MSC Rodriguez: ‘The United States is a Priority Market’

In 2025, the World America will arrive in Port Miami as a part of MSC Cruises’ continued growth throughout the U.S. market, said Rubén Rodríguez, president of MSC Cruises USA, which is part of an ongoing story of growth for the cruise line.

The first step towards achieving that was MSC’s investment in infrastructure, starting with Ocean Cay, the private marine reserve in the Bahamas, to the new terminal at Miami International Airport, he said, and continued with marketing initiatives to drive awareness in order to ultimately drive bookings.

Our most important investment is ensuring that our guests have easier access to our ships, which means expanding our homeports.

A year-round program will start in New York with the MSC Meraviglia in the spring, followed by Miami and Port Canaveral, which will be followed by a year-round program from Miami.

“Our next homeport is Galveston, and we have a partnership with them to develop a new terminal,” Rodriguez said.

This company has been successful in adding multiple home ports, as well as a variety of itineraries, which have led to a strong selection of three- and four-night Florida cruises currently offered in this market for short cruises.

Moreover, the company is also bringing its new hardware to the market, which started with the Seaside in 2017, along with the World America, which has been tailored to suit the US market. In addition to the addition of a sports bar and a comedy club, the ship is also adding a food and beverage venue styled on the theme of “food trucks at sea.”

“The company will offer seven-night itineraries from Port Miami through its new terminal,” Rodriguez explained, adding that both options will take passengers to Ocean Cay. It is intended that the seven-night Eastern itinerary provide more time in port, with an extended stay in San Juan until the evening as well as a full day in Puerto Plata and a late-night stay in Ocean Cay.

With a terminal plan in the works in Galveston, an East Coast terminal may be next on the agenda for MSC.

“We know that Alaska and the Mexican Riviera are part of our wish list, but we don’t feel that we have any firm plans, but we are rapidly growing company and the U.S. market is one of the most important markets in the world.”

Torrent, who is the chief commercial officer of the company, said the company was adding a significant amount of new business development managers in the U.S. market to work with the travel advisors in the country.