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MIAMI, FLA. – MSC Cruises will bring one of its newest Panamax ships to the Caribbean for the winter 2008-09 season. One of the line’s 89,600-ton “Musica” class Panamax vessels will arrive in Fort Lauderdale Jan. 2, 2009 for a season of 7-night itineraries.
The line’s “Musica” class ships carry 2,500 passengers and have more than 242,000 square feet of public area. In addition, 85 percent of the staterooms are outside accommodations and 65 percent of the total number of staterooms have balconies, giving MSC Cruises’ “Musica” class ships the highest percentage of balconies of any Panamax-class ships in service.The announcement was made today at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention by MSC Cruises (USA) President and CEO Richard E. Sasso.
“A ‘Musica’ class ship is ideally suited for the 7-night Caribbean sailings. Its elegant features, extensive public space and number of staterooms with balconies make it ideally suited for the North American market,” says Sasso.
“Since launching its massive expansion program in 2003, MSC Cruises has become the leading European cruise company and the fastest-growing cruise line. This announcement demonstrates the line’s commitment to be a dominant force in the international cruise market,” he adds.The ship will depart Genoa Dec. 16, 2008 on a 17-night Christmas/New Year’s transatlantic cruise, arriving in Fort Lauderdale Jan. 2, 2009. On Jan. 3, 2009, she will begin sailing 7-night roundtrip itineraries from Fort Lauderdale. MSC Lirica will sail 11-night Deep Caribbean and Panama itineraries during the winter 2008-09 season.
Aker Yards France has thus far produced five vessels in MSC Cruises’ current fleet – MSC Lirica, MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera and MSC Musica – and is in the process of building four other ships for the line – Panamax ships MSC Orchestra (to debut in May) and MSC Poesia (to debut in 2008), and post-Panamax ships MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata.MSC Cruises is the largest Italian-styled cruise company. Its headquarters are in Naples, and the worldwide cruise giant is present in 28 other countries worldwide.
MSC Cruises currently has a fleet of seven ships – MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Opera, MSC Melody and MSC Rhapsody – and offers itineraries in the Mediterranean (year-round), Northern Europe, Caribbean, South America, South Africa and transatlantic sailings.
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