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Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
MSC Cruises plans to take key title back from Royal Caribbean
MSC Cruises hasn't tried to hide the fact that it's trying to lure Royal Caribbean cruisers to try out its unique style of family cruising. A dominant cruise line in Europe, MSC Cruises is relatively new to North America, but determined to quickly establish itself as a cruise line of choice for Americans. Related: Cruise lines face new passenger fee; MSC Cruises brings new thrill The Switzerland-based global cruise line is propelling forward with a major initiative to establish a strong U.S. footprint, and Royal Caribbean cruisers are a key target audience. If that wasn't already clear, this year's launch of MSC World America proved it. MSC World America is MSC's answer to Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship. Both megaships sail seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami featuring huge thrills and an emphasis on spaces and experiences for kids and families. While Royal Caribbean remains a top choice among U.S. cruisers, MSC Cruises is winning over many by offering cruises at a lower price point than most cruises on Icon of the Seas and newer Royal Caribbean ships. But lower prices aren't the only tactic MSC is using to attract Royal Caribbean cruisers. As MSC Cruises has made moves to compete directly with the cruise lines best known for offering thrilling vacation experiences, it's fueled a growing war of cruise ship thrill rides. That war includes an ongoing battle between Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises for one key title when it comes to cruise ship thrills: world's longest dry slide at sea. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. In late 2022, MSC Cruises claimed the world's longest dry slide at sea title from Royal Caribbean as it launched its first World Class ship, MSC World Europa, sister ship to MSC World America. MSC World Europa's 250-foot Venom Drop slide surpassed the 10-story Ultimate Abyss dry slide featured on most of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships. Royal Caribbean didn't appreciate being one-upped and took the title back by introducing a taller, 259-foot Ultimate Abyss slide on Utopia of the Seas when it launched in 2024. Now, MSC Cruises wants the title back. Related: MSC Cruises bets on a new kind of entertainment The cruise line has revealed that its next World Class ship, MSC World Asia, which launches in the Mediterranean in late 2026, will be the next ship to claim the title of longest dry slide at sea. MSC World Asia's dry slide, Tree of Life @The Spiral, will surpass all those designed before it at 266.7 feet and spanning 12 decks. Inspired by the trees in Singapore's famous Gardens by the Bay, the slide will also be a striking architectural feature of the ship's World Promenade - an open-air space at the heart of the ship featuring dining venues and entertainment options paired with ocean views. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. The recently launched MSC World America also features a dry slide - the 11-deck-high Jaw Drop - as well as standout thrill ride Cliffhanger, the only over-water swing ride at sea. MSC Cruises' innovative cruise ship thrill rides also include Robotron, the first robotic arm ride at sea, featured on MSC Seascape. The ride offers a roller coaster-like experience that flips and spins riders as they soar nearly 175 feet above the sea. MSC will soon bring the unique thrill ride to a new U.S. market as MSC Seascape begins sailing from Galveston, Texas, for the first time in November. Related: MSC Cruises is coming for Royal Caribbean's title Like Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises has a robust new ship pipeline, and more thrills are sure to come as the cruise line continues to rapidly grow its fleet. In May, the cruise line signed an order for two more World Class ships to complement the four already delivered or under construction. With the addition of these new ships, the MSC Cruises fleet will expand to 27 ships by 2030. Those plans include a new ship that will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, beginning in 2027, alongside Royal Caribbean's upcoming Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas. In addition to expanding its World Class, MSC Cruises is expected to soon reveal plans for a new and even bigger class of ships that will claim the world's largest cruise ship title from Royal Caribbean's Icon Class. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises
How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises Show Caption Hide Caption MSC World America: The most American cruise ship yet MSC World America, the newest ship from MSC Cruises, features 19 dining venues, 18 bars and lounges and many more. How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises Last-minute deals are a surefire way to save big when booking a Caribbean cruise, but let's be honest: Most of us can't cut it that close. Taking off work, securing flights for the whole family, and finding a stateroom that can comfortably accommodate everyone (and that is in a desirable location of the ship) all become a heck of a lot harder to do when you're a few weeks or even months away from departure. Let's not add that unnecessary stress to our plates, OK? With a little strategizing, you can snag an unbeatable discount on one of the best Caribbean cruises for families. You can save even more with kids sail free promos, which are offered by nearly every major line. Bonus add-ons such as $100 in onboard credit, 'free' gratuities, and specialty restaurant inclusions further boost the value of your bottom line. So, where to start? The best places to search for deals are on cruise planning websites (which feed you offers from many online travel agencies) and directly on the cruise lines' sites. You can also keep tabs on deals by subscribing to email lists for alerts. Broaden your results by signing up with multiple cruise sites and lines. Once you're tapped into a network of deals, it's time to put some money-saving tools into play. Here are three ways to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises for families. FIND YOUR MATCH: From kids to teens to grandparents, these are 12 best family cruise lines for all ages 1. Book a cruise during 'wave season' Think of wave season as the cruise industry's Amazon 'Prime Day' – only this buying window stretches for a few months. Every year from January through March, cruise lines roll out some of their most competitive prices after the holidays wind down. Deals advertised during wave season entice travelers to 'hit the waves,' so the cruise lines can fill their ships for the year(s) ahead. This is a win-win for the lines and families, who can save a pretty penny on sailings that give them plenty of time to plan. GO BEYOND: 101 fresh new family vacation ideas for the best trip ever Just about every major line gets involved in wave season. You'll find deals on all types of ships – including big, small, and expedition – and itineraries. Occasionally, cruise lines offer discounts on sailings during more sought-after times of year, like mid-summer or holidays. Common wave season deals include discounts of up to 50% off, BOGO offers, onboard credits, and extras such as free cabin upgrades and complimentary packages. 2. Be strategic with Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials Not all Black Friday and Cyber Monday promos are good deals. Some lines have even been known to raise prices around this time. The true value typically lies in more generous extras like significantly reduced deposits, 'free' shore excursions, and higher onboard credits. Some lines will also have an option to include airfare. Sign up for deal alerts on the best Caribbean cruises for families, at least a few months beforehand, to glean how prices and offers are trending. This will allow you to spot a deal better when you see one. You don't need to wait until the end-of-month retail rumpus, either. A handful of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are quietly made available in early November. CARIBBEAN DREAMS: These 6 cruise lines offer the best Caribbean cruises for families Additionally, some cruise lines will advertise a deal for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, and keep it rolling through wave season – only rebranding it and perhaps refreshing some of the extras. So, don't get discouraged if you're financially stretched too thin during the holiday season, and not quite ready to book. 3. Plan to cruise during the fall September, October, and November are among the cheapest months of the year to cruise in the Caribbean. There are two reasons for this: It's hurricane season, and kids are back in school, so the demand is much lower. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Any ship sailing within this time frame technically has a greater chance of being rerouted away from a storm. Despite all this, June, July, and August are some of the most popular months for Caribbean cruises. However, that's not the case for the latter part of hurricane season, which peaks from mid-August to mid-October. NO HIDDEN FEES: 7 best all-inclusive cruise lines in the world Even with a higher probability of storm activity, the chances of your cruise being affected are still relatively low. In the most likely scenario, you would have to call at a different port or spend an extra day at sea in order to move further away from a storm's path. You also might run into some rain or choppy seas, but that can happen at any time of the year. If you don't have your heart set on a particular destination, and your family is down to go with the flow, then sailing in the fall might be your ticket to the best Caribbean cruises for families. Want to slash your chances of getting seasick? Consider a Southern Caribbean itinerary. Due to their southern location and climates, islands such as St. Lucia and Aruba rarely see tropical activity. How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises for families originally appeared on More from FamilyVacationist: The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. and are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology, we review and select family vacation ideas, family vacation spots, all-inclusive family resorts, and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators, tour operator reviews, tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations. If you buy an item through a link in our content, we may earn a commission.
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Associated Press
Dominican Journalist Ángel Martínez Facing Travel Restrictions Despite Closed Case
MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 / / -- Legal representatives for Dominican journalist and licensed private investigator Ángel Ramón de Jesús Martínez Jiménez have filed motions in Dominican court seeking the immediate lifting of travel restrictions imposed after his detention on May 26, 2025 at sea leaving the port of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Martínez, a well-known investigative content creator behind the YouTube channel Detective Ángel, was detained while aboard the MSC World America cruise ship. The arrest occurred despite the fact that the legal matter cited in his detention — Expediente No. 503-2020-EPRI-00545 — was formally closed on November 12, 2024, by the Ninth Criminal Chamber of the Criminal Court of the Distrito Nacional. The court ruling, referenced under Sentencia No. 047-2024-SSEN-00171, declared the action extinguished, lifting all associated arrest warrants and ordering removal of alerts issued to Dominican migration authorities and INTERPOL. ormal notifications were submitted between January and April 2025 by attorney Lic. Carlos Manuel Mesa, who represents Mr. Martínez. On May 26, after the ship had departed the port, Dominican authorities reportedly contacted the vessel. Law enforcement personnel, led by Coronel Elian Andrés Rosario José, boarded the ship. Mr. Martínez was removed from the vessel and transferred to Dominican custody. No active warrant was presented to the cruise line at the time. 'We respectfully request the court to lift the impediment of exit that remains in place, given that there are no active criminal charges and the case was legally extinguished,' said Lic. Carlos Mesa. 'All filings are in accordance with procedural law and the original ruling from the Ninth Chamber.' Though Mr. Martínez was released from custody shortly after, he continues to face a court- imposed impedimento de salida (travel restriction) and must appear periodically in court. His legal team has cited humanitarian and medical concerns in support of the motion to lift the restriction. Case Information Case No.: 503-2020-EPRI-00545 Court: Ninth Criminal Chamber, Criminal Court of the Distrito Nacional Ruling: Sentencia No. 047-2024-SSEN-00171 Defense Counsel: Lic. Carlos Manuel Mesa About Ángel Martínez Ángel Ramón de Jesús Martínez Jiménez is a Dominican journalist, Florida-licensed private investigator, and producer of the Detective Ángel YouTube channel, which reports on corruption and public accountability in the Caribbean. His content is created and distributed from Miami, Florida, and serves a wide international audience. Greg Wheeler Big Reach PR +1 3055209557 [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MSC Cruises takes another bold step in its ambitious growth plan
MSC Cruises takes another bold step in its ambitious growth plan originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. MSC Cruises' answer to Royal Caribbean's Icon Class is only getting started. After the Switzerland-based global cruise line launched its newest megaship, MSC World America, from Miami last month, some might have thought the cruise line would take a breather before moving on to another mega-sized Royal Caribbean's giant Icon of the Seas, MSC World America is a huge ship, accommodating more than 6,700 passengers, and it's making a big impression on cruisers as it joins Icon of the Seas in sailing seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami. A market leader in Europe, MSC Cruises designed MSC World America to sail with its own unique style that blends European sophistication with American comfort. And the cruise line has big plans to introduce more Americans to its signature style of cruising as it continues to grow its presence in North America and throughout the globe. MSC Cruises already has another World Class ship in development for the North American market, along with one for Europe. And now, the cruise line is making plans for even more World Class ships to is ordering two more World Class ships to complement the four already delivered or under construction. With the addition of two more ships to its pipeline, the MSC Cruises fleet will expand to 27 ships by 2030. The two new ships, the fifth and sixth in the World Class, are expected to be delivered in 2029 and 2030. Each will be designed to build upon the innovation of the World Class, which combines advanced environmental technology with the latest advancements in passenger experiences. MSC Cruises has not yet revealed where these two ships will sail, or whether either of them will sail in North will follow the existing World Class ships, MSC World Europa and MSC World America, as well as two more already under construction at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire in France — MSC World Asia and MSC World Atlantic. Although many cruisers may assume MSC World Asia is being built to sail in Asia like MSC World America was built for the American market, that's actually not the case. MSC Cruises' World Class ships are named for the continents and oceans of the world, and their names don't necessarily indicate where they will be deployed. The naming convention is meant to showcase that the global cruise line sails in all parts of the World Asia will offer Mediterranean cruises upon its launch in late 2026, and MSC World Atlantic will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida beginning in 2027. As the cruise line accelerates its global expansion, North America continues to be a key growth market. In addition to adding MSC World America and MSC World Atlantic to sail from Florida, the cruise line is also preparing to launch its first cruises from in November, MSC Seascape will move from Miami to its highly anticipated new homeport of Galveston. Sailing from a brand-new terminal that's currently under construction at the Port of Galveston, MSC Seascape will offer cruises to the Western Caribbean. For its Galveston debut, MSC Seascape will sail with some new Texas-inspired touches featured alongside the cruise line's signature blend of European style and American comfort. Further emphasizing its focus on North America, MSC Cruises will also launch its first Alaska cruises in 2026. MSC Poesia will homeport in Seattle for the summer 2026 Alaska cruise season. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MSC Cruises is coming for Royal Caribbean's title
MSC Cruises is coming for Royal Caribbean's title originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. When MSC Cruises launched its newest megaship, MSC World America, from Miami this spring, the Switzerland-based global cruise line sent a clear message that it was courting Royal Caribbean cruisers. MSC is market leader in Europe, but it's not so well known to Americans just yet. MSC World America is part of a major initiative to change that, however, and Royal Caribbean passengers seem to be the main target World America is now sailing seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami right alongside Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship. Like Icon, MSC World America is a huge ship, accommodating more than 6,700 passengers, that's divided into several distinct areas offering different experiences for every type of vacationer. Although the two ships have a lot of similarities, MSC World America has its own unique style that mixes MSC's signature European design with American comfort. With its game-changing combination of super-sized thrills and chills, Icon of the Seas seems to be a bit more appealing to most American cruisers than MSC World America, though. Still, MSC is luring some 'loyal to Royal' cruisers to give its new ship a shot by offering most of its cruises at a significantly lower price than Icon's sailings. And MSC Cruises' plans to take market share from Royal Caribbean don't end at MSC World America is a major growth market for MSC Cruises, and the cruise line continues to reveal new initiatives to increase its visibility and boost its position as key player in the region. As the next step in its expansion plan, MSC is deploying more ships to offer alternatives to Royal Caribbean cruises from other major U.S. home ports. In November, MSC Cruises will launch its first cruises from Texas — western Caribbean cruises sailing from Galveston on MSC Seascape. Then in 2026, the cruise line will offer its first Alaska cruises, adding Seattle as a new summer home port for MSC launching those new cruises, MSC will debut another World Class ship from Florida. Beginning in 2027, the new MSC World Atlantic will sail Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, where Royal Caribbean's new Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, is set to launch this summer. Like Royal Caribbean, MSC's new ship pipeline is booming. The cruise line recently ordered two more World Class ships to complement the four already delivered or under construction, which will expand the MSC Cruises fleet to 27 ships by 2030. And now, even bigger plans are on the horizon for MSC addition to expanding its World Class, MSC Cruises plans to introduce a new ultra-sized ship class that will be even bigger than Royal Caribbean's Icon Class. MSC Cruises is expected to soon place an order with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku for a new class of ships that will exceed the size of Royal Caribbean's Icon Class, according to a Shipping Italy the Constellation Class, the new series of MSC Cruises ships is expected to consist of four ships at 265,000 gross tons and 365 meters in length, surpassing Icon's 250,800 gross tons. The new MSC ships are also expected to be the largest cruise ships in the world in terms of passenger capacity. Additionally, the cruise line is rumored to have another project in the works with its long-time partner Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the French shipbuilding company constructing its World Class ships. Called Conquest, the project will be an evolution of the cruise line's World Class platform, resulting in two more ships that are longer than MSC World Europa and MSC World America. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
