MSC Cruises Celebrates Grandiosa’s Maiden Season in Brazil

MSC Cruises Celebrates Grandiosa’s Maiden Season in Brazil

The MSC Grandiosa arrived in Brazil for its first winter season in South America.

Repositioning from the Western Mediterranean, the 4,888-guest vessel docked at its new homeport in Santos on Nov. 25.

To mark the occasion, MSC Cruises invited over 2,800 guests for a celebration onboard the 177,100-ton cruise ship, which also became the largest ever to operate in Brazil.

“It is a great source of pride to have a ship like this here, bringing passengers to travel within our country,” said the company’s Brazil Country Manager Adrian Ursilli.

He also noted that the Grandiosa is MSC’s 17th new ship to arrive in Brazil since the debut of MSC Armonia in 2004.

The event included a symbolic christening of the Grandiosa that saw Marlene Ribeiro – the longest-tenured employee of MSC Cruises in Brazil – serving as godmother.

“MSC Cruises is a family company. Everyone is always together and in good spirits. The choice of the MSC Grandiosa godmother is a demonstration of this,” said Fabio Gatti, the company’s Global Director of Entertainment.

Part of a six-ship program in the region, the MSC Grandiosa is now offering a series of cruises to different Brazilian destinations.

In addition to Santos, the ship’s regular seven-night itineraries feature visits to Salvador, Maceió and Búzios.

Set to be repeated through late March, the cruise can be started at any of the ports of call, with the exception of Búzios.

The MSC Grandiosa was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and originally entered service in 2019.

Part of MSC Cruises’ five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several different amenities, including the Galleria Grandiosa, a 112-meter-long central promenade that features a huge LED dome.

The Grandiosa also offers a selection of bars and lounges, as well as a complete water park, and over ten dining venues.

MSC Meraviglia Returns to Port Canaveral for Winter Season

MSC Meraviglia Returns to Port Canaveral for Winter Season

The MSC Meraviglia recently returned to North America for its 2022-2023 cruise program. Following a trans-Atlantic crossing, the MSC Cruises vessel arrived in Port Canaveral on October 13. 

The 2017-built ship is now offering a series of cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean departing from the Central Florida homeport.

Ranging from two to seven nights, the ship’s itineraries feature visits to popular destinations in the region, including Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize City.

Most of the cruises also include a stop in Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the company’s private island in the Bahamas.

Ahead of MSC’s first complete season in the Northeast, the MSC Meraviglia concludes its winter program with a repositioning cruise to New York City.

The 11-night voyage departs Port Canaveral on April 9, 2023, and includes calls in five ports in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Upon arriving at its new homeport, the 167,600-ton vessel kicks off a year-round operation in the region.  

Sailing from Manhattan Cruise Terminal, the program features itineraries are six- to 11-night voyages visiting the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as Bermuda and Canada & New England.

Boasting 19 decks and a capacity for over 4,500 guests in double occupancy, the MSC Meraviglia was built in France by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyards.

The lead of the five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several unique features, including the Galleria Meraviglia, a 96-meter-long central promenade equipped with an 80-meter LED dome and an expansive shopping area.

Other features include a complete waterpark and 12 international dining venues, as well as 20 different bars and lounges. 

After entering service in Europe in 2017, the MSC Meraviglia originally debuted in North America two years later. At the time, the vessel arrived in Miami as MSC’s largest U.S.-based ship.

MSC Bellissima Returns to the Mediterranean

MSC Bellissima Returns to the Mediterranean

Returning to Europe after a three-year gap, the MSC Bellissima is kicking off a series of Western Mediterranean cruises today.

Departing from Valencia, the 2019-built vessel welcomes guests for a cruise that sails to four popular destinations in Spain and Italy.

The seven-night route features visits to Barcelona, Genoa, Naples and Livorno, and two full days at sea.

Designed with more extended stays in ports, the itinerary allows guests to explore additional cities such as Madrid and Florence.

With Tarragona replacing Barcelona on selected departures, the cruise is set to be repeated through early November.

Previously scheduled to sail in the Far East, the Bellissima spent the last three months cruising in the Middle East.

Extending MSC Cruises’ season in the region, the vessel arrived in the region in March for a series of seven-night itineraries that included visits to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Sir Bani Yas.

Upon resuming revenue service in July, the vessel also sailed in the Red Sea, offering three- and four-night cruises to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

Built-in France, the MSC Bellissima debuted in early 2019 as the second in a series of five ships known as the Meraviglia Class.

According to MSC Cruises, the vessel offers a “stunning array of features,” including 12 international dining venues and 20 different bars.

The 167,600-ton ship is also highlighted by the Galleria Bellissima, a 96-meter-long central promenade that features an 80-meter LED dome, in addition to the largest shopping area in the fleet, and a dedicated waterpark.

Boasting 19 decks and a capacity for over 4,500 guests in double occupancy, the Bellissima is also one of the largest ships of the MSC’s fleet – which now has all of its vessels in service again.

In June, the MSC Musica welcomed guests back, marking the return of all of the company’s 19 cruise ships for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MSC Cruises unveils plans to build fifth Meraviglia class vessel

MSC Cruises unveils plans to build fifth Meraviglia class vessel

MSC Meraviglia

MSC Cruises aggressive fleet expansions plans are set to continue after the brand revealed plans to build a fifth Meraviglia-class vessel.

The line announced its decision to build a ship, due to be delivered in 2023, during a ceremony today (June 14) at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard in STX France.

The vessel will be the 13th ship to be built during MSC Cruises’ 10-year investment plan which will see the line double its capacity by 2020 and more than triple it by 2026.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, said: “Our fifth Meraviglia-class cruise ship will bring a new generation of cutting-edge environmental technology to the market, benefiting from a new generation of LNG-powered engines.

“This will help us further reduce our environmental footprint and advance in our journey of constant improvement.”

The line also revealed at the event that the fourth Meraviglia-class vessel would be called MSC Virtuosa, which underwent its steel cutting ceremony today.

For the first time in Saint-Nazaire’s history, three cruise ships belonging to a single cruise brand are under simultaneous construction at the shipyard.

MSC’s agreement with STX France to add another ship to its order book represents an investment of €900 million.

Thursday’s event was held to mark three shipbuilding milestones: the steel cutting ceremony of the fourth Meraviglia class vessel, the coin ceremony of MSC Grandiosa and the float of MSC Bellissima.

MSC Bellissima will be christened at a ceremony in Southampton on March 2 2019.

The event will be attended by more than 2,000 guests, including VIPs and important British stakeholders.

MSC Cruises Officially Receives MSC Meraviglia

MSC Cruises Officially Receives MSC Meraviglia

MSC Meraviglia 

 MSC Cruises officially took delivery of MSC Meraviglia.

During the ship’s flag ceremony, the ship received her official flag and blessings for good fortune. The ceremony was attended by Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic and other high-level dignitaries from the French government.

MSC Cruises said it estimates that its total investment at STX France from 2003 to 2020 will amount to over 7 billion euros, effectively making the company the country’s number one foreign private investor. 

Following her christening ceremony, which will take place in Le Havre on June 3, MSC Meraviglia will start her inaugural season sailing the Western Mediterranean.

“MSC Meraviglia’s coming into service marks a key milestone in the history and future of our Company,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises. “She represents the first realization of our long-term vision for further significant growth, which, in its first phase, culminated with MSC Cruises becoming two years ago the number one cruise brand across all of Europe, while on its way to further global growth.”

“Above all, we must celebrate the work of everyone: from all the workers of our partner STX France to MSC Cruises’ New Builds Team, each and every supplier and sub-supplier who has contributed to turning our vision into reality as well as everyone at MSC who has worked ashore and on board on this amazing project. A galvanized team of up to 3,000 workers a month and over 400 suppliers, built over the past three years the largest and most technologically advanced cruise ship ever constructed by a European ship owner. This is worth celebrating!” added Vago.

“Delivering a ship is always a time of great emotion for the shipyard: it is the culmination of three years of intense work for our employees and those of our partners, who have spared no effort to deliver on the exact date and in the quality conditions desired by our client MSC Cruises, this first ship of the Meraviglia class,” said Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France. “Benefiting from our advances in R&D from the "Ship of the Future" program supported by ADEME, this prototype is a great achievement that we can all be proud of and which allows us to look confidently at the next three ships.”

During today’s flag ceremony, the shipyard’s pennant and the French flag were lowered, accompanied by the French national anthem, before Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France, formally handed the ship over to MSC Cruises’ owner Gianluigi Aponte.

Aponte then gave command of MSC Meraviglia to Master Raffaele Pontecorvo before the ship’s flag and MSC Cruises’ pennant were raised.

The honor of cutting the ribbon fell to the ceremony’s godmother, Zoe Africa Vago, daughter of MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman and Alexa Aponte-Vago, MSC Group’s CFO. After the traditional breaking of the bottle of champagne, three blasts from the ship’s siren signaled the end of the ceremony.

MSC Cruises Finalizes Two-Ship Construction Contract with STX France

STX France and MSC Cruises have announced they have finalized the contracts for two new 177,000-ton cruise ships for MSC.

The two next-generation ships will be the largest ever built for a European cruise line.

Delivery is scheduled for 2019 and 2020, respectively.

The ships will be known as the “Meraviglia-Plus” class, an evolution of the smaller 167,000 GRT “Meraviglia” class. The first of two “Meraviglia” ships are scheduled to enter into service in June 2017. The will have capacity for 6,300 passengers in 2,450 cabins.

“I am extremely pleased to see us continuing to deliver against our industrial plan with the coming into force of the final contract for the two “Meraviglia-Plus” ships,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises. “I view this as a further reflection of the strength of the relationship in place from day one between MSC Cruises and STX France. It is for this reason that, in addition to having built at STX France all twelve of our existing ships, through 2026 up to eight more are currently planned to be built in France at STX.”

MSC Cruises said the two units finalized this week are part of the company’s €9 billion investment plan for eleven new next-generation cruise ships to coming into service by 2026

MSC Cruise; Not just any cruise

MSC Cruise; Not just any cruise

MSC Cruises has evolved its branding to reflect its commitment to delivering the details that matter to its guests. Chief marketing Officer Riccardo Casalino tells Rebecca Gibson more
Not just any cruise
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed. 

Swiss-based operator MSC Cruises is in the midst of a €9 billion, 10-year expansion that will see it launch 11 next-generation smart cruise ships between 2017 and 2026. This will include three Seaside Class, two Meraviglia Class, two Meraviglia Plus Class, and four LNG-powered World Class ships.

In addition, the world’s largest privately owned and fourth-largest cruise company is involved in a US$200 million to build a private marine reserve in the Bahamas as part of its strategy to become a significant player in the Caribbean. Named Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the exclusive island will feature a traditional Bahamian village, restaurants and bars offering local specialities, a 2,000-seat open-air amphitheatre, shops, watersports facilities, beaches, a lagoon, a zip wire crossing the island, and a spa sanctuary for MSC Yacht Club guests.

To aid this planned growth and generate worldwide interest in its enhanced cruise offering, MSC Cruises aims to showcase the world-class facilities on the island resort and the new innovations onboard its newbuilds to as many consumers and travel agents as possible.

Developing a marketing campaign that not only captivates global audiences, but is also tailored to appeal to the varied tastes of consumers in different passenger markets requires meticulous planning. According to chief marketing officer Riccardo Casalino, MSC Cruises considers several factors when developing its national and international marketing campaigns.

“We start by assessing the industry landscape, then move on to studying our target groups and carrying out proper brand equity and positioning work, and eventually, we plan and execute the marketing programme,” he explains. “New digital technologies have deeply influenced the first three phases, while platforms such as social media have fundamentally reshaped how we execute our promotional campaigns for different passenger demographics and markets.”

In January 2015, MSC Cruises began a year-long global consumer research study to determine the success of its existing marketing campaigns, as well as loyal and prospective guests’ perceptions of its cruise offering and core brand qualities. The line commissioned research agencies TNS and IPSOS to carry out nearly 3,000 hours of interviews with consumers in MSC’s key markets, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and US. Insights from the interviews indicated that both loyal and prospective guests perceived the MSC cruise experience as ‘distinctly more elegant, professional and more reliable’ than the experiences offered by other cruise lines.

This January, MSC Cruises launched a new, €65 million global marketing and multimedia advertising campaign: ‘Not just any cruise’. Moving away from its prior emphasis on ‘The Mediterranean Way of Life’, the latest promotional campaign highlights what MSC considers as its ability to master the tiny details that create an exclusive cruise and holiday experience.

“We evolved our global brand positioning and created a new promotional and advertising campaign to showcase the many ways in which MSC Cruises truly is a master of the seas run by a family with 300 years of maritime experience,” says Casalino. “Our ‘Not just any cruise’ brand positioning is now even closer to how our passengers already perceive us: an elegant, competent cruise line offering total luxury to its guests.”

MSC Cruises kicked off its new international ‘Not just any cruise’ campaign with a series of three TV commercials in key European markets, including Germany, Italy, France and Spain. In total, the company pledged a €19 million investment in advertising the brand and its cruise experience in Germany, €15 million in Italy and €6 million in both France and Spain.

Created by Oscar-nominated British film director Daniel Barber, the international TV commercials are set to an exclusive soundtrack written by longstanding MSC partner and Italian composer Ennio Morricone. The three adverts – Drop, Note and Tomato – highlight the key elements that MSC Cruises believes differentiate its ships, onboard experience, itineraries and shore excursions from every other cruise brand. Footage in the clips show guests relaxing in luxurious accommodation, testing out the water slides and swimming pools, enjoying the food, onboard entertainment and other hospitality services.

Later this summer, MSC Cruises plans to air different TV commercials featuring the same ‘Not just any cruise’ tagline, but with specific messaging targeted towards guests in North America.

“MSC Cruises’ maritime skills and ability to offer hospitality at sea are unmatched, while our exclusive partnerships with multiple world-leading brands, such as Cirque du Soleil, LEGO, Samsung and Technogym, as well as our collaborations with various esteemed Michelin-starred chefs elevate the onboard experience,” says Casalino. “Our marketing campaign certainly shows guests worldwide why MSC Cruises offers the best possible cruise experience.”