MSC CRUISES AND FINCANTIERI CELEBRATE FLOAT OUT OF MSC SEASIDE. BEGINS COUNTDOWN TO COMING INTO SERVICE OF THE “SHIP THAT FOLLOWS THE SUN” IN DECEMBER 2017
26/11/2016
MSC Cruises, the Swiss-based world’s largest privately-owned cruise line and market leader in Europe, South America and South Africa, and FINCANTIERI, heir to the great tradition of Italian shipbuilding and one of the largest shipbuilding groups in the world, today celebrated the float out of MSC Seaside, one of two new groundbreaking mega-ships that MSC Cruises is bringing into service between June and December 2017. The ceremony took place this weekend at the Monfalcone shipyard, where the ship is being built. MSC Seaside will homeport in PortMiami as of December 2017 and will sail year round in the Caribbean, further enriching MSC Cruises’ offering in the region – which, with the addition of MSC Seaside, will offer a total of five of the most modern cruise ships serving the Caribbean.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, commented: “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 and boasts one the highest ratio of outdoor space in the industry so that guests can enjoy a range of open-air activities such as dining and drinking al fresco, strolling along the promenade or simply taking in the beautiful sea views from the privacy of one of the many balcony cabins.”
Mr Vago continued: “We are delighted with the strength of sales for MSC Seaside so far, from both European and American guests alike. The Caribbean continues to be an ever popular destination for holidaymakers. With the addition of MSC Seaside, we are further strengthening our ability to serve this demand in this key region with five ships for winter 2017/18, each bringing our own, distinctive Mediterranean flair and elegance to the Caribbean holiday experience.”
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “Seeing this ship taking shape has a value which is not only symbolic for the group that I lead, and for me personally. We acquired the order for the construction of it, along with a sister ship, in 2014, at the turn of an unprecedented crisis and an equally extraordinary explosion of the market. We placed such great ambitions for this order, undertaking to give the owner a state-of-the-art product, able to meet its vision of modern cruising. Being successful with a prototype and such a recognizable design, which confirms our commercial and technology leadership in this sector, makes us doubly proud of the result”.
MSC Seaside is the first of a completely new and innovative generation of cruise ships being built by MSC Cruises leading Italian shipyard FINCANTIERI. With this new prototype inspired by an elegant beach condo, MSC Cruises has pushed the boundaries with its bold design concept and demonstrates the Company’s continued commitment to put the guest experience at the centre of all innovation and product development. Every element of the ship is designed to bring the guests closer to the sea with special design features such as a unique 360° ocean level promenade, panoramic glass lifts, a VOILIE breathtaking 30-metre bridge on the top deck and, with 76% of the cabins positioned on the outside of the ship, guests will never be far from a view of the ocean.
MSC Seaside brings to life the key distinguishing elements of the MSC Cruises experience. An extensive range of comfortable accommodation will meet the different needs of a wide range of cruise guests including chic aft corner suites as part of the unique beach condo design, clever modular cabins designed for families and groups of up to ten people as well as a collection of exclusive balcony cabins with a private terrace overlooking the promenade. Additionally, the MSC Yacht Club has been taken to the next level. Located on the prestigious foredecks offering a 1,600 metre private sun deck, a private lounge and restaurant, this unique ship-within-a-ship concept first introduced by MSC Cruises has been expanded over five decks and now features two coveted apartment suites with a living room and a large balcony with a dining area and private whirlpool.
On board MSC Seaside, the dining experience has been designed to inspire and delight with a huge choice of Mediterannean and international cuisines served in 11 different dining venues including five speciality restaurants. Of these, one is a Pan-Asian restaurant created in partnership with world renowned chef Roy Yamaguchi and two are buffets serving food 20 hours a day with one designed specifically for families.
The onboard entertainment, another award-winning feature of the MSC Cruises offering, will cater for all ages and includes a stunning 934 seat theatre offering four performances every night. Meanwhile the interactive aqua park with its four exhilarating slides will provide hours of fun for all of the family, the 120 metre long zip line will appeal to thrill-seekers, whilst the aft pool will be the perfect spot for those looking for complete relaxation.
In addition to all of the fun that will be had whilst on board, MSC Seaside will enable guests to experience the Caribbean Sea like never before, whilst calling at exotic and stunning ports such as George Town in the Cayman Islands, Cozumel in Mexico and Nassau in the Bahamas. From October 2018, MSC Seaside will also call at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the stunning marine reserve private island in the Bahamas, exclusively available for MSC Cruises guests.
The float out is an important milestone in the construction of a cruise ship as it is the moment where the ship first floats on water when the dry dock is flooded and the ship is moved to a wet dock for the final phase of her construction. The exterior of the ship is complete and work moves to complete interiors, fixtures and fittings.
At 323 metres long with a GRT of 160,000 tonnes, the ship will feature a maximum capacity of 5,179 guests. MSC Seaside is the first of two identical ships in the Seaside generation. Her sister ship – MSC Seaview – is set to enter service in the Spring 2018 and will be based in the Western Mediterranean, while a third one – reflecting an existing option for one additional Seaside generation ship – would be delivered by 2021.
