Cruise lines are opening the books on 2028 sailings, with MSC Cruises rolling out an expanded Caribbean program and PONANT EXPLORATIONS debuting its first wave of voyages in partnership with Smithsonian Journeys.
MSC will deploy six ships across The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean, introducing its new Sandy Cay private island experience alongside upgrades at Ocean Cay and marking MSC World Atlantic’s first summer season from Port Canaveral. At the same time, PONANT’s initial 2028 lineup features a mix of returning itineraries and a headline new solar eclipse voyage.
Highlights of MSC’s season include two World Class ships—MSC World America from Miami and MSC World Atlantic in its first summer season from Port Canaveral—offering alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Guests departing from Miami and Port Canaveral will also be able to choose from short sailings to The Bahamas aboard MSC Seascape (Miami) and MSC Grandiosa (Port Canaveral), many of which include overnight stays at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line’s private destination in The Bahamas.
Guests sailing from Galveston on board MSC Seascape will have access to 7-night itineraries visiting the Western Caribbean. Additionally, the cruise line’s new year-round offering from La Romana in the Dominican Republic aboard MSC Opera offers calls at Catalina Island, at which the company recently announced plans for an enhanced beach experience with upgraded facilities.
Lynn Torrent, President, MSC Cruises North America, said in a media statement, “We’re always looking for opportunities to give our guests new ways to experience MSC Cruises’ mix of European style and American comfort, and our Summer 2028 Caribbean itineraries are a great example of that. We have sunny getaways available for everyone, whether they’re looking for a quick weekend in The Bahamas, a family vacation aboard one of our fantastic World Class ships or a bucket-list journey through the gorgeous Southern Caribbean. Plus, guests can look forward to the new experiences we’re building in key destinations like Ocean Cay, Sandy Cay and Catalina Island—all aimed at ensuring they have the best beach days possible.”
Meanwhile, PONANT’s 10-night Solar Eclipse on Western Australia’s Kimberley Coast itinerary along Australia’s Kimberley Coast (July 19–29, 2028) aboard Le Jacques Cartier is timed to coincide with the total solar eclipse on July 22. Departing Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, and concluding in Broome, a historic pearling town on the Kimberley’s southwestern coast, the journey spotlights ancient Aboriginal rock art at Swift Bay, Zodiac exploration through the crocodile-rich mangroves of the Hunter River and navigation through the powerful tidal currents of Montgomery Reef, one of the world’s largest inshore reef systems. Guests will also be joined by two Smithsonian Journeys Experts, including meteorologist Joe Rao and Brent Garry, a geologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, who will share insights and enriching perspectives throughout the voyage.
“At PONANT EXPLORATIONS, we believe that travel, when approached with curiosity and care, has the power to transform both the traveler and the world,” said Samuel Chamberlain, CEO of the Americas, PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP, in a media statement. “Our alliance with Smithsonian Journeys brings together leading voices in their fields to illuminate the beauty and importance of the places we visit. From witnessing a total solar eclipse over the Kimberley coast to seeing gray whales in Baja or giant tortoises in Seychelles, our 2028 voyages are guided by a shared conviction that knowledge deepens wonder, and wonder inspires change.”
Additional itineraries include the 10-night Madagascar and Seychelles: Natural Treasures of the Indian Ocean aboard Le Dumont d’Urville; the 10-night Expedition of Baja and the Sea of Cortez: In Search of the Great Whales aboard Le Bellot; the 7-night Cruising the Caribbean’s Windward Islands aboard Le Champlain; the 10-night South Africa and Namibia by Sea: Around the Cape of Good Hope aboard Le Dumont d’Urville; and the 11-night Antarctica: The White Continent aboard Le Boreal.
