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MSC aims for 1m passengers
MSC Cruises has signalled its intent to capture a greater share of the European cruise market by unveiling its biggest ship.
The Italian line’s 3,959-passenger Fantasia is one of four new vessels under construction at the St Nazaire ship yard in France.
The 13O,OOO-ton ship, which is due to enter service in December, is the first of two megaliners being built for the company for year-round Mediterreanean cruising.
The twin ships will bring the fleet up to 12 and enable MSC to increase its annual carryings to one million by 2O1O from the 8OO,OOO expected this year.
The line is also weeks away from the delivery of 3,OOO-passenger MSC Poesia which is to be named in Dover on April 5.
This is the third in a series of four ships and will be used to showcase the line to the UK and Irish travel industries.
By Phil Davies
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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