MSC Cruises’ glamorous MSC Meraviglia will homeport in the Big Apple from April 2023 for year-round cruises to the Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and Canada. Many of the cruises from New York will visit Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line’s private island destination in The Bahamas.
If you’ve been there you’ll know: New York is one of the most incredible and vibrant destinations in the world. The city that never sleeps never stops to amaze travelers from all around the globe. And now the city will offer a brand new reason to visit: MSC Meraviglia. From April 2023 MSC Cruises will, for the first time ever, homeport one if its newest ships in New York. The deployment will enhance MSC Cruises’ presence in the North American market by complementing the choice of ships and itineraries sailing from both Miami and Port Canaveral/Orlando in Florida.
Also read: 8 ways to experience what’s new in New York City
MSC Cuises has designed a mix of itineraries to take advantage of New York’s geographic flexibility, so that guests can soak up the sun in the Caribbean during the spring and winter seasons, head to Bermuda during the summer or go north to see Canada’s natural beauty in the autumn. And of course, for those guests that wish to discover New York there is the option to visit the city pre or post their cruise.
MSC Meraviglia will offer a wide variety of itineraries ranging from 6 to 11 nights. Some of the New York itinerary highlights include:
- Caribbean itineraries of either 7 or 8 nights, featuring calls in Nassau, The Bahamas and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve – MSC Cruises’ private island in The Bahamas.
- Bermuda itineraries lasting 6 nights and offering three days docked at King’s Wharf combined with several relaxing days at sea.
- Northern itineraries of either 10 or 11 nights, featuring calls at Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Maine; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Saint John, New Brunswick. 11-night itineraries include an additional call in Newport, Rhode Island.
MSC Cruises’ decision to deploy a ship year-round in New York is the latest example of the brand’s long-standing focus on the overall North American cruise market, which includes attracting more international holidaymakers and continuing to place some of its most advanced ships at U.S. ports.
Port Canaveral in Florida was added last year as a permanent homeport with a mix of 3, 4 and 7-night cruises aimed at maximizing options for international guests to enjoy the world-renowned mix of attractions in the Orlando area.
New travel packages
To ensure that guests get the most of their cruise holiday both ashore and once on board, MSC Cruises is developing new packages that offer guests a complete end to end experience. These full-service packages include a choice of convenient flights, a 4-star hotel with breakfast as well as other useful services such as pre-cruise excursion, cruise pre-check-in at the hotel, luggage service from hotel to ship cabin and private port transfers. These attractive packages will be available for MSC Meraviglia’s New York itineraries as well as other key embarkation ports such as Venice/Marghera, Monfalcone, Trieste, Athens as well as Miami and are designed to provide guests with a seamless and stress-free experience.
MSC Meraviglia
We joined MSC Cruises for the inauguration of MSC Cruises in 2017 and were impressed by the 315 metres long and 65 metres tall ship. With an impressive 19 decks and capacity of up to 5,700 guests, MSC Meraviglia is a holiday destination in its own right, packed with innovative features to provide an unforgettable experience. To read more about our time on board MSC Meraviglia click Exploring a wonder: 2 days on board MSC Meraviglia.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
MSC Cruises’ private island destination in The Bahamas is the centrepiece of a breathtaking near 17,000 hectare marine reserve designed to connect guests with nature, making it the perfect spot to take a deep breath and relax. The island will be a highlight of many of MSC Meraviglia’s itineraries and offers white sandy beaches where chairs, umbrellas and cabanas await guests for a relaxing day of soaking up the spirit of The Bahamas while surrounded by sweeping panoramas of crystal blue waters at every turn.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is home to the MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Programme, which aims to develop and refine methods to reverse the decline in coral reefs. The Foundation is working with scientists from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School and Nova Southeastern University to pioneer methods for rebuilding damaged reefs with coral species that are more resilient to environmental threats like ocean pollution and warming.