On 22 May 2014, MSC Cruises announced that they had ordered two new 154,000 GT cruise ships from Fincantieri.[1] The new order was based on the Seaside prototype, with each ship costing €700 million each.[1]
On 16 October 2015, MSC performed the steel cutting ceremony for what would be their second Seaside-class ship in Monfalcone.[9] MSC revealed the name of the second Seaside-class vessel as MSC Seaview the following year, on 4 July 2016[10] On 2 February 2017, MSC held the keel-laying and coin ceremonies for the ship, in which two coins were placed under the ship's new keel block for good fortune before the keel was laid.[2][11] On 23 August 2017, MSC Seaview was floated out from the shipyard.[3] On 23 April 2018, she set sail for five days of sea trials.[12]
MSC Seaview was delivered on 4 June 2018 with a ceremony in Monfalcone.[13] She was christened in Genoa by her godmother, Sophia Loren, on 9 June 2018.[4]
Operational career
MSC Seaview set off on her maiden voyage on 10 June 2018 from Genoa, a 7-day sailing around the Western Mediterranean, visiting Marseille, Barcelona, Naples, Messina, and Valletta.[4] For her inaugural season, she continued sailing weekly voyages in the Western Mediterranean before re-positioning to Brazil for the winter 2018–2019 season.[14] The rotation repeated the following year.[15] She was originally scheduled to be deployed to her first season sailing in the Persian Gulf from her homeport of Dubai for the winter 2020–2021 season,[16] but due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing fleet redeployments, she is scheduled to return to Brazil during that timeframe.[17] In summer 2021, she will return to the Mediterranean to sail weekly voyages.[18]
Design and specifications
The overall architecture of MSC Seaview and identical sister ship MSC Seaside are based on Fincantieri's Project Mille, a prototype that had not been executed 12 years since its initial conceptualization.[19][20][21]Project Mille's prototype featured the diesel generators at midship, a wider hull, a narrower superstructure, and a relocation of heavy-weight public areas to lower decks to lower the ship's center of gravity.[22][23] The ship's design reflects these features, along with a midship engine room and funnels, a wider boardwalk promenade along both sides of the ship, and a wider aft promenade deck that houses a large pool complementing those located on the top decks.[24] The aft promenade deck is positioned at the base of the narrow, tower-like structure that houses cabins in the ship's aft.[21] Other features and accommodations included are a water park custom-designed by WhiteWater West on the top deck, the MSC Yacht Club luxury area spanning five decks, which hosts passengers paying a premium for enhanced accommodations and amenities, three themed restaurants, a bowling alley, and a theater.[24][21]
MSC Seaview has 18 decks and a length of 323 metres (1,060 ft), a draft of 8.55 metres (28.1 ft), a depth of 12.1 metres (40 ft), and a beam of 41 metres (135 ft).[7][6] The total passenger capacity is 5,119 across 2,066 passenger cabins, with a crew complement of 1,413 across 759 crew cabins, making for a maximum capacity of 6,592 persons.[7][6] She is also powered by a diesel-electric genset system, with four Wärtsilä engines driving GE Marine electrical equipment and producing 62.4 megawatts (83,700 hp), and equipped with exhaust scrubbers to contend with soot.[7][21][6] Main propulsion is via two propellers, each driven by a 20 megawatts (27,000 hp) electric motor; four forward and three aft 3.1 megawatts (4,200 hp) thrusters allow for close-quarters maneuvering.[7] The system gives the vessel a service speed of 21.3 knots (39.4 km/h; 24.5 mph) and a maximum service speed of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)[7][6]
Incidents and accidents
2019 suicide attempt
On 21 June 2019, an Irish national jumped overboard during a Mediterranean voyage and a crew member was credited for saving the passenger after they dove into the water to rescue the passenger.[25] Both were later brought back onboard and sent to a local hospital and the ship resumed sailing thereafter.[25]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, 10 crew members aboard MSC Seaview reportedly tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.[26] Subsequently, the ship entered quarantine at the Port of Santos on 30 April 2020.[26] On 5 May 2020, Empresa Brasil de Comunicação reported that there were now 80 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with another 30 suspected cases, out of a total of 615 crew members aboard.[27] Later that day, the number of confirmed cases rose to 86.[28]
