MSC Offers Baseball, Big Band Theme Cruises out of Fort Lauderdale

Orlando Sentinel

MSC Cruises is featuring baseball themed Caribbean cruises aboard the MSC Poesia departing from Fort Lauderdale.

The Baseball Greats voyages that include free interactive guest/player activities, player-hosted trivia game, question-and-answer sessions with the players, autograph session, and a guest pitching contest.

Players also host. Player lineup will be announced at a later date. Among the Baseball Greats cruises is a Nov. 14, seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Nassau.

MSC Cruises will also feature Big Band cruises that showcase the 16-piece Les DeMerle Big Band with vocalist Bonnie Eisele. In addition to performances, the band will present a Big Band Jazz Concert and DeMerle will give a lecture on the Big Band Era.

The Big Band theme will be featured during a nine-night Canada/New England voyage from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale on Oct. 23.

MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia will host five “Baseball Greats” Fort Lauderdale cruises during its 2010-2011 Caribbean season.

The cruises include free interactive guest/player activities. Guests can participate in a player-hosted trivia game, question-and-answer sessions with the players, and a pitching contest. In story-telling sessions players some candid revelations about “characters” of the game. Players will also host pitching, hitting, fielding and base running clinics.

The free autograph session at the end of the baseball themed cruises is extremely popular. The player line-up on these itineraries will be announced at a later date.

Baseball theme cruises depart Nov. 14, Dec. 5, Jan. 9 and 23, and Feb. 6.

Repositioning Cruises on a Moderate Budget

LA Times

Reporting from The Norwegian Jewel - Colin Markland relishes the feel of an ocean breeze as it musses his white hair. The 80-year-old retired doctor lives in Charleston, S.C., not far from his beloved Atlantic Ocean, a sea he has crossed by ship more times than he can remember.

His first sailing -- from Liverpool to Boston -- was in 1953, when the young Englishman immigrated to America for an internship. Cunard charged him 50 pounds -- the equivalent of $140 back then -- for a bunk in steerage.

Fifty-six years later, I met Markland on another transatlantic crossing. We were among 2,110 passengers traveling from Miami to Dover, England, aboard the Norwegian Jewel. I was on board to report on my experiences, but Markland was there for a very different reason: to brag about how little the 11-night cruise had cost him.

"I paid $219," he told people. Of course, that's per person in a double-occupancy stateroom. But at less than $20 a night for a cabin -- with unlimited meals, an array of activities and, of course, transportation included -- this was a bargain worth boasting about.

"I couldn't believe my eyes," he said of opening an e-mail about a month before last April's sailing and reading the offer. "I never could have imagined crossing at this price."

Many people find repositioning cruises fit the bill for a vacation, because of price and because of what the cruise does -- and does not -- offer.

When I booked early last February, the going rate for an inside cabin was $389. NCL needed to move the Jewel from its winter home in Florida to a summer base in England. Rather than cross the ocean with empty rooms, the cruise line offered great deals to entice us to join the crew on this one-way journey.

A novice at this sort of trip, I found myself in a sea of "repositioning" veterans. For them, the ship is the destination.

"They've pretty much seen it all, done it all. They know what they want," cruise director Rick Schwartzenburg told me.

This isn't the typical many ports/many stops trip. "We like the transatlantics because it gives us more time to use the ship's facilities," said Pat Lonergan, who with her husband, Chris, was returning home to Britain. "On a normal cruise, you're on and off."

For travelers like the Lonergans, the big waves -- much more common in the mid-Atlantic than in the relative shelter during Caribbean cruises -- are old hat. For first-timers like me, they were unsettling.

At dinner on the sixth night, television monitors reported "rough seas" of 7 1/2 to 12 feet. After eating a light meal, I clung to the handrails on my way to the Stardust Theatre for a show.

"I know why most of you are here," announced the cruise director. "[It's] because the seas are rough and you want to see how this will go."

Indeed, many of us were curious to see whether that night's performer -- a German juggler named Hilby -- could pull it off. He amazed us by keeping two clubs, a knife and a toilet plunger in midair while pedaling a unicycle across the stage.

Later, the shaking and the creaking kept me awake. I switched on the TV to discover we were in a Force 11 "violent storm." The winds were 58 mph. The sea was full of fury. Eventually, I lapsed into fitful sleep.

"I just want to get to Dover," a fellow first-timer said after that rocky night. Actually, she might have said, "I just want to get it over with." Either way, the sentiment was the same.

After nearly a week of gray seas and white foam, we see land on the horizon. We were approaching our first port of call: Ponta Delgada in the Azores.

Living on islands more than 900 miles west of the European continent, the locals welcome visitors from the cruise ships that occasionally stop for a few hours. Sure, there are shops selling cheap souvenirs, but there are also delightful cathedrals and squares to visit. The Norwegian Cruise Lines passengers seemed to outnumber residents in the narrow streets.

After two more nights at sea, we arrived in Vigo, Portugal, a bustling port that, on a Sunday morning, was much quieter than usual. Having "been there, done that," many people chose to stay on board for an aerobics class or a poolside barbecue.

Underway again, there were whispered warnings about the typically rough seas as we approached the Bay of Biscay. Thankfully, on this trip, the waters were unusually calm.

When we reached Dover at the end of our 5,100-mile voyage, Chris and Pat Lonergan were just 150 miles from home. They had spent the trip reading, playing trivia games and catching up on sleep.

Colin Markland later told me the cruise was "the best holiday I've ever had." Then, he quickly added, "That's probably because it was such a steal."

The Ocean Village Cruise Ship Ends Operations In Caribbean

Caribbean Press Releases

The Ocean Village Cruise Ship has had a successful 6 year run.  Tobagonians have become accustomed to seeing the colourful and inviting vessel pull into the Scarborough port every other week during the summer. However, September 2010 will be the last opportunity to view this vessel.

Carnival Cruises UK has announced that by the end of 2010 Ocean Village will cease operations as a brand and the ships will be transferred to the P&O Australia Cruises. The ship Ocean Village which continues to operate Caribbean cruises until next fall will be renamed to Pacific Pearl.

In 2003 Ocean Village commences operations with the tag line “The cruise for people who don’t do cruises” and  offered the British public a relaxed cruise experience, similar to Norwegian Cruise Line Freestyle cruising.

Ocean Village successfully appealed to first-time-type cruisers by "tearing up the cruising rule book" and targeting the "Dress Down Friday" generation. The cruise line strongly supported casual dress, sporty activities, eating-when-you-please, stand-up comics and rock concert-style entertainment.  Freedom and casual experience has been the mantra everyday on Ocean Village. Specifically, none of the restaurants have dress codes and there are no formal evenings, so the cruise was great for those who like to pack light and for those who avoid formal attire.

The Caribbean and Tobago in particular will continue to see cruise ships from the Carnival family member P&O Cruises, as the Oceana, Artemis and Ventura continue to ply their routes with formal cruises providing great cruise vacations.

Ocean Village Two has already ceased its Caribbean duty and is now part of the P&O Australia Cruises fleet, sailing under the name Pacific Jewel.

Holiday Travel Increases Nationwide

My West Texas

Although the percentage of Americans traveling this holiday season is expected to increase by nearly 4 percent from last year, local experts say that may not be the case in the Permian Basin.

According to AAA, about 87.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or farther during the weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year’s, up from 84.5 million in 2008.

In Midland, though, travel agents say many people still are holding tighter to their wallets and choosing to stay close to the Tall City this holiday season.

“It’s been that way all year,” said C.W. Porter at Amera Travel Network.

Those who are traveling, Porter said, mostly are looking for a warm getaway and are booking trips to Mexico or Caribbean cruises.

Vicki Johnson with Adventure Travel agreed, saying adults without kids are flocking to Cancun and various warm destinations. Families, she said, are choosing places like Disney World.

Instead of taking major trips that require high-priced airfares, managers at resorts in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico said many Texans are deciding to drive to their venues for part of the holiday season.

Lajitas Resort and Spa’s reservation manager Terri Thate said they have several families already in town and are expecting their largest crowd over the New Year’s holiday when occupancy rates will reach more than 90 percent. That’s still not where they want them, she said, but is much higher than on an average weekend this year.

At The Lodge at Sierra Blanca in Ruidoso, N.M., Ryan Reynolds said they’re nearly sold out for the remainder of the month and have several families coming in to ski. In previous years, he said, the resort has required guests to stay for a minimum number of nights if they’re making a reservation. This year, though, they took the rule away and have seen business increase since families have cheaper options if they want to visit for just a night or two.

About 77.7 million Americans are expected to travel by automobile, according to AAA, which is an about 4.4 percent increase from 2008.

AAA anticipates air travel will increase by about 2.9 percent with 4.2 million traveling by plane compared to 4.1 million in 2008.

Those traveling by either method, travel agents said, are likely paying more than  previously because the airline industry has shrunk its offerings by 3 to 4 percent. Gas prices are up about 90 cents from where they were at this time last year, according to gasbuddy.com.

Johnson said those planning travel at the last minute are paying the highest prices as most deals were grabbed by those who made reservations six months ago.

Because airlines have decreased their offerings, Porter said, those who are traveling via Midland International Airport still will see crowds on board. At this point, he said, anyone who hasn’t booked a flight will have trouble finding an outbound seat.

“There are definitely no deals in the airline industry,” he said.

And while locals said it hasn’t quite become the case in Midland yet, AAA officials say the increase in travel despite these pricing conditions is a sign citizens are more at ease about the economy.

“More Americans traveling and taking advantage of Mexico cruise specials during the winter holidays is another sign consumers are continuing to grow more confident in their personal financial situations,” said AAA’s director of Travel Services Glen MacDonell in a statement.

The Transportation Security Administration is advising travelers to arrive at the airport with patience since the holidays typically mean larger volumes of inexperienced travelers.

Packed flights also will mean any cancellations made due to weather around the country could cause more chaos than in previous years since there won’t be many openings on alternative flights.

“Really there’s not a lot you can do,” Johnson said, adding the possibility of bad weather is enough to keep many families at home.

January Snows Mean Travel Sales

NY Times

FOR years, Linda Graef Jones planned the family ski vacation over Christmas or during Presidents’ Day week, to coincide with her children’s school vacation. That meant paying the usual holiday premiums for airfare and lodging, and dealing with throngs of skiers and snowboarders on the mountain. This year, with both her children in colleges that have longer winter breaks, she is going in January instead.

“January is currently the softest-looking month for cruise pricing of the year,”

“It was a no-brainer,” said Ms. Graef Jones, a sales executive for an insurance brokerage firm in New York. She had a variety of less expensive flights to choose from, she said, and estimates she is saving more than $500 a night on the cost of the condominium. “Lodging was relatively inexpensive,” she said, and without the crowds, “you can ski and get a lot out of your expensive pass.”

Also, she added, “it’s nice to get out of the holiday craziness.”

January may be the best time of year to take a vacation, as passenger traffic drops and resorts, airlines and cruise companies all roll out deals. Yet the start of the year is often overlooked when it comes to vacation planning: families return to school schedules and New Year’s reveling is traded for resolutions of eating in, working out and spending less. And it’s no wonder. People are tired, or broke, or dreading the thought of getting on another plane.

“You could call it vacation fatigue,” said Evan Eggers, president of the cruise vacation site SureCruise.com. But a lot of travelers are missing out. It’s a great time to travel, Mr. Eggers said, “since you’re escaping the cold and getting a killer deal.”

Just how killer? Discounts range from 30 to 50 percent compared with the holidays and other busy travel periods. Hilton Hotels just introduced a January Sale with weekend rates 33 percent off hotels in North and South America. The average domestic airfare for a weeklong trip departing Saturdays in January is $274 round trip, according to Bing Travel, the Microsoft search engine that predicts airfare prices. That’s down from about $447 on average for Christmas week.

January and February also have the fewest airline passengers, according to the Department of Transportation, easing the airport experience. And with fewer crowds, you could have that beach or fresh powder trail all to yourself.

So it’s time to shake off that holiday hangover and plan a trip. But don’t just jump at the first cheap fare that comes your way. Think about what you want to do once you get there in order to find the best destination for your budget. Though Florida beckons with bargains, the water can be chilly in the winter, and temperatures, while warm, tend to hover in the 70s or even lower. So you may want to look farther south to Caribbean cruises. But if pub crawls and hot springs are your thing, Reykjavik may be just the place, with two-night packages, including flights from New York or Boston, from $499 a person at Icelandair.com.

To help you plan your post-holiday escape, here are some of the best bargains for popular winter getaways, whether you’re seeking, sun, snow or a cruise vacation.

Sun lovers: It’s high-season for cold-weather getaways like Hawaii cruises and the Caribbean, where warm sands beckon sun worshipers, and discounts tend to be scarce. But it’s still a heck of a lot cheaper than it was over Christmas. And some resorts are offering extra incentives to fill rooms in January. The Reef Resort on Grand Cayman has Summer in January rates from $230 a night, down from $325. On Nevis, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club is offering seven nights for the price of six with its January Thaw package. The deal starts at $3,750 based on double occupancy — $630 less than a similar package over the holidays — and includes daily breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner.

Hawaii’s deals may soon dry up as Alaska, Continental, Delta and Hawaiian Airlines add flights next year, bringing more visitors. So strike now to nab a bargain like $135 a night with breakfast at the Hotel Renew, half a block from Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. On the Kohala Coast, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, normally $600 a night, has rooms from $450 with a fourth night free.

Deal seekers may get the most bang for their buck from Mexico cruises, which are still offering discounts to win back visitors scared off by reports of Mexican gang and drug violence and the H1N1 outbreak earlier this year. Fares are about 40 percent less to Cancún in January on average compared with the December holidays, 34 percent less to Puerto Vallarta and 30 percent less to San Jose del Cabo, according to Kayak.com.

Occidental Hotels & Resorts, which has six all-inclusive properties in Mexico, is running a winter sale with rates starting at $81 a person a night at the Allegro Nuevo Vallarta, north of Puerto Vallarta, for travel beginning Jan. 4.

Snowhounds: The snow is falling and so are prices at ski resorts this January. Four nights and three-day lift tickets at the Village at Squaw Valley near Truckee, Calif., start at $828 a person, according to Ski.com, down from $1,115 a person last January and $1,383 a person in December. Bachelor Gulch Village in Beaver Creek, Colo., is offering 25 percent off lodging, a $50 resort credit and three-day lift tickets for the price of two, bringing four nights in a two-bedroom with three days on the mountain to $642 a person when four people share a room. Last January a similar package was $868 and didn’t include resort credits or the lift-ticket special.

Vancouver may seem out of reach as it readies itself for the 2010 Winter Olympics in February. But it’s cheap if you go now. “Visitors assume the host city is busy in the months leading up to the Olympics,” said Emily Armstrong, a spokeswoman for Tourism Vancouver. “We’re not.”

For less than $400 a person, skiers can fly round trip to Vancouver from San Francisco or Denver and stay two nights at the Fairmont Hotel with United Vacations, Jan. 11 to 28, according to Travelzoo.com, and hit the local ski slopes at Grouse Mountain, Cypress and Mount Seymour.

Cruisers: “January is currently the softest-looking month for cruise pricing of the year,” said Evan Eggers of SureCruise.com. The average price of a seven-night cruise on major lines such as Princess Cruises is about $600 a person, he said, compared with $900 in December.

Some cruise lines have adopted airline-style yield-management strategies and are now changing prices multiple times a day, according to Mr. Eggers. Travelers can check for such rate cuts by clicking on Price Cut Tattletale at SureCruise.com and sorting by date, line or region. There was a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise from Galveston, Tex., starting at $420 a person (down from $2,033) on Royal Caribbean Cruises, for example, in a recent search for January; a $650 a person (down from $2,464) 14-night Amazon River cruise from Manaus Brazil to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Princess; and a $300 (down from $2,599) seven-night Hawaii cruise on Norwegian.

Another site for spotting deals is CruiseMarketplace.com. And if all you want is a diversion, consider Norwegian’s one-night sail to nowhere on the Norwegian Gem, from just $159 a person. It departs New York on Jan. 2 and 23, cruising about seven miles out to sea so it can open the casino and duty-free shops, and then returns to its starting point.

Mahogany Bay Cruise Center Officially Opens To Caribbean Cruises

Breaking Travel News

The $62 million Mahogany Bay Cruise Center at Roatan in the Bay Islands officially opened this week and began welcoming cruise ships. The Yachts of Seabourn’s’ 208-passenger Seabourn Legend arrived on Saturday, Nov. 28, followed by discount Princess Cruises’ 3,070-passenger Crown Princess yesterday. Carnival Cruises’ 2,974-passenger Carnival Valor is in port today. Reaction from cruise guests to the new facility has been outstanding.

More than five years in development, and two years under construction, Mahogany Bay Cruise Center encompasses 20 acres of waterfront property and includes a two-berth cruise terminal which can accommodate up to 8,000 passengers daily.  It is a joint project of Carnival Corporation and Roatan businessman Jerry Hynds.

This week’s ship visits are the first of 200 annual ship calls at the new facility, which is expected to host more than 500,000 passengers each year.  In addition to the Yachts of Seabourn, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Princess Cruises, vessels from Holland America Cruises, Costa Cruises, and P&O Cruises, as well as non-Carnival Corporation brands, are expected to call at the new facility, as well.

In addition to a two-ship cruise pier, the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center offers a welcome center along with a variety of retail outlets, including two themed bars, a restaurant and several shops. A transportation hub with the ability to accommodate taxis, rental cars and tour buses, along with a wide range of shore excursion opportunities, which can be purchased on board the cruise vessels, are also available.

Unique to Mahogany Bay is a new chair lift system that takes cruise ship guests from the welcome center to beautiful Mahogany Beach, a 10-acre private island featuring an 825-foot-long white-sand beach with a beach volleyball court and myriad watersports opportunities.  Eight exclusive cabanas are also available for rent.

The “Magical Flying Beach Chair” takes guests on a six-minute ride across nearly 1,200 feet of suspended cables, providing not only convenient beach access but views of the lush countryside as well.  All-day passes for the beach chair lift are $5 per person.  An elevated path is also available for those who prefer to walk.

“The Mahogany Bay Cruise Center not only serves as a gateway to one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful islands but is also a destination unto itself, with a magnificent white-sand beach and a wide range of shops, restaurants and shore excursion opportunities,” said Giora Israel, senior vice president of port and destination development for discount Carnival Cruises.

A Silver Lining for Vacationers in the Caribbean

If the financial crisis has made you think twice about spending money on a vacation, hotels in the Caribbean are trying to sway you with discounts and deals.

Even before the latest economic news, the Caribbean's tourist industry was under pressure. Flights to the area have been cut and airfare prices have risen. An active hurricane season -- particularly devastation from Hurricane Ike -- has already spooked some potential travelers and damped demand. Indeed, bookings at many hotels began to drop over the summer. And hotel construction in the area is booming, meaning there are more rooms to fill. So, while the fall off-season has usually meant some hotel discounting, this year the offers are particularly sweet.

The Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino, for example, is offering a fifth night free, a room upgrade, and free breakfast for two every day on stays before Dec. 18. For the first time during the off-season, the Turks & Caicos Club, a small luxury resort on Providenciales island, is offering rates starting at $247.50 until Nov. 9, a 50% discount from rates at the same times last year. "We wanted to encourage people to come to the island not only because of the hurricane," (Hurricane Ike struck nearby) says spokeswoman Tiffany Dowd, "but because of the economy." Ms. Dowd says the property did not sustain significant damage during Ike.

To be sure, the travel industry overall may be in for tough times ahead: Hotels in other regions of the world have recently started to see revenue fall. But on a broad level, room rates are still rising -- as they have for several years. That isn't the case in the Caribbean. The region is the only geographic area in the world that has seen average hotel-room rates drop consistently over the past few months. In August, the average rate for a room in the Caribbean was 8.2% lower than last year, according to Smith Travel Research, a hospitality-research firm.

Online travel agencies such as Travelocity and Orbitz say they are also seeing big discounts. "We have crazy hotel promotions going on now in the Caribbean," says Brian Hoyt, an Orbitz spokesman. For example, average daily room rates for Puerto Rico during October through December are down about 11% for hotels on the site, compared with the same period last year. Average rates in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, are down 16%.

In addition to dropping rates, hotels are offering added perks like free meals, resort credits and airfare reimbursement to keep travelers coming before the typically busy winter holiday season.

Sandals Resorts has extended a promotion, first offered earlier this summer, which gives guests an airfare credit of up to $550 when they book a three-night stay by Oct. 23 for travel through Dec. 20. The all-inclusive resort, which caters to couples, is also offering additional perks like spa credits this year, says Mitchell Nover, media coordinator at Unique Vacations, which handles sales and marketing for Sandals Resorts.

Hotels are hoping that their deals will offset the pain of higher airfares for travelers. For years, the Caribbean has been able to depend upon a wealth of good, cheap flights. But airlines have been cutting their schedules in the region. About 15% fewer flights are expected into the region from the U.S. this December compared with last December, according to OAG Back Aviation Solutions. And prices for the flights that are left are rising. Online travel agency Travelocity says that airfare into the Caribbean from the U.S. is up about 10% this fall and winter compared with last year.

In Cancun, Mexico, which isn't as affected by airline-route cuts but is often considered part of the Caribbean tourism region because it is competing to attract similar travelers, some room rates are also falling.

"It's been a tough second half, no doubt about it," says Chris Calabrese, director general for the plush JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and its slightly less-expensive sister property, CasaMagna Marriott Cancun. When the hotels noticed weakening demand earlier this year, they dropped some rates and created packages they hoped would attract guests. Until Dec. 15, CasaMagna Marriott is offering a $109 base rate, and the JW Marriott Cancun's base rate is $130. Mr. Calabrese says those rates are 20% cheaper than last year at the same time.

Most hotels say that bookings still look strong for the busy winter holiday season, but that they aren't as booked up as usual at this time. So some are offering winter deals, too. Travelocity is offering an average room rate of $300 per night (from Dec. 15 through Jan. 15) at The Somerset on Grace Bay, a 46% discount compared with what the modern luxury resort in the Turks and Caicos offered last year. At Las Casitas Village & Golden Door Spa in Puerto Rico, owned by LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels, the site's average rate during the winter period is $527, a 43% discount from last year.

Some hotels are on the lookout for weakened demand from recent negative financial news even into late winter and spring and are offering pre-emptive deals.

Grace Bay Club, owned by Grace Bay Resorts, a luxury property in the Turks and Caicos, hasn't yet seen business weaken, says Nikheel Advani, chief operating officer and principal of Grace Bay Resorts. But last month the hotel started offering a series of deals -- a fourth night free through Dec. 16, a $500 resort credit for stays of three nights or longer and a fifth night free, Jan. 4 through Feb. 12. In addition, children under 12 eat free until Dec. 20. "Just watching news, seeing Wall Street, and talking to guests," it's clear travelers will respond to value, Mr. Advani says.

Ritz-Carltons in the Caribbean and Mexico have an attentive eye on bookings over the coming months. "The unknown is how leisure travel will be impacted by what is happening to the economy," over the last few weeks, says Ezzat Coutry, senior vice president of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

By: Sarah Nassauer
Wall Street Journal; October 8, 2008

Huge Savings Available on MSC Cruises

MSC Introduces Two New Luxury Cruise Ships

MSC Cruises' Newest Ships to Sail to the Caribbean and Mexico in 2009.

Book MSC Cruises Now and Save!

North American cruise passengers are able to experience the Caribbean and Mexico aboard two of MSC Cruises' newest and largest ships when the MSC Poesia and MSC Magnifica arrive in Fort Lauderdale for their inaugural 2009-10 seasons.

In addition to sailing on the two newest of the line's "Musica" class ships, passengers can select from a variety of Mexico cruises and MSC cruises roundtrip itineraries that include 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings and four different 10-night itineraries with stops in Mexico. MSC cruise Itineraries feature many of the most popular ports of call as well as several exciting not-so-often visited ports, such as Playa del Carmen, Curacao and Aruba, on select itineraries.

Cheap Caribbean cruises rates begin near $500 per person, double occupancy for some 7-night MSC cruises and below $800 per person, double occupancy for 10-night MSC cruise itineraries. As always, Government fees and taxes are additional, as is a fuel surcharge.

As with all MSC Cruises' sailings, kids ages 17 and under sail free when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults.

Discover The New MSC Cruise Ships Featuring Many Shipboard Amenities: 
Both the MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia feature 1,275 staterooms, of which 80% are outside staterooms and 65% have a balcony. There will be 236,000 square feet of public spaces, 2 pools and 4 hot tubs, plus a 13,000-square-foot spa. On each MSC cruise ship, guests can select from four restaurants, including a Sushi Bar alternative dining restaurant.

In addition, the MSC Magnifica cruise ship features a Magrodome that allows guests to enjoy the pool area no matter what the elements.

MSC Cruises will offer many specials in the winter of 2008.

Leave the harsh North American winter behind and experience the warmth and beauty of the Mediterranean amidst the elegance and European and Italian ambiance of MSC Cruises’ two newest ships.

Guests can enjoy comfortable Mediterranean climates under less-crowded conditions – and with the lower airfares that come with the off-peak season – this winter on MSC Fantasia and MSC Poesia while discovering the hidden corners of Italy, Spain and Portugal or exploring the ancient mysteries of Egypt, Greece and Turkey.

MSC Fantasia, which debuts in December 2008, is the largest ship in the line’s fleet. In addition to five dining venues (including a Tex-Mex alternative dining option), the expansive AUREA SPA featuring Balinese treatments and a large Aqua Park (with 150 illuminated fountains), it introduces the MSC Yacht Club, the line’s new exclusive VIP area. MSC Yacht Club is a paradise within a paradise. It will consist of 99 spacious suites (up to 700 square feet), plus a bar, solarium, 2 Jacuzzis, a pool with sky dome, as well as offer guests their own butler service.

MSC Poesia is truly an Italian poem of the seas, with sophisticated color schemes, attention to detail and service. The ship features 12 bars, the refined AUREA SPA and the Kaito Sushi Bar, with its Japanese food and ambiance, including a Zen garden and art pieces.

After her December christening in Naples, MSC Fantasia will sail two 8-night roundtrip holiday itineraries from Genoa: the Dec. 20, 2008 Christmas sailing calls at Rhodes, Alexandria, Messina and Naples, while the Dec. 28, 2008 New Year’s itinerary visits Barcelona, Lisbon, Malaga and Civitavecchia. The ship will then sail 11-night Western Mediterranean and Canary Islands roundtrip itineraries from Genoa that call in Barcelona, Funchal, Tenerife, Arrecife, Malaga and Civitavecchia, from Jan. 5-Feb. 18, 2009. Departures from Barcelona are also available on all sailings except Dec. 20, 2009.

MSC Poesia, which debuted in spring 2008, will spend the winter sailing alternating 11-night itineraries roundtrip from Genoa. The Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt itineraries call at Katakolon, Piraeus, Rhodes, Alexandria, Limassol, Marmaris, Heraklion and Naples or at Ajaccio, Messina, Rhodes, Alexandria, Valletta, La Goulette and Naples. The Western Mediterranean and Canary Islands itinerary calls at Barcelona, Casablanca, Tenerife, Funchal, Malaga and Civitavecchia.

MSC Cruises’ winter cruises promote relaxation and personal harmony on board elegant and modern ships. Discover the beauty of the Mediterranean’s unique coastline from a balcony stateroom.

Guests can reap significant savings on the line’s Europe itineraries by taking advantage of the “Best Fare, Best Room” promotion, which provides the best stateroom available within their desired category (interior, oceanview, balcony) at the time of booking. “Best Fare, Best Room” rates begin at $1,049 per person, double occupancy; rates are cruise only, USD, government fees and taxes and fuel surcharge additional.

Families can also take advantage of the special “Kids Sail Free” offer on all Europe sailings when youngsters ages 17 and under share a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults

For more information about MSC Cruises and its winter Mediterranean itineraries, visit a local travel professional or www.msccruisesusa.com.