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MSC’s Meraviglia-Plus duo to showcase original masterpieces in on-board museum

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MSC Cruises to feature original masterpieces in a Museum of Culture onboard Meraviglia-Plus ships currently under construction at STX France
MSC Cruises is set to showcase masterpieces of classic art, such as original works by Renaissance and Impressionist artists, in an on-board Museum of Culture, on the pair of Meraviglia-Plus ships arriving in 2019 and 2020.

The reveal was made by company executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and ceo Gianni Onorato aboard MSC Meraviglia ahead of her naming in Le Havre, Saturday evening.

Vago said the company is talking to art museums in Florence and the Italain government, The Louvre and Spain’s Prado and others, on collaborating in showcasing their works onboard.

Onorato got the idea during a visit to The Louvre in Paris, informed Vago.

‘The democratisation of luxury cruising has been so successful and Gianni came up with the idea to democratise the onboard cultural experience through the museum,’ he explained.

The museum will be situated along with shops, restaurants and bars on the Mediterranean-style two-deck indoor Galleria promenade, which stretches the length of the mid-ships area leading from the atrium.

Covered with an LED ‘sky’ cover that visually changes throughout the day and night, the promenade represents an urban street look, feel and make-up.

On the Meraviglia-Plus pair of ships, the promenade will be extended by 15mtr allowing in part the space to feature the museum.

‘It will be an amazing feature adding to the already popular focal part of the ship and the works of art will be shown in the correct atmospheric conditions and behind special bullet-proof glass to ensure we create the same gallery conditions as on land,’ Onorato told Seatrade Cruise News.

‘Imagine seeing an original Michelangelo or an Impressionst painting and then learning about the artist and their life and times?’ Vago remarked.

The cruise line is discussing a special ‘nail to nail’ insurance policy that it will personally purchase that goes beyond normal P&I insurance cover for the valuable assets onboard, Vago explained.

Holland America Line first added the Rijksmuseum at Sea on Oosterdam in April 2016 showcasing reproductions of some of the museum’s famous masterpieces.