MSC Cruises invests in the Dominican Republic and strengthens its regional expansion

—What are MSC Cruises' objectives in participating in such an important trade fair as ANATO?

Primarily, we are launching a new destination in the Caribbean: the Dominican Republic. Starting November 16th, we will begin operating from the Port of La Romana with one weekly departure year-round.

It will be a Caribbean product that doesn't require a US visa, and for most Latin American passengers, no visa at all. This is a proposal we've been developing internally for years, and it was finally confirmed last year. We took advantage of ANATO to officially present it to the Colombian market and to all the countries participating in the fair.

—How would you describe the current state of the company in Latin America?

MSC is experiencing constant growth. We plan to launch one ship per year until 2031. In addition, two years ago we launched our luxury line, Explora Journeys, which will add its third ship this year and has three more under construction.

In Latin America, the brand has been growing very strongly, and today we compete on equal footing with companies that have been in these markets longer. This requires us to maintain a strong presence, supporting travel agents and tour operators, but we are very confident in our future development.

—What does MSC's global offering look like today?

Our offering is completely global: we have ships in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the United Arab Emirates, Asia, South America and the Caribbean.

The Mediterranean remains our number one market in the European summer. In the US Caribbean, we've seen significant growth: eight ships will operate from the United States, with departures from Miami, Port Canaveral, New York, Galveston, and Seattle to Alaska.

Furthermore, we recently opened our own terminal in the Port of Miami, currently the largest in the port, alongside the MSC World America. In South America, we maintain a strong presence in Argentina and Brazil during the summer.

—The new class of ships marks a different stage for the company…

Yes, for the past two years we've been launching the World Class ships, which can accommodate up to 6,800 guests. The World Europe and World America have already been unveiled, the World Asia will arrive this year, and four more are under construction.

This growth necessitates opening new markets, destinations, and ports. Latin America is a highly coveted market due to the large number of potential customers and because our product, with its Italian roots and international flair, fits perfectly with the Latin American character.

—One of the differentiating products is Yacht Club. How does it work?

The Yacht Club is a "yacht within a ship." It's comparable to first class in the airline industry, but for the cruise ship world.

It is an exclusive sector located at the bow, with priority check-in, 24-hour butler, suites, private pool and restaurant, exclusive solarium, premium beverage package and internet included.

It allows guests to choose between privacy and exclusivity or to integrate into the general ship experience whenever they wish. It's a product that has made a significant difference and has been very well received in Latin American markets.

—Is the Latino public demanding these types of premium booths?

Yes, absolutely. In every market, there are passengers looking for this level of product. If you compare the value to business class, the experience-to-price ratio is very competitive.

The challenge is to raise awareness, train travel agents, and showcase its benefits. These categories typically sell out because the number of suites is limited.

—What other strengths differentiate MSC today?

We have a private island in the Caribbean, included in most itineraries from the United States, even with overnight stays in some cases.

Furthermore, the company is a global sponsor of Formula 1 and the Alpine team, which gives us significant international visibility. From our regional office, we have a strong structure in Latin America, with account executives in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina, closely supporting the trade.

After ANATO we will begin a road show through Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and again Colombia, with training sessions and presentations of the new product.