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MSC's first world cruise casts off, carrying 'influencers,' star chefs

PHOTO: MSC Cruises
MSC Magnifica is shown departing from Marseille
MSC Cruises' first world cruise is under way, a voyage that will visit 49 destinations in 32 countries. MSC Magnifica is traveling from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, through the Arabian Gulf and back to Europe.

To chronicle this experience, MSC Cruises has enlisted a team of content creators for a 'relay race' at sea during the 119-day voyage to six continents, traveling 32,260 nautical miles and crossing 24 time zones.

Nine 'influencers'

The nine 'social influencers' from different parts of the world will each sail a different segment of the cruise and capture their experiences so their fans can follow along. Besides interacting with people in the countries they visit, they'll step into the shoes of MSC Magnifica's crew and share the experience through their eyes.

The relay team consists of Benn TK (Australia), Kara and Nate (USA), Izhan (Spain), Life to Go (Germany), Anil B (Switzerland), Human Safari (Italy), Nick Miller (South Africa), Ayumu Yamashita (Japan) and Vitor Liberato (Brazil).

Destinations include tropical paradises like Costa Rica, Honolulu and Bora Bora, cultural hotspots like Barcelona and Rome, and desert landscapes of the Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt. The voyage offers an average stay of 13 hours in port and a choice of more than 250 shore excursions.

Star chefs

MSC Magnifica will also take travelers on a journey of the world's flavors via an all-star cast of international chefs, who will create dishes that reflect regions the ship is sailing through. The group includes current as well as former three-, two- and one-star Michelin chefs, chefs of the year, award-winning cookbook authors and recipients of other international culinary recognitions.

They include Michelin-starred Spanish chef Ramón Freixa, decorated Indian-American chef Vikas Khanna, award-winning Italian chef Carlo Cracco, two-time world champion in pastry, French chef Jean-Philippe Maury and restaurateur, cookbook author and chef Roy Yamaguchi.

Further chefs include expert all four schools of Chinese cooking, Jereme Leung, restaurateur and Brazilian chef Allan Vila Espejo, 'MasterChef Colombia' jury member Jorge Rausch and 'Sydney Morning Herald’s' chef of the year French-Canadian Serge Dansereau.

During their special meals, the chefs will be on hand to greet and interact with diners. Between these events, MSC's own chefs will provide 237 different menus for the main restaurants, including themed dishes linked to the itinerary that are also served at the Sahara Buffet.

MSC Cruises plans world voyages in 2020 and 2021.