Signifying elegant maturity and timeless beauty, Italian film star Sophia Loren has just rubbed some of her charm on the newest cruise liner from MSC Cruises fleet by christening it as MSC Poesia. This gorgeous cruise liner MSC Poesia has been launched in a star-studded ceremony at the port of Dover attended by Hollywood legend Sophia Loren, Prince and Princess Michael, Andrea Bocelli and KT Tunstall. The naming ceremony was performed at the stroke of midnight on 5 April and it was the first time one of its liners had been christened outside Italy. And to add more grandeur to the whole ceremony, acclaimed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and singer songwriter KT Tunstall both performed concerts for the assembled crowd of travel agents and the media. And American artist Brian Olsen, famous for his portraits of famous musicians, painted a life size portrait of Sophia Loren live on stage. The 93,300 tonne liner, which can accommodate more than 3,000 guests in 1,275 cabins and has its own theatre, tennis court and two swimming pools, was berthed at the port’s cruise terminal over the weekend.

Poesia then sailed for her inaugural cruise on 6 April where she will call at Cork, Lisbon, Barcelona, Rome, Naples, Messina and Dubrovnik before arriving in her home port of Venice on 19 April. Throughout the summer Poesia will be based in Venice, departing every Saturday for week long cruises visiting popular cruise destinations in Greece, Turkey and Croatia. Poesia means ‘poetry’ in Italian is sister ship to the MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra.

MSC Poesia Picture Gallery

Via BBC / Steve-Read214481