Two MSC Cruises ships departed simultaneously from the port of Genoa, Italy on a world cruise for the first time in history. MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia set sail with 5,000 guests to circumnavigate the globe with different routes, on a 117 and 119 day voyages, visiting all five continents, 30 countries, and more than 50 major tourist destinations.
This world premiere on the international cruise scene is a further confirmation of MSC Cruises' longstanding and strategic commitment to Italy and to Genoa - the company's most important home port. The event was marked by a ceremony organized on board MSC Magnifica with representatives of numerous authorities, institutions, and MSC Cruises management, including Leonardo Massa, the MSC Cruises Managing Director for Italy.
The ceremony was opened by a show of 33 "flag-wavers" who displayed the banners of the main countries touched by the ships, with the presence of the President of the Liguria Region Giovanni Toti (via video link), Augusto Sartori and Francesca Corso, respectively Councilor to Tourism, Transport and Work of the Liguria Region and Councilor for Territorial Marketing and Youth Policies of the Municipality of Genoa, of the top management of Spediporto, of representatives of the Guardia di Finanza, of the Customs Agency, of the Mooring operators, of Assarmatori and of Federlogistics.
The Deputy Minister for Infrastructures and Transport, Edoardo Rixi, unable to attend the event due to commitments previously undertaken, addressed: "my warmest congratulations for the results that MSC is achieving, especially in the cruise sector, with commendable attention paid to innovation, also of commercial solutions, and sustainability, in one with the great capacity for international projection" , expressing a: "great appreciation for the commitment shown over the years aimed at favoring the landing places of our country and in particular the Genoese contributing to their growth.
“The fact that Genoa is the port of departure for these wonderful journeys around the world is further confirmation of the importance of Ligurian ports in the cruise sector – declares the president of the Liguria Region, Giovanni Toti – Cruises are an important resource for Ligurian tourism, which has just closed 2022 with the record number of 15 million visitors, and having ports of embarkation and call for so many ships, with passengers in transit from every corner of Europe and the world, is an ace in the hole for promote the beauties of our region. Maritime tourism – continues Toti – from yachting to ferries passing through the world of cruises, is confirmed as strategic for Liguria and an opportunity for development for the future”.
“Cruises around the world have always been the flagship of cruise companies. It is therefore particularly important for us to celebrate this double appointment in Genoa, the city that hosts the most important port in the world for MSC Cruises and where in 2023 we expect to handle around 1 million passengers, thus returning to pre-Covid levels ", he declared Leonard Massa. "World tours are always very successful", added Massa, "as demonstrated by the excellent sales performance of the World Cruise 2024, which will once again see MSC Poesia as a protagonist and will also depart from Genoa for an unforgettable journey of 121 days to discover many of the most beautiful and fascinating places on the planet, accompanying passengers to discover 52 destinations in 31 countries".
The Ligurian port of call thus continues to confirm its strategic importance for MSC Cruises, having recorded the movement of 932,000 passengers in 2022, with 12 ships out of the 21 of the entire fleet that called under the Lanterna, and preparing this year to host about 1 million tourists. In mid-April, the arrival in the Ligurian capital of the new MSC World Europa, the largest "green" ship in the world capable of accommodating almost 7,000 passengers, is also expected.
