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I received this press release from MSC Cruises and thought it would be
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MSC unveils the Fantasia
11 December 2008
MSC Cruises received its flagship MSC Fantasia, dubbed ‘the most
beautiful ship in the world’, yesterday at a hand-over ceremony at the
STX France shipyard in St Nazaire, France. At the tender age of four,
the godmother at the flag ceremony was Asia Aponte, granddaughter of
MSC Cruises owner Gianluigi Aponte. MSC Cruises’s CEO Pierfrancesco
Vago, and Jacques Hardelay, General Manager of the shipyard, were also
present.
The official handover of the flagship from the shipyard to MSC Cruises
saw the lowering of the French flag and the flag of STX France, and
the raising of the MSC Cruises flag, along with the flags of Italy and
Panama.
At the ceremony, Mr Vago said: “I am particularly proud to launch this
new ship, which is a revolution in the cruising world, due to the
technologically advanced systems on board. Not only does MSC Fantasia
stand out for her technical innovations, but also for her
environmentally-friendly systems and structure.
“This ship will capture the imagination of every single guest who
comes onboard, as she is a destination in herself and so beautifully
designed. She features the stunning MSC Yacht Club, which introduces a
new concept in luxury sailing, and our signature MSC Aurea Spa, for
the ultimate in well-being.
“With so much choice of activities and entertainment on board this
visually stunning ship, I am sure you will agree MSC Fantasia truly is
the most beautiful ship in the world,” Mr Vago added.
The largest ship in the fleet with a total passenger capacity of
3,959, MSC Fantasia introduces a new class of cruising with MSC Yacht
Club, a luxury area with 24-hour butler and concierge service.
MSC Fantasia is the sixth new build for MSC Cruises from STX France.
Her sister ship MSC Splendida will join the fleet in July 2009, to be
followed by three further ships – MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia and
MSC Favolosa – by 2012, giving MSC Cruises the fastest-growing and
most modern fleet in the world.
Following the flag ceremony, MSC Fantasia sails to Italy via Lisbon,
Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona and Marseilles, to reach Naples, where
she will be christened on 18 December. After her inaugural cruise, she
will be based in Genoa sailing the Mediterranean year-round.
For more information, contact your travel professional. |