MSC Cruises is the latest company to base a cruise ship at the port of Piraeus, with the “MSC Orchestra” taking on passengers every Thursday at Greece’s largest port until October.
The “Orchestra” was constructed in 2007 and has a capacity to host 3,223 passengers and 1,250 crew members. The vessel features 827 cabins with their own balcony.
The Italian-Swiss company has developed close relations with the Greek market over the past 15 years, particularly in the freight transport sector, while it was the only cruise ship operator to continuously increase its presence in Greek waters over the last few years.
The announcement comes days after Carnival, the world’s largest cruise ship operator, designated Piraeus as a home port for the coming summer season for its “Carnival Vista” vessel.
The Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) was recently privatized, with Chinese multinational Cosco purchasing a majority stake and OLP’s management.
