This mega cruise is investing in technology and now has a virtual assistant in each cabin.
The ship has a capacity for 5600 passengers and more than 1500 crew members. It perfectly combines digital innovation, excellence in services and luxury tourism, and belongs to the company MSC Cruises, which is one of the largest in the sector.
MSC Cruises, a privately held company, registered in Switzerland and based in Geneva, has grown by 800% in the first ten years of business.
This high-tech ship is 315m in length, 67m high, weighs more than 171,500 tons and has been designed to be able to dock at most of the world’s cruise ports. It’s built with 19 decks, 32 elevators and 2217 cabins.
What can you do on board the MSC Bellissima?
In addition to the daily shows at the London Theatre, plus the 24 musicians from different countries who entertain in open areas and bars, guests on board the MSC Bellissima can also enjoy two new shows from Cirque du Soleil at Sea in the purpose-built Carousel Lounge. The shows are “SYMA – Sail beyond Imagination”, and “VARÉLIA – Love in Full Colour”. Passengers need to book these events in advance and be aware that they have an additional cost and that there’s also a dinner option.
Who’s Zoe?
“MSC introduces the first voice-enabled virtual personal cruise assistant powered by artificial intelligence to cater to passengers’ needs: Zoe. With the emphasis on guest service and personalising their experience, this system is an improved version of the MSC for Me digital innovation programme, which MSC Bellissima also uses with 94 interactive screens on different decks of the boat. Passengers can also download the free mobile app, which, with an interactive map, helps them locate their cabin, see how to get from one place to another, find out about different activities on board each day, and chat with their family and friends for free,” said Luca Pronzati to Clarín, the company’s director of Innovation.
Zoe was developed in partnership with HARMAN International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, and this is the first time MSC is putting Zoe in all the cabins.
But… How does it work? Zoe is voice-enabled, once guests say, “OK Zoe”, she’s ready to answer more than 800 frequently asked questions with thousands of variants and in several languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese. It can also show the weather forecast on the Smart TV in the cabin and make reservations for restaurants, shows or cruise excursions 24 hours a day.
Upcoming adventures…
The MSC Bellissima will stay in the Mediterranean in this first season. It offers 7-night cruises in popular ports in the region before moving on to the United Arab Emirates, where it will set sail from Dubai each week during the 2019-2020 season. And then in 2020, it will be sailing in Asia.
Upcoming itineraries on this luxurious boat come with a special promotion that includes dinner in one of the restaurants and a Cirque du Soleil show. The MSC Bellissima leaves from Genoa (Italy) on July 21 and sails to Naples (Italy), Valletta (Malta), Barcelona (Spain) and Marseille (France) before returning to Genoa. Prices start from 1363 USD per guest in an Interior cabin and are based on double occupancy.
