MSC Cruises’ New Flagship - Splendida - to be Christened on Sunday

MSC Cruises’ impressive new flagship MSC Splendida will be christened in suitably splendid style by screen legend Sophia Loren on Sunday 12 July 2009, in Barcelona (Spain).

The arrival of MSC Splendida brings the number of ships in the MSC Cruises fleet to ten. She and sister ship MSC Fantasia, launched in Naples last December, are the largest ships ever built by a European ship owner. Each capable of carrying 3,959 passengers, these “floating cities” are 333m long, 66.8m tall and weigh 137,936 metric tons.

Featuring a performance by Flamenco dance troupe Los Vivancos and a spectacular display of Castells, the Catalan tradition of human towers, the evening’s entertainment will also include a special concert by world famous tenor José Carreras. Performing in his hometown, the Maestro will be accompanied by the 60 musicians of the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès.

Completing the colourful ceremony will be a parade of the ships’ officers and, of course, the traditional cutting of the ribbon by the godmother of the MSC Cruises fleet, Sophia Loren.

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