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After two very different, yet sort of similar sailings this year, I wanted to compare and contrast an MSC Yacht Club cruise versus a cruise on Explora Journeys. TLDR; I find that I preferred the trip on Explora II for…
Introduction I recently returned from a cruise aboard MSC Meraviglia that began with one of the more memorable sailaways I have experienced in recent years. Departing from Brooklyn in the depths of winter meant enduring frigid temperatures on deck, but…
My next sailing takes me aboard MSC Meraviglia, departing from Brooklyn and heading south on a classic warm-weather itinerary: Port Canaveral, Nassau, and the private island paradise of Ocean Cay. It’s a familiar loop for many cruisers, but this trip…
MSC Cruises has grown from a regional European operator into one of the largest cruise lines in the world, combining Mediterranean heritage with an expanding global footprint. Founded in 1988 as part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the line…
MSC Cruises’ first foray into the luxury market is a very impressive product. Take a tour of the vessel to see what it’s all about. Welcome aboard the Explora II, a ship that blends cutting-edge yacht-inspired design with a storied…
My Ocean State of Mind Journey from Tenerife to Barcelona As I prepare to embark on my next luxury travel adventure, I’m filled with excitement for what promises to be a transformative experience. Soon, I’ll be boarding the elegant EXPLORA…
The Explora III, the third ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, is a state-of-the-art luxury vessel designed with sustainability and innovation at its core. With a length of 248 meters and a gross tonnage of 63,000 GT, the ship offers…
The Explora II, the second ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, is a sophisticated luxury vessel designed to offer an exceptional and eco-conscious cruising experience. Measuring 248 meters in length with a gross tonnage of 63,000 GT, the ship can…
The Explora I is the first ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, designed to offer a luxurious and sustainable cruising experience. With a length of 248 meters and a gross tonnage of 63,000 GT, it accommodates 922 guests in 461…
Today brings us two updates on the massive renovations going on in PortMiami. The first is that MSC finally got approval on what will actually be two different terminals right next to each other. Called Terminal AA and AAA, they’re…
Geneva-based MSC Cruises have announced that they will stretch the MSC Magnifica by 75 feet. Stretching, is the process whereby a ship is cut into two pieces and a mid-section is inserted in between them. They then weld it all…
The quickly expanding MSC Cruies have just taken delivery of the MSC Bellissima. This ship belongs to the Meraviglia-class and shes an identical sister to her. She comes in at 171,598gt and has an LOA of 1,036ft and beam of…
click for larger Click here to Download the Deck Plans High Res Of Each Deck Deck 5 Deck 6 Deck 7 Deck 8 Deck 9 Deck 10 Deck 11 Deck 12 Deck 13 Deck 14 Deck 15 Deck 16 Deck…
MSC Cruises held a steelcutting ceremony for their next vessel at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. This new ship will be the first in their larger Seaside-class. Called Seaside Evo-class, the first in the two ship order will be called…
MSC Cruises has just announced that they will be building four ‘ultra-luxury cruise ships.’ Each vessel will be built in Italy at one of Fincantieri’s yards. These ships will be 64,000gt and carry only 500 pax. The first of these…
MSC Cruises and PortMiami have agreed to build a new terminal on Miami’s Dodge Island. The island is where the currently cruise terminals and pretty much all of the port is located. This new terminal will be able to process…
MSC Cruises has just announced that they ordered a fifth Meraviglia Plus-class ship. The announcement was made at a ceremony at STX France (what it’s still being called for the time being). During the event, MSC Cruises and yard executives celebrated three major milestones:…
MSC Cruises have just taken delivery of the MSC Seaview. The Seaview, an identical sister to the Seaside, just finished being constructed at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. After the inaugural ceremony in Italy on June 9th, she will commence…
MSC Cruises announced that the MSC Armonia will sail 7-night western Caribbean itineraries featuring an overnight in Cuba. She will reposition to Miami and start the itineraries this December. She will sail on Mondays and overnight in Havana on Saturday and…
Here’s an interesting rumor that I wanted to share. MSC may be placing an order for 4 ultra luxary ships soon. These won’t be nearly the same size of their mega ships that they’re currently building. All the yards in…
The MSC Seaside was just delivered from Fincantieri to MSC so I thought this would be a good moment to take a first look at this prototype ship. The Italian shipyard has long been pushing their Project Mille design and…
MSC Cruises have just taken delivery of the MSC Seaside. This is the first in the highly anticipated Seaside class of vessels. She will sail direct from Trieste, Italy to Miami where she will be home-ported. This will be the…
MSC Cruises announced that they have agreed with Fincantieri to construct two additional Seaside class vessels. Hulls 3&4 will come with a slightly altered design. In the rendering above, it looks like they added an additional deck in the forward…
During the MSC Meraviglia events in France, MSC showed the audience a render of their new World Class vessels. The first 200,000gt ship will be delivered from STX France in 2022. We have a long ways to go before we…
MSC Cruises is about to receive the MSC Meraviglia. This is the first in the new Meraviglia class of vessels. The first photos have started leaking out from the shipyard. Check these out. This ship looks amazing.