MSC Cruises ship to be extended as part of the line's €200m Renaissance Programme
By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Sinfonia has arrived at Fincantieri’s Palermo yard in Italy to be extended and renovated as part of MSC Cruises’ £200 million Renaissance Programme.
MSC Sinfonia, which is one of four MSC Lirica-class vessels to be extended as part of the programme, arrived at the yard on 12 January and will undergo similar enhancements to her sister ship MSC Armonia, which was extended last September and relaunched in November 2014.
During the ten-week drydock, engineers will bisect MSC Sinfonia’s hull and separate the two halves of the ship before inserting a pre-built, 24-metre midsection containing 193 extra cabins from 20-21 January.
Fincantieri will also create purpose-built areas for children, which were designed in partnership with Chicco and LEGO, as well as a new Baby Club, Mini Club, Young Club and Teens Club. Other additions include extra massage areas in the MSC Aurea Spa and an outdoor spray park on deck 13. Meanwhile, the operator has enhanced onboard dining services for its passengers, opening the buffet for 20 hours per day, adding a new lounge area and extending the restaurant.
MSC Sinfonia will undergo sea trials and depart the shipyard on 25 March, sailing to the Italian port of Genoa, before embarking on a cruise to the French ports of Ajaccio and Marseille, as well as Barcelona, Spain.
Built between 2003 and 2005 at the STX France shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, MSC’s four Lirica-class ships will be 275m long, weigh 65,000gt and carry up to 2,680 travellers each after the Renaissance programme is completed in 2015. MSC Opera will undergo renovations from 2 May to 4 July, while MSC Lirica will be renovated between 31 August and 9 November.