MSC Cruises

If you’re booking a cruise with MSC, one of the options you need to think about is whether to get a drinks package, and if so, which one should you book?

One of your options is the Easy Plus package, which isn’t quite the top-tier option but will be sufficient for many, once you know what you get and how much it costs. MSC’s more clear on the former than the latter, so I’m here to clear everything up.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about the Easy Plus package, including restrictions.

What Is the Easy Plus Drinks Package on MSC?

The Easy Plus Drinks Package for MSC Cruises is a package that includes a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. There are cheaper options available including one which still includes alcohol, but if you want a good range of drinks without paying top price, this may be the best option.

Of course, it might be that a drinks package isn’t right for you at all. If you don’t drink much then you might be better off if you pay for each drink individually. After all, the Easy Plus package has to be bought for the full duration of your cruise, not just the days you pick and choose.

So, you should weigh up whether it’s best to buy drinks individually before deciding on getting a package, and then decide which is right for you.

My drinks package calculator will help:

Drinks Included in the MSC Easy Plus Package

The Easy Plus Drinks Package with MSC includes all drinks priced up to $10, €9 or £10 – the currency will depend on where your ship is sailing. It covers a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Here’s the full list of what you get with the package:

• A variety of draught and bottled beers
• A selection of wines by the glass
• A variety of frozen and classic cocktails
• Non-alcoholic cocktails
• Selected house and brand spirits
• Liqueurs and cordials
• Soft drinks – fountain sodas and fruit juices
• Mineral water
• Coffee drinks (latte, espresso, cappuccino, etc.)
• Hot chocolate and hot teas

You also get a 10% discount on any bottles of wine that you buy while you’re onboard.

So that’s a pretty good list – you aren’t going to be short of choice when it comes to deciding what to drink during your cruise. Still, it’s not all-inclusive – there are lots of drinks that cost more than these limits.

Take a look at the MSC Cruises drinks menus here.

It’s important to note that the Easy Plus package does cover you in speciality restaurants, as well as the Main Dining Room, the buffet and the bars on the ship. The package below this one, the Easy package, doesn’t include drinks in speciality restaurants, so Easy Plus is the starting point if you plan on dining in various restaurants onboard.

It’s also good to know that, on MSC cruises in the Middle East, you won’t be able to get served an alcoholic drink while your ship’s in a Saudi port, even with the Easy Plus package. You’ll have to wait until the ship’s in international waters again.

MSC Easy Plus Drinks Package Price

The cost of the Easy Plus Drinks Package varies depending on where you’re sailing, and how long for. You’ll also get it cheaper if you book in advance. You’ll pay between $61 and $74 per person, per night on US cruises and between £47 and £57.50 per night on cruises from the UK.

MSC are a little secretive about their drinks package prices – they don’t publish them online and only let you see them once you’re booking or have booked a cruise. The prices are fixed though, unlike some cruise lines that don’t publish them because they like to change them for different dates, or depending on demand.

Here’s a full breakdown of the Easy Plus drinks package prices:

The discount for booking before you sail is 15%, so it’s definitely worth booking before you travel if you want a drinks package. Over the length of a cruise, it works out at quite the saving.

Plus, you’ll be glad to know that all of these prices (either prebooked or booked onboard) include the gratuity that would normally be charged for each drink you buy – so there’s no extra 18% on each drink for US cruises, or 15% for Europe and Middle East cruises. The package price is all you’ll pay.

What Happens if You Order Outside of the MSC Easy Plus Drinks Package?

If you order a drink that costs more than $10, €9 or £10 on your MSC cruise and you have an Easy Plus drinks package, you’ll only pay the difference – you don’t have to pay the full price of the drink.

So if you order a cocktail that costs $14, you’ll only pay $4, since the $10 is covered in the drink’s package. You’ll also pay the gratuity on that drink but only on the extra you pay – so a $14 cocktail will actually cost you $4.72, since you’re paying 18% on the extra $4.

This is still a better deal than with some other cruise lines that would charge you the full price of the drink.

You can also upgrade while you’re onboard, if you decide you want the Premium Extra drinks package instead. Remember though that you’ll pay the full onboard price for the package.

What Is the Difference Between the Easy Package and Easy Plus Package on MSC?

The Easy Plus drinks package covers all drinks up to the values of $10, €9 or £10, depending on your sailing. With the Easy package, you only get selected drinks included, so your choice is more limited.

Here’s a comparison of what you get with each package:

Also, remember that Easy Plus includes drinks in speciality restaurants whereas the Easy package does not.

You Can Use the MSC Easy Drinks Package On Private Islands

If your cruise calls at any of MSC’s private resorts – Ocean Cay or Sir Bani Yas – then you can use your Easy Plus drinks package in that resort. The drinks selection may be more limited than on the ship, but anything that would normally be included is still covered.

You Have To Buy A Drink Package For Kids

It’s not possible for only some guests in an MSC cabin to have a drinks package, and this includes children. If the adults buy an Easy Plus drinks package, the children must have an appropriate drinks package for them too.

Depending on their ages and where you’re sailing, they may not be eligible for the Minors drinks package. In Europe, anyone 17 and under can get the Minors package, but on sailings from the US, that only applies to kids up to the age of 12. From 13 to 20, they can buy the Alcohol Free package, and then get one that includes alcohol when they turn 21.

I find this very frustrating as my six-year-old only ever drinks water. He’s just not interested in any other drinks, so buying a package for him is a complete waste of money as tap water is free. He won’t even have ice in it or a slice of lemon!

Is the MSC Easy Plus Drinks Package Worth It?

There’s no simple answer on whether the Easy Plus drinks package is worth it – it all depends on how much you drink on a typical day, and the kind of drinks you like to enjoy.

Also, you should check your cruise fare as you might get the Easy Plus (or even the Premium Extra) package included anyway – so you don’t need to pay any extra for it.

Weigh up how many drinks you’re likely to buy each day, and then decide whether it’ll be cheaper to get a drinks package or buy them individually. Then think about which drinks you’ll likely want, and that’ll help you decide whether the Easy Plus is the right one for you.

If you’re still not sure which package to get, then you can read my MSC Cruises Drinks Packages Guide which will explain the differences between each.

Related Topics

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

If you’re looking to book an MSC cruise then you’ll want to think about your drinks package options – should you pay for your drinks individually, or book a package – and if so, which one?

The Easy Drinks Package is one option, but MSC isn’t always super-clear on what you get with it and what’s excluded, and especially on how much it’ll cost you. 

So read on to have all your Easy Package questions answered.

What Is the Easy Drinks Package on MSC?

The Easy Drinks Package is the cheapest drinks package on an MSC cruise that includes alcohol. With this package, you can order any drink priced up to $7 or €7 and it will be free.

There is an Alcohol-Free package which is cheaper, but if you want to enjoy beer, wine, spirits and cocktails without buying drinks individually, this is the cheapest option.

A drinks package isn’t for everyone – it depends on how much you tend to drink each day. You can only buy it for the full duration of your cruise, not for occasional days, so you have to work out whether you’ll drink enough each day to justify the cost.

I have a drinks package calculator that can help:

What is Included in the MSC Easy Drinks Package?

The MSC Easy Drinks Package includes “Selected Drinks” – a range of popular cocktails and mocktails, house wines and spirits, Heineken beer on draught, and a selection of soft and hot drinks.

Here’s the full list of what you can get:

MSC does state that the drinks available will depend on where you’re sailing, and that the brands involved may change over time. So assume it will be Heineken for now, but don’t bank on it.

A really important thing to note is that the Easy Drinks Package can’t be used in speciality restaurants on an MSC ship – it can only be used in the buffet restaurant, the Main Dining Room, and the bars onboard.

In bars that have the generic menu, there’s a section for the ‘Easy Package drinks’ so it’s really easy to see what you can have.

But, not all bars have this menu. In some bars, you’ll just have to remember not to go over the $7 limit if you want your drink to be free of charge.

If you plan on dining in speciality restaurants, you might want to consider upgrading to the Easy Plus or Premium Extra packages, since they are included.

Plus, it’s worth noting that if you’re cruising through the Middle East with MSC, you won’t be able to get an alcoholic drink while the ship is in a Saudi port – only once it returns to international waters. This applies even if you have a drinks package.

How Much Is the MSC Easy Drinks Package?

The cost of the MSC Easy Drinks Package varies depending on which ship you’re sailing on, where you’re travelling to, how long you’re sailing for and whether you book in advance. Expect to pay between £34 and £42.55 per night on cruises from the UK, and between $46 and $56 per night on US cruises.

Cruise lines tend to fall into two camps with drinks packages – those that have a simple, clear pricing structure and those that like to be a bit more secretive, likely so they can charge more on sailings where it’s in demand. MSC is somewhere in the middle – they don’t advertise the prices, but once you’re logged into your cruise booking the price will be fixed.

Here’s a breakdown of the Easy package prices:

You save 15% when you book your Easy drinks package before you sail, so if you’re considering it then I’d definitely recommend booking in advance.

It’s also worth noting that these prices include the drinks gratuities that you’d otherwise have to pay – so you don’t need to pay the extra 18% for each drink on US/Caribbean cruises, or the 15% on cruises in Europe and the Middle East. You’re covered within the package.

What Happens if You Order Outside the MSC Easy Drinks Package?

If you choose an MSC Easy Drinks Package and then decide to order a drink that isn’t included, you’ll only pay the difference between the drink and the value covered in the package.

So for cocktails, you get $7 cocktails included. If you order a $10 cocktail you’ll only pay $3 for it.

Some cruise lines would charge you full price for any drinks that aren’t covered by your package, so this is a pretty good deal. However, if you decide you’re more interested in drinks that aren’t covered, you are allowed to upgrade your package either before you sail or while you’re on the ship.

If you upgrade on the ship, you’ll pay the onboard price in full for the rest of the days on the cruise. You might also be turned down if you wait until the latter part of your cruise.

What Are the Alternatives to the MSC Easy Drinks Package?

There are several other options for a drinks package if you’re cruising with MSC Cruises. In total, there are five MSC drinks packages, although one of those is for minors only.

With the adult drinks package, you can also choose from:

• Premium Extra Drinks Package – all drinks up to $16 / €14 / £14
• Easy Plus Drinks Package – all drinks up to $10 / €9 / £10
• Alcohol-Free Package – mocktails, soft and hot drinks

If you’re someone who doesn’t really drink much, beyond the occasional cocktail or beer, then consider getting the Alcohol-Free Package and paying individually for the alcoholic ones.

Whereas if you like to dine in speciality restaurants, or you prefer a wider range of drinks, then upgrading to the Easy Plus or Premium Extra package may be worthwhile.

You should also check as, depending on the cruise fare you’ve bought, you might already have a drinks package included. Also if you’ve booked the Yacht Club Experience then you already get the Premium Extra package included, so there’s no need to buy the Easy one.

You Can Use the MSC Easy Drinks Package On Ocean Cay

The Easy Drinks Package does apply ashore in the private MSC resorts – Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and Sir Bani Yas in the Emirates. While the island bars likely won’t have the full range of drinks that the ships do, you can still enjoy any that would normally be included in the package.

You MUST Get A Drink Package For Kids

Everyone in your MSC cabin must have a drinks package, including minors aged 3 and over. So if you’re buying the Easy Drinks Package, you’ll have to pay for the Minors Package for your children if they’re aged 17 or under on European itineraries.

I find this very frustrating as my six-year-old only ever drinks water. He’s just not interested in any other drinks, so buying a package for him is a complete waste of money as tap water is free. He won’t even have ice in it or a slice of lemon!

You may want to note that for US and Caribbean itineraries, the age limits are slightly different – the Minors package is only available for guests aged 3 to 12 years old.

Anyone aged 13 to 20 years old can buy the Alcohol-Free Package, since the packages including alcohol are only available to anyone 21+ on those sailings.

Is the MSC Easy Drinks Package Worth It?

Whether or not the MSC Easy Drinks Package is worth it depends entirely on you, and the kind of drinks you enjoy. If you only drink one or two alcoholic drinks per day, then it probably isn’t – you may as well buy drinks individually, either with the Alcohol-Free Package or without it.

If you do like to enjoy beers, wines, spirits and cocktails but you aren’t too fussed about which ones, the package may offer great value – especially since you can still enjoy the occasional drink outside the package and only pay the difference.

But, if you plan on dining in the speciality restaurants, or you like a better quality of spirit or wine, then it might be better value to pay for one of the more premium options instead.

Related Topics

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

MSC Cruises’ ship MSC Virtuosa made her debut with cruises around the British Isles on 20th May 2021 and I was on board one of the maiden voyages.

The ship is packed with exciting family features, and has proven popular in the years since she debuted. I’ve made a list of some of the most fun MSC Virtuosa activities for families to enjoy on board.

1. Interactive Splash Park

MSC Virtuosa has one of the most exciting water parks at sea. Kids will love the water guns, huge tipping bucket and multiple interactive water elements in the Savannah Waterpark. It’s the perfect place to cool off on a hot day.

2. Bowling Alley

The entertainment area on MSC Virtuosa has a full-sized bowling alley with two lanes. Here, you’ll also find lots of arcade games providing fun for all the family.

3. Galleria Virtuosa

This 100-metre long indoor promenade has a long domed LED ceiling. This space features eleven shopping boutiques as well as several bars and restaurants. It’s the perfect place to wander and socialise, whatever the weather.

4. MSC Starship Club

More than just a bar, The MSC Starship club will transport you to another world! It features a humanoid bartender by the name of Rob, who will make you cosmic cocktails and tell you jokes.

Read more: The MSC Starship Club featuring Rob the humanoid robotic bartender

5. Swimming Pools

MSC Virtuosa has five swimming pools and one of the biggest waterparks at sea. The Tropical Pool has a retractable roof and four large hot tubs, which means that even if it’s raining you can still enjoy a day drinking cocktails by the pool.

6. Himalayan Bridge

If you’re feeling brave, have a go on this high ropes course which is located up on Deck 19, an incredible 80 metres above the ocean.

7. Water Slides

The MSC Virtuosa water park is the Savannah Aquapark, and kids and adults love the three twisting waterslides including a fun bowl slide that spins you round and round.

8. Kids’ Clubs

MSC Virtuosa has five dedicated kids clubs for ages from 0 to 17 years old with over 98 hours of kids’ activities each week. Kids can be entertained all day long with games, arts and crafts, competitions, parties and more!

Some of the features introduced for the MSC Virtuosa kids club include a silent disco and a Junior Detective game where they must solve puzzles in search of the truth.

New updates as of summer 2024 also include some exciting Guinness World Record quiz challenges and some conservation-themed learning. Plus the teens hours are now extended so you can leave them there from 3 pm until midnight!

9. Formula One Simulator

Climb into the driver’s seat of an F1 racing car and get your adrenaline-pumping with a virtual reality race.

10. Sportplex

Sporty types young and old can take part in all sorts of tournaments including tennis, football, basketball, table tennis and table football.

11. Swarovski Crystal Staircases

MSC Cruises ships are incredibly glamorous with thousands of Swarovski crystals used to make the staircases in the main atrium.

12. LEGO Experience

MSC Cruises has partnered with LEGO to create LEGO and Duplo-themed experiences, challenges and competitions for kids. There are over 64,000 LEGO bricks on the ship and kids may even be able meet life-sized LEGO people on board.

13. Le Grand Theatre

The theatre on MSC Virtuosa has 945 seats where guests can enjoy live performances every evening with three sittings per night.

14. Baby Club

MSC Cruises’ Baby Club has activities that parents and under-threes can enjoy together. There’s also the option to leave your toddler in the care of qualified childcare professionals while you relax.

15. Carousel Lounge

In the Carousel Lounge, you can enjoy spectacular entertainment up-close on the round stage as well as stunning sea views.

Related posts

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

MSC Cruises has been making waves (pun intended) in the world of cruising with some ambitious plans.

The cruise line has outright stated that it wants to become the biggest in the world, which would be some feat if it did manage to overtake established leaders Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Yet the aggressive expansion strategy is well underway. In addition to five ships launched within just three years since cruising returned after the shutdown, there are another three ships planned – plus a whole new sub-cruise line!

Let’s take a look.

The newest MSC cruise ships sailing now

1. MSC Euribia – 2023

MSC Cruises newest ship is the final ship in the Meraviglia Plus Class, joining the MSC Grandiosa and the MSC Virtuosa.

MSC Euribia isn’t be the largest ship in the fleet – the World-class ships are bigger – but she is still mightily impressive, with a maximum guest capacity of over 6,300.

I’ve cruises on MSC Euribia and had a fantastic time! You can read my MSC Euribia review here.

Along with many of the other newer MSC ships, she is significantly more friendly to the environment than older cruise ships. She’s powered by LNG, which is a cleaner fuel, and she has advanced water treatment and energy efficiency systems to minimise waste and ensure only the fuel needed is burned.

A ship this big is obviously packed with things to see and do, including five pools and a waterpark. She will also be home to the Galleria Euribia, the largest LED dome at sea in the indoor promenade.

MSC Euribia sails a variety of itineraries around Northern Europe and the Med from Southampton, making her one of the biggest ships to call the port home.

2. MSC World Europa – 2022

The MSC World Europa debuted in 2022 and quickly established herself as one of the most impressive ships currently sailing. 

At the time of her launch, she was the first ship outside of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class to have a volume above 200,000 gross tonnes, slotting her into the number six position for biggest ships in the world. This of course means she is the biggest ship in the MSC fleet.

It’s not just about size with MSC World Europa though – the ship has a stunning modern design with futuristic attractions including the Luna Park Arena which hosts game shows, various kids’ activities and movie screenings.

She was the first ship in the MSC fleet to be powered by LNG, and she hosts the current longest dry slide at sea which travels for 11 decks on the ship.

The MSC World Europa sails the Mediterranean during the summer months, and the Middle East in the winter, with Grand Voyages (cruises between regions) also available.

Suggested read: MSC World Europa Review

3. MSC Seascape – 2022

The MSC Seascape launched in 2022 as the second of the Seaside EVO ships for MSC. The Seaside EVO Class is an expansion of the original Seaside Class, quite literally – they are around 10% bigger than the two Seaside-class ships.

MSC Seascape pays tribute to New York City in her design, with the retail area of the ship named Times Square featuring a projection of the Manhattan skyline, and an impressive three-metre-high replica of the Statue of Liberty as the centrepiece of the casino.

 She is full of interesting attractions and features, along with beautiful artworks – the primary one being the Incando del Mare glass sculpture which rises from Deck 5 through to Deck 8. She has a real focus on outdoor spaces, including a fantastic Infinity Pool where guests can relax with stunning views.

MSC Seascape is based in the Caribbean year-round, sailing out of Miami. Itineraries typically call at Ocean Cay, the private marine reserve destination for MSC Cruises.

4. MSC Seashore – 2021

The first of the Seaside EVO ships, MSC Seashore debuted in 2021 and so remains one of the newest and best ships in the whole fleet.

She is an almost identical twin of her newer sister ship MSC Seascape, even down to the New York City theming, although her glass sculpture is unique and is named Danza del Mare.

Like her sister ship, she is packed with fantastic attractions including quality theatre shows, an expansive casino area, and extensive family-friendly areas, with some of the best kids’ clubs at sea.

She is also packed with environmentally-friendly tech to reduce emissions, recycle waste and ensure she is as efficient as possible, and therefore needs less fuel to move.

Unlike MSC Seascape, the MSC Seashore doesn’t have a permanent home. Instead, she offers cruises in the Caribbean and around South America during the winter months (again, with port visits to Ocean Cay) but during the summer she relocates to the Mediterranean.

5. MSC Virtuosa – 2021

The MSC Virtuosa launched in May of 2021 and became the second ship in the Meraviglia Plus Class. Similar to the Seaside and Seaside EVO classes, the Meraviglia Plus Class is an expansion of the original Meraviglia ships.

The MSC Virtuosa was, when she launched, the largest ship in the fleet, being around 6% larger than the Seaside EVO ships. She has a host of impressive features, including the Galleria Virtuosa with its LED dome, and the MSC Starship Club – the first robotic bar at sea with a humanoid robot bartender (unlike Royal Caribbean’s first robot bar at sea with two standalone arms).

MSC Virtuosa hosts many of the best signature features of the MSC fleet, including the MSC Aurea Spa and the MSC Yacht Club – a special area of the ship with dedicated lounges and a private pool just for those who book a Yacht Club cabin.

New MSC cruise ships on order

MSC World America – 2025

The MSC World America is set to be the next ship to join the MSC Cruises fleet. She will be the second World-class ship to launch for the cruise line, following the recent addition of MSC World Europa in 2022.

It’s more than just a name – this super-ship will be based in the US, and will offer sailings around the Caribbean when she launches in 2025. We don’t yet know if the plan is to remain there year-round or if she will follow the plan of many other cruise ships and travel to Europe during the warmer summer months.

MSC World America is expected to be very similar to MSC World Europa – typically, MSC ships don’t vary too much in terms of structure or features within a class.

So if you want to know more about the MSC World America, I’d recommend taking a look at the features and deck plans of the MSC World Europa, at least until more information is revealed on this ship. I also have an MSC World Europa review that you may be interested in.

MSC World Asia (2026) and an unnamed World ship (2027)

There are two more ships planned for the World Class for MSC Cruises, to follow in 2026 and 2027. Or I should say at least two more – with MSC Cruises’ plans to expand rapidly, and the early success of MSC World Europa, we may see more added to the schedule.

We don’t know much about these two ships yet with their debuts still some time away, but as soon as more information is revealed I’ll let you know.

If we’ll already have MSC World Europe, MSC World America and MSC World Asia, what do you think for the last one? MSC World Africa?

Explora Journeys

Only a quick mention here since the Explora Journeys aren’t technically part of the MSC Cruises fleet – but instead, a brand new cruise line launching that will be owned by the MSC parent company.

MSC Cruises is very much a mainstream cruise line with a lot of family activities. The newest ships are beautiful and modern, but they are aimed at a wider cruising market. So it makes sense for the MSC parent company to expand out into a more luxury cruise line.

Explora Journeys is that line, with smaller ships and a focus primarily on destination experiences. The first ship – Explora I – made her debut in 2023 while there are at least 5 more ships planned to set sail between 2024 and 2028.

To conclude

It’s a really exciting time if you’re a fan of cruising with MSC. There have been a lot of new ship launches in the last couple of years – more than with any other cruise line – and there are plenty more on the horizon.

MSC isn’t a cruise line for everyone, but it has a lot of great features, especially for families. And with so many new ships expanding the capacity of the fleet, who’s to say they can’t challenge the likes of Royal Caribbean and Carnival in future?

From a cruise passenger perspective, it’s always good to have plenty of choice.

Related Posts:

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

Most cruise lines are owned by large parent companies. If you find it tricky to keep track of which company owns which cruise line, you’re not alone!

The world’s largest cruise company is Carnival Corporation. It owns nine brands including P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Cunard. Then, we have the Royal Caribbean Group which owns not only Royal Caribbean International, but also brands like Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.

But what about MSC Cruises? Who owns MSC Cruises, and what other cruise brands do they own?

Read on for some super-interesting insights into the company behind the MSC Cruises brand…

Just who are MSC Cruises?

MSC Cruises is a global cruise line based in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in Naples, Italy in 1989. MSC Cruises employs over 30,000 people and has 19 cruise ships, making it the fastest-growing global cruise brand.

Suggested read: MSC Cruises Ships by Size, Age and Class

MSC Cruises is part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC) – the world’s second-largest container shipping operator with 570 container ships.

The MSC Cruises arm of the business is owned by Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte and his family, including wife Rafaela, son Diego and daughter Alexa. Gianluigi Aponte is the founder, chairman, and MSC Cruises owner, while his family members all have key roles in the business.

With a net worth of around $17.7 billion in 2022, Gianluigi and Rafaela Aponte are some of the richest people in the shipping industry and the 94th richest people in the world according to Forbes.

The largest privately owned cruise company

This all means that MSC Cruises is the world’s largest privately-owned cruise company. While other cruise lines are publicly traded and owned by shareholders, MSC Cruises is privately owned by the Aponte family.

Because MSC Cruises is privately-owned, it doesn’t have stock. It’s not possible to buy shares in MSC as you can do with Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line.

The CEO of MSC Cruises is Gianni Onorato, an Italian with 30 years of experience in the cruise industry. He has been the CEO of MSC Cruises since 2013. Prior to that, he was the president of Costa Cruises from 2004 to 2013.

So that’s what MSC stands for!

The ‘MSC’ in MSC Cruises stands for Mediterranean Shipping Company. This is because the MSC Cruises brand is part of the same shipping company that transports cargo around the world.

The timeline of MSC

MSC Cruises was founded in 1988. However, the Aponte family’s involvement in the shipping industry dates back much further. Take a look at the timeline below to learn about the history of MSC Cruises…

Fun fact: Gianluigi Aponte financed the purchase of his first cruise ship, Patricia, without a loan.

An Italian cruise line, but with international flair

MSC Cruises Cruises is an Italian cruise line. It was founded in Naples, Italy in 1989, although it’s now registered in Switzerland with headquarters in Geneva and operations offices in Naples, Genoa and Venice.

MSC Cruises offers cruises all over the world. The cruise line caters to many different nationalities with many languages being spoken on board. Announcements are often made in English, Italian, French, Spanish and German. Entertainment is mainly based around music or visuals such as acrobats and dancers, rather than comedians or lecturers.

Related posts:

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me