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The MSC Meraviglia, one of the world’s biggest ships, has arrived in New York City for the launch of MSC Cruises’ new offering of year-round sailings from the city.
The expansion into NYC is part of MSC’s plan to grow its share of the cruise market in North America. The docking makes New York the third homeport for MSC in the U.S., alongside Miami and Port Canaveral.
In a recent press release, MSC Cruises USA President Rubén Rodríguez said, “When we chose New York as the next step in our North American expansion, we knew that MSC Meraviglia would be the perfect ship, given her versatility and offerings for a wide variety of climates. She’s big and innovative, she offers something for everyone, and now she’s more accessible than ever for our guests in and around New York.”
A Glitzy Ship Worthy Of A New York Home
With a multitude of indoor and outdoor public spaces, including a retractable roof over the pool deck, the MSC Meraviglia is being dubbed “The Ship for All Seasons”.
The MSC Meraviglia is huge. It spans 1,036 feet long and 213 feet tall, with room for 5,700 passengers, and has all the bells and whistles you’d expect for a ship of this magnitude. Some of the highlights include:
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- Drinking, dining, and shopping at the 315-foot-long promenade, which is topped with a LED sky screen. Restaurants include a teppanyaki grill, sushi bar, and steakhouse
- Fun in the sun at the large waterpark, which has three twisty slides and a ropes course in addition to indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs
- Live shows in the 985-seat Broadway Theatre
- Bowling, Formula 1 and flight Simulators, XD cinema, and an arcade as well as sports facilities that include pickleball and minigolf
- A kids club for kids aged 0-17 that includes a Lego Experience
And while the ship has enough amenities to keep passengers from ever wanting to disembark, the itineraries and destinations offer something special as well.
Beginning next week, the MSC Meraviglia will begin sailing to these destinations:
The Bahamas And Florida
The MSC Meraviglia’s maiden voyage from its New York base will be to The Bahamas and Florida.
Departing on April 29, the 8-night cruise will sail to Miami and then on to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC’s private destination in The Bahamas.
From there, the ship will stop in Nassau before heading back to NYC. Expanded itineraries for future 7-11 night cruises also include stops in Bermuda, as well as Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico.
MSC began bringing its cruise passengers to its privately owned island in The Bahamas in 2020.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is a 95-acre island in the western Bahamas with 1.5 miles of beachfront.
Part of the Bimini island chain, Ocean Cay is where guests can let loose and enjoy water sports, sunbathing, and refreshing cocktails on the beach during the day, and exciting nightlife, fire pits, and stargazing in the evening.
The island is exclusively reserved for MSC Cruise guests, and the experience is included in the price of each cruise.
Bermuda
This coming August, passengers can choose a shorter getaway when the Bermuda sailings launch. Journeys will last between five and six nights and include several days in port at Kings Wharf in Bermuda.
Canada And New England
At the peak of autumn, the MSC Meraviglia will head north to New England and Canada to take in the beautiful fall foliage in the region’s coastal areas.
Sailings will last between 10 -11 nights and make stops in Newport, RI, Boston, MA, Portland, ME, and destinations in Canada, including St. John, Halifax, Charlottetown, and Sydney.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com