MSC Cruises opens Canada office with 15-member staff

Ian Patterson becomes country manager

The office is led by Ian Patterson, newly appointed country manager, who previously served as director of business development in Canada. The 15-person location includes employees in finance, sales, marketing, contact centre and groups.

'We are committed to maintaining a foothold as the world’s fastest growing cruise line, and as we expand globally, we see great opportunity in Canada to support our plans for an increased presence in North America,' said MSC Cruises' Achille Staiano, VP global sales.

'It is an incredible feat that we have a direct presence in 29 countries and have grown our distribution network to reach 68 countries globally since our inception,' Staiano added. 'And we are matching this success with unprecedented growth of an additional 13 new vessels in the coming years, expanding our fleet to 29 cruise ships by 2027.'

Dedicated websites

'With Canadian travellers continually showing an increased interest in cruise vacations, we are eager to establish a stronger presence as part of our growth plan in North America,' Patterson said. 'With our new, permanent office in the region, we are thrilled to be able to better serve Canadian travellers and travel advisors, with dedicated materials, tools and resources.'

MSC Cruises also launched Canadian websites for consumers (www.MSCCruises.ca) and for travel agents (www.mscbook.com/ca), enabling them to operate in Canadian dollars and access resources, information and tools. Initially in English, the websites are due to have French versions and additional enhancements before year's end.

Bilingual call centre

MSC Cruises Canada provides a bilingual call centre and support for groups and sales. An expanded array of bilingual marketing materials such as brochures and flyers is available.