MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises, officially MSC Crociere S.A., is a cruise line belonging to the Mediterranean Shipping Company.

It is the fourth-largest cruise operator in the world and the second-largest in Europe, surpassed only by Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Group, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. It has a worldwide market share of approximately 6.4% (in 2015). 

By April 2025, it will operate a fleet of 25 ships, including the first two vessels of its subsidiary Explora Journeys.

History
It was founded in 1987 and the following year began operating the Monterey (formerly the Matson Lines ocean liner Monterey). 

In 1989, it acquired the Starlauro shipping line, renaming it MSC-Starlauro. In 1995, the company was renamed again due to its loss of popularity due to several fires that sank the company's two ships. MSC Cruises was born.

Logo

MSC Cruises' logo has changed format several times since the acquisition of Starlauro. Initially, the logo was exactly the same as that of the parent company, Mediterranean Shipping Company: a lowercase "m" on a curved line and a lowercase "s" and "c" together. 

Later, the logo changed to the format most similar to the current one, with the initial logo inserted into a Mediterranean Compass Rose, reflecting Mediterranean shapes and style. Next to the logo are the capital letters MSC, and in some versions, the word cruises is written in different languages below the letters MSC. 

The logo changed tones several times, but blue dominated in this second logo. Noteworthy are the characteristic MSC Cruises funnels, all painted in a very noble and nautical navy blue.
 Fleet 
 Current fleet 
 Ship Built Builder Joined MSC Gross tonnage Flag Notes Image Mistral-class  2001 Chantiers de l'Atlantique May 2004 65,542Built as the MS European Vision for Festival Cruises 180px  2002 March 2005 65,542 Built as the MS European Stars for Festival Cruises 180px  2003 March 2003 65,591 First purpose-built new build for MSC Cruises 180px  2004 March 2004 65,591  180px Musica class  2006 Aker Yards (Saint-Nazaire) July 2006 92,409  180px  2007 May 2007 92,409   180px  2008 Aker Yards/STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) Oct 2008 92,627  180px  2010 STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) March 2010 95,128  Modified Musica class 180px Fantasia class  2008 Aker Yards/STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) Dec 2008 137,936  180px  2009 July 2009 137,936  180px  2012 STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) June 2012 139,400  Modified Fantasia class 180px  2013  March 2013 139,400  Modified Fantasia class180px Seaside class  2017 Fincantieri Nov 2017 153,516  frameless|180x180px  2018 June 2018 153,516  180px Seaside EVO-class  2021 Fincantieri August 2021 170,412 180px  2022 November 2022 170,400 180px Meraviglia class  2017 STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire) May 2017 171,598   180px  2019 Chantiers de l'Atlantique March 2019 171,598 180px Meraviglia Plus-class  2019 Chantiers de l'Atlantique November 2019 181,541 180px MSC Virtuosa 2021 May 2021 181,541   180px MSC Euribia 2023 May 2023 184,011  Second ship powered by liquid natural gas (LNG) to join the fleet.MSC Euribia - 3 juin 2023 - Saint-Nazaire, France|180pxWorld Class  2022 Chantiers de l'Atlantique December 2022 215,863  Originally named MSC Europa.
Largest ship built for MSC Cruises and first in the fleet powered by LNG with solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and having "G"-shape bow design.frameless|180x180pxMSC World America 2025 March 2025 216,638  LNG-fueled cruise ship.Construction started on 22 October 2022.https://chantiers-atlantique.com/en/news/msc-and-chantiers-de-latlantique-mark-a-major-step-forward-with-the-delivery-of-msc-world-europa/https://chantiers-atlantique.com/en/institutional/chantiers-de-latlantique-to-integrate-the-first-lng-operated-fuel-cell-onboard-an-msc-cruises-ship/Sea Trials completed and delivered in March 2025center|frameless|180x180px

 Future ships 
 Ship Due to enter service Builder Gross tonnage Notes ImageWorld classMSC World Asia 2026 Chantiers de l'Atlantique 216,638 LNG-fueled cruise ship MSC World Atlantic 2027 216,638 LNG-fueled cruise shipWorld Class 52029216,638LNG-fueled cruise shipWorld Class 62030216,638LNG-fueled cruise ship

MSC is also in negotiations with Finnish, Italian and French yards for new builds.https://www.ttgmedia.com/cruise/msc-cruises-confirms-talks-under-way-with-shipyards-over-new-ship-class-49216https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/cruise/msc-cruises-to-take-the-bar-higher-with-next-generation-of-shipshttps://cruiseweekly.com.au/news/msc-going-bigger/80807

 Former fleet 
 Ship Built Builder In service for MSC Gross tonnage Notes Image  1947 Scheepsbouw-Maatschappij De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands 1988- 1994 23,629 Built for Royal Rotterdam Lloyd as the MS Willem Ruys. Sank after catching fire in 1994. 180px Monterey 1952 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Maryland, United States 1990- 2006 20,000 Originally known as SS Free State Mariner. Previously Monterey for Matson Lines and Monterey for Aloha Pacific Cruises. Scrapped in 2007. frameless|180x180px  1951 Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, England 1994- 2000 16,000 Previously Provence for SGTM Line and Enrico C for Costa Cruises. Scrapped in 2001. 180px Rhapsody 1977 Burmeister & Wain, Denmark 1995- 2009 17,095 Previously Cunard Conquest and Cunard Princess for Cunard Line. Scrapped in 2022. 180px  1982 CNIM (La Seyne-sur-Mer), France 1997- 2013 35,143 Previously Atlantic for Home Lines and StarShip Atlantic for Premier Cruise Line. Scrapped in 2018. 180px

 References