MSC Cruises announced that it will be the title sponsor of two races in the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix series; the Japanese Grand Prix and the Gran Premio dell’Emilia Romagna held at Imola, according to a press release.
In 2024, the cruise line’s brand will be included in the title names of both Formula 1 Grand Prix, as well as the race circuit branding as part of MSC Cruises’ global sponsorship of Formula 1 through 2026.
The fourth race of the season, the “MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix” will take place between April 5-7, 2024 at the Suzuka track in Japan.
The “Formula 1 MSC Cruises Gran Premio dell’Emilia Romagna 2024” will take place between May 17 and 19, 2024 at the Imola circuit in Imola.
MSC Cruises became a global partner of Formula 1 in 2022 when the cruise line entered into a collaboration to the end of the 2026 World Championship.
Photo: Gran Premio dell’Emilia Romagna (Imola) (Colombo Images)
MSC Cruises will be temporarily closing its private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, in 2024, to help prepare the island for the company’s growth plans.
“Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will be temporarily closed to MSC Cruises guests from April 7 to May 22, 2024, in order to make necessary guest experience enhancements and support the island’s future growth plans,” the company said in a statement.
“We are in contact with impacted guests and travel advisors to share updated itineraries and travel options,” MSC added.
Of note, the new World America debuts from PortMiami in early 2025 and will be the largest MSC ship to visit Ocean Cay.
Port Canaveral welcomed the MSC Seaside as its new homeported ship during a ceremony on Thursday.
The MSC vessel is set to sail three and four-night cruises to The Bahamas, and seven-night cruises to Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, Belize.
“We are excited to welcome the MSC Seaside to Port Canaveral, yet another beautiful ship in the MSC Cruises lineup to call Port Canaveral home,” said Capt. John Murray, CEO of Port Canaveral.
“We are proud of our relationship with MSC Cruises and delighted to be the homeport for this new vessel class. Our Port is setting the standard for excellence in the industry. We’re committed to delivering a world-class experience for all cruise guests.”
MSC Cruises’ ship arrived at Port Canaveral on April 27 when port officials including Kevin Markey, chairman of Canaveral Port Authority presented the MSC Seaside’s captain Michele Di Mauro with a commemorative plaque to mark the ship’s first visit.
“The arrival of the MSC Seaside is another great milestone for Port Canaveral and the Space Coast region, further solidifying our position as the top cruise port in the world,” said Canaveral Port Authority Chairman Kevin Markey. “We are committed to continuing our efforts to responsibly grow our Port to promote the economic growth and prosperity of our local community and the state of Florida.”
MSC Cruises started sailing year-round from Port Canaveral in 2021 first with the MSC Divina and then with the MSC Meraviglia as well.
We built MSC Seaside specifically for Caribbean cruising, with an incredible amount of outdoor space and a sweeping waterfront promenade that allows guests to truly connect with the sea during their time onboard,” said Rubén A. Rodríguez, president of MSC Cruises USA.
“It’s a privilege for MSC Cruises to play a role in Port Canaveral’s growth with the deployment of yet another large and modern ship in our U.S. fleet. MSC Seaside’s beautiful amenities go hand in hand with our international heritage and the natural beauty and sustainability of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, our private destination in The Bahamas, to represent our unique vision for Caribbean cruising. We’re thrilled to share that experience with guests sailing from Port Canaveral.”
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