MSC Cruises Plans Canada/England Sailings from New York

MSC Cruises in fall 2010 will operate an inaugural series of six Canada/New England itineraries out of New York City and Quebec. On Sept. 22, 2010, the MSC Magnifica, one of MSC’s Lirica class vessels, and currently under construction in France, will arrive in New York for a season of Canada/New England itineraries roundtrip from New York and Quebec.

MSC said it is estimated that the ship’s calls in New York can potentially have an indirect revenue impact on the city valued at more than $2.7 million. The company is no stranger to New York City. The U.S. headquarters of the cruise line’s parent company, Mediterranean Shipping Company, has been based in New York City for nearly 25 years.

Next year the MSC Orchestra’s sister ship, MSC Poesia, will have an overnight in New York in April during a repositioning cruise. Rick Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises U.S.A., said the line hopes to use New York as a homeport for other itineraries, including sailings to Bermuda and the Caribbean, by 2011.

Two years ago MSC Cruises had announced plans to homeport a ship in New York for a series of Bermuda cruises, but then the line could not get reach an agreement with Bermuda for the sailings.