MSC Bellissima celebrates five years of service after being delivered to MSC Cruises a few days earlier. The ship, with a capacity for 4,500 guests, was christened during a commemorative ceremony in Southampton on March 2, 2019.
In addition to the company's fleet godmother, Sophia Loren, the event was attended by MSC executives, celebrities, press and media, as well as travel agencies and other partners.
Shortly after the christening ceremony, the MSC Bellissima kicked off its inaugural season. The summer program included week-long cruises in the Western Mediterranean, sailing through Italy, France, and Spain.
Subsequently, the ship moved to the Middle East for a winter season with seven-night cruises from Dubai (UAE).
Currently, the MSC Bellissima is sailing in the Far East and will soon mark MSC Cruises' return to China. To serve the Chinese market, the ship will offer short cruises departing from the Baoshan Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal in Shanghai.
The program begins in mid-March and includes four- and five-night itineraries to neighboring countries, such as South Korea and Japan.
Built by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, MSC Bellissima is part of MSC Cruises' Meraviglia Class.
Sharing the original series design with the MSC Meraviglia built in 2017, the 167,600-ton vessel has 19 decks and capacity for more than 4,500 guests at double occupancy.
Among the highlights of the MSC Bellissima's public areas is the Galleria Bellissima, a 96-meter-long central promenade featuring an 80-meter LED dome, plus the largest shopping area in the fleet, and a water park.
The ship also offers a selection of restaurants, including Butcher's Cut, MSC Cruises' American-style steakhouse.
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