MSC Cruises' newest ship will visit the Maltese port every week until November 2019
By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Cruises’ newly launched MSC Bellissima has made her maiden call to Valletta Cruise Port in Malta, which is also the country where she is registered.
After arriving in Valletta’s Grand Harbour, the 5,686-guest ship and her guests and crew were greeted by a traditional village band. Meanwhile, Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, members of the Cabinet of Malta, local authorities and other business and industry leaders board the ship for a traditional plaque exchange ceremony.
“I am proud, but not surprised, to see us collaborating with a company featuring another magnificent ship with such diverse, international and advanced technological features,” said Muscat.
MSC Bellissima will now make weekly port calls in Valletta until November 2019 as part of Mediterranean itineraries that will also see her visiting the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France.
“We are proud to welcome MSC Bellissima on her maiden call to Valletta Cruise Port, and to be welcoming her on 33 other occasions in our scenic historic port, throughout her inaugural season in the Mediterranean this summer,” said Stephen Xuereb, Valletta Cruise Port’s CEO and Global Ports Holding COO.
MSC Cruises now has four cruise ships bearing the Maltese flag.
“Since our first ships first called here in the late 1990s, Valletta has prominently figured on our Mediterranean itineraries, all year round,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman. “Last year alone, our cruise ships made 75 calls to Malta, bringing over 300,000 of our passengers to the Maltese shores, helping to generate a meaningful benefit for the local economy. MSC Bellissima is our fourth cruise ship to have Valletta as her port of registry, and our newest ships all proudly fly the Maltese flag around the world.”