MSC Announces Game Changing Features for China-Bound Splendida

NorwegianCruiser very kindly posted the following link which provides very interesting information about Splendida's upcoming dry-dock enhancements:

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/17962-msc-announces-game-changing-features-for-china-bound-splendida.html

As we're booked on Splendida's Grand Voyage from Dubai to Japan next March, I have a very special interest in this.

MSC Splendida will depart from Dubai in March 2018 and travel along the silk road maritime route to arrive in Shanghai next May.[/Quote]

 

 

I'm not surprised about the new Speciality Restaurant being added. I doubt that Tex-Mex would be very popular with the Chinese:

 

Aboard the Splendida, MSC will add a new signature restaurant curated by famous chef Jereme Leung

I wonder if it will replace Santa Fe Tex-Mex? Will the menu differ much from the offerings in the oriental Speciality Restaurant on Magnifica and Orchestra? I get the impression that this new one will be different seeing who the chef involved in the project is. I'm assuming that it'll be added during dry dock.

 

MSC is also developing a customized “MSC for Me” program for the Chinese market in collaboration with Deloitte, to suit the likes of the new age Chinese customers.

Will that be up and running on the repo, or will it just be in Chinese and not be available 'til the inaugural China sailing?



Again, I would say it'll be installled during dry dock, as the screens and TVs will have to be fitted.

 

The following sounds very interesting:

 

Among the big news is a new artificial intelligence translation installation across the ship, which will utilize the WiFi network to help guests and crew communicate. The system has been developed in conjunction with Baidu, a leading Chinese search engine, and Tuge, a technology outfit.

 

"Traditional translation devices require the user to input their choice of language, but this new system will automatically identify the languages spoken and to be translated. We hope it will allow guests to interact seamlessly with the multi-national crew onboard," said Heng Zhang, founder and CEO of Tuge

 

"MSC is the first cruise in the world to have an artificial intelligence translation system aboard. And we are still researching how to use it optimally for our Chinese guests onboard MSC Splendida next year," said Helen Huang, president of Greater China for MSC.

Hopefully someone doing the repo to Dubai next month, or others who sail on Splendida during her sojourn in the Middle East, will report on these and other innovations that may be made and will answer some of the many questions that arise from this news bulletin.

Interesting, I recall you mentioning a refit during dry dock previously. It appears they are looking to do quite a lot.

We sail on her at the beginning of March from Dubai. If all of the changes are in place during dry dock in November I'll be able to report back. According to the article I'll have intelligence installed by then too :)

Interesting, I recall you mentioning a refit during dry dock previously. It appears they are looking to do quite a lot.

We sail on her at the beginning of March from Dubai. If all of the changes are in place during dry dock in November I'll be able to report back. According to the article I'll have intelligence installed by then too :)

I look forward to hearing about it, CF. Please don't let that new intelligence installation impact on your reportage - remember, you'll need to keep it simple as I won't have had it installed by then! ;p

Bea ... I hope that they do not make a mess of it as Princess did with the New Majestic Princess, a ship built for the Chinese market that will head to Australia in the Chinese winter!

There was so much missing from the other Royal class ships and so much wasted space it was a crime.

I look forward to hearing about it, CF. Please don't let that new intelligence installation impact on your reportage - remember, you'll need to keep it simple as I won't have had it installed by then! ;p

I think we'll be ok ;)

Edit, I only meant me, not you. It does say it's artificial and so I assume unfortunately temporary :(

Good point Bea. Will be interesting to see if they replace the Santa Fe or not. I can't really see any other location that is suitable for a new Speciality Restaurant. They might set up one on deck 16 where Divina and Preziosa have their Galaxy Restaurants. Amazing views up there.

Good point Bea. Will be interesting to see if they replace the Santa Fe or not. I can't really see any other location that is suitable for a new Speciality Restaurant. They might set up one on deck 16 where Divina and Preziosa have their Galaxy Restaurants. Amazing views up there.

A bit out of the way, though, NC. On the 2 nights that we dined in Oriental Plaza on Magnifica, it was very noticeable how many people stopped at the entrance, both to have a look in (it's a beautiful restaurant) and to check out the menu that was available to peruse on a podium just outside. That just doesn't happen up at the Galaxy.

CruisingFox ......... if you do get a chance, perhaps you'll get some photos of the menus - including the set menu for Black Card holders. I'd really appreciate that!

A bit out of the way, though, NC. On the 2 nights that we dined in Oriental Plaza on Magnifica, it was very noticeable how many people stopped at the entrance, both to have a look in (it's a beautiful restaurant) and to check out the menu that was available to peruse on a podium just outside. That just doesn't happen up at the Galaxy.

 

CruisingFox ......... if you do get a chance, perhaps you'll get some photos of the menus - including the set menu for Black Card holders. I'd really appreciate that!

That's true and when you mention the Oriental Plaza, the restaurant was quite popular on our cruise on the Magnifica last autumn. My guess is that the Santa Fe will go. I remember on our Baltic Sea cruise on the Poesia back in 2013 that they had a Speciality Restaurant in the aft part of the Buffet in the evenings. A lovely restaurant with a great menu and wonderful views. We were the only ones dining up there that evening and I never saw any other dining the other evenings. No wonder they are gone on the Musica Class.

CruisingFox ......... if you do get a chance, perhaps you'll get some photos of the menus - including the set menu for Black Card holders. I'd really appreciate that!

I've diarised a reminded to do so for you :D

I've diarised a reminded to do so for you :D

Thanks a mil! :*