Lirica News

MSC Cruises said a fire broke out aboard one of its vessels idled in Greece, on Thursday.The fire was reported at 3:42 p.m. local time aboard the MSC Lirica, currently in warm layup without passengers on the Greek island Corfu, and was put out by the ship’s two fire brigades and local emergency services teams by 6:58 p.m. No injuries were reported among the 51 crew members on board at the time of the incident, the cruise line said.MSC Cruises said the blaze originated from a starboard-side fiberglass lifeboat on the ship's sixth deck…

Wallem’s Agency team in Japan recently welcomed the MSC Lirica on her maiden voyage. The cruise ship recently arrived in Fukuoka (Hakata) with 1,764 passengers and 743 crew onboard before heading back to Shanghai. This call marks both the first Japanese port for the ship in its inaugural season in Asia and the first cruise call for Wallem’s agency team in Japan. Thanks to Wallem’s experience in the cruise business, particularly in Asia (handling more than 450 calls across Asia this cruise season)…

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company today took delivery of the MSC Silvia, the latest of a brand new class of 9,400 TEU container ships from the leading ocean carrier. Following today’s inauguration ceremony in Shanghai, MSC Silvia will join the Empire service between the Far East and US East Coast ports. Built at the Hudong shipyard, in China, the new ship sails under the Panama flag. As a family-owned group with a strong culture of maritime traditions, MSC’s new container vessels usually bear the names of relatives of MSC Group founder and Executive Chairman, Gianluigi Aponte, or those of the wives, mothers or daughters of MSC employees. Today’s christening of MSC Silvia honours the wife of Achille Staiano, a former MSC liner who is today Head of Commercial Services at MSC Cruises.

MSC Cruises has announced that the MSC Lirica will homeport in Shanghai to serve the Chinese cruise market, through a strategic partnership with CAISSA Touristic Group. The 2,600 passenger MSC Lirica will home port in Shanghai from May 2016 following a 60-day round the world Grand Voyage, which leaves from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on March 3. After that voyage, the ship will homeport in Shanghai, maintaining a high percentage of native Mandarin speaking guest-facing crew and providing guests with all services in Mandarin. It will also offer popular as well as high-end Chinese cuisine as well as more traditional and popular entertainments. MSC will become the fourth international cruise brand to market cruises to the Chinese.

Extension operations on MSC Sinfonia, the second out of four MSC cruise ships to undergo the Renaissance Programme of enhancements, have begunin the past days at Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo. Only 2 months ago the conversion operations of the prototype MSC Armonia were completed and the ship left the shipyard on November 17. The remarkable feat of engineering of the Palermo shipyard -has started with steel-cutting operations on the ship and has continued then by moving the forward section for about 30 meters forward to allow the new midship section to be inserted. With its 2,200 gross tonnes and in 24 meters length, this section will add a total of 106 new passenger and crew cabins, and new indoor and outdoor public areas.

MSC Cruises recently added a new state-of-the-art liner, the MSC Preziosa, helping the Italian company, truly a family business, attain the status of third largest cruise line in the world. MSC Preziosa is a Fantasia class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. It entered service in March 2013 as an enhanced version of its sister ships, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia, and is identical to MSC Divina, which was launched in 2012. Built at the STX shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, MSC Preziosa is the new flagship of MSC Cruises. The new ship gained immediate recognition famous courtesy of its christening by actress Sophia Loren, and was significant as it signified that MSC Cruises is now the third largest cruise line in the world.

MSC Cruises says that its multi-million euro 'renaissance programme' will involve all four of its Lirica class ships over the next two years in major upgrades, lengthening, at Fincantieri shipyards in Italy. The almost €200 million  programme is due to be complete by 2015. The "renaissance" of MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Opera, the owners say, will add exciting new entertainment options, technological advancements, extended shops and up to nearly 200 new cabins per ship.

The Port of Kiel opens its 2012 cruise shipping season on Saturday, March 31st. With a firework display to see her off, this year’s first guest, “AIDAcara,” will leave the port’s Ostseekai Terminal around 1700 for the Norwegian fiords. “We are well prepared and looking forward to the new season, which will, once again, be longer than last year,” said Dr. Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel. Regular maintenance and overhaul work on gangways and operational areas was all completed punctually at the Ostseekai Terminal in time for the start of the new season. One new feature is that the terminal facility is now eco-powered – meaning that its electricity is 100 percent generated by water.

Port handles more than six million tons for the first time. Kiel, January 17 2012: The Port of Kiel turned round more than six million tons of cargo last year for the first time ever. It posted a turnover figure of 6,293.374 tons exactly at the turn of the year - an increase of 8.5 % over the previous year. The Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) Dr Dirk Claus said “thanks to the shipping companies and the port working hand in hand, we have together achieved a top-notch result, won additional shares in the market and gone into 2012 well-placed for the future”.

MSC Italian Cruises, based in Naples, Italy, has announced exciting plans for 2004. Their brand new flagship, the MSC Lirica, will have her inaugural celebration in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in January, and the company will introduce yet a second new cruise ship, the MSC Opera, in April 2004. Eight new ports have been added to the company’s Mediterranean itineraries for 2004 in keeping with MSC Italian Cruises commitment to vary its cruise destinations each year. “There is no question that MSC Italian Cruises plans a higher profile in the U.S. market by bringing its newest ship, the Lirica, to Florida this winter, “said Nicola Arena, president of MSC Italian Cruises (USA). MSC Italian Cruises has also added eight new ports of call to its Mediterranean itineraries in 2004.

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)has given the go-ahead for construction of a new generation of ships by signing an order with Alstom Marine for two cruise ships and the option for a third sister ship. The first of the new ships will be delivered in June 2006, and the second will become ready in spring 2007. MSC Crociere is thus continuing to expand its fleet, and getting ready to tackle the 2004 Mediterranean season as the true leader of cruises. The new order carries the only totally Italian company into the world cruise scene, presenting itself on the market with an increasingly satisfactory and competitive fleet: 3 ships up until 2002, 4 in 2003, 5 in 2004 and the new order that increases the number of ships to 7 by 2007, with an eighth ship as option.

Broward County’s Port Everglades is experiencing record cruise passenger growth in 2004 and just nine months into the current fiscal year already surpassed 2003’s total number of passengers. Just one month later, the South Florida cruise port powered past its all-time annual high mark, which was set in 2002. By the end of this year, Port Everglades expects to top the four million annual passenger milestone for the first time. “Broward County has become the hub of the cruise industry and this year’s phenomenal passenger growth demonstrates that Port Everglades’ appeal continues to grow,” said Ken Krauter, Port Director. In June, just nine months into the current fiscal year, Port Everglades hosted 3,409,116 cruise passengers, surpassing last year’s 12-month total of 3,375,671 passengers.

MSC Cruises announced its plans to expand its seven-ship fleet by adding a new vessel every year through 2009, and to kick off its "Beautiful. Passionate. Italian." campaign featuring actress Sophia Loren. Loren will appear in a $4 million campaign, starting off this month on print, billboards, subway signage and taxi toppers in south Florida and New York. Loren already is the godmother of the MSC Lirica, which will be home-ported in New York by 2007, and will christen the 2,550-passenger MSC Musica in Venice, Italy, during June. That ship is one of two new arrivals this year; MSC Orchestra is the other. The cruise line also will take delivery of the MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata, which can accommodate 3,300 passengers each, during 2008 and 2009, respectively.

MSC Cruises has signed a contract ordering one ship and taking out an option for another. The confirmed buy is the fifth ship order for the line. The cruise line, which has its North American headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, said its contract with Chantiers de l'Atlantique is for a Panamax ship. The new ship is to be delivered in March 2008. MSC Cruises already had contracts with Chantiers de l'Atlantique to build two Panamax and two post-Panamax vessels. Post-Panamax ships are too large to fit through the canal. The latest addition and option are for vessels in the same class as the 89,600-ton MSC Musica, due for its inaugural sailing July 1. MSC Orchestra, the second Panamax ship, is scheduled to join the fleet in 2007.

Antigua saw an unusually high number of cruise ship visitors as seven vessels docked at the Heritage Quay, Redcliffe Quay and Deep Water Harbor ports on Feb. 22. The seven ships, Oceana, Infinity, Golden Princess, Lirica, Club Med II, Regatta and Lili Marleeen, have a combined capacity of more than 10,000 passengers and crew. According to the Antigua Sun, this was an unusually large number of cruise vessels to dock in St. John’s at one time and was the third time this season that Antigua has hit this mark. The influx of visitors has led to a notable increase in traffic congestion in the St. John’s city center, particularly since new regulations enforced from Feb.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) -- the organization tasked with helping the world's cruise lines promote their ships -- reported cruise shipping fleet growth in 2002/03. In a year-end report the organization noted that 14 new vessels -- as well as three re-launched ships and several others introduced in late 2002 but having their inaugural sailing seasons in the new year -- will make 2003 another record year in the cruise industry. Bora Bora Cruises: The 226-foot, 2,677-ton, Tia Moana and Tu Moana are scheduled to begin sailing in the South Pacific in June. The ships are designed to sail to the heart of the Tahitian lagoons. Carnival Cruise Lines: The 110,000-ton, 2,974-passenger Carnival Glory launches year-round seven-day Caribbean service from Port Canaveral July 19.