MSC Seashore

MSC Seashore cruise ship is scheduled for inauguration in June 2021 as MSC's 19th liner. This is the first Seaside EVO-Class vessel - with sistership (yet unnamed) currently on order and scheduled for delivery in 2022-Q4.

History - construction and ownership

MSC Cruises (MSC Crociere) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. It was established in 1960. Today, MSC Crociere is a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) - world's 2nd largest containership company. MSC Crociere is the world's largest privately-owned cruise company. By annual passenger shipping volumes, MSC is ranked world's 4th largest cruise company (after Carnival Corporation, RCCL-Royal Caribbean Group and NCLH-Norwegian) with over 5% global market share.

In 2015, MSC ordered four new ships - two from STX France (Meraviglia and Bellissima) and two from Fincantieri Italy (Seaside and Seaview), with optional three more vessels. The first two liners were delivered in 2017 - Meraviglia (May) and Seaside (November), Seaview in 2018 (June). Bellissima in 2019 (March).

The 5600-passenger Seaside EVO-Class ship design is an enlarged version of the Seaside-Class. Both classes were developed for year-round operations in warm climates. This explains signature features like large-sized outdoor areas, top-deck ropes course, 5-slide water park, 3 glass-floored catwalks, glass-walled (oceanview) elevators, wraparound Promenade Deck (at sea level) with shops, bars and restaurants (indoor-outdoor seating). Seaside-EVO ships have larger MSC Yacht Club (a suite complex), larger public areas, more outdoor whirlpools, more specialty restaurants with alfresco dining areas (on Promenade Deck 8), 200 more cabins (for 467 more passengers).

Among vessel's technological features are advanced water- and garbage treatment plants, latest-generation scrubbers (pollution control technology removing particulates some gases from ship's exhaust streams), optimized hull, anti-fouling paints (specialized underwater hull coating), advanced heat recovery system, LED lighting (throughout). The vessel is fully compliant with IMO's "Safe Return to Port" requirement (how long the cruise ship should remain safe for evacuation).

MSC Seashore is also one of the "smart" ships' series and part of the company's EUR 13,6 billion 10-year (2017-2027) fleet expansion program that includes 17 newbuilds - up to a combined fleet of 29 liners.

MSC Seashore is also fitted with new technologies specifically designed to improve passengers' onboard digital experience. MSC partnered with Samsung to support NFC (near-field communication) technology enabling passengers to use digital devices (smartphones, cruise card, bracelets) to geolocate themselves (and their relatives, kids, travel companions), to access their staterooms or make onboard payments. Interactive screens throughout the ship allow real-time booking (cruise and tours) and making reservations (dining, spa, beauty treatments). Beacon technology sends location-based, customized notifications to passengers' phones as they move around the ship. Beacons are triggered whenever a connected device moves into their vicinity.

Cruise itinerary program

MSC Seashore itinerary program (at least the inaugural cruise season) is based on 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeports in Spain, Italy and France - Barcelona, Naples, Genoa, Marseille. Call ports include Messina (Sicily), Portofino (Italian Riviera) and Valletta (Malta).

Based on its design, during winter the liner could be deployed in the Caribbean (homeport TBA) and will eventually offer repositioning cruises (Transatlantic crossings between USA and Europe-Mediterranean) in Spring and Fall.

Cabins

MSC Seashore staterooms (a total of 2070) are in 34 categories. The largest category is the YC Royal Suite (615 ft2). Seashore's cabins and suites include 14x aft-facing corner suites, 28x suites with outdoor jacuzzi (on the balcony), 6x bow-facing Grand Suites (2-bedroom, with swimming pools on the balcony), terraced suites (overlooking Promenade Deck), cluster cabins (for large families), 75x wheelchair-accessible cabins for disabled passengers (including 43x Inside, 8x Oceanview, 26x Balcony, 4x Suite).

Family staterooms' max occupancy varies between 6 (SUPERFAMILY) and 10 (SUPERFAMILY PLUS) passengers.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

New dining options on MSC Seashore include the Fusion Restaurant (specialty) and VIP Fine Dining Restaurant. Ship's eateries offer cuisine specialties from all around the world, including Pan-Asian (premium steakhouse and seafood restaurant via a partnership with chef Roy Yamaguchi, with Chef’s Table experience).

The ship offers 10x large-capacity eateries - 5x select restaurants (3x MDRs /main dining rooms, Aurea Restaurant, Yacht Club Restaurant) and 5 themed food venues (Seafood Restaurant, Steak House, Teppanyaki, Sushi Bar, Bistrot) plus 20x specialty bars and lounges.

Follows the complete list of MSC Seashore restaurants and food bars.

• 3 main restaurants (complimentary dining rooms/MDRs) offer traditional Italian cuisine and wines. Dining rooms are open for Breakfast (7-9:30 am), Lunch (12-noon - 2 pm) and Dinner with 2 fixed seatings (7 pm and 9:30 pm) with a 7-course dinner menu (always includes vegan and vegetarian dishes).
• Aurea Restaurant (suite-only)
• Yacht Club Restaurant (YC-category staterooms only)
• Lido Buffet Restaurant (complimentary)
• Seafood Restaurant (specialty/at surcharge)
• Teppanyaki Restaurant (specialty)
• Fusion Restaurant (specialty)
• Steakhouse (specialty)
• Sushi Bar (specialty)
• Bistrot (specialty)
• VIP Restaurant (exclusive)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MSC Seashore's cruising concept focuses on outdoor spaces (public and cabin balconies), several outdoor/alfresco dining venues, 20 bars and lounges, 12 restaurants, outdoor wellness complex (spa and fitness with advanced Kinesis Technogym equipment), MSC Yacht Club (exclusive top-grade cabin complex with its own restaurant, bar lounge, solarium, sundeck, swimming pool).

The high-tech theater lounge is the venue for the evening Broadway-style production shows with compelling entertainment based on professional performers and top-notch media equipment. Passengers can also enjoy ship's 5D Cinema, VR Maze, Rafting simulator, Formula 1 simulator (virtual-reality racing cars).

The family offerings onboard are expanded (compared to the Seaside-class ships) with a bigger kids playground area and larger interactive waterpark. MSC Seashore has one of the biggest water attractions at sea. To kids 1 to 3 years of age are offered supervised activities and games via MSC's partnership with Chicco. Children 3 to 11 years old can participate in numerous fun activities via MSC's partnership with LEGO. A dedicated LEGO Room is equipped with LEGO's trademarked brick toys available for MSC's Mini Club and Juniors Club (children only lounges). Every voyage includes a special LEGO-themed event (named LEGO Experience On Board)  a full day at sea dedicated to the LEGO-based family gaming.

MSC Seashore has 2 teenager clubs - one for 12-14-year-olds and one for 15-17-year-olds. Depending on the time of day, a dedicated teens-only area serves as PC/Playstation gaming room, disco, and cinema.

Signature activity areas on Seashore include Adventure Trail (outdoor playground with rope courses, net bridges, crawl-through slides) and Zip-Line (length 130 m / 427 ft). The aqua park has 5 waterslides, interactive Slideboarding tube (combining video games, music, lights, 112-m long waterslide), Aquatube (innertube waterslide), two high-speed racing slides and one flume-type (family) waterslide. Ship's aquapark also has 2 separate kids playgrounds (AquaPlay and AquaSpray).

Among the cruise liner's complimentary amenities are also the 24-hour room service and supervised youth program, shipwide WiFI Internet access, laundry service. Follows the complete list of MSC Seashore lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Art Gallery, Photo Gallery and Shop
• Seashore Atrium (served by Atrium Bar)
• Two Theaters (main show lounges)
• Shopping Arcade with duty-free shops (selling jewelry, brand fashion clothing and accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, brand watches and glasses, MSC-logoed merchandise), Boutique Monobrand, Galleria Shopping Area
• Piazza, Chocolate Factory
• Casino (gambling lounge served by Casino Bar)
• Champagne Bar
• 5D Cinema
• VR Maze
• Rafting simulator
• F1 car simulator
• 2x bowling lanes (full-size bowling alleys)
• 4x twisting waterslides
• longest zip line at sea (length 130 m / 427 ft)
• Bar Lounge
• Disco Nightclub and Bar
• Creperie and Ice Cream areas
• Spa Wellness (with swimming pool and jacuzzi), Solarium (sundeck), Thalasso Pool, Finnish Sauna
• Beauty Salong, Barber Shop
• Fitness, External Gym Area, Yoga Studios
• Comedy Club Bar
• MSC Yacht Club (suite complex of top-tier cabin grades)
• VIP Bar Lounge, Family Lounge
• 2 swimming pools, Spa Pool, Lido Pool, Raised Pool, Indoor Pool Bar
• Magrodome (retractable glass-roof cover over the sundeck)
• Aqua Park with waterslides, Kids Playground
• Teenagers’ clubs (for 12-14-yo and for 15-17-yo)
• Power Walking/Jogging Track

During MSC Seaside delivery ceremony (November 29, 2017), MSC Cruises announced an order for two "Seaside EVO" ships from Fincantieri (contract value EUR 1,8 billion). The new ships are 17,330 GT tons bigger), 16 m (52 ft) longer and with 467 more passengers (capacity) in comparison to the sisterships Seaview and Seaside. Deliveries were scheduled for 2021 May (Seashore) and 2023 February (TBN).

In early-August 2018, MSC signed an agreement for EUR 1,5 billion (USD 1,74 billion) for both Seaside EVO shipbuilding projects. The financing was via a partnership with a syndicate of three lender banks (Unicredit, BNP Paribas, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti). Fully backing the credit line was the Italian export credit agency SACE SIMEST. With the addition of Seaside EVO ships, MSC had an unprecedented total investment of EUR 10,5 billion into 12 newbuilds with scheduled deliveries by 2027.

On November 26, 2018, was held vessel's steel-cutting ceremony at Fincantieri Monfalcone Shipyard (Trieste, Italy), with which officially started its construction. The special event was attended by Pierfrancesco Vago (MSC's Executive Chairman) and Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri's CEO).

Ship's keel-laying ceremony (aka coin ceremony) was held on September 19, 2019, at the Monfalcone yard. Ceremony's godmothers (madrinas) were two shipyard employees - Silvia Bozzetto (Production Planning and Control Commissioning Manager) and Marianna Cicala (Ground Services Planning Manager). The godmothers placed 2 special edition coins under the keel block (hull's first block) for good fortune. The special event was again attended by Pierfrancesco Vago (MSC) and Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri). The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on August 20, 2020. The ceremony was attended by Giuseppe Bono and Pierfrancesco Vago.

Fun fact is that MSC EVO shipbuilding project involves 10+ million hours of construction works and ~4000 shipyard employees. The ship design features large play areas for children, Adventure Trail ropes course, an interactive aqua park with 5 waterslides, 3 glass-floored catwalks, Promenade Deck (at sea level) lined up with shops and restaurants (with both indoor-outdoor seating), glass-walled (sea-view) elevators,

The company Shores Global LLC provided all the vessel's outdoor wicker furniture (on passenger cabin balconies and poolside) or 3000+ pieces (deckchairs and sun loungers). The company is a major cruise ship furniture supplier, offering consulting (fabrics and materials) and production process management.

Traditionally for all MSC cruise ships, Seashore's godmother will be Sophia Loren (Italian film actress), who names each new MSC liner since 2003.

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2021

MSC bookings on Seashore cruises were opened on June 27, 2019. Sales were open exclusively for MSC Voyagers Club (loyalty program) members for a 2-week period. Bookings for general customers were opened on July 11.

Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus 2020 pandemic, the vessel's construction was halted (after the shipbuilding yard was temporarily closed) which also resulted in delayed delivery to MSC Cruises (future shipowner). A total of 35 itineraries were cancelled (roundtrip departures from homeports Genoa, Naples, Messina, Barcelona, Marseille).

The original inaugural cruise (June 13, 2021) was a 7-day Mediterranean itinerary roundtrip from Genoa/Genova. The ship also offers roundtrips from homeports Barcelona, Marseille, Naples, and Messina.

(CANCELLED MAIDEN VOYAGE) 7-day roundtrip from Genoa

Next tables show the rescheduled inaugural cruises from each homeport.

(NEW MAIDEN VOYAGE) 7-day inaugural roundtrip from Genoa

7-day inaugural roundtrip from Naples

7-day inaugural roundtrip from Sicily

7-day inaugural roundtrip from Spain

7-day inaugural roundtrip from France

Inaugural 18-day Transatlantic crossing from Europe to USA-Caribbean (from $1280 pp). The repositioning cruise was also offered as 17-day (from Marseille to Miami, $1210 pp) and 16-day (Barcelona to Miami, $1240 pp).

Inaugural Caribbean cruise (B2B/back-to-back) from Florida ($1000 pp)

The 14-day B2B itinerary was also bookable in two 7-day segments ($550, $450).

Inaugural Western Caribbean cruise to Mexico ($450 pp)

5 days, round-trip Caribbean The Bahamas Miami$449

Godspeed to the new ship!