From a new ship on the horizon to opening sales for a spectacular 2024 World Cruises, plus a revamped loyalty club program, there’s plenty going on at MSC Cruises. Here’s a look:

MSC Seascape

Canadians will soon be able to sail on MSC Cruises’ newest flagship – MSC Seascape – when it comes into service later this year in New York City. The ship’s Naming Ceremony will take place at New York’s Manhattan Cruise Terminal on Dec. 7, with a star-studded inaugural event featuring godmother Sofia Loren that will precede the ship’s inaugural Caribbean season. Travel agents from Ontario, Quebec and BC are invited to contact their BDM for a possible invitation to the event.

MSC Seascape will be the cruise line’s first ship to be named in New York, reflecting MSC Cruises’ commitment to the Canadian (and North American) cruise market, says the cruise line. Design features, public areas and venue names are inspired by the Big Apple, including a three-metre-high replica of the Statue of Liberty in the casino and a newly designed expansive retail and entertainment area, aptly named ‘Times Square.’ There is also an impressive 8.5-metre-high LED wall spanning four decks with a visual projection of the Manhattan skyline’s entertainment hub that can change from day to night.

Other amenities include:

• 2,270 cabins, featuring 12 different kinds of suites and cabins with balconies (including the iconic aft suites featured on all Seaside class ships)
• 11 dining venues plus 19 bars and lounges, with many options for ‘Al Fresco’ dining and drinking
• Six swimming pools, including a stunning aft infinity pool with incredible ocean views
• The largest and most luxurious MSC Yacht Club in MSC Cruises’ fleet, with approximately 3,000 sq. m. of space featuring sweeping ocean views from the front of the ship
• An expansive 540-m.-long waterfront promenade that puts guests closer to the ocean
• A spectacular glass-floored Bridge of Sighs at deck 16 with a unique view of the sea

MSC Seascape’s upcoming expansion to New York and the Northeast with year-round cruises will be available from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal beginning in April 2023. In the meantime, this winter, MSC Seascape will offer two different seven-night itineraries from Port Miami as follows:

• Eastern Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau in The Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic

• Western Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

2024 Around-the-World Cruise

Meanwhile, MSC has opened sales for its 2024 World Cruise with a brand-new itinerary aboard MSC Poesia,. Set to depart Jan. 5, 2024, the latest round-the-world itinerary follows a new route that includes 52 destinations in 31 different countries.

Embarking the ship for a 121-day voyage in the ports of Civitavecchia/Rome, Genoa, Marseille, or Barcelona on Jan. 4, 5, 6 or 7, 2024 respectively, guests head off for their first destinations, then for almost four months, will be led on an itinerary of experiences around the world.

The cruise starts off with some of the main highlights in the Mediterranean Sea including stops in France, Spain, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, an overnight in Haifa, Israel and day visit to Cairo via Port Said/Alexandria, Egypt. Guests will then transition through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea where sights of the ancient world await in Luxor and Petra.

After an overnight stay in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the ship heads south to Zanzibar, the Seychelles and Mauritius before heading to mainland Africa for a tour of South Africa – Durban, Port Elizabeth, and an overnight stay in Cape Town.

Next, the ship crosses the South Atlantic Ocean to South America for an exploration of the Brazilian Amazon. Sailing up the river as far as Manaus, guests will find themselves in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Elsewhere in Brazil guests will have calls at Salvador de Bahia and Belém, as well as an overnight stop in Rio de Janeiro.

Next up, the Caribbean: Saint Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas, including MSC Cruises’ private island, Ocean Cay, enroute to North America for overnight stays in Miami, Florida and New York City before continuing north to Nova Scotia and Quebec, after which the destinations continue with some of Northern Europe’s top cities plus Greenland and Iceland.

Fifteen shore excursions and a Dine & Drink package are included in each booking, as well as 30% off all laundry. Additional excursions and packages can be booked both in advance and during the cruise.

Revamped loyalty program

MSC Cruises Canada is revamping its MSC Voyagers Club loyalty program with a range of new benefits for Canadian travellers. Voyagers Exclusives now replaces Voyages Selection with greater incentives for members, who will automatically benefit from a minimum 5% discount for any cruise booked. Previously, Voyages Selection was only available for a select number of MSC Cruises’ global sailing schedule. This now means that the further in advance any guest books a cruise, the greater the benefits gained. Specific discount opportunities include:

• Any sailing booked six months or more in advance prior to departure results in a 5% discount.

• Silver, Gold, and Diamond tier members will also receive the standard 5% discounts, plus an additional 5%, as well as another US$50 shipboard credit for the cruises they book at least nine months ahead of sailing. Furthermore, all members who book at least 12 months or more prior to departure will receive double the reward points.

• Summer promotion: Members who book any cruise before June 30 to sail before Oct. 30, 2022, will receive a US$50 p.p. onboard credit and 700 extra points on top of the usual 5% discount. Additionally, the extra points will be credited to the guests’ account before departure, which helps them reach the next status level faster and enjoy the benefits sooner.

Members of loyalty programs run by other cruise lines, hotels and tour operators can also transfer to the MSC Voyages Club with its ‘MSC Status Match’ opportunity, available through travel agents or online.

Sustainability

MSC Cruises’ summer 2022 program of shore excursions will have its strongest ever focus on minimising the environmental impact of land-based tours and supporting nature-positive activities. More electric and hybrid shuttle buses will be used for guests to shuttle from ports to places of interest in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Spain and Sweden with MSC Cruises aiming to increase the utilization of green ground transportation in the future.

Low carbon footprint excursions will include 150 bicycle tours available in 21 countries – which are growing in popularity among the line’s guests – and more sustainable shore excursions called ‘Protectours’ that MSC Cruises first introduced in 2020 will be available.

Up to 70% of Protectours will have a low environmental impact thanks to an increase in the number of walking, hiking, bicycling, canoeing, and kayaking excursions ashore with many tours set to make a direct contribution to the environment by helping the protection of habitats and species.

MSC Cruises is the world’s fastest growing cruise line and the third largest cruise brand in the world. The line is continuing to expand and grow with two new ships coming into service in 2022 – MSC World Europa and MSC Seascape and MSC Euribia to follow in summer 2023.