Port St. Maarten representatives and Captain Raffaele Russo of MSC Preziosa.
PHILIPSBURG–MSC Preziosa made its inaugural call – the first for the New Year – at Port St. Maarten on Wednesday, January 2, was welcomed by Port St. Maarten and St. Maarten Tourist Bureau representatives and the official plaque and welcome pleasantries were exchanged.
The cruise ship representative said St. Maarten is one of his preferred destinations and he has been coming to the island on various ships in the MSC fleet. MSC Preziosa, one of the four Fantasia Class ships, was launched in 2013, has a gross tonnage of 139,072 tons; has 18 decks including 14 guests’ decks; and is 1,083 feet long, 124 feet wide and 222 feet high.
The ship carries more than 4,300 passengers and close to 1,400 crew. The other three Fantasia Class ships – MSC Divina (2012), MSC Splendida (2009) and MSC Fantasia (2008) – are large-size modern ships. MSC Preziosa has been ranked among the five best cruise ships in the world.
MSC Cruises is Swiss-based and is considered the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line. The company, which has grown by 800 per cent since 2004, carried two million guests in 2017 and reported strong financial results with a turnover of US $2.2 billion. MSC Cruises has deep Mediterranean roots, employing more than 23,700 staff globally and selling cruise vacations in 70 countries around the world. Its 15 ships boast a host of cutting-edge innovations and the latest technologies, and its global fleet is one of the youngest at sea.
The fleet was born of a six-billion-euro investment programme launched in 2003 and after successful completion of the first investment phase, the company launched a second phase investment worth 11.6 billion euros that will see the fleet expand to 25 mega-cruise ships by 2026. MSC Cruises is the first global cruise line brand to develop an investment plan of such length and magnitude, according to company’s website.
MSC Cruises is the cruise line with the highest passenger capacity on order. An additional 10 cruise ships are due to join its fleet by 2026. In addition to the upcoming four Meraviglia and two Seaside ships, these will include four World Class vessels. With 205,000 gross tons and capacity for 6,761 guests, this new class of cruise ships will bring a new generation of liquid natural gas-powered engines that will strongly minimise their environmental footprint.
MSC Cruises is also the brand market leader in Europe, South America and South Africa, sailing year-round in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Seasonal itineraries cover Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, Southern Africa, China and Abu Dhabi, Dubai and India.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/84207-preziosa-first-to-make-inaugural-call-for-2019
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