MSC Cruises celebrated laying the keel of its second next generation Seaside Class ship, MSC Seaview yesterday (February 2).
The coin ceremony for Seaview was held at Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard.
The 5,179-passenger vessel is due to enter service in the Mediterranean in June 2018 before being deployed in the winter from Brazil.
Seaview follows the 154,000 tonne MSC Seaside which will begin operating around the Caribbean from December and homeport in Miami.
The pair’s creation is part of a nine billion euro, decade-long, investment plan by MSC which will herald 11 ships by 2026.
UK and Ireland country manager Antonio Paradiso said: “The new ships represent an increase in capacity that will benefit the UK market and we are pleased with the way that they are performing with the UK market.
“MSC Seaside has seen a 46% increase in sales for the same itinerary compared to last year, with an overall increase of 69% year-on-year increase in the Caribbean, helped by our fly and cruise package to the region, with charter flights with Virgin Atlantic.
“In the Mediterranean, MSC Meraviglia is currently our most booked ship in this region and represents 20% of our volumes for 2017, with the Med seeing a 30% year-on-year increase in guests, further strengthening the market leader role that MSC Cruises has in this region.
“We expect to see this trend continue with MSC Seaview and MSC Bellissima.”
The European line’s executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “MSC Seaview is one of the four MSC Cruises’ ships currently under construction, as part of an industry unprecedented ten-year, €9 billion investment plan that underpins the next phase of our global growth as the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line.
“She will also be a reflection of our unique and ongoing commitment to each time bringing to market the most innovatively conceived cruise ships, as the Seaside generation of MSC Cruises ships – of which MSC Seaview is part – introduces yet another game-changing prototype."