MSC Cruises makes 1st sailing from Florida; Port Canaveral debut on tap

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MSC Cruises joined the companies making their Florida debut with the sailing of MSC Meraviglia from Miami on Monday.

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MSC Cruises makes 1st sailing from Florida; Port Canaveral debut on tap

By RICHARD TRIBOU

ORLANDO SENTINEL |

AUG 03, 2021 AT 5:30 AM

MSC Meraviglia in Miami

MSC Meraviglia, the 7th largest cruise ship in the world, makes its Miami debut on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019. (MSC Cruises)

MSC Cruises joined the companies making their Florida debut with the sailing of MSC Meraviglia from Miami on Monday.

The massive ship marks the company’s first North American sailing in nearly 18 months although it has been one of the first cruise lines to venture back into waters internationally when it sailed in Europe in late 2020.

MSC follows Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Carnival, who all have at least one ship sailing with paying customers from either Port Everglades, Port Canaveral or PortMiami. Both Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line plan their first Florida sailings later this month. Holland America plans to be back in October with Princess Cruises in November.

MSC plans to continue its presence stateside when MSC Divina makes its first sailing from Port Canaveral in September. That will mark the first time the line has made Port Canaveral a home port for one of its ships. Most of its business has been out of Miami, and that’s where the line got back to business sailing the 171,598-gross-ton, 4,500-passenger Meraviglia.

For now the ship will take on short three- and four-night Bahamas voyages with stops at the line’s private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The line plans to switch Meraviglia to seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries on Sept. 18.

MSC Divina’s first Port Canaveral sailing will be Sept. 16, and it will switch among three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to the

The cruise line also plans on debuting new ship MSC Seashore from Miami this November when MSC Meraviglia migrates to Port Canaveral.

The company’s plans are to have more than half of its fleet back at sea by the end of the summer

Meraviglia is among the largest cruise ships in the world. Port Canaveral already handles the world’s largest cruise ships, the Oasis-class ships of Royal Caribbean and the new Mardi Gras from Carnival.

Meraviglia, which means “wonder” in Italian, debuted in 2017, and has among unique offerings a 450-person venue for original Cirque du Soleil shows. Other highlights include 12 distinct dining venues, including two options from Michelin-star recipient Spanish Chef Ramón Freixa, French chocolates and pastries from Chef Jean Philippe Maury plus sushi, teppanyaki and steakhouse among others.

Divina was the first ship MSC based in North America for year-round sailing back in 2014, and has sailed out of Miami several seasons since.

 

 

Richard Tribou

Orlando Sentinel