#SplendidSister - A near sister of MSC Splendida which at 333m became the longest ever cruiseship to visit Dublin in recent years is currently docked in port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The cruiseship is MSC Preziosa that called yesterday to Greenock, the cruise terminal for Glasgow, located further along Clydeside.

The giant ship of 139, 072 tons operated by Meditteranean Shipping Cruises (MSC) had orignally been ordered by the Libyan state-owned company General National Maritime Transport Corporation (GNMTC). The Libyan civil war in 2011 led to builder STX France cancel the contract, however MSC acquired the hull. The ship was completed with a design based on an enhanced version of the 'Fantasia' class in which MSC Splendida belongs to the first pair built out of a quartet.   

Last year MSC Preziosa was host to Cruise Lines International Association for their inaugural Summit at Sea event. They are the world's largest cruise industry trade association and CLIA's 2017 Summit at Sea had concluded yesterday. On this occasion it was the turn of Cunard Lines as delegates took a three-night cruise on board Queen Elizabeth from Hamburg to Southampton.

On a related theme, Celebrity Eclipse which made a maiden call to Dublin on Wednesday had among its passengers a delegation of 400 cruise industry leaders led by Celebrity Cruises President and CEO.

Operators of the MSC Preziosa describe the 4,345 passenger cruiseship as ‘a modern Mediterranean masterpiece’. They add that among the many impressive amenities and facilities there is a real stone piazza, a spectacular sweeping Swarovski crystal grand staircase and a magical ‘infinity’ pool. There’s also the award-winning MSC Aurea Spa with its beauty and wellness treatments to ease away tension.

If you really desire to get away from fellow cruisegoers there is the secluded luxury of the MSC Yacht Club, a ‘ship-within-a-ship’ of exclusive suites, with butler service, dedicated facilities and private decks. In addition to this privileged access of world-class leisure on board, there is available to club members a full-gaming casino and Broadway-scale theatre.