MSC CRUISES BECOMES FIRST INTERNATIONAL CRUISE LINE TO RESUME OPERATIONS FROM MAINLAND CHINA HOME PORT

• MSC Bellissima celebrates her maiden call in Shanghai and departs on first sailing, making her the first international cruise ship to resume local home port sailings
• MSC Cruises is the only international cruise brand to deploy two ships in China in 2024 with MSC Bellissima and MSC Splendida
• Cruise line confirms Winter 2024-25 deployment in China

Geneva, Switzerland – March 18, 2024 – MSC Cruises marked its resumption of service in mainland China today with a special event on board MSC Bellissima in Shanghai, making the Company the first international cruise line to resume sailings from the region since the pandemic. To celebrate this milestone, the cruise line invited government officials, travel agents, media and partners on board to experience its Asian flagship.

World-renowned chefs Enrico & Roberto Cerea, from acclaimed restaurant DA VITTORIO, crafted a special menu for the ceremony and the ship’s first sailing. Guests also enjoyed a stunning drone show and entertainment around the ship to help celebrate MSC Bellissima’s arrival in Shanghai.

MSC Bellissima will home port in Shanghai, Keelung and Shenzhen throughout summer 2024. The cruise line also used the event to announce Winter 2024-25 deployment in China that will see MSC Splendida operating from Shenzhen and Xiamen between December 2024 and April 2025, while MSC Bellissima will return to her home port in Shanghai in January 2025.

This makes MSC Cruises the only international cruise brand to deploy two ships, operating from four major ports, within the first year of returning to the region.

Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, commented: “MSC Bellissima’s maiden call in Shanghai reaffirms our commitment to a market that continues to play an important strategic role for us. We are fulfilling our commitment to bring to the region a modern Asian flagship and we are dedicated to further invest in China and benefit the local economy. We want to push high-quality development of the cruise industry in the region, promote the cultural tourism industry and related home port markets.”

MSC Bellissima and MSC Splendida both have shore power capability, meaning that the ships can switch off their engines when alongside in port, eliminating local emissions. This is in line with MSC Cruises’ commitment to protect the environment and create a sustainable future for cruising.

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About MSC Cruises

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise line and the market leader in Europe, South America, the Middle East and Southern Africa, with a strong and growing presence in North America and the Far East.

The MSC Cruises fleet consists of 22 modern ships with three new vessels due to be launched in 2025, 2026, and 2027.

The Company operates in more than 100 countries around the world, offering cruises across five continents, calling at more than 300 destinations and welcoming more than 180 different nationalities on board.

MSC Cruises is firmly committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions for its marine operations by 2050.

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