MSC FANTASIA and MSC SERENATA to join fleet!

Today, MSC Cruises signed a contract with French Shipyard Alstom for two massive new post-panamax vessels. They will be called MSC FANTASIA and MSC SERENATA. They are both expected to cruise the Med. year round when introduced.

Some of their dimensions:

133,500 gt

1650 Cabins (1260 with balconies)

3300 passengers (double occupancy)

1313 crew

40.45 space ratio

215 sq foot cabins (quite large)

1092 feet long

124.67 feet wide

These are VERY large ships!

Attached are some renderings.

Ernie

Please... Say it isn't so. Bigger isn't better!

Please... Say it isn't so. Bigger isn't better!

I agree. Apparently MSC doesn't feel that way. I thought MSC OPERA was just right ... not too small or too big.

I'm excited MSC Cruises is growing, but I'm not sure how interested I will be in sailing on one of these mega-monsters through the Med. Too many people having to go through security at every port of call. Half your time will be spent getting on and off the ship.

Ernie

Yo-

Here is the shipbuilders press release:

By Marcel Michelson

PARIS, Nov 14 (Reuters) - French industrial group Alstom ((ALSO.PA)) on Monday clinched two deals that cement its recovery from financial difficulties, just two days before it is due to report first-half results.

The maker of high-speed trains, metros, rail systems, power stations and ships, is to sign a contract to deliver two cruise ships, and has concluded the sale of its Power Conversion (APC) unit which it had to divest as part of European Commission approval for the French state's role in a financial bail-out.

Alstom's Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard unit is to sign a contract worth more than 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) to supply two cruiseships to Italy's MSC. "We are about to sign the contract later this morning," a spokesman for the unit said.

"The financial value is over one billion euros and it is the biggest deal ever for us," he added.

The order comes from MSC Croisieres and the signing ceremony will take place at the offices of ship brokers Barry Rogliano Salles in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine with MSC's chairman and chief executive officer, Pierfrancesco Vago.

MSC Croisieres, a unit of MSC Company, is a privately owned Italian cruise group based in Naples.

The two 335-metre ships will be almost as big as the Queen Mary 2, the world's biggest cruise liner, which was built by Alstom Marine for Cunard Line (CCL,Trade).

Sources close to the deal told Reuters on Saturday that a letter of intent was signed last June but financing arrangements had remained to be completed on the 130,000-tonne ships.

The vessels are expected to have 1,660 cabins each and are billed as the two biggest cruiseships ever ordered by an all-European operator.

Alstom Marine is already building six cruise ships for MSC and is due to deliver two 1,275-cabin vessels in 2006 and 2007 -- the MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra.

Trade unions in Saint-Nazaire, where the shipyard is based, have been hoping for agreement on the order to help protect the jobs of shipyard workers. Alstom Marine had about 5,000 workers when it built the Queen Mary 2, but now has only about 3,000.

Alstom shares were indicated to open slightly higher.

Mike

"Among other features, MSC Fantasia and Serenata will boast 20 sq mtr cabins, a 2,000 sq mtr spa and what Vago referred to as a 'happy island' concept: two decks of the ship will be dedicated to 80 suites (31 to 45 sq mtr in size) with butler service and accessible only through a VIP card. 'These passengers will also enjoy the privacy of a VIP restaurant, a special pool and pool sundeck as well as direct access to the spa,' Vago told Seatrade Insider. "

Finally, a grillroom and some decent sized suites! ;)

Finally, a grillroom and some decent sized suites! ;)

I believe the 20 sq meter cabins (215 sq feet) will be standard cabins, not suites. These ships will boast some of the largest standard cabins afloat if I am not mistaken. The only mainstream ships that will come close are FREEDOM OF THE SEAS and Celebrity's new "Challenger" project. Both of those ships will have standard cabins over 200 sq feet.

The "Suite Decks" will essentially offer a "ship within a ship" concept for those seeking something better. I have mixed feelings about it, as it's somewhat like going back to the old class division system that transatlantic liners used to have.

Ernie

Yo-

I personally see some merit in having an 'elitist' area on a ship - where the folks that are paying the premium prices - get the premium treatment-

Though it is not the way that I personally want to cruise - (we are the 'inside cabin' type folks that want to maximise our cruise trips - rather than shoot the whole wad on just one trip)-

Mike