MSC Cruises, Italy’s privately owned cruise line have placed an order for two new ships of the last generation design…
MSC Cruises, Italy’s privately owned cruise line have placed an order for two new ships of the last generation design. These will be the largest ships built to date for an Italian ship owner. Alston Marine, the French shipyard, will build the ships.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises and Patrick Boisser, President of Alstom Marine confirmed the agreement in Paris. It represents the most important contract signed between these two companies.
The two new ships will be named MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata, to be delivered in June 2008 and March 2009 respectively. MSC Cruises will increase its fleet to eleven ships by 2010.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises said With the arrival of MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata we will carry by the year 2010 more than 900,000 passengers. Our last generation ships offer a unique style of elegance and design with a level of quality and service incomparable across the seven seas.
Peter Pate, director for MSC Cruises UK commented two ships of this size will have a great impact on the cruise market and re-enforce our branding. Our impressive growth over the last few years, from three ships in 2002 to the current seven ships, to eleven ships in 2010, is a fantastic achievement. For our agency partners in the UK it signifies yet more sales and greater market share. This is something we are all looking forward to as MSC Cruises becomes the definite line for true Italian cruising.
MSC Cruises also confirms its working relationship with Alstom Marine. As this has up to now resulted in producing four vessels in the current fleet: MSC Lirica, MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, as well as the new builds currently under construction – MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra.
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