MSC CRUISES LAUNCHES NEWEST FLAGSHIP MSC SEASCAPE AT A DAZZLING CEREMONY IN NEW YORK CITY

• The newest ship in MSC Cruises' fleet was officially named tonight during a traditional maritime ceremony
• The ship was named at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, marking the brand's continued growth in North America and the introduction of New York City as a new MSC Cruises homeport
• VIPs, key travel partners and global media attended the ceremony
• MSC Seascape to sail in the Caribbean, offering guests an immersive and enriching experience on board an innovative and elegant new ship

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Last night MSC Cruises—the world's third largest and fastest growing cruise brand—welcomed MSC Seascape to its fleet of innovative and glamourous ships. The ship's naming ceremony took place at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York City in recognition of New York becoming the line's newest U.S. homeport in April 2023, ushering in an even wider variety of North American itineraries for guests from the U.S. and around the world.

Images from the MSC Seascape Naming Ceremony can be found here. 

More than 3,000 guests attended the event, including VIPs, key travel partners and global media as well as top management from the entire Cruise Division of the company and its parent MSC Group.

One of the highlights of the traditional maritime ceremony was a stunning performance from international singer-songwriter Matteo Bocelli, hot on the heels of his performance at the naming ceremony for MSC World Europa last month in Doha, Qatar.

Godmother of the MSC Cruises fleet and international movie icon Sophia Loren blessed MSC Seascape virtually while Alexa Aponte-Vago, daughter of MSC Group's founder and executive chairman Gianluigi Aponte, performed the traditional cutting of the ribbon to officially name the ship. Loren shared her wishes for the ship's good luck and commented: "One of the highlights of the past 20 years has been to officiate the christening of MSC Cruises fleet not only because the Apontes have become like family to me but also because MSC has always occupied a special place in my heart. Let me bless the MSC Seascape, her great crew and all her passengers."

Following the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a gourmet gala dinner followed by a standout performance by international Grammy Award winner singer/songwriter Ne-Yo.

Rubén A. Rodríguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said: "As the first MSC Cruises ship to be named in New York City, MSC Seascape represents a pivotal moment for the brand as we commit to further growing our presence in North America. Our latest flagship will serve as a great representation for all that we stand for at MSC Cruises, including sustainability, ground-breaking technology and modern design combined with an immersive and enriching guest experience delivered with European flair. Our guests will enjoy all of these wonderful amenities when she begins her sailings from Miami after the naming ceremony."

MSC Seascape becomes the 21^st ship in the MSC Cruises fleet and the second ship to be launched by the cruise line in a matter of weeks, following MSC World Europa's naming ceremony in November. She will be closely followed by the line's second LNG-powered vessel, MSC Euribia, which is due to come into service in June 2023.

MSC Seascape's innovative design will offer guests an unparalleled cruise experience with beautiful venues and locations to discover new horizons at sea. The ship features 2,270 cabins with 12 different types of staterooms and suites; 11 dining venues and 19 bars and lounges; six swimming pools, including a stunning aft infinity pool; an expansive waterfront promenade; a spectacular Bridge of Sighs on deck 16 with a breath-taking view of the ocean; and one of the most luxurious Yacht Clubs in the entire fleet. Guests sailing on MSC Seascape will enjoy 98 hours of live entertainment per cruise and cutting-edge amusement options, including ROBOTRON, a thrilling amusement ride available at sea for the first time.

A reflection of MSC Cruises' commitment to sustainability, MSC Seascape also has the latest environmental technologies. These include best in-class wastewater treatment systems with purification standards higher than most wastewater treatments facilities on land and selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90 percent by converting the gas into harmless nitrogen and water.

MSC Seascape will depart New York on December 8 bound for her new homeport of Miami, where she will begin sailing to the Caribbean and the Bahamas for her inaugural season. The new flagship for the U.S will offer two contrasting itineraries:

• Eastern Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau in The Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic
• Western Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands, and Ocho Rios in Jamaica

To find out more about MSC Seascape, click here.

MSC Cruises is the world's third largest cruise brand as well as the leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa, with more market share in addition to deployed capacity than any other player. 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 leading privately held Swiss-based 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. 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 Company'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.

SOURCE MSC Cruises USA