October 2022

 

 

Live music performances, Broadway-style theatre shows, competitions, dance classes and parties: when it comes to having fun and forgetting about the stress of everyday life, you’re really spoilt for choice on board! We talk to Francesco Pulpo, Cruise Director on board MSC Meraviglia, to get his insights and learn some fun facts about onboard entertainment. 

 

Tell us something about yourself: how did you start your career and what’s your current position in MSC Cruises? 

“My name is Francesco Pulpo, I’m 34 years old and I’m currently a Cruise Director on MSC Cruises. I started my career in 2007, when I was 19 as a member of the Cruise Staff, and since then, my passion for the cruise world and entertainment has just kept growing.” 

 

There are plenty of entertainment options onboard specifically designed for our adult guests. What are the activities our guests love the most? 

“Our guests participate with incredible enthusiasm in all our activities and always demonstrate their appreciation for our live performances. There are about 272 professional entertainers on our ships and our Broadway-style shows go down particularly well. Our theatres are always full, and guests of all nationalities always greet our performers with big warm rounds of applause. Beside theatre shows, probably the activities our guests love the most are our theme parties!” 

 

Theme parties are always great fun, as you can really immerse yourself in a different dimension and sometimes even dress up. Can you tell us a bit more about theme nights and parties on board? 

“We have a huge variety of theme parties! We currently arrange about 26 parties every cruise, with specific decorations, costumes, and content. Parties such as Sunshine, White and Space are considered signature events of the entire experience and guests love taking part not only by wearing themed costumes or accessories, but also by posting content on social networks simply because they are considered the coolest moments of the cruise! Most of the costumes of the themed parties are handmade and we design and approve each of them by working closely with our supplier to make them an important part of the event. I think that what makes our parties one of the most iconic parts of any cruise is the alchemy we’re able to create among all the different people and aspects involved, ie. the DJ, entertainers, dancers, music, props, lights, etc. It’s an incredible mix of many factors which all have to be meticulously orchestrated to generate the magic that makes our parties unforgettable and so important for our guests.” 

 

Halloween is approaching and you surely have something in store. Could you give us a preview? 

“We will have a lot of different activities during the day, spooky costumes and decorations, a Halloween flash mob and parade along the Promenade, and of course a big Halloween party! In recent years, Halloween has become a very important event that is recognised and celebrated all over the world. On board our ships we celebrate it with great enthusiasm with a series of events throughout the month of October. We decorate the ships to recreate the Halloween mood and organise specific activities such as a Halloween parade, Halloween Make & Create, Halloween trivia quiz and much more. Then, once we reach 31st October, we organise an unforgettable Halloween party!” 

 

There’s never a dull moment on board! How many activities for adults are currently available on our ships? 

“Every day is carefully planned with activities taking place from early morning until late at night and during days at sea they cover about 17 hours of the day. Over the course of a 7-day cruise we schedule about 210 activities for adult guests, ranging from sport tournaments to games and fun activities, including 37 different pool games. Of course, everything is always customised for each individual ship. I take pride in saying that everything is created designed and developed in house, including the amazing costumes our performers dazzle in every day.” 

 

What is it, in your opinion, that really makes our onboard entertainment unique? 

“The secret of our success is definitely our staff and the incredible team work that lies behind every little detail that makes up the activities and shows. Then, we can rely on an amazing melting pot of nationalities and cultures that add their special touch to each activity and get right to the heart of all guests who participate in the events. Our team always interacts in a way that creates a relaxed, welcoming environment that makes our guests feel at home.”