Travel Like Martha Stewart On MSC Cruises' Excursions Curated By The Lifestyle Expert Herself

Article by Theresa Christine

When you think of a trip that includes intimate, meaningful cultural experiences, a cruise may not be the first thing that pops into your head. You want small-group tours led by locals, like touring a pineapple farm run by a co-op of Mayan families or learning about the history of bush medicine and sampling teas. Surely, you won’t find that on an enormous ship with thousands of other travelers.

But maybe you can with a little help from Martha Stewart.

MSC Cruises recently announced a new partnership called “Celebration, Discover, Experience” with internationally acclaimed home and lifestyle expert Martha Stewart. Together, they’ve curated special holiday dinner menus inspired by her own family traditions, celebration packages for guests who want to celebrate honeymoons, anniversaries or birthdays in style and shore excursions on select routes born from Martha’s own passion for travel.

“The excursions showcase some of my favorite activities,” explained Martha , “and they help MSC Cruises’ guests discover some of the authentic and hidden treasures of destinations throughout the Caribbean.”

The partnership took shape from conversations between Martha and the MSC Cruises team. “During the chats we learned more about her love for travel and introducing people to new experiences,” mentioned Ken Muskat, EVP & Chief Operating Officer of MSC Cruises USA. “We cater to what we call ‘curious travelers’ who enjoy immersive experiences, and when you look at Martha Stewart, it’s all about doing that. It was a perfect fit.”

The desire for experiential travel has continued to grow in recent years and shows no indication of stopping. According to Skift, travelers crave culinary tours, cultural exploration and activity-based travel on a greater scale than ever before. 

Of course, this might not match up with traditional cruise ship excursions where hundreds of tourists waddle off a boat and pack into large buses—but the Celebration, Discover, Experience excursions operate a little bit differently to deliver the kind of experiential travel people today want. Group size remains small at around no more than 30 people, and Martha and the MSC Cruises team worked with the tourism board to find unique experiences from locals. 

For example, in the Cayman Islands—one of Martha’s favorite destinations—you don’t simply go horseback riding through the transparent waters; instead, you meet the person who has raised them, learn about how he got into his job and discover what makes those animals so special to the island.

Ken also pointed out this partnership involved plenty of hands-on planning and input from Martha herself. “This is not just putting a name on some excursions. She actively curated each of these activities.”

Martha added, “Our culinary and nature-related shore excursions, whether participating in a hands-on cooking classes, discovering waterfalls and secluded coves or tasting authentic dishes, are just a few ways guests can get those kinds of experiences that I find when I travel.”

Currently, you can book these excursions on MSC Cruises’ Caribbean journeys. They hope to expand to other destinations, but since Martha has a deep love for this region it seemed like the ideal spot to start. 

“Each island has a unique story to tell, from the rich history, local cuisine to the beauty,” she gushed. “ These are rare opportunities to discover some of the authentic and hidden treasures of destinations throughout the Caribbean —a learning opportunity that’s beyond what is gained from the typical tourist attractions.”

Don’t just sit at a bar and enjoy a margarita in Mexico; instead, pick out ingredients from the market and make your own in a mixology session. Why wander through the lush forest of Jamaica when you can do the same with a guide who will tell you about the island’s history and original inhabitants? Dine on fish caught that very day, but enjoy it right in one of Roatán’s picturesque fishing villages. These are the kinds of experiences travelers want but often don’t have the means to find on their own, making them truly one-of-a-kind.

“I’ve always enjoyed introducing people to new experiences,” said Martha, “and I hope people going on the excursions come away saying, ‘Wow, that was truly something different.’"