MSC Bellissima

The 2019-built MSC Bellissima cruise ship is the second (Vista Project) Meraviglia-class MSC liner, following the sistership MSC Meraviglia (2017). Bellissima is also the 4th of 13 newbuilds scheduled to join the MSC fleet through 2026.

The vessel (IMO number 9760524) is currently Malta-flagged (MMSI 248992000) and registered in Valletta.

History - construction and ownership

MSC Cruises (MSC Crociere) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. Established in 1960, MSC Crociere is a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) — the world's 2nd largest containership operator. MSC Crociere is also the world's largest privately owned cruise company.

By annual passenger capacity, MSC ranks as the world’s 3rd largest cruise shipowner, following only Carnival Corporation and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group.

The 4500-passenger MSC Bellissima was scheduled for delivery in spring 2019. Her name (“beautiful” in Italian) was announced during the float-out ceremony of sistership Meraviglia at STX France (Saint-Nazaire) on September 2, 2016. Bellissima’s deck plans feature “cluster cabins” for families, enabling two or three adjacent staterooms to be interconnected. Near Field Communication (NFC) technology allows passengers to access their cabins, make payments or bookings, and locate their children using bracelets, cruise cards, or smartphones.

Bellissima is equipped with digital technologies developed to enhance the onboard experience. MSC partnered with Samsung to support NFC functionality, allowing passengers to use their smartphones, cruise cards, or bracelets to access their staterooms, geo-locate family members, and make onboard purchases. Interactive screens placed throughout the ship facilitate real-time bookings and reservations. Beacon technology delivers location-based notifications to passengers’ mobile devices as they move around the vessel.

Decks and Cabins

MSC Bellissima’s staterooms (2244 total, in 32 categories) are grouped into 14 types, and approximately 75% feature private step-out balconies. The largest accommodations are the MSC Yacht Club Royal Suites (700 ft² / 65 m², with 430 ft² / 40 m² Jacuzzi terrace). The ship also offers 46 wheelchair-accessible cabins and luxury Spa Suites. “Cluster cabins” allow up to three interconnected rooms for families of up to 10 guests.

The ship has 18 decks, of which 15 are accessible to passengers and 11 contain cabins.

MSC Bellissima’s decks are named after ships in the current MSC fleet.

The official MSC Cruises YouTube video below showcases the ship’s standout features and amenities.

MSC Bellissima features the fleet’s (and the world’s) first-ever “Crystal Cabin” — a balcony suite adorned with approximately 0.7 million Swarovski crystals. The YC-Deluxe Suite (number 16018) is located forward-starboard on Deck 16 within the MSC Yacht Club and is recognized by its crystallized cabin number. Swarovski elements decorate the bedside tables, coffee table top, sideboard, custom wall sconces, and coral-themed artwork.

The “Crystal Cabin” was developed in partnership with Swarovski Group and De Jorio Design International. It is offered at the same price as other Yacht Club Deluxe Suites. Additional Swarovski design features elsewhere on the ship include crystal-detailed wallpaper in the MSC Yacht Club and a crystallized LED-illuminated Active Panel in the Champagne Bar (~0.5 million crystals per m²).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The ship offers 12 diverse dining venues, including the Mediterranean Village (specialty dining) and the exclusive Yacht Club Fine Dining Restaurant.

Below is the full list of MSC Bellissima’s restaurants and food bars.

• Posidonia Restaurant (604 seats, 1050 m², open 7–9 am, 12–2 pm, 6:45–9:30 pm) is the only complimentary venue serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner (breakfast is officially served at Waves). Located aft on Deck 5, it features porthole-style windows and low ceilings. Tables accommodate 2–8 guests.
• HOLA! Tapas Bar by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixa (56 seats, 150 m²) replaces the former Eataly Restaurant.
• Lighthouse Restaurant (730 seats, 1000 m², open 6:15–10 pm) offers Flexi and MyTime Dining. It is accessed via a central corridor between IL CILIEGIO and LE CERISIER, past the wine cellar.
• IL CILIEGIO / LE CERISIER (828 seats, 1338 m², open 6:45–9:30 pm) form a split dining room with Enomatic wine-dispensing machines and a central wine display. Both offer Flexi and MyTime Dining.
• Masters of the Sea Pub (81 seats, 340 m²) is MSC’s interpretation of a classic British-style pub, offering beers on tap, bottled selections, ciders, bar snacks, and fish and chips from EUR 3.
• Kaito Teppanyaki & Sushi Bar (Teppanyaki: 30 seats, 100 m²; Sushi Bar: 26 seats, 81 m²; open 12–2:30 pm and 7–11 pm) offers three menu options—Geisha (EUR 18), Samurai (EUR 24), Emperor (EUR 45). Reservations are essential for dinner.
• Butcher's Cut (82 seats, 115 m², open 12–2:30 pm, 7–11 pm) is an American steakhouse overlooking the Galleria, serving premium meat cuts and classic desserts.
• Marketplace Buffet (1298 seats, 3650 m², Deck 15) is open 6:30 am–10 pm and offers international dishes, Mediterranean specialties, and themed selections depending on itinerary.
• Sports Bar (24 seats, 319 m²) serves drinks, hot dogs, popcorn, snacks, shakes, and protein beverages.
• MSC Yacht Club Restaurant (120 seats, 405 m²) offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with no fixed dining times. Menus vary daily based on the ship’s itinerary.
• Jean-Philippe Chocolate & Coffee (80 seats, 230 m², open 7 am–1 am) features an open kitchen, patisserie displays, handcrafted chocolate creations, and premium desserts.
• Jean-Philippe Crepes & Ice Cream (15 seats, 41 m², open 4–10 pm) serves gourmet crepes, ice cream, and sundaes.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MSC Bellissima boasts a major water park connected to a two-deck indoor amusement complex and a vibrant two-level shopping and dining promenade under a giant LED dome (“digital sky”). Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, supervised children’s programs, Internet/WiFi access, and laundry services.

Below is the full list of MSC Bellissima lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• London Theatre (985 seats, 1000 m², Decks 5–6) hosts six shows per voyage, including opera, flamenco, large-scale productions, and family-friendly performances. Shows run three times nightly.
• Bellissima Bar Lounge (64 seats, 267 m²) is the promenade bar located aft of the theatre, lively in the early evening.
• Infinity Atrium & Reception Lounge (22 seats, 450 m²) spans three decks with Swarovski-encrusted staircases (~31,000 crystals). Evening piano performances are offered.
• Carousel Lounge (413 seats, 1100 m², Deck 7 aft) hosts 12 weekly Cirque du Soleil–style shows (Viaggio, Sonor), with seating for dinner and drinks.
• Galleria Bellissima (1035 m², Decks 6–7) features an 80-m LED dome ceiling and serves as the ship’s central social hub.
• Plaza Bellissima (130 m², Deck 6) offers shops, patisserie, ice cream, and live music.
• EDGE Bar (60 seats, 160 m²) is a pre-dinner cocktail bar with a motorbike-themed design centerpiece.
• Champagne Bar (155 seats, 594 m²) serves premium labels with Atrium views.
• MSC Aurea Spa (1100 m², Deck 7) features extensive thermal facilities, treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, thalassotherapy pools, relaxation areas, and the Jean Louis David beauty salon.
• Casino Imperiale (600 seats, 1400 m², Deck 7) and its bar offer a wide range of table games and slots.
• Business Centre, Excursion Office, Photo Shop & Gallery, Medical Centre.
• Solarium (Grand Canyon Pool) with whirlpools and bar.
• Atmosphere Pool Deck (1500 m², 851 loungers) and Grand Canyon indoor pool (1000 m²).
• Atmosphere Bars North and South, Atmosphere Ice Cream Bar.
• Top Sail Lounge (167 seats, 423 m²) — Yacht Club exclusive lounge with concierge and panoramic views.
• MSC Gym by TechnoGym (570 m²) with cardio, strength equipment, spinning, and fitness classes.
• XD Cinema, SPORTPLEX arena, Super Amusement Park (F1 simulators, bowling, flight simulator), Virtual Arcade, and Power Walking Track (328 m per lap).
• Horizon Amphitheatre (1075 m²) — outdoor theatre and sundeck.
• Sky Lounge & Bar (180 seats, 630 m²) with a Cigar Room and live music.
• Attic Club (55 seats, 70 m²) — late-night disco and Horizon Bar venue.
• Children’s facilities: Doremi Tech Lab, Doremi Studio, Baby Club CHICCO, Mini Club LEGO, Juniors Club LEGO, Young Club (12–14), Teen Club (15–17).
• MSC Yacht Club open-air deck with pool, bar, grill, and solariums.
• TOP 19 Exclusive Solarium (adults-only, 500 m²) for Wellness- and Aurea-category guests.
• Arizona Aquapark (1000 m²) with four waterslides, pools, ropes course, Himalayan Bridge, and Arizona Bar.

Boutiques include fashion, accessories, watches, jewelry, cosmetics, photo shop, logo shop, convenience store, and duty-free retail. Bellissima features 200+ retail brands, including Guerlain, Dior, Bulgari, Damiani, Chopard, Omega, Longines, and Tag Heuer. Exclusive partnerships include Swarovski, LEGO, and Chicco.

In 2022, MSC introduced two new Carousel Lounge shows—SWEET and MYuT—developed under the “Carousel Productions at Sea” brand, combining sound, light, dance, and acrobatics.

Itineraries

MSC Bellissima’s itinerary program is based on year-round East Asia deployment, homeporting in Japan (Yokohama, Tokyo, Naha), China (Shanghai), and Taiwan (Keelung–Taipei).

The vessel (built by STX France, Chantiers de l’Atlantique / hull number F34) has a volume of 171598 GT, a deadweight of 12200 tons, and a maximum draught of 9 m. The powerplant consists of four Wärtsilä marine diesel engines (2× 12V46F and 2× 16V46F) with a combined output of 67.2 MW (90120 hp). Propulsion is provided by two Azipod thrusters with a combined output of 40 MW (53640 hp). The registered shipowner is MSC MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING CO (previously VISTA 2 COMPANIA NAVIERA SA), and the registered manager is MSC CROCIERE SPA.

Bellissima, sistership to MSC Meraviglia, is second only to Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class vessels in terms of passenger capacity. Meraviglia-class vessels are also the largest passenger ships ever constructed for a European-based cruise company. Two larger Meraviglia-Plus ships followed—MSC Grandiosa (2019) and MSC Virtuosa (2020). The name “Bellissima” translates from Italian as “gorgeous.”

The ship’s inaugural senior officers were Raffaele Pontecorvo (Captain, Italian, with MSC since 1982, starting as a deck cadet), Antonio Iacarino (Chief Engineer, Italian, with MSC since 1995), and Orazio Caci (Hotel Director, Norwegian). Captain Pontecorvo was promoted to Master in 2000 aboard MSC Monterey (a 2008-built container ship with a capacity of 4900 TEU). In 2010 he became Master of MSC Splendida (2009-built), and in 2017 Captain of MSC Meraviglia.

The vessel’s powerplant generates a total propulsion output of 38.4 MW (51500 hp). Bellissima features a large outdoor water park connected to a two-deck indoor amusement park, an aft entertainment lounge, and a Mediterranean-style indoor promenade with bars, specialty restaurants, and retail shops. The promenade is covered by a 5167 ft² (480 m²) LED dome ceiling (“digital sky,” 80 m long). Other signature features include interlinked “cluster cabins” accommodating families of up to 10, and the MSC Yacht Club—a “ship within a ship” concept with private dining, duplex suites, exclusive lounge areas, and a forward-facing solarium.

“Near Field Communication” technology enables guests to access cabins, make onboard payments, and locate children using their bracelet, cruise card, or smartphone. Bellissima is also the first MSC ship equipped with the digital assistant ZOE. Available in seven languages, ZOE is installed in every stateroom and fully integrated into the onboard retail and service platform.

On November 26, 2016, construction officially began with the steel-cutting ceremony at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard. The vessel was launched (floated out) on June 14, 2018. On December 19, 2018, assisted by tugboats, MSC Bellissima departed Chantiers de l’Atlantique with approximately 450 people (crew, shipyard employees, subcontractors) for sea trials in the Bay of Biscay.

MSC Bellissima was officially delivered on February 28, 2019. Attendees included Gianluigi Aponte (Founder and Executive Chairman of the MSC Group), Pierfrancesco Vago (Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises), Laurent Castaing (General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique), and other VIP guests.

The christening ceremony took place in Southampton, England, on March 2, 2019. Performers included Nile Rodgers and Chic, Craig David, and Andrea Bocelli. The event was hosted by British TV presenter Holly Willoughby. MSC’s traditional godmother, Sophia Loren (born 1934), presided over the naming. Due to severe winds in the harbor, the planned quayside ceremony (including a Cirque du Soleil performance) was moved indoors for safety.

On March 3, 2019, the ship hosted a VIP-only one-day mini-cruise for more than 3500 UK and Ireland travel agents. The pre-inaugural repositioning voyage (Southampton to Genoa) began March 4.

Note: MSC’s first vessel named in the UK was MSC Poesia (2008, Dover).

MSC Bellissima’s first drydock refurbishment took place November 27–December 13, 2023, at Shanghai Huarun Dadong Dockyard Co. Ltd. Works included routine maintenance, repairs, classification inspections, hull cleaning and painting, and general renovations to public areas.

Compared to Meraviglia, Bellissima has a 30% larger retail shopping area (750 m² / 8070 ft²), three boutiques (luxury watches and jewelry), eight additional shops, the fleet’s first shipboard retail theatre, and a 30% larger Beauty Salon. The shopping gallery represents 200 brands. Bellissima also introduced two new tapas venues (Ramon Freixa’s Hola! Tapas Bar). It is MSC’s second ship (after Meraviglia) to host Cirque du Soleil at Sea, offering 12 weekly shows including two exclusive productions.

Meraviglia-Class Ship Technology

Key technological features of the Meraviglia class include:

• cluster cabins (interlinked staterooms allowing up to three rooms to be opened for families),
• Near Field Communication technology (for cabin access, onboard payments, child location),
• a large outdoor water park connected to an indoor amusement park,
• a Mediterranean-style indoor promenade with specialty dining venues, bars, and retail shops, covered by a 5165 ft² LED “digital sky.”

Meraviglia-class ships are also MSC’s first vessels to feature an onboard museum showcasing original artworks from the Louvre (Paris). The pieces are displayed behind bullet-proof glass, and MSC maintains a dedicated insurance policy guaranteeing replacement in the event of damage or loss. The museum is located on the two-deck indoor promenade (Galleria), topped with the LED sky dome. On Meraviglia-Plus vessels, the promenade is extended by 15 m (49 ft).

MSC Bellissima was originally equipped with a “Man Overboard Detection System,” an intelligent video-based safety technology tested for over 25,000 hours and achieving an accuracy level of 97%. Real-time CCTV video feeds are monitored by two independent image-processing systems to reduce false alerts. When activated, alarms notify the ship’s security team, who immediately review the footage and inform the bridge to initiate rescue procedures.

The ship’s certifications and environmental/sustainability systems include:

• Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (scrubber) for SOx removal, meeting IMO emissions standards,
• Advanced Wastewater Treatment System integrating multiple streams before filtration; holding capacity for two days of non-discharge operation,
• energy-efficient construction materials and technologies, certified under ISO 50001,
• OHSAS 18001 certification for crew health and safety,
• ISO 22000 certification covering the entire onboard food supply chain (“farm to fork”),
• ISO 14001 certification for environmental management systems.

The ship holds Bureau Veritas’ “8 Golden Pearls” certification for Outstanding Sustainable and Environmental Stewardship—the highest globally recognized QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, Environmental) standard for cruise vessels. MSC became the world’s first cruise company to receive this distinction.

MSC’s ZOE

On February 1, 2019, MSC officially introduced ZOE, the cruise industry’s first in-cabin digital assistant. The system was developed by Harman International (a fully owned Samsung Electronics subsidiary), renowned for developing digital audio solutions for companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.

• ZOE is a voice-enabled AI with advanced voice-recognition software, available in every stateroom.
• ZOE speaks seven languages, answers cruise-related questions, provides information on services and facilities, and supports reservations and bookings.
• The device features far-field microphones, a high-quality speaker, a quad-core processor, and Bluetooth-enabled phone connectivity. It can update its database autonomously.
• Passenger data (itinerary, tours, preferences) is stored in the cloud and reused on subsequent voyages.
• The device (~15 cm) can be activated anytime; guests must sign a waiver authorizing personal data storage.

Starting with Bellissima (2019), ZOE is being rolled out across all new MSC ships, including Grandiosa (2019) and Virtuosa (2020), and fleetwide between 2019 and 2024.

Inaugural Cruise Itineraries 2019

Bookings for Bellissima opened on May 15, 2017. The ship entered service on Central and Western Mediterranean itineraries beginning March 2019. The maiden voyage was initially scheduled for March 24, 2019, but MSC later added earlier inaugural sailings. Early Booking Deals (through July 31, 2017) included a complimentary “Cirque du Soleil at Sea” dinner show.

The following tables list Bellissima’s Inaugural Cruise itineraries with ports of call and port times.

9-day repositioning from the UK (Southampton to Marseille), also available as an 8-day itinerary to Barcelona

3-day repositioning from Lisbon to Barcelona

3-day Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise

7-day Mediterranean maiden voyage (inside cabin double-occupancy rates starting at USD 600 per person)

For winter 2019–2020, MSC added Port Doha as a new homeport in the Persian Gulf for Bellissima. The first cruise was planned for November 28, 2019. The following table shows the 14-day “MSC Grand Voyages” itinerary, visiting nine ports, including two overnights in Dubai.

Through a new partnership with Qatar Airways, MSC offers fly-cruise packages from major European cities (London, Paris, Civitavecchia–Rome, Vienna, Milano) to Doha, giving travelers a full day to explore the city before embarkation and the sunset departure. Qatar is among the world’s fastest-growing travel destinations (~2 million visitors annually), driven by major investments in unique attractions and tourism infrastructure.

Godspeed!