Tag Archives: MSC Divina

MSC Cruises unveils TV ad

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Photo by Dave Jones

MSC Cruises has launched its first long-term TV branding campaign in the U.S. with an ad titled “In the Summertime.” The commercial will appear on a variety of cable channels.
Click the Image below for the new advert

MSC Advert

MSC Advert

The commercial’s music, “In the Summertime,” is a 1970 pop hit rerecorded with MSC’s own lyrics by the original artist, Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry. “In the Summertime,” which features a washboard introduction, topped the pop charts in 26 countries in the summer of 1970.

“As we plan for MSC Divina to sail year-round from Miami starting in November 2015 and then our next-generation, newbuild, MSC Seaside, to come to Miami in 2017, you’ll see a significant increase in MSC’s marketing efforts,” said Bonnie Levengood, MSC Cruises USA’s senior vice president of marketing.

In June, the company will launch MSC Book, a new booking engine for travel agents that it says will improve the end-user experience and make the booking process as quick and simple as possible.

At the same time, MSC will reveal a revamped travel agent site with a new look and feel, and later this summer it will launch a new consumer website.

MSC Divina will return to Miami in 2016

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MSC Cruises said that MSC Divina will sail from Miami during the summer of 2016, giving it a year-round presence in the Caribbean again.

MSC had said that Divina would return from the Mediterranean this fall but hadn’t announced deployment beyond April 2016.

With the announcement, MSC published itineraries for Divina through March 2017. They will rotate between eastern and western Caribbean routes and call in St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mexico and the Bahamas.

As previously announced, MSC plans to deploy a new ship, the MSC Seaside, from Miami starting in November 2017. The MSC Seaside is expected to sail to the Caribbean year round.

Divina sailings from April 2016 through March 2017 will go on sale on Friday, May 1. In an introductory promotion,  MSC said it will offer consumers a shipboard credit, a beverage package and a WiFi package, depending on the category of stateroom booked.

The line will also offer 18% flat commission for group bookings, along with complimentary stateroom upgrades and shipboard credit for guests in the group.

MSC Cruises announces return to UK next year

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By Hollie-Rae Merrick

MSC Cruises is returning to the UK next year with a short series of ex-UK sailings from Southampton.The line will base Fantasia-class ship MSC Splendida in Southampton for six sailings, having pulled out of the UK market this year.

Among the sailings will be MSC’s first round-Britain itinerary starting in a UK port. Previous cruises had embarked in Hamburg.

Giles Hawke, MSC’s executive director for the UK and Ireland, said he hoped the “staggered return” of ex-UK sailings would be built on in 2017.

“A lot of our guests and agents have been asking us to base a ship in the UK,” he said. “People love travelling with us and want to embark in the UK with us.”

The line’s 2016 programme also includes new northern Europe cruises and longer Mediterranean sailings.

During the summer season, MSC will offer 270 sailings across 22 itineraries, made up of nine core seven-night Mediterranean itineraries, seven Med sailings of between nine and 12 nights, and new Baltic and Norwegian fjords cruises.

For the first time, a Fantasia-class ship will operate the Dubai winter season, with Bahrain making its debut on the itinerary.

Over the past year, the line has focused on fly-cruise, but the 2016 programme also includes cruise-only prices.

Hawke said: “We have responded to feedback by making cruise-only an attractive option for those who wish to make their own arrangements or for agents who want to create their own packages.”

For simplicity, cruise-only fares for European itineraries will be set £150 lower than fly-cruise packages, and £400 lower for the Caribbean and Middle East.

Upgrades from outside to balcony cabins on Fantastica fares are also available for £50 a person.

Bookings before August 31 will qualify for savings of up to £300.

The 2016 brochure has a new look and feel, with more space dedicated to each itinerary.

It also includes four pages of information about the four ships MSC has on order.