MSC Seaside Floated Out at Fincantieri

MSC Cruises’ new 160,000 gross tonne MSC Seaside has floated out of the dry dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy where it is under construction.
 
The 5,300 passenger MSC Seaside will now undergo the next phase of construction before being delivered to MSC Cruises and launching into service in November 2017. The ship is to homeport from Miami and will cruise the Caribbean.

​Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said “This is another exciting milestone in our ambitious expansion plans as we see the second of our 11 next-generation cruise ships entering the final stages of her construction. MSC Seaside has been specifically designed to provide our guests with a unique on board experience in warmer regions and boasts one the highest ratios of outdoor space in the industry so that guests can enjoy a range of open-air activities such as dining and drinking al fresco, strolling along the promenade or simply taking in the beautiful sea views from the privacy of one of the many balcony staterooms.”
 
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said “Seeing this ship taking shape has a value which is not only symbolic for the group that I lead, but also for me personally. We acquired the order for the construction of it, along with a sister ship, in 2014, at the turn of an unprecedented crisis and an equally extraordinary explosion of the market. We placed such great ambitions for this order, undertaking to give the owner a state-of-the-art product, able to meet its vision of modern cruising. Being successful with a prototype and such a recognizable design, which confirms our commercial and technology leadership in this sector, makes us doubly proud of the result.”