A big ship deserves a big name for Godmother. That seems to be the thinking with the newest announcement from MSC Cruises regarding the christening of their latest ship.
MSC will welcome its newest ship — MSC World America — in early April, with a naming ceremony on April 9 in Miami.
Present to serve as godmother and helping with the ceremonial breaking of the bottle of champagne will be non-other than A-lister Drew Barrymore.
Barrymore serving as godmother actually isn’t a major surprise given that she has been the face of the cruise line’s latest advertising campaign that included a 60-second Super Bowl ad spot. She, along with mega-star Orlando Bloom (who also has been part of the “Let’s Holiday” campaign), have been seen enjoying themselves both onboard the new ships and at Ocean Cay in the campaign.
Given her prominence in the advertising, it’s a natural choice to serve as Godmother.
“When MSC Cruises asked me to be the Godmother of MSC World America, I immediately said yes!” said Barrymore. “I absolutely love to travel—it fuels my soul—and being part of something that helps people set off on incredible adventures is just amazing.
“There’s something so magical about cruises; they let you discover the world in this really fun, unexpected way,” she added. “And to be able to name MSC World America and send the ship off with well wishes and good luck is such an honor.”
The naming ceremony will take place on April 9 at the cruise line’s new terminal, which just opened and is the largest terminal in the world. Following the dinner and ceremony, the new ship will sail a 3-night introductory trip to Ocean Cay.
MSC World America: A Big Splash in the United States
If having Drew Barrymore as Godmother is a big deal, it may actually be second in magnitude to the newest ship from MSC Cruises.
MSC World America is a sister to MSC World Europa, which launched in late 2022. This class of ships are the largest in the cruise line’s fleet and the largest on the planet outside of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon classes.
MSC World America will come in at more than 205,000 gross tons, 22 decks, and feature seven different districts around the ship to provide different feel and experiences for passengers.
And it will need all that space, with more than 2,600 staterooms and the ability to carry nearly 6,800 guests on a single trip.
The ship will have 19 spots to eat and nearly as many bars and lounges. It will have an outdoor promenade and a 3-level indoor promenade that serve as a heart of the ship. It will also feature a brand-new thrill ride — Cliffhanger — a swing that takes you literally out over the water. That in addition to a ropes course, waterpark, and tons more.
In other words, while you might have heard of MSC before, this new ship is by far the biggest splash it has ever made in the U.S. market.
Part of MSC’s Major Push in the Market
While the arrival of MSC World America and the pageantry of naming Drew Barrymore Godmother is big news, this is actually just one part of the big push the cruise line to carve out its place in American cruising.
We’ve discussed before how the cruise line had its first Super Bowl ad, putting it in front of more than 100 million people.
In addition, it recently completed the world’s largest cruise terminal in Miami, opening just before the arrival of its newest ship.
And in Galveston, the cruise line is placing a ship later this year with its first sailings from Texas ever as that port builds a fourth terminal with MSC in mind. Next year, it will sail its first Alaskan cruises.
In other words, arguably no other cruise line is making as big an investment right now in growing its market in the U.S. more than MSC Cruises.
More on Sailing MSC:
- Our 11 Best Tips for Sailing an MSC Cruise
- Is MSC a Good Cruise Line? What to Know From Someone That’s Sailed
- Worth It? Complete Guide to MSC Cruises Drink Packages (Updated)
