Following tradition when a new MSC Cruises vessel is built, two coins have been soldered on the inside of the keel of MSC Orchestra.

The first coin was presented by the ship owner and the second by the representative of the shipyard.

Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises and Patrick Boissier, president of the Yard, yesterday in St Nazaire, France, in the presence of the managers of MSC Cruises, laid two coins in the middle of the keel of MSC Orchestra.

This is a tradition aimed at bringing good fortune to the ship as it cruises around the world.

After the delivery of MSC Lirica in 2003, and MSC Opera in 2004, MSC Musica will make her debut in June 2006 and finally MSC Orchestra in 2007.

MSC Cruises will continue expanding the fleet with another two vessels commissioned for delivery in 2008 and in 2009: MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata. These two ships will be the largest ever been built for a European ship owner and

the third largest in the world to date.