You Can Tell It's An MSC Cruise From The Details

Following several years of unprecedented growth, MSC Cruises is the market leading cruise company in the Mediterranean, South Africa and Brazil. The 11 ships comprising its ultra-modern fleet carry 1.3 million passengers.

MSC Cruises sails thoughout the year in the Mediterranean and offers a wide range of seasonal itineraries in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean and the Antilles, South America, the Indian Ocean, South and West Africa and Red Sea. The company is entirely European-owned. It employs 12,000 staff around the world and has offices in 45 countries.

THE FLEET

MSC Cruises' state-of-the-art fleet is the result of a 5.5 billion euro investment programme started in 2003. It comprises eleven ships: the two Fantasia flagships, MSC Splendida (2009) and MSC Fantasia (2008) which are MSC Cruises's largest ships - each weighs 138,000 grt, is 333m long and 38m wide and can accommodate 3,952 and 4,363 guests respectively. Complementing them are the four vessels in the Musica Class - the brand new MSC Magnifica (2010), MSC Poesia (2008), MSC Orchestra (2007) and MSC Musica (2006) - each weighing 90,000 grt and carrying 3,000 guests. The fleet is completed by the four liners of the Lirica Class, with a grt of 60,000 tons and a capacity of 2,000 guests each - MSC Sinfonia (2005), MSC Armonia (2004), MSC Opera (2004) and MSC Lirica (2003) - and finally MSC Melody, weighing 35,000 grt and carrying 1,000 guests. The fleet will increase in size with the addition of the MSC Divina which will be christened on May 26th in Marseille, France..

RESPECTING PEOPLE AND THE PLANET

MSC Cruises believes that global leadership brings increased responsibility towards the physical and human environments in which the company operates. Its commitment to safeguarding the marine ecosystem, as well as protecting the health and safety of its passengers and staff, has earned numerous awards and certifications.

International certification body Bureau Veritas earned MSC Cruises the honour of being the first company to receive ‘6 Golden Pearls’ for environmental care. This unique award comprises Cleanship 2 Class notation for advanced air, water and waste treatment systems, as well as ISO 14001 certification (for environmental management), ISO 22000 (for food safety) and OHSAS 18001 (for occupational health and safety).

With new flagship MSC Splendida, the company has also successfully met the exacting standards required by Bureau Veritas’ voluntary Energy Efficient Design scheme.

Other official recognitions include the Green Planet Award (for eco-friendly facilities), the CIAL award (for aluminium recycling).

The quality and food safety of all aspects of the company’s catering, both onshore and onboard, have been officially recognized through ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certification.

MSC Cruises was one of the first signatories of the Venice Blue Flag agreement to reduce emissions in the Venice Lagoon, and has since signed similar agreements with the Port Authorities of both Civitavecchia and Genoa, limiting sulphur emissions to levels below the legally required minimum.

Embracing the philosophy of Corporate Social Responsibility still further, MSC Cruises has launched an important partnership with UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund. Announced in July 2009, the project will benefit disadvantaged children and adolescents in 126 vulnerable urban communities in Brazil by helping to ensure they receive a proper education. In this first two years, the partership raised 1,000,000,00 euros.

THE MSC EXPERIENCE

MSC Cruises is proud of its Mediterranean heritage, which is reflected in the company’s reputation for sophisticated design and outstanding hospitality. Innovations in both exterior and interior designs for the MSC Cruises fleet have earned prestigious awards for naval architects De Jorio Design International.

The gourmet dining experience on board combines Italian regional specialities with the best of Mediterranean and international cuisine. In the fields of service and comfort, MSC Cruises is continuing to set new standards in luxury cruising. Groundbreaking initiatives include the MSC Aurea Spa, a lavish Balinese wellness centre, and the MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive area on the company’s two flagships offering elegant suites with a round-the-clock butler service and numerous other privileges.

The vibrant personality of each ship and the dedication and professionalism of their crews lie at the heart of the MSC Cruises experience.

Ours is one of the most modern fleets in the world and we are proud of the blend of craftmanship, elegance and state-of-the-art design that characterises all of our vessels.

While superior comfort and facilities are traits shared by the whole family, each ship has its own individual character, helping to make your cruise experience unique.

As you can see from the following table, our commitment to safeguard both our passengers and the environment has earned us numerous awards and certificates from various agencies.