The chief executive of MSC Cruises says the line needs to deploy “the latest hardware” in the UK to continue to grow its sales in the market.
Speaking before the naming of 19th ship MSC Seashore (pictured), the first Seaside EVO class vessel, Gianni Onorato said a similar-sized vessel sailing out of Southampton in the future.
While he would not commit a specific ship to the UK, or divulge MSC Seashore’s deployment following its ex-US Caribbean season, Onorato said: “A ship will never stay in the same place forever.
“In order for us to increase our brand awareness and increase the confidence of travel agents and consumers in the UK we always need to have the latest hardware in that market and that is what we will be doing.
“I am sure there will be the addition of a brand new ship as this is a very important market for us.”
Onorato said MSC Seashore, the line’s largest ship at 339 metres long with a capacity for up to 5,632 passengers, had already sparked significant interest from the UK market which had additionally been helped by MSC Virtuousa’s ex-Southampton sailings last summer – and offers agents the chance to boost sales by offering itineraries twinned with land-based stays.
“This is usually what happens with new-to-cruise clients,” he said. “We have seen it happen with the Italians, the French and even US guests. They start at home with a domestic cruise and then move to a fly-cruise programme.
“Having MSC Seaview in Barbados has also been very successful with the UK market and with MSC Seashore in Miami we are extending the range of opportunities. Passengers can spend two days in New York or Orlando and then join the ship or they can embark on a seven-plus-seven itinerary with one in the eastern Caribbean and one in the western Caribbean. Another option is adding a mini-cruise to a seven-night cruise from Miami.”
Onorato said MSC was cementing its commitment to the UK and US through investment in cruise terminals at Southampton and PortMiami, new ships and year-round sailings.
“At one time we could not focus on these important markets the way we wanted to because our presence was very tiny,” he said. “With these two new ships, Virtuosa and Seashore, we are restarting the path which was paused due to uncontrolled reasons and we are showing our commitment in these markets, both shoreside and with the best and latest hardware.”
Onorato was talking ahead of Seashore’s naming ceremony at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas, which opened in December 2019 before Covid meant it was temporarily closed. The ship will be the first-ever to be named at a cruise line’s private island, despite its delivery date being delayed due to the pandemic. It’s godmother will be Sophia Loren and travel agents are in attendance at the event.
Onorato said: “This ship is important for us because it marks the end of a nightmare and we have been compensated with the US reopening for international travel.
“MSC Seashore marks the improvement of the very successful Seaside class with very wide outside decks, lots of pools and an outdoor dining concourse. There are also other new features such as a cabaret lounge and an infinity pool as well as familiar features including a huge chandelier and Swarovski staircases, which are MSC trademarks.
“It’s a ship that features the new environmental technology sanitation solution Safe Air to improve further the onboard air quality and it is a ship that is perfectly matched with the main destination on our Miami itineraries which is Ocean Cay.”