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A major new player is about to launch Alaska cruises — and it's one you might not expect

Oct. 28, 2024
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4 min read
MSC Poesia will Sail to Alaska starting Summer 2026
A major new player is about to launch Alaska cruises — and it's one you might not expect
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Alaska cruise fans, you're in for a treat. Another giant cruise line is about to start sailing cruises in Alaska.

It might surprise you, but MSC Cruises — best known for its European itineraries — announced Monday that it will launch its first Alaska sailings in May 2026. It will base MSC Poesia in Seattle through September and send it on weekly seven-night sailings to Alaska and Canada.

Not only will these itineraries mark MSC Cruises' Alaska debut, but it will be the first time the line has based a ship in Seattle. The cruise line is increasingly seeking to attract U.S.-based cruisers and build its presence within the U.S. cruise market, and these new itineraries are in line with that goal — and maybe not that surprising, after all.

Aerial view of Seattle with cruise port and ship
The Seattle cruise port. MSC CRUISES

Seattle will become the line’s fifth home port in the U.S., along with Miami, Port Canaveral (near Orlando), New York City and Galveston, Texas.

The 92,627-ton, 2,550-passenger MSC Poesia will depart on its inaugural Alaska cruise from Seattle on May 11, 2026. It will end the season with a Panama Canal cruise departing Sept. 28, 2026. Throughout that spring and summer, the midsize ship will sail round-trip cruises to the marquee Alaska ports of Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point and Juneau, with a stop in Victoria, British Columbia.

A highlight of each itinerary will be a scenic cruising day in Alaska's Tracy Arm, home of the Sawyer Glacier.

“Guests from all over the world tell us they want to see Alaska’s beauty firsthand, which makes these itineraries the perfect addition to MSC Cruises’ global portfolio of bucket-list destinations,” Lynn Torrent, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of MSC Cruises USA, said in a press statement. “Seattle will be our fifth U.S. home port, bringing our signature mix of European style and American comforts to the West Coast as we continue to expand our offerings in the North American market.”

MSC Poesia will have to make its way from the Mediterranean to Seattle at the beginning of the Alaska cruise season in the spring, and in the fall, it will head to Miami, where it will stay for the winter. (Miami itineraries have not yet been announced.) This opens the door to some exciting one-off repositioning sailings across the Atlantic and through the Panama Canal.

First, the ship will sail a transatlantic cruise April 6, 2026, with stops on either side of the ocean. MSC Poesia will depart from Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome) and visit Marseille, France; Barcelona; Funchal, Madeira (an autonomous region of Portugal); Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and the cruise line’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, in the Bahamas before disembarking passengers in Miami.

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The ship will also sail two Panama Canal cruises between Miami and Seattle on April 23, 2026, and from Seattle to Miami on Sept. 28, 2026. Ports of call include San Diego; Los Angeles; Cartagena, Colombia; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; and Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

MSC Poesia launched in 2008 and currently sails in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and South America. Ship highlights include three pools and a giant poolside movie screen, the line's signature Aurea Spa, a dinosaur-themed play space for kids and a hangout area for teens, a sushi bar and a casino.

MSC Poesia’s Alaska, Panama Canal and transatlantic cruises are now available for booking.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by MSC CRUISES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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