MSC Cruises
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1988 Naples, Italy |
| Founder | Gianluigi Aponte |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Cruises |
Number of employees | 23,500 |
| Parent | Mediterranean Shipping Company |
| Subsidiaries | Explora Journeys |
| Website | www |
MSC Cruises, officially MSC Crociere S.A., is a cruise line belonging to the Mediterranean Shipping Company.[1][2]
It is the fourth-largest cruise operator in the world and the second-largest in Europe, surpassed only by Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Group, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. It has a worldwide market share of approximately 6.4% (in 2015).
By April 2025, it will operate a fleet of 25 ships, including the first two vessels of its subsidiary Explora Journeys.
History
It was founded in 1987 and the following year began operating the Monterey (formerly the Matson Lines ocean liner Monterey).
In 1989, it acquired the Starlauro shipping line, renaming it MSC-Starlauro. In 1995, the company was renamed again due to its loss of popularity due to several fires that sank the company's two ships. MSC Cruises was born.
Logo
MSC Cruises' logo has changed format several times since the acquisition of Starlauro. Initially, the logo was exactly the same as that of the parent company, Mediterranean Shipping Company: a lowercase "m" on a curved line and a lowercase "s" and "c" together.
Later, the logo changed to the format most similar to the current one, with the initial logo inserted into a Mediterranean Compass Rose, reflecting Mediterranean shapes and style. Next to the logo are the capital letters MSC, and in some versions, the word cruises is written in different languages below the letters MSC.
The logo changed tones several times, but blue dominated in this second logo. Noteworthy are the characteristic MSC Cruises funnels, all painted in a very noble and nautical navy blue.
Fleet
Current fleet
| Ship | Built | Builder | Joined MSC | Gross tonnage | Flag | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mistral-class | |||||||
| MSC Armonia | 2001 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique | May 2004 | 65,542 | Panama | Built as the MS European Vision for Festival Cruises | |
| MSC Sinfonia | 2002 | March 2005 | 65,542 | Panama | Built as the MS European Stars for Festival Cruises | ||
| MSC Lirica | 2003 | March 2003 | 65,591 | Panama | First purpose-built new build for MSC Cruises | ||
| MSC Opera | 2004 | March 2004 | 65,591 | Panama | |||
| Musica class | |||||||
| MSC Musica | 2006 | Aker Yards (Saint-Nazaire) | July 2006 | 92,409 | Panama | ||
| MSC Orchestra | 2007 | May 2007 | 92,409 | Panama | |||
| MSC Poesia | 2008 | Aker Yards/STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) | Oct 2008 | 92,627 | Panama | ||
| MSC Magnifica | 2010 | STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) | March 2010 | 95,128 | Panama | Modified Musica class | |
| Fantasia class | |||||||
| MSC Fantasia | 2008 | Aker Yards/STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) | Dec 2008 | 137,936 | Panama | ||
| MSC Splendida | 2009 | July 2009 | 137,936 | Panama | |||
| MSC Divina | 2012 | STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) | June 2012 | 139,400 | Panama | Modified Fantasia class | |
| MSC Preziosa | 2013 | March 2013 | 139,400 | Panama | Modified Fantasia class[3] | ||
| Seaside class | |||||||
| MSC Seaside | 2017 | Fincantieri | Nov 2017 | 153,516 | Malta | ||
| MSC Seaview | 2018 | June 2018 | 153,516 | Malta | |||
| Seaside EVO-class | |||||||
| MSC Seashore | 2021 | Fincantieri | August 2021 | 170,412 | Malta | ||
| MSC Seascape | 2022[4] | November 2022 | 170,400[5] | Malta | |||
| Meraviglia class | |||||||
| MSC Meraviglia | 2017 | STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) | May 2017 | 171,598 | Malta | ||
| MSC Bellissima | 2019 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique | March 2019 | 171,598 | Malta | ||
| Meraviglia Plus-class | |||||||
| MSC Grandiosa | 2019 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique | November 2019 | 181,541 | Malta | [6] | |
| MSC Virtuosa | 2021 | May 2021 | 181,541 | Malta | [6] | ||
| MSC Euribia[7] | 2023[8] | May 2023 | 184,011 | Malta | Second ship powered by liquid natural gas (LNG) to join the fleet. | ||
| World Class | |||||||
| MSC World Europa[9] | 2022[10] | Chantiers de l'Atlantique | December 2022 | 215,863[11] | Malta | Originally named MSC Europa.[12]
Largest ship built for MSC Cruises and first in the fleet powered by LNG with solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and having "G"-shape bow design. |
|
| MSC World America[13][14] | 2025[15] | March 2025 | 216,638[16] | Malta | LNG-fueled cruise ship.[17] Construction started on 22 October 2022.[18][19] Sea Trials completed[20] and delivered in March 2025 |
||
Future ships
| Ship | Due to enter service | Builder | Gross tonnage | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World class | |||||
| MSC World Asia[21][14] | 2026[22] | Chantiers de l'Atlantique | 216,638[22] | LNG-fueled cruise ship[17] | |
| MSC World Atlantic[23] | 2027[22] | 216,638[22] | LNG-fueled cruise ship[17] | ||
| World Class 5[24] | 2029[24] | 216,638[24] | LNG-fueled cruise ship[24] | ||
| World Class 6[24] | 2030[24] | 216,638[24] | LNG-fueled cruise ship[24] | ||
MSC is also in negotiations with Finnish, Italian and French yards for new builds.[25][26][27][28]
Former fleet
| Ship | Built | Builder | In service for MSC | Gross tonnage | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achille Lauro | 1947 | Scheepsbouw-Maatschappij De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands | 1988- 1994 | 23,629 | Built for Royal Rotterdam Lloyd as the MS Willem Ruys. Sank after catching fire in 1994. | |
| Monterey | 1952 | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Maryland, United States | 1990- 2006 | 20,000 | Originally known as SS Free State Mariner. Previously Monterey for Matson Lines and Monterey for Aloha Pacific Cruises. Scrapped in 2007. | |
| Symphony | 1951 | Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, England | 1994- 2000 | 16,000 | Previously Provence for SGTM Line and Enrico C for Costa Cruises. Scrapped in 2001. | |
| Rhapsody | 1977 | Burmeister & Wain, Denmark | 1995- 2009 | 17,095 | Previously Cunard Conquest and Cunard Princess for Cunard Line. Scrapped in 2022. | |
| Melody | 1982 | CNIM (La Seyne-sur-Mer), France | 1997- 2013 | 35,143 | Previously Atlantic for Home Lines and StarShip Atlantic for Premier Cruise Line. Scrapped in 2018. |
References
- ↑ "Market Share Cruise Market Watch". Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ↑ "MSC Cruises Company Profile - MSC Fleet - Mediterranean Way of Life". Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ↑ "MSC Cruises-UK News: MSC Cruises Welcomes MSC Preziosa". Msccruises.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 November 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ↑ "New MSC Seascape Delivered from Fincantieri". 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2022-11-16.
- ↑ "MSC SEASCAPE, THE LARGEST AND MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED CRUISE SHIP EVER BUILT IN ITALY, JOINS THE FLEET". 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2022-11-16.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Williamson, Jeannine (2019-10-31). "MSC Cruises Takes Delivery of first Meraviglia Plus Class Ship, MSC Grandiosa". www.cruisecritic.com.au. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
- ↑ "MSC Begins Construction of Euribia, Its Most Environmentally-Advanced Ship". 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
- ↑ Ebelthite, Shaun (29 June 2021). "MSC begins construction of third Meraviglia-Plus class ship, MSC Euribia -". cruise-arabia.com. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
- ↑ Kalosh, Anne (29 June 2020). "Chantiers de l'Atlantique lays keel for LNG-powered MSC World Europa". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ↑ "MSC and Chantiers Mark Double Newbuild Milestones". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
- ↑ "MSC World Europa". msccruisesusa.com. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
- ↑ "Msc guarda all'ambiente, ecco 'Europa': a Saint Nazaire il taglio della prima lamiera". Primocanale.it (in Italian). Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ↑ "MSC CRUISES CUTS STEEL ON MSC WORLD AMERICA, SECOND INNOVATIVE WORLD CLASS SHIP". 2022-10-24. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "MSC Names Next New Ship World America". 2022-10-24. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ↑ "MSC CRUISES AND CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE MARK THREE WORLD CLASS SHIP MILESTONES IN SAINT-NAZAIRE". 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
- ↑ "MSC World Europa". msccruisesusa.com. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "New Cruise Ships - MSC Cruises | New Ships - World Class". Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ↑ https://chantiers-atlantique.com/en/news/msc-and-chantiers-de-latlantique-mark-a-major-step-forward-with-the-delivery-of-msc-world-europa/
- ↑ https://chantiers-atlantique.com/en/institutional/chantiers-de-latlantique-to-integrate-the-first-lng-operated-fuel-cell-onboard-an-msc-cruises-ship/
- ↑ "MSC WORLD AMERICA COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL SEA TRIALS AHEAD OF APRIL LAUNCH". 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
- ↑ "MSC Cruises Holds Steel Cutting Ceremony for MSC World Asia". 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 McCarthy, Daniel (21 January 2020). "MSC Cruises Adds Two World Class Vessels, New Ship Class to Expansion Plans". Travel Market Report. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ↑ "MSC and Chantiers Celebrate Milestones for Three World Class Ships - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 "MSC Orders Two More World Class Ships - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
- ↑ https://www.ttgmedia.com/cruise/msc-cruises-confirms-talks-under-way-with-shipyards-over-new-ship-class-49216
- ↑ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/cruise/msc-cruises-to-take-the-bar-higher-with-next-generation-of-ships
- ↑ https://cruiseweekly.com.au/news/msc-going-bigger/80807
- ↑ https://www.seereisenportal.de/news/kreuzfahrt-news-schifffahrtsnachrichten/msc-cruises-hebt-mit-der-naechsten-schiffsgeneration-die-standards-an/