MSC Magnifica sets out from Barcelona on world cruise

Lasting 119 days and stopping at some 49 destinations in 32 different countries, the first 'MSC World Cruise' left Barcelona on Monday to begin its tour of six continents.

The MSC Magnifica cruise liner, which is almost 300 meters long with room for over 3,000 passengers, set sail from the Catalan capital on Monday evening with 35 Catalans on board.

MSC Magnifica's world trip will begin by crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean, before continuing through the Panama Canal and taking in Central America, until it arrives at San Francisco.

The cruise will then visit Hawaii and Tahiti on its way to Australia and New Zealand, then venture into the Indian Ocean, stopping at places like Singapore and Sri Lanka, before moving on to the Middle East and returning to Barcelona via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

Influencers and chefs

Also part of the world trip will be internet influencers and bloggers, who will take turns recording the experience of the passengers and crew, before sharing the content they create with their fans online.

A highlight of the cruise will be the participation of some of the world's top chefs, who will come on board with their teams to prepare three and four-course meals for the passengers featuring the best gastronomy the locality they are in at the time has to offer.

Among the chefs taking part is Catalan Michelin-starred chef Ramón Freixa, who will be on board when the MSC Magnifica leaves Barcelona. Later in the cruise will include the likes of Vikas Hkanna, Carlo Cracco, Roy Yamaguchi, "Chef of the Year" Serge Dansereau, as well as champion pastry chef, Jean-Philippe Maury.

250 excursions

While on the cruise, passengers will have more than 250 excursions available to them when the liner calls into the various ports. While most stops will be for an average time of 13 hours, some will last a couple or more days, such as those in Bora Bora or the Maldives.

Built in 2009, the MSC Magnifica has five restaurants on board, 11 bars and a cybercafé, as well as a large casino, a disco and a 4D cinema.