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Ports, lines & ships / Cruise lines
Every story we've covered about MSC Cruises, newest first.
Ships
MSC Cruises has unveiled the Grand Hamptons Villa, a single suite of more than 230 square metres on MSC World Atlantic with a double-height living room, a cinema loft, a kids' suite and a terrace with a whirlpool. Guests get MSC Yacht Club service. The ship will sail seven- and 14-night Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.
Source: Cruise Industry News ↗ · 21 Oct
Business
Lara Koslow joins Explora Journeys as president, North America, on 30 November, based in Miami and leading commercial, marketing and sales across the US, Canada and Mexico. Chris Austin moves to a new role as president, luxury travel partnerships, including work with MSC Cruises North America on MSC Yacht Club distribution. Explora plans six ocean ships by 2028.
Source: Cruise Industry News ↗ · 21 Oct
Sustainability
The Port of Seattle closed its 2026 cruise season on 18 October with record figures: 330 ship calls and nearly 2 million revenue passengers. A record 66% of ships plugged into shore power, which the port estimates avoided about 6,189 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions, and work to extend shore power at Pier 91 continues this autumn. MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages based ships there for the first time, and Star Princess carried out the first LNG refuelling in Elliott Bay.
Source: Cruise Hive ↗ · 20 Oct
Ships
MSC Cruises' new flagship, MSC World Asia, will have an Eataly restaurant when it starts Mediterranean cruises on 4 December 2026. It will be the second Eataly at sea, after MSC World America, with show cooking, an outdoor terrace and a wine cellar where guests can choose a bottle. The ship's seven-night routes call at Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Civitavecchia, Naples and Valletta, and passengers can join at several of these ports.
“Exceptional food and hospitality are at the heart of the experience we create for our guests.”Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises
Source: MSC Cruises press area ↗ · 15 Oct
Ports
Marseille Provence Croisière, the local cruise association, held its 30th anniversary on board MSC Meraviglia on 12 October. The port handled about 11,600 cruise passengers in 1993 and more than 2.63 million ocean cruise passengers on 660 calls in 2025. Its Horizon 2030 plan puts better port calls, more turnaround cruises, visitor-flow management and local benefits ahead of simply growing passenger numbers.
“Marseille had everything it needed to become a major cruise destination.”Jacques Truau, founding president, Club de la Croisière
Source: MedCruise ↗ · 14 Oct