MSC Meraviglia

For the name, see Maraviglia.

MSC Meraviglia
MSC Meraviglia in Grand Harbour, Malta in 2018
History
Malta
NameMSC Meraviglia
OwnerMSC Cruises
OperatorMSC Cruises
Port of registryValletta, Malta
Ordered20 March 2014
BuilderSTX France (Saint-Nazaire)[1]
Laid downOctober 2015[2]
Launched2 September 2016[3][4]
Sponsored bySophia Loren
Christened3 June 2017
Completed31 May 2017
In service3 June 2017–present
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class & typeProject Vista (MSC) cruise ship
Tonnage
Length315.83 m (1,036 ft 2 in)[5]
Beam43 m (141 ft 1 in)[5]
Height65 m (213 ft)
Draught8.75 m (28 ft 8 in)[5]
Decks15 passenger decks
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed
  • 22.7 knots (42.0 km/h; 26.1 mph) (maximum)
  • 21.8 knots (40.4 km/h; 25.1 mph) (service)[5]
Capacity
  • 4,488 passengers at double occupancy[6]
  • 5,642 passengers maximum[7]
Crew1,536 crew

MSC Meraviglia is a cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises, built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, by STX France. MSC Meraviglia is the lead ship of MSC's new "Vista Project" vessels,[8] the Meraviglia class, with MSC Bellissima following in 2019. Each vessel has a passenger capacity of 4,500. A larger Meraviglia Plus variant was later introduced[9] with MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa.[10]

Design and construction

MSC Cruises and STX France signed a letter of intent in March 2014 for the construction of two ships in a new Meraviglia class, each measuring 167,600 gross tons, with the first to be delivered in 2017.[11] The following year, the vessel's name was announced, and steel was cut, at a ceremony held at Chantiers de l'Atlantique on 20 April 2015.[12] The ship was formally named on 3 June 2017 by her godmother, Italian actress Sophia Loren[13] at a ceremony in Le Havre, which also featured French actor Patrick Bruel, musical group Kids United, and comedian Gad Elmaleh.[14]

Construction of MSC Meraviglia involved building 50 large prefabricated hull sections, or “megablocks”,[15] with about 35,000 tons of steel,[16] which were then used to assemble the ship. Cabins were constructed as modules at a separate facility and later installed on the ship.[15] The building of MSC Meraviglia was shown in the second episode of the Science Channel series, Building Giants, and titled "Monster Cruise Ship".[15]

The ship uses a diesel-electric propulsion system, with four diesel engines generating electrical power that drive the two azipod units, each containing an electric motor and fixed-pitch propeller, mounted beneath the stern.[17][15]

The ship's facilities include an interior promenade with a long LED roof, a water park with water slides, a rope course and a theater. The ship overall has less passenger space and more passengers onboard than other similar cruise ships. The ship also has over ten dining areas and a spa.[12] The ship is equipped with an exhaust gas cleaning system and an advanced wastewater treatment system, with the ability to retain wastewater on board for up to two days rather than discharging it immediately.[18]

The ship is equipped for cold ironing (shore power), allowing it to connect to shoreside electricity while in port and turn off its engines. Despite this capability, MSC Meraviglia had been unable to connect to shore power at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal due to issues with being able to reach the ship’s power connector, exacerbating concerns from local residents over pollution resulting from cruise ship operations at the cruise terminal.[19] After upgrades to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, MSC Meraviglia was able to connect to shore power in Brooklyn for the first time in October 2025.[20][21]

Operational history

In June 2015, MSC Cruises opened bookings for MSC Meraviglia’s inaugural 2017 season.[22] MSC Meraviglia was delivered to MSC Cruises by STX France on May 31, 2017.[1] Following her christening in Le Havre, France on 3 June, the ship entered service and initially operated in the western Mediterranean Sea.[23]

The ship also cruised in Northern Europe in summer 2019, then repositioned to the United States for the first time, arriving in New York City on October 7, 2019. It did three sailings from New York in fall 2019, including two cruises to New England and Canada. The ship then relocated to Miami, from which it planned to operate western Caribbean cruises from November 2019 through April 2020.[24] This was part of a North American expansion program by MSC.[25]

MSC planned for the ship to return to Northern Europe for the summer of 2020, then return to New York City in the fall and back to Miami in late 2020.[26]

COVID-19 pandemic

On 26 February 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, Mexican authorities granted permission for MSC Meraviglia, registered in Malta, to dock in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, because she carried a passenger presumed to be infected with COVID-19. The ship was previously denied access to ports in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.[27][28] Two cases of common seasonal flu were found.[29]

Post-COVID

MSC Meraviglia restarted operations after COVID in August 2021, with cruises from Miami.[30][31] In 2022, MSC Meraviglia operated cruises from Barcelona.[32]

Starting in April 2023, MSC Meraviglia began operating year-round from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in New York City, with cruises to the Caribbean and Bermuda. It has also operated cruise itineraries from New York City to Canada and New England during autumn months.[33] [34]

In May 2024, MSC Meraviglia arrived in Brooklyn with a dead 44-foot mature female sei whale lodged on its bow.[35][36] Authorities and marine conservation officials conducted a necropsy and collected samples to investigate the circumstances of the whale's death.[37]

In May 2025, the ship underwent repairs in Portland, Maine, which included replacing propeller blades.[38]

In August 2025, MSC announced plans to relocate the ship out of Brooklyn in April 2026,[39] with itineraries in Europe during the summer of 2026 and then it will operate out of Miami during the winter of 2027.[40] In the summer of 2027, it will operate out of Southampton.[41]

In March 2026, the ship reported serious issues with its plumbing and sewage disposal system, although its itinerary was not effected.[42]

References

  1. ^ a b "STX delivers MSC Meraviglia in the presence of France's Macron". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  2. ^ "STX France: Le MSC Meraviglia à moitié assemblé" (in French). 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  3. ^ "MSC Cruises Reveals Name Of Second Meraviglia Generation Mega-Ship: MSC Bellissima". 2 September 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  4. ^ "MSC Meraviglia Floated Out at STX France". 2 September 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "MSC Meraviglia (9760512)". BV Fleet. Bureau Veritas. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  6. ^ "MSC Meraviglia makes its stateside debut". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  7. ^ "MSC Meraviglia". MSC Cruises. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  8. ^ USA, MSC Cruises. "MSC Cruises' First Next Generation Ship Named "MSC Meraviglia," As First Steel Is Cut At STX France". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  9. ^ "MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  10. ^ "MSC Virtuosa Ship Stats & Information- MSC Cruises MSC Virtuosa Cruises: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  11. ^ "STX to build MSC ships". CruiseandFerry.net. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  12. ^ a b Wood, Donald (21 April 2015). "Introducing Meraviglia, MSC Cruises' First Vista-Class Ship". TravelPulse.com. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  13. ^ "MSC Meraviglia Finally Gets Her Beautiful Godmother | CruiseBe". CruiseBe. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  14. ^ "The latest giant of the seas, MSC Meraviglia, christened in France". USA Today. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  15. ^ a b c d "Building Giants: Monster Cruise Ship". Science Channel. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  16. ^ "MSC CRUISES MEGA SHIP MSC MERAVIGLIA STARS IN NEW PRIME TIME TV SERIES "BUILDING GIANTS"". www.mscpressarea.com. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  17. ^ "MSC Meraviglia: a 'cut above' in size, design and propulsion". Riviera Maritime Media. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  18. ^ "MSC Meraviglia receives Bureau Veritas' 8 Golden Pearls notation". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  19. ^ Uteuova, Aliya (27 February 2024). "'An ominous presence': New York City bill aims to restrict cruise ship pollution". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  20. ^ NYCEDC. "NYCEDC Announces Expansion of Shore Power Infrastructure at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal | NYCEDC". edc.nyc. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  21. ^ Frost, Mary (5 November 2025). "Giant ship MSC Meraviglia can now connect to shore power at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  22. ^ "MSC Cruises opens MSC Meraviglia sales, cuts steel for MSC Seaside". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  23. ^ "MSC Cruises Officially Receives MSC Meraviglia - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  24. ^ "MSC Meraviglia makes its stateside debut". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  25. ^ Tribou, Richard. "MSC Meraviglia coming to Miami as part of North American expansion". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  26. ^ "MSC Meraviglia debuts in new seasonal Miami home". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  27. ^ "MSC Meraviglia cruise ship to dock in Cozumel, Mexico despite coronavirus fears". El Universal (English). 26 February 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  28. ^ "MSC ship misses Jamaica, Grand Cayman on one case of common flu". Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  29. ^ "Mexico: No Coronavirus on MSC Meraviglia". The Maritime Executive. 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  30. ^ "MSC Cruises sets US restart plans after CDC OKs July 17 test sailing". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  31. ^ "Aug. 2 updates: MSC's US restart, Celestyal calls off fall/winter cruises, new Azamara routes, Viking in France". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  32. ^ "MSC Cruises launches summer 2022 programme". Archived from the original on 11 October 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  33. ^ "MSC Cruises to Operate Year-Round From New York City - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  34. ^ Staff • •, NBC New York (21 April 2023). "19-Deck Cruise Ship as Long as Eiffel Tower Is High Makes New Home in Brooklyn". NBC New York. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  35. ^ "Cruise ship sails into New York City port with 44-foot dead whale across its bow". AP News. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  36. ^ Gorman, Steve (8 May 2024). "44-foot whale carcass on bow of cruise ship baffles NY authorities". Reuters.
  37. ^ "Cruise ship sails into New York City port with 44-foot dead whale across its bow". AP News. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  38. ^ Flisiuk, Francis (14 May 2025). "Why a cruise ship with no passengers is spending the week in Portland". WMTW. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  39. ^ Frost, Mary (7 August 2025). "Giant cruise ship MSC Meraviglia leaving Brooklyn for good, headed to Miami". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  40. ^ "MSC Cruises to Leave Brooklyn, Pull Out of NYC - Cruise Critic". Cruise Critic. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  41. ^ "MSC Cruises to replace MSC Virtuosa with MSC Meraviglia in 2027 in UK". www.cruisecritic.com. 6 October 2025. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  42. ^ Vasquez, Ingrid, "Cruise Guest Reportedly Flushes 'Large Cotton Towel' in Toilet, Wrecking Ship’s Flush System", People (magazine), 19 March 2026
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