Better still, guests have come to know that they can savour new regional Italian specialties each and every day in a seemingly endless discovery of delicacies that have defined the cuisine as one of the finest in the world.

With the arrival of spring, MSC Cruises is introducing the masterpiece of Italian gastronomy: fresh homemade pasta. To guarantee the traditional taste, the pasta will only be made from the highest quality semolina from selected Italian mills where the very best varieties of durum wheat is used in the grinding.

Pappardelle, tagliatelle, caserecce, gnocchi, ravioli and much more will be prepared daily with the love and passion of the talented MSC Italian Chefs on board each ship. They will also guarantee the tight control of the production process from beginning to end to ensure the unique distinctive flavours of these specialities are perfectly preserved to set guests’ taste buds tingling.

MSC Melody will be the first ship to feature the new range of MSC Cruises’ fresh homemade pastas from Friday March 25th - something that is sure to be greeted with great anticipation from lovers of haute-cuisine.

But this is not all. Indeed, not only does MSC Cruises constantly strive to provide the best quality of products, it is also committed to carrying its policy of responsibility towards conservation and the environment right through to its menus as well.

The company is therefore proud to announce that it will avoid serving any dishes involving the use of Bluefin Tuna and in so doing support international strategies to safeguard the future of endangered species.

Bluefin Tuna is now banned from the menus of the specialty restaurants Kaito Sushi Bar onboard MSC Poesia and MSC Musica, Shanghai Asian Fusion on MSC Orchestra, Oriental Plaza on MSC Magnifica and the a la carte restaurants Il Giardino on MSC Musica, 4 seasons on MSC Orchestra, L’Obelisco on MSC Poesia and L’Oasi on MSC Magnifica.

Preference will instead be given to other ingredients and preparations that will optimize and ensure the continued excellence of MSC Cruises gastronomy.

When sailing onboard MSC Cruises guests can be certain to be assured of only the highest quality fare and an ethical approach to gastronomy.

MSC Cruises is leading cruise company in the Mediterranean, South African and Brazilian markets and operates across the globe. Its modern fleet comprises eleven ships: MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (the largest ships ever built for a European ship owner), MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica and MSC Melody. MSC Magnifica, the newest ship in the fleet, was launched in March 2010. The fleet cruises year-round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean and South and West Africa. MSC Cruises is the only company in the world to receive the "6 Golden Pearls" award from the Bureau Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and environmental responsibility. MSC has also achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certification for the quality and food safety of all aspects of its catering, both onshore and onboard. MSC Cruises cares about the welfare of children, and as a responsible market leader believes in making a positive impact in the regions where it operates. To this end, the company recently forged a partnership with UNICEF to fund a community project aimed at providing disadvantaged children in Brazil with a quality education.