MSC CRUISES AND ITS EXTRAORDINARY DEVELOPMENT

12 SHIPS BY 2009: A EUROPEAN RECORD

MSC Cruises is the largest Italian cruise company with a fleet that competes on an international level. The MSC Cruises fleet will total 12 ships by 2009 offering more than 1,100,000 berths annually and securing a place as a European market leader.

In 1995 MSC Cruises started with a fleet of only two ships: MSC Monterey and MSC Rhapsody, joined in 1997 by MSC Melody. All three ships are unique in class and style, able to offer guests the comforts and intimate atmosphere found on exclusive yachts.

In 2003, the era of the four sister ships began: first to arrive was MSC Lirica in 2003, joined by MSC Opera in 2004 and then by MSC Armonia and MSC Sinfonia in 2005. These ships are the same tonnage, all built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, presently known as Aker Yards.

This years flagship, MSC Musica, has increased the fleet to eight. MSC Musica has 1275 cabins, an amazing 80% of which are external (65% with a balcony), plus public areas totalling 22,000 square metres. She is the first of the new generation. On 24 November 2005 the first panel of MSC Orchestra was laid in the Aker Yards, she will be joining the fleet in 2007. In 2008, MSC Poesia, will be the new addition -  a sister ship to MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra.

MSC Cruises has also recently confirmed another order for Aker Yards: the building of MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata. These are the biggest ships to be commissioned by a European shipowner, for a total investment of over 1 billion Euro. These two ships will have a tonnage of 133,500 grt, a length of 333 metres and a width of 38 metres. Each will be able to accommodate up to a total of 3,900 passengers and 1,313 crew members. The designs and concepts used for the building of MSC Cruises fleet ships follow the standards of elegance and sophistication expressed in MSC Lirica, MSC Opera and MSC Musica.

MSC Cruises has sustained a huge development programme, increasing the fleet size yearly since 2003 and at the same time maintaining an excellent standard of onboard services. Italian cuisine, hospitality, design and sophisticated interiors remain the cornerstone of the MSC Cruises philosophy - all aimed at giving guests a personalised and impeccable service.

MSC Cruises has a current fleet of eight ships: MSC Musica sailing from Venice on 01 July 2006 for the first time, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Melody, MSC Rhapsody, MSC Monterey and offers itineraries in the Mediterranean all year round, in Northern Europe, Transatlantic, the Caribbean, South America and South Africa.  The MSC Cruises fleet will increase to 12 ships by 2009, with the launch of MSC Orchestra in 2007, MSC Poesia and MSC Fantasia in 2008, and MSC Serenata in 2009. MSC Cruises co-sponsors Alinghi in the 32nd America’s Cup, which will take place in Valencia in June 2007.