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MSC Cruises, the leader in the European cruise market, is making waves as the cruise line jockeys for position in the #1 cruise market in the world, the Caribbean.

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down the CEO of MSC Cruises, Gianni Onorato, and we discussed tendifferent ways that the cruise line is going to elevate the Caribbean cruise experience.If youre not familiar with MSC Cruises and love cruising to the warm waters of the Caribbean, here are tenexciting features coming to MSC and the Caribbean.

11 New Cruise Ships MSC Cruises has an astounding 11 new cruise ships scheduled to debut in the next 10 years. Two of those ships, MSC Seaside and a Meraviglia class ship, will be sailing out of PortMiami by 2019. MSC Seaside will be christened in PortMiami this December and promises to be unlike any other cruise ship ever built. Not only will the ship turn heads, but the ship will offer more outdoor space per passenger than any other cruise ship in the world.

Lets be honest, you dont cruise to the Caribbean to stay inside. Its all about the sun, getting a tan, and enjoying the calm, blue water. With all of this outdoor space on MSC Seaside, passengers will be closer to the sea than ever before. From the extra wide outdoor promenade to the three separate pool areas (four if you count the Yacht Club), its no wonder that MSC Cruises calls this The ship that follows the sun.

Choices MSC Cruises will be all about choices. After all, its your cruise and you love to have options. Dining will have all of the options that we are now accustomed to, early/late seating as well as anytime dining. There will be a great variety of specialty restaurants that include an American steakhouse, sushi, seafood, Asian, and Teppanyaki. MSC will fly in fresh sea bass, oysters, and other seafood from the Mediterranean each week. No other cruise line does that.

However, the biggest choice will be when it comes to entertainment. MSC Cruises is known for their award winning shows, and on MSC Seaside, there will be afternoon and evening options so everyone can see the shows that they are interested in without dinner plans getting in the way.

Family Cabins In an effort to be the most family friendly cruise line, MSC will have joining cabins that will hold up to 10 passengers. This will be perfect for large families who like to cruise.

Solo Cabins Since no one enjoys paying double occupancy when you cruise solo, the Meraviglia class shipwill have cabins for solo cruisers that will also have a shared lounge.

Wearable Technology MSC Cruises has been working on wearable technology that promises to do everything that the Ocean Medallion from Carnival Corp. will do according to Mr. Oronato. Wearable technology, whether in a watch, bracelet, necklace, or by another method is the future of cruising. This will help the cruise line cater to your interests giving you the best possible cruise experience.

Smoke Free Casino While the casino on MSC Divina is entirely smokefree, MSC Seaside will have a separate section for smokers. This will allow everyone to be happy, especially since you often have to walk through the casino to get from one end of the ship to the other.

Different Ship MSC Seaside will be unlike any other cruise ship ever built. The aft section of the ship will resemble condos, and there will be open deck space everywhere you look.

View Cruises on MSC Seaside

Ship for Adventurers MSC Seaside will not only have the longest zip line at sea, but the vesselwill also have the largest and most interactive waterpark ever found on a cruise ship.

App/Tablets Passengers soon be able to download an app before their cruise and enter their preferences on it. Once on board, crew members will have tablets that will be able to instantly pull up that information. This will be perfect not only for passengers who travel with food allergies, but those who want a custom cruise experience catered to their likes and dislikes.

Future of Cruising The future of cruising will be all about accessibility. It will be affordable, but not done in a cheap manner.

Bonus Reason I would be remiss if I didnt mention Ocean Cay, the private island experience in the Bahamas being built by MSC Cruises. Ocean Cay will be an exclusive 85 acre Bahamian Marine Reservethat will have a dock so there will be no need for tendering.

The island will have six different beaches, an exclusive spa and wellness sanctuary for MSC Yacht guests, an inland lagoon for absolute tranquility, a thrilling zip line that crosses over the island, and a pavilion for weddings and celebrations. Ocean Cay will open in October 2018 and MSC Seaside will make weekly visits from PortMiami.

Read more:

10 Ways MSC Cruises is Elevating the Caribbean Cruise Experience - Cruise Fever