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UNICEF ambassador to help launch MSC Divina

MSC Cruises is set to roll out the red carpet this month, with UNICEF goodwill ambassador Maxim Vengerov featuring at the christening of their newest vessel, MSC Divina.

Vengerov, who is also a classical violinist, will feature alongside a variety of star names who will be present at the event in Marseille on May 26th. The 37-year-old Russian will then give a speech to the waiting masses before releasing hundreds of balloons to mark the festivities.

MSC Cruises chief executive Pier Francesco Vago and MSC fleet godmother Sophia Loren will also be in attendance at the event, and will join Vengerov for a special question and answer session planned for the day.

The presence of these stars at the special naming event comes as MSC Cruises and UNICEF look to promote the "Get on Board for Children" initiative.

This a fund created to deal with the poverty seen in the infamous favelas of Brazil, with the group campaigning for better educational facilities for children.

No word has yet been given on whether Vangerov will perform at the christening.

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Explore the Red Sea with MSC Cruises

Have you ever been to the Red Sea? It’s the most incredible place for snorkelling and diving with a spectacular and colourful underworld just waiting to be explored. And now you can – with MSC Cruises.

Embark on a journey of crystal clear waters, golden sands and historical discovery from November 2^nd 2012.

On this day MSC Armonia will depart from Venice for a nine-day/eight-night cruise, arriving at her new homeport in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt just over a week later. En route she will travel from the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez transit canal to the Red Sea, with scheduled stops in Ancona, Italy; Heraklion, Greece and Marmaris, Turkey arriving in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt on 10 November 2012.

From 10 November 2012 through to 6 April 2013, MSC Armonia has a full schedule of 21 8-day/7-night cruises, departing every Saturday from Sharm El Sheikh, with scheduled stops in Safaga, Egypt; Elat, Israel; Aqaba, Jordan and Sokhna Port, Egypt.

Guests will even have the opportunity to combine the positioning cruises to and from Sharm El Sheikh with the first and last cruises of the Red Sea season for the perfect mix of days at sea and calls at port in this stunning region.

The Red Sea will bid farewell to MSC Armonia on 6 April 2013, when she starts her 10-day/9-night return cruise from Sharm El Sheikh to Venice. Scheduled stops are Sokhna Port, Egypt; Limassol, Cyprus; Antalya, Turkey; Rhodes; Heraklion, Greece and Kotor, Montenegro.

During the Red Sea experience, guests can enjoy a wide choice of shore excursions, offering the perfect combination of relaxation, sightseeing and adventure. Whether it’s snorkeling among the region’s unique aquatic wildlife, enjoying the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea, visiting Bedouin settlements or touring ancient mines that once belonged to the great pharaohs of Egypt, there really is something here for everyone.

MSC Armonia features 777 beautifully appointed cabins. Its luxurious facilities include four restaurants - offering the finest Mediterranean and international cuisine - several bars and lounges, the incredible MSC Aurea Spa, a mini golf course, numerous boutiques, casino, theatre, nightclub and children’s club.

MSC Preziosa to offer technology, elegance and exclusivity

MSC Cruises new ship is named MSC Preziosa and will become the 13th addition to the MSC Cruises’ fleet.

“The new ship represents an investment of 550 million euros and will be delivered at the end of March 2013.”

“MSC Preziosa will sail the Mediterranean, exploring the beauty of Greek Islands, which represents the highlight of European cruising.”

MSC Preziosa will boast 1,751 cabins, 26 lifts, and 18 decks, 14 of them for passengers. Guests will be able to enjoy four main restaurants, two speciality restaurants, 21 bars, a casino, four swimming pools, including an infinity pool, 12 whirlpools, a bowling alley, a sports area with playing fields, a fitness centre, a children’s area and the superb MSC Aurea Spa.

An exclusive feature of MSC Preziosa - and of all fantasia-class ships in the MSC fleet - is the MSC Yacht Club. Privileged passengers staying in the 69 exclusive MSC Yacht Club suites will be able to take advantage of the private bar, solarium, hydro-massage pools, and the spectacular glass-walled observation lounge with amazing ocean views. A butler service will offer assistance at check-in, transport luggage, unpack, serve traditional English afternoon tea as well as arranging cigars and beverages, booking tables at restaurants, treatments in the MSC Aurea Spa, ad hoc excursions and even arrange private parties.

MSC Preziosa’s total construction is 45% complete, and her mechanical zones are 70% complete. The best, however, is yet to come! MSC Cruises will soon begin the fitting and furnishing of the 333 metre long, 38 metre wide ship and work its unique Mediterranean magic on turning MSC Preziosa into a stylish masterpiece and a perfect mix of advanced technology, elegance and exclusive services.

Cruise guests who want to play their part in reducing carbon emissions can also relax in the knowledge that MSC Preziosa’s green features, including an advanced waste water treatment system (AWT) and advanced energy saving systems, with a focus on air-conditioning, will gain the same impressive industry-leading ecoship and cleanship credentials as her sister ship MSC Divina.

 

MSC Divina to Launch in May

MSC Cruises has announced the launch of its latest cruise ship, the MSC Divina, which is set to be officially christened in May of this year.

The new cruise ship, which is described as a megaliner, is set for its debut voyage from Marseille in France this May.

This vessel comes as part of MSC Cruises enhancement program, with the MSC Divina joining the top Fantasia class of ships alongside the MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia.

Five restaurants, four pools, ten bars and lounges as well as twenty spa and entertainment options await travellers with casinos and lives shows available on the boat.

The MSC Divina will also offer guests the chance to join the exclusive yacht club on the boat, offering 24 hour butler service, complimentary drinks, a private restaurant, bar and pool along with much more.

Managing Director of MSC Cruises Lynne Clarke said: “the Yacht Club is fantastic offering for guests who want to cruise, but value their privacy."

"Given the added value, high level service and additional extras, the cost to upgrade into the Yacht Club is truly excellent value,” she added.

MSC Cruises introduces Guadeloupe and Martinique to their Caribbean itinerary

MSC Cruises is delighted to announce the introduction of the French Antilles as a new destination for the 2012-2013 winter season.

The inaugural voyage begins on 30 November 2012 when MSC Lirica departs from Genoa, Italy for a 16-day/15-night cruise, arriving at her new homeport in Martinique just over two weeks later.

MSC Lirica's course will take her from the Mediterranean through the Atlantic and on to the Caribbean, with scheduled stops in Marseilles, Barcelona, Funchal and, after five full days at sea, Bridgetown in Barbados. Scheduled stops then follow in Saint George in Grenada, Basseterre in Saint Kitts & Nevis and Castries in Saint Lucia, with MSC Lirica arriving in Fort-de-France in Martinique on 15 December 2012.

From 15 December 2012 through to 16 February 2013, MSC Lirica has a full schedule of ten 7-day/8-night cruises, departing every Saturday from Fort-de-France, Martinique, and every Sunday from Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

During these Caribbean experiences, guests will discover not only the breathtaking beauty but also the rich history of the islands, with scheduled stops in St John’s in Antigua & Barbuda; Road Town on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; Santo Domingo and La Romana in the Dominican Republic and Philipsburg in St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.

The French Antilles will bid farewell to MSC Lirica on 23 February 2013, when she starts her 16-day/15-night return cruise from Fort-de-France to Genoa. Scheduled stops are Pointe-à-Pitre, Castries, Funchal, Malaga, Barcelona and Marseille.

Excursions meanwhile will range from gentle tours around botanical gardens and plantations through to canopy zip lines high above the rainforest. Those with a thirst for knowledge may prefer a visit to the fishing village where Christopher Columbus landed in 1502 or a Chocolate Tour to the Caribbean’s largest organic cocoa processing plants.

MSC Cruises' Valentine's Cruise

MSC Cruises is looking to make the most of its Arabian Gulf sailing packages by offering a special Valentine's Day cruise this February.

The move will see the MSC Lirica transformed into a lover's paradise from February 12th to 19th as it embarks on its recently created Middle-East tours.

As part of the Valentine-focused cruise, MSC will be offering a special Rose Petal Package of luxury items for the romantically inclined.

This includes a bottle of Il Vino dell'Amore along with a Moscato Spumante and petit fours as part of the deluxe package.

The deal is MSC Cruises latest attempt at drumming up interest in its Abu Dhabi focused cruises.

It comes after the firm announced that its MSC Lirica vessel would be conducting cruise holidays along Oman and the United Arab Emirates through the winter months.

Back in October, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority chairman HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan welcomed the arrival of the MSC Lirica to the region.

"We hope she has set a course that many others will follow," he said at the event.

MSC Cruises collects €1 million for Unicef

MSC Cruises is proud to announce that a grand total of 1 million euros has been collected so far for the Get on Board for Children initiative in support of a project promoting quality education development in Brazil.

The initiative, which relies on donations generously made by cruise holiday guests cruising aboard all 11 passenger liners in the MSC Cruises’ fleet, was introduced in 2009 as part of a three-year partnership agreement with UNICEF and the UNICEF Urban Platform Initiative project in Brazil. The project aims to help address the structural and social inequalities in 94 favelas in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Itaquaquecetuba.

The project is currently on the homestretch of the initiative’s first cycle, in which governments, non-governmental organizations, communities, families and adolescents have pulled together to give an even stronger boost to reaching the goals initially established by municipalities and communities at the beginning of the project.

In terms of education for instance, municipal schools from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo have launched a monitoring process to assess the implementation of Law 10639/03 which requires the inclusion of Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous history and culture in all official school curriculums. The objective is to expand the number of schools implementing the law in order to foster racial equality and in so doing provide children and adolescents with quality education.

“1 million euros represents a major milestone in our fund raising effort and we are honoured, together with our valued passengers who have so generously supported this initiative, to actively participate in providing quality education to children and adolescents in the most destitute of Brazilian favelas.

I am proud of the significant achievements reached so far. While I appreciate that we must progress one step at a time to succeed in our endeavour to drastically help improve access to quality education in Brazil, I am confident that our objectives will be achieved”, said MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago.

Osmonds host MSC Cruise

Did you hear that Donny and Marie Osmond will be hosting a Bahamian cruise aboard MSC Poesia next February?

The sailing will feature the singing siblings' in concert, plus a Q & A session, a '70s-theme sock hop, and an Osmond-themed karaoke.

Passengers will also have the opportunity to take part in a talent show and a wedding vow renewal. Every event will give fans an opportunity to interact with the Osmonds.

The cruise departs on February 28th from Fort Lauderdale with calls into Nassau, Bahamas, and the private island of CocoCay.

Fatboy Slim & Co aboard MSC Poesia

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

A 3-night "Holy Ship!" music cruise is promising to be a DJ infused dance-electronica, around-the-clock party aboard MSC Poesia.

The cruise departs Fort Lauderdale in January 2012 and features more than 20 artists including Fatboy Slim and former Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.

The sailing aboard 2,550-passenger MSC Poesia, will include a pre-cruise party the day before in Fort Lauderdale. And during the voyage, Fatboy Slim will host a beach party during a stop at a private island in the Bahamas.

Other DJs taking part in the event include Laidback Luke, Diplo, Rusko, A-Trak; Steve Aoki and Skrillex. Tommy Lee will be appearing with DJ Aero.

The cruise holiday, which is open to over 21's only, goes on sale on the 15th June, with fares starting at $499 per person.

Caribbean Cruises with MSC

Cruise to the Caribbean with MSC Cruises and experience a cruise holiday like no other!