On Saturday, December 6, 2025, aboard the MSC Virtuosa docked in Fort-de-France, MSC Cruises officially launched its 2025-2026 season in the West Indies. The event, which brought together the company’s strategic partners, clarified the group’s ambitions for the region, with a major announcement: the arrival of a second ship for the 2026-2027 winter season.
Beyond the numbers and the ships, MSC Crociere and the French West Indies are writing a story of ties, trust and territory.
Focus on the MSC Virtuosa "floating palace" of the seas
The MSC Virtuosa, due to enter service in 2021, is one of the flagships of the MSC Cruises fleet. 331 mm longmetres, 43 metres widemetres and 181541 metric tons, she can accommodate up to 6334 passengers in 2421 cabins: a size that gives her the status of a “megapaceliner“status worldwide.
On board, the ship blends luxury, comfort and entertainment to offer a complete experience:
- – A spectacular interior promenade (the Galleria Virtuosa) covered by an LED dome – the lively heart of the ship, with stores, bars, restaurants and night-time entertainment.
- – A range of equipment for every profileA wide range of facilities: swimming pools, spa & wellness, theater, wellness area, relaxation areas, cabins in several categories (interior, sea view, balcony, suites, families…), suitable for couples, families or groups.
- – Modern comfort designed for long-distance travelAccommodation, catering, entertainment, on-board service… the Virtuosa functions like a small “floating village.
But beyond luxury, the Virtuosa appears to be a player of opportunity for stopover regions.With its large number of passengers, regular port calls and wide range of accommodation, the cruise ship is a potentially important vector of economic, tourist and cultural spin-offs for destinations like Martinique. Each port of call becomes a key moment, and her welcome to Martinique confirms the island’s growing status on the world cruise map.
MSC Cruises: strategic focus on the West Indies
For Benoit Chareyre, Sales Director France for MSC Croisières, the Caribbean market is key to the group’s strategy: “Fort-de-France is the second largest French embarkation port after Marseille. It’s a fundamental anchorage for us”.
With cruise penetration reaching 10% in Martinique and Guadeloupe, compared with 4% in mainland France, the region is confirming its potential. To meet this growing demand, in 2026 MSC will deploy a second ship operating year-round between Fort-de-France and La Romana (Dominican Republic).
“MSC loves Martinique, loves the West Indies. […] Why not hope that 90% of Martinicans will embark at least once in Fort-de-France to discover the cruise”, he adds.
MSC also intends to strengthen connections with mainland France, by facilitating access to the West Indies via airline partnerships. But the stakes are also local: excursions, transfers, craftsmen, guides…
“Every port of call is an economic opportunity for local professionals. We want cruises to be an opportunity to discover the destination,” emphasizes Benoît Chareyre.
Tangible benefits for the region
Every stopover is more than just a tourist visit: it activates an entire value chain. Between transport, guides, excursions, catering, crafts and port logistics, a whole economic fabric is consolidated. Professionals can approach port agents to propose activities, tours and even local products as part of the cruise experience.
It’s also a lever for employment: each landing generates operational needs in terms of security, entertainment, maintenance and reception.
“Excursions are often booked in advance, which guarantees business visibility for service providers,” explains Benoit Chareyre.
A local dynamic rooted in trust
Bruno Mencé, Director of the Grand Port de la Martinique, delivered an emotional speech full of gratitude:
“This morning, as I passed my office, I saw the boat in the harbor… it gave me extraordinary joy. I told myself that life is starting all over again.”
He recalled the long-standing and solid partnership between MSC and the port, the fruit of long-standing technical and human efforts:
“MSC and the port have a great history. A story based on trust and mutual enrichment.
Highlighting the gradual build-up of infrastructures and ports of call, he praised the mobilization of all local players around the cruise industry:
“You have all the players in front of you who are on the ball. We’re a team dedicated to providing you and your customers with the best possible service.”
He adds with ambition and humour: “Our goal is to overtake Marseille.
An island to promote, an impact to make better known
Bénédicte Di Geronimo, President of the Comité Martiniquais du Tourisme, underlined the strength of the link between Martinique and MSC Cruises:
“It’s a real pleasure for us, every time, to see these big ships here. […] The history between Martinique and MSC is an old one. A story, I think, of the heart.”
She emphasized the destination’s assets:
“A technicality, a certain level of welcome that makes the arrival of these big boats safe, but also an extraordinary island, thanks to which excursions can intensify a voyage in such a beautiful boat.”
But beyond the emotion, she invited a broader reading of the fallout:
“The impact of cruising isn’t just the purchases you make on a stroll through Fort-de-France. It’s much more far-reaching, involving far more activities than that.”
Finally, she called for collective ownership of this dynamic:
“We need to have this discourse with our population, so that this cruise development takes place in an atmosphere of calm, understanding and support, I hope.”
An assertive regional positioning
MSC Cruises’ strategy is not limited to adding new rotations. By positioning Fort-de-France as its annual home port, the company is sending out a clear signal: the French Caribbean is no longer just an exotic stopover, but a first-rate logistical and commercial base. This ambition also implies a strengthening of local infrastructures and skills.
Fort-de-France is consolidating its role as a benchmark port in the Caribbean, within a fast-developing regional network. The prospect of overtaking Marseille in the next few years, often repeated in the tone of a challenge, embodies this turning point.
Towards more integrated, sustainable cruising?
Behind the growth prospects, the MSC team is emphasizing a responsible development strategy, with recent ships, mostly built in France, and long-term planning up to 2032. Local roots, both economic and cultural, are at the heart of the roadmap. West Indian craftsmen and professionals are invited to get in touch with port agents to propose offers adapted to excursions: “There are real opportunities for local players to seize,” insists Benoit Chareyre.
A shared ambition for the Caribbean
Thanks to the growing number of departures and calls, Fort-de-France is consolidating its central role in the cruise appeal of the West Indies. The arrival of a second ship in 2026 testifies to MSC’s determination to anchor its business in the region over the long term. The challenge is to offer an experience that benefits both passengers and the region. This ambition is shared by all the players on board the Virtuosa – port authorities, institutions, tourism operators and logistics partners such as Antilles Shipping – who know that cruising in the Caribbean can become an engine for sustainable transformation.
FAQ
MSC Cruises sees the French West Indies as a strategic market, with a cruise penetration rate well above that of mainland France. Fort-de-France has become France’s second-largest port of embarkation after Marseille, prompting the company to deploy more capacity there. The arrival of a second ship in the 2026-2027 season meets growing demand and confirms the importance of the region to the company’s development.
Each port of call activates a complete value chain: transport, excursions, catering, crafts, guides, security, port services, logistics… As excursions are often booked in advance, they offer valuable visibility to local service providers. In addition to purchases in the city center, the impact extends to numerous professions linked to hospitality, mobility and tourism activities.
The big news is the arrival of a second ship in 2026, operating year-round between Fort-de-France and La Romana. MSC also wants to facilitate access from mainland France through air partnerships, strengthen local excursions and integrate more local products into the cruise experience. The company is thus betting on a sustainable presence, more connected to the economic and cultural players in the West Indies.
