MSC Magnifica from PortMiami

[cruiseguyinorl]

Will be interesting to see how that class of ship does in Florida beginning May 26, 2023 doing 3 and 4 night sailings. I wasn't convinced they would bring a non-Yacht Club ship here but I guess it's happening.

Bret

[dexddd]

It will be interesting.  Plenty of old ships, even older from other lines doing the short trips.  Going to be super cheap for those in driving distance. 

[CruiseAdict218]

17 hours ago, cruiseguyinorl said:

Will be interesting to see how that class of ship does in Florida beginning May 26, 2023 doing 3 and 4 night sailings. I wasn't convinced they would bring a non-Yacht Club ship here but I guess it's happening.

Bret

Did Divina have a Yacht Club? I wonder if she is returning back to Europe or something is in the cards? 

[deliver42]

Yes, the Divina has the YC.

[Nunagoras]

20 hours ago, cruiseguyinorl said:

Will be interesting to see how that class of ship does in Florida beginning May 26, 2023 doing 3 and 4 night sailings. I wasn't convinced they would bring a non-Yacht Club ship here but I guess it's happening.

Bret

While not an YC provided ship, and while commercially advertised as a Musica class vessel, the Magnifica, where I was for some nearly 25 nights on 2 distinct cruises, one of them a Brasil to Portugal TA, is in reality a ship on a class of its own. They've a better Aurea sundeck than all the others in class, they've a retractable roof on one of the pools fully equipped to host a proper Venchi gelato, coffee and chocolate bar which is also a once in the class, it was fully refurbished by 2018 prior to an UK season, there was a project to stretch her for one more steel segment, more cabins, more public areas, etc., that as far as I understand was canceled or postponed do to the Covid. Surely no "bells & whistles", but arguably one of the best average ships for services like that.

 

Surely; I'm as well surprised on watching this ship deployed for the Caribbean, once they could very well to use it elsewhere with less than stellar weather... But on the other hand it may to make some sense. At that time it will be such a 12 or 13 years old ship, the larger and the newer of its class. More than adequate for that region. And Ocean Cay, their beautiful private island deserves something better than such a 20+ years old ship running the little weekend cruises like the others are doing. Maybe, it will to be a go with some relative success. Only time will tell. No need for an YC for those little 3/4 nights cruises, INHO.

 

Have a nice day!...

Edited April 8, 2022 by Nunagoras

[travelwide]

Where have you seen this info that the ship is coming to Miami? Link please.

[Morgsmom]

8 hours ago, travelwide said:

Where have you seen this info that the ship is coming to Miami? Link please.

Same here!  I've searched the web to no luck.

[CruiseAdict218]

43 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

9 hours ago, travelwide said:

Where have you seen this info that the ship is coming to Miami? Link please.

 

43 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Same here!  I've searched the web to no luck.

The cruises for Magnifica are live as of today.

[Nunagoras]

48 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Same here!  I've searched the web to no luck.

Neither do I, but sometimes they'll to talk about those possible resolutions onboard current sailings to test the waters for the near future. While I believe, someday such a Musica class vessel will eventually to land out in Florida for the the growing 3/4 nights cruises using older/smaller ships in the mainstream fleets, I tend to believe more on one of the 3 older ones rather than the Magnifica. They just need to add a proper Venchi (or other gelato vendor) bar to those ship's pool deck and improve the Aurea sundeck of said ships so that it goes up to par with Fantasia and above classes. Not a big of a deal really! And use the Magnifica where a retractable roof pool makes sense: Northern Europe or Alasca are on my mind for example. For now the ship is in the Med, and it will be used for the world cruise on the first 3 months of 2023 or more. No word of where she will be after that as far as I know.

 

EDIT: Oh: @CruiseAdict218seems to have had access to the correct info and the cruises are now online on the US MSC's site!... Many thanks to the info!...

 

Have a nice day!...

Edited April 9, 2022 by Nunagoras

[RC Dancers]

Wow! That is some detective work.

 

The 16 night Trans Atlantic looks interesting too.

[quattrohead]

Updated version of the Poesia, the first MSC ship I sailed on. She was drop dead gorgeous back then compared to everything else I had been on. Pity it's out of Miami, I like PC and even Tampa better. I wish they would bring Armonia back to one of those ports, or West Palm.

Edited April 16, 2022 by quattrohead

[deliver42]

Armonia was suppose the be home ported in Tampa, but i guess that's been cancelled.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

7 hours ago, deliver42 said:

Armonia was suppose the be home ported in Tampa, but i guess that's been cancelled.

Yes, that was for 2020 and cancelled long ago.

[rkacruiser]

12 hours ago, quattrohead said:

Pity it's out of Miami, I like PC and even Tampa better.

 

If I am driving to the port, any port other than Miami!  

[quattrohead]

On 4/16/2022 at 7:58 AM, deliver42 said:

Armonia was suppose the be home ported in Tampa, but i guess that's been cancelled.

Yeah we were on one of those sailings, moved it to Divina from PC so got an upgrade lol. However, our previous trip on Armonia to Cuba was the best cruise we had ever been on. The ship and crew were absolutely wonderful.

[deliver42]

Other than the drive, I actually prefer the Miami port. Easy in and easy to park, though expensive. At FLL, you have to go through your paper work just to get onto the port. Parking can be across the street or in the middle of nowhere, depending on the pier number. In Port Canaveral, just finding a space can be a problem, and Tampa is so limited as to what ships can go there because of the bridge.

[miataman19]

Love my 45 minute drive to Port Canaveral. The drive to Miami is a crap shoot. Some days, from Orlando, only 3 hrs. Other days, 4-5 hrs. Traffic is a bear. I do love seeing the ships as you enter the tunnel in Miami. Then pop out the other end, and there you are. The tunnel goes right under terminal 5 so about half way I look up and wave to the MSC ship that's docked there. Cruise nerd, I know...lol

 

[Nunagoras]

...And MSC's preference for Port Miami lies on the fact that it is actually the nearest for the most common international airport in the area. While some companies like my own country's TAP Air Portugal may eventually to have some flights going to FLL, at least seasonally, most of the international flights go to Miami International Airport. ITA, current Alitalia's "flavor" only flies seasonally to Miami, among others. That is key for their decision, once they rely on a very multinational and multilingual clientele base. Have a nice day and a nice Easter time!...