As a family company, MSC Cruises knows that the festive period is an incredibly important time of the year that brings lasting memories to all. On board the MSC fleet, Christmas and New Year cruises are the perfect recipe for a fabulous experience for the whole family, with each luxury ship in the MSC Cruises' fleet decked out fully for the occasion with traditional trees and decorations accompanied by carol singing, choir performances, midnight mass and all the time-honoured traditions.

A culinary journey for fine dining lovers

Guests travelling on board MSC ships for the holidays will have the unique opportunity to savour delectable six-course Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners masterfully conceived by MSC Cruises chefs, with a wide range of culinary delicacies from across the Mediterranean as well as many international favourites. What's more, MSC travellers on board MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC Armonia and MSC Lirica will be treated to a choice of mouth-watering dishes created especially for MSC Cruises by internationally-renowned chef Carlo Cracco.

Chef Cracco is a leader of the new generation in progressive Italian cuisine. He has garnered worldwide attention at his restaurant Ristorante Cracco in Milan, Italy - listed in the world's 50 best restaurants - for his creative takes on classic Italian foods, which earned him 2 Michelin Stars. A fried egg yolk garnished with celeriac purée, radicchio and pomegranate as well as a chestnut, lentil and passion fruit soup will be available both for Christmas and New Year Eve's dinner. For Christmas dinner, the specials created by Chef Cracco will include green tomato, toasted pine nut, prawn and beetroot risotto and braised cured veal cheeks with Italian-style couscous. Whereas for New Year Eve's dinner, the specials will consist of beer rice, paprika and asparagus and crusted Guinea-fowl breast, with nuts and raisins on a red wine sauce.

Exquisite food would not be the same if it weren't complemented by a choice of exceptional wines and this year MSC guests will be treated to a new selection including Aneri Alto Adige Pinot Nero DOC, a blend mostly composed of Pinot Noir with a touch of Lagrein and Syrah grapes, as well as Aneri Alto Adige Bianco Leda DOC, a cuvée that originates from the mixing of four white wines and takes the best of each. (In addition, a secret wine is added to the blend that makes it truly stand out!). And of course, since no celebration can start without a bit of bubbly, MSC Cruises is proud to offer Prosecco Aneri DOCG, a fragrant, light yet persistent sparkling wine that will be the delight of all guests on board MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC Armonia and MSC Lirica.

Special wishes from a very special Diva

Over ten years ago, MSC Cruises was honoured to have as Godmother of our fleet the magnificent Sophia Loren, international icon and personal friend of the Aponte family. As the MSC Cruises fleet expanded, Ms Loren has continued to bless each and every new ship. This year, as the holiday celebrations kick off around the world, MSC guests will receive a greeting card signed by no-other than Sophia, wishing them all the best for Christmas and the coming year.

Entertainment for all in a festive spirit

A special array of activities in the festive spirit has been designed for the entertainment of all MSC guests. Among the many fun activities, there will be Christmas games held around the swimming pools, water games and group dances, an MSC Christmas Show in the form of a talent show, and of course a White Christmas Party where wearing white and having a great time with games and music will be compulsory!

Delighting the aspiring chefs among MSC travellers, a SuperChef culinary competition will be organised and judged by the Chef of the themed restaurant on board.

To make sure guests get in the Christmas mood, there will be a special opportunity to sing the most famous Christmas carols or take part in the arts & crafts sessions held on various ships, enabling MSC travellers to express their creativity by painting t-shirts, making their own bracelets, creating greeting cards and trying their hand at decoupage among the many fun activities.

Children's activities, including the kids & family disco, games, tournaments and arts and crafts programmes, will of course all be Christmas-themed, with other highlights including a Children's Christmas Parade with a surprise event and games, Christmas presents during Santa Claus is Coming, and - last but not least - the ever-popular Doremi Live Christmas Show starring all the children on board. Parents and children will all be able to share the fun together during Doremi Chef, a cooking class specially designed for adults and children by our on-board chefs.

Guests celebrating New Year on board will enjoy the New Year's Eve Pool Party, featuring a firework show at the end of the countdown. Children will have the opportunity to take part in the MSC Kids New Year Parade and teenagers will enjoy the MSC Generation New Year's Eve Party and MSC Flash Mob New Year's Eve Edition.

Surprise a special someone with the best Christmas gift ever.

As the festive period approaches fast and the rush to get an original present for the people who matter most to us is in full swing, MSC Cruises offers the perfect solution to avoid a last-minute crisis. Take advantage of MSC Cruises' special Christmas and New Year promotion to surprise your someone special with an unforgettable present: a cruise to a dream destination on board one of MSC Cruises' luxury ships.

Visit http://www.msccruises.com.au/ to check out the latest offer

MSC Cruises is the market leading cruise company in the Mediterranean, South Africa and Brazil and operates across the globe. MSC Cruises sails throughout the year in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and offers a wide range of seasonal itineraries in southern Africa, Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the French Antilles, South America and the United Arab Emirates. Its modern fleet comprises twelve ships: Fantasia-class MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia; Musica-class MSC Magnifica, MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, and MSC Musica; and Lirica-class MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera and MSC Lirica. MSC Cruises is the only company in the world to receive the "7 Golden Pearls" award from the Bureau Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and environmental responsibility. MSC has also achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certification for the quality and food safety of all aspects of its catering, both on shore and on board. MSC Cruises believes that global leadership brings increased responsibility towards the physical and human environments in which it operates. As such, a long-term partnership with UNICEF was launched in 2009 to fund a community project aimed at providing disadvantaged children in Brazil with a quality education. To date, MSC Cruises has raised over two million euros for the initiative.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Mira Palomaki
mira@redpr.com.au
0282182172