Fincantieri Hosts Coin Ceremony for MSC Seaside
Cruise shipping company MSC Cruises and shipbuilder Fincantieri today marked a milestone in the building of MSC Cruises’ latest newbuild MSC Seaside with the celebration of the traditional maritime coin ceremony held at the Monfalcone, Italy shipyard.
The first of up to two MSC Cruises’ next-generation Seaside class of smart ships is set to come into service in December 2017 and will sail year-round from Miami to the Caribbean. MSC Seaside is part of the company’s 10-plus years, €9 billion investment plan, which includes the building of up to 11 next-generation smart ships coming into service between 2017 and 2026.
At 323 meters long with a GRT of 154,000 metric tons, MSC Seaside will feature a maximum capacity of more than 5,200 guests.
“MSC Seaside, the biggest ship ever built in our shipyards, will strengthen our leadership as the most innovative shipbuilder in the cruise industry,” said Fincantieri CEO, Giuseppe Bono. “This new concept will provide [the] owner with more revenue-generating solutions, with more cabins than a comparable, contemporary design, more open-deck space and an increase in performances, being significantly more efficient.”
Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises Chief Executive Officer, commented, “[The MSC Seaside] prototype is significantly different to anything we have ever built before as this is a ship dedicated to cruising in warm seas. . . With the highest ratio of outdoor spaces on any of MSC Cruises’ ships, guests will also enjoy an increased number of balcony cabins, sea views and public areas.”
MSC Seaside is built on MSC Cruises’ fifth consecutive brand new prototype of cruise ship. This particular class of ships has been inspired by a beach condo concept. The ship is engineered to enable guests to enjoy the outdoors in many aspects on board, from cabins and suites with outdoor spaces, eating and drinking al fresco through to outdoor fitness facilities and luxury cabanas for spa treatments in the fresh air.
MSC Seaside is the first of two identical ships in the Seaside generation. Her sister ship is set to enter service in 2018, while a third one – reflecting an existing option for one additional Seaside generation ship – would be delivered by 2021.
Beginning December 2017, MSC Seaside will feature itineraries including the Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, thus complementing the itineraries of MSC’s other ships serving the region, MSC Divina sailing out of Miami as well as MSC Opera and MSC Armonia out of Havana, Cuba. In addition, the ship will call at MSC Cruises’ own Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.