<p>Limited-edition, Italian Plates Handcrafted by Vietri Available in L'Obelisco</p>
<p>FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (September 17, 2009) - MSC Cruises is hosting a culinary cruise for dining epicureans onboard MSC Poesia during a 7-night cruise departing October 17 and sailing throughout Turkey, Greece and Croatia.</p>
<p>MSC Cruises is partnering with Italy's renowned Buon Ricordo Association to offer guests seven fabulous culinary specialties. Guests who dine in L'Obelisco and order the Buon Ricordo specialty meal of the day receive a limited-edition, collector plate handcrafted by Vietri. Each plate carries an inscription on the back, "Crociera del Buon Ricordo - Nave MSC Poesia - ottobre 2009" (Cruise Buon Ricordo - Ship MSC Poesia - October 2009).</p>
<p>Every night, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a different meal from one of the seven Buon Ricordo's restaurants located in Paris, France; Kanagawa, Japan; and in various regions of Italy including MSC Poesia's L'Obelisco during this Mediterranean cruise.</p>
<p>This special event takes place on MSC Poesia's 7-night "Turkish Treasures &amp; Croatian Coasts" itinerary. Sailing roundtrip from Venice, the ship calls at Bari, Italy; Katakolon, Greece; Izmir, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Rates begin at $599 per person, double occupancy; government fees and taxes are additional.</p>
<p>Savor Tuscany's famed truffle soup Ribollita, a creamy polenta and Montasio cheese dish from Friuli; grouper escalopes with citrus fruits from Sicily; lamb with juniper from Calabria; or a succulent dish of pigeon, mushrooms, and potatoes from France.</p>
<p>On the final day of the cruise, guests will indulge in L'Obelisco's specialty dish of king prawns tossed with sweet garlic on a bed of fresh spinach, pine nuts and capers.</p>
<p>There's more than just fine dining as guests will also have the opportunity to participate in wine tasting and cooking courses.</p>
<p>Master oenologist Genuino Del Duca will lead a wine-tasting demonstration. Special red and white wines sampled at the tasting will be served with regional Buon Ricordo specialties. These include vintages from the Vino della Pace, a unique Friulian cellar with wines from five continents and 600 varieties of grapes.</p>
<p>Buon Ricordo's award-winning Chef Paolo Teverini will welcome and oversee the cooking classes where guests will be taught how to prepare the daily specialty. Participants will receive an Italian cooking certificate from the Buon Ricordo chefs.</p>
<p>The Buon Ricordo Association was founded in 1964 to safeguard and promote local Italian cooking traditions. MSC Cruises and Buon Ricordo Association have been partnering together since November 2008.</p>