Press release

MSC Group’s Cruise Division and Vision-Box, an Amadeus Company, reveal a strategic alliance for seamless cruise travel

April 9, 2025
Last updated: September 16, 2025
5 min read
Kimberly Axtell
Kimberly Axtell
Corporate Communications, Amadeus
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The new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal will showcase the first end-to-end biometric cruise experience


The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Vision-Box, an Amadeus company, a leader in biometric seamless travel and digital identity solutions, announce a strategic alliance through the inauguration of the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal. This collaboration marks the first end-to-end biometric cruise experience, where guests’ become their own passports, redefining convenience, security, and luxury from home to ship.

The new cruise terminal at PortMiami is now completed and becomes the most advanced cruise terminal in the world —with capacity for three next-generation ships simultaneously, processing 36,000 passengers daily with unprecedented speed.

The joint biometric program aims to streamline guest processing using digital identity verification, from off-terminal check-in via a Digital ID wallet, to disembarking at the end of the cruise just looking at a camera. The expected outcome is to optimize the whole experience further and strengthen MSC Group’s Cruise Division’s signature for customer excellence while safeguarding efficient border management. It helps substantially reduce the time required for embarking and disembarking processes while orchestrating the movement of guests and offering the company’s customer service in real-time throughout the facility.

How does it work: The digital identity verification revolution

• Pre-Cruise Digital Enrollment: Guests use the MSC for Me app (powered by Seamless Mobile®) to create a secure Digital ID, enabling pre-check-in from home.
• Frictionless Terminal Entry: 18 biometric totems verify identities in seconds, while 100 assisted check-in desks onboard tablets for last-minute enrollees.
• Touchless Embarkation & Disembarkation: 20+ bidirectional Seamless Gates® identifies guests to breeze through embarkation and U.S. re-entry—no documents needed.
• Real-Time Ecosystem: the Seamless Journey Platform® orchestrates flow and guest’s data in a privacy-first approach, across MSC’s Passenger Control System and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) TVS (Traveler Verification Service).

This contract is a major step in the efforts to digitize the cruise journey, primed to become a blueprint for the industry, as it is the first end-to-end seamless biometric passenger processing at a major cruise terminal. The multi-stakeholder offered capabilities ensure that the County, Seaport, Government, and Cruise Line can benefit from increased efficiency at checkpoints, by streamlining operations and maximizing capacity, while delivering a frictionless guest experience. Benefits include faster and more secure processing during terminal entrance, embarkation and disembarkation. It increases data accuracy of information sharing between guests, authorities and travel providers, enabling a personalized experience at the benefit of greater revenue potential.

“We set out on this ground‑breaking project to redefine the terminal experience with our guests in mind, to create a seamless experience that enables guests to begin their holiday with reduced friction in the terminal. To bring the project to life has required dedication and carefully coordinated work from all parties involved. We are thankful to Vision‑Box for developing advancements with innovation at the heart. Five years of collaboration have yielded a system that’s scalable globally. This is how we plan to stay ahead—by turning complex tech into a seamless experience for guests.”  

Luca Pronzati Chief Digital | Technology Officer, MSC Cruises

“I am convinced that this strategic collaboration between our companies is a powerful game‑changer for the whole cruise industry. Imagine an airport’s speed meets a cruise’s grandeur. This partnership proves that seamless travel isn’t a fantasy—it’s here, and it’s setting the stage for every port worldwide.”

Jeff Lennon Senior Vice President, Border Authorities, Amadeus

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