With 22 floors, 33 restaurants and more than 2600 cabins, the MSC World Europa, inaugurated on the eve of the World Cup, was the first to be parked in the renovated port of Doha to receive fans who will visit Qatar. She is also the largest of the three ships that add up to 4,976 cabins and accommodate up to 12,664 guests simultaneously.
The per diem rate for a stateroom on one of the three ships varies greatly. The food and beverage package, the duration of the stay, the standard of the ship, the size of the room and, of course, the view affect the price.
The most expensive suites are those with a view of the sea, then those with a view of the port and, in sequence, those with balconies facing the interior of the ship. The cheapest cabins are inside, with no view or balcony. THE CNN found daily rates from R$ 1,250 to R$ 14,000 for World Cup periods.
“It’s not just a floating hotel, it’s a floating experience,” says MSC Global CEO Gianni Onorato. “I’ll give you just one simple example: on this ship you can leave your children, taking advantage of the structure, and go watch a football match. We have shows, we have entertainment for everyone who wants it, music every night, it’s like a small town”, adds the executive.
THE CNN accompanied the opening of MSC World Europa at the invitation of the company on the last 13th of November. At the time, the other two vessels, MSC Poesia and MSC Opera, had not yet arrived at the port of Doha. The event had a projection show on the ship, drawings made with drones in the air, champagne breaking on the hull and the presence of local authorities.
The largest vessel in the MSC fleet of 21 ships, the World Europa is also the first to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which pollutes less. It also has advanced wastewater treatment systems to comply with the so-called Baltic standard, the most stringent global standard for wastewater disposal at sea. Devices installed on the ship also help reduce the impact of noise and vibration on marine mammals.
At the Garden Kitchen, the Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt presented for the CNN the microgreen vegetable garden system, hydroponic gardens set up in greenhouses inside the restaurant commanded by him, which yield good seasonings for the dishes served.
In the post-World Cup, MSC World Europe’s itinerary is already defined. Its circulation capacity is lower than that of other ships, precisely because of the lack of port infrastructure to supply LNG.
The inaugural season will have flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, in the United Arab Emirates, Dammam, in Saudi Arabia and the return to Doha, in Qatar.
In March, the vessel goes to the Mediterranean Sea, stopping at the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, Valletta, in Malta, Barcelona, in Spain, and Marseille, in France.
One of the first guests, occupant of cabin 15096, on the 15th floor, was Brazilian influencer Bruna Biancardi. THE CNN she showed the details of the cabin, which has a double bed, sofa bed, minibar, desk, safe, air conditioning, bathroom, full length mirror and closet.
“It’s much nicer than a hotel, in fact, you’re full of activities, so sometimes you get a little bored at the hotel, but here you don’t have that, because there’s a lot of activities for all ages. I did a coffee workshop, I did a drinks workshop, there are many different specialty restaurants here, so I ate a lot”, he adds.
Source: CNN Brasil
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