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Picture Page News 2. MSC Poesia.

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31 March 2008

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Launch of MSC POESIA - poetry in motion

It was truly fantastic that MSC, one of the world's leading exponents of international cruise travel, chose Dover to launch this ship above all other places in the world. It was a star studded occasion on saturday night April 5. This truly magnificent ship, an exotic piece of Italian hardware, a superferrari of the ocean waves, attracted stars of stage and screen to its 'opening night' all in the presence of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Of course one of the biggest stars of all time is the oh so glamourous Sophia Loren, and the lady herself was right here in Dover doing the spectacular launch honours. In case there may be one or two amongst us who dont know, and its hard to imagine there might,...that's the lady herself in the picture on the left, taken just before midnight, as she was about to ceremoniously encourage the champagne of tradition to crash against the elegant bow.
 
One was pleased to find an invite to go along in the mail, and in true full dress tradition, off we went to sample it all first hand. The Doverforum team at large you might say! After various rambles about the ship examining first hand what cruise passengers will experience in the coming months, and MSC are very keen on the English market which they see as buoyant, it was time to knuckle down to dinner in the sublime surroundings. Not much of a hardship, it must be said, contemplating dinner here...but when they place a chap next to a table of gorgeous MSC females of international flavour, then it is almost too much pleasure all at once....I say almost!! These delightful girls were from MSC and happily posed in good spirit. They are L to R...
Michaela Thompson, Rachel Green, Milica Moceric, Jessica Vogel, Karolina Przedpelska and Lynette Webster. Hopefully those names are in the correct order. If not...dover7@msn.com.
 
This vast ship easily houses a full scale theatre within its 16 decks and acreage. The theatre was the hubbub of excitement on saturday night(Apr 5) as blind operatic legend Andrea Bocelli gave a magnificent concert, his thunderously beautiful voice effortlessly enraptured the packed audience.Flashguns popped in feverish frenzy despite warnings to the contrary. The dignataries mentioned above were all in attendance. Golly was it good. All the operatic favourites were belted out, but when Andrea sang the famous old Elvis hit of 'Cant Help Falling in Love' well one detected a gooey moment in one's own makeup!
 

In the midst of this onslaught of Italian and international glamour, it is appropriate at this point to add a little local glamour of our own in the shape of one Colette Boland, doverforums very own PR girl extraordinaire.With a backdrop of the fabulous White Cliffs behind her, Colette takes time to examine the cabins and balconies of the wonderful ship prior to dinner in the La Fontaine Restaurant.

Dover is a natural home to these magnificent vessels. According to the Managing Director of MSC there are FOUR more superliners being built as we speak. The scale of these ships is awesome and the MSC plans are awesome in harmony. Let us hope they continue to feature Dover in their big big plans.
 
Yes there was something for everybody and always is for every customer. Here we see the very famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra belting out Pennsylvania 65thousand in fine style.

While sipping away on the alcoholic beverage in close proximity to the throbbing beat, one's feet clearly took over and tap-danced away in humble embarassment. The Fred Astaire in a chap's limbs shot forward to be counted and reckoned with. Some say there is a revival due in danceband music, and indeed there might well be as the sound is intoxicating... or was that the champagne. To this day I'll never know!
 


 
At last yours truly comes out from behind the camera and here he is with the aforementioned ColetteB just about to negotiate the exotic stairway to heaven..or in this case the stairway to dinner. Although at that time of the evening dinner and heaven may well be classed as the same thing. The picture on the right shows Pippa Evans, part of an entertaining troupe who made up a song for Doverforum right on the spot and off the cuff. Seated next to her is a well known actor familiar to many through his endless television performances over the years, yes its Ken Campbell in a fantastically striped suit, a suit which eminently matched the decor of the lounge featured.

Just before we say goodbye, as the ship has departed Dover in the dead of night for Venice and beyond, here is a last look at the fantastic singer of fantastic songs, Andrea Bocelli.

Leave a comment by clicking on the Blue Bar below. All welcome.

 
And the ship herself..90,000 tons of pure magnificence, yes it's the MSC POESIA arriving in Dover at noon April 4.

Wow!! this one is big. As it slowly cruised past my ocean view window, I swear it blocked out the light for a time. I thought we were having an unscheduled eclipse betwixt the planets, but no it wasnt the case, it was this great hulking ocean liner, as I said, 90,000 tons of pure glamourous steel, casting a giant shadow as it slowly drifted by. And you know, it beckoned to me like a seductive woman, and was I tempted..well yessireeee!!

There are hosts of glamourous stars coming to town for tomorrows launch. We hope to bring you some pictures. Sophia Loren who is the ships appointed Godmother will do the honours and the occasion will put Dover on the map right across Europe if not the world. Also on the guestlist is Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, so it should be a big big occasion for Dover and for Dover's cruise business.

Paul Boland
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