MSC Cruises, the fourth largest cruise company in the world and market leader in the Mediterranean, South African and Brazilian markets, says it has acquired Starlight Cruises, their sales agents in South Africa of almost 20 years. The new company will trade as MSC Starlight Cruises with effect from May 2011. The agreement gives MSC Cruises overall control of Starlight Cruises. It also allows for the continued management by former owners, the Foggitt family, who have operated as sales agents for cruiseliners in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands for over 30 years.

MSC Cruises’ CEO Mr Pierfrancesco Vago welcomed the formalization of the company’s first office in sub-Saharan Africa. “This is an important acquisition that affirms the close relationship we’ve shared with Starlight Cruises. It also endorses our commitment to the future success of South Africa and continued growth of cruise tourism in the region,”said Vago.

Daphne Osborne, who becomes Managing Director of MSC Starlight Cruises, said the two companies had enjoyed anexcellent business and personal ‘engagement’ for almost two decades. “It has been a marriage on the cards for years now, and in the wake of two successive record breaking seasons, and sure signs of a continuation of this trend, itwould seem the time is right.” Allan Foggitt remains Marketing Director of MSC Starlight Cruises. Stefano Vigoriti, who has headed up MSC Cruises in South Africa until now, becomes Operations Manager for the new company.

The relationship between Starlight Cruises and the larger Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Group, the second largest container shipping company in the world, began soon after the company’s firstventure into cruise shipping in the late 1980’s and subsequent deployment ofthe Achille Lauro and MSC Monterey to South Africa.