Sophia Loren/Musica, ITALY
Airing Date: Aug 7th, 2006
As one of the world's most popular cruising destinations, The Mediterranean cruise market is very competitive. It takes a lot to stand out but MSC's new superliner Musica was launched with a big bang in Venice this year.
The ship will offer passengers a new kind of elegance and comfort in cruising and who better to play 'godmother' to Musica than Sophia Loren, a classic Italian icon of style and grace.
MSC stands for The Mediterranean Shipping Company MSC's new flagship Musica was launched in Venice in June 2006 with a press event and an official christening by Sophia Loren on the 29th June. Musica will bring MSC into the ranks of big cruise ships. Its' Maiden Voyage on 1st July 2006 was an eastern Mediterranean cruise through Greece, Turkey and Croatia from its home port in Venice. The Musica has 1275 Cabins, 3013 guest capacity and weighs 90,000 tonnes. It is MSC's largest cruise ship so far. It features a 7,000 square foot casino and a 13,000 square foot spa and beauty salon.
One of Musica's outstanding features is the fact that a full 80% of its 1,275 staterooms are outside rooms. In addition, 65% of these staterooms have verandas. The ships cruise travel passengers also have access to several dining options including two restaurants, self-serve pizza and a sushi bar. They will also enjoy a three deck high waterfall and many different entertainment venues including a three-deck theatre, secondary show lounge and disco. Sophia Loren was born Sofia Villani Scicolone in Rome, Italy.
Loren grew up impoverished in wartime Pozzuoli, near Naples. At age 16, Loren began her film career with bit parts in mostly minor Italian films. Loren was discovered by her future husband, the much older film producer Carlo Ponti, and they married on September 17, 1957, 3 days before her 23rd birthday.
Loren became an international film star with a five-picture contract with Paramount Studios. In 1960, her acclaimed performance in Vittorio De Sica's, Two Women, earned many awards including the Cannes, Venezia and Berlin festivals' best performance prizes. Her performance was also awarded an Academy Award for Best Actress, the first major Academy Award for a non-English language performance.
During the 1960s Loren was one of the most popular actresses in the world, and continued to make films in both the U.S. and Europe, acting with the leading male stars. In 1964, her career came full circle when she received $1 million to act in The Fall of the Roman Empire. In 1991, Loren received an honorary Academy Award for her contribution to world cinema and was declared "one of the world cinema's treasures".
FURTHER INFORMATION
Air Mauritius return to Milan from $2015 ex west coast, $2330 ex east coast. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 12/7/06. Air Mauritius - PH: 1300 658 572
Connect to Venice from $348 one way. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 12/7/06. Al'Italia - PH: 02 9244 2400
11 night Mediterranean cruise from $1360 a person twin share. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 07/8/06. Next cruise departs Genoa 14 March 2007. PH: 1800 028 502, WEB: www.msccruises.com.au,
Rooms at Hotel Principe from $203 a person twin share. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply.
Venice sightseeing tour from $84 a person. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 07/8/06. CIT Holidays - PH: 1300 361 500, WEB: www.citholidays.com.au
Italian Government Tourist Office - www.enit.it
Azienda di Promozione Turistica della Provincia di Venezia - Venice Tourist Board - www.turismovenezia.it
