GROWING MSC CRUISES’ TRIPLE EVENT IN FRANCE
MSC Cruises currently has three ships under construction at Aker Yards in France, who acquired controlling interest at the St Nazaire yard earlier this year: MSC Orchestra for delivery in spring 2007, and MSC Poesia and MSC Fantasia, both slated to enter service in 2008.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, commented: “Today is an important milestone that reinforces the partnership between MSC Cruises and the Aker shipyard. This is a unique event as the shipyard celebrates three events for the same company on the same day, with the construction of MSC Poesia also starting. The innovative technology and engineering, the spacious public areas and the large number of staterooms with balconies will make MSC Orchestra and the future ships ordered by MSC Cruises a model to suit the requirements of the worldwide cruise market. It also reconfirms the uniqueness of the MSC Cruises product with our Italianess distinguished by the refined and classic materials used. We are very pleased with the efforts up to now by the shipyard and the future goals we have to face.”
MSC Orchestra is the second ship in the Musica-class - 90,000 gross tons, 961 feet long and 108 feet wide. MSC Serenata and MSC Fantasia will be the largest ships commissioned by a European ship owner to date, and the first post panamax vessels of the company. They each will be 133,500 gross tons, 1093 feet long, 125 feet wide, and will have a passenger capacity of 3,900 and 1,313 staff members. With these additions, the MSC Cruises fleet will grow to 12 ships by 2009, and the line expects to host more than 1 million guests annually by 2010.
MSC Cruises’ investments in new ships started in 2003 with MSC Lirica. The € 4 billion programme will continue until 2009, when MSC Serenata joins the fleet. MSC Cruises has a current fleet of eight ships, which will increase to 12 ships by 2009.
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