After basing a ship in Southampton for the first time this year, Italian cruise giant MSC has promised that the company would remain in the city “for the long term.”

MSC is an important player in the worldwide container trade, and the company has ambitious aspirations to become a serious player in the expanding British cruise market.

The decision to make Southampton its UK base is an acknowledgement of the crucial role the company sees this city playing in any future developments.

MSC Opera will be based in Southampton until September. It has no less than ten passenger decks. There are 878 cabins – 200 of which have their own private balconies. The ship also boasts a theatre with seating for 713 guests, a library and an array of restaurants, one of which is, quite obviously, a pizzeria.

The arrival of MSC Opera did not just happen overnight – it is the culmination of lengthy talks between Associated British Ports (ABP), which owns and operates Southampton Docks, and MSC Cruises.

The Product Director of MSC Cruises, Oliviero Morelli, said “ABP could not have been more helpful, and I firmly believe MSC has a strong relationship with the port of Southampton.

He added that the company planned to remain in Southampton for a long time. Bookings for the 2012 season from the city have already opened. Morelli expects that MSC will have two ships in Southampton two or three years from now, or at least one of their bigger ships, which can take up to 3,900 passengers.