MSC Cruises has announced its new ship MSC Bellissima will be christened in Southampton in March 2019 – the first time one of its 15-strong fleet has been named in the UK. It will be only the third time that an MSC cruise ship will have been named outside Italy, the spiritual home of the family-owned cruise line.
“The UK is the most dynamic cruise country in the world and I’ve done 36 countries so I know what I’m talking about,” said Antonio Paradiso, managing director MSC Cruises UK & Ireland, when the ship naming news was announced in London last night.
“MSC Cruises is going from strength to strength in the UK and Ireland, and the fact that such a high- profile event is being held here is a signal of the importance of the UK and Ireland to MSC Cruises. The inaugural voyage from Southampton to Genoa will allow our UK guests the opportunity to be the first to sail on this beautiful ship.”
Bellissima will feature two Cirque du Soleil shows, West End-style entertainment and an 80-metre-long LED Sky Screen first introduced on sister ship Meraviglia. Two new dining concepts are L’Atelier Bistrot and the modern, street food-inspired Market Street. The ship will also see the debut of a voice-activation programme added to the onboard ‘MSC For Me’ app, allowing guests to ask their smartphone, cabin TV or interactive screens for information in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Brazilian Portuguese and Mandarin.
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, said before last night’s announcement: “The crowning moment of the launch of any new ship is her Christening, a traditional maritime ceremony that holds great importance for us. For each new ship, MSC Cruises carefully selects a country and a port to host the Christening.
We have chosen to host the Christening of MSC Bellissima in Southampton as a demonstration of our continued commitment to growth in the UK and Ireland. This is a truly beautiful ship, worthy of the name Bellissima and this Christening will be a truly beautiful moment for MSC Cruises and the UK.”
MSC Grandiosa – 50ft longer than Bellissima – will be launched in November 2019.
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