Costing about 800 million EUR, MSC Virtuosa becomes the 18th ship in the European cruise line’s fleet, and it will be the second of two ships MSC plans to take delivery of this year.
The Company’s new flagship MSC Virtuosa will come into service on 16 April, with four inaugural 3-, 4- and 10-night cruises in the Mediterranean, before moving on to her new homeport of Kiel, where she will set sail on Northern Europe cruises from 8 May.
The new flagship boasts 19 decks named after famous composers, 21 bars, 4 main plus 5 specialty restaurants, 5 pools including a magrodome pool on deck 15, a 945-seat theatre offering large-scale productions every night, a Himalayan Bridge offering a fun rope course 80 meters above water, and around 1200 sqm of retail space with 11 boutiques.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman commented: “My family and I could not miss this opportunity to welcome in person the newest member to our fleet. The delivery of MSC Virtuosa at such a challenging time for our industry symbolizes how as a family company we continue to look at the longer term and build our future.
“In doing so, we remain committed to building each time some of the most innovative ships in the world when it comes to their environmental performance featuring nothing but the most advanced available technology at sea. Just as importantly, with each new ship we continue to push boundaries and innovate our product offering with new and unique experiences for our guests.
“On MSC Virtuosa, this includes the world’s first humanoid bartender at sea that will be the star of a futuristic, immersive experience using cutting-edge technologies. Our exceptional dining offering has been further enhanced with two new restaurant concepts that showcase popular international cuisines to take guests on a gastronomic journey of discovery. This is of course in addition to the richness of experience that already sets us apart such as the grand-scale nightly theatrical shows, the award-winning family offering, industry-leading guest technology, of course the now iconic promenade with a stunning 91.8-meter-long LED sky dome that is the social heart of the ship and more.”
According to MSC Cruises, the new Virtuosa features the most cutting-edge technologies available today, such as hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems; wastewater treatment systems in line with the International Maritime Organization’s new resolution; shore-to-ship power connectivity; as well as underwater radiated noise management system, reducing their potential effects on marine fauna.
Vago also said: “Our long-term goal is to achieve a zero-impact cruise operation and this is the journey we are on today. MSC Virtuosa represents another important step in this direction together with our other investments in the accelerated development of next-generation environmental technology. It also confirms our long-term firm commitment to achieving this ambitious goal.”
