MSC Cruises to Upgrade Ocean Cay with Extended Pier

MSC Cruises to Upgrade Ocean Cay with Extended Pier

MSC Cruises has announced upgrades to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas.

The island will receive new facilities to enhance the guest experience and an extended pier to accommodate two ships calling simultaneously, due for completion in late 2027.

Ocean Cay opened in late 2019 and became a guest-favorite destination on MSC Cruises’ Caribbean itineraries.

The cruise line transformed the former industrial site into a private island destination.

Guests visiting the island from late 2027 can expect new restaurants and bars, a dedicated adults-only beach, a fully equipped family lagoon and more cabanas available to rent.

Four new dining experiences will be added to the island, bringing the total to seven venues.

A signature specialty restaurant will be added alongside new buffets and food market options.

Seakers Cove Family Beach will receive an upgrade with new experiences, including a kids’ playground, a splashpad and a ropes course with water elements. The area will also feature ping-pong and foosball.

Paradise Sands, an exclusive retreat for adults, will allow adults to relax by day before the space then transforms into a spot to sip cocktails and let loose at sunset.

The new MSC Foundation Shifting Perspective Experience will invite guests to explore marine conservation through hands-on experiences, from coral restoration to interactive exploration of ocean ecosystems.

Ocean Cay was designated a Hope Spot by Mission Blue in 2023, recognized as an area of key importance in supporting biodiversity and safeguarding sea life.

Construction work has begun on extending the pier to accommodate two ships.

Currently, one vessel can dock directly at Ocean Cay, but the pier extension will allow two ships to dock simultaneously.

Work continues on developing a second private island destination adjacent to Ocean Cay.

This island, known internally as Little Cay, will offer pristine beaches and luxury facilities.

MSC Confirms Construction of Second Island in Ocean Cay

MSC Confirms Construction of Second Island in Ocean Cay

MSC Cruises confirmed it is building a second private island destination adjacent to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

According to a recent press release, the development is part of a larger expansion and enhancement project planned for its private destination, which is located near Bimini in the Bahamas.

MSC said that the yet-unnamed island will “stay true to the ethos of Ocean Cay, offering an experience that connects guests to nature, pristine beaches and the beauty of the ocean.”

The company added that the destination, which is known internally as Little Cay, will be equipped with “luxury facilities and water features.”

Further details of the new private island destination, including an opening date, are expected to be announced in the future.

In addition to confirming plans for a second island, MSC announced a series of enhancements to Ocean Cay.

After opening in 2019, the private island will introduce an extended pier in late 2027, allowing it to welcome two vessels at the same time.

Ocean Cay will also undergo updates to its guest areas with the creation of a new adults-only area, Paradise Sands, as well as additional dining venues.

In addition to its first specialty restaurant, the destination will welcome more buffet and food market options.

Guests will also be able to book a greater variety of cabanas, which are said to offer “even more choice and luxury relaxation.”

MSC is also upgrading the Seakers Cove Family Beach with a range of new experiences, including a kids’ playground, a splash pad and a ropes course with water elements.

The area will feature ping-pong and football activities, as well as all-age tournaments and interactive games.

The company will also introduce the new MSC Foundation “Shifting Perspective” Experience, which is described as an invitation for guests to explore marine conservation through immersive experiences.

In related news, MSC is also reportedly investing $450 million to build a new cruise port in Grand Bahama Island.

MSC Announces Expansion of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

MSC Announces Expansion of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

MSC Cruises has announced a new infrastructure development program for Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas, according to a press release.

A heads of agreement was signed on Monday in Bimini attended by the country’s Prime Minister The Honourable Philip Davis and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Honourable Chester Cooper along with other government officials.

The company said that enhancements will be made to the island with additional amenities for MSC Cruises’ guests who visit the destination, accommodation for staff as well as operational and technical improvements and environmental infrastructure.

Guest facilities will be enhanced with the introduction of excursion center to support watersport activities and island tours, a sea dive and snorkel center, additional food and beverage outlets and other facilities, the company said.

The MSC Foundation’s Marine Conservation Centre will be built as a base for biologists, coral reef experts and students.  It will also house interactive pavilions, a lecture hall and coral exhibition tanks and provide MSC Cruises’ passengers visiting the island with educational opportunities about the importance of the marine ecosystem.

The island is home to the MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Program, which is considered a critical contribution in the contemporary understanding of coral reef resilience throughout the region.

MSC Foundation is supporting graduate student program designed to address and mitigate changes in thermal resilience of coral reefs throughout the tropical Western Atlantic. The coral nurseries at Ocean Cay are thriving with young and healthy, yet critically endangered species of endemic, reef building corals, representing hope in restoring these fragile ecosystems.

MSC said the development will also see a third solar farm installed as part MSC Cruises’ aim to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions for Ocean Cay, an advanced wastewater treatment plant, a landscaping plan to further diversify and develop the sustainable environment on the island with native and adaptive trees, grasses, and shrubs to provide erosion control, improve vegetation and support ecosystem health.

New accommodation buildings will see an increase in staff numbers from 150 to 280.

MSC Cruises today also pledged, as part of its ongoing social responsibility and commitment to invest in future generations of seafarers, that it will support the LJM Maritime Academy and the University of The Bahamas to enhance the training of Bahamians seeking to enter the maritime sector.

 

MSC’s Ocean Cay to Close Temporarily for Upgrades

MSC’s Ocean Cay to Close Temporarily for Upgrades

MSC Cruises will be temporarily closing its private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, in 2024, to help prepare the island for the company’s growth plans.

“Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will be temporarily closed to MSC Cruises guests from April 7 to May 22, 2024, in order to make necessary guest experience enhancements and support the island’s future growth plans,” the company said in a statement.

“We are in contact with impacted guests and travel advisors to share updated itineraries and travel options,” MSC added.

Of note, the new World America debuts from PortMiami in early 2025 and will be the largest MSC ship to visit Ocean Cay.

MSC Seashore to Be Named at Ocean Cay in The Bahamas on Nov. 18

MSC Cruises has revealed that its latest flagship, the MSC Seashore, will be officially named at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas on Nov. 18, making this the first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island.

According to a press release, the event will be attended by travel advisors and media as well as other key company stakeholders.

Departing Miami on Nov. 17, invitees will be able to get a first look at the new ship before she starts her inaugural seven-night cruise and U.S. season on Nov. 20 and make the most of the onboard entertainment, different activities as well as various bars and restaurants.

As with every new MSC Cruises ship, Hollywood royalty Sophia Loren will perform the role of Godmother as she officially names her 16th MSC Cruises ship. The festivities will take place both onboard and on the island as the ship will remain docked throughout the night, with a gala dinner, live entertainment and more.

The naming of the MSC Seashore will see the formal inauguration of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, which opened in late 2019 and closed shortly after due to the pandemic.

MSC said that the island has since gone through further work and significant improvements and this is “an opportunity for MSC Cruises to showcase the island to the invitees on this occasion.”

The MSC Seashore will become the third MSC Cruises ship based in the U.S and the company is offering a range of different length cruises from mini cruises, regular seven-night sailings to longer cruises of eight nights and 11 nights.

New for this season is Port Canaveral where the MSC Divina began operating in September. This new homeport is convenient and easily accessible and is close to popular attractions and major cities like Orlando, Tampa and South Florida for those wishing to make the most out of their holiday either before or after the cruise, MSC said.

When the MSC Seashore arrives, the MSC Meraviglia will move to Port Canaveral for the rest of the season and the MSC Divina will move to PortMiami.

The MSC Seashore will remain for summer 2022 in Miami offering cruises with the MSC Divina out of Port Canaveral.

First Guests Arrive at MSC's New Ocean Cay

MSC Cruises today welcomed the very first guests to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, its new private island destination in The Bahamas, according to a press release. 

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, said: “Ocean Cay is founded on a deep commitment to ecological principles – beliefs that shape everything from how venues are built, to how the island is run, to the kinds of activities featured on the island. Having the first guests arrive on the island is a moment of great pride for all of us at MSC Cruises. We wanted to create for our guests something sustainable, with a higher purpose. Ocean Cay is not just a vacation island, it is a unique marine reserve where people and nature thrive in harmony.”

The island’s opening is a major milestone for MSC as it builds its North American operation, which has four ships sailing from Miami this winter. 

MSC has turned the island from what was once an industrial sand excavation site into a stunning tropical destination, while working with environmental engineers and other experts to revitalize the surrounding ocean beds, marine life and endangered coral, according to a company press release.

The project took nearly three years to complete. 7,500 tons of scrap metal was removed and, throughout the clean-up process, a team of expert divers and marine biologists carefully removed individual hard coral colonies from debris on the ocean bed and relocated them to an approved location outside the construction area. More than 75,000 plants and shrubs planted across the island to create a biodiverse and sustainable environment.

In the coming months, MSC Cruises will also introduce a Conservation Center on the island, which will serve as an active base for coral education and research. 

MSC Cruises delays the opening of the private island

MSC Cruises delays the opening of the private island

MSC Cruises has delayed the opening of its private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve over concerns the destination is not ready to host passengers.

The line will now welcome passengers to the island in the Bahamas on November 20 after scrapping four calls.

MSC had planned calls on November 9 on MSC Meraviglia, November 15 on MSC Seaside, November 16 on MSC Meraviglia and November 17 on MSC Armonia – all with paying passengers on board.

Speaking on board MSC Grandiosa on Tuesday, Antonio Paradiso, the line’s the UK and Ireland managing director, said: “The launch has been pushed back because the experiences were not quite up to the standard that we wanted it.

“We have given ourselves an extra 10 days to make sure that the guest experience is in line with what an MSC product is. It is a brand new island so it will take time.”

More:  MSC Cruises reveals details of a private island

MSC Cruises set to open Bahamas ‘Marine Reserve’

Paradiso said Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve – which is 65 miles off the coast of Miami – showed how MSC Cruises was taking sustainability “seriously”.

“We have had hundreds of people planting the trees on the island and a coral keeper who is in charge of restoring the coral to help bring the fish back,” he said. “We are bringing back nature.

“The idea is to show our customers the natural beauty of a bohemian island.”

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will feature eight beaches, including the main beach where water sports will take place.

Lectures on the work the line has done on the former sand excavation site will be available on the island for visiting passengers.

Every MSC ship sailing from Miami on a Caribbean itinerary will call at Ocean Cay.