GENEVA — MSC Cruises is celebrating the launch of two simultaneous world cruises, an industry first.

Sailing together for the start of the cruises, MSC Poesia and MSC Magnifica departed Genoa, Italy on Jan. 5 before parting ways at the edge of the Mediterranean for different routes around the globe. MSC Magnifica will embark on a 119-day voyage while guests on MSC Poesia will sail a 117-day trip.

Guests can still book the last remaining cabins for shorter segments of the MSC World Cruises 2023. 

Those sailing the 2023 World Cruises are treated to extra special three- and four-course menus crafted by a lineup of award-winning chefs, who’ll be joining the voyages at different intervals. Onboard both ships are veteran Brazilian chef Allan Vila Espejo, who’ll be serving Manioc soup and Bahia-style fish stew. Sailing aboard MSC Magnifica is Peruvian chef James Berckemeyer, who’ll be serving Peruvian veal cheek and local caramel pudding, while MSC Poesia will host Japanese-American chef Roy Yamaguchi and his teriyaki pork chop with Hawaiian chimichurri, and Michelin-starred Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt, known for farm-to-ocean ethos.

The chefs will also be on hand to greet guests in person as they dine in the ships’ main restaurants. 

To further enrich guests’ experiences, MSC Cruises has carefully crafted a special enrichment program that includes everything from ice carving and champagne tasting, to guest lectures and 30+ full-scale production shows.

Looking ahead to next year, cabins are still available for the 2024 MSC World Cruise that departs in January with a brand new itinerary that includes 52 destinations in 31 countries. In addition to navigating the Mediterranean, Red Sea, South Africa, South America, Caribbean, USA & Canada, the voyage will also include a segment that explores the Brazilian Amazon via the Amazon river before returning to Europe via Greenland and Iceland.

For more information go to www.msccruises.ca.