Latest news with #MSCCruises
Condé Nast Traveler
2 days ago
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
How to Build a Mega Cruise Ship
The work at Chantiers de l'Atlantique isn't limited to building megaships. During my visit two smaller vessels were also under construction: the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's 452-passenger Luminara and Celebrity Cruises' 3,248-passenger Celebrity Xcel. The shipyard has also played a central role in several recent green-tech cruise breakthroughs; by the end of next year, it will complete the construction of the world's largest sailing yacht, the Orient Express Corinthian, which will have a first-of-its-kind wind-powered propulsion system. No matter what your cruising preference, megaships are astonishing feats of human innovation. 'Any function you can imagine a land-based city should have—from electricity to water treatment plants—that's all here,' Bernhard Stacher, MSC Cruises' senior vice president of shipboard hospitality operations, told me. But unlike a city, 'it has to float.' A megaship requires its own security force, food production facilities, waste disposal systems, medical centers, and even its own jail and morgue. And its inhabitants must be kept entertained. That means water parks, Broadway-caliber musicals, comedy shows, karaoke, casinos, hundreds of hours of live music, and an almost unimaginable amount of booze. Behind every sailing is a level of logistical planning that surpasses even that of the largest resorts. 'If you're on land, you can easily call a supplier and say, 'Listen, I'm running out of flour. Can you deliver some tomorrow?'' Stacher said. 'With a ship that is not possible.' When I boarded MSC World America for its inaugural voyage, I saw no signs of the months of planning or years of construction. Instead of workers hanging in harnesses from the ceiling, there were acrobats in silver bodysuits dangling in aerial silks. The ship's steel bones had been fashionably concealed in Italian marble and polished chrome. 'It's magical to see a ship of this size come to life,' Lynn Torrent, MSC Cruises' president for North America, told me after our embarkation. 'It's really an overwhelming feeling.' As I sipped my first glass of Champagne while singers belted tunes from Dirty Dancing, the whirling noises of drills and saws felt worlds away. And that's the point, after all: to create a universe unto itself that is untethered to any semblance of reality. The next morning on my balcony, I glanced up to see a giant red swing set hanging over the side of the upper deck. High above the blue Bahamian sea, its riders shrieked in excitement, feeling the adrenaline—and the magic of an experience like no other. This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Brits set to be hit with €20 charge as soon as they enter Greece on holiday
Greece has introduced a new cruise tax which will see people charged depending on the season and port on the European Union holiday hotspot, MSC Cruises has warned British holidaymakers now face a €20 (£17.35) levy the moment they set foot in Greece following the introduction of fresh regulations in the popular European Union destination. A new cruise tax has been rolled out, meaning passengers will be hit with varying disembarkation charges depending on which Greek island port they visit and the time of year. From July 21, 2025, island-hopping by cruise ship became considerably pricier for all travellers. Between June 1 and September 30, visitors will be stung with a €20 fee when stepping off at Mykonos and Santorini ports. All other Greek ports will impose a €5 (£4.34) charge during this peak period. The levy reduces during the shoulder months of October and from April 1 to May 31, dropping to €12 (£10.41) for Mykonos and Santorini whilst other ports charge €3 (£2.60). Throughout the winter period from November 1 to March 31, the fee falls to just €4 (£3.47) for the two popular islands and €1 (87p) for remaining ports. The charge applies to each passenger at every port where they step ashore. MSC Cruises has already notified customers via email that the additional cost will be passed directly onto guests. The cruise operator explained in correspondence: "This tax, similar to those already in force for hotels and other types of accommodation facilities, is designed to support local infrastructure, promote sustainable tourism, and improve the visitor experience." "For your convenience, MSC Cruises will prepay this tax for you directly to the Greek authorities. We will simply add the tax to your onboard account the night before each call in a Greek port." They explained: "MSC does not determine or control this expense, which is established and imposed by the Greek authorities and applied to all cruise companies operating in Greece." The message also noted that passengers who remain aboard will have the fee automatically waived. The new travel permit is to strengthen security and the borders of the Schengen zone, reports Birmingham Live. The €20 doesn't apply only to Greece, but also other popular holiday destinations, such as Spain and France, will be affected. This also follows news from EU's Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs revealing that European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) were going to be introduced in the final quarter of 2026. As previously reported by the Mirror, ETIAS will not be mandatory until 2027. Brits might want to do some research before they head off to a sunny-drenched destination, as they might be stung with a fee. The bigger the family, the more expensive it will become!
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Cruise lines, Las Vegas Strip gamblers get good IRS news
Generally, any interaction with the Internal Revenue Service means something bad has happened. The agency never sends you a letter saying "thanks for paying your taxes," and it rarely has an IRS agent check in on a business owner to see how his vacation was. More often, when an IRS letter shows up in your mailbox, it's a heart-stopping moment. At its best, dealing with the agency is a hassle. Filing your taxes takes some effort and the IRS has endless power to question your deductions, income and anything else. Casino gamblers, however, have a special beef with the IRS. Gambling wins are treated as income. As a practical matter, however, most people do not track their small wins and losses. Players who use loyalty cards to track their play can get a win/loss statement at year's end and they can deduct their losses from any wins. The biggest complaint, however, comes as a result of what gamblers call a hand pay, a win of $1,200 or more on a slot machine. When that happens, the machine you are playing freezes and you have to wait for an attendant. That can often take a long time as casinos - whether you're on the Las Vegas Strip, in a regional casino, or on a cruise ship that sails from a U.S. port - don't seem to have personnel scouring the floor for the light that goes on. It's a frustrating process: You have to sit at your machine to wait for an attendant who collects your driver's license and then brings you a W-2G, the IRS form that tells the agency about your win and forces you to report the winnings. If you're lucky enough to hit multiple hand pays on the same day (or on the same cruise), the process happens a little faster the second time, but the process makes scoring a big win frustrating. Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Many casino gamblers, both on land and at sea, complain about the process specifically because the $1,200 limit has been in place since 1977. That's 46 years with no increases, which puts that number well out of whack with inflation. Casinos don't like this rule because they have to devote labor to completing the forms. Players don't like it because they have to stay at their machines but can't play, hoping to get the attention of a casino worker, All land-based casinos follow the rules, while nearly every cruise line sailing from U.S. ports does. MSC Cruises, a growing rival to Royal Caribbean and Carnival, does not opt into the program. In theory, any casino wins on an MSC ship are still taxable, but in practice it seems unlikely that anyone would report their winnings without a W2G being filed. The IRS Advisory Council, however, has recommended that the W2G threshold increase to $5,800. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel appeared to back such a move during a recent appearance in Congress. "I think it's very valuable when we get input from the taxpaying community and our Advisory Council on when thresholds may be out of date," Werfel said, according to "The determination of something like that is of regulatory nature and therefore the decision rests with the Treasury's Office." The change has been championed by U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pennsylvania). They note that the purchasing power of $1,200 today equals $6.200. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. "Because the threshold has not kept up with inflation, it has resulted in a drastic increase in reportable jackpots, which trigger tax burdens for winners and compliance burdens for casinos," explained Reschenthaler. "Increasing the threshold will eliminate this onerous red tape, ensuring the gaming industry can continue to support good-paying jobs, and foster economic growth in Pennsylvania and across the country." Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tourists issued cruise warning as popular islands introduce £17 charge
Brits cruising around a popular set of European islands this summer have been warned over a new tourist tax, that slaps holidaymakers with charges of up to €20 (around £17) for entering the port Brits flocking to an insatiably popular set of European destinations this summer have been warned over hefty charges. Last year, a whopping 40.7 million tourists headed over to Greece and its cluster of picturesque islands, marking a 12.8 per cent spike compared to the year before. While the huge influx is believed to have generated a staggering €21.6 billion (around £18.6bn) in tourism revenue, officials argue local people aren't seeing the benefit. In fact, many residents argue the surge in holidaymakers is pricing them out of the property market - and wrecking the country's environmental beauty. As a result, many hotspots have started to introduce a tourist tax - with profits designed to support local infrastructure and 'promote' sustainable tourism levels. Cruise ships are a huge issue in Greece, often flooding tiny islands with thousands of tourists in one big hit. This stretches the island's amenities, creating sudden surges of demand in cafes and restaurants, and results in insufferable crowds and queues. This is why cruise passengers will be charged a hefty tourist tax when entering Greek ports. The fee, which comes into effect on July 21, 2025, until September - is €20 for hotspots like Mykonos and Santorini, and a much lower €5 in less popular ports. This works out at around £17 and £4.31, respectively. "Please note that this mandatory fee applies to all guests, regardless of age, who transit through a Greek port - including ports of call as well as the port of disembarkation," MSC Cruises reportedly told its customers. Rather than having to carry cash with you, the tourist tax is added to passengers' onboard accounts. The cruise line will then pay the tax directly to the port authorities. "If you choose to stay onboard and not go ashore, the expense will be automatically removed from your account within 24 hours," the firm added. In the shoulder seasons (April, May, and October), the tax is lowered to €12 (£10) for visits to Santorini and Mykonos and €4 (£3.43) to other ports. In Winter, when tourism levels are at their lowest, this goes down to €4 (£3.43) and €1 (86p). Over on the mainland, Greece has implemented an accommodation tax that charges tourists staying overnight. This ranges from €0.50 (43p) per night, per room, to €4 (£3.45) depending on the star-rating of your hotel. For a couple spending a week in a luxury five-star hotel, this adds €28 (£24.13) to their overall hotel costs.
Skift
10-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
MSC Cruises Targets U.S. Market With New Ships and Port
MSC is big outside the U.S. but remains small in North America's lucrative waters. To fix that, it has debuted a ship for American tastes, a new Texas terminal, new Alaska cruises, and has another ship coming in 2027. MSC Cruises launched its biggest push yet into the American cruise market this year, betting a new flagship and expanded U.S. operations can help the world's largest privately held cruise company gain ground against its publicly held rivals. "It's time that we make a bigger mark in the U.S.," said Lynn Torrent, who was appointed president of MSC Cruises North America in May. The family-owned Italian cruise line deployed MSC World America in April, a 1,090-foot vessel that carries 6,764 passengers and ranks as the eighth-largest cruise ship globally. The ship features the usual bells and whistles: sports bars, comedy clubs, and a ride that dangles passengers 160 feet above the ocean. It's about three football fields long, but, alas, there's no football field. MSC operates 23 ships but remains a minor player in the lucrative North American market, where Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corp. dominate. Appealing to Americans MSC Cruises invested in a 60-second Super Bowl TV ad featuring actors Drew Barrymore and Orlando Bloom to raise its profile among American consumers earlier this year. The company plans to expand its U.S. footprint further. Construction is underway on a new terminal in Galveston, Texas, where MSC Seascape will begin Western Caribbean sailings in November. That will give MSC four U.S. homeports, making it easier for travelers from central and western states to board its ships. MSC also announced its first Alaska cruises for summer 2026, using the mid-sized MSC Poesia, sailing from Seattle. The company said early sales for the seven-night Alaska itineraries have been strong, though it didn't provide specific booking numbers. A fourth World-class ship, MSC World Atlantic, will begin operations from Port Canaveral, Florida, in 2027. That will let it expand coverage of itineraries and weeks of the year. Lynn Torrent, president of MSC Cruises North America, since May. Source: MSC Cruises. New Ship This Year MSC World America, which debuted this year, sails seven-night itineraries from Miami to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, with passengers split roughly 50% to 60% North American and the remainder international. Torrent said the company differentiates itself by blending "European style and American comfort," appealing to travelers who want cultural diversity aboard their ships. The MSC World America includes seven distinct themed districts and a so-called yacht club, or ship-within-a-ship area for selected guests. "Notwithstanding the size of the ship, our guests and travel advisors don't feel like they are on a big ship that's crowded because of all the different spaces," Torrent said. Bahamas, Ocean Cay, a new private destination. Source: MSC Cruises MSC's Private Destination MSC has created Ocean Cay, a private island in the Bahamas, following the growing trend among cruise lines of inventing destinations they fully control. MSC has also tried to distinguish itself through environmental initiatives, too. The MSC Foundation Marine Conservation Center opened at Ocean Cay in April, focusing on coral restoration and climate change research. Passengers can attend lectures and join guided excursions with marine experts. "We see from research that more and more travelers are looking for deep and meaningful travel experiences that resonate with them," Torrent said. "We see Ocean Cay as a key point of distinction for our brand." The executive said that early feedback on MSC World America has been positive, and that MSC will continue to emphasize what she calls its unique positioning. "This European style and American comfort, we feel it's distinct, it's ownable and it's relevant," she said.
