Valletta Cruise Port welcomes MSC Cruises’ latest newbuild

MSC Seaview was named last week and is currently on its inaugural voyage

By Elizabeth Robinson | 19 June 2018

Valletta Cruise Port in Malta has welcomed MSC Cruises’ latest flagship 5,331-guest MSC Seaview.

MSC Seaview, which has a Maltese flag registration, was named last week and is currently on its inaugural voyage.

To celebrate the maiden call, an event was held onboard the ship in the presence of the Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat, members of the Cabinet of Malta and local authorities.

“Thanks to MSC we will see more guests visiting our islands, where in 2018, MSC ships will be entering port over 70 times with nearly 300,000 passengers,” said Muscat.

“We are proud to welcome MSC Seaview on her maiden call to Valletta Cruise Port, and to be welcoming her on 22 other occasions in our scenic historic port, throughout her inaugural season in the Mediterranean this summer,” said Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding. “It is indeed a pleasure for Valletta Cruise Port to collaborate with MSC Cruises who entered the cruise industry 15 years ago. The company has left an indelible mark on an ever-evolving cruise industry. In the last five years we have hosted over 880,000 passenger movements in Valletta sailing on MSC vessels. We congratulate MSC Cruises on their achievements and look forward to many more years of fruitful joint cooperation.”

On arrival, the ship and its guests were welcomed with the tunes of a traditional village band featuring a number of local favourites, along with international pieces. Before departure, guests got to experience a performance by local folk dancers wearing Maltese traditional costumes, courtesy of the Malta Tourism Authority.

“Malta has always been important to us and we have been partners for many years,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises. “Our first cruise ship to call here was the Melody, back in the late nineties. MSC Seaview, a next-generation cruise ship like no other, featuring some of the best and most innovative maritime and environmental technology at sea, will be calling Malta regularly in 2018.”