MSC Cruises has announced special fly and cruise packages designed specifically for residents of America’s Heartland.

These packages offer an incomparable value. Guests will enjoy roundtrip airfare and 11 nights onboard MSC Lirica’s Deep Caribbean and Panama itineraries departing Fort Lauderdale Nov. 26, Dec. 7, Jan. 9 and March 16 and MSC Opera’s Feb. 27, March 10 and 21 and April 1 sailings. Gateway cities include Cedar Rapids, Chicago (O’Hare), Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Des Moines, Detroit, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Lincoln, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Southbend, St. Louis, Tulsa, Waterloo and Wichita.

Prices (including roundtrip air, transfers and cruise) begin at $1,195 per person, double occupancy for an interior stateroom and $1,495 per person, double occupancy for an oceanview stateroom. Airport facility charges, government fees and taxes are additional.

The offer is valid for residents of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin only and expires Nov. 1.

Guests onboard the Nov 26, 2006 sailing will have the added bonus of rubbing elbows with some of the greatest baseball players to have ever graced the field. This special “Baseball Greats” sailing features complimentary autograph signings with Bob Feller, Ken Griffey, Frank Howard, Graig Nettles and Stan Bahnsen.