The MSC Virtuosa recently completed five years of service after being delivered to MSC Cruises in February 2021.

As the fourth ship in the company’s Meraviglia Class, the vessel is a sister to the MSC Grandiosa, which boasts a slightly larger design than the first two ships in the series, the MSC Meraviglia and the MSC Bellissima.

The MSC Virtuosa was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, and spent its inaugural season sailing in the United Kingdom.

Originally set to take place in the Western Mediterranean, the ship’s maiden cruise was postponed due to health concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a result, the MSC Virtuosa welcomed its first guests in the port of Southampton on May 20, 2021, kicking off a series of three- to seven-night cruises to England and Scotland.

Cruise Industry News went onboard the vessel for one of the sailings, which included strict health protocols.

The 4,888-passenger ship continued to sail in the United Kingdom before repositioning to the Middle East for the 2021-22 winter season.

Following a naming ceremony in Dubai, the vessel embarked on a series of seven-night cruises to Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas in the United Arab Emirates, Dammam in Saudi Arabia and Doha in Qatar.

Italian actress Sophia Loren served as the ship’s godmother for the ceremony, which took place on November 27, 2021.

Currently cruising in the Southern Caribbean, the MSC Virtuosa is scheduled to return to the United Kingdom for another summer season in 2026.

Later in the year, the 181,541-ton vessel is scheduled to debut in South America for a winter season sailing from ports in Brazil.

In 2027, the ship is set to operate its first summer season in Southern Europe, offering itineraries in the Western Mediterranean. The deployment includes seven-night cruises to Italy, Tunisia, Spain and France.