Barbados welcomes two inaugural MSC vessels

Making berth for the first time at the Port of Bridgetown on Tuesday morning, were MSC vessels MSC Seaside and MSC Seashore.

During a welcome ceremony to mark the inaugural occasion, Chief Executive Officer of Barbados Port Inc. (BPI), David Jean-Marie, stated: “It is not often that we have two inaugural visits on the same day, and it is even more extraordinary that we welcome two vessels in a single day from the world’s leading privately held shipping and logistics conglomerate, MSC Global.

“And when we consider that one of these two vessels is among the newest of ships launched this year, I am sure you would agree that today is indeed a day for celebration; and it is such a delight to be among the first ports to welcome the newest addition to the MSC fleet, the MSC Seaside.”

Jean-Marie highlighted some of the service and craftsmanship aspects of the two vessels including exquisite dining, innovative entertainment, the latest advanced environmental technology to increase energy efficiency, standout design features like the famous Bridge of Sighs, and digital technology which enhances the onboard experience.

Chief Financial Officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Craig Hinds, in his welcome to MSC Seaside Captain, Francesco Veniero and MSC Seashore Captain, Dino Sagani, encouraged them and their crew to disembark the vessels like their passengers and explore what the island has to offer; including its culture, heritage tours, ecosystem, cuisine, “liquid gold” (rum) and beaches.

Hinds pointed out that the BTMI would continue to work with the BPI to make sure that cruise passengers who visit the island have an “unforgettable” experience.

Both captains expressed thanks for the warm welcome extended and stressed they were happy to be in Barbados and looked forward to returning with “bigger ships” in the future. Thanks were also conveyed for the special engagement extended to cruise vessels during the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two vessels brought a total of 5,900 visitors to Barbados, 2,718 on the MSC Seaside, and 3,182 on the MSC Seashore.  In addition to this, there was also a total of 2,783 crew on board both vessels in the port. The next port of call for MSC Seaside is St. George’s, Grenada and Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, for the MSC Seashore.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is part of MSC Group, the leading privately-held Swiss-based shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage. MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise brand and also the fastest-growing global cruise brand with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and Far East markets.  (BGIS)