Tag Archives: MSC

MSC Preziosa Turns Ten Years Old

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The MSC Preziosa is completing ten years this month. Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, the 140,000-ton vessel was delivered to MSC Cruises on March 13, 2013.

After leaving the French facility, the vessel offered a pre-inaugural cruise to the Mediterranean. Sailing to Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco and Italy, the one-way voyage ended in Genoa – where the ship was christened before officially entering service.

The ship was joined by the MSC Lirica and the MSC Splendida during the ceremony, which took place on March 24, 2013, and was attended by Sophia Loren, the Italian actress that served as godmother of the Preziosa and most of MSC’s newbuilds.

According to MSC, the event also included a high-profile gala dinner, and entertainment from top Italian and international performers in the company of celebrities, media, authorities and the company’s top management.

Following the ceremony, the MSC Preziosa kicked off its inaugural season in the Western Mediterranean.

Sailing from Genoa through the end of the European summer, the vessel offered a series of weeklong cruises during its maiden program.

Visiting Italy, Tunisia, Spain and France, the itinerary featured Naples, Messina, La Goulette, Barcelona and Marseille as ports of call.

In November, the MSC Preziosa crossed the Atlantic for the first time ahead of a winter season in Brazil.

Sailing from the Port of Santos during the entire 2013-2014 season, the vessel became the biggest and one of the newest cruise ships ever to sail from the South American country.

Completing MSC’s Fantasia Class, the MSC Preziosa offers most of the amenities of its sister ships, including a three-deck theatre, three pool decks, five restaurants, a complete wellness centre and more.

The 3,500-guest vessel also introduced new features such as Vertigo, a 120-meter-long waterslide, and the Doremi Castle Aqua Park, a water park for children.

Greenock Ocean Terminal Gears up for Record Cruise Ship Year

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Scotland’s Greenock Ocean Terminal is preparing for the busiest year ever with 91 cruise ships scheduled to arrive throughout 2023.

According to a press release, this number represents a rise of over 25 per cent compared to last year. Greenock will welcome a total of 150,000 passengers and 38,000 crew members over the course of this year.

Jim McSporran, Clydeport port director at Peel Ports said: “We’re extremely proud to be announcing a record cruise year for Greenock Ocean Terminal.

“Welcoming cruise liners to Greenock is a hugely important aspect of our port offering and we’re delighted that we continue to attract and grow cruise numbers to the region.

“This increase in tourism will benefit visitor attractions and businesses across Inverclyde and central Scotland, and we look forward to welcoming these visitors across the season.”

“In an effort to showcase the port as the cruise gateway to the West Coast of Scotland, this year we are also investing in a promotional campaign to feature at the global cruise industry’s key annual gathering in the U.S.”

This year will be the second full season for the port since COVID-19 put a halt on the cruise industry. The port expects the completion of a new £19.2 million cruise ship visitor centre this year. The project is led by Inverclyde Council and is part of the £1 billion Glasgow City Region City Deal funded by the Scottish and UK governments.

Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “The cruise sector here in Inverclyde continues to go from strength to strength and I’m delighted that this year is set to be the busiest yet with record numbers of ships and passengers, as well as a substantial number of crew visiting these shores.

“It’s timely that with 2023 shaping up to be a bumper year for cruise calls that the finishing touches are being put on our new state-of-the-art Greenock cruise ship visitor centre which will provide our guests from around the world with a first-class welcome to Inverclyde and the west coast of Scotland.

“While we can all look forward to seeing some of the largest and most luxurious ships grace these shores over the coming months, with upwards of 200,000 people expected onboard those vessels there are also economic opportunities there for local businesses as visitors look to discover Inverclyde and the many great things we have to offer.”

Last year, Clydeport welcomed 71 cruise calls, including. Among the ships to visit the port this year are the MSC Virtuosa, one of the biggest ships to dock at the terminal.

Cruise Saudi Welcomes Nearly 9,000 Tourists on Saudi Founding Day

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On Saudi Founding Day 2023, Cruise Saudi, a 100 per cent Public Investment Fund-owned company established to develop the cruising sector, achieved a remarkable record for the first time in welcoming nearly 9,000 tourists visiting key Saudi destinations by three cruise ships calls in two ports, according to a press release.

The day marked the arrival of the MSC Splendida with over 3,000 passengers and the Residences at Sea’s The World with over 80 residents and guests in Jeddah Islamic Port.

At the same time, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam welcomed the MSC World Europa with over 5,600 passengers.

In Jeddah, with the collaboration of all relevant Authorities and local Partners, the tourists were welcomed at the passengers’ terminal with the Founding Day traditional activities, including cultural gifts, Saudi coffee, dates, and folklore dances.

The tourists, who represent different nationalities – the top 5 being English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Russian, witnessed and engaged in the vibrant Saudi Founding Day festivities in their different excursions in both Jeddah and the Eastern Province through Dammam Port.

In Jeddah, the well-designed excursions included a flight to visit AlUla, Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, an enjoyable walk at Jeddah’s Waterfront (Corniche), as well as a journey back in time through centuries of culture and traditions by visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jeddah Historical District (Al Balad), filled with vibrant artwork, exotic scents, traditional markets (souks) and the authentic Hijazi architecture that is unique to the region. Muslim passengers and crew were presented with a unique experience, as Cruise Saudi facilitated their visit to Makkah and performed Umrah.

From Dammam, the excursions included Saudi’s third UNESCO World Heritage site accessible via cruising, Al Asha Oasis, exploring the Qara Mountain, Princess School, and AlQaisariyah Souq. Other excursions provided an escape to the sandy beach on the tranquil waters of the Arabian Gulf or a city drive with a visit to Dammam’s distinctive Love Market.

Cruise Saudi’s ongoing cruising season, from November 2022 until May 2023, is set to welcome over 75 scheduled calls.