November 9th, 2019 saw the christening event of MSC Grandiosa in Hamburg, the latest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique. Once more, the work of YSA Design is to be found on board a vessel vying for the plaudit of ‘cruise ship launch of the year’.
Trailed as the shipowner’s most environmentally advanced vessel yet, MSC Grandiosa’s very name acts as a giveaway that the carbon-free ambitions of MSC Cruises will not be fulfilled at the expense of comfort, luxury or the spectacular.
Guests will doubtless be wowed by the ship’s arresting ‘Swarovski’ crystal staircase and the longest LED dome at sea, but culinary expertise also reaching new gastronomic heights on board the series of ships that are driving cruise-goers towards MSC Cruises in increasing numbers. Among them are the latest variations of Michelin-star chef Ramón Freixa’s Hola! Tapas bar and the Jean-Philippe Maury Chocolaterie.
The Hola! Tapas Bar concept has already made an impact on board the earlier delivery MSC Bellissima, where its combination of traditional tapas with a modern Spanish restaurant offer the choice between informal and formal Spanish dining experiences. The use of metallic structures in the ceiling, rough bricks and the copper pots that double as chandeliers create a unique, warm and inviting ambience whose charm and authenticity is reinforced by the use of tactile materials.
Meanwhile, the latest chocolate shop, coffee bar and ‘chocolate factory’ makes MSC Grandiosa the third luxury cruise ship to feature a Chocolaterie designed for confectionary legend Jean-Philippe Maury by YSA Design.
