New York City will serve as the glittering backdrop for an extraordinary inaugural event when MSC Cruises’ newest U.S. flagship – MSC Seascape – comes into service later this year. Today the cruise line announced plans to hold the ship’s Naming Ceremony at New York’s centrally located Manhattan Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. The star-studded event will bring MSC Cruises’ distinctive European style and glamour to the Big Apple and be attended by local dignitaries, important partners, top travel advisors, media from around the world, celebrities and international artists. And of course, no Naming Ceremony would be complete without Academy Award-Winning star Sophia Loren carrying out her iconic role as godmother to her 18th MSC Cruises ship.
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. MSC Cruises is the world’s fastest growing cruise line and the third largest cruise brand in the world. With a truly global footprint, the line is continuing to expand and grow with two new ships coming into service in 2022 – MSC World Europa and MSC Seascape – and MSC Euribia hot on their heels in summer 2023.
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 home port, 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.”
While in New York, specially invited guests from around the world will enjoy a Naming Ceremony that includes live entertainment and performances, along with a gala dinner and an opportunity to discover MSC Seascape’s spectacular onboard venues and experiences.
MSC Seascape will sail to Miami immediately following the ceremony for an inaugural season in the Caribbean, with a long list of fantastic features that make her particularly well-suited for the region’s warm, sunny weather. The ship will be the second Seaside EVO class ship to enter MSC Cruises’ fleet and the fourth vessel in the line’s highly innovative Seaside class, which has been redefining guests’ expectations for Caribbean cruising since MSC Seaside first launched in Miami in 2017.
MSC Seascape will offer two different 7-night itineraries from PortMiami:
- Eastern Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau in The Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic
- Western Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica
The exceptional athlete Kristina Vogel christened AIDAcosma accompanied by AIDA Captain Vincent Cofalka in the port of Hamburg.
