MSC Bellissima to Begin Its Maiden Voyage in Chinese Mainland from Baoshan
On the afternoon of March 15, MSC Bellissima, the flagship cruise vessel of MSC Cruises in Asia, arrived for the first time at Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal and a maiden voyage ceremony was held to celebrate the ship’s first home port operations from the Chinese mainland starting on March 16. Liu Duo, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Shang Yuying, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Fang Shizhong, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, Oliviero Morelli, President of MSC Cruises Japan, Huang Ruiling, President of MSC Cruises China, Li Chenhao, Secretary of the CPC Baoshan District Committee, Deng Xiaodong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Baoshan District Committee and Acting District Governor, Xue Sasa, Deputy Governor of Baoshan District, attended the ceremony, along with other guests from the industry.
Officials present jointly initiate the commemorative moment for the maiden voyage of MSC Bellissima in the Chinese mainland.
Representatives from MSC Cruises sign project collaboration agreements with representatives from various partners.
Exchange of plaques of MSC Bellissima and Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal takes place.
In his speech, Li Chenhao highlighted that MSC Cruises, the world’s largest family-owned cruise line, has been closely connected with China since 2006 and established its regional headquarters in Baoshan in 2017. The maiden call of MSC Bellissima in China from Baoshan will undoubtedly bolster Shanghai’s development into an international shipping center, inject new strong momentum into the development of cruise tourism in China, and significantly contribute to fostering cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. Baoshan District has been committed to promoting the development of cruise tourism. Taking the cruise tourism belt along the Huangpu River as a focal area for its urban renewal efforts, Baoshan will accelerate the establishment of the cruise industry system and ecosystem to offer better port services. Continuously optimizing the business environment and enhancing the quality and capacity of cruise services, Baoshan eagerly anticipates collaborating with partners from the global cruise industry to usher in a new chapter of high-quality cruise tourism development.
MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said that MSC Cruises has been engaged with Chinese consumers since 2006 and the Chinese market continues to play an important strategic role for the company. MSC Bellissima’s maiden call in the Chinese mainland represents a significant milestone in the company’s deployment in the Chinese market in 2024, signaling the comprehensive resumption of its operations in the region. Moving forward, MSC Cruises will intensify its efforts and investments in the Chinese market, further implement its development strategies and plans in China, and facilitate the post-pandemic recovery and high-quality development of China’s cruise industry.
After the ceremony, officials toured the cruise ship.
Debuted in 2019, MSC Bellissima is a Meraviglia-class cruise ship of MSC Cruises. It not only represents the highest quality and standards of the entire MSC fleet, but also stands out as the most technologically advanced large-scale luxury cruise ship with the largest tonnage operating in Asia. With a gross tonnage of 172,000, MSC Bellissima can accommodate up to 5,686 guests in 2,217 cabins. It offers a sophisticated blend of gourmet cuisine, elegant design, luxurious experience, homelike comfort, fun entertainment, cutting-edge technology, and environmentally friendly features. MSC Bellissima is scheduled to embark on a total of 25 cruises of varying lengths this spring and summer, departing from its two homeports of Shanghai and Shenzhen, with itineraries now available for booking. The spring cruise season, beginning on March 16, will feature nine voyages lasting either 5 days and 4 nights or 6 days and 5 nights. These journeys will take guests to popular cruise destinations in South Korea and Japan, such as Jeju, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, and Sasebo, allowing them to immerse themselves in the beauty of neighboring countries and cities. Subsequently, the ship will start its summer season from its homeport of Shekou, Shenzhen on June 29, and then head back to homeport in Shanghai between July 31 and September 1, offering consumers in East China and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area a wonderful summer experience at sea.
It is noteworthy that MSC Cruises also announced its winter 2024-25 deployment in China at the ceremony, with MSC Bellissima returning to its homeport in Shanghai on January 15, 2020 to serve vacationers during the bustling winter holiday and Spring Festival, while MSC Splendida, the “star” cruise ship popular with Chinese guests, will operate winter cruises from Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Taiwan between December 4, 2024 and April 8, 2025. This strategic plan positions MSC Cruises as the only international cruise brand to deploy two ships and operate from four Chinese homeports in the first year of its return to the region after the pandemic.
“Back in 2019, we announced plans to deploy MSC Bellissima, our Asian flagship, to China. After five years, we have finally fulfilled this ‘five-year commitment’ to consumers,” said Ms. Huang Ruiling, President of MSC Cruises China. “We are fully prepared for the maiden voyage of MSC Bellissima in the Chinese mainland. We will offer quality and luxurious cruise vacation products tailored specifically for the Chinese market with brand-new and top-notch hardware and software facilities. In addition, we have meticulously planned a series of unique cross-border projects to create highly anticipated unforgettable sea vacations for Chinese guests.”
Currently, MSC Bellissima has been fully upgraded for Chinese guests in terms of its hardware, amenities, dining options, and entertainment offerings. Guests of the maiden voyage will enjoy a luxurious cruise experience integrating the best of the 300-year-old cruise line and specifically designed for the Chinese market.
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