MSC offering baseball, big band and polka themed cruises

MSC Cruises is offering a lineup of eight theme cruises on MSC Poesia during the 2009-10 Caribbean season. The roundtrip sailings from Fort Lauderdale will feature the ever-popular Baseball Greats, Big Band and Polka theme cruises.

“The complimentary theme cruise activities give guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in a favorite subject or introduce themselves to something new,” says Richard E. Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA).

Here is a review of what these theme cruises feature:

Baseball Greats
During the sailing, guests gain insight into the world of Major League Baseball as seen through the eyes of some of the greats of the game.

The Baseball Greats theme cruise includes free interactive guest/player activities, including a player-hosted trivia game in which guests can test their baseball knowledge, question-and-answer sessions with the players, a guest pitching contest and a lively story-telling session in which the players share some candid revelations about some of the “characters” of the game. Players will also host pitching, hitting, fielding and base running clinics.

Perhaps the most popular activity is the free autograph session at the end of the cruise. Special guests on these itineraries will be announced at a later date.

The following itineraries will be Baseball Greats theme cruises:
– Nov. 20, 2009: 10-night Southern Caribbean featuring Panama, calling at Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba;; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; and Playa del Carmen, Mexico
– Jan. 16, 2010: 7-night Western Caribbean, calling at Key West, Florida; Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Nassau, Bahamas.
– Feb. 6, 2010: 7-night Western Caribbean
– March 6, 2010: 7-night Eastern Caribbean, calling at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philippsburg, St. Maarten; Road Town, Tortola; and Nassau, Bahamas
– April 3, 2010: 7-night Eastern Caribbean

Big Band
The 15-piece Les DeMerle Big Band, with vocalist Bonnie Eisele, will be featured on two MSC Poesia sailings. Drummer Les DeMerle has toured and recorded with the Harry James Big Band and Wayne Newton; the band has also accompanied many top singers, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., The Manhattan Transfer, Mel Torme and Al Jarreau.

The Les DeMerle Big Band is sure to have toes tapping, bodies swaying and guests singing along to the sounds of Ellington, Basie, James and Miller, plus the biggest Broadway hits, rock ‘n’ roll classics, hot Latin grooves and show-stoppers from the ‘40s through today. In addition to their performances, the band will present a Big Band Jazz Concert and conduct a lecture on the Big Band Era.

The following itineraries will feature the Big Band theme:
– Dec. 10, 2009: 10-night Caribbean featuring Panama, calling at Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; and Playa del Carmen, Mexico
– Feb. 27, 2010 — 7-night Western Caribbean

Polka Time
MSC Poesia will host a Polka Cruise on its Jan. 9, 2010 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing.

Two well-known polka bands will keep guests dancing and swaying:
John Stevens Double Shot is a popular Pennsylvania-based group that plays its contemporary polka rhythms at numerous festivals throughout the country. The group’s most popular songs are “Everyone’s Having Fun,” “Gonna Have a Party,” and “Back to the Sea.”
Joe Stanky and the Cadets have been performing classic polka sounds for more than 25 years. The group also features a range of styles, including honky, country, Slovenian and both English and Polish vocals. The group’s newest CD is “Sing Me Back Home.”

To review more information about MSC Cruises and its theme cruises in the Caribbean, visit www.MSCCRuisesUSA.com