MSC Cruises, the world’s fourth largest cruise company, has decided to name the first unit of its 167,700 gross ton Vista project mega ships MSC Meraviglia - ‘wonder’ in Italian.
Speaking at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire during the ceremonial steel-cutting at the start of the construction, MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said bookings for the ship — due to be delivered in May 2017 – would open in June this year.
The work on MSC Meraviglia marks the start of MSC Cruises seven-ship, €5.1 billion investment plan that will double the cruise line’s capacity by 2022. The ship, which will carry up to 4,500 passengers (double occupancy), will spend its first summer sailing the western Mediterranean.
In a first for the cruise industry, it will have three home ports – Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona. “MSC Meraviglia will be the biggest and most innovative cruise ship ever built by a global European-based cruise line,” said Vago. “We chose a name that denotes a sense of awe and wonderment, because of the many stunning features planned. Today, building started on a true maritime marvel.”
