Msc Opera News

Cruise shipping company MSC Cruises and shipbuilder Fincantieri today marked a milestone in the building of MSC Cruises’ latest newbuild MSC Seaside with the celebration of the traditional maritime coin ceremony held at the Monfalcone, Italy shipyard. The first of up to two MSC Cruises’ next-generation Seaside class of smart ships is set to come into service in December 2017 and will sail year-round from Miami to the Caribbean. MSC Seaside is part of the company’s 10-plus years…

MSC Cruises will this week become the first major liner to start operations in Cuba, part of its efforts to grow a global presence, the Swiss group's chief executive said. U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced a year ago they would work toward a normalisation of relations after half a century of Cold War hostility, although a U.S. trade embargo of Cuba remains in place. Privately-owned MSC Cruises, the world's fourth biggest line, said while its cruises were not currently being offered to U.S. customers, bookings by Europeans and Canadians had been "above our estimations". "Out of the main four global cruise lines in the world…

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.

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.

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.