Today at the coin ceremony for the MSC Meraviglia held in Saint-Nazaire, France, MSC Cruises confirmed the existing STX France options to build an additional two ships in the Meraviglia class. MSC now has four firm orders on the books from STX France, plus another three ships at Fincantieri.
Furthermore, the two new next-generation ships known as Meraviglia-Plus will feature increased tonnage and overall size, totaling 2,444 staterooms and a double occupancy of 4,888 guests.
A second ship (out of four) debuts in early 2019.
The two new ships will now be completed respectively in October 2019 and September 2020, thus delivering the last of the now four Meraviglia STX France made-ships two years earlier than expected.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises Executive Chairman commented: “Our long-standing cooperation with STX-France and the continued growth of our business allows me today to confirm well-ahead of time the existing options for two additional ships. The two Meraviglia-Plus vessels will be even larger and longer as well as richer in features and amenities, thus confirming MSC Cruises as the industry’s boldest innovator when it comes to ship design and experiences we create for our guests.”
France’s Minister Macron added: “Built here in Saint Nazaire like the rest of the MSC fleet of cruise ships, MSC Meraviglia will also be christened in France, proof of the strong ties between the MSC group and France. The order of two new Meraviglia class ships, to be delivered in 2019 and 2020, that we are celebrating today, is further proof of MSC’s loyalty to the Saint Nazaire shipyards and recognition of the excellence and savoir faire of STX’s staff and subcontractors.”
Laurent Castaing, President of STX France, commented: “This order extends a unique and remarkable partnership that we have built with MSC Cruises over the years that we have been constructing their ships. The proof lies in the quality of our relationship with a discerning client that trusts us and by the experience provided by our respective teams during projects, who have learned to innovate together to give the MSC Cruises fleet outstanding levels of modernity, performance and safety. We are very proud to contribute to the development and success of our client, whose ambitions have already made them one of the world’s leading shipowners.”
MSC Cruises today also announced that MSC Meraviglia will be christened in Le Havre, France.
Vago added: “Standing here at the STX France shipyard for the coin ceremony for the eleventh time is a reflection of how strong our ties are with France, which is where all the ships of our current fleet were built. This makes MSC Cruises, when it comes to export contracts, the number one foreign private investor in France – having invested over $8.6 billion over the period and one of the leadingoverall investors.”
“For this reason, I am proud to announce that MSC Meraviglia will respectively be christened in France in the beautiful UNESCO-listed port of Le Havre on June 1, 2017. From there, it will then set forth for its inaugural season to be spent in the Mediterranean, homeporting in another French port Marseille.”
