MSC Cruises isnt exactly new in town, but the contemporary operator is seeking to engage the local community following its deployment of 5,700-passenger MSC Meraviglia on year-round?voyages?from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
MSCs Brooklyn move is somewhat revolutionary among seagoing operators. While theres plenty of cruise?activity?in New York City, the lions share of?sailings?depart from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, just across the Hudson River.
MSC Seascape was?christened?in New York late last year, but the full-time Brooklyn commitment offers company officials a rare opportunity to differentiate the line from its formidable New York competitors.
When I interviewed him last year at Brooklyns iconic Juniors Restaurant, Reuben Rodriguez, MSC Cruises USAs president, said the Brooklyn deployment grew from a need to gain visibility for Geneva-based MSC.
We selected priority markets, which of course matters to our travel advisors because we need to build awareness for our brand, he said.
Company officials have followed the Brooklyn deployment with initiatives that include a partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA)s New York Knicks.
Through the pact, MSC Cruises receives brand promotion during Knicks games at The Most Famous Arena (Madison Square Garden for you out-of-towners), including billboard LED and virtual on-court signage.
The MSC-Knicks link has emerged as particularly prescient. A favorite among New Yorks legendary sports franchises, the Knicks have advanced to the second round of this years NBA playoffs (ironically facing off against the Miami Heat, the home team of the Cruise Capital of the World).
Knick legends aboard MSC Meraviglia (Photo Credit: Brian Major)
Star Power
In one of the initial partnership programs, several retired Knicks stars hosted a Junior Knicks clinic aboard MSC Meraviglias indoor basketball court just prior to the ships inaugural April Brooklyn departure.
The Junior Knicks organization serves kids ages five to 14, hosting summer camps and programs designed to introduce youth to basketball.
Hall of Famer Walt Clyde Frazier joined fellow Knick legends John Starks, Latrell Sprewell, Larry Johnson and Jamal Crawford at the clinic, which offered basketball skills, drills and training, plus games run by the Junior Knicks coaching staff.
The event concluded with a three-point shootout among the Knicks legends (won by Crawford).
As a Brooklyn native and lifelong New Yorker, Im certainly happy to see MSC embark year-round from the Borough of Churches. I know the deployment will bring jobs and economic activity to the region.
MSCs Knick affiliation also created a thrilling personal moment for me, as I attended the April clinic and met Frazier in person.
As one of the stars of the last Knicks championship team way back in 1973, Clyde was a genuine sports hero to a certain 10-year-old. Frazier was the only athlete to whom I ever wrote a fan letter. I was shocked weeks later when I received an autographed photo of him in the mail!
Naturally, I was over the moon to finally meet Clyde. We only spoke briefly, during which I mentioned what an honor it was to meet him.
He was as gracious as ever. If youre familiar with Fraziers passion for distinctive attire, you wont be surprised to know he was immaculately dressed even on this dress-down, workout day. Clydes innate sense of style still resonates with us locals.
Cruise Care
MSC Cruises has also worked locally to communicate its commitment to sustainability, airing local television commercials focused on sustainable vacationing and the critical role sustainability will play in MSCs future, in the words of MSC officials. ?
The television spots showcase the sustainable technologies aboard MSCs new ships alongside images of onboard life and shipboard dining and entertainment. MSC Cruises first LNG-powered ship, MSC World Europa, entered service late last year as the lines most environmentally advanced ship to date.
Under its Sustainability Action Plan, MSC has established six key environmental goals and measurable targets including transitioning to net-zero emissions, scrutinizing resource use and waste, supporting people, investing in sustainable tourism and building greener terminals.
New York is a tough place to achieve a breakthrough, but MSC appears to be off to a good start in Brooklyn.
We're focused on improving the communities we serve by supporting families and furthering sustainability efforts," said Rodrguez. "Madison Square Garden and the Knicks share those priorities.
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