Type Private Products Cruises Founder Gianluigi Aponte Headquarters Geneva | Industry Transportation Website www.msccruises.com Founded 1987 Number of employees 16,500 | |
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Parent organization Mediterranean Shipping Company CEO Gianni Onorato (2 Sep 2013–), Pierfrancesco Vago (2004–) Ships MSC Fantasia, MSC Musica, MSC Poesia, MSC Opera, MSC Orchestra Profiles | ||
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MSC Cruises is a global cruise line that was founded in Italy, is registered in Switzerland, and has its headquarters in Geneva. MSC Cruises is the world's largest privately owned cruise company, employing 16,300 people worldwide and having offices in 45 countries as of July 2014. MSC Cruises (Italian: MSC Crociere S.p.A.) is part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC), the world's second biggest container shipping operator.
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It was founded in Naples, Italy as Lauro Lines (also known as Flotta Lauro) by Achille Lauro. The company entered the cruise business in the 1960s, operating two ships, the Angelina Lauro and MS Achille Lauro. The Angelina Lauro burnt in the port of St. Thomas in 1979 and the Achille Lauro was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985. In 1989, Mediterranean Shipping Company bought Flotta Lauro and renamed it StarLauro Cruises. In 1994, the Achille Lauro caught fire and sank. In 1995, the company name was changed to MSC Cruises.
MSC Cruises is the fourth largest cruise company in the world, after Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line with a 5.2% share of all passengers carried in 2015.
In 2014 MSC Cruises announced that the four Lirica class ships will undergo renovation under the "Renaissance Programme".
In 2015, MSC Cruises had four new ships on order from STX France and Fincantieri, with options for three more. The first two ships are due to be delivered in May 2017 (MSC Meraviglia) and November 2017 (MSC Seaside). There are four more diesel-powered ships on order for delivery in 2020s.