MSC MERAVIGLIA SAILS INTO PORTLAND AS MSC CRUISES LAUNCHES CANADA & NEW ENGLAND ITINERARIES

• Guests will enjoy a day exploring Portland during 10- and 11-night Canada & New England itineraries sailing from New York City
• MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest and fastest-growing cruise line, with a fleet of 22 ships offering itineraries across the globe

Portland, Maine – September 28, 2023 – MSC Meraviglia arrived in Portland this morning on her inaugural Canada & New England itinerary, marking her first visit to the region since 2019. MSC Cruises’ award-winning ship is offering 10- and 11-night itineraries this fall, visiting coveted destinations in Canada & New England just in time for the changing of the leaves and Portland’s crisp New England autumn.

MSC Meraviglia sails from her homeport in New York City and is an award-winning ship at 1,036 feet long and 171,598 gross tons. According to data from Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), her new Canada & New England itineraries are expected to generate a significant economic impact for the region, including up to $1.5 million in local Portland spending.

Rubén A. Rodríguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said: “MSC Meraviglia’s arrival in Portland is a great milestone for MSC Cruises as we continue expanding our presence in the North American market. When we launched year-round cruises from New York City, one of our goals was to allow guests to visit a wider variety of destinations. MSC Meraviglia’s first trip to the U.S. started with a visit to the northeast, and we’re happy to be back now with regularly-scheduled visits to Portland as we keep growing. The response to these itineraries has been strong, which means we’ll bring thousands of visitors to Portland this season. We look forward to continuing to work with leaders here to provide our guests with a distinctive and immersive cruising experience.”

MSC Meraviglia’s Canada & New England itineraries allow guests to visit a variety of picturesque ports, see world-famous historical sites and stand in awe of the vibrant autumn leaves. Portland’s deep history and rich culture will make it a highly anticipated stop on the itinerary, with highlights including the Old Port historic district and renovated downtown area, the Portland Head Light Museum, the stunning collection at the Portland Museum of Art, and the Portland Observatory’s spectacular views of the coast.

Sarah Flink, Executive Director, CruiseMaine, said: “We are pleased to welcome MSC Meraviglia to Portland harbor today. Having MSC Cruises call in the region diversifies our cruise passenger profile, bringing new visitors, many of whom are seeing Maine for the very first time. We expect that, like most visitors, they will fall in love with Maine's natural beauty, fabulous food and warm hospitality, and that many will return in the future. We wish them fair weather and following seas as they continue with the rest of their Canada-New England itinerary.”   

MSC Cruises’ Canada and New England itinerary is available seasonally, with cruises now on sale for this fall, spring 2024, and fall 2024. In addition to Portland, itineraries include Newport, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; and Saint John, New Brunswick.

During other parts of the year, MSC Meraviglia sails from New York City to Bermuda, Florida and The Bahamas. To learn more about the wide variety of itineraries MSC Cruises offers from the northeast, click here.

About MSC Meraviglia 

At 1,036 feet long and 213 feet tall, with an impressive 19 decks and capacity of more than 5,700 guests, MSC Meraviglia is a vacation destination in its own right—packed with innovative features to provide an unforgettable experience, including: 

• 10 different types of staterooms to choose from, including solo cabins, popular balcony cabins, and stylish suite accommodations in the MSC Yacht Club – the premium ‘ship within a ship’ featuring butler service, along with an exclusive restaurant, lounge, and pool area. 
• Galleria Meraviglia, a promenade lined with shops, restaurants and bars that stretches more than 315 feet and is lined with an impressive LED sky screen. 
• 20 bars and 12 restaurants, including the popular Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Ocean Cay, HOLA! Tacos and Cantina, and Kaito Sushi and Teppanyaki. 
• Indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, together with one of the most intricate water parks at sea, featuring three twisting slides and an intricate ropes course—the Himalayan Bridge.
• Seven different shows in the 985-seat Broadway Theatre and the famous Carousel Lounge. 
• The extensive MSC Aurea Spa, providing massage therapy, body treatments, facial treatments, and a dedicated thermal area. 
• The 6,000 square-foot gym featuring state-of-the-art equipment from Technogym™ framed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, overlooking the main pool deck.
• Entertainment area including the MSC Formula Racer, a full-sized bowling alley with two lanes, an interactive XD cinema, a flight simulator, and a video games arcade.
• Sportsplex with facilities for basketball, tennis, squash, volleyball, Pickle Ball, mini golf and five-a-side soccer.
• MSC Kids’ Club for children 0-17 years old, with dedicated areas for babies, toddlers, children and teenagers, plus the Lego® Experience.

Environmental Features

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 to recover heat from machinery spaces; and LED lighting and smart devices to significantly save energy. This is part of MSC Cruises’ commitment to provide its guests with the best holiday experiences at sea in a sustainable manner. 

To learn more about MSC Meraviglia, click here.

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About MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand as well as the market leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa. 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 Cruise Division of MSC Group, the world’s leading and privately held shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage. MSC Cruises – the contemporary brand - has a modern fleet of 22 vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels, terminals and other assets. 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 line’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.