MSC Cruises said
it has converted options into firm orders for two ships scheduled for delivery
in October 2019 and December 2020.
The ships, valued
by MSC at $1.7 billion, will be longer and bigger versions of the Meraviglia-class
ship, which is scheduled to begin with the 167,600-gross-ton MSC Meraviglia in
2017.
A second Meraviglia-class
ship is due in 2019. They are both rated for 4,500 passengers at double
occupancy.
The third and
fourth ships, dubbed Meraviglia Plus, will carry 4,888 passengers at double
occupancy. MSC said it will build a fine-arts gallery into the ships.
MSC said the
1,085-foot-long vessels "will be the largest ships at sea able to call at
any port, thus maximizing guests’ choices of itineraries and destinations."
All four ships
will be built at the STX shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. MSC said it will
christen the MSC Meraviglia nearby in Le Havre, France.
Privately held
MSC also released a glimpse into its finances at a press conference following a
shipyard construction ceremony in Saint Nazaire. CEO Gianni Onorato said 2015 sales were 10%
ahead of 2014. He forecasted that the
company will have a 6% sales increase in 2016.