DrSea Posted September 11, 2023 #1 Share Posted September 11, 2023 I just realized that MSC has more ships in their fleet than NCL. When did this happen? With MSC growing rapidly and 8 new ships to be built, I am just realizing that they are aiming to overtake RCL and CCL to become the biggest cruise line in the world. This is very eye opening for me and I wonder how things will change in the cruise industry. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tierun Posted September 11, 2023 #2 Share Posted September 11, 2023 With the shipping business being the true bread winner, if they can continue to undercut the competition, they will certainly continue to grow as is. However, if they become more in line with competitive prices, they’ll fall flat. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexddd Posted September 11, 2023 #3 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Thoughts? Well, NCL needs money imo. Bungling and cutting service they have worked hard at for 8 years. MSC reports were big move into US yet not really happened yet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD64 Posted September 11, 2023 #4 Share Posted September 11, 2023 9 minutes ago, dexddd said: Thoughts? Well, NCL needs money imo. Bungling and cutting service they have worked hard at for 8 years. MSC reports were big move into US yet not really happened yet. True - but they are the market leader in Europe, which is a huge market unto itself. In addition, they are the market leader in South America, the Middle East, and South Africa. I do realize these are smaller markets, but MSC does recognize the potential. They managed to completely decimate Costa’s market share in South America. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare blueslily Posted September 11, 2023 #5 Share Posted September 11, 2023 MSC prices in the US have increased quite a bit recently and they have started falling in line with some changes the main US lines have made like charging for 2nd entrees. So, for the US, even with increasing their ships, they need to watch those unfavorable changes they are making. Folks don't like that NCL and Royal are making those changes. They won't like them being made by MSC either. Even if the pricing is a little less. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare CruisingWalter Posted September 11, 2023 #6 Share Posted September 11, 2023 8 hours ago, DrSea said: I just realized that MSC has more ships in their fleet than NCL. When did this happen? MSC is building more new ships than anyone to be honest. They're right behind Royal Caribbean, already the third largest cruise line in terms of capacity. During the pandemic their massive shipping company and all the money that flowed in through shipping allowed them to continue ordering and building new cruise ships. Their intent is to become the largest cruise line in the world and they're well on their way. Add the new Explora ultra-luxury cruise line that launched on ship and is already on their way to launching a second and you have a major player emerging in the cruise market. While not nearly as well known in the U.S., once they expand their footprint to Galveston, it probably won't be long before they have a homeport on the West Coast as well. Expect their pricing to slowly rise over the next few years. One of their U.S. sales managers was on a YouTube Live about a month ago and he said to stay tuned to an evolving U.S. market strategy. That they've been 'listening to the feedback from our American guests' and are implementing changes. He said to give it a year and MSC in the U.S. will be an evolved brand in the U.S. Should be fun to watch. We had a blast on the Seaside and we're looking forward to sailing the Seashore once she gets up here to Port Canaveral. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrSea Posted September 11, 2023 Author #7 Share Posted September 11, 2023 2 hours ago, blueslily said: MSC prices in the US have increased quite a bit recently and they have started falling in line with some changes the main US lines have made like charging for 2nd entrees. So, for the US, even with increasing their ships, they need to watch those unfavorable changes they are making. Folks don't like that NCL and Royal are making those changes. They won't like them being made by MSC either. Even if the pricing is a little less. Charging for a second entree too? Ugh. That's s bitter pill to swallow. Is this across the entire line? Or just certain ships? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JamieLogical Posted September 11, 2023 #8 Share Posted September 11, 2023 38 minutes ago, DrSea said: Charging for a second entree too? Ugh. That's s bitter pill to swallow. Is this across the entire line? Or just certain ships? As far as I know, this is only on US sailings so far. There have been many threads about it. I just hope they don't cut other services like room service breakfast for Fantastica, nightly turn-down service, or buffet hours as so many of the other lines have done recently. I am encouraged by MSC's growth overall. I am really hoping they expand to more home ports in the US in the near future. I would also like to see more interesting itineraries on US sailings. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tierun Posted September 11, 2023 #9 Share Posted September 11, 2023 3 hours ago, CruisingWalter said: MSC is building more new ships than anyone to be honest. They're right behind Royal Caribbean, already the third largest cruise line in terms of capacity. During the pandemic their massive shipping company and all the money that flowed in through shipping allowed them to continue ordering and building new cruise ships. Their intent is to become the largest cruise line in the world and they're well on their way. Add the new Explora ultra-luxury cruise line that launched on ship and is already on their way to launching a second and you have a major player emerging in the cruise market. While not nearly as well known in the U.S., once they expand their footprint to Galveston, it probably won't be long before they have a homeport on the West Coast as well. Expect their pricing to slowly rise over the next few years. One of their U.S. sales managers was on a YouTube Live about a month ago and he said to stay tuned to an evolving U.S. market strategy. That they've been 'listening to the feedback from our American guests' and are implementing changes. He said to give it a year and MSC in the U.S. will be an evolved brand in the U.S. Should be fun to watch. We had a blast on the Seaside and we're looking forward to sailing the Seashore once she gets up here to Port Canaveral. I suspect that World America is being built purely for the American cruise market, with the American cruiser top of mind. Similar to how Royal Caribbean built Spectrum OTS purely for the Asian market. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrSea Posted September 11, 2023 Author #10 Share Posted September 11, 2023 49 minutes ago, Tierun said: I suspect that World America is being built purely for the American cruise market, with the American cruiser top of mind. Similar to how Royal Caribbean built Spectrum OTS purely for the Asian market. Let's hope they plop that ship in the west coast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tierun Posted September 11, 2023 #11 Share Posted September 11, 2023 17 minutes ago, DrSea said: Let's hope they plop that ship in the west coast It’s already set for Miami 2025 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrSea Posted September 11, 2023 Author #12 Share Posted September 11, 2023 19 minutes ago, Tierun said: It’s already set for Miami 2025 Dang. One can dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Wheels Only Posted September 11, 2023 #13 Share Posted September 11, 2023 I wonder what NCL has coming after the next 4 Prima Plus ships. I wonder what MSC will do with the remaining World Class ships. I wonder how much bigger the ICON Class will be for RCCL. I don't care what Carnival will do in the future. 🥱 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare morpheusofthesea Posted September 11, 2023 #14 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Just a note of interest. I attended a couple of Gene Young's coffee chats in the Loft Cafe a month before his untimely death. He boasted that NCL offered themselves to be bought by MSC. That MSC refused, stating they would rather keep its ship building companies building new ships than try to revolutionize old tired ships. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tierun Posted September 11, 2023 #15 Share Posted September 11, 2023 11 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said: Just a note of interest. I attended a couple of Gene Young's coffee chats in the Loft Cafe a month before his untimely death. He boasted that NCL offered themselves to be bought by MSC. That MSC refused, stating they would rather keep its ship building companies building new ships than try to revolutionize old tired ships. I must say that I do prefer newer ships with modern technology and amenities. Where MSC falls short with their fleet pre Meraviglia class is they have yet to make them fully compatible with the MSC for me app. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexddd Posted September 12, 2023 #16 Share Posted September 12, 2023 Wait, what? How did I miss Gene's passing? So sad. Such a vibrant person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psmarkle Posted September 12, 2023 #17 Share Posted September 12, 2023 22 minutes ago, dexddd said: Wait, what? How did I miss Gene's passing? So sad. Such a vibrant person. Same here...what happened to Gene? Had several lengthy chats with him on a couple of cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psmarkle Posted September 12, 2023 #18 Share Posted September 12, 2023 Suicide, back in Feb. OMG. So tragic. This hurts on so many levels... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare CruisingWalter Posted September 12, 2023 #19 Share Posted September 12, 2023 19 hours ago, Tierun said: I suspect that World America is being built purely for the American cruise market, with the American cruiser top of mind. Similar to how Royal Caribbean built Spectrum OTS purely for the Asian market. It is, MSC has said so. It will be the first MSC ship with a comedy club because the American audience has been asking for one. Everything about that ship is solely being designed around the American cruiser. Including Ocean Cay shutting down for 6 weeks so they can prepare the channel and dock for her arrival. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare CruisingWalter Posted September 12, 2023 #20 Share Posted September 12, 2023 19 hours ago, DrSea said: Let's hope they plop that ship in the west coast I don't think she can go through the Panama Canal. She's going to live in Miami since they are getting the Ocean Cay ready for her arrival. No plans for MSC on the west coast at this time, Galveston will get going as soon as they reach an agreement with the Port Authority to start construction on their new terminal. World America could potentially visit Galveston for a short season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD64 Posted September 12, 2023 #21 Share Posted September 12, 2023 If you think about it, MSC has come a long way since it started Star Lauro in the late 1980s. It had a few older ships, but I will always remember seeing the Melody in various Mediterranean ports during the 1990s. Fast forward to the early 2000s and MSC started cruising from the US on the Monterrey - then in 2005 came the first real push with the Opera. Look at them now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising89143 Posted September 12, 2023 #22 Share Posted September 12, 2023 MSC is back on the radar for us. We had five cruises booked with MSC during the pandemic and all canceled due to shutdown. We want to try the YC experience and see how it rates versus the Haven and Retreat. There is a huge price difference between MSC and the other two so if MSC provides a nice experience, they might pick up another customer. I do recall that their FLL shoreside customer service left a lot to be desired. Hopefully that has improved. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexddd Posted September 13, 2023 #23 Share Posted September 13, 2023 23 hours ago, psmarkle said: Suicide, back in Feb. OMG. So tragic. This hurts on so many levels... Found a two page CC thread from February. Our first trip was on Divinia when we met him. Had a great CC party and picture with him. I can't recall any other CD names, but I can still hear his voice and remember his name. Such a true, caring person for crew and passengers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare morpheusofthesea Posted September 13, 2023 #24 Share Posted September 13, 2023 (edited) For all "true, caring persons" that wish to reciprocate in kind. Gene Moimoi Young's sister set up a fund to support his family. https://www.*****.com/f/gene-moimoi-youngs-sweet-family We contributed. **** GFM Edited September 13, 2023 by morpheusofthesea 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOLDENBONNY Posted September 15, 2023 #25 Share Posted September 15, 2023 On 9/12/2023 at 8:27 AM, CruisingWalter said: a comedy club because the American O god, please no! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now