MSC Meraviglia is a cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises, built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, by STX France. MSC Meraviglia is the lead ship of MSC's new "Vista Project" vessels, the Meraviglia class, with MSC Bellissima following in 2019. Each vessel has a passenger capacity of 4,500. When it entered service in June 2017, it was the sixth largest cruise ship in the world, behind Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class cruise ships and AIDAnova.
.jpg) MSC Meraviglia in Valletta, 2018
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Malta | |
| Name | MSC Meraviglia |
| Owner | MSC Cruises |
| Operator | MSC Cruises |
| Port of registry | Valletta,  Malta |
| Ordered | 20 March 2014 |
| Builder | STX Europe (St. Nazaire) |
| Laid down | October 2015[1] |
| Launched | 2 September 2016[2][3] |
| Sponsored by | Sophia Loren |
| Christened | 3 June 2017 |
| Completed | 31 May 2017 |
| In service | 3 June 2017–present |
| Identification |
|
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Project Vista (MSC) cruise ship |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 315.83 m (1,036 ft 2 in)[4] |
| Beam | 43 m (141 ft 1 in)[4] |
| Draught | 8.75 m (28 ft 8 in)[4] |
| Decks | 15 passenger decks |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Crew | 1,536 crew |
History
editThe ship initially operated in the western Mediterranean also cruised in Northern Europe as of summer 2019, but repositioned to the United States for the first time, to New York and Miami, in fall 2019, to sail to the Caribbean as part of a North American expansion program by MSC.[6]
Design and construction
editThe vessel's name was announced, and steel was cut, at a ceremony held at Chantiers de l'Atlantique on 20 April 2015.[7] The ship was formally named on 3 June 2017 by her godmother, Italian actress Sophia Loren[8] at a ceremony in Le Havre, which also featured French actor Patrick Bruel, musical group Kids United, and comedian Gad Elmaleh.[9]
The building of MSC Meraviglia was shown in the second episode of the Science Channel series, Building Giants, and titled "Monster Cruise Ship".[10]
The ship's facilities include a promenade with a long LED roof, a water park with water slides, a rope course and a theater. The ship overall has less passenger space and more passengers onboard than other similar cruise ships. The ship also has over ten dining areas and a spa.[7]
Incidents
editCOVID-19 pandemic
editOn 26 February 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, Mexican authorities granted permission for MSC Meraviglia, registered in Malta, to dock in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, because she carried a passenger presumed to be infected with COVID-19. The ship was previously denied access to ports in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.[11] Two cases of common seasonal flu were found.[12]
The CDC reported, as early as 22 April, that at least one person who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 had tested positive within 14 days after disembarking.[13]
References
edit- ^ "STX France : Le MSC Meraviglia à moitié assemblé" (in French). 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "MSC Cruises Reveals Name Of Second Meraviglia Generation Mega-Ship: MSC Bellissima". 2 September 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
- ^ "MSC Meraviglia Floated Out at STX France". 2 September 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "MSC Meraviglia (9760512)". BV Fleet. Bureau Veritas. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ "MSC Meraviglia". MSC Cruises. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ Tribou, Richard. "MSC Meraviglia coming to Miami as part of North American expansion". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ a b Wood, Donald (21 April 2015). "Introducing Meraviglia, MSC Cruises' First Vista-Class Ship". TravelPulse.com. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "MSC Meraviglia Finally Gets Her Beautiful Godmother | CruiseBe". CruiseBe. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "The latest giant of the seas, MSC Meraviglia, christened in France". USA Today. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Building Giants: Monster Cruise Ship". Science Channel. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "MSC Meraviglia cruise ship to dock in Cozumel, Mexico despite coronavirus fears". El Universal (English). 26 February 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Mexico: No Coronavirus on MSC Meraviglia". The Maritime Executive. 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "COVID-19 and Your Health". 11 February 2020. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/warning-cruise-passengers-sexual-assaults-hit-new-high-2023-sailings-fbi
https://www.businessinsider.com/msc-cruise-passenger-says-crew-member-sexually-assaulted-her-2023-3
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article229147224.html
External links
edit