MSC Virtuosa
MSC Virtuosa near Southampton, 2021
History
Malta
NameMSC Virtuosa
OwnerMSC Cruises
OperatorMSC Cruises
Port of registryValletta,  Malta
Ordered1 February 2016
BuilderChantiers de l’Atlantique
Cost€800 million (2016)[1]
Yard numberH34[2]
Laid down27 February 2019
Launched29 November 2019
Sponsored bySophia Loren
Christened27 November 2021
Acquired1 February 2021[3]
In service2021–present
Identification
General characteristics
Class and typeMeraviglia Plus-class cruise ship
Tonnage181,541 GT[4]
Length331.43 m (1,087.4 ft)[4]
Beam
  • 43 m (141.1 ft) (moulded)
  • 50 m (164.0 ft) (max)[4]
Height64.9 m (213 ft)[5]
Decks16
Speed22.3 kt (21,900 long tons; 24,600 short tons)[5]
Capacity
  • 4,842 (double occupancy)[5]
  • 6,334 (maximum capacity)[5]
Crew1,704[5]

MSC Virtuosa is a Meraviglia-Plus-class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, she is the second ship in the Meraviglia-Plus class and sister ship to MSC Grandiosa.[6][7] Originally scheduled to debut on 8 November 2020, her delivery and entry into service was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was delivered to MSC Cruises on 1 February 2021 and entered service in May 2021.[3][8]

History

Construction

On 2 February 2016, MSC Cruises announced that they had converted their options for two new ships into firm orders, with the new vessels being a part of a sub-class that evolves from the cruise line's original Meraviglia-class platform, dubbed "Meraviglia Plus".[7][1] Each new vessel was designed to be larger than their older Meraviglia-class sisters, at 181,000 GT, with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334 guests.[9]

On 14 June 2018, MSC Cruises celebrated the steel-cutting for the second Meraviglia Plus-class vessel and also announced her name as MSC Virtuosa at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.[10] Her coin ceremony was performed on 27 February 2019.[11] She was floated out on 29 November 2019 and moved to a wet dock to complete construction.[12][13]

Debut

MSC Virtuosa was originally scheduled to be delivered in October 2020[14] and sail her maiden voyage on 8 November 2020 from Genoa. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction delays arose at the shipyard and slowed the ship's construction progress.[8] The delivery took place on 1 February 2021 with a traditional flag ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.[15] She entered service on 20 May 2021 sailing from Southampton.[16]

Operational career

MSC Virtuosa was scheduled to begin sailing weekly itineraries in the Western Mediterranean in autumn 2020.[3] However, due to the construction delays, MSC Grandiosa replaced all of the ship's scheduled itineraries through the winter 2020–2021 season.[17] She entered service on 20 May 2021 with a series of three and four-night cruises from Southampton, before beginning seven-night cruises around the British Isles on 12 June with three embarkation ports in England and Scotland.[16] These cruises sailed to ports such as Portland, Liverpool, Greenock and Belfast and are exclusively for UK residents.[18] She was originally scheduled to cruise in Northern Europe and the Baltic region for the spring 2021 season, however these cruises were operated by MSC Seaview instead.[19] She re-positioned to Dubai in autumn 2021, where she was based throughout the winter, sailing 7-day itineraries in the Persian Gulf to the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.[20]


In 2022, MSC Virtuosa returned back to Southampton for a summer season from May until November 2022.[21] Whilst in Southampton she will perform 2-14 night cruises to regions including Northern Europe, Baltics, Norwegian Fjords and the Canary Islands.

Southampton is her main embarkation port during the season, with additional embarkation ports of Malaga, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal. In August 2022 it was announced MSC Virtuosa will be based in Southampton year-round and into summer 2023.[22]

Design and engineering

Like MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa will be equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97 percent.[12] She will also be capable of running on shorepower when docked at ports.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 Gibson, Rebecca (2 February 2016). "MSC Cruises orders two Meraviglia-Plus ships from STX France". CruiseandFerry.net. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Groizeleau, Vincent (30 January 2019). "Saint-Nazaire: Nouvelle mise sur cale en vue". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 S.A, MSC Crociere. "Corporate Information & Media Room". www.mscpressarea.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "MSC Virtuosa (9803625)". LR Class Direct. Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Corporate Information & Media Room". MSC Press Area (Press release). MSC Crociere, S.A. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  6. ↑ "Cruise ship information | Virtuosa| MSC Cruises". MSC Cruises Global Website. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  7. 1 2 Stieghorst, Tom (1 February 2016). "MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com.
  8. 1 2 Groizeleau, Vincent (5 May 2020). "Chantiers de l'Atlantique: delivery of MSC Virtuosa postponed by several months". Mer et Marine. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "MSC Cruises reveals name of first Meraviglia-Plus ship, lays keel for Bellissima". Seatrade Cruise News. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "First Steel Cut for MSC Cruises' Meraviglia-Plus II". World Maritime News. 14 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Staff, C. I. N. (27 February 2019). "Coin Ceremony Held for MSC Virtuosa". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 "MSC Virtuosa's Float Out Caps Month-Long Triple Celebrations For MSC Cruises". MSC Press Area. 2 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  13. ↑ "#MSCVirtuosa touched water for the first time this past Friday evening, as we celebrated her float out in Saint Nazaire, France". Twitter. 2 December 2019.
  14. ↑ "MSC Virtuosa's Float Out Caps Month-Long Triple Celebrations for MSC Cruises". MSC Cruises. 2 December 2019.
  15. ↑ Staff, C. I. N. (1 February 2021). "MSC Cruises Takes Delivery of MSC Virtuosa". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  16. 1 2 Romanenko, Maria (29 March 2021). "MSC To Deploy Virtuosa for UK Summer 2021 Cruises". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "MSC Announces Winter Program; New Protocols Onboard". Cruise Industry News. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  18. ↑ Weekly, Travel. "MSC Cruises' new flagship makes debut on UK coastal sailings". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  19. ↑ "Summer 2021: Msc Cruises' Flagship Msc Virtuosa To Perform Her Inaugural Season Around The British Isles Giving British Guests And Their Families An Opportunty [sic] For A Much Deserved And All-Inclusive Safe And Memorable Holiday". MSC Press Area. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  20. ↑ Ebelthite, Shaun (11 December 2019). "MSC Cruises to homeport new Meraviglia Plus-class MSC Virtuosa in Dubai for 2021/22 season". cruisearabiaonline.com. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  21. ↑ Hughes, Chris (27 April 2022). "MSC Virtuosa Southampton Cruises (2022)". beyondcruise.com. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "MSC Cruises to Base MSC Virtuosa in the U.K. Year-Round - Cruise Critic". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
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