MSC Cruises has officially taken delivery of its new flagship MSC Seaview at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

The delivery ceremony took place in the presence of Gianluigi Aponte, the shipowner and founder of MSC Group.

Also present at the ceremony were Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, and Giuseppe Bono, chief executive of Fincantieri.

Hot on the heels of MSC Seaside coming into service at the end of 2017, MSC Seaview is ready to start sailing her inaugural season in the Mediterranean.

The ship represents a key highlight for 2018 as she is the one MSC Cruises new-build coming into service this year, the second ship to be built by Fincantieri, the third ship to be completed in just 12 months, and the 15th ship to join the MSC Cruises global fleet.

She will sail in the Mediterranean for her inaugural summer season and in South America for the winter season.

Vago said: “MSC Seaview will bring yet another new distinctively innovative MSC Cruises product to the market as she boasts cutting edge design and features the latest marine and environmental technology.

“She is an example of our commitment to bring the best and most innovative tonnage to the market, and our ambition to set each time a new standard in the industry.

“The Seaside class is yet another brand new, highly-innovative prototype that we introduce – the fifth to date, since we entered the cruising industry only 15 years ago.

“Moreover, I am proud to say, together with her sister ship MSC Seaside, it is the biggest ship ever built in Italy.”

Vago added: “We are increasing capacity at record speeds.

“MSC Seaview is the third ship to come into service in just 12 months.

“These are very exciting times for us, and we are already merely nine months away of the completion of our next ship, MSC Bellissima – the first of two Meraviglia class ships that will come into service over a six-month period next year.”

MSC Seaview is the third ship to be built under MSC Cruises’ €10.5 billion investment plan which already saw the completion of MSC Seaside and MSC Meraviglia in November and May 2017 respectively.

She will depart from the shipyard later today, arriving in Genoa, Italy, her home port on June 7th.

The newest addition to the MSC Cruises’ fleet will be officially inaugurated there in a glittering ceremony on June 9th and will commence her inaugural cruise on June 10th.

Images courtesy: I.Sarfatti