MSC Cruises’ latest vessel – and new US flagship – has sailed off to its winter home, Miami, and onwards to Caribbean itineraries after a dazzling debut in New York last week, officially named at a traditional maritime ceremony at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
Marking the brand’s continued growth in North America, the event was attended by more than 3,000 guests, including VIPs, key travel partners and global media, and the entire cruise division of the company and its parent MSC Group, who previewed the Big Apple as a new homeport for MSC, starting in April.
One of the highlights of the traditional maritime ceremony was a performance from international singer-songwriter Matteo Bocelli, hot off the heels of his performance at the naming ceremony of MSC World Europa last month.
Godmother of the MSC Cruises fleet, movie icon Sophia Loren, blessed the ship virtually while Alexa Aponte-Vago, daughter of MSC Group’s founder and executive chairman Gianluigi Aponte, performed the traditional cutting of the ribbon to officially name the ship (photo below).
Following the ceremony, the guests were treated to a gourmet gala dinner and performance by international Grammy Award winner singer/songwriter Ne-Yo.
MSC Seascape is the 21st ship in the MSC Cruises fleet and the second ship to be launched in less than a month after MSC World Europa launched in November. She will be closely followed by the line’s second LNG-powered vessel MSC Euribia, due to come into service in June 2023.
The new flagship for the US will offer two contrasting itineraries this winter:
• 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
MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand and operates a fully bilingual permanent office in Canada to provide sales and marketing services to the Canadian market.