MSC Cruises adds year-round sailings from New York, and begins construction on a new homeport out of Miami.
MSC Cruises will start sailing from New York City next year, and has announced plans to bring the MSC Meraviglia to the Big Apple to offer year-round cruises, homeporting at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal starting in April of 2023.
The announcement marks the first time one of the line’s ships will homeport in the northeastern United States year-round, and it further enhances the brand’s North American presence by complementing the ships and itineraries out of PortMiami and Port Canaveral in the Orlando area.
On board MSC Meraviglia, guests will have a wide variety of vacation options, ranging from 6- to 11-nights, with destinations covering the Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and Canada. Bookings for summer 2023 cruises from New York City opened on March 9, via msccruises.com.
“New York City was the natural choice when we picked our next U.S. port because it’s so accessible, whether the guest is coming from somewhere nearby or from around the world,” said Ruben Rodriguez, president, MSC Cruises USA, in a press statement. “We designed our mix of itineraries to take advantage of New York’s geographic flexibility, so that you can soak up the springtime sun in the Caribbean, head to Bermuda over the summer, or go north to see Canada’s natural beauty in the fall. MSC Meraviglia was a huge hit when she first came to New York in 2019. Our guests really appreciated the ship’s modern and glamorous features, as well as her state-of-the-art environmental technologies, and we are sure we’ll see strong demand when she returns.”
New York City Itinerary Highlights:
- Caribbean itineraries of either seven or eight nights, featuring calls in Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve—MSC Cruises’ private island in The Bahamas.
- Bermuda itineraries lasting six 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.)
Last year, the cruise line added Port Canaveral as a permanent homeport with a mix of 3, 4 and 7-night cruises aimed at maximizing options for easy getaways just a short drive from the Orlando area’s world-renowned mix of attractions. Further south, MSC Cruises is building the largest and most advanced cruise terminal in North America at PortMiami, which will be able to accommodate three of the line’s largest ships simultaneously once complete. The Cruise Division of MSC Group broke ground today on the new terminal, which is set to become North America’s largest once it’s completed.
“Our new terminal at PortMiami represents MSC Cruises’ commitment to growing in North America and will help drive our expansion in South Florida and beyond,” said Ruben Rodriguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, in a press statement. “It’s also part of our larger sustainability goals, which include deploying our most modern and environmentally advanced ships to North America, the continued development of our one-of-a-kind Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and our pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We’re proud of our partnership with Fincantieri, PortMiami and Miami-Dade County, and it’s a privilege to be able to contribute to the region’s continued growth and vitality.”
The new terminal will feature a four-story building capable of accommodating 36,000 passenger movements per day, and feature enough berthing space to serve three latest generation ships at once. The project is expected to be completed at the end of 2023.
The new terminal will accommodate the cruise line’s largest and most environmentally advanced cruise ships, including MSC Cruises’ newest flagship, MSC Seashore, and the line’s future LNG-powered World Class ships. Most ships deployed there will be ready to plug in to the local power grid at berth, in line with PortMiami’s plans to enable shore power connectivity.
“In Miami-Dade County, we are forging our way to the future with investments that will stimulate growth and expanded opportunities for our local economy. As our port continues to grow, the opportunities for our community—in jobs, contracts, and services—can only increase,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, in a press statement. “A big thank you to MSC Cruises and Fincantieri for their solid partnership.”
Aside from the terminal building itself, the new complex will include a multi-level parking garage for 2,400 vehicles, new road construction to ensure traffic flows smoothly, and a total of three berths capable of accommodating the largest of cruise ships. The cruise line will build two of those new docks; Miami-Dade County will construct the third. The project also involves the construction of related shore infrastructure, including water supply stations and four passenger embarkation decks.
The project reflects an investment of approximately $350 million.
For more information, visit msccruisesusa.com.
For more cruise news, click here.
