DISCOVER THE UNIQUE BREATHTAKING SPLENDOUR OF NORTHERN EUROPE 28/04/2014 FROM WILD & RAW BEAUTY TO HISTORICAL GEMS
28 April – Ever dreamed of seeing the magnificent fjords of Norway, the glaciers of the Svalbard islands, the wilderness of Iceland, the green shores of the Emerald Isle, the rugged coast of Scotland? The stylish and historical cities of Scandinavia and Saint Petersburg, the Venice of the North? For travellers who wish to escape the busy coasts of southern Europe this summer, MSC Cruises invites them to discover the unspoilt beauty of the northern part of the European continent. From the canals of Amsterdam and the medieval walls of Edinburgh to the waters of the Baltic Sea and stunning London and Paris, MSC Cruises offers the perfect opportunity to discover these regions with MSC Magnifica, MSC Opera, MSC Orchestra and MSC Poesia. Continue reading “DISCOVER THE UNIQUE BREATHTAKING SPLENDOUR OF NORTHERN EUROPE”
MSC CRUISES ORGANISED A CRISIS MANAGEMENT DRILL ON BOARD MSC LIRICA 10/04/2014 AN ACT OF PIRACY SCENARIO TO ASSESS REACTION & SAFETY PROCEDURES
Geneva, 10 April 2014 – On Monday 31 March at 15:00 CET, MSC Cruises organised a crisis management drill on board MSC Lirica as she was cruising off the coast of Oman. The drill saw the involvement of close to 2,500 people between the crew members, the employees ashore and the passengers on board the ship.
TASTE THE #MEDWAYOFLIFE WITH THE NEW MSC CRUISES 2014/2016 BROCHURE 04/04/2014 THE MOST EXHAUSTIVE WAY INTO MSC CRUISES’ WORLD
Geneva, 04 April – Available in travel agencies and online at ww.msccruises.com in 18 different languages, the new MSC Cruises October 2014/April 2016 brochure will be presented in different markets at the beginning of April. It captures the very essence of MSC’s Mediterranean way of life, taking travellers on a voyage of discovery across more than 1,000 itineraries. For the first time ever, the new brochure will encompass destinations and itineraries offered by MSC Cruises over the course of 18 months. Continue reading “TASTE THE MEDWAYOFLIFE WITH THE NEW MSC CRUISES”
MSC CRUISES AND STX FRANCE SIGN A LETTER OF INTENT FOR TWO PROTOTYPE CRUISE SHIPS
20/03/2014
The most versatile cruise ships of the world due for delivery in 2017 and 2019
PARIS, 20 March 2014 – Today MSC Cruises signed a letter of intent (LOI) with STX France for the construction of two new cruise ships, with an option for two more. The two ships will join MSC Cruises’ fleet, currently counting 12 ships, all built in the Saint-Nazaire yards. The signature took place at the Hôtel de L’Industrie, in Paris in the presence of Gianluigi Aponte, President of MSC group, Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France and Pierre Moscovici, French Minister of Economy and Finance. Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, and Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises were also in attendance.
“Growth and development have always been the characteristics that have defined MSC since the very beginning of our journey into the world of cruising. The launch of this prototype and the building of these two new ships confirm our commitment to further growth and to further development. MSC Cruises will expand its capacity by 31%: we will incredibly enrich our offer on board and we will broaden our horizons to ensure we meet the growing global demand in every region” said MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago. “Once again our longstanding partnership with the STX yard has proved key for these plans”.
“We are really proud of building this new generation of ships for MSC Cruises, a long-time appreciated partner. We invested a lot of R&D and design efforts to make sure that MSC Cruises’ new flagship would truly be unmatched. The latest commercial negotiation was particularly challenging in the light of today’s global competitive landscape in the shipbuilding industry. I would like to point out that the competitiveness agreement signed with our trade unions has been decisive to reach this LOI signature” said Laurent Castaing, STX France General Manager.
The two units are due for delivery respectively in 2017 and 2019. 315 metres long and 43 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of about 167,600 tons, boasting 2,250 cabins for guests, nearly 820 crew cabins, and accommodating 5,700 passengers and 1,536 crew members.
“The new prototype will be the biggest cruise ship ever built by a European ship owner and the most versatile and flexible of the world: not only will it be able to call in most of the ports and destinations on earth, without compromise, but it will have extraordinary features that will make it the perfect choice at sea, in summer and in winter. The two new ships will reaffirm MSC Cruise’s dedication to outstanding and genuine dining options and out-of-this-world entertainment with new panoramic spaces, a bigger theatre and a spectacular amusement park connected to an outdoor aqua park as well as a two-deck “inside promenade” explained Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.
Among the new features of the ships there will be specially designed cabins for families and an “extended” MSC Yacht Club, the entirely self-contained private club on the prestigious foredecks that will now be completed with a vast solarium, a private lounge and restaurant and duplex suites.
The new prototype is the result of a long development process, conducted in the framework of STX’s ECORIZON ® programme, leading to the creation of a new generation of ships that are cleaner, more efficient and more technological. It will be water emission free, while its hull and propulsion system will be optimised for better energy efficiency. The installation of scrubbers will allow for fumes to be neutralised and CO2 emissions to be in accordance with the latest evolutions of international maritime regulations.
The contract signed is worth 16 million working hours for STX France and its subcontractors, 9 million for the prototype and 7 for the second unit. Building is due to start in spring 2015.
The contract will be binding when the financial package is secured.
