The growing move towards medium-sized, ultra-luxury ships continued today with MSC Cruises’ order for four 64,000-ton vessels from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, with a total value in excess of £1.75bn.
The first ship is slated for delivery in Spring 2023, with further ships entering service each year over the following three years.
MSC’s new order moves away from larger vessels such as MSC Seaside, above, launched in 2017
The ships will feature the best and latest environmental technology and other cutting-edge maritime solutions at sea. They will also showcase highly-innovative design as well as ground-breaking options for guest comfort and relaxation.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, said: “It is off the back of the great success of our ship-within-a-ship luxury concept that our guests asked us to enter into the ultra-luxury segment, as a natural evolution of the MSC Yacht Club.
“These ships will be able to offer unique itineraries, thanks to their size, and the guest services will be taken to another level, including our personalised MSC Yacht Club butler service, available 24/7.”
Mr Vago continued: “I am especially pleased to be able to further extend our partnership with Fincantieri through this new order. The award-winning Seaside and Seaside-Evo class have already been recognised as ground-breaking and innovative designs.
“We are now introducing another new class, which will establish a new standard of ultra-luxury at sea with ships that will showcase the quality and highest standards that are associated with Made in Italy.”
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “We are extremely satisfied that, to launch a new class of ships in the luxury segment, MSC Cruises has recognised that our design will help them create a new generation of ships that will be cutting edge both in terms of safety and technological content, and with particular attention paid to passenger comfort.
“With this project Fincantieri can count on 53 cruise ships in its order book, confirming its position as absolute market leader”.
The addition of these new ships takes MSC Cruises’ investment plan for 17 new ships to be built by 2027 to £12bn. Three have already come into service since June 2017 – MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview – while two more, MSC Bellissima and MSC Grandiosa, will be delivered in February and October 2019, respectively.
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