MSC Plans to Triple Sales in 2005

Italian cruise company MSC, one of the world´s leading companies of its kind, expects to reach 30 million euros in sales this year, a threefold jump from 2004, director-general Emiliano Gonzalez Delgado said this week.

Revenues are supposed to triple because the number of passengers will climb from 12,000 last year to 35,000 this time around. The ongoing year could mark the takeoff of this maritime company that now owns seven liners, including four high-tech vessels.

“After the successful Caribbean season we had this year, we are very excited to be able to offer our guests the opportunities next season to visit two destinations, La Romana and Cayo Levantado, that are not often found on typical Caribbean cruise itineraries,” said Richard Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA.

At the conclusion of the season, the MSC Lirica will sail a 17-night trans-Atlantic cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Genoa on May 3, 2006, with calls at Cayo Levantado, Tortola, Martinique, Funchal, Malaga and Barcelona.

The Opera´s Caribbean season will be preceded by an 18-night trans-Atlantic cruise from Genoa to Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 27 with calls at Valencia, Funchal (where guests will mark the arrival of 2006 with fireworks), Grenada, Margarita Island, Martinique, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan.

The ship will call at La Romana and Cayo Levantado a dozen times in 2006, sailing a series of 7-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale Jan. 14-April 1 that also includes calls at San Juan and St. Maarten.

The Opera returns to Genoa in the spring, leaving Florida April 8, 2006, on a 17-night eastbound trans-Atlantic crossing, calling at Cayo Levantado, Tortola, Martinique, Funchal, Malaga and Marsiglia.