MSC MERAVIGLIA CELEBRATES IN HAMBURG STARTS OF THE NORTHERN EUROPE SUMMER SEASON

•    MSC Cruises’ next flagship MSC Grandiosa to be christened in Hamburg, Germany on November 2 2019
•    With brand new itineraries, more ships, more embarkation ports than ever before and more time ashore, MSC Cruises Northern Europe has never been more accessible

MSC Meraviglia officially made her maiden call at the port of Hamburg today, marking the start of her new as well as the brand’s best and most accessible-ever season in Northern Europe. At the traditional exchange of crests attended by Senator Horch from the City of Hamburg as well as representatives from the Ports and other institutions, media and travel partners, MSC Cruises, the Swiss-based world’s largest privately owned cruise line and now for the third consecutive year brand market leader across the whole of Europe, announced that MSC Grandiosa will be christened in Hamburg on 2 November 2019.

MSC Cruises Executive Chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago commented, “We are delighted to announce the christening of MSC Grandiosa here in Hamburg. Since our last christening in Germany of MSC Magnifica in 2010, as a company we have embarked on a journey of strong growth and the German cruise guest has embraced our brand and our offering in a strong way so it is only natural that we would look to christen in Germany our next flagship and the first of the Meraviglia-Plus ships to come into service, MSC Grandiosa.  We hold a special relationship with Germany overall and we are looking forward to celebrating with our German partners next November as well as welcoming our international guests to this historic port, rich in Maritime tradition and heritage.”

The new ship will bring to her guests, amongst other features, two brand new shows from Cirque du Soleil at Sea, created exclusively for MSC Grandiosa guests. This is part of a long-term partnership between MSC Cruises and Cirque du Soleil, the world leader in artistic entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, and that will result in a total of eight original shows that will be available on MSC Cruises’ four Meraviglia and Meraviglia-plus generation ships.

MSC Grandiosa will showcase an even larger Mediterranean-style promenade, the ground-breaking feature unique to the Meraviglia and Meraviglia-plus prototypes, that serves as the social hub of the ship with an array of shops and specialty restaurants as well as a new bar and lounge, L’Atelier Bistrot that will offer lounge seating with a stage and a dance floor, impressionist art will be on display in this space will also have "terrace "seating with Parisian Bistrot tables and chairs on the Promenade. Throughout the day and the evening, this award-winning promenade hosts surprise performances, including flash mobs and themed parties as well as the awe-inspiring projections on the even longer 98.5-metre LED Sky screen.

This summer, MSC Cruises is opening up Northern Europe to even more cruise guests and with the addition of MSC Meraviglia, is offering four ships, 36 different itineraries and six possible embarkation ports across Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Denmark. The region is becoming the must-visit cruise destination as more and more people wish to explore unspoiled, breath-taking coastlines of the Norwegian Fjords, the natural beauty of the British Isles experience, the cool Scandinavian capitals and immerse themselves in the rich history of the Baltic States.

The destinations on MSC Cruises’ Northern European itineraries offer so much to see and do, but guests needn’t worry about running out of time. Itineraries have been developed to offer guests more time ashore to explore everything that their destinations have to offer with extended stays and overnight stays in key ports.

Spending her first season in Northern Europe, MSC Meraviglia, designed for all seasons offers  world-class entertainment with Cirque du Soleil at Sea, the widest choice of dining options, serving a range of international and Mediterranean cuisines, comfortable and innovative accommodation and a Mediterranean-style promenade featuring multiple bars, restaurants and shops. Home-porting in Hamburg, this award-winning ship offers 10, 11 and 14-night itineraries that include the British Isles and Iceland – a voyage of rugged beauty and contrasting landscapes, or the breath-taking North Cape and the Norwegian archipelago, Spitzbergen. In September, an 11-night itinerary takes in the Baltic Capitals of Oslo, Nynashamn/Stockholm, Tallinn, and Helsinki with an overnight in the magnificent city of St. Petersburg.

This season will also see the introduction of new itineraries for MSC Cruises. For those looking to explore bustling Northern European cities MSC Magnifica offers a range of outstanding cruises embarking in Hamburg calling at Southampton with just a short transfer to London, Le Havre for access to stylish Paris and an overnight stay in picturesque Amsterdam with its famous cycle ways and tulip displays

The elegant and modern MSC Preziosa will offer seven-night sailings from Kiel and Copenhagen. MSC Orchestra will serve seven and 11-night itineraries from Warnemunde including the Norwegian Fjords and Copenhagen or itineraries that call in the Baltic States of Lithuania, Estonia as well as the Scandinavian countries of Finland, Sweden and Denmark. How else could you discover all of this stunning destinations without unpacking a suitcase?