MSC Cruises

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MSC Cruises
Private
Industry Transportation
Founded Naples, Italy 1960
Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland
Products Cruises
Number of employees
 16,500
Parent Mediterranean Shipping Company
Website www.msccruises.com

MSC Cruises is a global cruise line that was founded in Italy, is registered in Switzerland, and has its headquarters in Geneva. MSC Cruises is the world's largest privately owned cruise company, employing 16,300 people worldwide and having offices in 45 countries as of July 2014.[1] MSC Cruises (Italian: MSC Crociere S.p.A.) is part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC), the world's second biggest container shipping operator.

It was founded in Naples, Italy as Lauro Lines (also known as Flotta Lauro) by Achille Lauro. The company entered the cruise business in the 1960s, operating two ships, the Angelina Lauro and MS Achille Lauro. The Angelina Lauro burnt in the port of St. Thomas in 1979 and the Achille Lauro was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985. In 1989, Mediterranean Shipping Company bought Flotta Lauro and renamed it StarLauro Cruises.[2] In 1994, the Achille Lauro caught fire and sank. In 1995, the company name was changed to MSC Cruises.[2]

MSC Cruises is the fourth largest cruise company in the world, after Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line with a 5.2% share of all passengers carried in 2015.[3]

In 2014 MSC Cruises announced that the four Lirica class ships will undergo renovation under the "Renaissance Programme".[4]

In 2015, MSC Cruises had four new ships on order from STX France and Fincantieri, with options for three more. The first two ships are due to be delivered in May 2017 (MSC Meraviglia) and November 2017 (MSC Seaside). There are four more diesel-powered ships on order for delivery in 2020s.[citation needed]

Ships[edit]

Lirica class[edit]

Main article: Lirica class
Ship Built Builder Entered service
for MSC		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
MSC Armonia 2001 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) May 2004 65,542 tons  Panama Previously European Vision for the failed Festival Cruises. Costa Fascinosa and MSC Armonia in Malta (MSC Armonia).jpg
MSC Sinfonia 2002 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) March 2005 65,542 tons  Panama Previously European Stars for the failed Festival Cruises. MSC Sinfonia turning to Starboard Side Tallinn 27 May 2015.JPG
MSC Lirica 2003 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) March 2003 65,591 tons  Panama Modified ex Festival's European-class. Croisiére MSC LIRICA en quai.jpg
MSC Opera 2004 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) March 2004 65,591 tons  Panama Modified ex Festival's European-class. MSC Opera departing Tallinn 11 August 2016.jpg

Musica class[edit]

Ship Built Builder Entered service
for MSC		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
MSC Musica 2006 Aker Yards(St. Nazaire) July 2006 92,409 tons  Panama MSC Musica Port Side Tallinn 1 May 2013.JPG
MSC Orchestra 2007 Aker Yards(St. Nazaire) May 2007 92,409 tons  Panama MSC Orchestra in Tallinn 2009 0028.JPG
MSC Poesia 2008 Aker Yards/STX Europe(St. Nazaire) Oct. 2008 92,627 tons  Panama MSC Poesia departing Tallinn 11 July 2012.JPG
MSC Magnifica 2010 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) March 2010 95,128 tons  Panama Modified Musica-class. MSC Magnifica (ship, 2010) 002.jpg

Fantasia class[edit]

Main article: Fantasia class
Ship Built Builder Entered service
for MSC		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
MSC Fantasia 2008 Aker Yards/STX Europe(St. Nazaire) Dec. 2008 137,936 tons  Panama Msc fantasia.jpg
MSC Splendida 2009 Aker Yards/STX Europe(St. Nazaire) July 2009 137,936 tons  Panama Ordered as MSC Serenata and renamed MSC Splendida in 2008. MSC Splendida Marseille.jpg
MSC Divina 2012 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) June 2012 139,400 tons  Panama Modified Fantasia-class. Ordered as MSC Meraviglia and renamed MSC Divina in 2010. MSC Divina in Malta.jpg
MSC Preziosa 2013 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) March 2013 139,400 tons  Panama Modified Fantasia-class.Originally ordered for Libyan-based General National Maritime Transport.[5] MSC Preziosa in a cold winter day at Lisbon, Portugal.jpg

Future ships[edit]

Ship Will enter service
for MSC		 Builder Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
MSC Meraviglia May 2017 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 167,600 tons  Malta Largest ship to be built for MSC Cruises.[6] MSC Meraviglia à Saint-Nazaire de nuit.jpg
MSC Bellissima 2019 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 167,600 tons [6] MSC Meraviglia-630x357.jpg
Project
Meraviglia Plus I		 November 2019 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 177,100 tons Slightly larger than the Vista Class.[7][8]
Project
Meraviglia Plus II		 April 2020 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 177,100 tons Slightly larger than the Vista Class.[7][8]
MSC Seaside Nov 2017 Fincantieri 154,000 tons  Malta [6] MSC Seaside 1.jpg
MSC Seaview May 2018 Fincantieri 154,000 tons [6]
Project Seaside III 2021 Fincantieri 154,000 tons [9] MSC Seaside-592x236.jpg
World-class 2022 STX France Cruise SA 200,000 tons LNG-fueled cruise ship [10]
World-class 2024 STX France Cruise SA 200,000 tons LNG-fueled cruise ship [11]
World-class 2025 STX France Cruise SA 200,000 tons LNG-fueled cruise ship [12]
World-class 2026 STX France Cruise SA 200,000 tons LNG-fueled cruise ship [13]

[14]

Former ships[edit]

Ship Built Builder Entered service
for MSC		 Gross Tonnage Year Retired Image
Symphony 1951 Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson 1994 16,000 tons 2000
Monterey 1952 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. 1994 20,000 tons 2006 MSC Montery (cropped).jpg
Rhapsody 1977 Burmeister & Wain 1995 17,095 tons 2009 MS Rhapsody in Trondheim 2007.jpg
MSC Melody 1982 CNIM (La Seyne-sur-Mer) 1997 35,143 tons 2013 MSC Melody, La Goulette, 2009 bow.jpg
Angelina Lauro 1938 Koninklijke Maatschappi N/A 24,377 tons 1979 "Angelina Lauro" - Tilbury, 1976 (cropped).jpg
Achille Lauro 1947 Koninklijke Maatschappi N/A 23,629 tons 1994 Achille39.jpg

Main working area[edit]

  • Western Mediterranean: MSC Preziosa, MSC Fantasia, MSC Armonia, MSC Meraviglia
  • Eastern Mediterranean: MSC Magnifica, MSC Poesia, MSC Musica, MSC Lirica, MSC Opera
  • Northern Europe: MSC Splendida, MSC Orchestra, MSC Sinfonia
  • Caribbean: MSC Divina, MSC Seaside, MSC Opera (winter season)
  • Southern Africa: MSC Sinfonia

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Company Profile" (PDF) (Press release). MSC Cruises. July 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2016. 
  2. ^ a b "The history of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. SA". Swiss Deep-sea Shipping. Retrieved 10 August 2010. 
  3. ^ "Curise Market Watch - Market Share". Cruise Market Watch. Retrieved 12 May 2015. 
  4. ^ "MSC Renaissance Program Begins with Laying Out of Armonia's New Section". cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2016. 
  5. ^ "MSC Cruises-UK News: MSC Cruises Welcomes MSC Preziosa". Msccruises.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-15. 
  6. ^ a b c d "MSC Confirms Fincantieri Order for two Seaside-Class Ships". cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2016. 
  7. ^ a b "MSC Cruises to Build Two More Mega Ships". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 12 May 2016. 
  8. ^ a b "TTG Media - Travel industry, travel agent and tourism news, events and jobs - News - MSC Cruises confirms return to UK – and two new builds". TTG Media - Travel industry, travel agent and tourism news, events and jobs. Retrieved 12 May 2016. 
  9. ^ "MSC Releases Video Detailing New Ship Features". cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2016. 
  10. ^ https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/About-MSC/News/MSC-Cruises-Announces-World-Class-Ships-2026.aspx
  11. ^ https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/About-MSC/News/MSC-Cruises-Announces-World-Class-Ships-2026.aspx
  12. ^ https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/About-MSC/News/MSC-Cruises-Announces-World-Class-Ships-2026.aspx
  13. ^ https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/About-MSC/News/MSC-Cruises-Announces-World-Class-Ships-2026.aspx
  14. ^ Template:Cite-FORBESGANJ,AMHARA news

External links[edit]

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