MIAMI — MSC Cruises saluted the military on Veterans Day at a reception at the Perez Museum of Art, an event that coincided with the return to Miami of the MSC Divina and the start of CruiseWorld.
MSC and cosponsors of the event bussed about 150 agents from CruiseWorld, which is held annually at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, to the contemporary art museum, which sits on the basin where cruise ships turn around before heading to sea.
The MSC festivities included a fireworks show, with MSC Divina at dock in the background.
In addition to several individuals honored for their contributions to veterans, MSC saluted the CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. and Cruise Planners agency networks for being particularly supportive of veterans.
CruiseOne offers vets 20% off its franchise fee and additional incentives to hire former members of the military or active-duty military spouses as associates. Since 2012 it has awarded $250,000 in free franchises to 20 military vets as part of its Operation Vetrepreneur program. Cruise Planners last year launched a Veterans Initiative Program that provides $3,000 in benefits, including 10 free leads a month for the first three months after training.
Rick Sasso, president of MSC Cruises USA, told the crowd assembled in the museum that MSC’s veteran-friendly policies included the ability of a vet to cancel their cruise up to one day before departure in the event of redeployment, with a full credit of their deposit towards a future cruise.
Earlier in the day during the kickoff general session at CruiseWorld, Nicki Grossmann, president and CEO of the Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, asked military veterans in the audience to stand for recognition, to thunderous applause from other delegates.