MSC Cruises celebrated as the 169,500-gross-ton MSC Seashore met water for the first time Aug. 20 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
The ship has a maximum capacity of 5,877 guests when all berths are filled and 4,540 on a double occupancy basis. The company's longest ship at 1,112 feet, it is now in a wet dock while the interior is finished for a July 2021 delivery.
MSC Seashore will be the third of a total of four vessels in the Seaside class of ships, following MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, which launched in 2017 and 2018 respectively, and the first of two enriched Seaside Evo ships with more staterooms and the highest ratio of outdoor space per guest of any ship in the fleet.
"We are committed to our newbuilds program, which with each new class of ships sees us innovating and setting new standards in the industry. MSC Seashore will in fact be the largest and most innovative cruise vessel ever built in Italy, featuring the latest and most advanced environmental technology currently available," said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises. "She will also be one of two new ships for which we will receive delivery in 2021, thus underlying our belief in the long-term growth prospects of the sector - as also demonstrated by the return to service of our first ship earlier this week as well as the investments made in our new health and safety operating protocol which is already setting a new standard for the industry."
The MSC Seashore will be equipped with the latest technologies to minimize its environmental footprint. It will be fitted with a state-of-the-art selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce nitrogen oxide by 90 percent and a next-generation advanced wastewater treatment system to treat wastewater where "the end product is of a better standard than most land-based municipal waste standards around the world," MSC Cruises said in a press release.
These ship also will have cutting-edge hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems that remove 98 percent of sulfur oxide from ship emissions and systems to prevent oil discharges from machinery spaces. Energy-efficiency improvements include heat recovery systems and LED lighting.
MSC Seashore will also be fitted with a system that connects a docked cruise ship to a port's local power grid to further reduce air emissions. This feature is broadly available across MSC Cruises' entire fleet and has been standard across all of the company's new ships since 2017.
Like its Seaside-class sisters, Seashore will have a Bridge of Sighs, panoramic aft elevators and glass-floor catwalks. New enhancements include an additional 107,639 square feet of deck space, a larger MSC Yacht Club - the all-inclusive "ship within a ship" premium concept - and an enhanced guest flow, with two central meeting points at the middle and forward part of the ship.
MSC Seashore will offer a wider range of accommodation with more suites including 28 additional terraced suites, two suites with private whirlpools and, in the Yacht Club, two new stateroom categories offering 41 Deluxe Grand Suites and two Owner's Suites with whirlpools.
Modular connected staterooms can connect to accommodate six to 10 people. A total of 75 staterooms are designed for guests needing greater accessibility.
Two brand new restaurants will be introduced, and five specialty restaurants will be moved to spots with waterfront seating and al fresco dining.
MSC Seashore will have a new double-decker aft lounge, a larger casino and 20 distinct specialty bars, cafes and lounges. The ship will feature a new aft pool design, an enlarged indoor pool and a new interactive waterpark. Clubs for young children and teenagers have been separated from a larger kids' zone.
The ship will feature the latest customer-centric technology with MSC for Me available across multiple digital channels. Guests can access information across a range of digital touchpoints including an app, interactive in-stateroom TV, interactive screens around the ship as well as ZOE, the virtual personal cruise assistant, available in every stateroom.
In summer 2021, all three Seaside-class ships will be deployed in the Western Mediterranean. MSC Seashore will offer the popular "Six Pearls" itinerary calling at the Italian cities of Genoa, Pompeii, Naples, and Messina, as well as Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain; and Marseille, France.
Following its inaugural season in the Mediterranean, MSC Seashore will head to the U.S. and arrive in Miami in November 2021 to sail seven-night Caribbean itineraries, including stops at MSC Cruises' private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
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