MSC cruises on the move

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2004

MSC Cruises has announced the addition of a seventh ship to its fleet, which has increased from four to seven ships this year, with more on the horizon.

The MSC Sinfonia, recently purchased at auction, had been operating as the European Stars since entering service in 2002. She will be adapted to the quality, standards and style of MSC Cruises prior to setting sail on seven-night Mediterranean cruises in March 2005. She joins the MSC Armonia (formerly European Vision, built in 2001), which the line had purchased in April. The 58,700-gross-register-ton/1,566-passenger sister ships were constructed at famed French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique for now-defunct First European Cruises.

Rounding out the fleet are the MSC Opera, which was inaugurated June 26 in Genoa; MSC Lirica, launched in April 2003; as well as MSC Melody, MSC Monterey, and MSC Rhapsody. The line has orders at Chantiers that will increase the fleet to nine by 2007, with the possibility for a 10th ship. The company is also in talks with Italian yard Fincantieri to construct two additional ships.

MSC Cruises offers 40 different itineraries in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, and South Africa. One of the largest fully Italian-owned cruise companies, MSC Cruises is backed by Mediterranean Shipping Company, the second largest container shipping company in the world with a fleet of more than 250 ships. To strengthen its presence in the North American market, MSC has recently opened a new office in Florida.

For more information contact your travel agent or MSC Cruises (Cruise Travel Magazine), 6700 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309; call 800-666-9333; or log on to www.msccruises.com