MSC Cruises and Fincantieri have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to build four ultra-luxury cruise ships for a total value of over €2 bill.
The ships, the first of which will be delivered in Spring 2023, will each have a gross tonnage of around 64,000 and will feature 500 cabins. The remaining three ships will come into service every 12 months during the following three years.
Pierfrancesco Vago (pictured), MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “It is off the back of the great success of our ship-within-a-ship luxury concept that our guests asked us to enter into the ultra-luxury segment, as a natural evolution of the MSC Yacht Club. These ships will be able to offer unique itineraries, thanks to their size, and the guest services will be taken to another level, including our personalised MSC Yacht Club butler service, available 24/7.
“I am especially pleased to be able to further extend our partnership with Fincantieri through this new order. The award-winning ‘Seaside’ and ‘Seaside-Evo’ class have already been recognised as ground-breaking and innovative designs. We are now introducing another new class, which will establish a new standard of ultra-luxury at sea with ships that will showcase the quality and highest standards that are associated with ‘Made in Italy’,” he said.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, added: “It is with pride that two great brands – an Italian one and one with a strong Italian DNA -, well-known all over the world, today announce an important construction programme.
“We are extremely satisfied that, to launch a new class of ships in the luxury segment, MSC Cruises has recognised that our design will help them create a new generation of ships that will be cutting edge both in terms of safety and technological content, and with particular attention paid to passenger comfort. With this project, Fincantieri can count on 53 cruise ships in its orderbook, confirming its position as absolute market leader,” he said.
