Just four months away from welcoming its first cruise ship, there’s still much to be done on Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas. There are trees to be planted, cabanas to be built and scores of day and night activities to be planned. But that’s what happens when you rebuild an entire island from scratch.
Credit Conrad Schutt – Guests will have an incredible opportunity to discover the wonders of the ocean. Photo by: Conrad Schutt
Swiss-based and privately owned, MSC Cruises, completely transformed a former sand-mining site into an exclusive private-island destination.
“There is a tremendous amount of excitement,” said Ken Muskat, EVP & Chief Operating Officer of MSC Cruises USA. “It’s all new for our company and will further differentiate our brand … Obviously, cruise lines having private islands isn’t new to the industry. (We’re) excited about how we developed this island.”
Around 7500 tons of scrap metal was removed and replaced with 75,000 individual plants and bushes and 4600 trees. A team of marine biologists will be on hand to monitor the ecosystem in the 64 sq m of protected waters.
“I think there is a lot of excitement,” Muskat said. “We’re very anxious to see the finished product. No different from building a house or a ship. We’re cautious of the timeline and opening on November 9.”
The MSC Meraviglia is slated to be the first ship to dock in Ocean Cay for the 14-hour call (9am-5pm) this fall.
Work in progress at Ocean Cay. Photo by: Conrad Schutt
The island, located 65 miles from Miami, boasts eight beaches, including a family friendly cove, spa, restaurants and a host of excursions from snorkeling to kayaking to stand-up paddleboarding. There are no motorized water sports.
Future plans include expanding excursions to fully showcase the one-of-a-kind island.
Credit Conrad Schutt – Guests will have an incredible opportunity to discover the wonders of the ocean. Photo by: MSC Cruises
“We’re very focused on developing education opportunities on how the island was developed. There will be lectures and excursions” Muskat said. “Edu-tainment that feeds right into the island.”
Joining MSC Meraviglia on the route will be MSC Divina, MSC Seaside and MSC Armonia which will be departing from Miami daily in the inaugural year. In 2020, MSC expects to have more than 100 calls to Ocean Cay.
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