MSC Cruises has been recognised with three prestigious 2010 Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly, a leading travel industry publication, earning recognition in the contemporary ship design, suite design and promotional video categories.
MSC Splendida, one of MSC Cruises’ newest and largest ships, was selected as a 2010 Gold Magellan Award winner in the Contemporary Ship category. MSC Cruises also received two Silver Magellan Awards: The line’s Royal Suite MSC Yacht Club was recognized in the Suite Design category, while its Canada/New England video was honoured in the Promotional Video category.
The Magellan Awards is the premier awards programme honouring the best in the travel industry, from design to marketing to services.
The 2010 Magellan Awards received entries from top travel organisations and professionals worldwide and were judged by a panel of prominent travel industry professionals.
“MSC Cruises is honoured to be recognised by our industry peers with these prestigious Magellan Awards. The awards acknowledge our high standards and our ongoing commitment to offering our guests refined style and luxury, combining European charm with contemporary elegance,” said Richard E. Sasso, president and chief executive officer of MSC Cruises (USA) Inc.
Gold Magellan Award-winner MSC Splendida debuted in July last year and is the second in the line’s Fantasi class of ships. Among its highlights is the MSC Yacht Club, a VIP area complete with 99 spacious suites and 24-hour butler service, as well as four swimming pools, a squash court and a Formula 1 simulator.
In addition, the ship’s innovative technology includes energy-saving and environmentally-friendly features.
The design of the Royal Suites of the MSC Yacht Club earned a Silver Magellan Award.
Available on the “Fantasia” class of ships (MSC Fantasia, MSC Splendida), the luxurious suites encompass 572 square feet, with a private balcony or panoramic view.
Designed by De Jorio Design International, they include such luxurious amenities as a marble bathroom, spacious wardrobe, Egyptian cotton sheets, Dorelan pillow menu, and Myform memory ergonomic mattress, interactive TV, Nintendo and much more.
MSC Cruises also was honoured with a Silver Magellan Award for the promotional video of its inaugural season of Canada/New England cruises. The video documents how, beginning this month, guests will be able to experience the beauty of the fall foliage and scenic destinations from onboard MSC Poesia as she sails along the Atlantic Coast from New York City to Quebec City.
MSC Cruises currently has the most modern fleet in the world (fleets of four ships or more), comprising eleven ships: MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (the largest ships ever built for a European ship owner), MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica and MSC Melody.
MSC Magnifica, the newest ship in the fleet, was launched in March 2010. The fleet cruises year round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean and South and West Africa.
MSC Cruises flagship, the 138,000 tonnes, 334 metres long, MSC Splendida calls at Malta every Wednesday and cruises to Messina, Rome, Genova, Marseilles, Barcelona and Tunis.