MSC Cruises has announced it will restart its sailing operations in Spain with the deployment of MSC Grandiosa to Barcelona from 26 June for a Saturday embarkation. Valencia will then be added as an additional port of call as of 30 July.
This follows recent announcements by the line that its ships are restarting operations in Germany, France and the Baltics in addition to its current and other Summer 2021 confirmed itineraries in the West and East Mediterranean as well as UK. Barcelona is also a major international travel hub with a leading airport that international guests can now fly to and join their cruises directly.
This resumption of service is fully in line with local regulations in Spain and will be supported by MSC Cruises’ industry-leading Health & Safety protocol, which has protected tens of thousands of guests, as well as crew members and local communities since the line first introduced it in August 2020 on MSC Grandiosa.
MSC Grandiosa offers seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean calling Genoa, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Palermo, Valetta in Malta and now Barcelona in Spain on Saturdays with embarkation in the Italian ports as well as Barcelona. From 30 July, MSC Grandiosa will add Valencia to the itinerary with embarkation on Fridays and the ship will then offer from 31 July, seven-night itineraries calling Barcelona, Genoa, La Spezia for Florence and Pisa and Civitavecchia/Rome and Valencia.
MSC Seaside is also sailing in the Mediterranean and since 20 May the newly-launched MSC Virtuosa is operating cruises around the British Isles for UK residents. While MSC Seaview will restart voyages in the Baltics from Germany on 3 July.
US cruising to resume
MSC Cruises has also announced its restart plans for cruising from U.S. ports beginning this August. The announcement follows CDC approval of the Company’s Phase 2A Port Agreements for PortMiami and Port Canaveral as well as the provisional approval of its request to conduct a simulation cruise, to be held on MSC Meraviglia from PortMiami on July 17, 2021.
MSC Meraviglia will kick off MSC Cruises’ restart starting August 2, 2021, with 3- and 4-night cruises from Miami to The Bahamas and featuring MSC Cruises’ exclusive new private island destination, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Then, starting September 18, 2021, MSC Meraviglia will add 7-night cruises from Miami to The Bahamas and Caribbean, including Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. MSC Divina will resume cruising from Orlando (Port Canaveral) on September 16, 2021, offering 3-, 4- and 7-night cruise options from to The Bahamas and Caribbean, also including stops at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
“With our vast experience cruising in Europe since August 2020 along with our industry-leading health and safety protocol, our U.S. guests can book with confidence knowing we are well prepared for a successful restart in that market,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. “To ensure the safest experience for our guests, we previously announced a fleet-wide vaccination program for all crew, and we expect that the majority of our guests booking a cruise this summer will plan to be vaccinated prior to sail. The rapid distribution of vaccines in the U.S. has been a positive step toward helping vacationers get back to traveling, and we encourage our guests to take advantage of this added layer of protection when resuming travel this summer.”
MSC Cruises will reveal additional itinerary details for cruises on board MSC Meraviglia and MSC Divina in the coming week, as well as health and safety measures and guidelines for guests. Cruises will welcome both vaccinated and non-vaccinated guests. Those who are not vaccinated or unable to verify vaccination will be subject to requirements such as additional testing, as well as restrictions, which will be announced at a later date. Details of our current health and safety protocol can be found on MSC Cruises’ website at www.msccruises.co.uk/health-and-safety-measures
MSC Cruises is also confirming today the cancellation of existing U.S.-based sailings. The decision will affect the schedules of three ships based in Florida: MSC Divina scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral, and MSC Meraviglia and MSC Armonia scheduled to sail from PortMiami, as follows:
· Cruises onboard MSC Divina from July 1, 2021 through to and including September 15, 2021
· Cruises onboard MSC Meraviglia from July 1, 2021 through to and including September 17, 2021
· Cruises onboard MSC Armonia from July 1, 2021 through to and including October 24, 2021
MSC Cruises’ new itineraries from the U.S. on board MSC Meraviglia and MSC Divina will officially open for U.S. bookings on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
MSC Cruises to build new cruise terminal in Barcelona
MSC Cruises has obtained final approval by the Port of Barcelona’s Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. This multi-year concession will see the construction of an innovative terminal of 11,670 square metres that MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a 31-year period. The project is estimated to represent a EUR 33 million investment by MSC Cruises. With construction work set to start shortly, the new terminal is expected to enter service in 2024.
The new terminal, which will feature shore power facilities and be ready for LNG bunkering operations, will also allow MSC Cruises to deploy more next-generation, environmentally friendly ships in Barcelona. This includes MSC World Europa, the brand’s first LNG-powered cruise ship, which is currently under construction and due to enter service in 2022.
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We just got back from our first cruise as a family, with a toddler, and it was magical. It seemed like the best choice for a week-long vacation with our daughter. We boarded MSC Bellissima and traveled from Genoa through Cinque Terre, Naples, Palma De Mallorca, Barcelona, Marseille and then back to Genoa. It’s a shame we missed Valencia. However, West Mediterranean is beautiful this time of the year. We have definitely become one of those cruise couples and are going back as soon as possible.