msc cruises pac group

• MSC Cruises

Booking a group with MSC? Something you should know

By mheinrich , October 28, 2013 in MSC Cruises

Recommended Posts

I'm booked with a fairly large group sailing next month. Because of the size of the group, we have drink packages that are exclusive to our group. It was announced months ago what the packages were, the package numbers and the cost. We were able to book them the day they were announced.

Now since the cruise was MONTHS away, I made the decision to not give MSC my money at that time. It's kinda like making final payment before final payment is due right? So this week (4 weeks prior to sailing), I send my request in for the packages only to get a call back from an MSC customer service rep. I won't go into all the details, but the final outcome is this....

Even though it's in our contract to offer a drink packages, MSC has made the decision to no longer offer it! But wait, it gets worse. If you gave them your money early, you would still get the package! So it's not like they're not offering it at all on the ship, they just made the decision to not offer it to "any longer."

I still can't fathom how ANY company can contract with someone and then renig on the terms! But I will tell you this, you can bet I will never book into any group on THAT line again!!

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

MSC Cruises USA

I'm booked with a fairly large group sailing next month. Because of the size of the group, we have drink packages that are exclusive to our group. It was announced months ago what the packages were, the package numbers and the cost. We were able to book them the day they were announced.   Now since the cruise was MONTHS away, I made the decision to not give MSC my money at that time. It's kinda like making final payment before final payment is due right? So this week (4 weeks prior to sailing), I send my request in for the packages only to get a call back from an MSC customer service rep. I won't go into all the details, but the final outcome is this....   Even though it's in our contract to offer a drink packages, MSC has made the decision to no longer offer it! But wait, it gets worse. If you gave them your money early, you would still get the package! So it's not like they're not offering it at all on the ship, they just made the decision to not offer it to "any longer."   I still can't fathom how ANY company can contract with someone and then renig on the terms! But I will tell you this, you can bet I will never book into any group on THAT line again!!

We apologize for any trouble due to the change in beverage packages. MSC Cruises prides itself in customer service and we would like to resolve any concern raised in your comments above. Please contact our Customer Service department at [email protected] with detailed information and they will be happy to assist in resolving your inquiry.

MotownVoice

Seems like if you like the over all terms of a package you got that you're kind of proud to have ...

... you would want to lock it down with some money, instead of let it hang out there for something to happen to it.

Everyone knows a cruise company can make changes any time they wish. If you don't want it changed, buy it while it's the way ya like it!

Now there is a GOOD reason not to pay money, yet. And that's because you haven't found a trip insurance package you like. Because as soon as you put down a deposit, for most insurance companies, the clock begins to tick. And 30 days after your first payment you no longer have "pre existing conditions" waiver.

But because it's "months away"? That's just silly, if there's something special you lasso'd and don't want to lose. Just silly.

And then come on here and complain about it like it's something someone else did to you.

A classic English law "offer and acceptance" analysis...I am not a legal expert, but I suspect there is no act of acceptance by the OP before the offer was withdrawn.

In the words of a very wise man I know:

"You snooze. You LOSE!!!!!"

Did anyone actually see the GROUP CONTRACT part of the post?

A group was booked. A contract was drawn up. In that contract, there was a beverage plan offered specifically to this group members only. The contract reads you have until 7 days prior to sailing to book this package.

Now I may not be a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure changing the "7 days prior" to "4 weeks prior" mid way through the contact life is not normal.

Yes, I ACCEPTED the terms of the contract. Not MY contract, MSC's contract.

Nice to see all of you are fine with contracts just being change. By all means then, MSC is your perfect cruise line.

  Nice to see all of you are fine with contracts just being change. By all means then, MSC is your perfect cruise line.

You did pay for the drinks package, so you didn't have a contract.

You yourself stated if the package had been purchased it was being honoured.

You annoyed about a change to the OFFERED PACKAGE and I get that.

As said above you snooze, you loose.

And yes, I do sail with MSC, and I pre-order the drinks package.

what is worse is when MSC tell you that a given package is not available on a given cruise, people then book the more expensive one because they are told only that is available for their cruise!

Then with 4 weeks to go pre cruise MSC make the lesser value package that they told people was not bookable available.

Is it any wonder that people get annoyed with them.

GOLDENBONNY

Did anyone actually see the GROUP CONTRACT part of the post?   A group was booked. A contract was drawn up. In that contract, there was a beverage plan offered specifically to this group members only. The contract reads you have until 7 days prior to sailing to book this package.   Now I may not be a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure changing the "7 days prior" to "4 weeks prior" mid way through the contact life is not normal.   Yes, I ACCEPTED the terms of the contract. Not MY contract, MSC's contract.   Nice to see all of you are fine with contracts just being change. By all means then, MSC is your perfect cruise line.

Plan offered but for extra pay,not include in your contract. you did not pay for it ,what's your problem? :rolleyes:

How its worse if you get what you paid for??? They offer shore excursions too but I missed one and its sold out ,my fault not MSC :rolleyes:

Not OFFERED, contracted to deliver! Is this really that hard of a concept??

Have any of you ever booked into a group???? This is NOT general reservations. This is NOT what's being listed on their website. This is something that was contracted within the group negotiations. The contract was specifically for this sailing, on this ship, with this specific group.

This is what MSC will offer your group. Not, this is what MSC will offer your group, until we decide to change our minds.

All I can say is WOW.

Not OFFERED, contracted to deliver! Is this really that hard of a concept??   Have any of you ever booked into a group???? This is NOT general reservations. This is NOT what's being listed on their website. This is something that was contracted within the group negotiations. The contract was specifically for this sailing, on this ship, with this specific group.   This is what MSC will offer your group. Not, this is what MSC will offer your group, until we decide to change our minds.   All I can say is WOW.

I feel your pain, but in any business transaction until money changes hands, the deal ain't done.

MSC USA customer relations reached out to you. By all means, contact them and give them a chance to work things out. And, please let us know the outcome.

I'm sorry. Maybe I should clarify how groups work. Once you contract with your group coordinator, you have x number of days to deposit. You have to deposit a certain amount for each cabin you're holding. With a very specific payment plan put in place.

Four weeks prior to sailing, every single person who is booked is paid in full. Any cabins not named have already been released into inventory.

So YES, money most definitely did change hands.

Well past the cancellation date, the terms of the contact were changed.

I'm sorry. Maybe I should clarify how groups work. Once you contract with your group coordinator, you have x number of days to deposit. You have to deposit a certain amount for each cabin you're holding. With a very specific payment plan put in place.   Four weeks prior to sailing, every single person who is booked is paid in full. Any cabins not named have already been released into inventory.   So YES, money most definitely did change hands.   Well past the cancellation date, the terms of the contact were changed.

But you did not book the beverages package. The price changed while you thought about it.

Happens. To all of us.

Get over it.

Let me try to explain this in more simple terms.

Your parents are celebrating their 50th anniversary. You call MSC to book a family group cruise. You go back and forth on what you want for your private family group. You decide together that you will have a private venue on the ship with drinks and meals at the cost of $20 per person.

You sign the contract and put down the deposit. 60 days prior to travel, you pay the final payment.

According to the contract, you have until 7 days prior to sailing to pay the private function bill. (the terms agreed upon by both you and MSC).

4 weeks prior to the sailing, you get a call from MSC. They say, yeah, sorry, we've thought about this and we're no longer going to offer you that private party at $20 per person.

You can't cancel because you're under full penalty. If you still want that party, it's now going to cost you $40 per person and we won't be offering food at your party anymore either.

This seriously is something everyone on here would be OK with?????

Let me try to explain this in more simple terms.   Your parents are celebrating their 50th anniversary. You call MSC to book a family group cruise. You go back and forth on what you want for your private family group. You decide together that you will have a private venue on the ship with drinks and meals at the cost of $20 per person.   You sign the contract and put down the deposit. 60 days prior to travel, you pay the final payment.   According to the contract, you have until 7 days prior to sailing to pay the private function bill. (the terms agreed upon by both you and MSC).   4 weeks prior to the sailing, you get a call from MSC. They say, yeah, sorry, we've thought about this and we're no longer going to offer you that private party at $20 per person.   You can't cancel because you're under full penalty. If you still want that party, it's now going to cost you $40 per person and we won't be offering food at your party anymore either.   This seriously is something everyone on here would be OK with?????

That isn't what you said in the original post!

No, I would not be OK with this.

MSC rep reached out to you in this post though. Did you contact them as you were asked to do?????

Rep reached out to me once and my problem got fixed. Voila! Still a fan of MSC.;)

Care to extract the terms?

I can understand your annoyance, and indeed there were stories that cruiselines sometimes honour something offered in error or expired just to please the passengers.

But from my experiences, there are always catches in contracts drawn up from cruiselines, usually hidden somewhere. And it's a legal mess to try to beat them at their game.

That's why I personally see the Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights movement as something in the right direction.

4 weeks prior to the sailing, you get a call from MSC. They say, yeah, sorry, we've thought about this and we're no longer going to offer you that private party at $20 per person.   You can't cancel because you're under full penalty. If you still want that party, it's now going to cost you $40 per person and we won't be offering food at your party anymore either.   This seriously is something everyone on here would be OK with?????

Oouch, this hurts. It's not right to change the cost of private function in such manner, esp. the private function is the key to your group cruise.

Had you brought this up earlier, at least I would side with your plight. MSC might have their side of story to tell, but they now have a group of unhappy cruisers on hand.

No ,we going to cry all night long and jump over board just to make MSC suffer. Seriously lady ,get over it ,it’s just a vacation . Is it good they cancelled your event ? no ,it’s not but it’s not something that I would really care .Life is too short to worry about extra $20.

This is not the same type of situation you explained in your original post. There is nothing in the contract you signed about drink packages, the availability nor the price of those packages.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com Summer 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!
• How To: Follow Topics & Forums (Get Notifications)

Write An Amazing Review !

Click this photo by member XFrancophileX to share your review w/ photos too!

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS · Started 23 hours ago

LauraS · Started Friday at 06:18 AM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 08:19 PM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 04:07 PM

LauraS · Started August 27

Cruise Planning

Find a cruise, popular ports, member reviews.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

Mon-Fri 9am - 7pm EST Sat-Sun 9am - 6pm EST

MOBILITY, MEDICAL AND DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

MSC Cruises and its staff have always been attentive to the needs of their guests, and constantly strive to offer the best possible service, meeting international accessibility standards.

For information on the assistance provided on board and at our port terminals, please consult the sections below.

You can also find information related to special needs in the General Booking Conditions , the Conditions of Carriage  and in the FAQ  section.

Informing us on any mobility, medical and dietary requirements

Guests can inform MSC Cruises of any special requirements by filling in the relevant form ( Special Needs Form available online and at all accredited travel agencies. Please email the completed form to [email protected] . This information should preferably be provided at the time of booking, or, no fewer than 30 days before departure. This allows us time to provide the best possible service for our guests, which depends on the facilities and resources on board each ship. If we are notified after this deadline we will do everything in our power to provide the services requested, but this may not be possible at such short notice. Guests will only be prevented from booking or embarking in exceptional circumstances, and only in the event of a serious or urgent threat to the safety of the guests or the crew. All personal data provided by guests will be treated in a manner that fully conforms to our privacy policy. For further information on the services offered on board, on how to inform us of any special needs or other requirements not expressly mentioned in this section, please get in touch with your travel agent.

Guests are required to submit a special needs form to [email protected] 30 days before sailing.

The medical facilities and equipment on board may not be technically adequate to deal with a birth or pregnancy complications. Therefore, for safety reasons, we cannot admit women on board who will have reached or exceeded their twenty-fourth week of pregnancy by the end of the cruise. Regardless of the stage of pregnancy, a doctor should be consulted before setting off on a cruise to evaluate whether the guest is fit to travel.

Cabin Facilities

Accessible cabins, fitted out especially for guests with disabilities and/or reduced mobility, are available on every ship in the fleet. Guests requiring an accessible cabin can request it at the time of booking.

The accessible cabins are larger and offer more space for movement than regular cabins, and come with extra facilities and equipment to meet special needs.

Check the facilities available on your preferred ship: MSC Armonia , MSC Bellissima , MSC Divina , MSC Euribia ,  MSC Fantasia ,  MSC Grandiosa, MSC Lirica , MSC Magnifica , MSC Meraviglia , MSC Musica , MSC Opera , MSC Orchestra , MSC Poesia , MSC Preziosa , MSC Seashore ,  MSC Seaside , MSC Seaview , MSC Sinfonia , MSC Splendida , MSC Virtuosa , MSC World Europa .

Reduced Mobility

All decks, public areas and tenders are designed to be as accessible as possible for guests with reduced mobility. There might be ports or tender services you may not access with a mobility device. In addition, there are varying numbers of specially fitted-out cabins available on each ship in the fleet. For safety reasons, guests requiring assistance may be requested to travel with a carer, depending on the specific route.

Wheelchairs are available on board our ships, for the use of guests during embarkation and disembarkation only, or in case of emergency. Guests that require constant use of a wheelchair or any other form of support must bring their own equipment with them. It is the responsibility of the guest to check with the relevant producers/suppliers that this equipment is safe to take on board and use on a cruise ship, and to organize both its delivery to the departure terminal in good time for embarkation, and its collection at the end of the cruise.

For detailed information on the ports of call and excursions suitable for passengers who experience mobility problems, read the relevant pages in this section, and once on board check the accuracy of the information provided.

Visual Impairments

MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia have Braille signs in public areas, in lifts and at the entrance to the cabins; all the ships have deck indicators in the lifts and fully accessible public areas, decks and tenders. For their safety, and depending on their level of disability, guests may be requested to travel with a carer or guide dog.

For detailed information on accessible shore excursions, read the relevant pages in this section, and once on board check the accuracy of the information provided.

Hearing Impairments

Passengers with partial hearing disabilities can travel alone, only if they request the installation of a TDD System kit in their cabin. This kit, available in limited numbers on all ships, includes light and vibrating devices, a text phone and an analogue alarm clock.

Service Animals

Certified Service dogs are permitted to sail if all required documentation is provided.  Guests are required to submit a special needs form to [email protected]   30 days before sailing.  Documentation that is required includes but not limited to:

• Verification that the animal is a service dog with a brief explanation of what the animal has been trained to perform
• Vaccination certificate
• Veterinarian certificate stating that animal is healthy
• Department of Agriculture permits

Guests undergoing peritoneal dialysis treatment can travel as normal, bringing with them all medicines and equipment that may be required during the cruise.

Equipment and machinery for haemodialysis treatment will only be carried on board by specialized independent companies on certain routes. For further information on this service, please contact your travel agent or our contact center.

Children with Special Needs

Children with special needs have normal access to all on-board services and facilities. Although the entertainment staff do not offer a childcare service, they are trained to provide a wide range of entertainment aimed specifically at children.

All children, including those with special needs, are assigned to a certain entertainment area depending on their age. If necessary, children or young people with special needs can be placed with a lower age group (with the agreement of their parents), or they can take part in specific activities, together with their parents if required.

Special Diets

We can accommodate most special dietary requirements in our main restaurants where there is a greater degree of control over the production and service of special meals. We cannot guarantee no cross-contamination at the buffet. MSC Cruises holds a certification for its food safety management system in accordance with ISO 22000 standard requirements. MSC Cruises offers gluten-free menus (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the main restaurants on most of its ships. On MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera and MSC Lirica guests can find only a limited selection of pre-packaged gluten-free snacks such as, biscuits, croissants, sponge cakes and muffins. Please check availability when booking. Guests with food intolerances and/or allergies must inform MSC Cruises of their needs via the Special Needs Form and, once on board, confirm their requirements at Reception-Guest Service and/or with the Maître d’hôtel.

Kosher meals (pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and dinner) may be available on board for an additional charge of €25/$30 pp/day. Kosher meals can be consumed in the main restaurants and must be booked at least 30 days before ship’s departure. Halal products (beef, lamb and poultry) may be available on board following former request of the guest at least two months before departure. Vegetarian and Vegan -friendly dishes are incorporated into our main restaurant menus and buffet restaurant culinary offer.

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises

Country or Region selection

Worldwide msc international, company overview.

Company Profile

MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise brand as well as the leader in Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Southern Africa, with more market share in addition to deployed capacity than any other player. It is also growing rapidly with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America, and 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 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 22 vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels. The fleet is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025.

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 programmes, and the very latest user-friendly technology on board. Click here to learn more about MSC Cruises’ itineraries and experience onboard its ships.

Being family-owned allows the company to invest in the long term, preserving the planet and its oceans for future generations. The company is committed to traveling the oceans with the utmost care, while respecting the coastal communities its ships visit. At MSC Cruises, sustainability is not just a buzzword but a long term business commitment.  Click here to browse MSC Cruises' sustainability reports.

The MSC Foundation was founded in 2018 to lead and coordinate conservation and humanitarian commitments worldwide, developing the longstanding philanthropic partnerships of all the MSC Group companies and launching many new initiatives.

THE MSC GROUP

• Mining & Minerals
• Pharmaceuticals
• Pulp, Paper & Forestry Products
• Fostering Inclusive Trade
• Addressing Social Challenges
• Partnerships
• Certifications
• MSC Modern Slavery Transparency Statements
• MSC Ship Recycling Policy

" Ours is a business built on a genuine passion for the sea and an unfaltering commitment to people and communities. "

From a One-vessel Operation to a Globally Respected Business

The story of the MSC Group began in Brussels in 1970, when captain Gianluigi Aponte founded the company with just a small cargo ship: the MV Patricia. The business has since grown and diversified to include a highly successful cruise line and passenger ferry services, as well as leading inland and port terminal infrastructure. Headquartered in Geneva, the Group remains privately owned and focused on caring for customers, employees and the environment.

Our Companies

MSC Mediterranean  Shipping Company

850 vessels

520 ports of call

155 countries

675 offices

200K MSC Group employees

(estimated)

MSC Cruises

Explora Journeys

Download the MSC Group Brochure

More about msc.

Search Travel Market Report

• Packaged Travel
• Hotels & Resorts
• Destinations
• Retail Strategies
• Niche & Luxury
• Training & Resources

MSC Cruises Adds Group Booking Incentives

Photo: MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is launching a new group booking promotion this summer, giving U.S.-based travel advisors and their group clients access to extra rewards on cruises sailing through November 2023. Incentives include discounted cruise fares, free berths, bonus amenity points, and more.

“Travel advisors know the unmatched value of a cruise vacation better than anyone, and our goal at MSC Cruises is to provide the best value of all,” said Lynn Torrent, executive vice president and chief commercial officer for MSC Cruises, USA. “Unlocking additional savings for our guests and adding incentives for our value travel advisors makes relaxing at sea and exploring our World of Discovery more attainable than ever.”

Bonuses include:

Discounted Cruise Fare: First and second guests in each stateroom receive discounts based on cruise length ($30 per person for two to six nights, $50 per person for seven to 11 nights, and $100 per person on cruises of 12 or more nights).

Bonus Amenity Points: Travel advisors can use amenity points toward sweetening the deal for clients with enhancements like stateroom gifts, cocktail parties, Wi-Fi or onboard credit. The points can also go toward items for advisors themselves, like bonus commissions, accelerated tour conductor berths, or marketing funds.

Waived Deposits: No deposit is required for up to 16 staterooms.

Tour Conductor Credits: Two free tour conductor berths per 16 berths booked.

Travel advisors can qualify for the new booking incentives by booking new groups of eight or more staterooms between June 23 and August 21, 2022 for sailings departing November 1, 2022 through November 30, 2023.

MOST VIEWED

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

The new itineraries include exclusive ports in China.

Large ships are still planning on calling at Amsterdam this weekend, despite issues caused by protests at the port.

Princess’ crew appreciation charges. are increasing.

A band on cruise ships in Norwegian Fjords was set to go into effect as soon as 2026.

It will be the first ultra-premium cruise line to depart from Port Tampa Bay.

Carnival is planning big things for Half Moon Cay.

The 6 types of MSC Cruises ships, explained

The MSC Cruises fleet has grown enormously in recent years. As recently as early 2017, the line had just 12 ships in operation. But it's been adding new cruise vessels at a blistering pace, and it now operates 22 vessels. Three more are on the way in the next few years.

As a result of the growth, MSC Cruises recently passed Norwegian Cruise Line to become the world's third-biggest cruise brand when measured by passenger capacity. Only Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line are bigger.

Like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival, MSC Cruises operates a wide range of ship styles and designs. The line's newest ships are among the largest ever built by any line. Eight MSC Cruises vessels rank among the world's 20 biggest cruise vessels . But not all MSC Cruises ships are supersized. MSC Cruises also operates quite a few relatively smaller, intimate vessels.

For more cruise guides, reviews and news, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Indeed, four MSC Cruises ships are less than a third the size of its biggest ship (the recently unveiled MSC World Europa ) and rank among the smallest of cruise ships operated by the major mass-market lines. That means you have a lot of choices when it comes to picking the perfect MSC Cruises ship for you.

The good news for those of you trying to get a handle on all the options is that the 22 ships in the MSC Cruises fleet can easily be bunched into just six groups of vessels that have similar amenities. If you know one member of the group, you know them all.

These six groups, made up of ships constructed around the same time to the same basic design, are known in cruise industry lingo as "classes," and each has its own look and feel.

An introduction to MSC Cruises ships

As noted above, MSC Cruises is now the world's third largest cruise line, after several years of rapid growth. Not including pulldown bunks and pullout sofas, the line's 22 ships have 77,832 berths — about 24,000 more than Norwegian's fleet. And the growth won't be slowing anytime soon. Three more giant new MSC Cruises vessels are on order for delivery over the next few years that will add another 15,000 berths.

At its current pace of growth, MSC Cruises soon could pass Carnival to become the world's second-biggest line.

The grand dame of the MSC Cruises fleet is its recently unveiled MSC World Europa. At 215,863 tons, it's the biggest MSC Cruises ship ever built and the first of a new series of so-called World Class vessels that are nearly as big as Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships and soon-to-debut Icon Class ships (the world's biggest cruise ships).

Related: The ultimate guide to MSC Cruises ships and itineraries

The next-biggest ships in the MSC Cruises fleet are its also-recently-unveiled Meraviglia Class vessels: MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia. Similar in design, these five ships aren't quite as big as MSC World Europa, but they're right up there when it comes to size, amenities and passenger capacity.

MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia, which debuted in 2019, 2021 and 2023, respectively, are a tad longer than MSC Bellissima and MSC Meraviglia and are considered a subset of the class known as Meraviglia Plus. They each can hold 4,842 passengers at double occupancy — 6,334 passengers if every last pulldown bunk and pullout sofa is filled.

The other two Meraviglia Class ships, which date to 2019 and 2017, respectively, can carry more than 5,600 passengers with every berth filled.

In addition to these five giants, MSC Cruises also operates four large Seaside Class ships that each have a total capacity of 5,336 to 5,632 passengers.

Add those in, and MSC Cruises operates 10 of the world's 35 biggest cruise ships.

The line also operates four somewhat smaller Fantasia Class vessels that can each hold around 4,400 passengers at maximum occupancy.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on an MSC Cruises ship

Together, the 14 World, Meraviglia, Seaside and Fantasia Class vessels make up MSC Cruises' big-ship fleet. The line's remaining eight vessels, split among two classes, are considerably smaller, with maximum occupancy topping out at around 2,700 to 3,200 passengers.

The eight smaller ships, which in general are the line's older ships, allow MSC Cruises to offer itineraries to places that aren't as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of the World Class or Meraviglia Class vessels, although even the biggest MSC Cruises ships are still designed to be able to call at most ports around the world.

The smaller ships also appeal to a subset of MSC Cruises fans who are willing to give up some onboard amenities in exchange for intimacy. They're also usually less expensive on a per-day basis.

In addition to all of the above, MSC Group — the line's parent company — has announced plans for yet another class of big ships to start arriving later this decade, though there have been few details released. MSC Group also is developing a series of small luxury vessels that'll operate under a separate brand to be called Explora Journeys.

World Class

Ships in class: MSC World Europa (2022); MSC World America (coming in 2025); unnamed (coming in 2026); unnamed (coming in 2027).

Size: 215,863 tons.

If you love nothing better than a big, bustling resort with every sort of amusement known to humans, this is the MSC Cruises ship class for you. Currently, only one ship is sailing, but another will debut soon, with two more on the way.

While not quite as big as Royal Caribbean's giant Oasis Class and Icon Class vessels (the world's largest floating megaresorts), the World Class ships are not far behind in grandeur and amenities. They are bigger and more amenity-filled than any vessel you'll find at such rival big-ship lines as Norwegian, Carnival and Princess. Only Royal Caribbean has ships of the same scale.

Unveiled in the final days of 2022 (so close to year's end that we considered it a new vessel for 2023 when we listed the year's most exciting new ships ), MSC World Europa can hold up to 6,762 passengers — almost as many as can fit on Royal Caribbean's giant Oasis Class vessels — and that's a big deal.

This is the first time in the 14-year history of the record-breaking Oasis Class series that a vessel has come close to the Royal Caribbean ships in passenger capacity or size. MSC World Europa offers a major new option for cruisers who love being on the biggest, most amenity-packed vessels.

At 215,863 tons, MSC World Europa is about 4% to 8% smaller than the five Oasis Class ships. But by one measure, it's even bigger. MSC World Europa is 21 decks high — three decks higher than the Oasis Class vessels.

Related: The ultimate guide to picking the right cruise for you

As for its onboard offerings, MSC Cruises took a page from Royal Caribbean's playbook by breaking down the public areas of MSC World Europa into districts. They include an adults-only "Zen district" and a separate "family district" that houses as many as 10 new kids' facilities. There also is a central interior promenade with entertainment, shops and bars.

Additionally, MSC World Europa has six pools and 14 hot tubs, making it one of the most pool-covered ships at sea. The watery offerings include an Aquapark with multiple waterslides that integrate virtual reality technology. There is also a family sun deck.

MSC World Europa has 13 dining venues, including the new-for-the-line Chef's Garden Kitchen (an outlet focused on microgreens) and La Pescaderia, a traditional seafood grill with alfresco seating. In a twist, the ship has three separate buffet restaurants, each with its own ambiance.

Drinking spots include a two-deck English-style pub dubbed Masters of the Sea Pub, which serves beer made on board. There's also a new gin bar, a first for MSC Cruises.

MSC World Europa is just the first of at least four World Class vessels that MSC Cruises plans to unveil over the next few years. The next ship in the series, MSC World America, is due in 2025 and is scheduled to be deployed in Florida . Two more World Class vessels are scheduled for completion in 2026 and 2027.

Seaside Class

Ships in class: MSC Seaside (2017); MSC Seaview (2018); MSC Seashore (2021); MSC Seascape (2022).

Size: 153,516 to 170,412 tons.

Looking for a megaship specifically designed for cruising in warm-weather locales such as the Caribbean? The ships in this class could be the answer.

The four vessels in MSC Cruises' Seaside Class feature layouts with lots of outdoor spaces for sunning, strolling and bar-hopping.

Each of the Seaside Class ships boasts an unusually broad, uncovered, outdoor promenade on Deck 8 that offers close contact with the ocean and a Miami Beach-like pool area at the back of the same deck that's surrounded by loungers. Another pool and lounge area at the top of each ship is connected to the lower pool area by glass-enclosed elevators.

The latter pool area at the top of each of the ships is, notably, topped by dual zip lines that run from funnel to stern — at 345 feet the longest at sea. A third pool area is located at the top of the ship toward its center (this one with a closeable roof), and there's a fourth pool area in the ship's exclusive suite area, the MSC Yacht Club.

Put it all together, and the Seaside Class vessels have the highest ratio of outdoor space per passenger of any of the MSC Cruises ships, according to the line.

As is typical for the biggest megaships, Seaside vessels also have a wide range of restaurants, bars and lounges. Among nine distinct eateries are two main dining rooms, two buffet eateries, a pan-Asian restaurant, sushi bar, Teppanyaki eatery, American steakhouse and seafood restaurant. There are more than a dozen bars.

Related: Don't miss these loyalty perks when sailing with MSC Cruises

All of the ships also have a water park with waterslides and a hanging bridge feature, a sports court, Formula 1 race car simulators, virtual arcade games and bowling and an XD cinema (featuring 3D movies plus immersive special effects, such as moving seats).

In addition, each of the vessels has a large spa, casino, disco, theater and library with a pool table.

Measuring 153,516 to 170,412 tons, the Seaside Class ships are a tad smaller than the biggest MSC Cruises ships (see the World Class, above, and Meraviglia Class, below).

MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview can carry 4,132 passengers at double occupancy (5,336 passengers with every berth filled).

MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape are slightly bigger versions of the first two ships in the series that are part of a subclass called Seaside EVO (EVO stands for "evolution"). They each can hold 4,540 passengers at double occupancy (5,877 with every berth filled).

Meraviglia Class

Ships in class: MSC Meraviglia (2017); MSC Bellissima (2019); MSC Grandiosa (2019); MSC Virtuosa (2021); MSC Euribia (2023).

Size: 171,598 to 181,541 tons.

Until late 2022, these were the biggest ships in the MSC Cruises fleet, and they're still giant by any standard. If you're a fan of big, bustling resorts that are loaded with all sorts of amusements, they should be on your short list among MSC Cruises vessels, along with the World Class ships.

Nineteen decks high and 1,036 feet long, the first two ships in the Meraviglia Class — MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima — are chock full of 30 bars, lounges, eateries and snack outlets (so many there's little chance you'll get to them all on a single sailing).

The next three ships in the series — MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Euribia — offer even more outlets. They are slightly stretched versions of the first two ships, a subclass of the series known as Meraviglia Plus.

All five of the vessels are built around a grand interior promenade that's home to restaurants, bars and shops. The promenade is covered in an innovative "digital sky" made with LED screens.

All of the ships also have a giant pool deck, a water park and a sprawling amusement area with race car simulators, a flight simulator and an XD cinema.

What you won't find on the Meraviglia Class ships is intimacy. These are vessels that can carry as many as 6,334 passengers when every berth is filled. They each operate with up to 1,704 crew members. That means you could be sharing your vacation with more than 8,000 people.

Fantasia Class

Ships in class: MSC Fantasia (2008); MSC Splendida (2009); MSC Divina (2012); MSC Preziosa (2013).

Size: 137,936 to 139,400 tons.

Back in 2008, when the ships in this series began debuting, they were among the biggest cruise vessels in the world, and they still are relatively large by cruise ship standards — if not quite as big as the latest MSC Cruises ships.

While no longer on the list of the top 20 biggest cruise vessels — indeed, they barely crack the top 60 these days, thanks to a flood of bigger ships in recent years — they offer a classic big-ship experience with lots of restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top attractions.

On each of the Fantasia Class ships, you'll find five separate pools (including one with a retractable roof that is perfect for rainy days), 12 whirlpools, a waterslide, XD cinema, sports court, squash court, Formula 1 race car simulator and extensive children's program areas.

In addition, each of the vessels has a large spa, casino, disco, outdoor cinema and multiple showrooms, lounges and bars.

One notable difference between the Fantasia Class ships and the new Meraviglia Class and Seaside Class ships is that they have fewer dining options. You'll find two main restaurants on each of these vessels, a main buffet, a separate self-service food area with pizza and an American-style steakhouse.

At 137,936 to 139,400 tons, the Fantasia Class ships are about 36% smaller than the line's new MSC World Europa and its coming World Class sisters, a significant step down in size. They're about 23% smaller than the Meraviglia Class ships.

They also carry significantly fewer passengers than the World Class and Meraviglia Class ships. MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida carry 3,274 passengers at double occupancy (4,363 with every berth filled). The slightly bigger MSC Divina and MSC Preziosa carry 3,502 passengers at double occupancy.

Musica Class

Ships in class: MSC Musica (2006); MSC Orchestra (2007); MSC Poesia (2008); MSC Magnifica (2010).

Size: 92,409 to 95,128 tons.

Not sure that you want to sail on a megaship with 6,000 people but still want a vessel with a good amount of features and activities? The Musica Class ships may be the perfect solution.

At 92,409 to 95,128 tons, the four vessels in the series are barely half the size of MSC Cruises' massive Meraviglia Class ships but still big enough that they have a lot to offer.

Each of the vessels has at least four places to eat including two main restaurants, a casual buffet and a sushi bar.

You'll also find two pool areas on each of the ships, whirlpools, a miniature golf course and a sports court. Each of the ships also has a theater, spa, casino and multiple bars and lounges.

What you won't find on the ships, because of their smaller size, are the truly over-the-top family attractions that you'll find on bigger MSC Cruises ships such as giant waterparks with multiple slides and sprawling amusement areas with race car and flight simulators. If you can't live without those sorts of features on a cruise ship, the Musica Class probably isn't for you.

You'll also find a far less diverse array of restaurants.

Each of the Musica Class ships holds a bit over 2,500 passengers at double occupancy (around 3,200 with every berth filled). That's less than half the number of passengers you'll find on the biggest MSC Cruises ships.

That makes them perfect for cruisers who want to get away from the sort of crowds that are on the biggest megaships without giving up too many of the amenities that big ships have to offer.

Lirica Class

Ships in class: MSC Armonia (2001); MSC Sinfonia (2002); MSC Lirica (2003); MSC Opera (2004).

Size: 65,542 to 65,591 tons.

Dating to the early 2000s, the Lirica Class ships are the smallest at MSC Cruises, and they offer fewer onboard attractions and amenities than is typical for the line's vessels.In general, they appeal to cruisers looking for a more intimate experience on a cruise ship than what you'll find on the big MSC Cruises ships. They also draw cruisers who care more about the destinations they visit on a cruise than onboard attractions.

Along those lines, MSC Cruises often sends some of its Lirica Class ships to South America, South Africa and the Middle East to operate destination-intensive itineraries with abundant port calls. The vessels also often sail voyages in the Mediterranean that are longer than the seven-night trips that are the norm at MSC Cruises. In both cases, the allure of the cruises has more to do with the ports the ships visit than the onboard experience.

The Lirica Class ships don't have the big water parks that are common on newer MSC Cruises ships. For the most part, their top decks are lined with pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships built in the early 2000s. All of them have at least two pools and two whirlpools.

Related: Is cruising right for you? Start by asking yourself these 7 questions

In addition to a main dining room and a casual buffet, each of the ships has an outdoor grill and pizza stand near its main pool area, as well as a sushi bar.

Each of the Lirica Class ships holds about 2,000 passengers at double occupancy (around 2,700 with every berth filled). That's less than a third of the passengers you'll find on the biggest MSC Cruises ships.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
• What to pack for your first cruise

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise Lines

MSC Cruises

History, review, itineraries, ships, deck plans, news.

•   Fleet
•   Review
•   Itinerary
•   News

MSC Cruises fleet

Msc world asia, msc world america, msc euribia, msc world europa, msc seascape, msc virtuosa, msc seashore, msc grandiosa, msc bellissima, msc seaview, msc meraviglia, msc seaside, msc preziosa, msc magnifica, review of msc cruises.

MSC Cruises Ltd (MSC Crociere, msccruises.com/en-gl) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Miami Florida USA (since 2024). the company is a fully-owned subsidiary of MSC Group/Mediterranean Shipping Company (1960-established, Geneva Switzerland-headquartered) currently ranked as the world's second-largest containership company (after Maersk).

MSC Crociere is the world's largest privately owned cruise company. 2020-Q4 statistics ranked MSC the world's 3rd-largest cruise shipowner (by combined fleet's passenger capacity ~13%), preceded by Carnival Corporation (39%) and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (24%).

The company's current management team is led by Pierfrancesco Vago (Executive Chairman), Gianni Onorato (CEO), and Emilio La Scala (President and Managing Director).

Ruben Rodriguez is MSC Cruises USA's current President. Effective April 30, 2025, he will retire from the post and will be succeeded by Lynn Torrent (MSC Cruises USA's current Executive VP & CCO/Chief Commercial Officer) effective May 1st/2025.

In 2021, MSC launched its travel brand EXPLORA JOURNEYS , with a separate fleet of smaller-sized luxury ships. EXPLORA JOURNEYS' main competitor in the European market is Viking OCEAN .

Between its official launch (2003) and July 2019, MSC served 20+ million passengers. MSC is also the world's fastest-growing cruise company, with a USD 20,5 billion investment plan (2017-2027) for building 17 new vessels and increasing its fleet to 29 vessels.

The parent company (MSC Group) was founded and owned by its current Chairman Gianluigi Aponte (1940-born). Since 2014, the company's President and CEO is his son - Diego Aponte, while his daughter (Alexa Aponte Vago) is the CFO. MSC entered the ship cruising market in 1988. MSC also owns Going2Italy (1982-founded Italian tour operator).

MSC's main competitor in the Mediterranean is Costa Cruises .

Company History

Founded by Achille Lauro as "Lauro Lines" (aka Flotta Lauro), MSC entered the cruise shipping business in the 1960s. Initially, MSC operated two ships - Achille Lauro (IMO 5390008, launched as "Willem Ruys") and Angelina Lauro (IMO 5264077, launched as "Oranje"). Angelina Lauro (1939-1979) burnt in St Thomas USVI in 1979. Achille Lauro (1947-1994) sank off Somalia'scoast due to onboard fire.

In 1985, Achille Lauro was hijacked by Palestinian Liberation Front members, and the accident resulted in decreased passenger numbers. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) purchased Flotta Lauro in 1989, and renamed it "StarLauro Cruises". Achille Lauro caught fire and sank in 1994. In 1995, the company changed its name to "MSC Cruises". Fleet's oldest liner - the 1982-built MSC Melody - was sold in November 2013 and scrapped in September 2018 (as MS Qing).

In 2014, MSC announced that its four Lirica-class boats are scheduled for refits and extensive drydock refurbishments under the company's "Renaissance Program" (budgeted USD 273 million). By this project, all four vessels (Armonia, Lirica, Opera, Sinfonia) were stretched/elongated by 25 m (80 ft).

Ship-reconstruction works were done at Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo Sicily , between 2014 (August 31) and 2015 (November 17).

Since 2021, all MSC cruise ship refurbishment projects have been conducted at Palumbo Malta Shipyard (co-owned by MSC / 50% stake). Palumbo Group's other shipyards are in France (Marseille) and Italy (Ancona, Naples, Savona).

Most of MSC's fleet operates in Europe (Mediterranean and Baltic). The company's other strong markets are the USA (Caribbean), Canada New England, East Asia, South America, South Africa. Because of the international passenger base, all shipboard announcements are generally read in Italian, Spanish, French, German and English. Onboard mealtimes are fixed, with assigned seatmates. Optional dining includes Lido buffet restaurant, sushi, and Italian eateries.

Globally, MSC owns and operates several cruise terminals - in the USA (Terminals AA/AAA, PortMiami Florida ), Italy (Palacrociere Terminals in Genoa and Civitavecchia-Rome ), Spain (Helix Cruise Center in Barcelona , and South Africa ( Durban Cruise Terminal ).

MSC liners offer standout evening show entertainment - from classical concerts and jazz to contemporary dance music and circus-type acrobatics. Voyages are typically priced at value-oriented levels, but the liners offer an unprecedented range of modern vacation travel amenities and services that cost extra, such as fees for port shuttle buses, a la carte restaurant menus, etc.

Company changes 2024

In January was announced that in November 2025 MSC starts year-round homeporting operations from Galveston TX (ship Seascape, 7-night roundtrips departing on Sundays). Also in January, MSC started homeporting in NYC New York (ship Meraviglia).

In mid-January, MSC Group moved its operational headquarters to Downtown Miami (Block 55 at Sawyer's Walk/Overtown). The new facility (130,000-ft2/12080-m2 sized office space) now houses the company's three divisions - MSC Cargo (container ships/logistics), MSC Cruises (passenger liners) and Explora Journeys (expedition ships).

In February as fleet's COO/Chief Operating Officer was appointed Elia Congiu (with MSC since 2013, previously Chief HR Officer/Human Resources).

In late-February was introduced the "Open Booking" program, allowing passengers on a current cruise to reserve a future cruise without committing to a specific vessel/itinerary/date. The initiative complements MSC's existing "Future Cruise" (onboard booking) program introduced in 2023. The new "Open Booking" option requires a reduced deposit payment (USD100/EUR100/GBP100 per person) while on board. The customer receives a certificate that allows up to 12 months period to choose the next MSC voyage. If the ship and departure date are selected within 60 days (of making the onboard open booking), the customer receives up to USD200/EUR200/GBP200 in OBC (onboard credit per stateroom). With a booking made within a year is received up to $100 in OBC. MSC's open booking is also transferable (can be gifted to a family/friend) before choosing the ship/departure date.

In February, on two ships (Virtuosa and Euribia) MSC banned smoking and vaping in the Casino (turning the gaming lounge into a smoke-free venue) while on two other ships (Seascape and Seashore) were added a separate smoking-allowed Casino Lounge.

In April was appointed Neil Palomba (with MSC since 1996) as MSC Cruises USA's Executive VP of Operations, managing MSC's USA-based fleet plus Ocean Cay Bahamas. As MSC Cruises USA's VP of Food and Beverage Operations was appointed Josef Jungwirth (previously employed by Sandals Resort International and RCI/Royal Caribbean International.

In May was expanded fleetwide the shipboard family program. The new activities and services include Extended Baby Care Services (for infants 6 months to 2 yo/in collaboration with Chicco), Doremiland Open House and Family Party (held once-per-cruise), new Family Game Shows (MasterChef at Sea Juniors, Break the Wall, MSC Dance Crew, plus two new - World Quest/geography-based trivia game, and Caravaggio/art-themed spy game), extended Teenagers Club Hours (12-17 yo/open between 10 AM-1 PM, and 3 PM-midnight on sea days, and 3 PM-midnight on port days), Guinness World Record Activities (families can participate in quiz shows and win prizes) and MSC Foundation Day (in collaboration with the MSC Foundation/marine conservation initiatives/1-hour sessions allow kids to learn about environmental topics).

Company changes 2023

In May MSC Foundation signed a partnership with NatureMetrics (provider of biodiversity monitoring data) for collecting data for marine species during voyages. By MSC's "eBioAtlas" project, the collected samples (from the seawater) are sent to NatureMetrics where they are analyzed using eDNA.

In June MSC signed a long-term agreement with Gasum Oy (1994-founded Finnish state-owned energy company) for the fleet's LNG bunkering operations in the Baltic. The deal was signed by Linden Coppell (MSC's VP of Sustainability & ESG/Environmental, Social and Governance) and Mika Wiljanen (Gasum's CEO).

MSC Explora Journeys (a total investment of ~EUR 3,5 billion) officially starts commercial operations in July 2023, with Explora I 's Maiden Voyage (July 17th).

In October was signed an agreement with Shell Western LNG BV (part of Shell plc/the world's second-largest oil and gas company/after ExxonMobil) to provide LNG for the ship Euribia. The deal was signed by Pierfrancesco Vago and Tahir Faruqui (Shell LNG's General Manager). Euribia's first LNG bunkering was in Port Rotterdam.

Since November 15th, the shipboard children's and teen's clubs (fleetwide/facilities for kids ages 12 to 17) operate with extended opening hours and longer live entertainment (8 hours daily). The company's expanded youth programming also includes more and new organized/supervised activities (sports, aquapark entertainment, kids-themed dinners, a different game show for teens every night/followed by a disco).

For 2023, MSC reported serving ~4,1 million cruisers (on 22 ships maintained by 46006 crew from 137 nationalities), 7669 operating days, 26,845167 million ALBDs (Available Lower Berth Days). Throughout 2023, MSC operated 385 itineraries (visiting destinations in 102 different countries) and offered 2150 different shore excursions.

Company changes 2022

In mid-March, MSC Group announced a partnership with Travelife Ltd for EXPLORA JOURNEYS' shore excursion program. "Travelife for Tour Operators" allows tour companies and travel agents access to the company's online management system (16x sustainability modules) with excursion checklists, planning tools, travel- and tourism industries' best sustainability practices examples.

In late-March, MSC became the Official Cruise Partner of "Formula 1".

In August, the entire MSC fleet received "ISO 21070:2017" certification (issued by the International Organization for Standardization) for marine environment protection. The certification specifies the onboard procedures regarding waste management practices (collection, separation, treatment, storage).

For winter 2022-2023 season (December thru April) MSC introduced fly-cruise packages from Brazil to the Caribbean. Via partnerships with Brazilian airlines, MSC provided Brazilian tourists with the opportunity to enjoy affordable 6-hour chartered flights from Sao Paulo (Guarulhos Airport) to Fort-de-France Martinique (Aime Cesaire Airport). In Martinique, they board the ship ( MSC Seaside ) for 7-day roundtrip Caribbean voyages and then fly back to Brazil. MSC's Brazil-to-Caribbean fly cruises are also inclusive of bus transfers (airport-cruise port-airport). The offer was available again for winter season 2023-2024 and again on MSC Seaside.

Company changes 2021

In June 2021 MSC officially launched its luxury brand " Explora Journeys ".

For summer 2021 season (July-October) MSC chartered flights (26000+ seats) to offer fly-cruise packages via partnerships with Europe's largest airlines including Iberia (Spain), Alitalia (Italy), Air France, Eurowings (Germany) and Neos (Italy). This way MSC guaranteed accessible airports and convenient flight times for accessing the homeports (embarkation ports) of 6x ships deployed in the Western Mediterranean (Grandiosa, Seaside), Eastern Mediterranean (Splendida, Orchestra, Magnifica), and the Baltic (Seaview). The package deals were also inclusive of airport-ship bus transfers and COVID health insurance (EUR 25 pp, by Europ Assistance).

On October 6, 2021, MSC opened bookings for Magnifica's Northern European winter 2021-2022 season - the company's first-ever winter season with deployment in the Baltic Sea. Starting on November 14th, the program offered 7-night roundtrips from all call ports in the itinerary (Hamburg, Ijmuiden-Amsterdam, Zeebrugge-Bruges, Le Havre-Paris, Southampton-London) and up to 12-hour port stays.

Company changes 2020

On July 30, 2020, MSC Cruises Ltd and Palumbo Group formed a 50-50 joint venture company to operate Palumbo Malta Shipyard (in Citta Cospicua). The Palumbo shipyard has 4x drydocks and will be used for refurbishments and general maintenance works on MSC ships (passenger and cargo) as well as on other cruise and ferry companies' vessels. The facilities will be updated, including with technologies to handle LNG-powered ships. The deal was signed by Pierfrancesco Vago (MSC Cruises' Executive Chairman) and Antonio Palumbo (Palumbo Group's founder and Chairman).

In late-November 2020, MSC signed a long-term agreement with ABP Southampton for preferential docking rights. The deal starts in summer 2021 with the homeporting of MSC Magnifica at Southampton's newest/5th passenger terminal. By this agreement, every year MSC has to homeport at least one ship in Southampton.

Company changes 2019

In May 2019, MSC became the industry's first mainstream cruise shipping company with a permanent office in Canada (Mississauga, Ontario). MSC Cruises Canada's new office is served by 15 employees (full-time staff) led by Ian Patterson (Country Manager). With the Canadian office, MSC also launched two new websites - MSCCruises.ca (for consumers) and MSCbook.com/ca (for travel agents). Both websites debuted in English and were later upgraded with French language versions. MSC Cruises Canada has a bilingual call center and provides bilingual materials (brochures, flyers) for potential clients and travel agencies.

In early-December 2019, MSC signed with Japanet a 5-year sponsorship deal for V-Varen Nagasaki - Japanese professional football club owned by Japanet (TV shopping channel). As of 2020, the company also partners with the professional football clubs Chelsea FC ( London England ), Paris Saint-Germain FC ( Paris France ) and SSC Napoli ( Naples Italy ).

Company changes 2018

Since September 2018, MSC has an exclusive partnership with "Mohegan Sun" - Uncasville (Connecticut USA)-based casino/gambling complex operated by Mohegan Tribe and located on reservation land along Thames River. By this deal are matched MSC's loyalty program (Voyager's Club) with Mohegan Sun's Momentum program. Momentum members receive exclusive cruise perks (including booking discounts, priority embarkation-disembarkation, onboard amenities). MSC's shipboard casino program offers customers the chance to play on over 1300 different slot machines fleetwide, plus various table games. Onboard casino rewards also include specialty dining, spa treatments, booking discounts. Mohegan Sun loyalty program members receive the corresponding MSC status based on their current casino card levels.

In mid-October 2018, MSC planned to eliminate single-use plastics fleetwide by March 2019. The list of such items includes bags, cups, cutlery, toothpicks, aprons, stir pins, drink mixers, coffee lids. By the end of 2018, they will be replaced with 100% compostable and biodegradable substitutes made of renewable resources (corn-based polylactic acid, paper, bamboo, other organic materials. In addition, shipboard drinks are no longer served with straws.

In late-November 2018, MSC signed an exclusive partnership with Chelsea Football Club to become its official global cruise partner (January 2019 thru June 2024). The deal includes LED advertising at Stamford Bridge (football stadium in Fulham/west London). By the agreement, Chelsea FC representatives attended MSC Bellissima 's naming ceremony (March 2019) and on the new ship was also displayed Chelsea FC memorabilia.

In 2015, MSC ordered 4 newbuilds from STX France and Fincantieri Italy , with an option for 3 more units. The first two vessels were delivered in 2017 - Meraviglia (May) and Seaside (November).

On February 1, 2016, MSC announced it would build two "Meraviglia Plus"-class units, with max capacity 6300 passengers. The newbuilds ( Grandiosa /2019, Virtuosa /2021, Euribia /2023) have 200 additional cabins and are 16 m (50 ft) longer compared to Meraviglia-class (2444 staterooms). The last unit's/Euribia's construction started on June 28, 2021.

The first Meraviglia-Plus vessel was delivered in November 2019 (Grandiosa), the second - in February 2021 (Virtuosa). Meraviglia-Plus features include the first-at-sea Fine Art Museum with original artworks, an additional space allowing bigger indoor Promenade (length 111 m / 36 ft), two additional restaurants, and a larger outdoor LED screen (95x6 m / 280x20 ft). MSC signed an exclusive partnership with both Samsung (providing the technology) and Cirque du Soleil (live show programming).

In November 2017, MSC ordered 2 more (Seaside-EVO class) units from Fincantieri (contract value EUR 1,8 billion). They are bigger (16 m longer, 17330 GT-tons larger, capacity 467 more passengers) in comparison to Seaview-Seaside. Their deliveries were scheduled for 2021 May ( Seashore ) and 2022 November ( Seascape ).

In early-August 2018, MSC signed an agreement for EUR 1,5 billion (USD 1,74B) for financing both Seaside-EVO liners. The financing was via a partnership with a syndicate of lender banks (Unicredit, BNP Paribas, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti). Fully backing the credit line was the Italian export credit agency SACE SIMEST. With the addition of Seaside EVO, MSC had an unprecedented total investment of EUR 10,5 billion into 12 new vessels with scheduled deliveries by 2026.

On November 30, 2017 (during Seaside's launch) the company Marlink (world's largest independent satellite Internet provider) provided over 0,5 gigabit per second throughput on its Sealink VSAT network. Seaside's record-breaking Internet speed was enabled on Intelsat's new EpicNG satellites. Marlink is MSC fleet's provider of satellite Internet via optimized "cloud of bandwidth". As of 2017, Marlink had as part of its Sealink network 25 satellites and 32 overlapping beams.

On June 14, 2018, MSC signed with STX France shipbuilding order for the 5th Meraviglia-Class unit (delivery in 2023, dual-fuel LNG -powered engines ). With this order, MSC had 13 newbuilds under construction or on order (2017-2026), of which 5x LNG-powered. The announcement was made at St-Nazaire yard. The ceremony was attended by Bruno Le Maire French Minister of Economy and Finance) and Pierfrancesco Vago (MSC's Executive Chairman). The event celebrated 3 major milestones - Virtuosa's steel-cutting, Grandiosa's keel-laying and Bellissima's float-out. For the first time in the shipyard's history, 3 vessels of a single shipowner were simultaneously under construction.

On October 18, 2018, MSC signed with Fincantieri an MoA agreement for 4x EXPLORA class ultra-luxury expedition ships. The contract's total value was EUR 2+ billion. Compared to the company's "liner fleet", the EXPLORA units are smaller (GT 64,000 tons, 500 staterooms). The first boat enters service in 2023, and the remaining 3 will be launched one per year (2024-2025-2026). The signing ceremony was attended by Pierfrancesco Vago and Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri's CEO).

A curious fact is that Sophia Loren (1934-born Italian film actress) is MSC's traditional Godmother, naming each newbuild since 2003 ( MSC Lirica ).

(NEW) MSC Silenseas ships by STX France

On January 20, 2020, MSC and Chantiers de l'Atlantique (STX France) signed an MoU for the development of a sail-based (wind-powered) prototype of a cruise liner. The new class will be based on the Silenseas concept (introduced by STX France in 2018) 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 (28 kph) and wind angle 50+ degrees. The currently considered design features GT tonnage 23,000, LOA length 210 m (689 ft), passenger capacity 300 (150 staterooms).

The sailing ship can reach speeds of 12 knots (14 mph / 22 kph) under sail in 15 knots (17 mph / 28 kph) 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 (620 ft) and 150 passenger staterooms. The French shipbuilding company started research in sail propulsion in 2009, Silenseas has technology patents (2009 and 2017) 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 (built by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland ).

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.

Shipboard safety

In October 2017, MSC Cruises installed on Meraviglia a modern "Man Overboard Detection System". The company also announced its plans to install such systems fleetwide.

This is an intelligent video capturing, image processing and analysis system that was tested and tuned on the cruise ship for over 25,000 hours, resulting in confirmed accuracy level of 97%. The real-time video data (provided by the ship's HD CCTVs) is monitored and analyzed in a central security center by 2 independent image processing systems, which significantly lowers false alerts.

When the alarm activates (in a man overboard case), light and acoustic signals notify the ship's security officer who can immediately review the recorded video and notify the Navigation Bridge crew to start a rescue operation.

MSC WORLD-Class liners

On April 6, 2017, during the Meraviglia ship's delivery ceremony at STX France shipyard (Saint-Nazaire) , MSC signed a new ship construction MoU ("memorandum of understanding") with STX France for a new series of 4 vessels (WORLD Class) at a total cost EUR 4.5 billion. The ship's order was signed on May 31, 2017.

WORLD Class MSC vessels are with a max capacity of 6761 passengers. The number of staterooms is 2632 ( passenger capacity 5264 lower berths). The building cost (per unit) is EUR 1,125 billion, the shipbuilder is STX France.

Each unit has Gross Tonnage/volume 215,863 (GT tons), LOA length 333 m (1093 ft), waterline beam/width 41 m/135 ft (max width 54 m/177 ft), height 75 m (245 ft), draft 9,2 m (31 ft).

Among these liners' key features are latest generation LNG-powered marine engines , new wastewater treatment plants, ultra-modern marine architecture with a Y-shaped superstructure (better panoramic views, significantly increased number of balcony staterooms), G-bow hull (vertically positioned / at a 90-degree angle, improving the vessel's stability and hydrodynamics/fuel efficiency), family-themed "villages", panoramic aft pool, glass-covered pool deck.

The first ships from the WORLD series were inaugurated in 2022 Dec ( MSC World Europa ) and 2025 April ( MSC World America ). The two optional vessels were ordered in November 2023 and scheduled for deliveries in 2026 May ( MSC World Asia ) and 2027 February (MSC World tbn). There is also an option for a 5th unit from this class.

In January 2016, MSC signed a partnership with Samsung for the latest technology equipment upgrade fleetwide. Among the provided by Samsung equipment are top-line flat HDTVs (for passenger cabins), LED screens and digital signage boards (in public areas), specialized medical equipment (for onboard hospitals), augmented reality mirrors, printing solutions.

In April 2018, the company introduced its new "Family Explorer Club" excursions program with expected over 250,000 children on cruises in 2018. The new tour program is designed to involve kids and their parents on custom-made shore excursions. The first boat offering this program was Divina. The new interactive land tour experiences are themed on the destination's history and each tour features a local historical character symbolic to that destination/city. Teams are equipped with digital explorer maps, detailed instructions for the mission, and kids receive stickers for every accomplished task. On these family-only tours, kids are booked half-price. Excursions usually start later in the morning and have a max duration of 4 hours.

MSC private islands (Sir Bani Yas, Ocean Cay)

In December 2015, MSC unveiled plans to develop an "unprecedented exclusive marine reserve island experience in the Bahamas". The USD 200-million project was launched in Nassau , where The Bahamas' Prime Minister and MSC's Executive Chairman signed a 100-year lease agreement, enabling MSC Cruises to occupy and develop the island - officially named Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve .

Ocean Cay was a 2-year long, USD 200 million project. The island is sized 95 acres / 38 hectares (0,38 km2 / 0,15 mi2) and is the world's only private marine reserve. It has a 3470 m (11400 ft) long beachfront across 6 beaches, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is the biggest Caribbean private island development done by a cruise company. An interesting fact is that when the MSC ship is berthed in Ocean Cay, all its onboard facilities and services (including the casino) stay open and operational. Ocean Cay Island is surrounded by 64 mi2 (166 km2) of protected waters with coral reefs and ~90 different fish species.

In June 2016, MSC officially announced the exclusive "beach oasis" for MSC cruiseship tourists on roundtrips from UAE ( Abu Dhabi and Dubai ) starting winter 2016-2017. The 2,5 km (1,5 mi) stretch of land on Sir Bani Yas Island features shaded cabanas, hundreds of palm trees and 2000+ sunbeds across 36,000 m2 (387,500 ft2) of sand beaches. Other facilities and amenities available on the island include food and drink bars, MSC Aurea Spa (wellness complex, massages), sports facilities (beach volleyball, tennis), family-kids playground area (with pergola / outdoor garden for parrents), Bedouin tent (selling hand-made local arts and crafts), lounge space (live music, full-service bar), exclusive beaches (with VIP areas and cabanas).

The MSC island development is on a smaller isle connected to the main island by wooden boardwalk allowing exclusive access to MSC passengers. MSC worked closely with ecologists and the Abu Dhabi Port Authorities for over 2 years to develop the island and support the ongoing preservation work. The isle is one of the region's largest wildlife reserves due to decades of conservation works and ecological investments to maintain its biodiversity. The "Arabian Wildlife Park" on the main island is home to over 13,000 endangered and indigenous animals, as well as millions of plants and trees.

The first cruise to Sir Bani Yas Island departed on December 3, 2016 (visiting the island on December 5th). Prices started from USD 720 per person (7-night itinerary on MSC Fantasia ). In July 2016, Costa Cruises announced that Sir Bani Yas Island will be added as a 1-day stopover (port of call) during season 2016-2017 on Costa neoRiviera . In 2017-2018, neoRiviera was replaced in Dubai by Costa Mediterranea . Costa passengers have access to a private (Costa exclusive) beach with VIP areas with cabanas.

Among the island's shore excursion options are jeep safaris in the wildlife park, sea kayaking, diving and snorkeling tours.

MSC Cruises Asia

In mid-January 2018, MSC announced a new partnership with China's largest online payment platform "Alipay". The deal offers mobile payments fleetwide - on all MSC vessels deployed in Asia. It allows customers to pay for onboard purchases. In November 2017, the Alipay option was introduced on MSC Lirica. Next ship with Alipay technology was MSC Splendida - homeported in Shanghai China since May 2018.

Since May 2017, all Costa Asia -managed cruise vessels (of all Carnival Corporation brands) allow use Alipay payment services onboard. The partnership between Carnival Corporation and Ant Financial Services Group (a subsidiary of Alibaba, China's biggest online trading company) enables Chinese cruise passengers on all Carnival Corp ships in Asia to pay for onboard services and products using their Alipay (mobile payment platform) accounts. Among these onboard services and products are shopping, tours/excursions, food, and drinks. These expenditures are added to the passenger's cabin folio, then cleared via his/her Alipay account on a nightly basis.

(NEW) MSC kids programming

In November 2019, on Grandiosa (fleet's flagship) MSC introduces a new kids' entertainment program featuring hundreds of hours (per week) of themed activities. For children and teens is allocated up to 700 m2 (7535 ft2) of shipboard space with separate rooms for different age groups. The activities include virtual gaming (consoles and arcade machines), large aqua parks with slides, treasure hunts, trivia games, themed parties, supervised playgrounds (indoor and outdoor).

Starting with Grandiosa, MSC now offers 3 new activities for children (MSC Dance Crew, The Drone Academy, Spy Mission) plus a new web series targeting teenagers.

• "MSC Dance Crew" is developed via partnership with FremantleMedia - the company behind the TV show franchises "The X Factor", "Idols" and "Got Talent". The new music competition experience is based on teams of 12-17-year-old children battling to win the title "dance crew of the year".
• "The Drone Academy" is via partnership with The Department ( London UK -based event agency). The high-tech drone racing activities take place in the ship's Sportsplex and happen at night due to flicker effects and the glowing drones. Teens (battling in teams) are previously trained on drone piloting. The race is at the 390 m2 (4200 ft2) sized arena and includes navigating 15 obstacles in the fastest time possible.
• "Spy Mission" is MSC's first activity where kids play a central role. They are led through different scenes (throughout the ship) to unravel storylines, follow clues and solve the mystery in order to win prizes.
• "Cabin 12006" is MSC's new teen-targeting web series tha follows "Kelly and Kloe Onboard" - run for 3 years (2016-2019) with 5+ million views online. Filming the "Cabin 12006" episodes is currently underway on Bellissima (March 2019-inaugurated).

MSC wedding cruise deals

Since 2015, MSC Cruises has a new cruise wedding program available on Caribbean itineraries. The program offers onboard marriages (also ashore) 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 (on the embarkation day only).

MSC partnered with the wedding-planning company "The Wedding Experience" and offers cruise wedding packages with prices starting from USD 1600 (onboard) and USD 2200 (ashore) 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 (weddings and vow renewals). 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 (personalized stationaries for invitations) 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.

MSC cruise booking and cancellation policy changes

In July 2017, MSC changed the company's cruise booking policy. It now requires final payments to be made 30 days earlier - from 60-days to 90-days prior departure.

• Cancellations made 89-61 days prior departure result in losing the non-refundable deposit.
• Cancellations between 46-60 days prior departure result in paying 50% of the original price.
• Cancellations between 16-45 days prior departure result in paying 75% of the original price.
• Cancellations made 15 days or less prior departure result in paying the full cruise price.

Since April 2, 2019, tips (gratuities) are included into MSC cruise fares for all UK and Ireland passengers.

On February 1, 2019, MSC officially revealed the in-cabin digital assistant ZOE. The technology ("cruise industry first") was developed by Harman International (US-based company, fully-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics). Harman International has developed digital audio solutions for major corporations (Including Google, Microsoft, Amazon).

• ZOE is an artificial intelligence device (voice-enabled, with advanced voice recognition software) available in all passenger staterooms.
• ZOE speaks 7 languages, answers cruise-related questions, provides info on shipboard services-activities-facilities, makes reservations and bookings.
• The digital device features far-field microphones, top-quality speaker, quad-core processor (for fast response times), direct phone connection (through Bluetooth). The system can also upgrade its own database to answer previously unanswerable questions.
• Passenger data (including itinerary/tour and shipboard preferences) is stored in Cloud Storage system and used on the next scheduled voyage.
• The device (sized ~15 cm) can be activated whenever passengers choose. A waiver must be signed to agree for their personal data to be stored.

Starting with Bellissima (2019), ZOE will be available on all newbuild MSC liners - including Grandiosa (2019) and Virtuosa (2020) - and introduced fleetwide over 2019-2024.

"MSC for Me" - fleetwide Digital Innovation Program 2017-2018

Each of the MSC cruise ships is fitted with thousands of connectivity points, digital access points, iBeacons (Bluetooth) and hundreds of interactive digital screens throughout the ship. In all staterooms are implemented RFID (radio-frequency identification) and NFC (near-field communication) access technologies.

The new program is implemented fleetwide but was first introduced on MSC Meraviglia . The ship, launched in June 2017, was fitted with a total of 114 Interactive screens, 244 info screens, 31 virtual screens, 81 video wall monitors, 3050 iBeacons, 700 WAPs (wireless access points), 1200 CCTV cameras.

MSC digitalization program's main features are:

• The apps implement facial recognition technology and interactive/smart bracelets by Samsung.
• Digital Concierge app - passengers can reserve/book onboard services, restaurants and shore excursions in real-time. The app is real-time and 24-hour, connecting MSC customers to the company's experienced staff online.
• Capture - virtual reality tool to preview the cruise itinerary, create personal photo galleries, online sharing.
• Organizer - a cruise planning tool used at mobile devices. It provides detailed information and also allows pre-booking (tours, theatre seats, dinner table, etc) before ship embarkation (pre-cruise booking) and while onboard (realtime cruise planner).
• Navigation - Interactive map (way finder) provides advice (scheduled events, opening hours, etc) and directions while on the ship. The app also allows real-time kids monitoring (via bracelets).
• TailorMade - digital advisor for personal recommendations based on the passenger's preferences (interactive gaming, gambling, culinary, recreational, entertainment, etc).
• Passengers can always opt out of all these connected ("Internet of things" / IoT) services offered.
• All passenger staterooms are fitted with door locks with built-in keypads (Samsung SHS-1321 NFC Ring).

MSC fitness cruise packages

Since 2017, MSC Cruises offers an upgraded fleetwide onboard wellness experience via a partnership with TechnoGym. It is part of the company's cruise fare-inclusive offers that can be chosen upon booking.

• The new program starts with an online questionnaire determining the customer's specific wellness goals, aspects of a healthy lifestyle (exercises, healthy diet, weight loss).
• The new wellness program is linked with the company's fitness-themed cruises . It also includes one-time personal trainer consultation. Personal training sessions are available onboard at extra cost.
• Also included are themed shore excursions (jogging, hiking, cycling), fitness classes (hula hooping, barre, yoga, Pilates).
• Resistance bands and workout mats are provided on the ship for in-cabin use.
• TechnoGym workout gear and laundry service for the exercise clothing are provided on the ship.
• Healthy food menu options are available in the ship's main dining rooms and Lido buffet restaurants.
• Deals are also inclusive of a medical evaluation with the ship's doctor (blood pressure, EKG, lipid panel).
• The new "Wellness Experience" program is operated with a total of 5 fitness cruise packages available for booking. Pricing starts from USD 930 pp (7-night itinerary, Interior Stateroom).

FREE Birthday cruise

In 2017, MSC started offering a new "free cruise deal" for customers celebrating their birthday. in case your birthday falls during select cruises, it is complimentary.

• MSC's free cruise offers are on itineraries in Europe (Mediterranean, Baltic), Asia (Arabian Peninsula /Dubai), Caribbean (West Indies, Cuba). Longer itineraries are available through World Voyages .
• Booked passengers can extend their free birthday cruise and combine itineraries into B2Bs (back to back cruises) from 14 to 22 nights.
• Bookings must have at least one paying passenger and only one free birthday passenger. The birthday of the passenger must fall on one of the itinerary days, but excluding the arrival and departure days.
• Such offers are usually promotions, subject to selected availability and valid for lower cabin categories only (usually excluding Suites).

MSC's "Dolphins Fan Cruise"

MSC Seaside ship's itinerary March 17-24, 2018 (7-day Caribbean and Antilles roundtrip from Miami to Nassau Bahamas, St Thomas USVI, St Johns Antigua) 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 (2017-2020). The 2018 voyage's prices started at USD 700 per person (balcony cabin rates based on double occupancy).

During these sports cruises, passengers have the opportunity 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 (The Dolphin).
• 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 (Inside Cabin rates with double occupancy).
• Cheerleaders cruise itinerary (April 28 - May 5) was a 7-day roundtrip from Miami to St Maarten Island, Puerto Rico and Bahamas (Nassau).

MSC virtual reality ship tours

Samsung and MSC developed a cutting-edge virtual reality tool for touring MSC cruise liners. The new technology was announced during at Expo Milano 2015 (May 1 through October 31, 2015).

With this innovative technology, MSC made available to the company's top European sellers (travel agencies) a powerful tool for introducing the brand to potential customers. The technology is based on Samsung's "Gear VR" headsets (powered by Oculus) plus a custom-built software app. Potential MSC passengers can walk through any cruise ship in the fleet without setting foot on board. The tool allows "walking" through 6 key onboard areas (including staterooms, restaurants, pools, theatre / also watching a show). The 360-degree sensory experience even brings aromas in the air (when observing an onboard restaurant) - such as fresh-baked bread, fresh fruits, chocolate.

The virtual cruise ship tour technology uses software and hardware by AxedGroup. The virtual ship tour app runs on Samsung Galaxy Note phones. Other experiences include tours of new (prototype) MSC ships *currently under construction).

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, MSC suspended its North American fleet's passenger shipping operations (all US-homeported liners) 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 (Grandiosa) and October 19 (Magnifica) 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 (April 10, 2022/Mediterranean from Venice), BELLISSIMA (July 2021/Red Sea from Jeddah Saudi Arabia), DIVINA (Sept 16, 2021/Bahamas from Port Canaveral), FANTASIA (Nov 7, 2021/Mediterranean-Genoa), GRANDIOSA (Jan 24, 2021/Mediterranean-Genoa), LIRICA (April 12, 2022/Med-Aegean-Athens), MAGNIFICA (June 20, 2021/Adriatic-Greece from Venice), MERAVIGLIA (Aug 2, 2021/Caribbean from Miami), MUSICA (June 5, 2022/Mediterranean from Monfalcone), OPERA (April 24, 2022/Mediterranean-Genoa), ORCHESTRA (June 5, 2021/Adriatic-Greece from Venice), POESIA (April 30, 2022/Med-Baltic repositioning/Rome-Rostock), PREZIOSA (Sept 23, 2021/Mediterranean-Genoa), SEASHORE (Aug 9, 2021/Mediterranean-Naples-Messina-Valletta-Barcelona), SEASCAPE (Nov 19, 2022/ Maiden Voyage /Transatlantic from Rome to NYC New York), SEASIDE (May 1, 2021/Mediterranean-Rome-Genoa), SEAVIEW (July 3, 2021/Kiel Germany), SINFONIA (March 26, 2022/Mediterranean from Venice), SPLENDIDA (June 12, 2021/Adriatic from Trieste), VIRTUOSA (May 20, 2021/UK-British Islands from Southampton), WORLD EUROPA (Dec 21, 2022/ Maiden Voyage /Red Sea from Dubai).

• In early-January 2021 MSC planned to start Mediterranean cruises (with Grandiosa) scheduled between January 24 and March 21. The 7-day itinerary (leaving on Sundays from Genoa) visited Civitavecchia, Palermo, Naples and Valletta (Malta), with embarkation available in all the Italian ports.
• MSC USA's pause (ex-Florida cancellations) affected 3 ships - Meraviglia and Armonia (from Miami) and Divina (from Port Canaveral).
• MSC South America 2021-2022 winter program was canceled (due to Brazil's new policies/ordinance 657) affecting 4 ships (Sinfonia, Orchestra, Preziosa, Splendida).
• LIRICA's Mediterranean 2021 season (7-day roundtrips from Ancona and Venice) was canceled and the liner restarts operations in 2022 (April 11/Aegean from Athens).
• MUSICA's South Africa 2021-2022 program (from Durban) was canceled.
• OPERA's Red Sea 2021-2022 program (from Dubai) was canceled.
• PREZIOSA's 2021 Baltic season (Baltic-Norway from Hamburg) was canceled.
• MSC's 2021-2022/winter South America (Preziosa, Seaview) and Arabia-Dubai (Fantasia) programs were canceled.

All affected bookings received full refunds in FCC (future cruise credit), including on prepurchased through MSC packages and services. With rebooking (made by December 31, 2021) was offered a 125% refund in FCC. Available for rebooking were all departures thru April 30, 2022. Optionally was offered a 100% monetary refund.

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 (Mediterranean, UK, Baltic), the Caribbean (ex-Florida USA departures), South America, South Africa, Asia, Arabian Gulf.

Currently, MSC has no plans for ship deployments in Alaska, except via the sister brand Explora Journeys .

MSC's Grand Voyages are seasonally offered relocation voyages including Transatlantic crossings (Europe-USA-Caribbean, Europe-South America), Suez Canal (Mediterranean-Arabia/ Dubai UAE ), Mediterranean-Baltic-UK, Europe-South Africa. Cruises to Nowhere MSC offers in South Africa.

Note: An extensive ship relocation schedule you can see at RepositionCruises.com

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.

In 2025, MSC starts homeporting in Galveston Texas USA (ship Seascape).

Middle East 2024 Arabian Gulf voyages

MSC Opera 's Arabian/Red Sea deployment in winter 2024-25 (from Dubai) was canceled and replaced with a Canary Islands deployment. In the Canaries, MSC Opera had scheduled 7-night itineraries (November 3, 2024, through March 16, 2025) visiting 6 call ports. Departing roundtrip from  Santa Cruz de Tenerife , the ship visits  Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ,  Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura) ,  Funchal (Madeira) ,  Santa Cruz de la Palma , and  Arrecife (Lanzarote)  before returning back to Tenerife. MSC's new Canary Islands itinerary offers flexible homeporting options allowing boarding in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Sundays), Las Palmas (Mondays), Madeira (Thursdays or Fridays) and Arrecife (Saturdays).

MSC Orchestra  is introducing a new Middle East cruise itinerary from  Safaga  in Egypt, featuring 20 seven-night sailings to  Jeddah ,  Aqaba for Petra  in Jordan,  Sharm El-Sheikh , and  Cairo .

Cruises from China

In May 2018, MSC Splendida started service on the Chinese market following its 2017 drydock refurbishment . The China-based ( Shanghai ) itinerary program included destinations in Japan, Korea, China.

MSC offers cruises in China since 2016 (with MSC Lirica ), followed by the deployments of Splendida (2018) and Virtuosa (2022).

In 2024 (April thru September), in China are deployed the MSC ships Bellissima and Splendida. Itineraries are based on homeporting in/roundtrip departures from Shanghai and Shenzhen/Shekou . Bellissima starts from Shenzhen on June 29th, and has scheduled 8x voyages (2- to 5-night in length) visiting Hong Kong and Japan (Okinawa, Yaeyama Islands, Miyako Island). In July-September (2024) Bellissima has scheduled 8x voyages (4- to 6-night) leaving out of Shanghai and visiting Japan (Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Osaka, Okinawa, Shimonoseki).

MSC Caribbean 2024-2025 itineraries

Caribbean and the French Antilles

• 2024/Seascape (PortMiami): 7-night Eastern Caribbean (Ocean Cay and Nassau Bahamas, San Juan, Puerto Plata Dominicana) 7-night Western Caribbean (Ocean Cay, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios Jamaica)
• 2025/Seascape (Galveston TX, departing on Sundays): 7-night Western Caribbean (Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel, and Honduras's Roatan Island)
• Meraviglia (Port Canaveral): 3- to 7-night (Nassau and Ocean Cay, Costa Maya and Cozumel, Belize City)
• Divina (PortMiami): 3- to 10-night (Ocean Cay, Belize City, Roatan Honduras, Costa Maya, Ocho Rios, Cartagena Columbia, Colon Panama, Puerto Limon Costa Rica)
• Seaside ( Fort-de-France, French Antilles ): 7-night (Pointe-a-Pitre Guadeloupe, Castries St Lucia, Bridgetown Barbados, St Georges Grenada, Kingstown St Vincent)

Western Mediterranean

• Grandiosa . 7-night (Genoa, Civitavecchia/Rome, Palermo Italy, Valletta Malta, Barcelona Spain, Marseille France)
• Virtuosa : 7-night (Genoa, La Spezia/Florence, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Marseille
• Lirica (Genoa) 11-night (Civitavecchia, Messina Sicily, Lindos/Rhodes, Heraklion/Crete, Limassol Cyprus, Haifa Israel) 10-night (Ceuta, Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Tangier and Casablanca/Marrakech Morocco, Marseille)

South America

• Seashore (Brazil). 7-night (Maceio Salvador & Buzios Brazil)
• Seaview (Rio de Janeiro) 3- to 8-night (Buzios, Ilhabela, Ilha, Grande/Angra dos Reis, Ilheus & Salvador Brazil, ports in Uruguay & Argentina)
• Fantasia (Santos, Brazil) 3- to 7-night (Buzios, Ilha Grande/Angra dos Reis Brazil, Montevideo & Punta Del Este Uruguay, Buenos Aires)
• Armonia (Itajai/Santa Caterina, Brazil) 7-night (Ilhabela Brazil, ports in Uruguay & Argentina)
• Musica (Bueno Aires) Ilhabela, Rio de Janeiro, Buzios, Ilha Grande/Angra dos Reis Brazil

South Africa

• Sinfonia (Cape Town) Mossel Bay, Walvis Bay and Ludertize (Namibia).
• Orchestra (Durban) Pomene & Portuguese Island/Inhaca Archipelago (Mozambique), Walvis Bay (Namibia), Cape Town (South Africa)

Middle East

• World Europa (Dubai) 7-night (Abu Dhabi/Dubai, Sir Bani Yas, Dammam/Al Ahsa Oasis Saudi Arabia)
• Opera (Dubai) Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas, Muscat, Khasab (Oman); 22 separate 7-night sailings in 2023-2024, starting from Dubai and covering ports like Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island,  Khasab in Oman  or  Fujairah in the UAE , the  Omani capital Muscat , and returning to Dubai.
• 17 new 7-night voyages in the Arabian Gulf by  MSC Virtuosa  from Dubai , taking passengers to  Doha in Qatar , the newly added  port of Manama in Bahrain ,  Abu Dhabi ,  Sir Bani Yas Island  in the UAE, and back to Dubai. 
• MSC Orchestra  is offering a new itinerary during the winter 2023-2024 season. Departing from  Safaga in Egypt , she sails on 20 7-night sailings to destinations like  Jeddah  in Saudi Arabia,  Aqaba for Petra  in Jordan, a newly introduced port of call at  Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt ,  Sokhna Port  for  Cairo in Egypt , and back to Safaga. International guests have embarkation options at Safaga, Jeddah, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Sokhna Port.

In 2025 debuts World Europa's sistership MSC World America and both are homeported in  Miami . Out of PortMiami, World America operates on two 7-day roundtrip itineraries - Eastern Caribbean (to  Puerto Plata Dominicana ,  San Juan Puerto Rico , and  Ocean Cay Bahamas ) and Western Caribbean (to Mexico's  Costa Maya  and  Cozumel Mexico ,  Isla Roatan Honduras , and Ocean Cay). World America's Maiden Voyage departs Miami on April 12, 2025 (Eastern Caribbean).

Winter 2025-2026 itineraries from the USA

In May 2024, MSC unveiled an expansion of ex-USA operations planned for winter 2025-2026 season.

The program is based on four homeports and seven ships leaving roundtrip from three states - Florida ( Miami  and  Port Canaveral ), New York ( NYC ) and Texas ( Galveston ).

Season's key highlight is the debut of MSC Grandiosa ship in Port Canaveral - the first USA-based Meraviglia-Plus class vessel. Grandiosa offers alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, while MSC Seashore ship (also from Port Canaveral) offers short breaks (3- and 4-night) to The Bahamas ( Nassau and Ocean Cay ).

In 2025, MSC starts operations from Texas (Galveston) with MSC Seascape ship offering 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries.

MSC World America ship (launched April 2025) embarks on its first season from Miami.

The other two USA-based MSC ships are MSC Divina (from Miami) and MSC Meraviglia (from New York City to Florida-Bahamas).

Summer 2026 Mediterranean itineraries

From May to October 2026, MSC Cruises' fleet of 9 elegant ships offers journeys to iconic destinations as well as off-the-beaten-path gems, blending relaxation, exploration, culture, and entertainment seamlessly.

• Valencia, Spain , entices with its vibrant port city charm, historical richness, and lively nightlife. Guests can explore cobblestone streets steeped in Spanish heritage, indulge in culinary delights like tapas and paella, and bask in the beauty of Playa de Las Arenas beach.  MSC Fantasia  and  MSC Seaside  offer 7-night itineraries departing from Valencia and Genoa, respectively.
• Livorno, Italy , a coastal gem in Tuscany, boasts historical marvels, fascinating museums, and mouthwatering seafood. From Livorno, travelers can easily visit Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, or marvel at the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa. MSC Fantasia and  MSC Grandiosa  offer 7-night itineraries departing from Livorno and Valencia, respectively.
• Barcelona, Spain , thrives during the summer months with its festivals, beaches, and cultural attractions. From world-class museums to the architectural wonders of Gaudí, Barcelona promises a vibrant experience.  MSC Seaview  and  MSC World Europa  offer 7-night itineraries departing from Barcelona and Genoa, respectively.
• Palermo, Italy , the capital of Sicily, blends Norman architecture, Baroque churches, and bustling markets. Exploring its labyrinthine streets reveals a rich tapestry of history and culture. MSC Seaside and MSC Grandiosa offer 7-night itineraries departing from Genoa and Livorno, respectively.
• Ibiza, Spain , renowned for its beauty and nightlife, offers more than just revelry. From the charming Ciutat d’Eivissa to the stunning views atop Montserrat, Ibiza captivates with its diverse offerings.  MSC Musica  and MSC Seaside offer 7-night itineraries departing from Civitavecchia and Genoa, respectively.
• Cadiz, Spain , the oldest city in Western Europe, boasts a rich cultural heritage, pristine beaches, and delectable cuisine. Nature enthusiasts will find solace in the nearby Donana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  MSC Orchestra  offers 10-night itineraries departing from Genoa that include a stop in Cadiz.
• Naples, Italy , a vibrant city on the southern coast, enchants with its historic treasures and proximity to Pompeii and the island of Capri. Guests can explore ancient ruins or bask in the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. MSC World Europa, MSC Grandiosa, and  MSC Divina  offer 7-night itineraries departing from Genoa, Livorno, and Civitavecchia, respectively.
• Cannes, France , epitomizes glamour and Mediterranean allure, boasting pristine beaches, upscale boutiques, and the renowned Cannes Film Festival. Exploring the city’s old town, Le Suquet, offers a glimpse into its rich history. MSC Musica and MSC Seaview offer 7-night itineraries departing from Civitavecchia and Barcelona, respectively.

MSC Cuba cruises from Havana

In January 2016 MSC became the first major cruise line to homeport in Havana, with MSC Opera (sailing to Jamaica, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands) while MSC Armonia operated on 8-day/7-night itineraries, visiting ports in Central America and the Caribbean:

• 8-day roundtrip from Havana visited Roatan (Honduras), Belize City (Belize), Costa Maya (Mexico), Isla de la Juventud (Cuba)
• 8-day roundtrip from Havana visited Montego Bay (Jamaica), George Town (Grand Cayman) and Cozumel (Mexico).
• Both itineraries were combinable into a 14-night roundtrip Havana back-to-back cruise .

Cuban itineraries on MSC Opera were roundtrips from Havana .

Note: According to the current Cuban law, US citizens of Cuban origin (born in Cuba) are not allowed to visit the island country (including on cruise ships). Regardless of their US citizenship status, Cuba-born Americans were denied booking on cruise itineraries visiting ports in Cuba. However, the situation changed in April 2016, after Carnival Corporation negotiated with the Cuban government to allow ships with Cuban-born passengers, as such US citizens are allowed to visit the country on USA-Cuba charter flights. The Carnival-fathom line started Miami to Cuba cruises in May 2016.

Alaska Airlines offers regular nonstop flights to Havana from Los Angeles (California USA). An 80-minute JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Havana costs less than USD 100. Previously, air travel from the USA to Cuba was thought charter flights only.

IMPORTANT: On June 4, 2019, the US Government announced new regulations (economic sanctions) that ended group travel to Cuba, including via US-homeported cruise liners, effective immediately. The ban relates to "private and corporate aircraft, cruise ships, sailboats, fishing boats, and other similar aircraft and vessels". The US travel restrictions impacted hundreds of pre-scheduled cruise itineraries, which were adjusted to no longer stop in Cuban seaports.

(NEW) PortMiami MSC Terminal AAA

In July 2018, Miami-Dade County and MSC signed an agreement for extended preferential berthing rights and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the building of a new Cruise Terminal AAA at Port Miami .

Port Miami is MSC's exclusive homeport in the USA. The new agreement extended the existing Saturday preferential MSC berthing rights also to Sundays. Additionally, the new cruise terminal (completed in October 2022) was projected to be able to accommodate MSC's largest World Class ships (carrying up to 7000 pax).

As of November 2019, MSC Cruises' largest ship, MSC Meraviglia joins the other 3 ships at PortMiami.

MSC Cruises related cruise news

MSC Cruises highlights Mediterranean's sunniest spots for winter getaways

MSC Cruises is offering guests the opportunity to extend their holiday season with a variety of Mediterranean sailings through October, November, and...

Chelsea FC and MSC Cruises extend partnership

Chelsea FC has renewed its sponsorship agreement with MSC Cruises, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing cruise lines. The partnership...

4 passengers charged with casino fraud on MSC Magnifica

During a recent voyage aboard MSC Magnifica, 4 passengers were apprehended for attempting to use fraudulent credit cards in the ship’s casino...

Explora Journeys unveils exclusive Caribbean experiences for 2024-2025 season

Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, has unveiled a curated selection of exclusive Caribbean destination experiences...

Port Galveston Texas to welcome MSC’s new $151M cruise terminal

MSC Cruises is further expanding its footprint in the United States with the development of a new cruise terminal at the Port of Galveston (Texas...

Explora Journeys to anchor EXPLORA II ship at Monaco Grand Prix 2025

Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, has announced that in 2025, its newest ship EXPLORA II will be docked at...

MSC and Explora Journeys implement smart container technology for fresh produce delivery

MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys have partnered with MSC Shipping, the global leader in container shipping, to implement smart container technology...

MSC Cruises to feature in upcoming Formula 1 movie starring Brad Pitt

MSC Cruises will feature prominently in the forthcoming Formula 1 film “F1,” starring Brad Pitt and produced by Apple Original Films and...

MSC Splendida joins South American fleet for winter 2024-2025

To address strong demand, MSC Cruises is deploying a 6th ship to South America for the 2024-2025 winter season. The company announced that MSC...

MSC Cruises introduces OptiCruise to cut fleet emissions by 15% by 2026

MSC Cruises is set to reduce its fleet's emissions by up to 15% in 2026 with the introduction of OptiCruise, a new itinerary planning optimization...

•   show more news

• Agent Tools
• Cruise Lines (A)
• Editors' Picks
• News & Tools

Perks for U.S. Advisors on Group Travel With MSC Cruises

• Discounted cruise fare for first and second guests in each stateroom. The discount increases according to the length of the cruise, with $30 off per person for two to six night journeys, $50 off per person for seven to 11 night trips and $100 off per person for cruises lasting 12 nights or more.
• Waived deposits for bookings of up to 16 staterooms
• Bonus amenity points: travel advisors have the option of using amenity points towards enhancements for their clients (WiFi, onboard credit, stateroom gifts, etc.) or putting those points towards bonus commissions, accelerated tour conductor berths or marketing funds.
• Two free conductor berths for every 16 staterooms booked         

MSC World Cruise is excluded from the offer. 

• MSC Seashore , embarking in Miami, for alternating 7-night itineraries to the western and eastern Caribbean. Destinations include Nassau, Puerto Plata, Ocho Rios, George Town, and Cozumel. 
• MSC Divina , embarking in Port Canaveral/Orlando, for cruises between 3- and 7-nights to the Caribbean with destinations including Costa Maya and Cozumel and Nassau.
• MSC Virtuosa , embarking in Southampton (UK) for 7- to 14-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords and St. Petersburg via Sweden and Denmark. 
• MSC Magnifica , embarking in Miami for new short 3 and 4-night cruises to Key West, Nassau and the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
• MSC Divina , embarking in Miami for 3 to 10-night itineraries with destinations including Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Belize City, Isla de Roatan, Costa Maya, Ocho Rios, Cartagena, Colon and Puerto Limon.
• MSC World Europa , embarking in Dubai for 7-night sailings with destinations including Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas and Dammam/Al Ahsa Oasis.
• MSC Meraviglia , embarking in New York (Brooklyn) for 6- to 11-night cruises to The Bahamas and Florida with destinations including Miami, Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
• MSC Seascape , embarking from Miami for alternating 7-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries with destinations including Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Nassau, San Juan, Puerto Plata, Cozumel, George Town and Ocho Rios.
• MSC Opera , embarking and disembarking in Marseilles for 7-night cruises around the Mediterranean with destinations including Barcelona, La Goulette, Palermo, Naples and Genoa.    

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

• Travel Guides
• Africa & Middle East
• Asia & South Pacific
• Caribbean & Bermuda
• Latin America
• North America
• Travel Agent FAMs & Discounts
• Travel Offers
• Destination Weddings
• Eco & Sustainable Travel
• Hotels & Resorts
• Spa & Wellness
• Tour Operators
• Webinars/Reports
• About the RCAs
• 2024 RCA Voting
• 2023 RCA Winners
• 2022 RCA Winners
• 2021 RCA Winners
• Meet Our Editors
• Saint Lucia Expert (SLEx) Program
• Saint Lucia Romance Expert Program
• St. Vincent and The Grenadines Travel Pro
• Grenada Travel Expert
• Wellness Travel Specialist
• Get Educated: Saint Lucia Romance Expert Program
• Become an Expert — Saint Lucia Expert (SLEx) Program
• Enroll in the Saint Lucia Romance Expert Program
• Family Travel Association Affiliate Program
• ASTA Verified Travel Advisor Certification Program

THE CRUISE DIVISION OF MSC GROUP AND GASUM PARTNER FOR LNG AND RENEWABLE E-LNG TO ACHIEVE 2050 NET ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS GOAL

Geneva, Switzerland, 15 June 2023 - The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Gasum have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of LNG to the new flagship of its MSC Cruises brand, MSC Euribia, as well as a Letter of Intent with the goal of cooperating on the supply of synthetic e-LNG made with renewable energy.  All this as part of the Cruise Division’s strategy to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its marine operations by 2050.

MSC Cruises, the world’s third-largest cruise operator, and Nordic energy company Gasum and have executed a Letter of Intent (LOI) engaging in a landmark cooperation that aims at securing MSC access to liquefied synthetic gas, or e-LNG, which is produced using hydrogen, created by hydrolysis with renewable energy and captured CO2. Gasum and MSC Cruises are together creating an actionable roadmap for cutting emissions in MSC’s cruise operations with sizeable volumes of several thousand tons of e-LNG starting in 2026.

The companies also signed a long-term agreement on the delivery of liquefied natural gas, LNG, to MSC’s new flagship MSC Euribia. With this agreement Gasum supports MSC Cruises in cutting emissions with the immediate use of LNG.

Using LNG removes nearly all sulfur oxide and particle emissions, greatly reduces nitrogen oxide emissions and significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, LNG technology on board enables MSC Cruises to switch at any time to fully renewable liquefied biogas (bio-LNG) or synthetic gas (e-LNG) in order to reach greenhouse gas emissions reductions of up to 100 per cent.

MSC Euribia recently demonstrated that emissions neutral cruising is possible already today by sailing the historical first ever net zero greenhouse gas emissions cruise voyage benefiting from the emissions reductions allowed by liquefied biogas procured by Gasum. The ship sailed for four days from Saint-Nazaire in France to Copenhagen, Denmark and utilised bio-LNG with a mass-balance approach, the most environmentally efficient method of delivering the benefits of renewable biogas.  MSC Cruises purchased over 400 tonnes of bio-LNG from Gasum to show its commitment to the deployment of drop-in renewable fuels and energy transition measures towards the pioneering net zero gas emissions voyage.  The line is the industry’s first deep sea ocean cruise operator to buy bio-LNG as a fuel source that proved to allow significant lifecycle emissions reductions.

Linden Coppell, Vice President of Sustainability and ESG for MSC Cruises, said: “ We are delighted to be partnering with Gasum on our journey to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Securing a reliable supply of LNG and e-LNG is of critical importance to our decarbonisation efforts, and the LOI and long-term agreement that we have announced today are significant steps on that journey. Partnering with Gasum will enable us to access new and cleaner fuels needed to make net zero cruising a reality. We need more suppliers like Gasum to step up and support our industry with its environmental targets. We are ready and waiting to buy more of these new fuels.”

Mika Wiljanen, CEO of Gasum, stated: “As an alternative fuel supplier dedicated to the energy transition, Gasum is proud to offer support to MSC Cruises, a major maritime player, in their quest to improve the environmental footprint of their operations. At the same time MSC Cruises is supporting the development of the most promising alternative fuel by proving a demand for it. This LOI on e-LNG is a landmark agreement for the shipping industry as it demonstrates that e-LNG will be available to the maritime transport sector within a short timeframe. We are also very happy about the long-term LNG supply agreement which we believe is the start of long-lasting cooperation.”

What is e-LNG or synthetic gas

E-LNG gas can be produced synthetically through the Power-to-Gas process. First hydrogen is produced from water using renewable electricity, for example wind or solar power. The produced hydrogen can then be further processed into methane by adding non-fossil carbon dioxide obtained from carbon capture.

This resulting synthetic renewable methane gas is fully interchangeable with natural gas and biogas. When it is liquefied it is likewise fully interchangeable with LNG and liquified biogas. This means that it can be transported through already existing infrastructure – trucks, ships, pipelines also using the existing gas grids.

It also means that synthetic gas can be directly used in the dual fuel engines fitted on board currently running on natural gas, biogas, LNG or liquefied biogas at any ratio. There is no need for any additional investments in new equipment or modifications.

Unlike alternative fuels such as ammonia or methanol which are still in the development stage both in terms of production and infrastructure, synthetic gas, or e-LNG, is a concrete pathway to decarbonizing maritime as well as land transportation in the next few years.

Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises

Your browser may be out of date or not compatible with our new site and may not be secure.

For a better experience and to continue your booking with MSC, please update your browser by downloading the latest version below.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!

MSC Cruises