MSC Grandiosa

MSC Grandiosa 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 first of three Meraviglia Plus-class ships set to operate for the cruise line and is the current flagship of MSC Cruises.[8] She commenced operations on 10 November 2019.[9] At the time of delivery, she was the sixth largest cruise ship by gross tonnage, behind AIDAnova.

MSC Grandiosa
MSC Grandiosa near Hook of Holland, November 2019
History
Malta
Name: MSC Grandiosa
Owner: MSC Cruises
Operator: MSC Cruises
Port of registry: Valletta,  Malta
Ordered: 1 February 2016[1]
Builder:
Yard number: G34[2]
Laid down: July 2018[3]
Launched: 5 January 2019[3]
Sponsored by: Sophia Loren[4]
Christened: 9 November 2019[4]
Acquired: 31 October 2019[5]
In service: 2019–present
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 181,541 GT[6]
Length: 331.43 m (1,087.4 ft)[7]
Beam: 43 m (141 ft)[7]
Height: 65 m (213 ft)[7]
Decks: 19
Speed: 22.3 kn (41.3 km/h; 25.7 mph)[7]
Capacity:
  • 4,842[7] (double occupancy)
  • 6,334[7] (maximum)
Crew: 1,704[7]

History

Construction

On 1 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".[1] Each new vessel was designed to be larger than their older Meraviglia-class sisters, at 181,541 GT, with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334 guests.[10]

On 15 November 2017, on the day of the ship's steel-cutting ceremony at the STX France shipyard, MSC Cruises announced that the name of the first Meraviglia Plus-class ship would be MSC Grandiosa.[10][11] Her coin ceremony was performed in July 2018[3] and her float-out occurred six months later, on 5 January 2019.[3][12] MSC Grandiosa successfully completed her sea trials in September 2019.[13]

Debut

MSC Grandiosa was delivered to MSC Cruises in a ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard on 31 October 2019.[5]

On 9 November 2019, the ship was christened in a ceremony by her godmother, Sophia Loren, whilst being moored in the river Elbe.[4][14] The ship later returned to her dock at the Port of Hamburg before embarking on her inaugural cruise the following day, on 10 November 2019.[4] Following her delivery, MSC Grandiosa sailed her first voyage from the shipyard to Hamburg for press events and her christening,[15] with calls in Rotterdam[16] and Le Havre.[17] Her inaugural cruise set sail on 10 November 2019 from Hamburg to Genoa via Southampton, Barcelona, and Marseille, and was also hampered by a storm that forced the cancellation of Lisbon.[18][19]

Operational career

For her inaugural season, beginning on 23 November 2019, MSC Grandiosa sailed in the Mediterranean[20] with week-long itineraries calling in Genoa, Rome, Palermo, Valletta, Barcelona, and Marseille.[21] She was expected to continue this rotation until repositioning to Santos, Brazil in autumn 2020 to cruise in South America for the 2020–2021 season, making her the largest passenger ship to ever homeport in South America.[22] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing fleet redeployments, MSC Grandiosa will continue to operate in the Mediterranean through 2021.[23]

On 30 December 2019, MSC Grandiosa incurred a minor allision at the Port of Palermo after she struck the port's Vittorio Veneto pier with her stern on the port side when maneuvering to dock.[24] Minor damage was reported on her stern and the pier, but no injuries were reported.[24] The ship left for Valletta later that day.[24]

In mid-August 2020, MSC Grandiosa became the first major cruise ship to set sail in the Mediterranean since the COVID-19 pandemic halted voyages in the spring of that year.[25]

Engineering

MSC Grandiosa is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97 percent.[5][15]

See also

References
  1. Stieghorst, Tom (1 February 2016). "MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com.
  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.
  3. "Coming in 2019: MSC Grandiosa, the first Meraviglia Plus Generation ship".
  4. "MSC CRUISES UNVEILS FOUR NIGHTS OF GRAND CELEBRATIONS FOR THE HAMBURG CHRISTENING OF MSC GRANDIOSA". www.mscpressarea.com. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  5. Staff, C. I. N. (31 October 2019). "MSC Grandiosa Delivered". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  6. "MSC Grandiosa (9803613)". LR Class Direct. Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  7. "Corporate Information & Media Room". MSC Corporate Information & Media Room (Press release). MSC Crociere, S.A. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  8. Staff, C. I. N. (31 July 2019). "New Video Tour Highlights MSC Grandiosa". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  9. "Sales open for MSC Grandiosa". Cruise Trade News. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  10. "MSC Cruises reveals name of first Meraviglia-Plus ship, lays keel for Bellissima". Seatrade Cruise News. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  11. "MSC Cruises Cuts Steel for First Meraviglia Plus-class Ship, MSC Grandiosa; Coin Ceremony Held for MSC Bellissima". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  12. "MSC Celebrates Float Out of Grandiosa". Travel Agent Central. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  13. Staff, C. I. N. (2 September 2019). "MSC Grandiosa Completes Sea Trials". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  14. "Tausende verfolgen Taufe von neuem Kreuzfahrtriesen im Hafen". TAG24 (in German). 9 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  15. Baratti, Laurie (27 September 2019). "MSC Cruises Reveals Details of the Grandest Launch for MSC Grandiosa". TravelPulse. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  16. Staff, C. I. N. (4 November 2019). "MSC Grandiosa Makes Maiden Call in Rotterdam". www.cruiseindustrynews.com.
  17. Staff, C. I. N. (2 November 2019). "MSC Grandiosa Calls in Le Havre". www.cruiseindustrynews.com.
  18. "MSC Grandiosa's Maiden Voyage Now Open for Booking". Travel Agent Central. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  19. Coulter, Adam (12 November 2019). "MSC Grandiosa Inaugural Voyage Delayed Due to Bay of Biscay Storm, Two Ports Skipped". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  20. USA, MSC Cruises. "MSC Grandiosa To Introduce New Smart Features To "MSC for Me"". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  21. "MSC Grandiosa's Maiden Voyage Now Open for Booking". Travel Agent Central. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  22. Staff, C. I. N. (10 September 2019). "MSC Grandiosa to South America for 2020-2021". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  23. "MSC Announces Winter Program; New Protocols Onboard". Cruise Industry News. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  24. Thakkar, Emrys (30 December 2019). "New Mega 181,000-ton Cruise Ship Strikes Pier". Cruise Hive.
  25. "Mediterranean cruise sails after five-month pause". BBC News. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
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