Chantiers de l’Atlantique Delivers MSC Bellissima To MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises has taken delivery of its brand new flagship from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
 
The 171,598 gross tonne MSC Bellissima has officially joined the MSC Cruises fleet. The ship is equipped with the latest advances in maritime design, state-of-the-art environmental features and cutting-edge customer-centric technology.

MSC Bellissima is just one of three Meraviglia generation ships under construction simultaneously at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. MSC Grandiosa which is due to launch later this year is also under construction as it the MSC Virtuosa.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises, said: “Today’s delivery marks another chapter in the story of our partnership with Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Together we have already brought to life 14 highly-innovative cruise ships, paving the way for our Company’s initial growth. Many more will be built together over the coming years to further deepen the reach of our fleet. Furthermore, MSC Bellissima’s elegance and beauty, as well as focus on the best and latest maritime and environmental technology at sea, bear testament to our restless pursuit for innovation.”
 
Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, said: “This new outstanding ship is another evidence of the quality of the long-term partnership we have established between MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique during these last twenty years. We bring each time all our expertise and innovation capability to deserve the confidence of our customers: this is a real success story for our two companies.”

MSC Bellissima is equipped with cutting-edge guest technology. She is the first MSC Cruises ship to feature ZOE, the world’s first virtual personal cruise assistant, which has been added to MSC for Me. The voice-enabled virtual personal assistant will be found in every cabin and can answer hundreds of questions about the cruise. 

MSC Bellissima is the the fourth ship to join MSC Cruises’ fleet in less than two years. As part of MSC Cruises’ unprecedented new builds programme, another 13 next-generation cruise ships are due to join its fleet by 2027. These include four World Class mega cruise ships capable of welcoming nearly 7,000 guests as well as four smaller ships that will serve the ultra-luxury segment.

MSC Bellissima will set sail towards Southampton at 22:00, where the official naming ceremony is due to be held on 02 March 2019. On 04 March the ship will depart on her maiden voyage, which will take her to Genoa, Italy, where she will spend her inaugural season, offering Western Mediterranean cruises. In November 2019, she will reposition to the Gulf, providing weekly sailings out of Dubai. In spring 2020 she will be deployed to Asia.