France: STX France Reaches Construction Milestone for MSC Preziosa

In time-honoured maritime tradition, a ceremony was held this morning at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, during which two commemorative coins were welded to MSC Preziosa’s mast radar, marking a significant construction milestone.

Following the termination of the agreement with the original owner, earlier this year MSC Cruises signed a contract to take over the 140,000-tonne cruise ship. Renamed MSC Preziosa, she will be the 13th addition to the MSC Cruises’ fleet, as well as the precious fourth ship in the series of Fantasia class ships.

The honour of presenting the coins fell to MSC Cruises Head of Onboard Marketing Daniela Picco, who served as MSC godmother during the ceremony. She was joined by Jeannette Le Queau from STX France, who works closely with the MSC team and has been involved in the MSC story since the first new build orders arrived at Saint-Nazaire just under ten years ago.

The gold coin from STX bears the well-known image of Louis Oscar Roty’s La Semeuse, a sower moving forward with her bag of grain, which was depicted on French coins until the arrival of the euro. MSC’s coin bears the company logo on one side and the cross of Genoa’s ancient coins on the other.

Genoa was an obvious choice to celebrate the new ship’s arrival. The city has been an MSC Cruises homeport since the start of the company’s expansion programme in 2003 and has shown a keen understanding of the major economic impact that the cruise sector, and MSC in particular, brings to its port and the region.

MSC Preziosa is 333 metres long, 38 metres wide, and weighs 140,000 tonnes. The 4,345 guest luxury cruise ship is able to travel up to 23 knots, offering smooth cruising in sumptuous surroundings. Her elegant design is, once again, the work of award-winning naval architects De Jorio Design International.

MSC Preziosa will also take the MSC Yacht Club to new heights. Devised as an entirely self-contained private club area on the foredecks of the ship, the MSC Yacht Club has become a benchmark of exclusive travel since first launched on MSC Fantasia, MSC Splendida and MSC Divina. With its sweeping sea views, butler serviced superior suites, dedicated restaurant, pool, solarium, panoramic lounge, private decks and private lift access to the MSC Aurea Spa, the trend-setting concept is a distinguished sanctuary for guests seeking peace, privacy and exclusivity but with access to all that large cruise ships offer.

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Press Release, October 11, 2012; Image:mscpressarea