MSC Cruises

THE COMPANY

Following several years of unprecedented growth, MSC Cruises is the market leading cruise company in the Mediterranean, South Africa and Brazil. MSC Cruises sails throughout the year in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and offers a wide range of seasonal itineraries in northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the French Antilles, South America, South Africa, the Canary Islands and Morocco, Dubai, The Emirates and Oman.  In 2014, the 12 ships in its ultra-modern fleet are expected to carry just under 1.7 million travellers. MSC Cruises is a privately owned European company, employing 15,500 staff around the world and present in 45 countries.

THE FLEET

MSC Cruises’s state-of-the-art fleet is the result of a 6 billion euro investment programme started in 2003. Following the addition of Fantasia flagship MSC Preziosa in March 2013, the fleet comprises 12 ships, four of each different class. The four Fantasia class flagships – MSC Preziosa (2013), MSC Divina (2012), MSC Splendida (2009) and MSC Fantasia (2008) – are MSC Cruises’ largest vessels, each weighing approximately 140,000 tonnes and measuring 333m in length and 38m in width. MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia both accommodate 4,363 travellers each, while MSC Divina and MSC Preziosa each accommodate 4,345 travellers. Complementing them are the four vessels in the Musica Class – MSC Magnifica (2010), MSC Poesia (2008), MSC Orchestra (2007) and MSC Musica (2006) – each weighing 90,000 tonnes and carrying just under 3,000 travellers each. The fleet is completed by the Lirica Class – MSC Sinfonia (2005), MSC Armonia (2004), MSC Opera (2004) and MSC Lirica (2003) – each weighing 60,000 tonnes and carrying just under 2,000 travellers.

RESPECTING PEOPLE AND THE PLANET

MSC Cruises believes that global leadership brings increased responsibility towards the physical and human environments in which a company operates. Its commitment to safeguarding the marine ecosystem, as well as protecting the health and safety of its staff and the travellers on board its fleet, has earned numerous awards and certifications. In 2013, International certification body Bureau Veritas granted MSC Cruises the honour of being the first company to receive ‘7 Golden Pearls’ for environmental care for MSC's Fantasia class ship. This unique award comprises Cleanship 2 Class notation for advanced air, water and waste treatment systems, as well as new ISO 50001 certification for the highest standards of Energy Performance, ISO 14001 certification for environmental management, ISO 22000 for food safety and OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety. The quality and food safety of all aspects of the company’s catering, both ashore and on board, have also been officially recognized through ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certification. Reflecting its commitment to protect the seas, MSC Cruises was one of the first cruise lines to voluntarily reduce emissions in ports to levels far below the legally required minimum. Embracing the philosophy of corporate social responsibility still further, MSC Cruises launched an important partnership with UNICEF in 2009. The Get On Board For Children project benefits disadvantaged children and adolescents in 126 vulnerable urban communities in Brazil by helping to ensure they receive a proper education. To date, the partnership has raised over two million euros.

THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY OF LIFE

MSC Cruises was born in the Mediterranean and continues to draw inspiration from its roots, with the company’s distinctly Mediterranean way of life creating a unique experience for travellers around the world. The region’s celebrated values of authenticity, humanity and warmth are at the heart of the MSC experience; from the unparalleled hospitality of MSC’s multi-lingual crew, to delicious dining based on the concept that good food is our way of life and that eating is about quality and diversity, discovery and sharing. With innovations in both exterior and interior designs earning prestigious awards for naval architects De Jorio Design International, MSC Cruises continues to set new standards in cruising, in particular with the MSC Aurea Spa, a lavish wellness and fitness centre, and the ground-breaking MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive area on the company’s four flagships, offering elegant suites with around-the-clock butler service and numerous other privileges. With all of this and more, travellers exploring the world with MSC Cruises soon come to share in the company’s Mediterranean philosophy of time; that life should be measured in moments not minutes – and that each of these moments should be savoured.