MSC Cruises Hosts Jr. Knicks Onboard New York Based Cruise Ship

The New York Knicks professional basketball team and MSC Cruises have just teamed up to hold a Jr. Knicks basketball clinic for local kids aboard the MSC Meraviglia, which recently made the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal her new homeport.

Basketball and MSC Cruises’ Newest Homeport: New York City

New York City is now one of the newest North American homeports for MSC Cruises—joining other popular homeports like Miami and Port Canaveral. 

On April 20, 2023, the 171,598-ton MSC Meraviglia arrived at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The vessel is now set to sail out of her freshly assigned homeport, New York State, year-round on a variety of holiday adventures. Port Canaveral was the ship’s previous base of operations.

In some cool New York sports and cruise-related news, this past Saturday morning, on April 22, 2023, the New York Knicks and their partner cruise line, MSC Cruises, came together to put on a Jr. Knicks basketball clinic aboard MSC Meraviglia.

The clinic, for budding sports stars between the ages of 8 and 14, took place on the vessel’s onboard basketball court during the ship’s inaugural Brooklyn Cruise Terminal docking. 

Shipboard Youth Basketball

The Jr. Knicks organization brought together young basketball enthusiasts from Madison Square Boys & Girls Club and SCO Family of Services for the recent sports clinic hosted aboard the MSC Meraviglia.

Kids and teenagers alike keen on hoops and developing their court skills had the chance to pick up some basketball tips, as well as take part in drills and training from the Jr. Knicks coaching staff.

Furthermore, participants got to hang out with Knicks alumni like John Starks (who once scored 200 three-point field goals in a single season), Latrell Sprewell, and Larry Johnson. The former NBA stars participated in a three-point shootout match with the young players as well. 

To top things off, the kids who took part in the MSC Meraviglia basketball clinic also received some Knicks-themed giveaways from the NBA franchise. All in all, it must have been an unforgettable day for the 50 or so children who participated in the event.

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal: MSC Meraviglia Itineraries

The MSC Meraviglia, which came out of France’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in 2017, will now call New York City, and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, its North American home. This means guests embarking from the Empire State will have multiple itineraries to choose from as they sail out of New York’s Buttermilk Channel.

Also Read: Must-Read Guide on the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

Passengers will be able to head off on tropical cruises aboard MSC Meraviglia toward warmer water destinations like Bermuda, The Bahamas, and Mexico’s Costa Maya, to mention only a few of the upcoming scheduled ports of call.

As autumn arrives, the vessel will also offer voyages to Canada and the New England region, allowing guests to witness the turning of the foliage colors (a multi-hued natural wonder to behold) before the onset of winter. Thanks to MSC Meraviglia’s NYC-based homeport, cruise aficionados will now be able to enjoy a variety of destinations all year long.