MSC Grandiosa
{{short description|Cruise ship operated by MSC Cruises}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = MSC Grandiosa | display title = ital }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = MSC Grandiosa leaving Kiel XII.jpg | Ship image size = | Ship caption = MSC Grandiosa in Kiel, 2022 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Malta | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Malta|civil}} | Ship name = MSC Grandiosa | Ship owner = MSC Cruises | Ship operator = MSC Cruises | Ship registry = Valletta, {{flag|Malta|civil}} | Ship ordered = 1 February 2016 | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = *Chantiers de l’Atlantique | Ship launched = 5 January 2019 | Ship sponsor = Sophia Loren | Ship christened = 9 November 2019 | Ship status = In service | Ship acquired = 31 October 2019 | Ship in service = 2019–present | Ship out of service = | Ship identification = *Call sign: 9HA5063
| Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship | Ship tonnage = {{GT|181,541}}{{cite ship register|shipname=MSC Grandiosa|id=9803613|register=LR|accessdate=1 November 2019}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{cvt|331.43|m}}{{cite press release|title=Corporate Information & Media Room |url=http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_INT/press-releases/3104 |website=MSC Corporate Information & Media Room |publisher=MSC Crociere, S.A. |accessdate=1 November 2019 |language=en |date=31 October 2019}} | Ship draught = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{cvt|22.3|kn}} | Ship capacity = *4,842 (double occupancy) | Ship decks = 19 | Ship notes = }} |
MSC Grandiosa is a Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, she is the first of three Meraviglia Plus-class ships set to operate for the cruise line.{{Cite web|date=31 July 2019|title=New Video Tour Highlights MSC Grandiosa|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21319-new-video-tour-highlights-msc-grandiosa.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819005128/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21319-new-video-tour-highlights-msc-grandiosa.html|archive-date=19 August 2020|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}} She commenced operations on 10 November 2019.{{Cite web|last=Peters|first=Gary|date=10 October 2018|title=Sales open for MSC Grandiosa|url=https://www.cruisetradenews.com/sales-open-for-msc-grandiosa/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819005239/https://www.cruisetradenews.com/sales-open-for-msc-grandiosa/|archive-date=19 August 2020|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Cruise Trade News|language=en-GB}}
History
= Construction and debut =
On 1 February 2016, MSC Cruises announced that they had converted their options for two new ships into firm orders, with the new vessels being a part of a sub-class that evolves from the cruise line's original Meraviglia-class platform, dubbed "Meraviglia Plus".{{Cite web|last=Stieghorst|first=Tom|date=1 February 2016|title=MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships: Travel Weekly|url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/MSC-confirms-order-for-Meraviglia-Plus-ships|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101043819/https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/MSC-confirms-order-for-Meraviglia-Plus-ships|archive-date=1 November 2019|access-date=18 August 2020|website=Travel Weekly|language=en}} Each new vessel was designed to be larger than their older Meraviglia-class sisters, at 181,541 GT, with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334 guests.{{Cite web|last=Bond|first=Mary|date=15 November 2017|title=MSC Cruises reveals name of first Meraviglia-Plus ship, lays keel for Bellissima|url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/msc-cruises-reveals-name-of-first-meraviglia-plus-ship-lays-keel-for-bellissima/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101205141/https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/msc-cruises-reveals-name-of-first-meraviglia-plus-ship-lays-keel-for-bellissima/|archive-date=1 November 2019|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Seatrade Cruise News}}
On 15 November 2017, on the day of the ship's steel-cutting ceremony at the STX France shipyard, MSC Cruises announced that the name of the first Meraviglia Plus-class ship would be MSC Grandiosa.{{Cite web|last=Kosciolek|first=Ashley|date=15 November 2017|title=MSC Cruises Cuts Steel for First Meraviglia Plus-class Ship, MSC Grandiosa; Coin Ceremony Held for MSC Bellissima|url=https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8214|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720153226/https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8214|archive-date=20 July 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Cruise Critic|language=en-us}} Her coin ceremony was performed in July 2018 and her float-out occurred six months later, on 5 January 2019.{{Cite web|title=Coming in 2019: MSC Grandiosa, the first Meraviglia Plus Generation ship|url=https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Newsletter/Grandiosa-Meraviglia-Plus.aspx|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819010403/https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Newsletter/Grandiosa-Meraviglia-Plus.aspx|archive-date=19 August 2020|access-date=19 August 2020|website=MSC Cruises}}{{Cite web|date=7 January 2019|title=MSC Celebrates Float Out of Grandiosa|url=https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/msc-celebrates-float-out-grandiosa|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107191356/https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/msc-celebrates-float-out-grandiosa|archive-date=7 January 2019|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Travel Agent Central|language=en}} She successfully completed her sea trials in September 2019.{{Cite web|date=2 September 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa Completes Sea Trials|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21452-msc-grandiosa-completes-sea-trials.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903190626/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21452-msc-grandiosa-completes-sea-trials.html|archive-date=3 September 2019|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}} MSC Grandiosa was delivered to MSC Cruises in a ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard on 31 October 2019.{{Cite web|date=31 October 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa Delivered|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21839-msc-grandiosa-delivered.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210143343/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21839-msc-grandiosa-delivered.html|archive-date=10 December 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}} Following her delivery, MSC Grandiosa sailed her first voyage from the shipyard to Hamburg for press events and her christening,{{Cite web|last=Baratti|first=Laurie|date=27 September 2019|title=MSC Cruises Reveals Details of the Grandest Launch for MSC Grandiosa|url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/msc-cruises-reveals-details-of-the-grandest-launch-for-msc-grandiosa.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101043822/https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/msc-cruises-reveals-details-of-the-grandest-launch-for-msc-grandiosa.html|archive-date=1 November 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|website=TravelPulse}} with calls in Rotterdam{{Cite web|date=4 November 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa Makes Maiden Call in Rotterdam|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21851-msc-grandiosa-makes-maiden-call-in-rotterdam.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105103130/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21851-msc-grandiosa-makes-maiden-call-in-rotterdam.html|archive-date=5 November 2019|access-date=18 August 2020|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}} and Le Havre.{{Cite web|date=2 November 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa Calls in Le Havre|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21850-msc-grandiosa-calls-in-le-havre.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102220733/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21850-msc-grandiosa-calls-in-le-havre.html|archive-date=2 November 2019|access-date=18 August 2020|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}}
On 9 November 2019, the ship was christened in a ceremony by her godmother, Sophia Loren, whilst being moored in the river Elbe.{{cite press release|date=9 October 2019|title=MSC Cruises Unveils Four Nights of Grand Celebrations for the Hamburg Christening of MSC Grandiosa|url=http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_INT/press-releases/3033|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215052353/http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_INT/press-releases/3033|archive-date=15 February 2020|access-date=18 August 2020|publisher=MSC Cruises}} The ship later returned to her dock at the Port of Hamburg before embarking on her inaugural cruise the following day, on 10 November 2019. Her inaugural cruise set sail on 10 November 2019 from Hamburg to Genoa via Southampton, Barcelona, and Marseille, and was also hampered by a storm that forced the cancellation of Lisbon.{{Cite web|date=10 October 2018|title=MSC Grandiosa's Maiden Voyage Now Open for Booking|url=https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/msc-grandiosa-s-maiden-voyage-now-open-for-sale|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101043818/https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/msc-grandiosa-s-maiden-voyage-now-open-for-sale|archive-date=1 November 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|website=Travel Agent Central|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Coulter|first=Adam|date=12 November 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa Inaugural Voyage Delayed Due to Bay of Biscay Storm, Two Ports Skipped|url=https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4749/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115054710/https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4749/|archive-date=15 November 2019|access-date=15 November 2019|website=Cruise Critic|language=en-us}}
= Operational career =
Beginning on 23 November 2019, MSC Grandiosa began sailing weekly Mediterranean itineraries for her inaugural season, calling in Genoa, Rome, Palermo, Valletta, Barcelona, and Marseille.{{cite press release|date=13 June 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa To Introduce New Smart Features To "MSC for Me"|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/msc-grandiosa-to-introduce-new-smart-features-to-msc-for-me-300867211.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815022759/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/msc-grandiosa-to-introduce-new-smart-features-to-msc-for-me-300867211.html|archive-date=15 August 2019|access-date=13 September 2019|publisher=PR Newswire}} On 30 December 2019, at the Port of Palermo, the ship struck the Vittorio Veneto pier with her stern on the port side when maneuvering to dock.{{Cite web|last=Thakkar|first=Emrys|date=30 December 2019|title=New Mega 181,000-ton Cruise Ship Strikes Pier|url=https://www.cruisehive.com/new-mega-181000-ton-cruise-ship-strikes-pier/36608|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231101317/https://www.cruisehive.com/new-mega-181000-ton-cruise-ship-strikes-pier/36608|archive-date=31 December 2019|access-date=18 August 2020|website=Cruise Hive}} Minor damage was reported on her stern and the pier, but no injuries were reported, and the ship left for Valletta later that day.
MSC Grandiosa was originally expected to continue sailing in the Mediterranean until repositioning to Santos, Brazil in autumn 2020 to begin cruising in South America for the 2020–2021 season, which would have made her the largest passenger ship to ever homeport in South America.{{Cite web|last=Mathisen|first=Monty|date=10 September 2019|title=MSC Grandiosa to South America for 2020-2021|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21499-msc-grandiosa-to-south-america-for-2020-2021.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111004838/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21499-msc-grandiosa-to-south-america-for-2020-2021.html|archive-date=11 November 2019|access-date=13 September 2019|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}} However, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced MSC to reduce its operations and redeploy its fleet, MSC Grandiosa was ultimately scheduled to continue sailing Mediterranean cruises through 2021.{{Cite news|date=22 June 2020|title=MSC Announces Winter Program; New Protocols Onboard|work=Cruise Industry News|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23126-msc-announces-winter-program-new-protocols-onboard.html|url-status=live|access-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622235816/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23126-msc-announces-winter-program-new-protocols-onboard.html|archive-date=22 June 2020}} On 16 August 2020, she also became MSC's first ship to resume operations amid the pandemic, and the first major cruise ship overall to restart operations in the Mediterranean since the cessation of cruises earlier in the year.{{Cite news|date=16 August 2020|title=MSC Grandiosa: First Mediterranean cruise launches after five-month pause|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53802045|url-status=live|access-date=17 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817123948/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53802045|archive-date=17 August 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Peruzzi|first=Luca|date=17 August 2020|title=MSC Grandiosa departs Genoa, signalling return of big ship cruising in the Med|work=Seatrade Cruise News|url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/msc-grandiosa-departs-genoa-signalling-return-big-ship-cruising-med|url-status=live|access-date=18 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818074013/https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/msc-grandiosa-departs-genoa-signalling-return-big-ship-cruising-med|archive-date=18 August 2020}}
On 25 November 2023, she arrived in Santos, Brazil to begin cruising for the 2023-2024 Brazilian Season, calling in Búzios, Salvador, and Maceió. MSC Grandiosa is confirmed in the 2024-2025 Brazilian Season with the same itineraries.
On 16 May 2024, MSC announced she will start 7 day eastern and western Caribbean itineraries sailing from Port Canaveral Florida beginning in December 2025.
Design and specifications
MSC Grandiosa measures {{GT|181541}} and houses 2,421 passenger cabins for a total guest capacity of 6,334 passengers. The ship also employs 1,704 crew members. She has a length of {{convert|331.43|m|ft|abbr=}}, a beam of {{convert|43|m|ft|abbr=}}, a height of {{convert|65|m|ft|abbr=}}, and a maximum speed of {{convert|22.3|kn|km/h mph|abbr=}}. She is also MSC's first cruise ship to be equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce the ship's nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces her sulfur emissions by 97 percent.