MSC Cruises Launches New Family Options For Seascape

Posted on 14 July, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

MSC Cruises today unveiled details of its MSC Seascape, which it said will elevate the family experience and provide children with endless options for onboard entertainment.

The ship will feature 98 hours of live entertainment per cruise, 700 square meters of dedicated kids’ space and cutting-edge amusement options when she launches in December 2022, offering seven-night cruises in the Caribbean following her New York christening.

“We have invested heavily in the entertainment proposition for our youngest guests. We know they value the latest technology, trends and happenings more than any other group, and we lead the way in creating special holidays,” said MSC Cruises’ Global Head of Entertainment Steve Leatham. “The ship programming is full of innovations in hardware and software, and we have taken care to ensure that all age groups have exclusive access to all the amazing venues and spaces onboard this amazing ship. We are working with many partners and producing much of the content ourselves, ensuring everything is relevant and fits with our amazing ships.”

MSC Seascape will offer one of the largest children’s areas in the fleet with 700 square meters of dedicated space featuring a fresh, futuristic design. New spaces include:

TWO LEGO ROOMS: The cruise line will build on its partnership with LEGO, debuting two exclusively designed LEGO rooms that cater to different experience levels. One room will offer LEGO DUPLO for ages 3 to 6, and the other room will cater to Juniors ages 7 to 11 with LEGO bricks and the opportunity to earn a certificate for becoming a LEGO Master Builder.
THREE NEW CONCEPT SPACES FOR TEENS: Guests aged 12 to 17 will enjoy three new concept spaces with varying themes to engage with other kids their age. The first space will centre around “Future” and features a technology area with the latest generation consoles, VR and screens. The “Chill Out” area will offer a place to teens to talk, exchange social media contacts and challenge each other to games of ping pong and foozeball. And the third space celebrates “Music” as a disco with light and sound effects, where kids will choose their own music late into the night.

Family entertainment will bring together people of all ages aboard MSC Seascape, with live interactive games incorporating the latest technology. New game shows launching on MSC Seascape include:

BREAK THE WALL: During this new high-tech game, guests will stand in front of a giant technological wall that will determine which surprise tests must be performed on stage in front of a jury composed of the audience. Bringing an element of surprise and laughter, kids of all ages will be talking about this game for the entire trip.
VIKINGS: For the first time on board an MSC Cruises ship, families can participate in an “edutaining” game that will teach participants about the history of Vikings while presenting them with a fun unprecedented challenge at sea.
CABIN 12006 – THE SECRET GAME: Inspired by the MSC original “Cabin 12006” web series, this immersive experience combines music, videos, Tik Tok trials, memory games, and more as guests try their hand at solving mysteries on board.
BEAT THE MUSIC: During this interactive and digital game show dedicated to music suitable for all ages, the whole family will be the star of the show. Guests can play the game through a dedicated app where parents will be challenged to know the latest music hits their kids are listening to and kids will have to guess the classics their parents love. With eliminations and prizes, the game is sure to be one of the most memorable experiences of the cruise.

“With MSC Seascape, we want to surprise and leave Generation Z speechless. We’ve listened to the 350,000 young people who have travelled with us over the years and followed their trends and requests,” said MSC Cruises Corporate Kids Entertainment Manager Matteo Mancini. “We will offer even more space and new experiences for teenagers, have exclusive game shows for this age group and the first “edutainment” game show dedicated to the history, bringing in the concepts of new technology and social media.”

Other activities and entertainment onboard:

DOREMILAND, THE DOCUMENTARY: All cabins with children and teenagers will include an exclusive travel talk broadcast in the form of a documentary, immersing parents and kids in all the services and activities that await them during the cruise. This sensational behind-the-scenes documentary shows guests the secrets behind the creation of MSC’s family product.
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 has teams of 10- to 17-year-olds battle to win the title of dance crew of the year.
CABIN 12006-THE EXPERIENCE: MSC’s original web series, “Cabin 12006,” is now also a live entertainment experience consisting of seven different activities including a family game show and a casting session with performances.
TEENS CLUB: This room entirely dedicated to teenagers includes endless options for entertainment including a PlayStation5, Xbox X Series, Nintendo Switch, foosball, VR, table tennis, and billiards.
TLS TEENS LATE SHOW: Each week, teens will be the cast of a real “Late Show” live from the Teens Club that will focus on trends, music charts, guest stars, the most loved TV series, and games and prizes.
MSC FOUNDATION JUNIOR AMBASSADORS: The MSC Foundation provides young guests with the tools for understanding projects such as marine conservation, making them the centre of dedicated activities involved in bettering the world.

Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady Leaves Portsmouth for New York

Posted on 7 September, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

The Scarlet Lady has set sail from Portsmouth, England, after spending the summer in the UK. According to a press release, the 2,800-passenger Virgin Voyages ship is now heading across the Atlantic to New York.

Portsmouth International Port said that over 8,000 passengers enjoyed the Summer Soiree Series, which saw Virgin Voyages launch its world’s first commercial sailing from Portsmouth.

A pop-up terminal was created to host passengers while keeping strict COVID-19 health protocols in place after the CDC cruise restrictions in America curtailed plans for stateside launch, guests instead enjoyed a season sailing in domestic UK waters.

Portsmouth port said that the Scarlet Lady brought a “much-needed boost to the city after a challenging year.” and it felt honoured to receive an open letter of thanks from the Virgin Voyages team.

“(Y) you’ve welcomed us to your home and you will forever have a place in our heart. We couldn’t be more grateful for your support as we sailed for the first time,” the letter read. “While the Scarlet Lady is saying Bon Voyage after a brilliant Summer Soiree season, we can’t wait to see you next year when our second ship, the Valiant Lady, makes her debut, right here. She’s quite the head-turner too, and there’s nowhere else we’d rather start her off.”

Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port’s director said: “Seeing the Scarlet Lady in the port has been the result of years of hard work, from securing investment to extend our cruise berth to accommodate larger ships, to building confidence with the Virgin Voyages’ team that we could look after their world-first sailing … Everyone at the port stepped up, during the most challenging time, to make sure this was a success and I’m so proud of their hard work and professionalism.”

Sellers noted that it has also been impressive to see the Virgin team in operation with some spending months in the city to make sure “everything went smoothly, becoming very fond of Portsmouth in the process.”

“We want to become the port of choice for luxury, boutique cruises, and with plans for a terminal extension underway we’re on our way there … We’re looking forward to seeing Virgin’s new build Valiant Lady in the city next year, and welcoming back the team. In the meantime, the hard work continues as we continue to build our position as a major player in the cruise industry,” Sellers said.

NCL UNVEILS NORWEGIAN DAWN’S EX-UK PROGRAMME FOR 2023

Posted on 26 February, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Cruise Line has released the programme of itineraries for Norwegian Dawn when the ship homeports in Southampton in 2023.

NCL will offer a range of eight to 14-day voyages on Norwegian Dawn from Southampton in 2023, as part of its partnership with Associated British Ports to open a new cruise terminal at the Hampshire port from 2021 onwards.

The 2023 itineraries on Dawn will include a 14-day transatlantic trip from New York to Southampton, departing on 20 April, and a series of 10 and 11-day cruises around the British Isles, as well as voyages to the Baltics and Northern Europe.

Eamonn Ferrin, NCL’s vice president and managing director in the UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa, said: “We’re seeing strong demand for closer to home sailings in 2021 and beyond. Looking ahead, British holidaymakers are excited to explore Europe, with endless destinations to suit all types of travellers.

“At NCL, we will expand our itineraries out of Southampton onboard Norwegian Dawn in 2023 and have some fantastic trips available across the British Isles, the Baltics and Northern Europe. We can’t wait to welcome guests onboard again.”