Recommend May2017 - 64

Celebrating 50 Years of Helping Travel Agents Sell Travel

MSC Cruises
guests to personalize their vacation and
interconnect them to the crew, ship
and each other."

Travel Agent Perspective

Since 2004, MSC Cruises has grown
by 800 percent, making it the fastest
growing cruise line in the industry.
Leading the markets in Europe, South
America and South Africa, MSC's
fleet of 12 ships not only sails the world,
it offers passengers a "multicultural
vacation at sea," says Roberto
Fusaro, president of MSC Cruises
North America.
Ships dock in all of the highdemand destinations throughout the
Caribbean, South America, Europe
and the Mediterranean, but they're
also entering new ports of call in South
Africa, the United Arab Emirates and
Albania. The latest locales to make the
list: Sir Bani Yas Island off the coast
of Dubai, and UNESCO-protected
Saranda in Albania. With two new
mega-ships along the way for 2017-
MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seaside-and
a $10 billion plan in place, MSC shows
no signs of slowing down any time soon.

"Technology is advancing at a
rapid pace, and MSC Cruises
is leading the way in
developing technology and
infrastructure that is capable
of meeting the needs of guests
for years to come."
- Roberto Fusaro,
President, MSC Cruises North America
64 may 2017

Impact of the MSC Brand on the
Travel Industry

"We are constantly raising the bar on
board our ships, striving for excellence
in everything we do, including
partnering with best in class brands
like Cirque du Soleil, LEGO, Chicco
and Samsung. We have brought in
culinary experts like pan-Asian pioneer
Roy Yamaguchi; two-star Michelin
chef Carlo Cracco; Chinese culinary
expert Jereme Leung; and awardwinning pastry chef Jean-Philippe
Maury to elevate dining onboard.
With our skillful attention to detail
and consistent work with top-notch
experts, we will continue to challenge
the industry and raise expectations,"
Fusaro says.

Where MSC is Headed

"MSC Cruises is planning not just
new ships, but experiences that will be
relevant for our cruise guests in the next
decade," Fusaro explains. "Technology
is advancing at a rapid pace, and MSC
Cruises is leading the way in developing
technology and infrastructure that is
capable of meeting the needs of guests
for years to come. MSC Cruises' new
digital innovation program, MSC for
Me, will be an integral part of the way
MSC Cruises is building its new ships.
First available on MSC Meraviglia and
MSC Seaside when they debut in June
and December, respectively, the stateof-the-art digital technology will allow

"MSC has caught the attention of
consumers and agents alike for many
reasons," says Myrna Reyes, a vacation
specialist at Dream Vacations who has
been selling the brand for five years.
"They entered the American cruise
market with a state-of-the-art ship
(MSC Divina) that has proven to be the
greatest value under the sun.
"Their commitment to a 'kids sail
free' policy, combined with a product
that consistently exceeds expectations,
has left consumers wanting more.
MSC's reasonable rates have certainly
helped the cruise line capture a
large bite of the market, and their
introduction of a brand-new vessel,
MSC Seaside, sailing year-round out of
South Florida, will likely become the
gold standard for all cruise lines sailing
to the Caribbean."

What's Ahead

"MSC Cruises has come a long way in
the last decade, but the next 10 years
are going to be the most exciting yet
for the brand," says Fusaro. "As part
of the company's nearly $10 billion
investment plan, MSC Cruises plans
to introduce 11 new ships-across
three different classes-by 2026, which
means we'll not only continue to grow
our presence globally, but also in North
America. We recently revealed that
MSC Meraviglia will join our current
fleet in North America in the 2019
winter season. In this initial phase of
expansion in the North American
market, three of the cruise line's newest,
most innovative ships will serve the
North American market: MSC Divina,
MSC Seaside and MSC Meraviglia.

CONTACT INFORMATION

MSC Cruises
Website: msccruisesagent.com
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