MSC World Asia to Debut Largest Venchi Chocolate Venue at Sea
MSC Cruises‘ upcoming mega ship, MSC World Asia, will feature the largest Venchi chocolate experience ever seen at sea. While there’s a Venchi outpost (or two!) on other ships in the MSC Cruises fleet, this will be the first one on a World-class ship.
Designed as a multi-sensory destination, the Venchi store on MSC World Asia will blend a retail shop, café, and gelateria into one elegant space in the ship’s Galleria district on deck 6. Passengers can take part in new experiences, including creating their own chocolate bar and slabs, enjoying artisanal Italian gelato and freshly-made treats prepared daily, and shopping a selection of ready-to-buy chocolates.
At the heart of Venchi will be a live chocolate-making experience, where travelers can watch Venchi chocolate experts at work and step into the “chocolate lab” to create their own custom bars starting from premium ingredients such as “Piedmont Hazelnut” and the iconic Venchi chocolate caviar. Digital tools will allow for personalized designs, adding another creative layer to the experience.
The café and lounge will feature enough seating for 60 guests, offering a premium coffee experience with Italian espresso and specialty beverages thoughtfully paired with Venchi chocolates. Passengers can also grab a croissant or crêpe at Venchi, making it the perfect onboard destination in the morning for breakfast or as an afternoon treat.
In the evening, the experience will evolve to offer chocolate-infused cocktails, combining Venchi’s signature flavors with fine spirits.
All day, the venue will also serve up indulgent Gelatoshakes and a wide selection of artisanal gelato favorites like extra dark chocolate and gianduja hazelnut, as well as a brand-new MSC Cruises-exclusive flavor called Crunchy Waves.
Inspired by the colors, flavors, and textures of the seaside, Crunchy Waves combines three distinctive layers that create a “sand and sea” effect. A creamy bourbon vanilla gelato base is topped with crunchy hazelnut biscuit and salted toffee pieces inspired by the traditional Italian Bacio di Dama biscuit. The gelato is finished with a vibrant blue spirulina layer that evokes the shimmering colors of the Mediterranean.
The limited-edition flavor will be available starting August aboard MSC Cruises’ Seaside-class ships that feature Venchi gelaterias, and select Venchi stores in the U.S., UK, France, and Italy, plus aboard MSC World Asia when it debuts in December.
