MSC Virtuosa
{{Short description|Cruise ship}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = MSC Virtuosa | display title = ital }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Msc virtuosa 2021.JPG | Ship caption = MSC Virtuosa near Southampton, 2021 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Malta | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Malta|civil}} | Ship name = MSC Virtuosa | 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 original cost = {{ShipCost|FRA|800|m|year=2016|ref=}} | Ship laid down = 27 February 2019 | Ship launched = 29 November 2019 | Ship sponsor = Sophia Loren | Ship christened = 27 November 2021 | Ship acquired = 1 February 2021 | Ship in service = 2021–present | Ship out of service = | Ship identification = *Call sign: 9HA5209
| Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship | Ship tonnage = {{GT|181,541}}{{csr|id=9803625|shipname=MSC Virtuosa|access-date=25 April 2021|register=LR}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{cvt|331.43|m|ft|1}} | Ship beam = *{{cvt|43|m|ft|1}} (moulded) | Ship height = {{cvt|213|ft|m|1|order=flip}} | Ship draught = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{cvt|22.3|kt}}{{cite press release |title=Corporate Information & Media Room |url=http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_US/press-releases/3298 |access-date=23 February 2020 |work=MSC Press Area |publisher=MSC Crociere, S.A. |date=12 February 2019 |language=en}} | Ship capacity = *4,842 (double occupancy) | Ship decks = 16 | Ship notes = }} |
MSC Virtuosa 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 second ship in the Meraviglia-Plus class and sister ship to MSC Grandiosa.{{Cite news|title=Cruise ship information {{!}} Virtuosa{{!}} MSC Cruises|language=en|work=MSC Cruises Global Website|url=https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/Discover-MSC/Cruise-Ships/MSC-Virtuosa/The-Ship.aspx|access-date=2021-02-03}} Originally scheduled to debut on 8 November 2020, her delivery and entry into service was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was delivered to MSC Cruises on 1 February 2021 and entered service in May 2021.{{Cite web|last=S.A|first=MSC Crociere|date=|title=Corporate Information & Media Room|url=http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_GB/press-releases/3794|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-03|website=MSC Press Area|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Groizeleau|first=Vincent|date=5 May 2020|title=Chantiers de l'Atlantique: delivery of MSC Virtuosa postponed by several months|work=Mer et Marine|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/saint-nazaire-la-livraison-du-msc-virtuosa-repoussee-de-plusieurs-mois|access-date=11 June 2020}}
History
=Construction=
On 2 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|url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/MSC-confirms-order-for-Meraviglia-Plus-ships|title=MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships: Travel Weekly|last=Stieghorst|first=Tom|date=2016-02-01|website=Travel Weekly|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/msc-cruises-orders-two-meraviglia-plus-ships-from-stx-france|title=MSC Cruises orders two Meraviglia-Plus ships from STX France|last=Gibson|first=Rebecca|date=2016-02-02|website=Cruise and Ferry|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-30}} Each new vessel was designed to be larger than their older Meraviglia-class sisters, at 181,000 GT, with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334 guests.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/msc-cruises-reveals-name-of-first-meraviglia-plus-ship-lays-keel-for-bellissima/|title=MSC Cruises reveals name of first Meraviglia-Plus ship, lays keel for Bellissima|date=2017-11-15|website=Seatrade Cruise News|access-date=2019-09-13}}
On 14 June 2018, MSC Cruises celebrated the steel-cutting for the second Meraviglia Plus-class vessel and also announced her name as MSC Virtuosa at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.{{Cite web|url=https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/254912/first-steel-cut-for-msc-cruises-meraviglia-plus-ii/|title=First Steel Cut for MSC Cruises' Meraviglia-Plus II|date=2018-06-14|website=World Maritime News}} Her coin ceremony was performed on 27 February 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20437-coin-ceremony-held-for-msc-virtuosa.html|title=Coin Ceremony Held for MSC Virtuosa|last=Staff|first=C. I. N.|date=2019-02-27|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-11-30}} She was floated out on 29 November 2019 and moved to a wet dock to complete construction.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_INT/press-releases/3204|title=MSC Virtuosa's Float Out Caps Month-Long Triple Celebrations For MSC Cruises|date=2019-12-02|website=MSC Press Area|access-date=2019-12-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MSCCruises_PR/status/1201433313052897280|title=#MSCVirtuosa touched water for the first time this past Friday evening, as we celebrated her float out in Saint Nazaire, France.|date=2019-12-02|website=Twitter}}
=Debut=
MSC Virtuosa was originally scheduled to be delivered in October 2020{{Cite news|date=2 December 2019|title=MSC Virtuosa's Float Out Caps Month-Long Triple Celebrations for MSC Cruises|work=MSC Cruises|url=https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/About-MSC/News/MSC-Virtuosa-Float-Out.aspx}} and sail her maiden voyage on 8 November 2020 from Genoa. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction delays arose at the shipyard and slowed the ship's construction progress. The delivery took place on 1 February 2021 with a traditional flag ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=C. I. N.|date=2021-02-01|title=MSC Cruises Takes Delivery of MSC Virtuosa|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24293-msc-cruises-takes-delivery-of-msc-virtuosa.html|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}} She entered service on 20 May 2021 sailing from Southampton.{{Cite web|last=Romanenko|first=Maria|date=2021-03-29|title=MSC To Deploy Virtuosa for UK Summer 2021 Cruises|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24653-msc-to-deploy-virtuosa-for-uk-summer-2021-cruises.html|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Cruise Industry News|language=en-gb}}
=Operational career=
MSC Virtuosa was scheduled to begin sailing weekly itineraries in the Western Mediterranean in autumn 2020. However, due to the construction delays, MSC Grandiosa replaced all of the ship's scheduled itineraries through the winter 2020–2021 season.{{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|access-date=22 June 2020}} She entered service on 20 May 2021 with a series of three and four-night cruises from Southampton, before beginning seven-night cruises around the British Isles on 12 June with three embarkation ports in England and Scotland. These cruises sailed to ports such as Portland, Liverpool, Greenock and Belfast and are exclusively for UK residents.{{Cite web|last=Weekly|first=Travel|title=MSC Cruises' new flagship makes debut on UK coastal sailings|url=http://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tourism/msc-cruises-new-flagship-to-make-debut-on-uk-coastal-sailings|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Travel Weekly|language=en}} She was originally scheduled to cruise in Northern Europe and the Baltic region for the spring 2021 season, however these cruises were operated by MSC Seaview instead.{{Cite web|title=Summer 2021: Msc Cruises' Flagship Msc Virtuosa To Perform Her Inaugural Season Around The British Isles Giving British Guests And Their Families An {{as written|Oppo|rtunty [sic]}} For A Much Deserved And All-Inclusive Safe And Memorable Holiday|url=http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_GB/press-releases/3881|url-status=|access-date=29 March 2021|website=MSC Press Area}} She re-positioned to Dubai in autumn 2021, where she was based throughout the winter, sailing 7-day itineraries in the Persian Gulf to the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.{{Cite web|last=Ebelthite|first=Shaun|date=2019-12-11|title=MSC Cruises to homeport new Meraviglia Plus-class MSC Virtuosa in Dubai for 2021/22 season|url=https://cruisearabiaonline.com/2019/12/11/msc-cruises-to-homeport-new-meraviglia-plus-class-msc-virtuosa-in-dubai-for-2021-22-season/|access-date=2019-12-11|website=Cruise Arabia Online|language=en-GB}}
In 2022, MSC Virtuosa returned back to Southampton for a summer season from May until November 2022.{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Chris |date=2022-04-27 |title=MSC Virtuosa Southampton Cruises (2022) |url=https://beyondcruise.com/features/msc-virtuosa-cruises-southampton |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=Beyond Cruise |language=en-US}} Whilst in Southampton she will perform 2–14 night cruises to regions including Northern Europe, Baltics, Norwegian Fjords and the Canary Islands.
Southampton is her main embarkation port during the season, with additional embarkation ports of Malaga, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal. In August 2022, it was announced MSC Virtuosa will be based in Southampton year-round and into summer 2023.{{Cite web |title=MSC Cruises to Base MSC Virtuosa in the U.K. Year-Round - Cruise Critic |url=https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/7078/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Cruise Critic |language=en-us}}
=Incidents=
On 12 October 2024, a woman in her 20s died after going overboard from the MSC Virtuosa, which was sailing towards Southampton. An alert was sent out at 02:00 BST, for a search, north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney. French fire and rescue services winched the casualty with a helicopter crew, and the woman was later pronounced dead by doctors. An investigation of the death is ongoing with French police.{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=Jonathan |date=2024-10-12 |title=Woman dies after cruise ship overboard alert |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j7v22d40eo |work=BBC News}}
On 3 May 2025, a 60-year old man died as a result of an altercation on board MSC Virtuosa, which had departed Southampton at 18:00 BST for a two-night voyage to Bruges, Belgium. British authorities were made aware of the man's death, at 20:30 BST, as the vessel was still in British waters at the time.{{cite news |last1=George |first1=Maya |title=Murder investigation launched after death on MSC Virtuosa |url=https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/25139264.murder-investigation-launched-death-msc-virtuosa/ |access-date=8 May 2025 |publisher=Isle of Wight County Press |date=5 May 2025}} On 5 May 2025 at 06:00 BST, when the vessel returned to Southampton, a 57-year old man was arrested by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary on suspicion of murder; he was later released on bail.{{cite news |title=Cruise ship murder suspect released on bail |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly1y05pvw7o |access-date=8 May 2025 |work=BBC News |date=7 May 2025}} On 11 May 2025, a 56-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter but was later released on bail.{{cite news|title=Second arrest in cruise ship death investigation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0lnwlxj0p6oZ|access-date=11 May 2025|work=BBC News|date=11 May 2025}}{{cite news |title=Second man released after cruise ship death arrests |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmkzxy27n1o |access-date=12 May 2025 |work=BBC News |date=12 May 2025}}
Design and engineering
Like MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97 percent. She is capable of running on shorepower when docked at ports.