MSC Cruises sending new class of ship to Port Canaveral next year
MSC Cruises has already cycled through two ships since making its Port Canaveral home port debut this past fall, and now it’s queued up a third.
It dipped its toes into the market with MSC Divina, a ship built in 2012, and then jammed a foot in with one of the largest ships in the world with the MSC Meraviglia, built in 2017.
Now, the family-owned cruise line that’s been making more inroads to the North American cruise market, will be sending a third type of ship, the first ship of its Seaside class, to the Central Florida port.
MSC Seaside, which also debuted in late 2017 sailing from Miami, will arrive at Port Canaveral to begin sailing on
April 16, 2023, on 3-, 4- and 7-night cruises.
Originally touted as a ship designed for the Caribbean with a massive amount of open-air deck space, it drew inspiration from the Miami skyline for its design. The cruise line has since brought to Florida two of Seaside’s sister ships including the 2021 debut of MSC Seashore, both sailing from Miami, so now the original in the class is branching out.
“Deploying this beautiful Seaside-class ship, the new flagship in the MSC fleet, speaks of MSC Cruise Lines’ commitment to our port and a testament to the best-in-class experience we provide for their guests,” said Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray in a press release.
The ship was the first for the cruise line to debut in North America before sailing elsewhere in the world, and a concerted effort by MSC to make sailing on its ships feel more North American, and less like a European ship. MSC is headquartered in Switzerland, but its founders are Italian.
The 4,140-passenger, 153,516ton ship debuted with specialty dining from Celebrity Chef Roy Yamaguchi, the Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Ocean Cay seafood and a French bistro, along with free dining in the form of two buffets and two dining rooms.
Other notable palate teasers on board include the Venchi Cioccogelateria & Coffee Bar, Venchi Gelateria & Creperie, and any slice of the Italian-style pizza with thin crust baked in a wood-fire oven at the buffet.
The top deck features a 394-foot-long zip line and water slides while the Miami condo skyline feel is in play at the aft of the ship at the South Beach Pool complete with a couple of over-the-top, swimming suitclad tourist caricature statues right out of the 1950s.
That’s also where cruisers will find rising up to Deck 16 a pair of glass elevators that offer views, and access to the glass “Bridge of Sighs” that curves across the aft with a view back down to the pool nine decks below.
The line’s short cruise options from Port Canaveral will stop at its private Bahamas island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Longer sailings will head to Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, Belize, as well as Ocean Cay.