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.
By 2027 MSC will not only have the most passenger cruise capacity in Europe but also be the single largest brand, based on its new build program and projected ship deployments.
MSC Cruises, including its Explora Journeys brand, will have a total passenger capacity of 4.3 million in Europe in 2027, compared to 4.0 million for Carnival Corporation brands and 1.5 million for the TUI Group.
In addition, would be ships deployed from Carnival’s North American brands and by the Royal Caribbean Group, but their passenger sourcing, pending circumstances, is primarily from the U.S.
From 2022 to 2027, MSC will see its capacity grow by 36.2 per cent, Carnival by 3.3 per cent and the TUI Group by 41.7 per cent.
MSC is a pan-European brand, along with Costa Cruises, while national brands dominate some markets, such as P&O in the UK, AIDA and TUI in Germany.
The market capacity of the Europe-based brands is estimated at 9.2 million passengers this year and is projected to grow to 11 million by 2027.
The Cruise Division of MSC Group today broke ground for its new $350 million cruise terminal in Miami which when it opens will be North America’s largest, according to a statement from the company.
The four-story building with four embarkation decks will be able to accommodate up to 36,000 passenger movements a day, and feature enough berthing space to serve three latest-generation ships simultaneously, the company said.
The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced a partnership in July 2021 whereby Fincantieri Infrastructure would construct the state-of-the-art facility which will feature a striking design by award-winning global architecture firm Arquitectonica.
The new terminal will be able to accommodate MSC Cruises’ largest and most environmentally advanced cruise ships, including its current flagship, the MSC Seashore, and the line’s future liquified natural gas-powered World Class ships.
Most ships at berth at the new Miami terminal will be able to plug into the local power grid, in line with PortMiami’s plans to enable shore power connectivity.
Rubén Rodriguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said, “Our new terminal at PortMiami represents MSC Cruises’ commitment to growth in North America and will help drive our expansion in South Florida by offering our guests an unbeatable experience that starts before they ever step onboard. It’s also part of our larger sustainability goals, which include deploying our most modern and environmentally advanced ships to North America, the continued development of our one-of-a-kind Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and our pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We’re proud of our partnership with Fincantieri, PortMiami and Miami-Dade County, and it’s a privilege to be able to contribute to the region’s continued growth and vitality.”
Claudio Gemme, CEO of Fincantieri Infrastructure, added, “We are very pleased to be able to work with MSC, Miami-Dade County and PortMiami on such an ambitious project as the new terminal. It represents for us a significant result from a strategic point of view because it rewards the choice to extend to new areas the skills acquired in the field of large infrastructures. When the works are completed, here in the world cruise capital, passengers from all over the globe will be able to admire the superior quality of our work even before boarding the ship.”
Mayor Daniella LevineCava, Miami-Dade County, said, “In Miami-Dade County, we are forging ahead with future-ready investments that will stimulate growth and expanded opportunities for our local economy. As this port continues to develop, the opportunities for our community, whether in jobs, contracts, and services, can only increase. MSC’s new mega cruise terminal will significantly impact the entire region. Once complete, the facility will service three new-generation passenger vessels simultaneously, handling up to 36,000 passenger movements per day. Additionally, this architectural marvel will allow the line to deploy some of its most environmentally high-performing ships including its World-class fleet. A big thank you to MSC Cruises and Fincantieri for their partnership.”
Aside from the terminal building itself, the new complex – which is currently projected to be completed by the end of 2023 – will include a multi-level parking garage for 2,400 vehicles, new road construction to ensure traffic flows smoothly, and a total of three berths capable of accommodating the largest of cruise ships. The company will build two of those new docks; Miami-Dade County will construct the third. The project also involves the construction of related shore infrastructure, including water supply stations and four-passenger embarkation decks.
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