MSC Cruises Breaks Ground on Ocean Cay, Opening Scheduled for November 2018

Four months after pushing back the opening of its Ocean Cay Marine Reserve by 10 months, MSC Cruises has revealed its back on track with the private island in the Bahamas.

According to Travel Market Report, the cruise line has set a new opening date of November 2018, which is one month later than it expected to open following last year's delay. Originally scheduled to open in December 2017, work has already begun on the private island, with MSC Cruises breaking ground on the project this month.

MSC Cruises North America president Roberto Fusaro told Travel Market Report "everything is looking good" and that the cruise line "wanted to take the additional time to make sure the island has everything we wanted it to have, but now we are fully on schedule."

READ MORE: MSC Cruises Delays Opening of Ocean Cay Marine Reserve Until 2018

Once complete, the 95-acre cay will be the largest from any cruise line in the Caribbean. In addition to thousands of feet of beachfront space, the island will boast a handful of highlights, including restaurants, shops, a wedding pavilion, a lagoon and more.

Back in September, MSC Cruises announced that MSC Seaside and MSC Divina calls scheduled for Ocean Cay beginning in December 2017 would be replaced with stops in Nassau until the island opens.

First announced in December 2015, the cay's opening was supposed to coincide with the launch of the MSC Seaside, which will be based in the Caribbean year-round. MSC Cruises is spending roughly $200 million on the project and is working alongside the Bahamian government as well as ecologists.

In addition to boosting the local economy, the finished cay is expected to successfully coexist with the local ecosystem.

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