MSC Cruises

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MSC Cruises

Type	Private
Industry	Transportation
Founded	1987
Headquarters	Geneva, Switzerland
Products	Cruises
Parent	Mediterranean Shipping Company
Website	www.msccruises.com

MSC Cruises (Italian: MSC Crociere S.p.A.) is a division of Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC).

Originally founded as Lauro Lines by Achille Lauro, the company entered the cruise business in the 1960s, operating two ships, the Angelina Lauro and MS Achille Lauro, both of which met fiery ends. After the Angelina Lauro burnt in the port of St.Thomas in 1979, Lauro Lines, also known as Flotta Lauro, met with bad times, now operating just one ship, the Achille Lauro. In 1985, the Achille Lauro was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front, and the much-publicised event further dropped passenger numbers. In 1989, Flotta Lauro was purchased by Mediterranean Shipping Company and renamed StarLauro Cruises.^[1] In 1994, the Achille Lauro caught fire and sank. In 1995, the company name was changed to MSC Cruises.^[1]

MSC Cruises is the fourth largest cruise operator in the world,^[2] after Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line with a 6% share of all passengers carried and cruise revenue in 2012.

On March 1, 2010, after strong support from French government, STX Europe and MSC Cruises announced signing a new Letter of Intent to build one, 139,000 ton, 3502 passenger, Fantasia-class ship, which is subject to financing, at STX Europe St-Nazaire.

Ships

Contemporary Fleet

Mistral class

Ship	Built	Builder	Entered service for MSC	Gross Tonnage	Flag	Notes
MSC Armonia	2001	Chantiers de l'Atlantique	2004	58,174 tons	Panama	Previously European Vision
MSC Sinfonia	2002	Chantiers de l'Atlantique	2005	58,625 tons	Panama	Previously European Stars
MSC Lirica	2002	Chantiers de l'Atlantique	2003	58,825 tons	Panama
MSC Opera	2004	Chantiers de l'Atlantique	2004	59,058 tons	Panama

Musica class

Ship	Built	Builder	Entered service for MSC	Gross Tonnage	Flag	Notes
MSC Musica	2006	Aker Yards	2006	89,600 tons	Panama
MSC Orchestra	2007	Aker Yards	2007	89,600 tons	Panama
MSC Poesia	2008	Aker Yards	2008	93,330 tons	Panama	Modified Musica-class
MSC Magnifica	2010	STX Europe	2010	93,330 tons	Panama	Modified Musica-class

Fantasia class

Ship	Built	Builder	Entered service for MSC	Gross Tonnage	Flag	Notes
MSC Fantasia	2008	Aker Yards	2008	137,936 tons	Panama
MSC Splendida	2009	Aker Yards	2009	137,936 tons	Panama
MSC Divina	2012	Aker Yards	2012	139,000 tons	Panama	Modified Fantasia-class, Renamed MSC Divina in 2010.

Classic fleet

Ship	Built	Builder	Entered service for MSC	Gross Tonnage	Flag	Notes
MSC Melody	1982	CNIM	1997	35,143 tons	Panama	Previously Melody, Last refurbished in 2001. [3] Currently for sale.

Future ships

Ship	Class	Delivery	Gross Tonnage	Planned Flag	Notes
MSC Preziosa	Fantasia	March 2013	139,000 tons	Panama	Modified Fantasia-class. Originally ordered for Libyan based General National Maritime Transport.[4]

MSC Orchestra at Istanbul

MSC Magnifica at Amsterdam

Former ships

Only includes cruise ships. Not a complete list.

• Roma (1950) (1950–1966)
• Sydney (1951–1967), Roma (1967) (1967–1968)
• Angelina Lauro (1964–1979)
• Achille Lauro (1964–1994)
• Monterey (1989–2006)
• Angelina Lauro (2) (1989–1991)
• Symphony (1994–2000)
• Rhapsody (1995–2009)
• Star of Venice^{[citation needed]} (1998–2000)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: MSC Cruises

• MSC Cruises Official Website
• MSC Cruises Asia Official Website (English)
• MSC Cruises Asia Official Website (Traditional Chinese)
• MSC Cruises Asia Facebook Page
• Cruise Critic Review
• Lauro Lines, StarLauro and MSC Cruises Information and Postcards at Simplon Postcards

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