RENAISSANCE PROGRAMME MOVES INTO PHASE TWO AS MSC SINFONIA ENTERS DRY DOCK

SECOND MSC SHIP TO BE ENLARGED AND RENEWED OVER NEXT 10 WEEKS IN PALERMO

Geneva, 13 January 2015 – MSC Cruises’ €200m Renaissance Programme to renew and enlarge four ships of its 12-strong fleet entered its second phase after the arrival of MSC Sinfonia at Fincantieri’s shipyard, in Sicily.

Over the next 10 weeks, MSC Sinfonia will undergo the same intensive work schedule as her sister ship, MSC Armonia, which resumed service on 17 November 2014.

Fincantieri’s world-class marine engineers will carefully bisect MSC Sinfonia’s hull, after which the two halves of the ships will be slowly drawn apart.

On 20 and 21 January they will insert a prebuilt 2,200GT, 24-metre midsection containing 193 extra cabins. Then they will refit and renew much of the ship’s interior, bringing an enhanced sense of comfort and space. Before MSC Sinfonia’s arrival, Fincantieri’s preparations were already well under way for the work on board and in the shipyard.
On 9 January, the new midsection was floated into the shipyard and hauled into the drydock area where MSC Sinfonia will remain for the duration of her stay.

Once the work is complete and sea trials completed, the larger, smarter MSC Sinfonia will weigh anchor from the shipyard on 25 March for Genoa, from where she’ll begin for her maiden cruise to Ajaccio, Barcelona and Marseille.

MSC Sinfonia will feature new purpose-built areas for children created in partnership with Chicco® and LEGO®, and a new Baby Club, Mini Club, Young Club and Teens Club.

MSC Cruises has also reimagined the onboard dining experiences, keeping the buffet open 20 hours per day and installing fresh new dining spaces, a brand new lounge and an extended restaurant.

The ship’s MSC Aurea Spa will also be enriched with additional massage areas, and a new outdoor spray park will be added on deck 13 – an exciting series of playful water features and jets.

The remainder of the Renaissance Programme will progress according to the following schedule:

• MSC Opera: 2 May to 4 July 2015
• MSC Lirica: 31 August to 2 November 2015

MSC Cruises currently carries roughly 40,000 guests per day, but by 2022 will double its capacity to 80,000 guests a day – 3.4 million per year – once the Renaissance Programme is completed and the last of seven planned ships is delivered.

SOURCE: MSC Cruises