MSC CRUISES TO HOMEPORT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEW YORK CITY WITH YEAR-ROUND SAILINGS ON ONE OF WORLD’S BIGGEST AND MOST INNOVATIVE SHIPS

• MSC Cruises to offer year-round cruises from New York City starting April 2023
• MSC Meraviglia to sail itineraries including Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and the breathtaking Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
• Sales for the summer 2023 season open tomorrow

Geneva, Switzerland – March 8, 2022 – The world’s fastest-growing cruise brand will start sailing from New York City next year. MSC Cruises announced plans today to bring the modern and glamorous MSC Meraviglia to the Big Apple to offer year-round cruises, homeporting at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal starting in April of 2023 and making it easier than ever for guests to enjoy the stunning beauty of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

The announcement marks a significant milestone for MSC Cruises, the contemporary brand of the Cruise Division of MSC Group. It represents the first time one of the line’s ships will homeport in the northeastern United States year-round, and it further enhances the brand’s North American presence by complementing the rich choice of ships and itineraries out of PortMiami and Port Canaveral in the Orlando area.

On board MSC Meraviglia, guests will have a wide variety of vacation options, ranging from 6 to 11 nights, with destinations covering the Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and Canada. They can start booking summer 2023 cruises from New York City tomorrow, March 9, via MSCCruises.com or their preferred travel advisor.

Rubén Rodríguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said: “New York City was the natural choice when we picked our next U.S. port because it’s so accessible, whether the guest is coming from somewhere nearby or from around the world. We designed our mix of itineraries to take advantage of New York’s geographic flexibility, so that you can soak up the springtime sun in the Caribbean, head to Bermuda over the summer, or go north to see Canada’s natural beauty in the fall. MSC Meraviglia was a huge hit when she first came to New York in 2019. Our guests really appreciated the ship’s modern and glamorous features, as well as her state-of-the-art environmental technologies, and we are sure we’ll see strong demand when she returns.”

New York City Itinerary Highlights:

• Caribbean itineraries of either 7 or 8 nights, featuring calls in Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve—MSC Cruises’ beautiful private island in The Bahamas.
• Bermuda itineraries lasting 6 nights and offering three days docked at King’s Wharf combined with several relaxing days at sea.
• Northern itineraries of either 10 or 11 nights, featuring calls at Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Maine; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Saint John, New Brunswick. (11-night itineraries include an additional call in Newport, Rhode Island.)

MSC Cruises’ entry into the Northeast is the latest example of the European-based line’s long-standing focus on the overall North American cruise market, which includes bringing more international travelers into the region and continuing to place its most advanced ships at U.S. ports. MSC Cruises is the fastest growing cruise line in the world, on the back of an ambitious new build plan that saw 7 highly innovative ships coming into service since 2017, including two in 2021 and two more arriving later this year.

Last year, the cruise line added Port Canaveral as a permanent homeport with a mix of 3, 4 and 7-night cruises aimed at maximizing options for easy getaways just a short drive from the Orlando area’s world-renowned mix of attractions. Further south, MSC Cruises is building the largest and most advanced cruise terminal in North America at PortMiami, which will be able to accommodate three of the line’s largest ships simultaneously once complete.

As the third-largest cruise brand worldwide—and market leader in Europe, South America and the Arabian Gulf region—MSC Cruises prides itself on offering international dining, world-class entertainment, award-winning family programs and the very latest user-friendly technology on board. With this addition of New York City as an embarkation port, the line aims to attract even more North American guests as well as those from around the world.

About MSC Meraviglia

At 1,034 feet long and 214 feet tall, with an impressive 19 decks and capacity of up to 5,700 guests, MSC Meraviglia is a vacation destination in its own right—packed with innovative features to provide an unforgettable experience:

• 10 different types of staterooms to choose from, including solo cabins, popular balcony cabins, and stylish accommodations in the MSC Yacht Club (a luxury “ship within a ship” featuring butler service, along with exclusive restaurant, lounge and pool areas).
• Galleria Meraviglia, a promenade lined with shops, restaurants and bars, that stretches more than 300 feet and is lined with an impressive LED sky screen.
• 20 bars and 12 restaurants, including the popular Butcher’s Cut steakhouse and Kaito Sushi and Teppanyaki.
• Indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, along with a water park and ropes course.
• A variety of theatrical extravaganzas in our 985-seat theater.
• The extensive MSC Aurea Spa, providing massage therapy, body treatments, facial treatments, and a dedicated thermal area.
• 6,000 square-foot gym featuring state-of-the-art equipment from Technogym™.
• MSC Kids’ Club for children from 0-17 years old, with dedicated areas for babies, toddlers, children and teens, along with the Lego® Experience.

MSC Meraviglia is fitted with innovative technology and solutions to minimize her environmental footprint. These include an exhaust gas cleaning system for cleaner emissions; an advanced wastewater treatment system; smart heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) to recover heat from machinery spaces; and LED lighting and smart devices to significantly save energy. This is all part of MSC Cruises commitment to provide guests with the best vacation experiences at sea in a sustainable fashion.

To learn more about MSC Meraviglia, click here.

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

MSC Cruises’ stunning private island destination in The Bahamas is the centerpiece of a breathtaking 64-square-mile marine reserve designed to connect guests with nature, making it the perfect spot to take a deep breath and relax. The island will be a highlight of many of MSC Meraviglia’s itineraries and offers white sandy beaches where chairs, umbrellas and cabanas await guests for a relaxing day of soaking up the spirit of The Bahamas while surrounded by sweeping panoramas of crystal blue waters at every turn.

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is home to the MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Program, which aims to develop and refine methods to reverse the decline in coral reefs. The Foundation is working with scientists from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School and Nova Southeastern University to pioneer methods for rebuilding damaged reefs with coral species that are more resilient to environmental threats like ocean pollution and warming.

To learn more about Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, click here.

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About MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand as well as the leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa, with more market share in addition to deployed capacity than any other player. It is also the fastest growing global cruise brand with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and the Far East markets.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is one of the two brands that sit within the Cruises Division of MSC Group, the leading privately held Swiss-based shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage. MSC Cruises – the contemporary brand - has a modern fleet of 19 vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels. The fleet is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025, with options for six more vessel orders in place through 2030.

MSC Cruises offers its guests an enriching, immersive and safe cruise experience inspired by the Company’s European heritage, where they can enjoy international dining, world-class entertainment, award-winning family programs, and the very latest user-friendly technology on board. To learn more about MSC Cruises’ itineraries and experience on board its ships, click here.

The Company’s number one priority has always been the health and safety of its guests and crew, as well as the communities at the destinations its ships serve.  In August 2020, MSC Cruises implemented a new comprehensive and robust health and safety protocol to become the first major line to return to sea. To learn more about MSC Cruises’ health & safety protocol, click here.

MSC Cruises has long been committed to environmental stewardship, with a long-term goal to achieve net zero emissions for its operations by 2050. The Company is also a significant investor in next-generation environmental marine technologies, with the objective to support their accelerated development and availability industry-wide. To learn more about the Company’s environmental commitment, click here.

Finally, to learn more about the MSC Foundation, MSC Group’s own vehicle to lead, focus and advance its conservation, humanitarian and cultural commitments, click here.