MSC Cruises announced today that the second of its Seaside-generation smart cruise ships, set to come into service in June 2018, will be named MSC Seaview. She will spend her inaugural season cruising the Western Mediterranean, with three major ports of embarkation in history- and culture-rich Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona.

"Our Company's heritage lies in the Mediterranean and it was only natural that MSC Seaview — our third next-generation smart ship which comes into service in June 2018 — would be deployed in its historic and culture-rich waters," said Gianni Onorato, chief executive officer of MSC Cruises. "Guests can now plan their vacation and experience everything that this ever popular region has to offer from on board one of the industry's most innovatively-designed ships at sea." vMSC Cruises' Seaside-generation ships are being built by Italy-based FINCANTIERI, one of the largest shipbuilding groups in the world. These new ships combine FINCANTIERI's shipbuilding tradition, expertise, Italian flair and excellence in design with the industry-leading innovation and global vision of MSC Cruises.

"We are proud of our partnership with FINCANTIERI in realizing our vision for this innovatively-designed, new generation of smart ships at sea," said Onorato.

Known as the "ship that follows the sun," the design of the Seaside-generation cruise ships embodies MSC Cruises' passion for the sea and features the highest ratio of outdoor space per guest at sea. Inspired by a pioneering beach condo concept, MSC Seaview will bring guests and the sea closer, with special design elements that allow guests to make the most of the warmer weather. For example, guests will be able to enjoy their time on board eating, drinking and relaxing outdoors in the Mediterranean sunshine with some of the best sea views in the world. They will also benefit from an increased number of balcony staterooms, sea views and public areas, with every element carefully planned to allow guests to make the most of the sea and the sunshine.

A unique design feature of MSC Seaview is the impressive 360° promenade with glass balustrades that runs around the entire ship. This stunning public space will act as a lively recreation area where guests can stroll in the open air, eat and drink al fresco from a variety of bars and restaurants or shop in the boutiques, all while enjoying the spectacular sea views.

An MSC Cruises vacation is the perfect way to discover different cultures, beauties and tastes. MSC Seaview guests will be able to experience the wonders of the Mediterranean in true MSC Cruises style, visiting sought after Mediterranean destinations including, Genoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Naples, Messina in Sicily, and Malta. In addition, a wide range of shore activities have been carefully designed to help guest discover each destination and its unique culture.

MSC Seaview is one of MSC Cruises' new next- generation smart cruise ships, employing the latest and the best technology available at sea to enable guests to customize their onboard and onshore experience so that they each enjoy a uniquely personalized cruise experience. In partnership with technology leader Samsung, the next-generation technology will include everything from the latest displays and mobile solutions to products for enhanced reality consumer retail experiences. This will include, among others:

• Near Field Communication (NFC), using a cruise card, bracelet or smartphone for a range of different options including geo-location of children, stateroom access and onboard payment.
• Interactive screens to make it simple to select excursions as well as book shows and restaurants.
• iBeacon technology that is customized to each guests' specific preferences so that they will never miss their favorite experiences and will be able to communicate with mobile devices and receive push notifications about relevant information and offers.