MSC Cruises took delivery of MSC Virtuosa, the world’s newest cruise ship and the 18th ship in the cruise line’s fleet.
The cruise ship will become one of the most environmentally-conscious at sea when she comes into service in April, while also providing new and unique guest experiences on board, including a 301 ft. Mediterranean-style promenade topped by one of the longest LED sky domes at sea. MSC Virtuosa will begin sailing in the Mediterranean and then move to Northern Europe.
As tradition calls, a small and private flag ceremony was held at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint Nazaire, France between the shipyard and MSC Cruises where MSC Virtuosa received her official flag and blessings for good fortune. The ceremony was attended in person by the cruise line’s executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, his wife Alexa Aponte-Vago and their children as well as representatives from MSC Cruises new builds team along with executives and workers from the shipyard.
The Meraviglia generation cruise ships, to which ships like MSC Virtuosa belong, are characterized by their iconic 331 ft. long promenade with a stunning LED sky dome as the social heart of the ship. The two-deck space is lined with boutiques, restaurants and bars and is the ideal place for guests to enjoy their stay while shopping, eating and relaxing. And in the evening, the area comes alive with music, entertainment and more.
MSC Virtuosa is the sister ship of MSC Grandiosa, the first vessel of any major cruise line to return to the seas this summer, successfully hosting to-date nearly 40,000 guests under the protection of MSC Cruises’ industry-leading health & safety protocol and currently performing 7-night itineraries in the Western Mediterranean.
2021 will see the launch of two new MSC Cruises next-generation ships — the second one being MSC Seashore — bringing the fleet total to 19, with a further four to be launched by 2025. MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore — which will come into service in August 2021 and sail the Mediterranean before heading to Miami to sail the Caribbean in November 2021 — will offer the very latest in environmental technology, cutting-edge guest technology and a whole range of new experiences and features.
Every cruise ship that MSC Cruises builds is different from the last, and these ships are no exception as these ships represent a further evolution of their original prototype, allowing for more public areas, more staterooms, new bars and restaurants and more.
