MSC holds coin ceremony for Seaside

MSC Cruises has held the coin ceremony for MSC Seaside at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard in Italy.

The event marks a construction milestone for MSC, which has hinted that Seaside could be the first in a class of three vessels. The first vessel is due to come into service in December 2017.

The ship will sail year round from Miami where a new terminal has been built for the vessel.

Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises Chief Executive Officer said: “MSC Seaside combines Fincantieri’s Italian flair and excellence in design with MSC Cruises’ global vision and focus on innovation. This ship is significantly different to anything we have ever built before as it is dedicated to cruising in warm climates.  The design of the ship embodies our passion for the sea with innovative features to enhance the enjoyment of the open water and sunshine for our guests. With the highest ratio of outdoor spaces on any of MSC Cruises’ ships, guests will also enjoy an increased number of balcony cabins, sea views and public areas.”

Mr Onorato, added: “An important feature of an MSC Cruises holiday is the dining experience, which is distinguished by the extensive variety of Mediterranean and international cuisines on offer and the wide range of dining formats available. Specifically for MSC Seaside, we are developing exciting new dining options for our guests. Amongst others there will be nine eateries featuring cuisines from around the world including a Pan-Asian restaurant in partnership with acclaimed chef, Roy Yamaguchi, a luxury seafood restaurant with a chef’s table and a world-class international steak house.”

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “MSC Seaside, the biggest ship ever built in our shipyards, will strengthen our leadership as the most innovative shipbuilder in the cruise industry. This new concept will provide MSC Cruises with more revenue-generating solutions; more cabins than a comparable, contemporary design; more open-deck space and more efficiency in the way that it runs.”

At 323 metres long, the ship will feature a maximum capacity of 5,179 guests.