MSC cruises: rapidly rising European line makes waves in North American waters

Cruise Travel, May-June, 2005 by Charles Doherty

Home Lines fans will fondly remember the 1,064-passenger MSC Melody as the homey--and homely--Atlantic (later Premier's Star/Ship Atlantic with the awful "'Big Red Boat" hull). But inside her squat, boxy profile are spacious public rooms with high ceilings, and plenty of open deck space. Fresh from a $10.5-million refurbishment, she sparkles on her seven-night Western Med roundtrips out of Genoa.

The line's globe-trotter is the 764-passenger MSC Rhapsody (nee Cunard Line's Cunard Princess), the recipient of a multimillion-dollar refit in 2004 that upgraded cabins in particular, but left her sleek, contemporary profile unchanged. She sails the Baltic and North seas in the summer, sandwiched by Med cruises, heading to South America for the winter--the long way, via South Africa.

On the horizon, MSC has two 2,550-passenger Panamax ships under construction, due to debut in the springs of 2006 and 2007, and is investigating options for future new-builds--tonnage the line will need as it advances towards the goal of attracting 40 percent American passengers fleetwide. Sasso hopes to have two or three ships based in North America year-round, as the line expands its offerings throughout both North and South America, as well as Europe, Africa, and eventually worldwide. The international cruise experience aboard MSC Cruises is a clear alternative to the homogenous megaliners dominating the American market, an alternative attracting adventurous, sophisticated cruisers. With so many new and varied ships sailing unusual itineraries at competitive prices, MSC is an exciting option.

"We only have one product to sell--memories," says Keesler. "That's the one thing you take home from your cruise." Hop onboard and make some memories of your own.

For more information contact your travel agent or MSC Cruises USA (Cruise Travel Magazine), 6750 North Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309; or log on to www.msccruises.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: MSC cruises fleet at a glance.

MSC ARMONIA, 58,700-gross-register-tons/1,566-passengers (double occupancy), built 2001 at Chantiers de t'Atlantique (France) as Festival Cruised European Vision; entered MSC fleet in 2004.

MSC LIRICA, 58,600-grt/1,590-pax, built 2003 at Chantiers for MSC fleet.

MSC MELODY, 35,143-grt/1,064-pax, built 1982 at C.N.I.M. (France) as Home Lines Cruises' Atlantic (later Premier Cruises' Star/Ship Atlantic); entered MSC fleet in 1997.

MSC MONTEREY, 20,046-grt/576-pax, built 1952 at Bethlehem-Sparrows Point (USA) as cargo vessel Free State Mariner; bought by Matson Line and rebuilt into trans-oceanic passenger liner Monterey in 1956; entered MSC fleet in 1995.

MSC MUSICA, 90,000-grt/2,550-pax, under construction at Chantiers, due to enter MSC fleet in spring 2007, ship name subject to change.

MSC OPERA, 58,600-grt/1,756-pax, built 2004 at Chantiers for MSC fleet.

MSC ORCHESTRA, 90,000-grt/2,550-pax, under construction at Chantiers, due to enter MSC fleet in spring 2007; ship name subject to change.

MSC RHAPSODY, 17,095-grt/764-pax, built 1976 at Burmeister & Wain (Denmark) as Cunard Line's Cunard Princess; entered MSC fleet in 1995.