MSC Melody
Former names: MS Qing, StarShip Atlantic, Atlantic
Specifications of MSC Melody
| Year of build | 1982 / Age: 36 |
| Builder | (CNIM) Constructions industrielles de la Mediterranee (Paris, France) |
| Building cost | USD 100 million |
| Speed | 20 kn / 37 km/h / 23 mph |
| Length (LOA) | 205 m / 673 ft |
| Beam (width) | 27 m / 89 ft |
| Gross Tonnage | 35143 gt |
| Passengers | 1064 - 1550 |
| Crew | 535 |
| Passengers-to-space ratio | 28 |
| Beds | 1492 |
| Decks | 9 |
| Cabins | 532 |
| Decks with cabins | 6 |
| Last Refurbishment | 2013, Alang-scrapped in 2018 |
| Former names | MS Qing, StarShip Atlantic, Atlantic |
| Owner | Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) |
| Operator | MSC Cruises |
MSC Melody Review
Review of MSC Melody
The 1982-built MSC Melody cruise ship was owned and operated by MSC Cruises. The vessel (IMO 7902295) was launched/inaugurated as "MS Atlantic" for Home Lines, being constructed by CNIM Shipyard in La Seyne (France). Between 1988-1997, the boat was named "StarShip Atlantic" and operated by Premier Cruise Line (1983-founded/2000-defunct).
The vessel (last named MS Qing) was scrapped in June 2018 in Alang (India). The ship's identification numbers were 7902295 (IMO) and 353157000 (last MMSI, Panama-flagged).
Cabins
MSC Melody staterooms (532 total) included 6 Suites, 72 Mini-Suites, 303 Oceanview (4 handicap) and 151 interior cabins. All cabins offered as standard amenities Single beds (twins convertible to double bed), LCDTV, phone, radio, wardrobe, electronic safe box and lifejackets (in the closet), mirrored dressing table / writind desk with chair, seating area with sofabed (for 3rd / 4th passenger), wall-mounted reading lamps, en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, single-sink vanity), mineral water, wood paneled walls, individually controlled air-conditioning.
Suites additionally had larger bathrooms (with bathtub), mini-bar (refrigerator), double bed (convertible to two single beds / on request), living area with low table, sofa, 2 armchairs and stools, bedside tables with lamps.
Two-bed cabins were with single beds (L-shaped confifuration) or lower-upper bunks.
As hotel-ship (MS Qing), the vessel accommodated max 1600 guests in 532 rooms.
Shipboard facilities
The cruise liner featured Spa and Relaxation area with treatment rooms (for massages) and Beauty Salon (hairdresser, manicure-pedicure), retractable Magrodome (glass-roof cover over pool deck, two swimming pools (1 indoor, 1 outdoor), 2 Jacuzzis, deck games area (with shuffleboard), Percorso Jogging (outdoor running track), Fitness Center (gym sized 42 m2), Video Games (arcade sized 25 m2), Pluto’s Play House (children's area / indoor playground, sized 182 m2), Club Universe (conference room), Starlight Disco (129-seat nightclub, sized 141 m2), Teatro Mercury (theater show lounge and Cinema, sized 210 m2), Seven Seas Casino (110 seats, sized 410 m2, equipped with Roulette table, Blackjack table, slot machines), Biblioteca (library, lecture hall), Photo Gallery and Photo Shop, Gioielleria Boutique, Duty Free Shops, Medical Center. The Lobby area was sized 264 m2 and housed Reception Desk, Tour Office, Cruise Director Office, Chief Commissioner.
Club Universe (Conference Center sized 656 m2) had 510 seats and was equipped with DVD and VHS players, overhead projector, slide projector, whiteboard, wired and wireless microphones, computer, Internet, phone socket, video and sound systems.
The list of ship's bars and restaurants included Calypso Bar (80-seat poolside, sized 170 m2), Blue Riband Club (63 seats, sized 102 m2), Satellite Cafe (cafeteria, sized 288 m2), Junkanoo Club (440-seat bar lounge with live music, sized 580 m2), Riviera Terrace (370-seat Lido restaurant on Pool Deck, sized 736 m2), Sunrise Terrace (177-seat self-service restaurant on Pool Deck, sized 352 m2), Galaxy (700-seat main dining room, sized 842 m2).
All public areas were elegantly furnished and with high ceilings.
MSC Melody - user reviews and comments
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MSC Melody Wiki
In 1997, the 1250-passenger cruise ship entered service for MSC Cruises as "Melody". It was rebranded "MSC Melody" in 2004, but the MMSI (353157000) and registry (Panama-flagged) were not changed.
In July 2012, the liner was expecting charter deal with operators in Japan. In August was unofficially reported that the vessel is chartered to Lotus Mine (South Korea) and in February 2013 starts regularly scheduled East Asia cruises between Shanghai (China) and Jeju Island (South Korea).
On January 7, 2013, despite the scheduled summer season, the shipowner MSC Cruises announced that the liner is decommissioned and listed for sale. In November 2013, the ship was sold to Sahara India Pariwar - multinational corporation with businesses in finance, construction, property, hotels, industrial activities. Renamed "MS Qing" (MMSI 419000861, India-flagged), the vessel was permanently docked in Port Mormugao (Goa India) and converted into hotel-ship.
On June 29, 2016, MS Qing partially sank in Port Mormugao. The accident was due to flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains. No injuries were reported as there were no crew or passengers on the ship at the time it sank. According to local media sources, the liner had ~350 tons of fuel and ~20,000 tons of seawater when settled on the seabed. In June 2018, the ship was refloated and soon after sold for scrap to Balaji Fuels. The ship was refloated by a salvage company on behalf of its last owner (Balaji Fuels). The cruise liner was dismantled in drydock by WISL (Western India Shipyard Ltd). The vessel was scrapped in 2018.