MSC GRANDIOSA LAUNCHED IN HAMBURG
MSC Cruises launched its newest flagship, MSC Grandiosa in Hamburg, Germany.
TJ Media’s Beverley Hermanson reports.
A GRAND-IOSA AFFAIR
MEET ZOE
The latest innovation from MSC Cruises, Zoe, is a virtual personal cruise assistant located in each cabin, ready to help with any cruise-related enquiry. Similar to Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service, the Google Mini and the “OK Google” facility available on most smartphones, Zoe responds to voice activation and is programmed to communicate in 7 languages, which can be changed by the guest at any time.
Zoe is able to activate the smart TV in the cabin, can provide weather forecasts and updated billing details, and answer a host of questions or make suggestions as to who to ask if the information is not available to her.
REFINED CULINARY EXPERIENCES
There is a great choice of dining and speciality restaurants on the MSC Grandiosa. There is an extensive buffet area that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as 21 bars and lounges, room service and even a pizza delivery service.
To keep the kids entertained, there’s the Wild Forest Aquapark and Himalayan Bridge; the Virtual Games Arcade; the Amusement Park with a VR Maze, XD Cinema, F1 Simulator and Bowling alley; the Sportplex where they can play basketball, tennis, volleyball and five-a-side football; and the Kids’ Club that has dedicated play areas for infants (under supervision), children, tweens and teens.
For the adults, there’s the MSC Aurea Spa with a Thermal area; the MSC Gym powered by Technogym®; a variety of retail stores stocked with jewellery, designer clothing, perfumes and cosmetics; the Casino and the Theatre where a series of Broadway shows can be enjoyed. Exclusive to the MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa, guests will also be able to watch the Cirque du Soleil at Sea show while enjoying a three-course evening meal.
NEXT LEVEL LUXURY
MSC has developed the MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive area with a 24-hour butler service, a private concierge, luxurious suites and all-inclusive food and drinks. It’s a bit like being on a yacht within a ship, where one can enjoy all the amenities of the general environment but be able to withdraw to the luxury and serenity of the Yacht Club whenever one desires. The priority boarding and disembarkation are a given, as are the private sun deck, pool, hot tubs, ‘eat any time of the day’ restaurant and dedicated Yacht Club lounge.
GRAND IS GREEN
FUN FACTS
The Captain of the MSC Grandiosa, Marco Massa, when named captain of the MSC Musica in 2012 at the age of 31, was the youngest captain to take command of an MSC Cruises ship. Massa celebrated his birthday on 9 November, the day of the MSC Grandiosa’s Christening.
The Vice President, Food & Beverage, for MSC Cruises, Jacques Van Staden grew up in Waterkloof, Pretoria. After re-locating to the US at the age of 19, he put himself through chef school whilst simultaneously working as a cook for the SA Embassy in Washington, doing night shifts for a security firm and filling in with odd jobs. He played rugby for 16 years, mostly as right wing, giving up after being injured, with 3 broken ribs, during his first year of rugby in the US. His favourite way of preparing South African cuisine is on the braai.
The MSC Grandiosa has a total of 1704 crew members. Over 15 000 meals are served daily. Meeting the dietary requirements of a vast cross-section of nationalities from around the world, procurement is a global exercise, to satisfy the thousands of recipes used in preparing the meals.
The MSC Grandiosa has 3502 on-board navigation sensors, 177 interactive touch screens, 51 video wall monitors, and 213 information screens. The video walls are used to feature social media comments from guests and the large screen that runs the length of the internal promenade can be used to broadcast events taking place in other venues on the ship.
