VESSEL REVIEW | MSC Euribia – MSC Cruises welcomes final Meraviglia-class ship to fleet

MSC Cruises recently placed a new ocean-going cruise ship into operational service following completion of construction at French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

The Malta-registered MSC Euribia is the final one of five Meraviglia-class ships to join the MSC Cruises fleet as well as the second LNG-fuelled ship to be acquired by the same company. The itineraries it will primarily serve will include destinations in Northern Europe.

The newbuild has a length of 331.43 metres, a moulded beam of 43 metres, a draught of 8.7 metres, a gross tonnage of 177,000, and a maximum capacity of 6,334 guests plus 1,704 crewmembers across 19 decks. The ship is powered by LNG-fuelled engines with a total rated output of 23 MW to deliver a speed of 22.3 knots, though the design can accommodate drop-in renewable fuels that are currently available. Provisions are also available for future retrofit to enable the ship to run on renewable fuels that are still undergoing further development, such as green methanol and green hydrogen.

MSC Euribia also features shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce carbon emissions in port, advanced wastewater treatment systems designed to comply with IMO standards, comprehensive waste recycling systems, and an underwater radiated noise management system to help limit disturbance to marine life. A comprehensive range of onboard energy-efficient equipment will help optimise the ship’s engine use and hotel energy needs to further reduce emissions.

The onboard facilities include 2,419 guest cabins and 35,000 square metres of public space. Among the notable areas are an aft lounge with panoramic windows, recreational spaces for guests aged 17 and younger, 10 dining venues including five specialty restaurants, five pools, a waterpark with slides, bars, retail shops, and a theatre with seating for up to 945.

MSC Euribia’s inaugural season will commence in the summer of 2023 and will include seven-night sailings from Kiel and Copenhagen to the Norwegian fjords including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flaam.

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