News

First for MSC Cruises: Divina to sail year-round from PortMiami

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 March 2013 27 March 2013

MSC Cruises unprecedented growth in the cruise industry spurred the line’s decision to respond to the requests of the travel agency community and consumers for a year round presence in the North American market. The announcement came during the christening celebration for the line’s twelfth new ship, MSC Preziosa, in Genoa, Italy this past Saturday. MSC Divina, sister ship of MSC Preziosa, was christened last spring and will now sail year round from PortMiami beginning November.

MSC Cruises record breaking growth is unmatched in the industry. The line began an investment program in 2003 committing 6 billion Euros to its expansion. Since then the line has acquired two vessels and built ten new ships resulting in one new vessel entering the fleet nearly every year. For the past eight years, the line has offered seasonal late fall and winter sailings from North America.

The extension of MSC Divina’s scheduled seasonal sailings to year round sailings illustrates the company’s commitment to the North American market.

"The popularity of our introduction of MSC Divina to this market among agents and consumers alike has been nothing short of tremendous," said Richard E. Sasso, President & CEO MSC Cruises USA. "We listened to their requests and are pleased that the vast expansion of our line allows us the ability to fulfill their wishes," said Sasso.

This will mark the first time MSC Divina has sailed from North America and the first time the line has sailed from PortMiami.

"PortMiami looks forward to welcoming MSC Cruises and its newest ship, MSC Divina, this fall and we are absolutely thrilled with the news she will homeport with us year round," said Bill Johnson, PortMiami Director. "MSC Divina’s 12-month schedule sailing from PortMiami will be a major enhancement to Miami’s year round cruise offerings to popular Caribbean destinations."

The itineraries for the ship will be announced shortly.

MSC Divina, christened by legendary film actress Sophia Loren, features 1,715 staterooms, 322,900 square feet of public space, a casino, seven restaurants, 18 bars and lounges, five swimming pools (including an infinity pool), a bowling alley, theater, gym, spa, internet café, conference center, kids and teen areas, and the lines signature ship within a ship, MSC Yacht Club. MSC Yacht Club is an exclusive VIP section of the ship located in the upper foredecks of the ship that provides its guests staying on one of the 69 luxury suites 24/7 butler and concierge service; complimentary select wines, spirits, soft drinks, juices and mineral waters; private access to spa, and a private dining room.

Onboard MSC’s twelve vessels, guests enjoy the Mediterranean way of life. From the hospitality to the dining guests are enveloped in the Mediterranean manner of enjoying life to its fullest. Onboard guests are encouraged to slow down and enjoy everything their MSC vacation has to offer. Being a family owned company, the line offer free sailing for kids 11 and younger when sailing with two full fare paying guests in the same stateroom. Children 12 to 17 sail at a reduced rate.

It's official: Oasis of the Seas to sail Europe in 2014

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 March 2013 27 March 2013

Royal Caribbean International today announced that the world's largest and most innovative cruise ship Oasis of the Seas will be sailing Europe for a short autumn season in 2014. Renowned worldwide for its award-winning Caribbean cruise vacations, Oasis of the Seas now will offer a sampling of its unrivaled Oasis-class experience in Europe. Oasis of the Seas' 2014 Europe season will open for sale on Apr. 11, 2013. For an extensive collection of webisodes detailing the variety of experiences aboard Oasis of the Seas, please visit http://tinyurl.com/bw585wa.

Guests will sail the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean and delight in Oasis-class exclusive amenities and concepts throughout its seven themed neighborhoods, such as an 82 foot-long zip line, a handcrafted carousel, the Rising Tide elevating bar, Broadway musicals, the Aquatheater high-diving performance venue, and Central Park with more than 12,000 live trees and plants. Oasis of the Seas also offers amenities that can only be found on Royal Caribbean, such as twin FlowRider surf simulators, cantilevered whirlpools, an ice-skating rink, the H20 Zone kids aquapark, and the Royal Promenade, an interior boulevard that stretches nearly the length of the ship and flanked by restaurants, lounges and boutiques, among many others.

Royal Caribbean's award-winning family programming also will help ensure that guests of every generation can share in an unforgettable Europe family vacation aboard Oasis of the Seas. The cruise line's complimentary Adventure Ocean kids program offers ongoing educational and entertaining sessions for three age groups from three- to 11-year-olds, led by college-accredited counselors from 9:00 to 2:00 a.m. Two curricula for teens age 12 to 17 years offer more organic programming to offer them the flexibility to help shape their day with peers, as well as teen-only sessions on the FlowRider, Rock Wall and Sports Court. Furthermore, Oasis of the Seas also debuted the Royal Babies & Tots Nursery – soon to be fleetwide – that caters to Royal Caribbean's youngest guests, age six to 36 months old.

Nothing can compare to the Oasis-class vacation experience, a testament to Royal Caribbean's more than 40 years of innovation, said Lisa Bauer, executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. Now vacationers can combine Europe's rich cultures and history with the world's largest and most innovative cruise ship for a regional experience that can only be found on Royal Caribbean. And for those who have always wanted more time to enjoy the myriad activities on Oasis of the Seas, our two trans-Atlantic cruises will offer more than enough time to do everything on board, as well as some surprises along the way.

Two trans-Atlantic crossings will afford guests the opportunity to experience all of Oasis of the Seas' unmatched innovative amenities, exclusive entertainment, and variety of dining experiences. On these cruises, guests also will enjoy an exclusive preview of the Quantum-class experience and join in special programs that will amplify the Oasis-class experience. A 12-night eastbound cruise from the ship's homeport of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Barcelona departs Sept. 1, 2014 and a 13-night westbound cruise will return Oasis of the Seas to Port Everglades from Rotterdam on Oct. 14. Vacationers also can embark the westbound trans-Atlantic cruise at Southampton on Oct. 15.

Guests also can enjoy the world-acclaimed ship on a choice of three Europe sailings. Vacationers can choose among two roundtrip sailings on a five-night Western Mediterranean itinerary from Barcelona, and a seven-night Spain itinerary sailing from Barcelona to Rotterdam, The Netherlands, where Oasis of the Seas will enter drydock in Képpel Verolme shipyard for routine maintenance. Additionally, a two-night Bahamas cruise departing on Aug. 30 and a five-night Western Caribbean cruise departing on Oct. 27, both roundtrip from Port Everglades, will bookend Oasis of the Seas' short 2014 Europe season.

Launched in December 2009, Oasis of the Seas has been heralded as an architectural marvel at sea, spanning 16 decks, encompassing 225,282 gross registered tons, and has a double-occupancy capacity of 5,400 guests. Oasis of the Seas is first ship to tout the cruise line's neighborhood concept of seven distinct themed areas, comprising Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone.

Oasis of the Seas to the Mediterranean in 2014?

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 26 March 2013 26 March 2013

Oasis of the Seas, one of the two 226,000 gross ton giants of Royal Caribbean International, will reportedly make at least one cruise in the Mediterranean in the autumn of 2014, an Italian cruise industry source says.

The ship is due to call in Civitavecchia in Italy on 16 September 2014, where it will arrive from Barcelona. It will sail on to Naples.

The ship will come to Europe for dry docking, the source continued. Oasis of the Seas was built in 2009 and ships need to undergo a special survey that includes dry docking every five years.