MSC Cruises Celebrates Grandiosa’s Maiden Season in Brazil

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The MSC Grandiosa arrived in Brazil for its first winter season in South America.

Repositioning from the Western Mediterranean, the 4,888-guest vessel docked at its new homeport in Santos on Nov. 25.

To mark the occasion, MSC Cruises invited over 2,800 guests for a celebration onboard the 177,100-ton cruise ship, which also became the largest ever to operate in Brazil.

“It is a great source of pride to have a ship like this here, bringing passengers to travel within our country,” said the company’s Brazil Country Manager Adrian Ursilli.

He also noted that the Grandiosa is MSC’s 17th new ship to arrive in Brazil since the debut of MSC Armonia in 2004.

The event included a symbolic christening of the Grandiosa that saw Marlene Ribeiro – the longest-tenured employee of MSC Cruises in Brazil – serving as godmother.

“MSC Cruises is a family company. Everyone is always together and in good spirits. The choice of the MSC Grandiosa godmother is a demonstration of this,” said Fabio Gatti, the company’s Global Director of Entertainment.

Part of a six-ship program in the region, the MSC Grandiosa is now offering a series of cruises to different Brazilian destinations.

In addition to Santos, the ship’s regular seven-night itineraries feature visits to Salvador, Maceió and Búzios.

Set to be repeated through late March, the cruise can be started at any of the ports of call, with the exception of Búzios.

The MSC Grandiosa was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and originally entered service in 2019.

Part of MSC Cruises’ five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several different amenities, including the Galleria Grandiosa, a 112-meter-long central promenade that features a huge LED dome.

The Grandiosa also offers a selection of bars and lounges, as well as a complete water park, and over ten dining venues.

MHA Symposium at Sea Starts from New Norwegian Viva

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The Marine Hotel Association’s (MHA) 2023 Symposium at Sea has kicked off from the just-christened Norwegian Viva, which sailed from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pearl of Miami terminal on Saturday, Dec. 2 on a four-day Bahamas cruise.

Sailing from PortMiami’s Terminal B, MHA members were quick to move from curb to ship, with a priority access security line and dedicated check in area. The four-day cruise features one day at sea and port calls in Nassau and Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay.

The 3,215-guest ship will serve as the host of the MHA’s event, which features sessions with cruise line decision-makers in the hotel operations, food and beverage and supply chain arena from a variety of big-ship, luxury, expedition and niche lines, plus vessel management companies.

In addition to the panel sessions, the ship is offering MHA members a look behind-the-scenes at the operation for over 3,000 guests and 1,000 crew members.

MHA attendees can also look forward to a full schedule of speed networking with cruise lines in attendance, with key personnel on hand from all four major cruise corporations: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC.

There are more companies too, including but not limited to adventure brands such as Lindblad Expeditions and vessel management company Anglo-Eastern Leisure Management, which is overseeing multiple vessels in the polar market.

Having entered service this summer after delivery from Fincantieri, the Viva is a sister to the Norwegian Prima. Four more similar but upsized Prima ships are set to follow, with the Norwegian Aqua poised to start service in 2025.

Sailing from Miami, the Viva will reposition in December to San Juan, where she will sail week-long Eastern Caribbean itineraries through March. An April trans-Atlantic crossing positions the ship in the Mediterranean for summer 2024.

Norwegian Viva Christened in Miami Ceremony

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Norwegian Cruise Lin has celebrated the christening of Norwegian Viva in a Miami ceremony.

“To christen Norwegian Viva in Miami is incredibly special to many of us at NCL, not only because Miami is our hometown, but also because we can share this moment with our local family and friends,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Launching a ship is no solo endeavor. I am overwhelmed with gratitude towards the entire NCL team, our partners and especially our amazing crew who have contributed to bringing Norwegian Viva to life and who care for and deliver exceptional vacation experiences for our guests.”

Following Norwegian Viva’s debut this past August and its inaugural summer season of European voyages, today, over 1,500 guests joined the christening ceremony held in the Company’s LEED® Gold Certified terminal at PortMiami.

“As a Company, it has been a milestone year with the debut of next-generation ships across all three of our best-in-class cruise brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

“The addition of Norwegian Viva further elevates our world-class fleet, providing our valued guests with another incredible way to vacation, discover new experiences and create unforgettable memories. Since she launched in August, Norwegian Viva’s initial guest satisfaction scores have outshined any newbuild in the history of the NCL fleet, a testament to not only how stunning this ship is, but also the exceptional level of service and attention provided by our amazing crew onboard.”

Luis Fonsi, Norwegian Viva’s godfather and GRAMMY Award-nominated singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, officially named and christened the vessel with the ceremonial champagne bottle break across the ship’s hull which signifies good fortune and safe travels for all who sail aboard. As a native Puerto Rican, who is also based in Miami, Fonsi embodies the vibrant energy guests can enjoy aboard Norwegian Viva with warm-weather itineraries spanning from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.

The celebration continues through the evening with an unparalleled and next-level entertainment lineup headlined by Fonsi performing his award-winning and global chart-topping hit “Despacito,” among his other beloved Latin hits like “No Me Doy Por Vencido” and “Échame La Culpa.” Other talented performers with authentic Miami and Latin roots are taking the stage, including “Saturday Night Live” cast member and Miami-native, Marcello Hernandez; the Queen of Latin Pop, Paulina Rubio; and recently announced GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist, Pedro Capó.

“It is so exciting to celebrate the magnificent Norwegian Viva in true Latin-style in Miami and alongside fellow A-list Latino entertainers,” said Luis Fonsi, award-winning global artist. “We are giving her a proper despedida before she makes her debut in my hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico.”