Agents tour MSC Divina, train on MSC Book during maiden NYC call

The occasion was marked by a plaques and keys ceremony and facilitated a briefing for retailers by MSC Cruises USA executives and training in the new MSC Book online reservations system.

MSC Divina Capt. Pier Paola Scala; Elizabeth Shearin, vp cruise operations for the New York City Economic Development Corp.; and Kenneth Winkler, general manager for Ports America, exchanged plaques during a ceremony watched by several hundred agents.

MSC Cruises USA president Rick Sasso and Ken Muskat, evp sales, public relations & guest services, briefed agents on the company's growth plans, particularly its aggressive expansion strategy for North America.

Agents also were able to participate in an hour-long demonstration of the newly unveiled MSC Book and to give the system a try.

MSC Divina stopped overnight at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal as part of a repositioning cruise to the Mediterranean for the summer season.

Passengers will be able to embark at Civitavecchia (Rome) on Saturdays or Barcelona on Wednesdays for cruises to La Spezia, a late-night stay affording the ability to visit Pisa, Florence, Portofino and Cinque Terre, and Palma de Mallorca, also a late-night stay, as well as Naples, for access to Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.

Upon MSC Divina's return from the Mediterranean in November, the ship will sail year-round to the Caribbean from PortMiami.