MSC Cruises to Sail from Two Embarkation Ports in the Southern Caribbean
As MSC Cruises works to offer more North American cruise offerings for its fleet, the cruise line has announced it will deploy one vessel year-round in the Southern Caribbean beginning with the winter 2026-2027 season.
This will be the first time ever that the cruise line has kept a ship in the region for summer, and the first time MSC Cruises will have two ships sailing in the South Caribbean during the winter.
The smaller 65,591-gross-ton MSC Opera will begin its sailings from La Romana, Dominican Republic, on November 16, 2026, offering a series of 7-night cruises to lesser-frequented ports.
Passengers will also have the option to combine sailings into 14-night “butterfly” itineraries that visit different ports each week.
In April 2027, the ship will add Fort-de-France, Martinique as a second embarkation port.
“Whether guests are seeking to escape to sun-soaked beaches and crystal-clear waters for a serene retreat to unwind in summer or winter, MSC Cruises is offering brand-new itineraries for the ideal getaway in any season,” the cruise line said in its announcement.
The new deployment provides expanded access to Southern Caribbean destinations, and will include calls in Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Grenada, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten, and the British Virgin Islands.
MSC Opera, accommodating up to 2,150 passengers, will be joined in the region by the 6,592-guest MSC Seaview, which will continue offering its own 7-night itineraries from Fort-de-France during the same winter season.
These will feature sailings to similar destinations, as well as St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia.
MSC Expanding Caribbean Presence
MSC Opera, a Lirica Class vessel, has been journeying to many first-time destinations as MSC Cruises expands its global reach. Last winter, 2024 to 2025, she spent her maiden season in the Canary Islands.
Part of MSC Cruises’ growth strategy is to break away from its European background and offer more destinations and ships for the North American market.
In April 2025, the cruise line debuted its first North American-themed cruise ship, the second World Class vessel in the fleet, aptly named MSC World America.
It is currently enjoying time in the Bahamas and the Caribbean and homeported in PortMiami, where the cruise line also debuted the world’s largest cruise terminal on April 5, 2025.
Last week, the cruise line announced it would be introducing two more World Class ships in 2029 and 2030, after it debuts the brand-new MSC World Asia in December 2026 and MSC World Atlantic in February 2027.
The latter ship will also be Caribbean-focused, sailing from its Port Canaveral, Florida, homeport with up to 6,774 passengers, while MSC World Asia will take Mediterranean adventures.
The ships are under construction at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, where the newly announced vessels will also be built.
Read Also: Just How Big is MSC World America?
MSC Opera’s first roundtrip voyage from La Romana will depart on November 16, 2026, and sail to Catalina Island, Dominican Republic; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France; Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; and Tortola in the Virgin Islands.
A second itinerary option, launching November 23, 2026, will include calls in Samana Bay in the Dominican Republic; Virgin Gorda, Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and Catalina Island.
Beginning on December 28, 2026, passengers will find St. John’s, Antigua, on the schedule, before the ship begins adding Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Kralendijk, Bonaire; and St. George, Grenada; in March and April 2027.
The vessel is currently enjoying a summer season in the Mediterranean, operating 7-night cruises from Bari and Venice, Italy.
MSC Cruises to Sail from Two Embarkation Ports in the Southern Caribbean