The 153,516gt vessel can carry 5,331 passengers.
On hand were shipowner Gianluigi Aponte, founder and executive chairman of MSC Group; Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises; other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families; Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, and regional and local authorities and dignitaries.
MSC Seaview is the brand's second ship built by Fincantieri, the third new vessel for MSC Cruises completed in just 12 months and the 15th ship in the fleet.
Mediterranean inaugural season, then it's off to South America
MSC Seaview will sail in the Mediterranean during its inaugural summer season and then in South America for the southern summer.
'MSC Seaview will bring yet another new distinctively innovative MSC Cruises product to the market as she boasts cutting-edge design and features the latest marine and environmental technology,' Vago said, adding that the Seaside class is the fifth series MSC has introduced since entering the cruise market 15 years ago.
MSC Bellissima delivery just nine months away
'These are very exciting times for us, and we are already merely nine months away of the completion of our next ship, MSC Bellissima, the first of two Meraviglia-class ships [from STX France] that will come into service over a six-month period next year.'
'Just six months ago, in fact, we celebrated in this same yard the delivery of the largest ship ever built in Italy, MSC Seaside, a revolutionary prototype,' Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono said. 'Today we are repeating this success with her sister ship. This is an amazing performance, that we are extremely proud of, carried out thanks to the technical and managerial skills which made us great and acknowledged as such in the world and which allow us to look to the future with renewed confidence.'
As part of the festivities, Fincantieri shipyard director Roberto Olivari presented Capt. Pier Paolo Scala, master of MSC Seaview, an ampoule holding the first water that touched the hull when the ship was floated out last year.
Sophia Loren will name the ship in Genoa festivities
MSC Seaside is to be named at festivities in its Genoa homeport on Saturday. As is MSC Cruises' tradition, Sophia Loren will serve as the godmother.
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