MSC Seaside, the 14th addition to the MSC Cruises fleet, was officially named by international screen legend Sophia Loren in a spectacular evening at PortMiami

that highlighted the strength and diversity of the MSC Group of companies.

To watch the naming ceremony from Miami, please go to the MSC Cruises webpage.

In keeping with tradition, Sophia Loren broke a bottle of champagne over the bow of the ship, during an evening of music and entertainment hosted by American TV host Mario Lopez. The event featured a guest appearance by Miami Dolphins sporting legend and Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

MSC Cruises, part of the Passenger Division of the MSC Group of companies, is building 12 mega-cruise ships by 2026 as part of a 10.5 billion euro investment program. The business has achieved 800% growth in its first 10 years and is part of the Passenger Division of the MSC Group of companies. MSC’s Cargo Division is also expanding and has recently confirmed orders for 11 container vessels, each of about 23,000 TEU capacity.

MSC Cruises, joined by colleagues from MSC’s Cargo Division and special guests, welcomed entertainers including singer Ricky Martin and the world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli, accompanied by 30 children from Voices of Haiti, a talented choir of Haitian school students aged 6-14.

Through MSC Seaside’s partnership with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF), MSC Cruises’ guest donations will support ABF’s valuable work in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world currently facing exceptional challenges.

In addition to this partnership, MSC’s Cargo and Passenger divisions have worked together in recent months on operational relief initiatives to ease the tragic impact of the hurricanes in the Caribbean region this year. For example, through the provision of ferries and cargo equipment such as containers and chassis.

MSC Seaside is already being recognised as one of the more innovative cruise ships in the industry and sets sail on her first cruise from Miami on 23 December 2017.