The 5,179-passenger MSC Seaview is being built at the Monfalcone shipyard and now enters a wet dock for the final phase of construction. The exterior of the ship is now complete and interior fittings and furnishings will be added.

The 154,000-tonne vessel is the second of two identical ships in the Seaside Class. The first of these, MSC Seaside, will enter service in December with an inaugural voyage from Trieste to Miami. Seaview will spend her inaugural summer season in the Mediterranean, serving Genoa, Naples, Messina, Valetta, Barcelona and Marseille.

Following this, the ship will sail to Brazil and spend the winter in the southern hemisphere, with an itinerary that includes Santos, Ilha Grande, Buzios, Porto Belo and Camboriu.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, said: “The float out of MSC Seaview is another significant milestone in the expansion of our fleet. She is part of a 10-year investment plan that will have already seen the delivery of six new ships by 2020.”

“With MSC Seaview in particular, our vision has been inspired by our passion for the sea and we are appealing to guests who are seeking the classic elements of a holiday – sun and sea - taken to the next level with a one-of-a-kind fully immersive and interactive seaside experience even whilst cruising at sea.”

Vago concluded: “We are already the market leading cruise brand in the Mediterranean and Europe. The deployment of MSC Seaview in this key region will help us further push boundaries by bringing one of the most innovative cruise ships to an area that we are deeply committed to and which is a cornerstone of our business.”