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MSC Cruises has changed the name of its second post-Panamax ship to MSC Splendida to reflect the ship’s beauty and elegance.

The name had been changed from MSC Serenata in response to the enthusiastic reaction of Raphaela Aponte, wife of cruise line owner Gianluigi Aponte, to the designs prepared by architect De Jorio. Mrs. Aponte is responsible for all the ship’s interior design details.

“This unique ship has many wonderful attributes, including the attention to detail, the choice of colors and perfect harmony of the spaces,” declared Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO for MSC Cruises. “There will also be displays of elegant works of art on board. This ship had to be named MSC Splendida, a ship that has been created to amaze and inspire its guests.”

The steel cutting ceremony for MSC Splendida, sister ship to MSC Fantasia, took place on April 12. These two post-Panamax ships are each 133,000 grt and are the largest ships to be commissioned by a European ship owner. They will join the fleet in the autumn of 2008 and the spring of 2009, respectively. The length of each of the two ships will be six times that of the Tower of Pisa and will be almost 33 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower.

MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida represent an innovative European product with an exclusive concept – in fact, both ships will have a privately accessed area with a dedicated concierge, a panoramic lounge, swimming pool and solarium and direct access to the wellbeing center. There will be 90 suites, each with a balcony plus butler service, exclusive to the guests of this area.

MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida will offer superb service and feature a three-dimensional cinema, a 16,146-square-foot spa, a Sport Bar and a Tex Mex restaurant that will be open 24 hours.

The concept of hospitality for which MSC Cruises is renowned is continued onboard MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida. Starting in 2003, MSC Cruises has embarked on a sustained development program to meet the demands of the discerning traveller. During a seven-year period through 2010, 10 new builds will have joined the fleet, which together with the line’s classic ships, make a total of 12. Each cruise liner offers a high quality service at international standards, great hospitality, elegant design and refined ambiance – all waiting to be discovered and appreciated by guests from around the world.