MSC Group’s Cruise Division has announced the creation of MSC Creative Studios, a new facility intended to support the development of onboard entertainment and the training of performers for its cruise brands. The initiative forms part of the company’s wider effort to expand the scale and quality of its entertainment offering across both MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys.
The company has acquired a production studio in Edinburgh, Scotland, which is currently undergoing renovation before being relaunched as MSC Creative Studios. The facility is expected to become fully operational by July 2026 and will support the preparation of productions scheduled for the cruise lines’ late-2026 seasons and future deployments.
Once completed, the studio will function as a central hub for creative development, bringing together creative, technical and production teams in a single location. The complex will include a dedicated aerial rehearsal space, eleven dance studios, six vocal rehearsal rooms and a professional recording studio. Additional areas will provide offices, changing facilities, green rooms and storage for scenery, props and costumes. The site will also be used for rehearsals, technical training and stagecraft development, enabling performers to prepare productions before they are introduced on board the company’s ships.
The vice president of entertainment for the MSC Cruise Division indicated that the establishment of a permanent development and training centre was considered an important step as the company continued to expand the scale and ambition of its productions. He noted that the new facility would allow shows to be fully prepared before deployment and would help ensure consistent quality across the fleet. He further explained that the studio was intended to function as a collaborative environment in which performers, technicians and creative teams could work together from the earliest stages of production, while also drawing inspiration from Edinburgh’s established cultural scene.
Recruitment for performers and creative personnel connected with the new facility has already begun.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise line and the leading cruise operator in Europe, with a growing presence in the North American market. The company operates a fleet of more than twenty modern ships sailing on itineraries across five continents, visiting over 300 destinations in more than 100 countries.