MSC CRUISES MARKS INDUSTRY FIRST AS TWO WORLD CRUISES DEPART FOR UNFORGETTABLE ROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGES

• Two MSC Cruises’ ships depart on world cruise itineraries today – an industry first
• Cruise Line welcomes over 5,000 guests for a journey around the world on board MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia
• Cruise Line also reveals culinary highlight with line-up of award-winning chefs who have created menus to showcase the very best of their respective cuisines

Geneva, Switzerland – January 5, 2023 – MSC Cruises, the world’s third largest and fastest growing cruise brand wished bon voyage to guests aboard MSC Poesia and MSC Magnifica today as the two ships departed from Genoa, Italy for simultaneous world cruises – an industry first.

Sailing together for the start of the cruises, the two ships will part ways at the edge of the Mediterranean for different routes around the globe. Guests will discover the world without having to repack their suitcase during an unforgettable 119-day voyage on board MSC Magnifica and 117-day trip on board MSC Poesia.

Guests will visit some of the world’s most spectacular destinations during their cruise while discovering international culinary delights. On top of the high-quality, international dining options that MSC Cruises’ guests have come to expect, those sailing the 2023 world cruises can experience something extra special with menus crafted by a lineup of award-winning chefs.

These chefs will join the cruises at various times to prepare a complete multi-course menu, each showcasing the very best of their respective cuisines from around the world.

• On board both ships: Veteran Brazilian Chef and Restauranteur Allan Vila Espejo will serve a menu including authentic Manioc soup and Bahia-style fish stew with sweet peppers and coconut milk
• On board MSC Magnifica: Renowned Peruvian Chef James Berckemeyer will serve a spectacular menu including Peruvian veal cheek and local caramel pudding ‘Suspiro de Lucuma’
• On board MSC Poesia: Internationally renowned Japanese-American Chef Roy Yamaguchi will serve a standout menu including grilled teriyaki pork chop with Hawaiian chimichurri
• On board MSC Poesia: Michelin-starred Swedish chef, TV personality and author Niklas Ekstedt will serve dishes inspired by natural ingredients and his farm-to-ocean ethos

To add to the unique culinary experience, the chefs will also be on hand to greet guests in person as they taste their delicacies in the ship’s main restaurants.

MSC Cruises has also carefully crafted a special enrichment program featuring ice carving, champagne tasting, a wide range of guest lectures on specialist topics, more than 30 full-scale production shows, guest entertainers, dance classes, language schools and more.

Guests wishing to explore far and wide in 2023 can book the last remaining cabins for shorter segments of the MSC World Cruises 2023.

Cabins are still available for the 2024 MSC World Cruise as well, with a stunning new itinerary that includes 52 amazing destinations in 31 different countries spanning the Mediterranean, Red Sea, South Africa, South America, Caribbean, USA & Canada, before returning to Europe via Greenland and Iceland.

One of the standout features of the 2024 world cruise is a segment that explores the Brazilian Amazon via the mighty Amazon river.

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About MSC Magnifica

Guests aboard MSC Magnifica travel in comfort and style. Built in 2009, the ship boasts masterful design and relaxed refinement with all the features that distinguish any MSC Cruises ship. MSC Magnifica includes one of the highest ratios of balcony cabins, fresh and authentic dining options across four restaurants and 11 bars, modern and comfortable cabins, a wide range of entertainment and leisure activities, and a swimming pool with sliding roof—all combined with high quality service. From the gourmet restaurants serving cuisine prepared with fresh ingredients to the wide variety of world class entertainment offerings including a full-scale casino, panoramic night club, cigar lounge, 4D cinema and much more—guests will feel the attention to detail that is a trademark for MSC Cruises.

About MSC Poesia

Guests will travel in style and comfort on board MSC Poesia – MSC Cruises’ “poem to the beauty of the sea.” On board, guests will enter a refined world of comfort with elegant design. There is so much to delight in, from the spectacular foyer waterfall to the Zen Garden, authentic Japanese Sushi bar and opulent MSC Aurea Spa wellness center with steam room, sauna with a tempting range of treatments. For the more active, there is a basketball and tennis court, shuffleboard, state-of-the-art gym and mini golf area. Three swimming pools, four whirlpools and a giant poolside cinema screen round out the ship’s offerings.

About MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand as well as the market leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa. It is also the fastest growing global cruise brand with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and the Far East markets.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is one of the two brands that sit within the Cruise Division of MSC Group, the world’s leading and privately held shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage. MSC Cruises – the contemporary brand - has a modern fleet of 21 vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels, terminals and other assets. The fleet is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025, with options for six more vessel orders in place through 2030.

MSC Cruises offers its guests an enriching, immersive and safe cruise experience inspired by the Company’s European heritage, where they can enjoy international dining, world-class entertainment, award-winning family programs, and the very latest user-friendly technology on board. To learn more about MSC Cruises’ itineraries and experience on board its ships, click here.

The line’s number one priority has always been the health and safety of its guests and crew, as well as the communities at the destinations its ships serve.  In August 2020, MSC Cruises implemented a new comprehensive and robust health and safety protocol to become the first major line to return to sea. To learn more about MSC Cruises’ health & safety protocol, click here.

MSC Cruises has long been committed to environmental stewardship, with a long-term goal to achieve net zero emissions for its operations by 2050. The Company is also a significant investor in next-generation environmental marine technologies, with the objective to support their accelerated development and availability industry-wide. To learn more about the Company’s environmental commitment, click here. 

Finally, to learn more about the MSC Foundation, MSC Group’s own vehicle to lead, focus and advance its conservation, humanitarian and cultural commitments, click here.