Newbuild is the second in MSC Cruises' new Seaside generation of cruise ships and will debut in June 2018
By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Cruises’ new MSC Seaview floated out of the dry dock at Fincantieri’s yard in Monfalcone, Italy on 23 August 2017.
MSC Seaview, which is the second of MSC Cruises’ Seaside generation of cruise ships, touched water for the first time as her dry dock was flooded with water and she was moved to a wet dock for the final construction phase. Now that the ship’s exterior is complete, Fincantieri will work on her interiors, fixtures and furnishings.
Like her sister MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview will be 323 metres long, weigh 154,000gt, and accommodate 5,179 guests. The ship has been designed specifically for warmer climates and to bring guests closer to the sea.
“MSC Seaview is a challenge that Fincantieri is proud to carry out successfully, as demonstrated by the milestone reached today,” said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri. “She is a spectacular ship, the second of a new generation that is testing all of our best technical and managerial skills, considering that the float out takes place less than nine months away from that of the prototype that launched this class of ships, MSC Seaside. These two beautiful ships require a real endeavour and our group will deliver them to meet the high expectations of the shipowner in terms of reliability and product quality.”
Set to enter service in June 2018, MSC Seaview will be the third next-generation ship coming into service in a 12-month period, following on from MSC Meraviglia in June 2017 and MSC Seaside in December 2017. All three vessels are part of MSC Cruises’ 10-year investment plan, which will include the delivery of six new ships by 2020.
The vessel will sail an inaugural 2018 summer season in the Mediterranean, taking guests to seven ports in four countries. These will include the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France. For the winter 2018-2019 season, MSC Seaview will head to Brazil and offer an itinerary that includes calls in Santos, Ilha Grande, Buzios, Porto Belo and Camboriu.
“At MSC Cruises, we are truly leading the way with our ship designs, as each new class of ships that we bring into service is rooted in meeting the needs of holidaymakers of different ages, demographics and holiday desires,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman. “With MSC Seaview in particular, our vision has been inspired by our passion for the sea and we are appealing to guests who are seeking the classic elements of a holiday – sun and sea – taken to the next level with a one-of-a-kind fully immersive and interactive seaside experience even while cruising at sea. We are already the market leading cruise brand in the Mediterranean and Europe and the deployment of MSC Seaview in this key region will help us further push boundaries by bringing one of the most innovative cruise ships to an area that we are deeply committed to and is a cornerstone of our business.”