Unknown's avatar

About Spacejunkie2

I love all things Cruise and add that to my hobby Photography I'm in dreamland, I'm an exTravel agency owner with the inside contacts, so I will try to keep you updated in all things travel related with a side serving of images and other maritime stories.

MSC Cruises Unveils Yacht Club Experience at Miami Grand Prix

MSC Cruises Unveils Yacht Club Experience at Miami Grand Prix

MSC Cruises will unveil a new MSC Yacht Club experience for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix from May 1 to 3, according to a press release.

The all-new hospitality centerpiece will deliver elevated luxury and immersive design for guests across five decks of a lifelike yacht and is set to become the highlight of the Marina on the inside of Turns 5 to 9.

“MSC Cruises’ partnership with Formula 1 continues to grow and evolve, and the MSC Yacht Club at the Miami Grand Prix is a perfect expression of who we are as a brand—combining innovation, luxury hospitality and world-class experiences in one extraordinary setting,” said Suzanne Salas, executive vice president of marketing, e-commerce and sales for MSC Cruises.

“Formula 1 represents the very best in performance, spectacle and international appeal, which makes this the perfect venue for MSC Cruises to offer fans the seamless blend of European style and American comfort guests enjoy onboard our ships.”

The MSC Yacht Club will become the highlight of the Marina presented by MSC Cruises at the Miami International Autodrome. The lifelike super yacht will measure 264 feet in length, have a width of 96 feet and will be 50 feet tall at its highest point.

Positioned at one of the circuit’s most dynamic sections, the MSC Yacht Club will place guests directly alongside one of the most exciting corners on the track’s layout, delivering dramatic views of up to five turns.

The MSC Yacht Club at the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix is inspired by MSC Cruises’ luxury ship-within-a-ship onboard experience, also named the MSC Yacht Club.

The Miami Grand Prix version will feature five levels totaling 32,000 square feet, with each deck offering a different guest experience.

At the heart of the experience is a culinary program curated by Bagatelle, the hospitality brand. Bagatelle sets the tone for dining throughout the weekend.

“From the very beginning, the Marina presented by MSC Cruises has been one of the defining features of our race,” said Katharina Nowak, president of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix.

“In creating the MSC Yacht Club, we wanted to elevate that iconic space by providing something even more immersive, refined and connected to racing.”

The structure is the event’s biggest new offering since 2023 when a new Paddock Club building was constructed.

The reimagined Marina presented by MSC Cruises will also feature a new general admission area with an elevated viewing platform inside Turn 7.

Royal Caribbean Remaining Quiet on Next Ship Class

Royal Caribbean Remaining Quiet on Next Ship Class

Royal Caribbean is remaining quiet on its next ship class of ships, which will be known as the Discovery class.

The company ordered two Discovery-class vessels for 2029 and 2032 deliveries from Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France on Thursday, with an option for more.

“From the business perspective, we are really excited with the innovation, creativity, and the kind of product that we’ve now created with Discovery. It really is going to be a game changer,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

“Just as Icon was introduced, and kind of changed the game, Discovery is going to do exactly the same thing. We are really looking forward to sharing more details about Discovery with the marketplace, but we’re not planning on saying much about it today or in the next couple of months,” Bayley added.

He also refuted widespread social media coverage, most of which has rumored the new class of ships to be somewhat smaller.

“The many of the assumptions that are currently out there in social media, etcetera, in terms of size, capacity, etcetera, etcetera. Are probably, it’s fair to say, inaccurate.”

Liberty: Pricing Higher in Caribbean Despite Capacity Increase

Liberty: Pricing Higher in Caribbean Despite Capacity Increase

Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said that the company’s pricing for Caribbean voyages was up despite the industry’s significant capacity increase in the region.

He said this was for all three company brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.

“We’re seeing high demand wanting to go to the Caribbean. We’re not only seeing good volume, but our pricing is higher in the Caribbean than it was last year,” Liberty said.

Speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth quarter earnings call, Liberty made sure to mention the cruise line expected positive yield growth for key products, including the Caribbean, as its investments continued to differentiate it from its peers and strengthen its leadership position, despite elevated capacity in the Caribbean.

“And I know that may not feed into what maybe some groups want to hear, but that is a reality that we continue to see strong demand for the Caribbean, and we continue to see strong demand for our broader organization,” he added.

Liberty said company capacity was up 6.7 percent year-over-year, driven by the new Legend of the Seas launching this summer plus full-year service from the Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel.