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.

Cruise liners may BOYCOTT Majorca and Ibiza

Posted on 25 November, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

Cruise liners may BOYCOTT Majorca and Ibiza unless Balearic government changes its mind about two-euro-a day-charge for passengers

Costa and MSC in Majorca Port

The Cruise Lines International Association says the new fee is undemocratic
Cruise passengers had been exempt from the new Balearics tourist tax charge
But now the authorities want them to pay two euros for every day on the islands
Cruise association has threatened legal action and might leave islands off routes

Cruise liners are threatening to shun Majorca and Ibiza unless the Balearic government changes its mind about charging passengers two euros (£1.78) a day to stay on the islands under the new tourist tax rules.

The association of cruise companies in Europe, the Cruise Lines International Association, says the new fee is undemocratic and could force companies to leave the islands out of its routes.

And it says that unless the Balearics rescinds the decision to slap the tourist tax on all cruise passengers for the first time next year, it might take the issue to court.

The islands’ government has already come under fire for doubling the so-called eco tax for all holidaymakers in the high season of 2018, meaning guests in luxury accommodation will pay a much as four euros (£3.56) a day.

Until now, cruise ship passengers have been exempt from the fee unless they were docked for more than 12 hours.

But from summer 2018, they will pay two euros a day regardless of the duration of the stay and the Balearic government says this move alone will generate revenue of about 1.8 million euros (£1.6million).

Venice to Ban Large Cruise Ships From City Center

Posted on 9 November, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

PHOTO: Large cruise ships will be banned from docking in Venice by 2021. (photo via Flickr/Martin Cooper)Venice has taken action against cruise ships in a move that isn’t likely to sit well with future passengers.

According to The Independent, an Italian government committee has ruled to ban cruise ships over 60,000 tons from docking in the city centre by the year 2021.

Instead, the large ships will bypass the Grand Canal and St. Mark’s Square for the mainland at Marghera, a destination that pales in comparison to the photogenic Venice.

The controversial decision comes in the wake of concerns expressed by both locals and activists that the vessels are harming the city’s historical infrastructure as well as the environment.

Venice hosts approximately 30 million tourists annually, according to CNN. While the large cruise ships that enter the city represent a key driver of its tourism-based economy, Venice’s 50,000 or so residents have warned that the city can’t withstand all the attention.

“We want it to be clear to UNESCO and the whole world that we have a solution,” said Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro via The Guardian. “This takes into account all the jobs created by the cruise industry, which we absolutely couldn’t afford to lose, and we can start to work seriously on planning cruises.”

Ships under the specified mass will continue to travel along the iconic Zattere waterfront and into Venice’s city centre.

While 99 percent of Venetians who voted in an unofficial referendum this past June supported the ban, not everyone is optimistic about the committee’s ruling.

Activist Tommasso Cacciari of the No Grandi Navi (No Big Ships) protest group told The Guardian that the “declaration means nothing.”

“They haven’t found a solution, there is no plan—basically, nothing will change. They say the largest ships will go to Marghera—but where will they put them?” he asked. “They say all of this will be done within four years, but even projects in Dubai do not get completed in that space of time.”

Cacciari also argued that the ban won’t quell environment concerns.

This week’s decision comes four years after authorities banned ships over 105,000 tons from sailing through the city. That ban was subsequently overturned in 2015.