MSC Cruises’ trailblazing new flagship, MSC World Europa, will be named on November 13 in Doha, the capital of Qatar, where she will officially inaugurate the city’s brand new Grand Cruise Terminal. This announcement by the Cruise Division of MSC Group (in partnership with Qatar Airways) is part of MSC’s overall commitment to Qatar and the continued importance of the Middle East, and also supports Qatar’s Vision 2030 pledge to triple the number of international tourists visiting the country by that year.
The special occasion will take place at Doha’s brand new Grand Cruise Terminal, a state-of-the-art 24,000 square metres facility that will handle up to 28,000 passengers a day and has the capacity to host two mega-cruise ships a day.
Karthik Radhakrishnan, Sales Manager – GCC & Sri Lanka, MSC Cruises tells us that the ship will make for her maiden voyage on December 20, offering 7-night cruises to Doha, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island, United Arab Emirates, plus Dammam, Saudi Arabia. For the upcoming winter season MSC Opera will also offer 7-night itineraries in the Gulf region to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas island plus two destinations in Oman - Muscat and Khasab.
“MSC World Europa from March 2023 will then move to the Mediterranean Sea where she will offer 7-night cruises to the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.
“Spanning 22 decks, with 215,863 GT’s, 47 metres wide, 40,000 m2 of public space and 2,626 cabins, MSC World Europa is the eagerly anticipated new flagship that will join the MSC Cruises’ fleet,” says Radhakrishnan. “MSC World Europa will be the first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel in MSC Cruises’ fleet and the most environmentally advanced to date.”