• MSC Cruises’ newest and most innovative ship to-date is first to be named at a private island
• MSC Cruises’ Godmother Sophia Loren to name her 16 ship out of the fleet’s 19 ships
• Event to include ground-breaking for MSC Foundation’s Marine Conservation Center to support its Super Coral Program

MSC Cruises, the third largest cruise brand in the world, will officially name its newest flagship MSC Seashore this evening at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas. Having set sail yesterday from PortMiami, this will be the first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island and will be presided over by Hollywood royalty Sophia Loren, who will perform her role as Godmother to an MSC Cruises ship for the 16 time.

The event will be attended by travel advisors and media from around the world, as well as other important VIPs and stakeholders. MSC guests at the event will have the chance to experience everything that the glamourous new ship and the line’s stunning own private island has to offer including endless onboard entertainment and activities and an incredible variety of bars and restaurants. The evening’s festivities will take place both on board and on the island, as the ship will remain alongside throughout the night and include a stylish gala dinner and live entertainment from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and three-time Grammy Award-winner Nile Rodgers and his band Chic.

MSC Seashore’s naming ceremony will also serve to formally inaugurate Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, which opened in December 2019 and closed shortly thereafter due to the pandemic. A ground-breaking for the MSC Foundation’s Marine Conservation Center, which includes a laboratory and coral nursery areas will also take place on the island. This is a key part of the Foundation’s Super Coral Program, which seeks to help restore coral reefs in The Bahamas to a healthy state through the propagation of hardy Super Coral species and varieties to increase the resilience of the reefs. This work will be done in partnership with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and Nova Southeastern University (Florida).

Following the event, MSC Seashore – the newest and most innovative vessel to be deployed out of PortMiami this coming season – will begin her inaugural 7-night cruise and U.S. season on November 20.