By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Cruises has partnered with Italian baby care brand Chicco to offer baby equipment, develop children’s areas and improve childcare services onboard six ships.
As part of the long-term partnership, Chicco will supply a range of childcare equipment, including strollers, bottle warmers and baby backpacks, which can be used during MSC’s shore excursions. Meanwhile, MSC will provide families with a printed guide containing information on services, miniclub activities, game ideas, children’s menus and tip for family excursions during the cruise.
In addition, the Chicco Observatory, a developmental research lab focused on care for children under the age of three, will train MSC staff to enable them to manage onboard childcare and give advice to families.
“With this new collaboration MSC Cruises improves its family-oriented offers and services even more,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC. “We always have the safety of our guests in mind, especially children, and Chicco embodies exactly that, as well as the ‘made in Italy’ label that both our companies proudly represent across the world.”
MSC and Chicco will also collaborate to develop two purpose-built children’s areas on two of MSC’s Lirica-class ships, which will be refurbished as part of the line’s €200 million Renaissance Programme. The areas will also be included onboard the two 5,700-guest newbuilds on order from STX France, which will be delivered in 2017 and 2019, as well as the two 5,300-passenger ships, which will be built by Fincantieri and delivered in November 2017 and May 2018.
“It is with equal enthusiasm that we have embraced the collaboration with MSC Cruises, a partner and a project in which we have found the same values and the same attention that we give to families” said Claudio De Conto, CEO of Gruppo Artsana, a subsidiary of Chicco. “Our expertise is the result of constant research with experts and especially with parents, as they know the needs of their children better than anyone else. It is a valuable knowledge that we have shared with MSC Cruises – for more than 50 years, our biggest reward has been the smiles of children, especially when on holiday with their parents.”