A tale of two cruise lines

Posted on 21 June, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

Image result for silverseas muse

Two European businessmen created two different cruise lines in the 1990s. Both have been successful in their own terms, but one formula for success has a lot more scale than the other one.

The two lines are Silversea Cruises and MSC Cruises. Silversea was formed in 1994 by building two new ships straight out of the gate for the luxury market. It was marketed primarily, if not exclusively, in North America.

MSC took a different route. Created from the leftovers of the Lauro Lines in 1995, MSC operated used, some would say very used, tonnage. Like Carnival Cruise Line, it deployed its older ships to cater to the mass market. It was marketed primarily to Europeans, with a few winter itineraries in the Caribbean.

Silversea’s first newly built ship, the Silver Cloud, was a thing of beauty. It was instantly competitive with other luxury vessels.

MSC’s first newly built ship didn’t arrive until a decade after the Silver Cloud was delivered and it was a takeover of an option that couldn’t be exercised by the Greek line Festival Cruises when it went into bankruptcy.

Since launching, Silversea has acquired a fleet of nine ships, with two more vessels on order.

With the delivery of the MSC Seaview, MSC has 15 ships in its fleet, with another nine on order through 2026.

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Last week, Silversea and Royal Caribbean announced an agreement in which Royal will get a 67% equity stake for $1 billion. Silversea gives up its autonomy as a private company in exchange for continued growth and investment in its brand.

MSC is investing in its own future with a $10.5 billion newbuild program, and its autonomy is not in doubt.

MSC took a slower, less glamorous route to success but in the end, it is the company that stands independent.

Two major differences steered MSC and Silversea towards different outcomes. The first is that MSC Cruises was a side project for MSC chairman Gianluigi Aponte, whose main business, container shipping, made it easier to secure the financing that kept MSC’s order book growing.

The second is that MSC operates in the low-price, high-profit segment of the cruise business. Catering to the mass market may not be where the glamour is, but it is where the money is. The finances of both MSC and Silversea are private, so it is perhaps unfair to say one is more profitable than the other.

MSC Cruises unveils plans to build fifth Meraviglia class vessel

Posted on 15 June, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

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MSC Meraviglia

MSC Cruises aggressive fleet expansions plans are set to continue after the brand revealed plans to build a fifth Meraviglia-class vessel.

The line announced its decision to build a ship, due to be delivered in 2023, during a ceremony today (June 14) at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard in STX France.

The vessel will be the 13th ship to be built during MSC Cruises’ 10-year investment plan which will see the line double its capacity by 2020 and more than triple it by 2026.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, said: “Our fifth Meraviglia-class cruise ship will bring a new generation of cutting-edge environmental technology to the market, benefiting from a new generation of LNG-powered engines.

“This will help us further reduce our environmental footprint and advance in our journey of constant improvement.”

The line also revealed at the event that the fourth Meraviglia-class vessel would be called MSC Virtuosa, which underwent its steel cutting ceremony today.

For the first time in Saint-Nazaire’s history, three cruise ships belonging to a single cruise brand are under simultaneous construction at the shipyard.

MSC’s agreement with STX France to add another ship to its order book represents an investment of €900 million.

Thursday’s event was held to mark three shipbuilding milestones: the steel cutting ceremony of the fourth Meraviglia class vessel, the coin ceremony of MSC Grandiosa and the float of MSC Bellissima.

MSC Bellissima will be christened at a ceremony in Southampton on March 2 2019.

The event will be attended by more than 2,000 guests, including VIPs and important British stakeholders.

Meet MSC Cruises’ Next Two New Ships

Posted on 27 November, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

PHOTO: MSC Cruises celebrates the initial steel-cutting of the MSC Grandiosa. (photo courtesy of MSC Cruises)
MSC Cruises is already anticipating the launch of its next new ship—the MSC Seaside—in December 2017, but another two just progressed further along.

The MSC Bellissima had its traditional coin ceremony, and MSC Grandiosa witnessed its first steel-cutting.

In fact, MSC has a total of four ships currently being built right now as part of its staggering $10 billion, ten-year investment endeavour. The other is the MSC Seaside’s sister-ship, the MSC Seaview. Both are under construction by Fincantieri in Italy.

Over at the STX France shipyard, the Meraviglia-class Bellissima and newly named Meraviglia Plus-class Grandiosa round out the quartet.

“Today we are celebrating a truly unique moment, as it is the first time that key shipbuilding milestones for two different ships are celebrated on the same day,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, in a press release. “This is a testimony of the strength and ambition of our investment plan.”

“The Meraviglia generation of ships is already setting a new standard for the cruise industry and is just one of the three brand new prototypes that we have designed to bring the cruise guest experience to the next level. MSC Grandiosa is named to signify magnificence and grandeur, a fitting name for this even richer, ultra-modern mega-ship.”

The Bellissima is the second of the Meraviglia-class following its recently launched sister-ship and namesake MSC Meraviglia. Increasing some in size will be the Grandiosa as the first Meraviglia Plus-class ship.

Vago explained, “Additionally, with MSC Grandiosa we also continue to innovate in the product. Just as MSC Cruises ‘democratized’ the luxury cruise experience when we were the first cruise brand to introduce a ship-in-ship luxury concept, the MSC Yacht Club, we are now doing the same for art and culture with the very first fine art museum at sea. Similarly, MSC Grandiosa will be the third of only four MSC Cruises ships to feature Cirque du Soleil at Sea, hosted in the uniquely complex, custom-built Carousel Lounge.”

Vago also pointed out that the ships will be environmentally-friendly thanks to technologies including hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems, SCR-Catalysts, state-of-the-art waste management and recycling, emission-reducing energy and heat recovery systems and advanced wastewater treatment.

“Today as we celebrate a cutting of the first steel and then a keel laying in the same day, we are living an unprecedented experience that marks the beginning of a new era, both for our client and for our yard,” said Laurent Castaing, general manager of STX France, in the release.

“For MSC Cruises, it is the realization of an extraordinary investment plan, which will elevate the Company to become one of the three largest players in the global cruise industry; for us, it is the illustration of our very healthy order book, which leads us to deliver two ships a year until 2022. We are partners in the same virtuous circle, where boldness and the performance of each is a benefit to the other.”

The MSC Bellissima—which celebrated its coin ceremony with the placement of two commemorative coins as a blessing and for good luck—will first set sail during March 2019. The MSC Grandiosa will then follow shortly behind in November 2019.

The latter Meraviglia Plus-class ship will build upon the original Meraviglia and Bellissima at 181,000 GRT; 1,086 feet in length and a capacity of 6,334 guests. Featured onboard will be the aforementioned fine art museum with classic and contemporary pieces, as well as the exclusive partnership with Cirque du Soleil.

The Meraviglia, Bellissima, Grandiosa and a second to-be-named Meraviglia Plus-class ship will each showcase two unique Cirque du Soleil shows onboard.

Besides the Meraviglia-class, Meraviglia Plus-class and Seaside-class, MSC has the new World-class scheduled as well. Altogether, the line will almost double its fleet capacity in only three and a half years between June 2017 and November 2020 as six out of 11 new ships come online.

For now, the MSC Bellissima is already available to book its first Mediterranean summer season, and MSC Grandiosa reservations will be announced soon.

The Seaside will be introduced in the North American market from its very beginning, and the Meraviglia will also join regionally by 2019. By then, both will be locally positioned year-round.

For more information, visit www.msccruises.com.