windows and several inviting corners perfect for relaxing during the day, as well as two side terraces furnished with outdoor furniture on the MSC Euribia. At night, the Carousel Lounge transforms into a performance venue, with the floor-to-ceiling windows becoming giant screens for enjoying live big band music and singers performing both current and classic hits.
MSC Euribia and the Future of Cruises in the Norwegian Fjords:
The MSC Euribia is a ship equipped with the latest environmentally friendly technologies, ideally suited to meet Norway's stringent requirements for navigating its fjords. However, Norway will require all cruise ships sailing through the UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Geiranger, Hellesylt, and Flåm) to operate with zero emissions starting in 2027, a feat not yet achieved with such large vessels. Therefore, MSC Cruises has prepared the MSC Euribia to run on green methanol in the future, although some modifications will be necessary before it can be implemented.
As a demonstration of its commitment to reducing emissions, the MSC Euribia made the voyage from Saint-Nazaire to Copenhagen using bio-LNG, marking the first net-zero emissions journey of a large cruise ship. Bio-LNG is primarily obtained by capturing the emissions from decomposing waste. These gases, which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, are instead used to power the ship, preventing it from adding further emissions with other fuels—hence the term "net-zero emissions." Bio-LNG is very expensive and has limited availability, which is why it is not yet widely used.
The MSC Euribia route
begins sailing through Northern Europe this summer with 7-night voyages from Kiel (Germany) and Copenhagen (Denmark) to the captivating Norwegian Fjords, including Geiranger, Ålesund and Flaam.
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