Engineering:MSC Virtuosa

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MSC Viruosa at the Port Of Liverpool (2021)
Short description: Cruise ship debuting in 2021


MSC Virtuosa
MSC Virtuosa, Saint-Nazaire september 2020.jpg
MSC Virtuosa under construction in Saint-Nazaire, 2020
History
Name: MSC Virtuosa
Owner: MSC Cruises
Operator: MSC Cruises
Ordered: 1 February 2016[1]
Builder:
  • Chantiers de l’Atlantique
  • (Saint-Nazaire, France )
Cost: €FXConvert/Wordify error: cannot parse value "Template:FXConvert/Scale" (2016)[2]
Yard number: H34[3]
Laid down: 27 February 2019[4]
Launched: 29 November 2019[5]
Acquired: 1 February 2021[6]
In service: 2021[7][8]
Identification:
General characteristics
Class and type: Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 181,541 GT[9]
Length: 331.43 m (1,087.4 ft)[9]
Beam:
  • 43 m (141.1 ft) (moulded)
  • 50 m (164.0 ft) (max)[9]
Height: 64.9 m (213 ft)[10]
Decks: 16
Speed: 22.3 kt (21,900 long tons; 24,600 short tons)[10]
Capacity:
  • 4,842 (double occupancy)[10]
  • 6,334 (maximum capacity)[10]
Crew: 1,704[10]

MSC Virtuosa is a Meraviglia-Plus class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, she is the second ship in the Meraviglia-Plus class and sister ship to MSC Grandiosa.[11][1] Originally scheduled to debut on 8 November 2020, her delivery and entry into service was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was delivered to MSC Cruises on 1 February 2021 and entered service in May 2021.[7][6][8]

History

Construction

On 2 February 2016, MSC Cruises announced that they had converted their options for two new ships into firm orders, with the new vessels being a part of a sub-class that evolves from the cruise line's original Meraviglia-class platform, dubbed "Meraviglia Plus".[1][2] Each new vessel was designed to be larger than their older Meraviglia-class sisters, at 181,000 GT, with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334 guests.[12]

On 14 June 2018, MSC Cruises celebrated the steel-cutting for the second Meraviglia Plus-class vessel and also announced her name as MSC Virtuosa at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.[13] Her coin ceremony was performed on 27 February 2019.[4] She was floated out on 29 November 2019 and moved to a wet dock to complete construction.[5][14]

Debut

MSC Virtuosa was originally scheduled to be delivered in October 2020[15] and sail her maiden voyage on 8 November 2020 from Genoa. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction delays arose at the shipyard and slowed the ship's construction progress.[8] The delivery took place on 1 February 2021 with a traditional flag ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.[16] She is currently expected to enter service on 20 May 2021 sailing from Southampton.[17]

Operational career

MSC Virtuosa was scheduled to begin sailing weekly itineraries in the Western Mediterranean in autumn 2020.[6] However, due to the construction delays, MSC Grandiosa replaced all of the ship's scheduled itineraries through the winter 2020–2021 season.[18] She will enter service on 20 May 2021 with a series of three and four-night cruises from Southampton, before beginning seven-night cruises around the British Isles on 12 June with three embarkation ports in England and Scotland.[17] These cruises will sail to ports such as Portland, Liverpool, Greenock and Belfast and are exclusively for UK residents.[19] She was originally scheduled to cruise in Northern Europe and the Baltic region for the spring 2021 season, however these cruises will be operated by MSC Seaview instead.[20] She will re-position to Dubai in autumn 2021, where she will be based throughout the winter, sailing 7-day itineraries in the Persian Gulf to the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.[21]

Design and engineering

Like MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa will be equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97 percent.[5] She will also be capable of running on shorepower when docked at ports.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Stieghorst, Tom (2016-02-01). "MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships: Travel Weekly" (in en). https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/MSC-confirms-order-for-Meraviglia-Plus-ships. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gibson, Rebecca (2016-02-02). "MSC Cruises orders two Meraviglia-Plus ships from STX France" (in en-GB). https://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/msc-cruises-orders-two-meraviglia-plus-ships-from-stx-france. 
  3. ↑ Groizeleau, Vincent (2019-01-30). "Saint-Nazaire: Nouvelle mise sur cale en vue" (in FR). https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/saint-nazaire-nouvelle-mise-sur-cale-en-vue. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Staff, C. I. N. (2019-02-27). "Coin Ceremony Held for MSC Virtuosa" (in en-gb). https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20437-coin-ceremony-held-for-msc-virtuosa.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "MSC VIRTUOSA'S FLOAT OUT CAPS MONTH-LONG TRIPLE CELEBRATIONS FOR MSC CRUISES". 2019-12-02. http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_INT/press-releases/3204. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 S.A, MSC Crociere. "Corporate Information & Media Room" (in en). http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_GB/press-releases/3794. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Romanenko, Maria (2021-05-24). "MSC Virtuosa Departs on Her Second Sailing" (in en-gb). https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25085-msc-virtuosa-departs-on-her-second-sailing.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Groizeleau, Vincent (5 May 2020). "Chantiers de l'Atlantique: delivery of MSC Virtuosa postponed by several months". Mer et Marine. https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/saint-nazaire-la-livraison-du-msc-virtuosa-repoussee-de-plusieurs-mois?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1589151435. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "MSC Virtuosa (9803625)". Lloyd's Register. https://classdirect.lr.org/lros?lrno=9803625. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "Corporate Information & Media Room". MSC Press Area (Press release). MSC Crociere, S.A. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "Cruise ship information | Virtuosa| MSC Cruises" (in en). MSC Cruises Global Website. https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/Discover-MSC/Cruise-Ships/MSC-Virtuosa/The-Ship.aspx. 
  12. ↑ "MSC Cruises reveals name of first Meraviglia-Plus ship, lays keel for Bellissima". 2017-11-15. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/msc-cruises-reveals-name-of-first-meraviglia-plus-ship-lays-keel-for-bellissima/. 
  13. ↑ "First Steel Cut for MSC Cruises' Meraviglia-Plus II". 2018-06-14. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/254912/first-steel-cut-for-msc-cruises-meraviglia-plus-ii/. 
  14. ↑ "#MSCVirtuosa touched water for the first time this past Friday evening, as we celebrated her float out in Saint Nazaire, France.". 2019-12-02. https://twitter.com/MSCCruises_PR/status/1201433313052897280. 
  15. ↑ "MSC Virtuosa's Float Out Caps Month-Long Triple Celebrations for MSC Cruises". MSC Cruises. 2 December 2019. https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/About-MSC/News/MSC-Virtuosa-Float-Out.aspx. 
  16. ↑ Staff, C. I. N. (2021-02-01). "MSC Cruises Takes Delivery of MSC Virtuosa" (in en-gb). https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24293-msc-cruises-takes-delivery-of-msc-virtuosa.html?fbclid=IwAR0AxEZwD5aLZ3wz23ey5o1GkrOE-pDA8NFWfcMU3lt2MU55Xru7W106zl8. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Romanenko, Maria (2021-03-29). "MSC To Deploy Virtuosa for UK Summer 2021 Cruises" (in en-gb). https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24653-msc-to-deploy-virtuosa-for-uk-summer-2021-cruises.html?fbclid=IwAR2DojURR-v6-8GkWI28dH6U6DLALiZRZndLnuSSr2fi7r0WRQmJ2TguuuU. 
  18. ↑ "MSC Announces Winter Program; New Protocols Onboard". Cruise Industry News. 22 June 2020. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23126-msc-announces-winter-program-new-protocols-onboard.html. 
  19. ↑ Weekly, Travel. "MSC Cruises' new flagship makes debut on UK coastal sailings" (in en). http://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tourism/msc-cruises-new-flagship-to-make-debut-on-uk-coastal-sailings. 
  20. ↑ "SUMMER 2021: MSC CRUISES' FLAGSHIP MSC VIRTUOSA TO PERFORM HER INAUGURAL SEASON AROUND THE BRITISH ISLES GIVING BRITISH GUESTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNTY FOR A MUCH DESERVED AND ALL-INCLUSIVE SAFE AND MEMORABLE HOLIDAY". http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_GB/press-releases/3881. 
  21. ↑ Ebelthite, Shaun (2019-12-11). "MSC Cruises to homeport new Meraviglia Plus-class MSC Virtuosa in Dubai for 2021/22 season" (in en-GB). https://cruisearabiaonline.com/2019/12/11/msc-cruises-to-homeport-new-meraviglia-plus-class-msc-virtuosa-in-dubai-for-2021-22-season/. 




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