MSC Grandiosa was officially christened in a ceremony in Hamburg on Saturday night.

MSC Cruises newest ship Godmother, Sophia Loren,  cut the ribbon in the ship’s 93m-long promenade, smashing the bottle successfully against the hull. A gala dinner from three-star Michelin chef Harald Wohlfahrt, and music from German DJ Mousse T followed the event.

The ceremony attracted more than 5,000 locals, who watched from the banks of the river Elbe from a shoreside pop up “village” were food and music was available.

MSC Grandiosa will arrive in Southampton on Tuesday, for another night of celebrations before departing for Lisbon, Portugal; Barcelona, Spain; Marseille France and Genoa, Italy and starting seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises on 23 November.

MSC Grandiosa is part of the Meraviglia class, but designated “Meraviglia-plus”, carrying more than 6,000 passengers. Her sister ship, MSC Virtuosa, will follow next year boasting a number of firsts, including:

  • The longest LED screen at sea in the main promenade
  • Two original new shows from Cirque du Soleil at Sea
  • An immersive art experience featuring etchings from Edgar Degas’ Danse Dessin series

View MSC Grandiosa Southampton and Mediterranean cruises 2021

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