It’s no secret that MSC Cruises, which is already the industry leader in Europe, has set its sights on North America.

As part of its plans to expand its reach in the US, the cruise line has unveiled several new itineraries for the 2025 summer season that will be offered by MSC Seascape, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seashore, and the soon-to-be-completed MSC World America. 

MSC World America Will Begin Career In Miami, Florida

The flagship of MSC Cruises’s World-class fleet, MSC World America, will spend its inaugural season based in Miami, Florida. The 6,762-passenger ship is currently in the final phases of construction, but will homeport at what will be the world’s largest cruise terminal when it enters service in April of 2025. 

As part of its expansion into North America, the 23-ship cruise line has invested $350 million into building the largest passenger cruise terminal in the US, which will be able to accommodate 36,000 passengers per day. The terminal will open in 2025.  

Of course, it only makes sense to debut a new cruise terminal with a brand new ship. Departing every Saturday throughout the summer, the 215,863-gross ton MSC World America will alternate between 7-night, round-trip, Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean voyages.

The Eastern Caribbean sailings will call on Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Ocean Cay, the cruise line’s private island and marine reserve in the Bahamas. Meanwhile, the Western Caribbean voyages will visit Costa Maya, Mexico; Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Ocean Cay. 

For guests who want to see it all, there will also be an option to combine both itineraries to create a 14-night Eastern and Western Caribbean Cruise. 

More MSC Cruise Ships Sailing In North America

While MSC World America’s debut in the US is certainly something to look forward to, she won’t be the only vessel sailing in US waters throughout summer 2025. Indeed, MSC Seascape will also homeport in the cruise line’s state-of-the-art terminal in Miami, while MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seashore will be based in New York City and Port Canaveral, respectively. 

“We want our guests to experience MSC Cruises’ most modern and innovative ships, whether they’re on a quick weekend getaway or the vacation of a lifetime. The Summer 2025 season will be an exciting one for us. MSC World America will let our guests experience the future of cruising with 7-night itineraries from Miami, and we’re enhancing our short cruises from Miami with the fantastic MSC Seascape providing 3- and 4-night options,” said Rubén A. Rodríguez, President of MSC Cruises USA. 

We’re especially thrilled that all four ships sailing from U.S. homeports will call at Ocean Cay, providing guests with the opportunity to experience MSC Cruises’ unique and beautiful private island in The Bahamas no matter where they embark,” added Rodríguez.

MSC Seascape, which will share PortMiami with MSC World America, will alternate between 3-, 4-, and 7-night itineraries that will embark on select Thursdays and Sundays all summer long. The longest two itineraries offered by the 5,179-guest ship will be 7-night voyages to the Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean.

The Eastern Caribbean itineraries include stops at Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and Ocean Cay. There is some overlap with the Western Caribbean itineraries, which will also call on Nassau and Ocean Cay, but these itineraries switch out San Juan and Puerto Plata for visits to Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

MSC Seascape’s shorter sailings, which will last for 3 to 4-nights, will sail to the Bahamas, calling on Ocean Cay and Nassau. 

About 285 miles away in Port Canaveral, Florida, MSC Seashore will offer a range of itineraries departing on Thursdays and Sundays. These include 3 to 4-night cruises to the Bahamas, which will call on Nassau and Ocean Cay, and 7-night Western Caribbean Cruises, which will stop at Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico and Ocean Cay.

Last but not least, MSC Meraviglia will be alternating between cruises to Bermuda and cruises to Florida and the Bahamas from New York, from where the ship operates year-round.

Both itineraries are 7-nights long, with the Bermuda cruise including an overnight visit to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. Meanwhile, the Bahamas and Florida cruise features calls on Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida), Nassau, and Ocean Cay.

MSC Cruises has reached out to travel agents to advise them of the cancellation of MSC Euribia‘s Grand Voyage departing on October 19, 2024.

The sailing was to have transited through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, but in light of the ongoing tensions in the region, it is no longer safe to operate the voyage, and no alternative is available.

MSC Euribia Grand Voyage Cancelled

MSC Cruises is alerting travel agents that the October 19, 2024 departure of MSC Euribia is now cancelled. The sailing was to have been one of the ship’s immersive “Grand Voyages” departing from Kiel, Germany and visiting ports throughout Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as a transit through the Suez Canal, on her way to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

“Considering the risks of sailing in the Red Sea due to continuous attacks on ships, we were forced to cancel MSC Euribia’s Grand Voyage from Northern Europe to the United Arab Emirates,” the email confirmed. “The safety and well-being of guests is our priority and, unfortunately, there is no viable alternative route for this trip.”

The ship will still be offering sailings from Dubai and Doha, Qatar from November 16, which means the vessel will still be moved to her new sailing region, but without guests aboard.

Read Also: The Impact of Red Sea Tensions on Cruising

This repositioning could be done in two ways. The ship might sail through the Red Sea but at top speed and without passengers aboard, though this is a very risky and unlikely option, considering the vessel and her crew would still be at risk.

More likely is that the ship will sail around Africa to avoid the troubled region entirely. Because this is a much greater distance to cover, however, it is not possible for the trip to be a passenger sailing as there would not be enough time to visit ports of call while still arriving in Dubai for the ship’s planned November 16 departure.

If even more time is needed to move the ship safely, additional sailings, either before or after the now-cancelled Grand Voyage, may be cancelled to accommodate the change.

This change to the Grand Voyage and possible adjacent sailings is very similar to the recently announced cancellation of similar repositioning movements for Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, also in October 2024.

MSC Euribia is the newest ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet, having just begun sailing in June 2023. Powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the 184,011-gross-ton vessel is Mereviglia-plus-class and can welcome up to 6,327 guests per sailing.

Options for Booked Guests

This news comes six months before the cruise was to have departed, giving travelers ample time to rearrange their vacation plans and choose an alternative sailing if they prefer. MSC Cruises is offering booked guests three options.

First, guests may transfer their MSC Euribia booking to another Grand Voyage aboard a different MSC Cruises ship, or still aboard MSC Euribia for different dates, at the same duration and in the same stateroom type. There would be no additional cost to the cruise fare, though flights and additional services may have cost differences.

Worth Reading: MSC Cancels Grand Voyage Due to Red Sea Security Issues

Second, travelers can opt to move their booking and all payments already made to any currently scheduled MSC Cruises sailing, with no change fees.

Finally, if guests don’t wish to switch their booking to an alternative sailing, they can cancel for a full refund with no cancellation penalties.

MSC Cruises is requesting that all guests make their decisions by Friday, April 26, 2024. At that time, if no alternative sailing has been arranged, any remaining reservations for MSC Euribia are likely to be cancelled for refunds.