Perfect Ten: MSC Cruises order another Meraviglia-class ship

MSC Cruises sign order for construction of fifth Meraviglia-class cruise ship

MSC Cruises simply can’t stop building ships.

Despite already having nine ships on order through to 2026, the cruise line last week announced plans to squeeze a tenth ship into an already hectic building schedule.

Due to be delivered in 2023, this vessel – another ship in the Meraviglia Plus-class – will be equipped with a new generation of dual-fuel engines designed to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

This announcement was made at a unique ceremony held at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard.

STX France and MSC Cruises celebrated three major ship building milestones: The Steel Cutting Ceremony of the 4^th Meraviglia-class vessel where MSC Cruises announced that the ship will be named MSC Virtuosa; the Coin Ceremony of MSC Grandiosa, and the float-out of MSC Bellissima.

For the first time in Saint-Nazaire’s history, three cruise ships belonging to a single cruise brand are under simultaneous construction at the shipyard.

Speaking before opening the valves to flood the dry dock where MSC Bellissima has been assembled, Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, said: “With the announcement of yet another new vessel, the 13^th under our ten-year investment plan, we are affirming our commitment to sustainable growth for our company. I say this while three more next-generation MSC Cruises ships are now simultaneously under construction.

The agreement for the additional Meraviglia-Plus ship represents an additional investment of €900 million.