MSC Cruises is celebrating its partnership with Formula 1 by offering Crew Members the opportunity to win all expenses paid trips to Formula 1 Grand Prix events across the globe.

The first of several contests gave crew the chance to win a trip for two to the Formula 1 Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. This was won by Mauro dos Santos Oliveira, a Kitchen Steward on MSC Seaview, whose submission of a photo of his idea of the ‘Perfect Pit Stop’ - a vacation at his mother’s work - made him the winner.

The MSC Foundation, and the MSC Group in collaboration with Mercy Ships International, has announced a new initiative to construct a brand new hospital ship to expand healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative represents a significant commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and surgical education in sub-Saharan Africa, addressing critical needs and building sustainable local healthcare infrastructures.

MSC Cruises has introduced a stringent new laundry policy for its crew members, significantly limiting their ability to wash personal items on board. Under the new guidelines, crew members are restricted to washing a maximum of ten personal items twice per week, with all laundry to be monitored and managed by designated crew laundry personnel.

MSC Cruises has announced the temporary closure of Ocean Cay, its private island in the Bahamas. The island will undergo extensive renovation and expansion from April 7th to May 22nd, 2024, in which there will be no ship calls. The temporary closure has led to the adjustment of over 30 cruises, with alternative destinations such as Nassau and Freeport. However, the anticipation grows for the end of May 2024, when Ocean Cay will resume its role as a key destination for the MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seascape, and MSC Seashore.

The cruise ship MSC Armonia, with approximately 1,500 passengers on board, is currently detained in the port of Barcelona. The detention is due to 69 Bolivian passengers being unable to disembark because of allegedly carrying invalid visas for entry into the Schengen area. The ship departed on 18 days’ voyage from Santos, Brazil with scheduled stops in several Mediterranean ports. The Spanish National Police are investigating the matter, on whether the cruise ship's operators were aware of the passengers' invalid documents.

SSC Napoli And Msc Cruises Launch Limited Edition Jersey

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) together with several major cruise lines are taking legal action against the German right-wing political party AfD after publishing a calendar with racist and xenophobic propaganda using photos of cruise ships. This "deportation calendar," titled "The Most Beautiful Deportation Ships," features pictures of cruise ships, some clearly showing company logos. The calendar includes slogans like "Right to a Homeland.

After a long-standing career of 34 years with Costa Cruises, Captain Paolo Benini has announced his departure from the company to embark on a new chapter in his professional career with MSC Cruises. Through a message on social media, Captain Benini expressed his gratitude towards Costa Cruises for the wonderful years and the opportunity to grow into the professional he is today.