MSC Cruises Finalizes Two-Ship Construction Contract with STX France

Posted on 24 December, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

STX France and MSC Cruises have announced they have finalized the contracts for two new 177,000-ton cruise ships for MSC.

The two next-generation ships will be the largest ever built for a European cruise line.

Delivery is scheduled for 2019 and 2020, respectively.

The ships will be known as the “Meraviglia-Plus” class, an evolution of the smaller 167,000 GRT “Meraviglia” class. The first of two “Meraviglia” ships are scheduled to enter into service in June 2017. The will have capacity for 6,300 passengers in 2,450 cabins.

“I am extremely pleased to see us continuing to deliver against our industrial plan with the coming into force of the final contract for the two “Meraviglia-Plus” ships,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises. “I view this as a further reflection of the strength of the relationship in place from day one between MSC Cruises and STX France. It is for this reason that, in addition to having built at STX France all twelve of our existing ships, through 2026 up to eight more are currently planned to be built in France at STX.”

MSC Cruises said the two units finalized this week are part of the company’s €9 billion investment plan for eleven new next-generation cruise ships to coming into service by 2026

Work starts on MSC Seaside’s future Miami home

Posted on 4 December, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

A rendering of PortMiami’s expanded and renovated Terminal F.

Construction has begun on PortMiami’s Terminal F, which will be expanded and renovated to accommodate the MSC Seaside, a ship due to enter service next December. Terminal F will also be home to the MSC Divina.

Miami-Dade County is funding the $38 million project, which will enable the terminal to manage embarkation loads of up to 6,000 passengers, according to the county. The MSC Seaside will accommodate 4,140 passengers at double occupancy but will have a maximum of more than 5,000.

MSC Cruises said it has been “actively involved in the entire process of designing the new cruise terminal.” Under an agreement between the county and MSC Cruises, the port was obligated to expand the terminal.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/hSNjY-UF-go?rel=0Planned enhancements include an expanded waiting area with seating for 1,500, a larger VIP waiting area for MSC Yacht Club passengers, an improved baggage-claim area and the implementation of technology for faster embarkation and disembarkation.

The terminal is expected to be ready by Dec. 1 next year, just prior to the MSC Seaside’s arrival in PortMiami on Dec. 21.

MSC hails strength of UK market as first Seaside ship floated out

Posted on 28 November, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

Click the image for a unique video of how she is looking at the float out.

MSC Cruises has celebrated the ‘float out’ of its newest ship MSC Seaside as UK sales show ‘strength’.

The first of the cruise line’s new Seaside-class ships transferred from dry to wet dock at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard in Trieste, Italy, at the weekend.

Speaking at the event, UK managing director Antonio Paradiso said he was pleased with the strong response the operator was already seeing from the British market.

“This is another exciting milestone in our ambitious expansion plans as we see the second of our 11 next-generation ships entering the final stages of her construction.

“MSC Seaside has been specifically designed to provide our guests with a unique onboard experience in warmer regions.

“The UK market is very important and we are delighted with the strength of sales for MSC Seaside so far. The Caribbean continues to be an ever popular destination for UK holidaymakers.”

The ship, which will launch in December 2017, will homeport in Miami and complete year round sailing in the Caribbean.

At 323 metres long the ship will feature a maximum capacity of 5,179 guests on completion and is the first of two identical ships in the Seaside generation. Her sister ship MSC Seaview will enter service in spring 2018.