MSC Grandiosa

The 2019-built MSC Grandiosa cruise ship is MSC's first MERAVIGLIA PLUS-class boat - with sisterships MSC Virtuosa (2021) and MSC Euribia (2023). Meraviglia-Plus vessels are an upgraded (enlarged design) version of the previous Meraviglia-Class boats MSC Meraviglia (2017) and MSC Bellissima (2019).

The vessel (IMO number 9803613) is currently Malta-flagged (MMSI 215325000) and registered in Valletta.

History - construction and ownership

MSC Cruises (MSC Crociere) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. It was established in 1960. Today, MSC Crociere is a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) - the world's 2nd largest containership company. MSC Crociere is the world's largest privately-owned cruise company.

By annual passenger shipping volumes, MSC is ranked the world's 3rd largest cruise shipowner - following only Carnival Corporation and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group.

Decks and Cabins

MSC Grandiosa staterooms (2421 total, in 17 categories) provide max passenger capacity 6334 (4810 lower berths) and ~75% of all cabins are with private step-out balconies. The largest are the MSC Yacht Club Royal Suites (700 ft2 / 65 m2 plus 430 ft2 / 40 m2 terrace with Jacuzzi).

The boat has 18 decks (3 crew-only, 15 passenger-accessible, 11 with cabins) and also features "cluster cabins" (up to 3 connecting staterooms for families) allowing up to three cabins to be interlinked for max capacity 10 guests. There are also 95x Yacht Club Suites (with 24-hour butler service and exclusive facilities), 15x Interior Studios (dedicated for solo travelers single cabins without single supplement), 60x ADA-compliant (wheelchair-accessible cabins for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility).

MSC Grandiosa decks are named after the world's most famous painters.

The MSC ship Grandiosa has total service area 460,000 m2 (4,951398 million ft2) and public areas 35,000 m2 (376,736 ft2), public area ratio 7,7 m2 (83 ft2) per passenger, 4 swimming pools (including 1x sliding roof-covered and 1x MSC Yacht Club), 9 Jacuzzis (outdoor whirlpool hot tubs), 32 elevators (19 passenger lifts, including 1x MSC Yacht Club and 2x panoramic / glass-walled lifts in the Atrium).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The ship offers 12 new and creative dining options onboard. Among those are the Mediterranean Village (speciality restaurant) and the exclusive Yacht Club Fine Dining Restaurant. The buffet is open 20 hours per day for international cuisine, Mediterranean specialities, itinerary-based themed food (with locally sourced produce), healthy and dietary dishes. Fine dining options include Kaito Sushi Bar, Kaito Teppanyaki Restaurant and American-style steakhouse featuring speciality meats from all around the world.

Follows the complete list of MSC Grandiosa restaurants and food bars.

• Main restaurant (dining room; offers different Italian traditional meals and wines; open for Breakfast 7:00-9:30 a.m., Lunch 12:00-2:00 p.m., and Dinner with 2 fixed seatings at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m.; with 7-course dinner menu; also features vegan and vegetarian meals)
• Purple Crab Restaurant (598-seat dining room, size 11302 ft2 / 1050 m2, open between 7-9 am, 12noon-2 pm, and 6:45-9:30 pm) is a complimentary restaurant with fixed dining times. It is the only restaurant on the ship that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (in fact, breakfast is only served at Waves). It is situated behind the Reception on Deck 5 and though at the aft it doesn't have aft windows (only porthole windows), so it is quite dark and with low ceilings. Tables vary from 2- to 8 seats. Blue Danube is a buffet-style restaurant with a la carte menu items (Eggs Benedict and omelets, for example). Hot dishes include buttermilk pancakes, cinnamon raisin French toast, fresh-baked pastries, and Belgian waffles. The "MSC Express" meal consists of bacon, sausages, hash browns, and eggs. There are also yogurts, cereals, toast, tea, coffee. Adjacent to the dining room is the Galley (kitchen and storage rooms for food and beverages).
• "HOLA! Tapas" bar by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixas (56-seat, size 1614 ft2 / 150 m2) replaces Eataly Restaurant (Eataly Food Chain designed food store and specialty restaurant)
• The aft-located La Loggia Restaurant (714-seat, size 10,763 ft2 / 1,000 m2, open between 6:15-10 pm) features a high ceiling, large windows, Flexi and MyTime Dining. The restaurant is accessed via the corridor that cuts through La Perla Grigia and La Perle Grise, passing the wine cellar.
• La Perla Grigia and La Perle Grise (908-seat, size 14402 ft2 / 1338 m2, open between 6:45-9:30 pm) are part of the same restaurant divided via a central walkway with Enomatic wine-dispensing machines and a wine display in the middle. The venue offers Flexi and MyTime Dining, so passengers can choose when they want to eat here. Tables are ranged tightly around the room and in various sizes.
• Masters of the Sea (81-seat, size 200 m2) is MSC Cruises version of a "British" pub, with a picture of London on its outside wall. Its outside tables are overlooking the promenade. Inside, it is designed in soft greens, with plenty of booth seating and low lighting. There is also space for a small band, 12 beers on tap as well as 47 bottles - a variety of popular brands from around the world. Cider and bar snacks are also offered, including fish 'n' chips starting at EUR 3.
• Katio Teppanyaki & Sushi Bar (open between 12-noon - 2:30 pm and 7-11 pm, a la carte-priced, capacity 16+32 seats, size 1022 ft2 / 95 m2 Sushi and 775 ft2 / 72 m2 Teppanyaki) offers 3 menu choices: Geisha (EUR 18), Samurai (EUR 24) and Emperor (EUR 45). The price reflects the seafood and meat choices. The Teppanyaki has two cooking areas, with 8 people sat on stools either side. Meals start with miso soup and a plate of sushi and tempura. Guests specify how they'd like their meat done, so the chef prepares it in front of them. The experience lasts around 2 hours. Reservations are essential in the evening, while the venue is walk-in during the day. Outside is the sushi bar, overlooking the promenade.
• Butcher's Cut (open between 12noon-2:30 pm and 7-11 pm, size 753 ft2 / 70 m2) is a 58-seat American steakhouse restaurant on Galleria's upper deck, with an open kitchen and indoor seating, along with outside seating (overlooking the promenade). The food consists of big cuts of different meats (steak, lamb, even bison), salad starters and prawn cocktail (served on ice), dipping sauces on the side, desserts bar (including a signature lava cake and New York cheesecake).
• Il Campo Restaurant (188-seat, size 3584 ft2 / 333 m2 main dining room)
• Marketplace Buffet Restaurant and Bar (1,336-seat Buffet Bar and Aft Wine Cellar, size 39288 ft2 / 3650 m2, open between 6:30 am - 10 pm) serve international cuisine specialties and traditional Mediterranean dishes, world food, itinerary-based cuisine, healthy food items.
• Sports Bar (24-seat drinks and finger food bar, size 3433 ft2 / 319 m2) is an American-dinner type food bar that serves beers, soft drinks, hot dogs, popcorns, snacks, energy and protein drinks, shakes, and juices.
• MSC YACHT CLUB Restaurant (140-seat, size 4359 ft2 / 405 m2) serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with no fixed times. A different menu is offered every day, reflecting the current cruise itinerary/region of the ship.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Meraviglia Plus class ships feature new original shows. A total of eight shows are available on MSC Meraviglia and Meraviglia-plus ships. Each of the 4 ships sails with 2 new contrasting shows, with the first 2 debuted onboard MSC Meraviglia in June 2017.

MSC Grandiosa has a large water park connected to an indoor amusement park on two levels and to 2-deck entertainment space (interior promenade) housing specialty restaurants, bars, duty-free shops. The Promenade is covered by a LED dome ceiling (called “digital sky”) displaying visual shows.

Grandiosa also boasts cutting-edge wristband technology to make payments, book specialty restaurants and spa treatments, and allow parents to geo-locate their kids.

Follows the complete list of MSC Grandiosa lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• (new) L’Atelier Bistrot (with Art Wall) is a 130-seat pre-dinner cocktail bar, size 437 m2
• 12 weekly Cirque du Soleil shows in Carousel Lounge (373-seat, size 1100 m2), accommodating 120 passengers for dinner, plus additional 290 seated guests for drinks. The acrobatic show productions (VIAGGIO, SONOR, COSMOS, EXENTRICKS) each span 40 minutes. Carousel Lounge is fitted with 80x kinetic LED lights providing video and sound effects at specific moments during the show.
• Broadway Theater (main show lounge, capacity 945 seats, size 10763 ft2 / 1000 m2) is a fore-located show lounge hosting 6 different shows per voyage - including opera, flamenco show, grand productions, such as Virtual, based on phone apps (dating apps, maps, a sequence of nurses and doctors, all to energetic dance background. These shows run 3 times per night to cater for different dining times and last around 40 min each. They vary in theme, with the opera and flamenco being more adult-oriented, Virtual being kids-aimed. The theatre has good sightlines and comfy seats. During the day, it is used for a variety of activities including kids activity programs like Doremi Music Match, part of Kelly & Kloe program and Doremi live talent show.
• Grandiosa Bar Lounge (62-seat, size 3390 ft2 / 315 m2) is the promenade bar located aft (outside Broadway Theatre). In the early evening, it is a lively spot with a dance floor.
• Business Centre (size 721 ft2 / 67 m2, 58-seat Conference Hall / Meeting Rooms)
• Infinity Atrium (Lobby level) served by 22-seat Infinity Bar with Reception Lounge (22-seat, size 4843 ft2 / 450 m2) is 3-decks high and crisscrossed via 4 chrome staircases. A grand piano is available on a raised dais, with early evening performances. Infinity Bar (21-seat, size 1291 ft2 / 120 m2) is an Atrium Bar popular for daily coffees and evening pre- and post-dinner cocktails with robotic service. The Reception Desk provides 24-hour guest services and assistance.
• Piazza del Lusso is a semi-circular space (size 2949 ft2 / 274 m2) housing duty-free shops, patisserie (pastry bar), ice cream bar, live music performances. Promo sales are often offered throughout the day. The shops include Perfumes and Cosmetics, Watches and Sunglasses, Fashion Jewellery, MSC Shop (logoed merchandise), Boutique and Accessories Shop, Fine Watches and Jewellery Shop, Mini-Mall (convenience store).
• Galleria Grandiosa (size 13454 ft2 / 1250 m2, Deck 6/7) is the indoor Promenade featuring an 80-meter LED ceiling changing throughout the day with different skies, patterns, mini-movies. The Galleria is the ship's social hub, with a double-deck of shops, bars, and restaurants. It is home to nightly parades, featuring the onboard performers. The ceiling over Galleria Grandiosa is sized 480 m2 (LED screen "digital sky") and transmits live views (sunsets, sunrises, night sky), also special events, shows, live performances. At Galleria Grandiosa's LED ceiling are displayed a variety of scenes throughout the day and night, all of which are listed on the ship's daily planner. Themed parties are held in the evenings when the indoor promenade turns into a party street for dancing till late.
• Jean-Philippe Chocolate & Coffee (80-seat, size 2475 ft2 / 230 m2, open between 7 am -1 am, a la carte priced) is an open-kitchen / patisserie display / chocolate shop / cafe with a few seats by its porthole windows. The emphasis is on the unique sweets creations made by the ship's chocolate team (reefs, octopuses, turtles) displayed in glass cases in front of the open kitchen. Guests can't buy these but can buy an exquisite chocolate shoe for EUR 29 apiece, which is the best-selling chocolate item.
• Jean-Philippe Crepes & Ice Cream (15-seat, size 441 ft2 / 41 m2, open between 4-10 pm) is an a la carte-priced venue serving crepes, gourmet ice cream, and ice cream sundaes.
• MSC Excursions / MSC Future Cruise (size 50 m2 Tour Desk providing information and onboard booking services)
• La Vetrina, Luxury Plaza, Photo Shop (MSC Photo, size 1291 ft2 / 120 m2) and Gallery, Edge Cocktail Bar (60-seat, size 1722 ft2 / 160 m2), MSC Foundation Centre (size 409 ft2 / 38 m2), Emotions Immersive Gallery.
• MSC Aurea SPA complex (size 11840 ft2 / 1100 m2, open between 9 am - 9 pm) consists of Steam Rooms, Saunas, Frigidarium, Relaxation Room, Thalassotherapy hot tubs, heated swimming pool, Whirlpools, Treatment Rooms, Aerobics Studio/Yoga classes, Bar, Solarium Area, Beauty Salon) is the largest on any MSC Cruises ship, with twenty treatment rooms and possibly the largest thermal suite at sea. There are 18 Balinese therapists offering treatments like facials, traditional Balinese massage (EUR 70 for 30 minutes), Thai massage, candle massage and Aurea del Mare treatment with shells (EUR 110). A 45-minute Bali "Holistic" massage is EUR 110 (not including the 15% service charge). Treatments also include anti-cellulite as well as various water treatments. The Thermal Suite has 2 steam rooms (one light, one dark), two saunas (one Mediterranean, one Finnish), 2 relaxation rooms, 2 aromatherapy rooms, salt room, snow grotto, walk-through shower and 2 thalassotherapy pools. A daily pass is EUR 40 per day (EUR 55 per couple), and weekly is EUR 120 (EUR 165 per couple). Jean Louis David salon is adjoining the spa and as well as hair treatments, features beauty therapies including waxing, nail services, men's grooming. Shampoo and style starts at EUR 27.
• TV Studio and Bar (101-seat, size 3659 ft2 / 340 m2) is an enclosed cocktail bar located on the upper deck of Galleria that has live music, late-night karaoke, and a dance floor. It broadcasts live games, talent contests, popular quizzes.
• Galleria Grandiosa (size 1,250 m2) is the indoor Promenade featuring an 80-meter LED ceiling changing throughout the day with different skies, patterns, mini-movies. The Galleria is the ship's social hub, with a double-deck of shops, bars and restaurants. It is home to nightly parades, featuring the onboard performers. The ceiling that covers the entire indoor promenade area is actually a LED screen (sized 5170 ft2 / 480 m2). This is the digital sky that transmits live views (including sunsets, sunrises, the starry sky) and also various special events and shows.
• Champagne Bar (155-seat, size 6393 ft2 / 594 m2, serves premium Champagne brands, with Atrium seating)
• Outlet at Sea (temporary shop)
• Grandiosa Library (6-seat walkthrough library, size 35 m2, with bookshelves)
• Le Grand Casino (600-seat, size 15068 ft2 / 1,400 m2)
• Solarium (adults-only relaxation area with Solarium Pool and Bar) 
• Main Pool area (swimming pools - 150-seat Safari Pool & Bar size 10763ft2 / 1000 m2, 851-seat Atmosphere Pool size 18298 ft2 / 1700 m2, 258-seat Bar North, 84-seat Bar South & Ice Cream Bar, whirlpools, sunbathing area with loungers), Dance Floor
• The fore-located Solarium is an adults-only sundeck / relaxation area. The fore-located 167-seat Top Sail Lounge (size 4553 ft2 / 423 m2) is exclusive (open to Yacht Club passengers only) with a dedicated concierge area (size 538 ft2 / 50 m2). It features floor-ceiling windows (for panoramic bow views), plenty of seating (sofas, chairs, and tables), designated Bar (table service). Drinks are served free to all MSC Yacht Club passengers. Snacks are also complimentary and offered throughout the day. The entire YC Suite-exclusive complex is named MSC YACHT CLUB Lounge & Bar.
• MSC Gym by TechnoGym (fitness centre, size 6135 ft2 / 570 m2, open between 9 am - 10 pm) features floor-ceiling windows, cardio equipment, 14 treadmills, 6 exercise bikes (of which 3 pro and 3 recumbent), Kinesis machine, free weights training area, separate spinning room and circuit training area, separate studio for classes. Yoga, pilates and group bike training cost EUR 10 per person per hour. A fitness package (including 3 personal training sessions and 2 body analyzer scans) costs EUR 59.
• 4D Interactive Cinema (EUR 8 per person, EUR 6 for kids), SPORTPLEX Team Sports Arena (multiuse sports court for playing basketball, tennis, football, volleyball, size 208 m2, lower level 1 of 2), Super Amusement Park (TV Games, team sports, two “Formula 1” F1 car simulators, full-size Bowling Alley, Flight Simulator), Virtual Games Arcade (size 166 m2), Power Walking Track (runs around half the entire ship / 1 lap = 328 m).
• Horizon Amphitheatre is a sundeck (outdoor theatre, size 11571 ft2 / 1,075 m2, decks 16-18) with capacity 140 seats (loungers-deckchairs) and a sundeck / Horizon swimming pool (size 9256 ft2 / 860 m2).
• Sky Lounge & Bar (180-seat, size 6,781 ft2 / 630 m2) is an indoor lounge with floor-ceiling windows (overlooking the main pool deck) and a separate Cigar Room. Sky Lounge is ideal for pre- and post-dinner cocktails, with a menu that includes "molecular" cocktails. A guitarist, pianist, and singer entertain passengers throughout the day.
• Attic Club (41-seat disco nightclub bar, size 753 ft2 / 70 m2) is Horizon Bar's indoor area with a dance floor and overlooking the Seaplex. The 45-seat Horizon Bar serves Horizon Amphitheater (pool deck) and nightly serves as it is tiny but serves a large space.
• Reception (for the children’s facilities), Doremi Tech Lab (with 3D printer). Doremi Studio is a theatre-like (TV studio) with a big LED screen and tiered seating, family time games, dance floor, interactive gaming.
• Baby Club CHICCO (size 505 ft2 / 47 m2) is a nursery (babysitting facility via partnership with CHICCO / Italian babywear company). It is open for toddlers from 6 to 36 months old and offers a lot of free baby products (diapers, wipes, bottles, Infant formula, selection of strollers and cots). The nursery has a large TV, coloured books and soft play area with age-appropriate toys, a separate room with cots, bathroom. Supervised activities include Mini Olympic games, cooking class, Baby Time (allows parents to play with their kids), Baby Care (allows parents to leave their children / 1-year-old and older for ~90 min in the morning-afternoon-evening). Parents must do the feeding, but the staff change nappies. Nursery's opening hours are between  9 am - 1 pm, 3-6 pm and 8-11:00 pm.
• Mini Club LEGO (playroom for 3-6-year-olds, size 65 m2) has a lot of Lego and Duplo bricks, cinema, foosball, kids books, crayons, pens, age-appropriate toys, kids programming with supervised activities (sports, arts-crafts, treasure hunts, musical chairs, games, dressing up, cooking in the TV Studio).
• Juniors Club LEGO (playroom for 7-11-year-olds, size 753 ft2 / 70 m2) has a big play pit full of bricks, age-appropriate toys and games, cinema, foosball, supervised activities (games, sports, arts-crafts), educational activities, a daily session at Doremi Lab. The two rooms are connected and when opened up create a large playground.
• Young Club (size 861 ft2 / 80 m2) is for the 12 to 14-year-olds (the "tweens") and operates on a different basis from the younger kids' clubs. Programming is offered all day on sea days and only in the afternoon on port days. Facilities include table tennis, foosball, PS4, some double seats in which kids can lounge back to play video games from a TV placed in the ceiling, as well as traditional board games. The most innovative technology asset is a multi-media table allowing kids to post messages and pictures which then get screened on the club's walls. Programming includes generation games, lip sync battles, sports tournaments in the Sportplex. There is a EUR 10 per kid per hour charge for use of the club between 11 pm - 2 am (otherwise access is free).
• Teen Club (size 50 m2) is aimed at 15- to 17-year-olds. The private room is adjacent to the kids' club. It is a circular lounge with dance floor, plenty of chairs, large TVs, beanbags, video games (PS4, VR, Nintendo Switch), and WEB Creator Room (size 516 ft2 / 48 m2). The programming includes generation games, sports and dancing competitions including ping pong and mini-golf.
• MSC Yacht Club Open Area (size 13185 ft2 / 1,225 m2) is an exclusive sundeck (for YC passengers only) with Swimming Pool, Bar, Grill, two Solariums (sundecks each with a large-size Jacuzzi / Whirlpool).
• TOP 19 Exclusive Solarium is an adults-only sundeck sized 500 m2. Towel service is available.
• Wild Forest Aquapark & Bar has 4 twisting waterslides, swimming pools, Himalayan Bridge, Ropes Course.

Traditionally for MSC ships, Grandiosa has two F1 Simulators (Formula 1 VR racing cars).

In 2022, MSC introduced on Grandiosa two shows at The Carousel Lounge - STRINGS and SWEET. The 40-minute shows (developed by MSC's new brand "Carousel Productions at Sea") combine sound and light effects with music, dancing and live acrobatic performances by professional artists.

Itineraries

MSC Grandiosa itinerary program started with 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises (winter 2019-2020 season). Bookings were opened on March 5, 2018.

Following the COVID crisis, the ship was deployed in Europe/Mediterranean and seasonally in South America (based in Brazil's ports Santos and Salvador de Bahia).

Starting December 2025, MSC Grandiosa is deployed in the Caribbean offering 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries leaving roundtrip from Port Canaveral/Orlando (Florida USA).

The vessel (STX France, Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard/hull number G34) has volume 181541 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 19610 tons, max draught 9 m. The powerplant is based on 4x Wartisla marine diesel engines (models 2x 12V46DF plus 2x 16V46DF) with combined output 64 MW (85830 hp). The propulsion is based on 2x Azipod thrusters with combined output 40 MW (53640). The registered shipowner is VISTA 3 COMPANIA NAVIERA SA, while the registered manager is MSC CROCIERE SPA.

The ship name "MSC Grandiosa" was filed for a trademark on September 13, 2016 (serial number 79197602) and trademarked on September 12, 2017 (registration number 5283204). On November 15, 2017, at the STX France shipyard in St Nazaire was held the MSC Bellissima ship's keel-laying (coin) ceremony and MSC Grandiosa's steel-cutting ceremony. The vessel's delivery dates were scheduled, respectively, for March 2019 and November 2019. As of 2017, MSC Cruises had a total of 4 ships under construction and a total of 11 vessels planned for launches in 2017-2020 as part of the company's EUR 9 billion fleet expansion program.

Bookings on MSC Grandiosa cruises were opened on March 5, 2018 (for MSC Voyagers Club/loyalty program members) and on March 19 (for general customers). Sales for the inaugural cruise (November 10, 2019, from Hamburg) were opened on October 7, 2018. The promo offer was for MSC Voyagers Club members only (exclusive access through October 21 midnight), who also received a special discount (5%) in addition to their regular 5% loyalty discount.

The vessel's launch (float-out from drydock) was on January 5, 2019. The 3-day sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean were successfully completed in August 28-31. Ship's christening ceremony was initially scheduled for November 2, then rescheduled for November 9th (2019).

Following the shipyard's official delivery to the shipowner (October 31, 2019), the ship's Captain is Marco Massa - with MSC since 1995. The first MSC liners in his career were Symphony, Rhapsody, Melody, Lirica, Opera, Sinfonia, Musica, Orchestra, Poesia, Fantasia, Splendida, Magnifica, Divina, also the 2008-built containership MSC Monterey (IMO 9349796, max capacity 4860 TEU-containers). For the first time, he was appointed Captain (Master) of MSC Musica (2012). Before Grandiosa, he also commanded the MSC ships Seaview (2018), Magnifica (during MSC's first World Cruise 2019) and Seaside (2019).

Grandiosa's other chief officers are Antonio Laccarino (Chief Engineer, with MSC Shipping since 1995, with MSC Cruises since 2000) and Giuseppe Maresca (Hotel Director, with MSC Cruises since 2000 / on MSC Melody).

Ship's christening ceremony was on November 9 (2019) and held in Port Hamburg (Germany) where the vessel was docked between November 6-10. For the naming ceremony, Hamburg Haven's Blue Port was transformed into a stage around the Elbphilharmonie (2 concert halls). 20 in-harbor locations generated light art (designed by Michael Batz) with blue lights and graphic drawings. The ceremony was attended by 14,000+ travel agents and VIP guests, and led by the MSC's traditional godmother Sophia Loren - 1934-born (as Sofia Villani Scicolone) Italian actress and singer.

MSC Grandiosa refurbishments review

The ship's first drydocking was in 2024 (October 27 through November 16) conducted at Palumbo Shipyard (Valletta Harbour, Malta). The project was for routine maintenance works and safety/classification inspections, system/machinery overhauls, hull cleaning/repainting, minor interior renovations.

Meraviglia Plus-Class ship technology

On February 1, 2016, MSC announced a shiporder for two new-class mega-liners. The newbuilds (Meraviglia Plus-class) have max capacity 6300 passengers, 200 additional cabins and are longer (16 m / 50 ft) compared to Meraviglia-Class. Meraviglia-Plus ships were scheduled for deliveries in November 2019 (Grandiosa) and April 2020 (Virtuosa).

New features on Meraviglia-Plus ships include the first at sea fine-art museum (with original artworks), longer (111 m / 36 ft) indoor promenade (Galleria) and larger LED screen (95x6 m / 280x20 ft) for pool deck's outdoor theater. The extra space in the Galleria allows two additional restaurants. MSC signed an exclusive partnership with Samsung (providing the digital technology) and Cirque du Soleil (providing live shipboard programming).

Meraviglia Plus-class ships are also fleet's most technologically-advanced, implementing latest marine engine technologies. Their machinery includes hybrid scrubbers (exhaust gas cleaning systems), SCR (selective catalytic reduction system converting NOx into diatomic nitrogen), most efficient waste plant, latest wastewater treatment system, superior recycling capabilities, emission-reducing, and fuel-efficient heat recovery system.

MSC's ZOE

On February 1, 2019, MSC officially revealed the in-cabin digital assistant ZOE. The technology ("cruise industry first") was developed by Harman International (US-based company, a fully-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics). Harman International has developed digital audio solutions for major corporations (Including Google, Microsoft, Amazon).

• ZOE is an artificial intelligence device (voice-enabled, with advanced voice recognition software) available in all passenger staterooms.
• ZOE speaks 7 languages, answer cruise-related questions, provides info on shipboard services-activities-facilities, makes reservations and bookings.
• The digital device features far-field microphones, top-quality speaker, quad-core processor (for fast response times), direct phone connection (through Bluetooth). The system can also upgrade its own database to answer previously unanswerable questions.
• Passenger data (including itinerary/tour and shipboard preferences) is stored in the Cloud Storage system and used on the next scheduled voyage.
• The device (sized ~15 cm) can be activated whenever passengers choose. A waiver must be signed to agree for their personal data to be stored.

Starting with Bellissima (2019), ZOE is now available on all newbuild MSC liners and introduced fleetwide over 2019-2024.

Inaugural itineraries 2019

Ship's maiden voyage is from Genoa (departing November 16, 2019) and visits Civitavecchia (Rome), Palermo (Sicily), Valletta (Malta), Barcelona (Spain) and Marseille (France).

Next tables show the ship's Inaugural cruise itineraries with call ports times. Prices (USD, based on double occupancy Inside Cabin rates) started from USD 1040 pp.

7-day "Inaugural Cruise" - homeport Genoa roundtrip

7-day homeport Civitavecchia-Rome roundtrip

7-day homeport Palermo roundtrip

7-day homeport Barcelona roundtrip

7-day homeport Marseille roundtrip

Godspeed!