MSC Seashore

MSC Seashore cruise ship is scheduled for inauguration in June 2021. This is the first Seaside EVO-Class vessel - with sistership (yet unnamed) currently on order, with scheduled delivery in 2023.

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 and NCL-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 speciality restaurants with al fresco 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 9 billion, 10-year investment plan that includes 11 newbuilds entering service in the period 2017-2027.

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 Seaview itinerary program is based on Western Mediterranean cruises (7 nights / 8 days roundtrips) leaving from homeports in Spain, Italy and France (Barcelona, Genoa, Marseille, Naples, Messina Sicily).

During winter months, the ship starts operations in South America on roundtrip cruises from Santos (Sao Paulo) Brazil. Ports of call are Ilhabela, Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia. The ship offers repositioning cruises / Transatlantic crossings between South America and Europe (Mediterranean) in Spring and Fall.

Cabins

MSC Seaview has a total of 2070 staterooms in 34 categories. The largest aboard MSC Seaview is the Yacht Club Royal Suite (615 ft2). There are also 54 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Seaview's cabins and suites include 14 aft corner suites, suites with private outdoor hot tub, terraced balcony staterooms, which feature ocean views and overlook the promenade and cluster cabins, designed with families in mind.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

New and creative dining options are available onboard MSC Seaview. Expect the Fusion Restaurant with speciality dining and VIP Fine Dining Restaurant. The nine eateries onboard MSC Seaview feature cuisines from all around the world including the Pan-Asian restaurant via the partnership with acclaimed chef, Roy Yamaguchi, world-class international steak house and luxury seafood restaurant with chef’s table.

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

• Main restaurants (dining rooms) 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 that also includes vegan and vegetarian meals.
• Lido Buffet Restaurant
• Seafood Restaurant
• Teppanyaki Restaurant
• Fusion Restaurant
• Steakhouse
• Sushi Bar
• VIP Restaurant

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MSC Seashore was designed to "bring the sea closer to passengers". The concept focuses on outdoor spaces (public and also stateroom balconies), several al fresco dining options, 20 bars, 12 restaurants, outdoor spa and fitness (with advanced Kinesis Technogym equipment), exclusive MSC Yacht Club complex (with restaurant, bar lounge, solarium).

Signature activity areas include Adventure Trail outdoor playground (rope courses, bridges, crawl-through slides) and Zip-Line (length 130 m / 430 ft). The aqua park has 5 waterslides, interactive Slideboarding tube (combining video games, music, lights, 112-m water slide), Aquatube (innertube slide), 2x high-speed racing slides and 1x family flume-type slide. The waterpark also has 2 separate kids playgrounds (AquaPlay and AquaSpray).

Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service and supervised youth program, shipwide WiFI Internet access, laundry. Follows the complete list of MSC Seashore lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Art Gallery, Photo Gallery and Shop
• Atrium (served by Atrium Bar)
• Two Theaters (main show lounges)
• Shopping Arcade with duty-free shops (selling jewellery, fashion clothing and accessories, cosmetics, MSC-logoed merchandise), Boutique Monobrand, Galleria Shopping Area
• Piazza, Chocolate Factory
• Casino (served by Casino Bar)
• Champagne Bar
• 5D Cinema
• F1 car simulator
• 2x Bowling lanes (full-size alleys)
• 4x twisting waterslides
• longest zip line at sea (length 130 m / 426 ft)
• Bar Lounge
• Disco Nightclub and Bar
• Creperie and Ice Cream areas
• Spa Wellness (with pool), Solarium (sundeck), Thalasso Pool, Finnish Sauna
• Beauty Salong, Barber Shop
• Fitness, External Gym Area, Yoga Studios
• Comedy Club Bar
• Bistro
• MSC Yacht Club
• VIP Bar Lounge, Family Lounge
• 2 swimming pools, Spa Pool, Lido Pool, Raised Pool, Indoor Pool Bar
• Magrodome (retractable glass-roof covered sundeck)
• Aqua Park with slides, Kids Playground
• 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's 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).

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.

The inaugural cruise (June 3, 2021) is a 7-day itinerary with call ports Barcelona, Marseille, Naples, Genoa, Messina Sicily, Valletta Malta.

Godspeed to the new ship!