MSC Cruises has signed a 2 year deal with Port Everglades to use a cruise berth and the cruise terminal at Ft Lauderdale.

"MSC has guaranteed 135,000 passengers in the first year of the deal and 160,000 passengers in the second", said Carlos Buqaeras, the director of business at Port Everglades.

MSC is intent on increasing its presence in North America and said that it was meeting with port officials to discuss a long-term agreement with the line.

This 2008/2009 winter season, the MSC Lirica will be joined by the MSC Orchestra in Ft Lauderdale, and during the 2009/2010 season, MSC expects to have two Musica-class ships cruising Caribbean intineraries. Indeications are that these will be the MSC Poesia and the new MSC Magnifica.

This is a cruise blog entry by Phil.