MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line in Europe, South America and South Africa, has announced that Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will now open in October 2018.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the Swiss-based cruise company, commented: “As we sat out to finalize construction plans for this one-of-a-kind destination, we realised that to ensure the level of quality and attention to details in both infrastructure and services that our guests have rightfully come to expect from MSC Cruises, it was only appropriate to allot a longer time frame. In fact, whilst working on the final project, it was hard not want to further enrich this unique beach destination with new and additional unique services for our guests. This naturally called for more time than originally planned.”

Vago added: “At the same time, I am also pleased to announce that works on the island have already started in earnest, as originally planned.”

The official ground breaking ceremony for Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will take place October 6, in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Bahamas Perry Christie, and other government officials.

Calls by MSC Seaside and MSC Divina to the reserve – formerly scheduled between December 2017 and the new date of its grand opening – will be substituted by calls to Nassau.

Working in collaboration with the Bahamian government and ecologists, MSC Cruises intends to develop the cay from an industrial site, into a flourishing marine reserve.