One of the historic ships of the Swiss company has begun a record-breaking circumnavigation, approximately 74 thousand km long. With 2,300 passengers of 60 nationalities on board, it will visit 46 destinations in 33 countries
Often, the charm of traveling far away – as we have also seen in recent holidays – is ruined, if not extinguished, by the increasingly frequent problems linked to flights, by shortcomings in the hotel industry, by the hassle of transfers. This is not the case of the 2,300 passengers of 60 different nationalities, on board the MSC Magnifica, which set sail on January 5th from Genoa: they will make a record-breaking trip around the world (at least for the ships of the Swiss company based but owned by the very Italian Aponte family) in four months and twelve days, covering approximately 40 thousand nautical miles, equal to 74 thousand km. It’s not for everyone: you have to spend 35 thousand euros for an internal cabin without portholes, let alone those with a sea view and suites. But it is something unique: you go towards the West, there is a lot of sea, a lot of the Pacific Ocean, you cross the date line, the Northern and Southern hemispheres, you go from winter to summer and vice versa. All touching 46 destinations in 33 countriessailing across three oceans and landing on five continents without unpacking your suitcase which, if we want, makes the adventure perfect. The World Cruise that leaves from Genoa is now a “cult” for MSC, always departing the day before the Epiphany. “This year, however, the journey is much longer than one might imagine, because the ship will travel a distance equal to almost double the distance of the earth’s circumference, accompanying guests to discover the most beautiful and remote destinations, many of which would be difficult to reach from Italy with a normal holiday”, underlines Fabio Candiani, sales director of MSC Cruises.
RETURN ON MAY 16TH
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Let’s see the route in summary After the departure from Genoa and the stops in Marseille and Barcelona, MSC Magnifica – led by Commander Piero Sarcinella, on his second round the world trip – will cross the Pillars of Hercules, with a stop at Funchal to then focus on the southern Caribbean with stops in Barbados, Colombia and Costa Rica and cross the Panama Canal. Then Guatemala and Mexico, San Diego and Los Angeles. And again, Hawaii, Polynesia, Samoa and Fiji islands, before touching on New Zealand and Australia and Manila, Taiwan, JapanKorea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Seychelles Islands, Mauritius and Réunion, before circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope and stopping at Cape TownWalvis Bay and Cape Verde and then return towards the Mediterranean. The arrival in the city of the Lantern is scheduled for May 16th. For the record, the World Cruise will also be there in 2027 and 2028 but with different itineraries (see the passage of the Suez Canal) because there is no shortage – we say this seriously – of people who don’t do it just once in their life: mostly rich pensioners but also smart workers who can afford a floating office like Magnifica.
the magnificent is magnificent
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For a trip around the world like this you need a ship that’s up to the task: MSC Magnifica, beyond the apt name, it is: launched in 2010, but “refitted” last autumn to make it more sustainable (in particular for the reduction of emissions) and with an even higher level of comfort, it has a gross tonnage of 95 thousand tons. It is not the flagship of MSC Cruises, despite its impressive dimensions: 293 meters long, 32 meters wide and almost 60 meters high. The MSC World America, which made its first cruise last April, is 333 meters long and has a tonnage of 216 thousand tons. The ship that set sail from Genoa has thirteen decks, with 1,259 cabins which can accommodate 3,223 passengers (therefore, when traveling around the world, they will be even more comfortable) and 987 crew members. But more than the cabins, what makes the difference are the common spaces: the four restaurants and 17 bars, the areas for sports and relaxation, the four swimming pools including one with a sliding roof but above all the large entertainment facilities such as the Atlantic City Casino, the 4D cinema, a sumptuous theater with 1,200 seats. While the company’s latest ships are powered by LNG (Liquid Natural Gas), MSC Magnifica uses five Wärtsilä 16V38B diesel engines for a total power of 58,000 kW. In practice, 25 times what the Yangwang U9 Track Edition, the BYD electric hypercar which set the world speed record, reaching 472.41 km/h in Germany, delivers at most. The ship, however, can arrive at 23 knotsabout 40 km/h which is no small feat for a cruise giant that has a size not far from a Nimitz Class aircraft carrier, the nuclear-powered ones, the pride of the US Navy. And then, sorry, but why do you have to be in a hurry if you decide to tour the world in maximum comfort.
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