<p class="style7">FORT LAUDERDALE, FL &ndash; MSC Poesia, MSC Cruises&rsquo; new flagship, will be cruising to Greece, Turkey and Croatia, offering 8-day/7-night cruises to discover the treasures in the eastern Mediterranean. Refinement and class are but a few of the outstanding elements of this latest addition to the fleet. Designed by Studio De Jorio International with sophisticated color schemes, attention to detail and service, this ship will ensure guests enjoy a truly special cruise. Coming in at 92,400 tons, the ship has a total of 1,275 staterooms, of which 80% are outside staterooms and 65% have a balcony. There are 16 decks, with 13 accessible to the public. She has a maximum cruising speed of 23 knots. There are more than 236,800 square feet of public space, 2 pools and 4 hot tubs, plus the Aurea Spa&trade;, which covers 16,000 square feet. <br /><br />MSC Poesia&rsquo;s weekly cruises depart from Venice<font face="Verdana" size="2"><span><font size="2"> every Saturday through Nov. 8,</font></span></font> arriving every Sunday into Bari and then onto Katakolon to discover the archaeological treasures of Olympia. The ship will then call into Izmir, &ldquo;the beautiful&rdquo; Turkish resort situated at the end of a long and slim gulf. This will be followed with a stop in a city that straddles east and west, where centuries have added to the &lsquo;must see&rsquo; quarters of magical Istanbul. Crossing the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, the ship will arrive in Dubrovnik, the &ldquo;pearl of the Adriatic,&rdquo; before returning to Venice. <br /><br />Shore excursions offered include: </p><p class="style7">Olympia (from Katakolon) -- The ancient city at the foot of Mount Kronos, home to the Olympic games of ancient times. Today the archaeological site showcases beautiful temples, the stadium and buildings used by the Greek athletes of the past. <br /><br />Ephesus and Mary&rsquo;s House (from Izmir) -- Join a guided tour of the ruins of a famous ancient city, stopping at the Odeon theater and the library of Celso. Then visit Mary&rsquo;s House, where the mother of Jesus is said to have lived her last years. <br /><br />Deluxe Istanbul -- Discover some of the gems of this amazing metropolis &ndash; from the Blue Mosque to the ancient Hippodrome, to Saint Sofia and the Topkapi Palace. Also included is a visit to the colorful Grand Bazaar, the main covered market in the city.</p>