Passenger Shipping Pause 2020
Due to the Coronavirus crisis, MSC Cruises suspended its North American fleet’s passenger shipping operations by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through May-June 2021.
European operations resumed in 2020 on August 16 and October 19 but all voyages were eventually canceled. MSC had its fleet fully operational by June 5th, 2022.
Next are listed MSC’s first scheduled departure dates by ship/region/homeport – ARMONIA , BELLISSIMA , DIVINA , FANTASIA , GRANDIOSA , LIRICA , MAGNIFICA , MERAVIGLIA , MUSICA , OPERA , ORCHESTRA , POESIA , PREZIOSA , SEASHORE , SEASCAPE , SEASIDE , SEAVIEW , SINFONIA , SPLENDIDA , VIRTUOSA , WORLD EUROPA .
- In early-January 2021 MSC planned to start Mediterranean cruises scheduled between January 24 and March 21. The 7-day itinerary visited Civitavecchia, Palermo, Naples and Valletta , with embarkation available in all the Italian ports.
- MSC USA’s pause affected 3 ships – Meraviglia and Armonia and Divina .
- MSC South America 2021-2022 winter program was canceled affecting 4 ships .
- LIRICA’s Mediterranean 2021 season was canceled and the liner restarts operations in 2022 .
- MUSICA’s South Africa 2021-2022 program was canceled.
- OPERA’s Red Sea 2021-2022 program was canceled.
- PREZIOSA’s 2021 Baltic season was canceled.
- MSC’s 2021-2022/winter South America and Arabia-Dubai programs were canceled.
Msc Wedding Cruise Deals
Since 2015, MSC Cruises has a new cruise wedding program available on Caribbean itineraries. The program offers onboard marriages in several Caribbean port destinations, including Nassau Bahamas, Bridgetown Barbados, Grand Cayman Island, Falmouth Jamaica, Cozumel Mexico, San Juan Puerto Rico, Philipsburg St Maarten, Charlotte Amalie St Thomas, and also Miami Florida USA .
MSC partnered with the wedding-planning company “The Wedding Experience” and offers cruise wedding packages with prices starting from USD 1600 and USD 2200 weddings. MSC’s basic wedding package includes a pre-cruise event manager, a ceremony coordinator, 1 bottle of Champagne, 1 cake for two, 1 bridal bouquet, 1-hour photo session.
Event planners work with the couples to handle all the details . Also provided are wedding consultants and ceremony coordinators. Onboard / ashore receptions and ceremonies offer various options – video/photo packages, fresh flowers, themed music, food and drink packages, also specialty items and ground transportation for ashore events.
Couples booking groups of 13 or more cabins receive a complimentary balcony stateroom. Couples booking groups of 30 or more cabins receive a complimentary suite. Complimentary Yacht Club stateroom is offered for 50 or more booked cabins. Onboard ceremonies can be attended by up to 150 non-cruising guests.
MSC Cruises’ first ship to offer onboard weddings was MSC Divina.
Sophia Loren To Be Godmother Of Msc Seashore
Departing on Wednesday, November 17, MSC Seashore will sail on a three-day cruise to MSCs private island of Ocean Cay in the Bahamas. Here the vessel will be officially named by MSCs favorite godmother, Sophia Loren. It will be the sixteenth time the actress has been godmother to an MSC cruise ship.
Loren and the owners of the cruise line, the Aponte family, have had a special relationship for many years: Its family,said Loren, Ive known this family since they had children. We live in the same city. Its a lifetime relationship.
The christening of MSC Seashore will also double up as the official opening of Ocean Cay. Guests onboard the special naming ceremony cruise will include a select group of travel advisors, agents, company executives and personnel, and special guests. They will have a first look at one of the most innovative and newest ships to sail from PortMiami.
During the cruise, there will be festivities both onboard and ashore at Ocean Cay, while during the evening, guests will enjoy a special gala dinner.
MSC Seashore sails her cruises from cruise terminal F in Port Miami. From 2023 she will be sailing from the cruise lines new state-of-the-art cruise terminal, which will handle three EVO-class ships at any one time and will be capable of handling 36,000 passengers in one day.
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Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
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“Fun fact!! If you had a cruise booked during COVID and you opted to let them postpone your trip for 2 years. You get the privilege of being charged a ridiculous inflation fee from no fault of your own. Then when you’ve finally have had enough with being screwed with, and cancel. You get the added bonus of a cancellation fee.I must remember to mention how this cancelation fee never existed for the last 2 years that I was offered the postponed dates. But of course it exists now, when I prefer not to pay $1000 extra for two rooms that were fully paid for two years ago. Carnival Cruise Lines definitely gets 5 stars for the biggest inflation scam a consumer could get since everything opening from COVID. Thank you so much for this educational experience. This memory will last a lifetime”
Day 7st Maarten Dutch Caribbean
St. Maarten, a popular cruise-ship stop is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The capital, Philipsburg, has cobblestone streets and colorful, colonial-style buildings lining its Front Street shopping area. You could spend days exploring the “chains of mountains green”, as described in the national anthem, along with the beautiful beaches and underwater fantasylands.
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Day 1ocean Cay Bahamas
Ocean Cay is man-made island located approximately 18.6 miles south of south Bimini Island, The Bahamas. The island is set to become a natural paradise exclusive to MSC Cruises guests as of November 2018. Ocean Cay has some of the finest aragonite sands in the world and once the work is completed, its surrounding waters will be home again to beautiful corals and rich aquatic life. It will be a truly exclusive destination for MSC Cruises guests to experience the best the Caribbean has to offer.
Msc’s Dolphins Fan Cruise
MSC Seaside ship’s itinerary March 17-24, 2018 was officially themed “Dolphins Fan Cruise”. This special voyage was the result of the 3-year partnership between MSC and the NFL team. The sports-themed voyage will be hosted annually over the next 3 years . The 2018 voyage’s prices started at USD 700 per person .
During these sports cruises, passengers have the opportunities to interact in person with team alumni. The list of pre-scheduled onboard activities includes:
- Meet team’s legends Joe Rose, Kim Bokamper, Nat Moore, Patrick Surtain, Sam Madison, Terry Kirby.
- Take autographs from the alumni, and get a photo with the team’s cheerleaders.
- Cheer alongside team’s cheerleaders and hype up the crowd with the mascot TD .
- Enjoy special performances by cheer squad and the mascot.
- Get to know former players during Q& A sessions.
On April 28, 2018, the ship hosted the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders for the team’s annual calendar photo shoot, with special onboard show programming.
- Via company’s “Save & Sail” summer promotion, potential MSC cruise customers had the chance to book a balcony stateroom on the “Cheerleaders voyage” starting at USD 650 pp. The off-promo prices started from USD 1098 pp .
- Cheerleaders cruise itinerary was a 7-day roundtrip from Miami to St Maarten Island, Puerto Rico and Bahamas .
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Day 5st Thomas Us Virgin Islands
St. Thomas is the gateway isle of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, best known for its beaches and snorkeling spots. For families or couples, St. Thomas is packed with millions of opportunities for smiles and surprise. Enjoy the island’s world-renowned golf course, picture-perfect beaches and spectacular nightlife.
Day 3ocho Rios Jamaica
Ocho Rios is a port town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica, regular port of call on Western Caribbean itineraries. Outside the resorts, Ocho Rios hosts two of Jamaica’s most famous attractions: Jamaica’s most famous waterfalls – Dunn’s River Falls and Dolphin Cove, where visitors can swim with dolphins, sharks, and stingrays.
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Newest Msc Cruise Ship Arrives In Miami Ahead Of Inaugural Caribbean Cruises
MSC Cruises’ newest ship MSC Seashore arrives in Miami, Florida for the first time in preparation for commencing Caribbean sailings.
The first of MSCs Seaside EVO-class ships arrived in Miami on Sunday ahead of her inaugural cruise to the Caribbean on November 20. The 1 billion dollar ship sailed from Barcelona, Spain, only weeks ago from where she completed her first Mediterranean cruise season.
Originally scheduled to begin sailing earlier this year in June, the vessel sailed with passengers for the first time in August. Before she departs on her inaugural cruises from the United States to the Bahamas, MSC Seashore will sail on a 3-day cruise during which she will be officially named.
What You Need To Know About Mscs Experiences
When it comes to booking on an MSC ship, things are handled differently than on any other line sailing out of North America. MSC offers a variety of packages which they call experiences.
Each of the three levels Bella, Fantastica, and Aurea offer both different perks and price points. So what is the difference between them?
- Bella: This is the basic package, which includes your cruise fare and taxes, tap water, tea and coffee in the dining rooms, access to kids programs, and most onboard activities. This experience offers a guaranteed cabin, which means you cannot choose its location and are assigned your specific cabin closer to the sail date.
- Fantastica: This package is offered in cabins located on higher decks, including some ocean views, balconies, and interiors, and features some extra amenities, including room service.
- Aurea: The highest-end category is for those staying in a suite, and includes discounts on spa treatments, as well as free access to the spas thermal suite.
Fantastica and Aurea also offer one free cruise change, which is applicable on either the cruise dates or destination. The change needs to take place up to one month prior to departure, for a new cruise that sails within three months of the original departure.
Aurea also offers flexible dining and access to a dining area specifically reserved for those classes. On most ships, Aurea guests have a dedicated outside space that is restricted to only guests at this level.
MSC Divina.
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Sailing The Caribbean And The Bahamas
Although similar in looks on the exterior as her Seaside-class sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore is, in fact, wholly re-imagined with more than 65% of the public spaces re-designed, the vessel is 16 meters longer, and has different entertainment options, bars, restaurant, more outdoor space , and 200 more passenger cabins.
MSC Seashore has been designed with the warm Miami climate in mind, while the striking aft section of the vessel mirrors that of the Miami-style beach condos the city is famous for.
The ship is also equipped with state-of-the-art environmental technology, UV-treated air systems, and a fully immersive interactive design that incorporates touch screens around the ship, TVs in staterooms, and the cruise lines app, MSC for me.
MSC Seashore will be departing on the first Caribbean and Bahamas cruise on November 20. Sailing from her homeport of Miami, Florida, the 169,500 gross tons, 4,560-passenger cruise ship will be based in the US permanently.
Her first cruise will call at Cozumel, Falmouth, Jamaica, and MSC Ocean Cay, in the Bahamas, before returning to Miami, Florida. Guests can combine this cruise with an additional voyage that includes an extra two days at Ocean Cay, a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a final stop in Nassau, Bahamas.
However, before her first Miami cruise kicks off, the vessel will sail a three-day cruise for invitees.
Msc Cruises Is Sending Another New Mega Ship To Miami In 2022
MSC Cruises is sending another new mega cruise ship to Miami in 2022 when MSC Seascape joins the fleet.
MSC Seascape is currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. The vessel celebrated a construction milestone this past week when the ship was floated out of dry dock for the first time.
MSC Seascape will be the cruise lines second Seaside EVO class ship will be just under 170,000 gross tons in size and will carry up to 5,877 guests. The cruise ship will have approximately 140,000 square feet of outdoor space making the vessel perfect for sailing out of Miami to the Caribbean. View Best Deals on MSC Cruises
MSC Seascapes environmental technologies will include selective catalytic reduction systems on each of her four Wärtsilä 14V 46F engines to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90 percent by converting the gas into harmless nitrogen and water, plus hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems to remove 98 percent of sulphur oxide from ship emissions.
The cruise ship will be fitted with best-in-class wastewater treatment systems with purification standards that are higher than most wastewater treatment facilities on land, advanced waste management systems, ballast water treatment systems approved by the United States Coast Guard, the latest-technology systems for the prevention of oil discharges from machinery spaces and various effective energy-efficiency improvements from heat recovery systems to LED lighting able to save energy.
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Msc Silenseas Ships By Stx France
On January 20, 2020, MSC and Chantiers de l’Atlantique signed an MoU for the development of a sail-based prototype of a cruise liner. The new class will be based on the Silenseas concept that represents hybrid propulsion combining sails with dual-fuel marine engines.
MSC’s new cruise vessel will be able to sail with min wind speed 15 knots and wind angle 50+ degrees. The currently considered design features GT tonnage 23,000, LOA length 210 m , passenger capacity 300 .
The sailing ship can reach speeds of 12 knots under sail in 15 knots winds. In winds over 15 knots, the vessel’s propellers will be used, acting as a turbine that draws power from the sails. On Caribbean Sea routes, the new technology could reduce propulsion energy by 60%.
STX France’s sail-ship design was developed for 3 vessel sizes, the biggest being 15,000 GT tons vessel with LOA length 190 m and 150 passenger staterooms. The French shipbuilding company started research in sail propulsion in 2009, Silenseas has technology patents for the new sail. The unit is made from fiberglass, carbon and epoxy-resin panels. Similar is the concept of Peace Boat’s new vessel Ecoship .
STX France’s new wind-power technology was trialed on the Ponant-owned superyacht Le Ponant, on which one of the existing sails was replaced and the new technology tested.
Review Of Msc Cruises
MSC Cruises Ltd is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. MSC was established in 1960. Today, MSC Crociere is a fully-owned subsidiary of MSC – the world’s 2nd largest containership company . MSC Crociere is the world’s largest privately-owned cruise company. Stats for 2020-Q4 show MSC ranked the world’s 3th largest cruise shipowner , preceded by Carnival Corporation and RCG-Royal Caribbean . The company’s current management team is led by Pierfrancesco Vago , Gianni Onorato , Emilio La Scala .
In 2021 was launched the company’s new travel brand MSC EXPLORA JOURNEYS, with a separate fleet of four luxury ships. The brand’s main competitor on the European market is Viking OCEAN.
Between its official launch and July 2019, MSC served 20-million passengers. MSC is currently the world’s fastest-growing cruise company with a USD 20,5 billion investment plan for building 17 new liners and increasing its fleet to 29 vessels.
The parent company MSC was founded and owned by its current Chairman Gianluigi Aponte . Since 2014, the company’s President and CEO is his son – Diego Aponte, while his daughter is the CFO. MSC entered the ship cruising market in 1988.
The company’s main competitor on the European market is Costa Cruises.
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Itinerary Of Msc Cruises
This section provides a concise review of MSC’s current and future cruise itinerary program. The company operates regularly scheduled voyages in Europe , Caribbean , South America, South Africa, Asia, Arabia Gulf. Currently, MSC has no plans for ship deployments in Alaska.
MSC’s Grand Voyages are seasonally offered relocation cruises including Transatlantic crossings , Suez Canal , Mediterranean-Baltic-UK, Europe-South Africa. Cruises to Nowhere MSC offers in South Africa.
In 2023 will be inaugurated MSC’s ultra-premium expedition travel brand “Explora Journeys” . This is a separate subsidiary company that manages a fleet of 4x boats . Explora Journeys operates global itineraries including in Europe , New England USA and Canada, Alaska, Caribbean.
With its newbuilds, MSC attracts a large number of retirees during winter and targets families with kids during summer and the school holidays. The company’s smaller liners offer longer and more exotic itineraries but lack modern kids’ facilities as they are tailored to older travelers.
Msc Cruises Announces New Cruise Terminal In Miami
Cruise Line & Cruise ShipMSC CruisesLacey Pfalz July 08, 2021
MSC Cruises announced that the cruise line will have a new $450 million mega cruise terminal to port out of PortMiami.
The new cruise terminal will be constructed by Fincantieri Infrastructure Florida and will hold three of MSCs newest ships, like the MSC Seashore, with up to 36,000 travelers arriving and departing each day.
The terminal will also hold office space and a car park for up to 2,400 vehicles. In addition to the terminal, three new docks will be constructed, measuring 2,461 feet total.
For the past 35 years MSC Group has been an important partner for the U.S. economy through our growing role as one of the worlds leading container shipping businesses as well as terminal operators for cargo and passengers alike, said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group.
In this, Miami has always been a key hub and the new MSC Terminal at PortMiami consolidates our overall presence in this important maritime center. Thanks to the Italian flair that Fincantieri will undoubtedly contribute to this project just like they do to many of our ships, this new state-of-the-art terminal will become a Miami landmark of style as well as comfort for passengers passing through whats considered the cruise capital of the world,” Vago continued.
The terminal will be completed by December 2023.
For more information, please.
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