Port Welcomes Its Largest Cruise Ship This Year

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Newport, Rhode Island, known for its colonial charm and picturesque coastal landscapes, welcomed the biggest cruise ship to visit the port this year, MSC Meraviglia, on September 25. The call is part of the ship’s inaugural voyage in its Canada & New England season of cruises out of New York City.

Fall cruises to New England and Canada are incredibly popular, drawing in thousands of guests each year who want to explore the region. MSC Meraviglia‘s visit is part of MSC Cruises’ expansion in the US market, with the cruise line now operating cruises from New York City, Miami, and Port Canaveral.

Newport Welcomes MSC Meraviglia

MSC Cruises has kicked off its 2023 New England and Canada season of cruises onboard MSC Meraviglia with a call to the charming Rhode Island city of Newport. Although Newport is probably best known for the America’s Cup, the city is becoming increasingly popular with visiting cruise ships.

The 171,598 gross tons Meraviglia-class cruise ship is the biggest cruise ship to visit Newport this year, bringing up to 5,700 guests to the city. 

Evan Smith, CEO and President of Discover Newport: โ€œThis is not only the largest cruise ship to make a port call in Newport this season, but also the most guests arriving on one vessel to this city.”

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase our coastal destination, Newport, Rhode Island, to the MSC Meraviglia guests and to be part of this memorable coastal Canada and New England itinerary.”

MSC Meraviglia Cruise Ship
MSC Meraviglia Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: penofoto / Shutterstock)

The call by the MSC Cruises ship, which sailed from New York City on September 24, means a significant financial boost for Newport, with cruise organization CLIA stating it could bring in more than two million USD in local revenues. Guests will be able to explore the city’s charming colonial center and try out the region’s famous seafood.

“For our hospitality partners; retail shops, restaurants, and attractions, the economic impact from this one-day visit will be significant and a welcome boost going into the fall months,โ€ Evan Smith said.

Besides Newport, MSC Meraviglia will also visit Boston, Massachusetts; Saint John, New Brunswick; Portland, Maine; Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The cruise is the first of three voyages MSC Meraviglia will sail along the New England coastline this fall. 

MSC Building US Presence

The cruises from New York City to New England and Canada are part of MSC Cruises’ ever-expanding presence in the United States. 

Rubรฉn A. Rodrรญguez, President of MSC Cruises USA: โ€œMSC Meravigliaโ€™s inaugural visit to Newport is a great milestone for MSC Cruises as we continue expanding our presence in the North American market. When we launched year-round cruises from New York City, one of our goals was to allow guests to visit a wider variety of destinations, and Newport is a perfect example.”

MSC Meraviglia Arrives in New York
MSC Meraviglia Arrives in New York (Photo Courtesy: MSC Cruises)

“The response to these itineraries has been strong, which means weโ€™ll bring thousands of visitors to Newport this season. We look forward to continuing to work with leaders here to provide our guests with a distinctive and immersive cruising experience.โ€

Besides cruises to New England, MSC Meraviglia also sails on cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Florida. MSC Cruises now has ships sailing from three major homeports, Miami, Port Canaveral, and New York City.

MSC Seascape operates seven-day cruises to the Caribbean from Miami, while MSC Seaside operates from Port Canaveral. MSC Seashore will begin operating cruises out of Port Canaveral to the Western Caribbean and the Bahamas from mid-November. MSC Magnifica and MSC Divina will also operate from PortMiami this year. 

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Robert McGillivray
Robert McGillivray
Robert has been involved in the cruise industry since January 2007. He joined his first ship, the Seabourn Pride, in Miami Florida, and never looked back. Robert started his cruise career as a bar-waiter and worked his way up to being a corporate trainer for the same luxury 6-star cruise line. After a short break from ships in 2013, Robert has worked as a Hotel Director onboard several different cruise ships worldwide and even in Antarctica, and on the North Pole. As a writer for Cruise Hive Robert stays on top of all current developments and brings you breaking news, facts, and special reports. As an avid traveler and photographer, Robert has visited no less than 101 countries worldwide and stepped on to his 7th continent on his 30th birthday. His photos have been published by news media like Bloomberg and The New York Times, and are used by Celebrity and Azamara Cruise lines for their promotional materials. Robert currently resides in the Philippines on the tropical island of Panglao, with his wife and two daughters. Find out more about us here.

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