MSC MAGNIFICA TAKES TO THE SEAS

MSC Magnifica – the fourth Panamax cruise ship in MSC Cruises’ Musica class and the 11th in the fleet, successfully completed her sea trials on the morning of Sunday January 17th, returning to the Forme Joubert dock in France after 72 hours on the open seas.

Despite bad weather and
50-knot winds on Saturday, the ship performed to the full satisfaction of the MSC Cruises team. The trials involved around 300 people and over 60 separate tests, covering everything from speed and manageability to acoustics and vibrations.

Following the successful trials, the next big event in MSC Magnifica’s busy schedule is the flag changing ceremony on February 25th 2010 in Saint- Nazaire, followed by the grand christening on March 6th in Hamburg. The christening will be accompanied by a spectacular evening of entertainment and celebration both on board and ashore. Thanks to a live broadcast of the show on two giant screens, the whole city of Hamburg will be involved. A host of artists will perform at the event, including renowned Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, while the ribbon will once again be cut by MSC Cruise’s traditional godmother, Italian screen legend Sophia Loren.

Offering 22,000 square metres of public areas for her 3,013 guests, MSC Magnifica combines the intimacy of her three Musica Class sister vessels with the state-of-the-art facilities and comfort of the company’s much larger flagships, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia. The Magrodome retractable roof will make it possible to enjoy one of the 4 pools throughout the year, whatever the weather, while Il Bar Del Sole area on the top deck boasts its own whirlpools, showers and solarium.

The ship’s 17 bars and lounges, 4 restaurants and a large new buffet area will serve the best of Italian and international cuisine, with the à la carte restaurant L’Oasi offering fine dining in an exotic Moroccan atmosphere.

New entertainment features on board include a high-tech 4D cinema and mini-bowling alley, as well as a vintage area in the sports bar dedicated to billiard. Last but not least, covering an area of 1,160 square metres, the luxurious MSC Aurea Spa wellness centre provides resort-standard spa and relaxation possibilities.

The new addition to the MSC Cruises fleet will take up regular service in the Mediterranean for the summer season, starting on March 20th. Its 7-night itinerary will take in Bari (Italy), Katakolon/Olympia (Greece), Izmir (Turkey), Istanbul (Turkey), Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Venice (Italy).

Come and enjoy her majestic style book now with 7 night cruising from $1309*pp. Call MSC Cruises on 1300 028 502 or visit www.msccruises.com.au (*Conditions apply)

MSC Cruises currently has the most modern fleet in the world, comprising ten ships: MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (the largest ships ever built for a European ship owner), MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica and MSC Melody. MSC Magnifica will be launched in 2010. The fleet cruises year round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean, South and West Africa. MSC Cruises is the only company in the world to receive the “6 Golden Pearls” award from the Bureau Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and environmental protection. The organization has also earned ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certification for the quality and food safety of all aspects of its catering, both onshore and onboard. MSC Cruise cares about the welfare of children, and as a responsible market leader, it believes in making a positive impact in the regions where it operates. To this end, the company recently forged partnership with UNICEF to fund a community project aimed at providing disadvantaged children in Brazil with a high quality education.