MSC Euribia docks in Durban, breaking record set by Anthem of the Seas in Cape Town

MSC Cruises newest ship MSC Euribia has docked in Durban at the new Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal on her repositioning voyage from Europe to the Middle East, where she’ll spend the winter cruising in the Arabian Gulf.

MSC Euribia’s historic port call in Durban on Wednesday made her the largest cruise ship ever to dock in South Africa, breaking a record set just days ago by Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, which called in Cape Town.

Both vessels made port calls in South Africa on technical stops for reprovisioning and bunkering, neither vessel was carrying any passengers.

“We are delighted to welcome MSC Euribia for her first stop in South Africa,” said Ross Volk, Managing Director of MSC Cruises South Africa, the local subsidiary of MSC Cruises Group.

“The R300 million Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban is one of only two ports in South Africa equipped to accommodate such a large vessel, making the terminal the perfect site for this,” he added.

MSC Cruises, like all other major cruise lines globally, has been forced to amend itineraries to avoid the Red Sea due the ongoing security crisis in the region, making a circumnavigation around Africa the only alternative to the Suez Canal.

Cape Town has seen a boom in cruise calls as a result, but Durban was chosen as the technical stop in South Africa for MSC Euribia due to the cruise line’s long-running association with the city.

MSC Cruises has been operating roundtrip Indian Ocean cruises out of Durban since the 1990s, and even longer before that when the brand was known as Star Lauro. The Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban was partially funded by investment from MSC Cruises.

Powered by liquid natural gas (LNG), MSC Euribia is MSC Cruises’ fifth Meraviglia-class ship, debuting in 2023 and showcasing the company’s commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly design, generating around 20% fewer emissions than other ships her size.

LNG fuel reduces sulfur oxide emissions by 99%, nearly eliminates particulate matter, and cuts nitrogen oxides by up to 85% – making it one of the cleanest fuels available in the maritime industry.

With a capacity of 6,334 passengers across 2,400 cabins, the 181,000 gross ton ship features a 100 metre LED dome running along the ceiling of the Euribia Galleria central promenade, 10 dining venues, 21 bars, five pools, and one of the largest waterparks on the ocean.

While MSC Euribia is on her way to Dubai for the winter season in the northern hemisphere, MSC Cruises is deploying MSC Musica to South Africa for the coming 2024/25 summer season, with the first cruise departing from Durban on November 22nd.