Speaking to TTG ahead of the launch in Miami, the line’s head of retail, homeworking and tour operations Alyshia Bartlett revealed her trade sales team now have a greater share of inventory to sell.  

Bartlett said bookings for US departures through the UK and Irish market are currently 70% up but confirmed her “main priority” is filling MSC’s UK-based ship, Virtuosa, this summer.

The 6,334-passenger Virtuosa will begin its UK summer season on 21 April, with a 12-day Northern Europe sailing from Southampton. It will return to the Caribbean in November. 

“There’s a feeling in the market there are no cabins on MSC Virtuosa left to book but we’ve got some availability,” said Bartlett. “We’ve just opened up more cabins to the UK and Irish market. It’s brilliant news for us.

Bartlett said she would use a deals round-up which MSC shares with agents at the end of each week to fill the extra cabins.

MSC’s UK business is tracking slightly ahead of last year’s booking levels. “We’re pleased to be trading in a positive position. We know the first quarter is often challenging,” explained Bartlett.

She predicted there would be “a halo effect” around World America following its launch event this week. 

“There’s not been huge demand for World America from this market but from next week there probably will be,” Bartlett said. “We always see a halo effect for a new ship just after its launched.”

MSC is currently recruiting for a new regional sales manager to support agents in the Midlands, refreshing its MSC Masters training platform and has improved its “Build Your Own Flyer” tool. 

Previously, agents could only design flyers with one offer displayed but starting next month they will be able to promote up to four offers.

Earlier this year, Bartlett revealed MSC had upped its support for agents to accommodate the "turnover" of new agents entering the industry. 

The line had noticed an increase in agents either entering the industry for the first time, or returning to it – predominantly as homeworkers.