MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises
Private
Industry Transportation
Founded Naples, Italy 1960
Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland
Naples, Italy
Products Cruises
Number of employees
15,500
Parent Mediterranean Shipping Company
Website www.msccruises.com

MSC Cruises is a Swiss-based, global cruise company with headquarters in Geneva and Naples. It is the world's largest privately owned cruise company, employs 15,500 people worldwide and has offices in 45 countries. 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.

Originally founded as Lauro Lines by Achille Lauro, the company entered the cruise business in the 1960s, operating two ships, the Angelina Lauro and MS Achille Lauro, both of which met fiery ends. After the Angelina Lauro burnt in the port of St. Thomas in 1979, Lauro Lines, also known as Flotta Lauro, met with bad times, now operating just one ship, the Achille Lauro. In 1985, the Achille Lauro was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front, and the much-publicised event further dropped passenger numbers. In 1989, Mediterranean Shipping Company bought Flotta Lauro and renamed it StarLauro Cruises.[1] In 1994, the Achille Lauro caught fire and sank. In 1995, the company name was changed to MSC Cruises.[1]

MSC Cruises is the fourth largest cruise company in the world, after Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Lines with a 5.2% share of all passengers carried in 2015.[2]

In 2014 MSC Cruises announced that the four Lirica class ships will undergo renovation under the "Renaissance Programme".[3]

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).

Ships

Lirica class

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.
MSC Sinfonia 2002 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) March 2005 65,542 tons  Panama Previously European Stars for the failed Festival Cruises.
MSC Lirica 2003 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) March 2003 59,058 tons  Panama Modified ex Festival's European-class.
MSC Opera 2004 Chantiers de l'Atlantique(St. Nazaire) March 2004 65,591 tons  Panama Modified ex Festival's European-class.

Musica class

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 Orchestra 2007 Aker Yards(St. Nazaire) May 2007 92,409 tons  Panama
MSC Poesia 2008 Aker Yards(St. Nazaire) Oct. 2008 92,627 tons  Panama
MSC Magnifica 2010 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) March 2010 95,128 tons  Panama Modified Musica-class.

Fantasia class

Main article: Fantasia class
Ship Built Builder Entered service
for MSC
Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
MSC Fantasia 2008 Aker Yards(St. Nazaire) Dec. 2008 137,936 tons  Panama
MSC Splendida 2009 Aker Yards(St. Nazaire) July 2009 137,936 tons  Panama Ordered as MSC Serenata and renamed MSC Splendida in 2008.
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 Preziosa 2013 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) March 2013 139,400 tons  Panama Modified Fantasia-class.Originally ordered for Libyan-based General National Maritime Transport.[4]

Future Ships

Ship Will enter service
for MSC
Builder Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
MSC Meraviglia May 2017 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 167,600 tons  Panama Largest ship to be built for MSC Cruises.[5]
Project Vista II 2019 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 167,600 tons  Panama[5]
Project
Meraviglia Plus I
November 2019 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 177,100 tons  PanamaSlightly larger than the Vista Class.[6][7]
Project
Meraviglia Plus II
April 2020 STX Europe(St. Nazaire) 177,100 tons  PanamaSlightly larger than the Vista Class.[8][9]
MSC Seaside Nov 2017 Fincantieri 154,000 tons  Panama[5]
Project Seaside II May 2018 Fincantieri 154,000 tons  Panama[5]
Project Seaside III 2021 Fincantieri 154,000 tons  Panama[10]

Former ships

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
Rhapsody 1977 Burmeister & Wain 1995 17,095 tons 2009
MSC Melody 1982 CNIM (La Seyne-sur-Mer) 1997 35,143 tons 2013
Angelina Lauro 1938 Koninklijke Maatschappi N/A 24,377 tons 1979
Achille Lauro 1947 Koninklijke Maatschappi N/A 23,629 tons 1994

Main working area

References

External links

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