MSC Reveals Family Features Aboard New World Europa

Posted on 29 June, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

MSC Cruises today revealed details of the facilities and activities designed for kids and families on board the new MSC World Europa, set to come into service in December 2022.

The ship will feature the largest kids’ area in MSC Cruises’ fleet spanning 766 square meters with seven distinct spaces dedicated to different ages from babies to 17 years old, the company said in a press release.

Matteo Mancini, Kids’ Entertainment Manager, MSC Cruises, said, “We have invested heavily in the entertainment offering for our younger guests, and we know they value the latest technology, trends and experiences. We have worked to introduce real innovations in both the design of the facilities as well as the development of an incredible program of activities, all carefully planned to ensure that the differing needs of all age groups are met – from our youngest guests through to teenagers. More than 350,000 young people who have travelled with us over the years and we have listened to their feedback. MSC World Europa reflects these learnings and we have been inspired to create experiences that blend technology and social media with activity and sport to create fresh and new entertainment for the kids who sail with us.”

The Kids’ Clubs are available from the youngest guests through to teens and activities are organized according to age group:

Especially for babies: Baby Club for toddlers up to 3 years, with qualified crew members
For the younger kids: Mini Club and Juniors Club (3 – 11 years)
For the older kids: Young Club and Teen Club (12 – 17 years) including a brand-new TEENS LAB, a totally immersive, tech-filled, modern room just for teens

MSC Cruises has dedicated childcare services to give parents the freedom to enjoy the ship, safe in the knowledge that their children are being cared for by dedicated and highly trained staff. Many of these services are offered in collaboration with Chicco – a leading global baby brand and a long-term MSC Cruises partner.

New:

LEGO CELEBRATION ROOM: The long-standing partnership between LEGO Group and MSC Cruises continues to surprise fans with a never-seen-before room celebrating LEGO’s “90 years of Play.”
HIGH-TECH ACTIVITIES: Pushing the boundaries of kids’ entertainment, MSC Cruises has developed exciting new activities blending games with high-tech features to create moments of pure pleasure. Within Juniors, Young & Teens Clubs, guests will have access to over 21 of the latest consoles, seven VR stations and more than 50 different videogames
3,2,1 KNOCK: This never-seen-before gameshow for the whole family is inspired by the challenges and colours of Asian entertainment: K-pop, Japanese games and tests that will leave the audience breathless
BEAT THE MUSIC: The whole family will be the star of an unmissable interactive and digital game show dedicated to music and suitable for all ages. For the first time on an MSC Cruises ship, guests will be able to play the game through a dedicated app. In this battle, parents work to identify the latest music their kids are listening to, while kids work to name the classics their parents love the most
Z ACTIVE: A brand new and exciting sports program for kids and teens including football, basketball, zorb ball and, for the first time on board, pickleball and hoverboards
DRONE ACADEMY 2.0: This high-tech and high-energy drone relay race comes to life at night thanks to fluo effects and glowing drones. New POV cameras and VR bring the experience to life while navigating 15 obstacles in the quickest time possible

Favourites:

CABIN 12006-THE EXPERIENCE: More than a cabin, Cabin 12006 is a live entertainment experience, with seven different activities including a family game show and a casting session with performances. The web series, with over four million views and two million interactions on the web, has been written and shot in collaboration with Viacom, the media group behind the kids’ channel Nickelodeon, to develop an original, authentic and high-quality web content for kids.
MSC DANCE CREW: Developed in partnership with Fremantle, the production company behind the globally successful TV talent shows including Idols, The X Factor and Got Talent series, this competition experience sees teams of 10-17 years battling it out to win the title of dance crew of the year.
LEGO EXPERIENCE ONBOARD: With a wide range of LEGO bricks and toys onboard, kids have the opportunity to express their creativity whenever and wherever they want! At the end of the LEGO® EXPERIENCE ONBOARD, each child will receive a diploma, certifying that he/she is now a Junior LEGO Master Builder.
MSC FOUNDATION JUNIOR AMBASSADORS: Thanks to the MSC Foundation, the MSC Group is committed to providing its young guests on board with tools for understanding projects such as environment, marine conservation, and education and community support.

Musica Marks MSC Cruises’ Full Return to Service

Posted on 12 June, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

A Chocolate Tribute to ‘Return to FULL Service’ on the MSC Virtuosa last week, Photo Credit SpaceJunkie2.

The MSC Musica is resuming service today in Italy, marking the return to revenue operations of the entire MSC Cruises fleet.

One of the first cruise lines to welcome guests back during the pandemic, MSC has been sailing since August 2020.

After months of limited operations in Europe, the brand has been gradually adding destinations and ships back into its active lineup for the past year.

With the Musica kicking off its summer program in the Eastern Mediterranean, all of the fleet’s 19 cruise vessels are now in service again.

Sailing from Monfalcone every Sunday, the 2006-built vessel will offer week-long cruises to the Greek Islands and Italy through November.

Passengers will also be able to board the ship in Bari before sailing to Santorini, Katakolon and Heraklion.

After completing its European deployment, the vessel is set to cross the Atlantic, ahead of a winter program in South America.

Starting in December, the vessel will serve the Argentinean market, with cruises to Brazil and Uruguay departing from the Port of Buenos Aires.

The MSC Musica originally entered service in 2006, introducing a series of four ships known as the Musica Class.

Built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, the 92,400-ton cruise ship can carry 2,550 passengers in double occupancy and features more than 236,800 square feet of common areas.

Among them are five different dining venues, including two main dining rooms and a Japanese speciality restaurant.

The vessel is also equipped with two outdoor pool decks, a large spa, a two-deck theatre, a mini-golf course, a nightclub, a casino, a cigar room and several lounges and bars.

As the second ship to resume service for MSC Cruises this month, the MSC Musica follows the MSC Orchestra.

After a winter season in South Africa, the vessel returned to Europe on June 4, kicking off a summer program in the Western Mediterranean.

New MSC Ship To Be Christened in New York City

Posted on 22 April, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

New York City will serve as the backdrop for an inaugural event when MSC Cruises’ newest U.S. flagship – MSC Seascape – comes into service later this year.

MSC has announced plans to hold the ship’s naming ceremony at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, with Academy Award-Winning star Sophia Loren carrying out her role as godmother to her 18th MSC Cruises ship.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division of MSC Group, commented: “We are particularly pleased to celebrate this momentous milestone in New York City, which holds a special place in our Group’s history, having been served by ships from the MSC Group’s cargo division since 1985. Today, as MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company leads the container shipping sector globally as well as across North America, MSC Cruises has grown to become a major player in the U.S. cruise industry. Having developed a meaningful operation out of South Florida, we are now preparing a major strategic expansion across the East Coast that will see us launch year-round cruises out of New York in 2023. We could not think of a better way of celebrating such a significant milestone than holding MSC Seascape’s – our latest flagship – naming ceremony in this wonderful city that has been an important hub for MSC Group for over three decades.”

MSC Seascape will be the cruise line’s first ship to be named in New York, reflecting MSC Cruises’ commitment to the North American cruise market and its upcoming expansion to New York and the Northeast with year-round cruises available from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal beginning in April of 2023, according to a press release.

Rubén Rodríguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said: “We are very excited to showcase to New Yorkers our European heritage and the unique international character we bring to cruising, matching the city’s multi-cultural flair. Bringing MSC Seascape to New York City for her Naming Ceremony is a fantastic opportunity for us to host a very special gala event onboard for our valued travel advisors and partners, introducing them to our newest ship. Come next year, New York City will be our third US homeport, alongside Miami and Orlando/Port Canaveral. This is the latest example of the significant investment we’re making in the U.S. and the Caribbean, which includes building the largest cruise terminal in North America at PortMiami and offering Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve as both a stunning tropical destination and a reflection of our commitment to the environment.”

The MSC Seascape will sail to Miami immediately following the ceremony for an inaugural season in the Caribbean.

The ship will be the second Seaside EVO class ship to enter MSC Cruises’ fleet and the fourth vessel in the line’s Seaside class.

The MSC Seascape will offer two different seven-night itineraries from PortMiami including an Eastern Caribbean cruise calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau in The Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and a Western Caribbean sailing calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica.