MSC Cruises has revealed that its latest flagship, the MSC Seashore, will be officially named at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas on Nov. 18, making this the first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island.
According to a press release, the event will be attended by travel advisors and media as well as other key company stakeholders.
Departing Miami on Nov. 17, invitees will be able to get a first look at the new ship before she starts her inaugural seven-night cruise and U.S. season on Nov. 20 and make the most of the onboard entertainment, different activities as well as various bars and restaurants.
As with every new MSC Cruises ship, Hollywood royalty Sophia Loren will perform the role of Godmother as she officially names her 16th MSC Cruises ship. The festivities will take place both onboard and on the island as the ship will remain docked throughout the night, with a gala dinner, live entertainment and more.
The naming of the MSC Seashore will see the formal inauguration of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, which opened in late 2019 and closed shortly after due to the pandemic.
MSC said that the island has since gone through further work and significant improvements and this is “an opportunity for MSC Cruises to showcase the island to the invitees on this occasion.”
The MSC Seashore will become the third MSC Cruises ship based in the U.S and the company is offering a range of different length cruises from mini cruises, regular seven-night sailings to longer cruises of eight nights and 11 nights.
New for this season is Port Canaveral where the MSC Divina began operating in September. This new homeport is convenient and easily accessible and is close to popular attractions and major cities like Orlando, Tampa and South Florida for those wishing to make the most out of their holiday either before or after the cruise, MSC said.
When the MSC Seashore arrives, the MSC Meraviglia will move to Port Canaveral for the rest of the season and the MSC Divina will move to PortMiami.
The MSC Seashore will remain for summer 2022 in Miami offering cruises with the MSC Divina out of Port Canaveral.
This MSC Bellissima at the weekend sailed into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to prepare for her maiden summer season of 21 voyages in the Red Sea.
The ship becomes the largest cruise ship to have ever operated in the Red Sea, and will offer three- and four-night sailings between the end of July and late October from her summer base in Jeddah to Safaga, Egypt and Aqaba, Jordan.
The summer sailings will add to MSC Cruises’ previously announced winter 2021/2022 Red Sea voyages from Jeddah that start in November.
The MSC Bellissima will be the eighth MSC Cruises’ ship to resume sailings with passengers on board with a further three vessels preparing to start future voyages, which will see half of the company’s fleet back at sea by the end of summer.
Five MSC Cruises’ ships are currently sailing in the Mediterranean – MSC Grandiosa MSC Seaside, MSC Orchestra, MSC Splendida and MSC Magnifica, MSC Virtuosa is operating around the UK and MSC Seaview is cruising in the Baltic Sea.
The MSC Meraviglia from 2 August will resume Caribbean cruises from Miami and will be joined in the region from 18 September when MSC Divina restarts sailing from Port Canaveral near Orlando in Florida.
The MSC Seashore will come into service in August with voyages in the West Mediterranean before the company’s newest flagship transfers in November to Miami for a season in the Caribbean.
The MSC Seashore is currently in the final stages of construction at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. The third ship in the Seaside Class, its scheduled to enter service on August 1.
MSC Virtuosa Year Built: 2021 Capacity: 4,888 guests Location: United Kingdom
One of the MSC ships in service, the MSC Virtuosa is currently cruising in the United Kingdom.
MSC Virtuosa arriving in Liverpool, photo by Dave Jones
MSC Grandiosa Year Built: 2019 Capacity: 4,888 guests Location: Western Mediterranean
Like the MSC Virtuosa, the MSC Grandiosa is back in service. The vessel is presently offering a 7-night itinerary to Italy, Spain and Malta with calls in ports such as Naples, Civitavecchia, Barcelona and La Valletta.
MSC Seaside Year Built: 2017 Capacity: 4,140 guests Location: Western Mediterranean
Another MSC ship back in service, the MSC Seaside is presently sailing in the Western Mediterranean. The vessel offers seven-night cruises in the region, visiting Italy and Malta.
The MSC Preziosa remains docked in the Port of Naples, Italy. Until late 2020, the Fantasia-class ship was spending the operational pause in the Bahamas, along other U.S.-based MSC ships.
The MSC Magnifica welcomed the passengers back on June 20, offering cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean. The vessel is currently sailing from Venice, on a seven-night itinerary with calls in Bari, Piraeus, Mykonos and Split.
Sailing from Trieste, the MSC Splendida resumed service on June 12. The Fantasia-class ship is now offering seven-night cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean, with calls in Greece, Croatia and more.
MSC Fantasia Year Built: 2008 Capacity: 3,300 guests Location: Malta
The MSC Fantasia is presently in Malta. The vessel recently docked in the port of La Valletta, near the Palumbo Group Shipyard, which was partly acquired by MSC in 2020.
On June 5, the MSC Orchestra became the first MSC ship to resume service in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Musica-class ship is currently sailing from Venice, offering a seven-night itinerary to Greece and Croatia.
MSC Musica Year Built: 2006 Capacity: 2,550 guests Location: Genoa, Italy
After some time in Augusta, in Southern Italy, the MSC Musica recently arrived in Genoa. The vessel is currently docked at the Ponte dei Mille Cruise Terminal.
MSC Opera Year Built: 2004 Capacity: 1,712 guests Location: Augusta, Italy
The MSC Opera is anchored off the Port of Augusta, in the island of Sicily, Italy.
MSC Lirica Year Built: 2003 Capacity: 1,560 guests Location: La Valletta, Malta
Along with the MSC Poesia, the MSC Sinfonia is docked in Trieste. The vessel arrived in Italy in December, from Brazil.
MSC Armonia Year Built: 2001
Capacity: 1,554 guests Location: Ocean Cay, the Bahamas
The MSC Armonia is currently near Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas. As the other U.S.-based vessels of the fleet, it has been spending the operational pause in the region.
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