Princess Cruises has reported its "biggest ever" booking day

Bookings were up by 13% compared to the line’s previous strongest booking day in 2019. The line saw strong demand for its 2023 roundtrip Southampton cruises on Sky Princess alongside an increase in demand for fly-Mediterranean voyages and long-haul destinations such as Alaska, the Caribbean and Australia.

 

Eithne Williamson, vice president of Princess Cruises UK and Europe, thanked the company’s agent partners for helping the line achieve its record-breaking day.

 

"It is thanks to their unwavering commitment and hard work that we were able to surpass our previous best booking day and we’re extremely grateful for their continued support," she added.

 

"The demand for cruise holidays is evidently back and better than ever and we are sure agents will agree that it is fantastic to see holidaymakers once again being able to plan ahead for future holidays in destinations both close to home and further afield."

MSC Reveals Family Features Aboard New World Europa

MSC Reveals Family Features Aboard New World Europa

MSC Cruises today revealed details of the facilities and activities designed for kids and families on board the new MSC World Europa, set to come into service in December 2022.

The ship will feature the largest kids’ area in MSC Cruises’ fleet spanning 766 square meters with seven distinct spaces dedicated to different ages from babies to 17 years old, the company said in a press release.

Matteo Mancini, Kids’ Entertainment Manager, MSC Cruises, said, “We have invested heavily in the entertainment offering for our younger guests, and we know they value the latest technology, trends and experiences. We have worked to introduce real innovations in both the design of the facilities as well as the development of an incredible program of activities, all carefully planned to ensure that the differing needs of all age groups are met - from our youngest guests through to teenagers. More than 350,000 young people who have travelled with us over the years and we have listened to their feedback. MSC World Europa reflects these learnings and we have been inspired to create experiences that blend technology and social media with activity and sport to create fresh and new entertainment for the kids who sail with us."

The Kids’ Clubs are available from the youngest guests through to teens and activities are organized according to age group:

• Especially for babies: Baby Club for toddlers up to 3 years, with qualified crew members
• For the younger kids: Mini Club and Juniors Club (3 – 11 years)
• For the older kids: Young Club and Teen Club (12 – 17 years) including a brand-new TEENS LAB, a totally immersive, tech-filled, modern room just for teens

MSC Cruises has dedicated childcare services to give parents the freedom to enjoy the ship, safe in the knowledge that their children are being cared for by dedicated and highly trained staff. Many of these services are offered in collaboration with Chicco – a leading global baby brand and a long-term MSC Cruises partner.

New:

• LEGO CELEBRATION ROOM: The long-standing partnership between LEGO Group and MSC Cruises continues to surprise fans with a never-seen-before room celebrating LEGO's “90 years of Play."
• HIGH-TECH ACTIVITIES: Pushing the boundaries of kids’ entertainment, MSC Cruises has developed exciting new activities blending games with high-tech features to create moments of pure pleasure. Within Juniors, Young & Teens Clubs, guests will have access to over 21 of the latest consoles, seven VR stations and more than 50 different videogames
• 3,2,1 KNOCK: This never-seen-before gameshow for the whole family is inspired by the challenges and colours of Asian entertainment: K-pop, Japanese games and tests that will leave the audience breathless
• BEAT THE MUSIC: The whole family will be the star of an unmissable interactive and digital game show dedicated to music and suitable for all ages. For the first time on an MSC Cruises ship, guests will be able to play the game through a dedicated app. In this battle, parents work to identify the latest music their kids are listening to, while kids work to name the classics their parents love the most
• Z ACTIVE: A brand new and exciting sports program for kids and teens including football, basketball, zorb ball and, for the first time on board, pickleball and hoverboards
• DRONE ACADEMY 2.0: This high-tech and high-energy drone relay race comes to life at night thanks to fluo effects and glowing drones. New POV cameras and VR bring the experience to life while navigating 15 obstacles in the quickest time possible

Favourites: 

• CABIN 12006-THE EXPERIENCE: More than a cabin, Cabin 12006 is a live entertainment experience, with seven different activities including a family game show and a casting session with performances. The web series, with over four million views and two million interactions on the web, has been written and shot in collaboration with Viacom, the media group behind the kids’ channel Nickelodeon, to develop an original, authentic and high-quality web content for kids. 
• MSC DANCE CREW: Developed in partnership with Fremantle, the production company behind the globally successful TV talent shows including Idols, The X Factor and Got Talent series, this competition experience sees teams of 10-17 years battling it out to win the title of dance crew of the year.
• LEGO EXPERIENCE ONBOARD: With a wide range of LEGO  bricks and toys onboard, kids have the opportunity to express their creativity whenever and wherever they want! At the end of the LEGO® EXPERIENCE ONBOARD, each child will receive a diploma, certifying that he/she is now a Junior LEGO Master Builder.
• MSC FOUNDATION JUNIOR AMBASSADORS: Thanks to the MSC Foundation, the MSC Group is committed to providing its young guests on board with tools for understanding projects such as environment, marine conservation, and education and community support.

Carnival Cruise Line to Operate Full Ships this Summer at 110 Percent Occupancy

Carnival Cruise Line to Operate Full Ships this Summer at 110 Percent Occupancy

With its full fleet sailing as of May, Carnival Cruise Line is helping lead the comeback for Carnival Corporation.

The brand is expected to operate at 110 per cent occupancy for the all-important summer season, according to Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation.

“Carnival Cruise Line, our largest brand, achieved consistently positive adjusted EBITDA beginning in March. Carnival Cruise Line also became our first brand to sail its entire fleet in May and is expecting occupancy to approach 110 per cent during our third quarter,” he said.

Donald, on the company’s second-quarter and business update call, noted these “close-to-home” cruises, where guests perceive far less friction travelling than going abroad.

With a strong North American cruise market, Carnival is pivoting to add more capacity in the form of two redeployed Costa Cruises vessels under the Costa by Carnival umbrella. The Costa Venezia will sail from New York starting in 2023 while the Costa Firenze will homeport in California beginning in 2024.

Silversea Cruises has added three new Antarctica Bridge sailings

The move comes in response to a recent uptick in demand for the luxury line’s fly-cruise offering. 

 

Adding to Silversea’s existing Antarctica Bridge offering for 2022 and 2023, the line has added two new five-day expedition voyages aboard Silver Cloud, departing 2 and 7 February 2024, and a six-day sailing departing 12 February 2024.

 

After arriving at Chile’s Eduardo Frei Montalva air base on King George Island, Silver Cloud’s guests will spend the same amount of time exploring Antarctica as on the cruise line’s conventional itineraries. They will journey to destinations such as Antarctic Sound, the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands.

"In response to exceptional demand, we have added three new fly-cruise voyages aboard Silver Cloud for 2024, enhancing our industry-leading Antarctica offering and strengthening our destination leadership," said Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s president and chief executive.

 

"We offer guests the luxury of choice, with the most diverse offering in ultra-luxury Antarctica cruising."

Marella Cruises will offer voyages to Canada

A new 14-night East Coast Adventure sailing, departing Port Canaveral in October 2023 and calling at Newport, Bar Harbor, Saint John, Sydney, Halifax and Boston, will go on sale on 21 July, along with the line’s full winter 2023 programme. 

 

Speaking to TTG on Tuesday (28 June), managing director of cruise at Tui UK and Ireland Chris Hackney said the new itineraries will "bring North America to life".

 

"It’s a great time of year to go to Canada, and we’re really excited to go there for the first time," he added.

 

"We’re going to different parts of the US and offering a nice range of options. It brings to life the different destinations, whether it be the south, the north, it will be very appealing to customers and it will help tick off those bucket-list holidays."

 

Discovery will also offer a 12-night Stateside Discovery sailing, departing Port Canaveral and calling at Miami, New Orleans, the Dominican Republic and Barbados.

 

Meanwhile, the line’s newest ship, Marella Voyager, will offer three Caribbean itineraries from Barbados in winter 2023, including an eight-night Paradise Islands sailing in November 2023, which calls at Tortola, Saint Maarten, Saint Kitts, Antigua and Dominica.

Elsewhere, Marella Discovery II will homeport in Singapore and offer a 14-night Eastern Experience sailing, calling at Laem Chabang, Phu My, Malacca, Langkawi and Patong Bay.

 

"We have operated in Asia in the past, but this time we will homeport out of Singapore, where the ship will overnight, giving customers the opportunity to experience the destination in the day and the evening," Hackney added.

 

"In the past, we have received really good feedback from customers on being in a place like Singapore, where you’re centrally located in such a vibrant city, so we think it will go down really well.

 

"Everything is really exciting, and these new itineraries allow us to bring in some new destinations, we have a lot of customers who ask when we’re going back to Asia and it’s great to be able to bring it back for next winter for customers to see some fantastic parts of the world."

Carnival Corporation: On Course for Recovery

Carnival Corporation: On Course for Recovery

Cash from operations is turning positive and the company has turned the corner of its recovery trajectory, according to Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald, who spoke on today’s second-quarter business update call with analysts.

“We are aggressively ramping up to full operations, driving higher occupancy on our ships, and focused on increasing revenues,” Donald said.

Bookings are expected to continue to improve during the rest of the year and reach historical levels in 2023, according to David Bernstein, executive vice president and CFO. He also said that there is the potential that EBITDA will be greater in 2023 than it was in 2019. The wild card is the cost of fuel. The target for 2023 is to carry 14 million guests.

Contributing to the recovery will also be fleet optimisation, reallocating ships to the strongest markets, such as introducing the new Costa by Carnival brand in North America.

Donald noted that European markets are in many ways more challenging than North America from a consumer standpoint as it relates to travel and added that moving Costa ships was also about right-sizing the Italian brand. A big chunk of Costa’s capacity has been in China, he said, and with that market closed, it made more sense to expand the strong North American market than to put all that capacity in Europe.

Bernstein added that North America and Europe are headed in the right direction, but that the company’s North American brands are doing better than their European counterparts.

As for other headwinds, such as the impact of the recession, Donald said the industry is resilient, offering a strong value proposition and that people feel entitled to their vacations. In addition, there is a tailwind of pent-up demand, he added, and the relaxing of health protocols is also expected to attract more people who may have been on the sidelines.

As for any other allocation moves, Donald said: “We are very pleased with our portfolio of brands but will always have an open mind to do what makes sense for our shareholders.”

He also said that since 2019, the company has shed 23 less efficient ships while adding nine larger, more efficient ships, including more premium-priced staterooms, while reducing operating expenses, including fuel, on a per available guest day basis.

Norwegian Cancels Viva’s Inaugural Cruises

Norwegian Cancels Viva’s Inaugural Cruises

Norwegian Cruise Line is cancelling the first and second sailings of the new Norwegian Viva.

Citing construction delays, the company said the 3,215-guest ship won’t be ready in time for the cruises, which were set to depart on June 15 and June 24, 2023.

In a statement sent to booked guests, Norwegian informed that the cancellations were a result of “global supply chain constraints impacting industries worldwide and the related downstream construction delays at the shipyard.”

According to the company, impacted passengers will receive a full refund to the original form of payment, with no further actions required on their part.

“We are committed to always putting our guests first. This includes providing information regarding any changes to voyages with as much notice as possible,” Norwegian added.

Opening up the ship’s inaugural summer in the Mediterranean, the cancelled cruises included visits to several countries in Europe.

A one-way, nine-night voyage, the inaugural sailing was set to depart Portugal, calling in various destinations in Spain and France before arriving in Italy.

An open-jaw itinerary as well, the second cruise was set to sail between two Italian ports: Civitavecchia and Trieste.

The nine-night voyage also featured visits to other ports in the country, in addition to popular destinations in Croatia, Greece, Malta and Slovenia.

The Norwegian Viva is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. Second, in a series of six ships known as the Prima Class, the vessel will be a sister of the new Norwegian Prima.

Set to debut this year, the 142,000-ton vessel is also entering service later than initially planned due to supply chain issues. Norwegian informed guests booked on the ship’s inaugural voyage that their cruise was no longer going ahead.

Also being built in Marghera, the Prima was set to depart on August 17, 2022. Ahead of a christening ceremony in Reykjavik, the vessel was offering an eight-night cruise from the Netherlands to Iceland.

Carnival Restarts Homeport Operations in New York City

Carnival Restarts Homeport Operations in New York City

The Carnival Magic arrived in New York City on Thursday, marking the return of yet another homeport for the Carnival Cruise Line.

The vessel is now set to offer a series of four- to nine-night cruises to Bermuda, Canada and the Caribbean departing from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

For its first sailing from the city since 2019, the Magic is operating a four-night itinerary to Bermuda.

In addition to two and a half days at sea, the cruise includes an eight-hour stop in King’s Wharf.

Running through late September, the New York program also features different week-long itineraries to the Caribbean visiting Grand Turk, the Bahamas, San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and more.

In September, the ship is offering two sailings to Canada as well. Sailing seven-night itineraries, the cruises feature calls in Saint John, Sydney and Halifax.

A Dream-class vessel, the Carnival Magic debuted in 2011 and offers a host of facilities and services.

In addition to traditional features such as a casino and a theatre, the vessel has the SportsSquare, an expansive sports complex with a ropes course and an outdoor fitness area, and The Lanai, a wrap-around promenade with whirlpools that extend out over the ship’s sides.

The vessel also offers an indoor/outdoor café and live entertainment venue called Ocean Plaza, as well as Carnival WaterWorks aqua park and a Serenity adults-only retreat.

Other attractions include the RedFrog Pub, a Caribbean-inspired watering hole with its own private label beer, and Cucina del Capitano, an Italian family-style restaurant that brings the heritage of Carnival’s captains to the table.

After first welcoming guests back in July 2021, Carnival Cruise Line completed its restart plans last month.

On May 2, the Carnival Splendor became the last vessel to resume service for the brand, marking the return of its entire 23-ship fleet.

With the return to New York City, Carnival has also resumed revenue operations from 14 homeports.  

Costa Toscana Christened in Barcelona

Costa Toscana Christened in Barcelona

The new Costa Toscana has been christened in Barcelona by Chanel, a young singer, actress and dancer who enjoyed great success in Spain and in all of Europe after her exhibition during the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.

Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises commented: “It is a great thrill to celebrate the christening of our Costa Toscana in Barcelona, a city to which we are particularly attached and where we have been at home since the beginning of our history.

"For this occasion, we have organized an event to celebrate the start of a summer that marks the serene resumption of travel and vacations. The event also features the excellence of Costa's offerings in all aspects, from high gastronomy to high-quality entertainment, to unique experiences ashore," he said.

"According to recent market research, nearly 14 million Europeans are dreaming of taking a cruise in the next 12 months, and cruises are among the trips with the highest potential to meet the needs of destinations exploration. We must take advantage of this upswing to promote more sustainable tourism that respects the environment and values local communities. Our commitment is expressed not only through technologically advanced ships such as the LNG-powered Costa Toscana, but also by supporting innovative projects whose scope goes beyond the tourism sector, such as Chef Ángel León’s project."

She joined the ship’s Captain Pietro Sinisi for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in which a bottle was shattered on the ship's prow, as per maritime tradition.

The event was hosted by two exceptional masters of ceremonies: Carlos Sobera and Flora Gonzalez, two real stars of Spanish television well-loved by the general public.

The ceremony was then closed by a performance by the Italian artist Andrea Casta, a "globetrotter" violinist who has performed all over the world with his electric violin and his unique luminous bow.

Among the guests were Spanish celebrities, such as "El Sevilla".

As the ship leaves Barcelona on the way to Valencia, guests can look forward to a performance by Meduza, a famous Italian trio of house music producers, who will host an exclusive DJ set onboard. The aperitif and gala dinner will be signed by Spanish chef Ángel León known as the “chef of the sea” who has been awarded 3 Michelin stars with his restaurant Aponiente. 

Costa Cruises and Ángel León are further strengthening their collaboration, addressing a theme that both have long been committed to, which is environmental sustainability. Through her Costa Cruises Foundation, Costa Cruises is supporting a worldwide pioneering project: the development of the "marine grain."

Restaurant Aponiente's research centre has started the cultivation of the Zostera marina in the Bay of Cadiz. The Zostera marina is a plant that helps generate greater marine biodiversity, thus enriching the ecosystem. Thanks to the support of the Costa Cruises Foundation, the cultivated area of the ocean garden, which is currently about 3,000 m2, can be expanded, in order to promote the project and export the Zostera marina to new coastal areas, the company said. 

Costa will sail 10 ships this summer, with the Toscana offering a week-long Western Mediterranean program,

 

Virgin Voyages will make its TV debut on Channel 5

The show will feature a look inside the inner workings of the line

Narrated by Sheridan Smith, the documentary is filmed across both the line’s two vessels, Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady.

 

The Cruise will take audiences behind the scenes for an "unfiltered, energetic" glimpse into the lives of Virgin Voyages’ crew and guests.

 

The series will also feature locations such as Bimini, Ibiza, Marseilles and Cannes, as well as a peek into the inner workings of the ship.

Shane Riley, vice-president of international sales, said: "We’re so excited to give our UK fans a peek into life below deck. It’s rare to see the inner workings of a cruise ship or to follow the crew beyond Sailors’ [guests’] time onboard.

 

"The UK was the birthplace of the Virgin brand and has played such an integral role for Virgin Voyages. We’ve had tremendous positive feedback from our Sailors in the UK, and can’t wait to show audiences what truly goes into delivering an epic experience at sea."

MSC Cruise reveals New Dining Concepts for the upcoming MSC World Europa

MSC Cruises’ upcoming vessel World Europa will introduce seven new dining and drinking venues including a mixology bar and Indian tea house.

The new venues include The Gin Project, a dedicated gin bar with specialist gin experts helping guests mix their own cocktails from more than 70 craft gins available, while Elixir Mixology Bar is a new cocktail venue with an outdoor terrace and "liquor corner" for tasting spirits.

 

The Coffee Emporium will serve French, Italian, Turkish and Moroccan coffees and coffee brand Lavazza will develop an MSC signature roast which passengers can take home.

 

Raj Polo Tea House offers English breakfast teas, cold-brewed and iced tea selections and tea-infused cocktails and Chef’s Garden Kitchen features greenery grown onboard using a soilless farming style, which the line has termed farm-to-ocean cooking.

The new venue, Chef's Garden Kitchen, uses a soilless farming method to grow its greenery

La Pescaderia is a restaurant specialising in seafood and features a fresh fish display where guests may choose their fish to eat, while Luna Park Pizza & Burger is a buffet-style venue with family games and American cuisine offerings.

The Masters of the Sea, the line’s signature pub, will have a second floor onboard World Europa, which will feature a micro-brewery with MSC beers brewed on board.

The line’s specialist restaurant mainstays will also be onboard, such as Butcher’s Cut, Kaito Teppanyaki & Sushi Bar and Hola! Tacos & Cantina.

The ship is currently being built in Saint Nazaire and will welcome its first guests on board in December 2022 and sail to the Arabian Gulf region for its inaugural season.

Jacques Van Staden, MSC’s vice-president of food and beverage, said the culinary experience onboard the ship had been designed with the future in mind, such as the technology seen at Chef’s Garden Kitchen.

“Each new concept aims to go beyond what traditional venues achieved in the past and focus on crafted, artisanal and immersive experiences that will revolutionise the place dining holds in the overall cruise experience,” he said.

Princess Cruises has reintroduced its onboard mask mandate on three Alaska-based ships.

It comes after the line reinstated mask-wearing on Island Princess last week following a number of positive Covid tests amongst staff and guests.

 According to a Princess Cruises spokesperson, those who tested positive and their close contacts have been quarantined and are being monitored and cared for by the onboard medical team.

 

"We recently identified some positive Covid-19 cases among our guests and teammates onboard Island Princess," they added.

 

"Out of an abundance of caution, we will now be requiring guests to wear face masks while indoors at all times, except when eating or drinking or in their own staterooms."

 

Each of Princess’ ships follows the primary health protocols of the country or region they depart from at the start of their voyage. The line said it will continue to make "any necessary adjustments" as conditions warrant during future cruises.

 

The company has since reintroduced face coverings on Alaska cruises onboard Royal Princess, Majestic Princess and Grand Princess sailing from Whittier and Vancouver until further notice. Guests will be provided with a mask if needed.

 

A spokesperson for the line said: "In an abundance of caution masks are required in indoor locations on Alaska cruises aboard Royal Princess, Majestic Princess and Grand Princess sailing from Whittier and Vancouver until further notice.  Masks will be provided to guests if needed."

Royal Caribbean Set for International Calls on Singapore Cruises

Royal Caribbean Set for International Calls on Singapore Cruises

Royal Caribbean International is adding international port calls on cruises to Singapore for the first time after restarting cruising in late 2020.

The Spectrum of the Seas begins cruising to popular destinations in Malaysia on June 30, with calls set for Penang and Kuala Lumpur on new three- and four-night itineraries.

“We are thrilled to be the first cruise line in Singapore to reconnect holidaymakers with Asia’s beautiful destinations once again. The vibrant and culture-rich cities of Penang and Kuala Lumpur have so much to offer, and that is only the beginning,” said Angie Stephen, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International.

“After more than two years, the excitement from guests, both locals and fly cruisers, along with our travel partners is undeniable. Singapore is a top destination in and of itself, and its proximity to neighbouring countries makes it easy to venture out and explore. There’s no better way to take full advantage of this than by taking a cruise, where guests can enjoy the ultimate combination of thrills, entertainment, dining and activities as they sail from one idyllic destination to the next on Spectrum of the Seas.”

“We have been working closely with various governments in Southeast Asia to align on cruise protocols and policies, and are excited to bring back port calls in Malaysia for sailings as a start,” said Annie Chang, Director of Cruise, Singapore Tourism Board. “Port calls will provide more vacation options and we look forward to seeing more first-time and repeat cruisers in the coming year as more ports in the region open up.”

Costa Returns to Northern Europe After Three-Year Gap

Costa Returns to Northern Europe After Three-Year Gap

Costa Cruises is sailing in Northern Europe for the first time since 2019. The brand returned to the region with the Costa Diadema, which kicked off the season on May 27.

The vessel is part of a three-ship program in the region, which will see the company offering itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic, the British Islands, Iceland and more.

Cruising in Northern Europe for the first time, the Costa Diadema is now sailing a series of seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords.

The vessel’s itineraries depart from Kiel (Germany) and Copenhagen (Denmark) and include visits to several ports in Norway, such as Flam, Bergen, Hellesylt, Nordfjordeid, Stavanger and Haugesund.

Another ship based in Kiel for the summer, the Costa Fascinosa will offer longer cruises to the Baltic and the Cape North.

Starting on June 7, the 3,012-guest ship sails ten- to 12-night itineraries that ports including Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga, Gdynia, Trondheim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Olden and more.  

Resuming service ahead of its program in Northern Europe, the Costa Fortuna completes the deployment lineup.

The 2003-built vessel will offer cruises departing from three different ports in the Netherlands and Germany: Ijmuiden, Amsterdam and Bremerhaven.

Extending from June 11 to August 28, the ship’s program features port-intensive cruises, with 11- to 14-night itineraries to the British Islands, Iceland, and the Norwegian Fjords.

A fourth ship, the Costa Favolosa, was also set to sail in the region for the company in 2022, offering itineraries at the Baltic. 

The vessel’s program, which featured visits to Saint Petersburg, was entirely cancelled by the company due to the recent developments in Russia.

After becoming one of the first mainstream cruise lines to resume service in 2020, Costa focused its European operations in the Mediterranean.

With the travel restrictions in place in Northern Europe, the company decided to cancel its entire local program in both 2020 and 2021.

Virgin Voyages has delayed the launch of its third ship Resilient Lady

The vessel had been scheduled to operate from Athens from mid-August

The vessel has been scheduled to operate from Athens from mid-August but will now not launch until the second quarter of 2023.

 

Virgin Voyages said the delay at the yard in Genoa “was not anticipated”, adding: “Resilient Lady will remain in Genoa getting onboard work completed, hitting the high seas next spring.”

 

It added: “Virgin Voyages did not land on this decision lightly, and despite making tremendous strides alongside the cruise industry as a whole, the brand is not immune to the global challenges the world is facing. 

 

“This includes supply chain obstacles, a level of regional uncertainty for international travellers in countries in Eastern Europe, crewing challenges based on government regulations and restrictive Covid entry requirements back into the US.” 

 

Passengers and agents are due to be informed of refunds and compensation advice in the next few days.

 

This includes a 200% Future Voyage Credit (FVC) or a full refund of the amount paid, plus 25% FVC.

 

Those that choose the 200% FVC and rebook in 2022 will get the option of another free voyage, excluding taxes and fees. There will also be assisted with travel changes and penalties.

 

Agents will have their commission protected on funds already paid. 

Musica Marks MSC Cruises’ Full Return to Service

Musica Marks MSC Cruises’ Full Return to Service

A Chocolate Tribute to 'Return to FULL Service' on the MSC Virtuosa last week, Photo Credit SpaceJunkie2.

The MSC Musica is resuming service today in Italy, marking the return to revenue operations of the entire MSC Cruises fleet.

One of the first cruise lines to welcome guests back during the pandemic, MSC has been sailing since August 2020.

After months of limited operations in Europe, the brand has been gradually adding destinations and ships back into its active lineup for the past year.

With the Musica kicking off its summer program in the Eastern Mediterranean, all of the fleet’s 19 cruise vessels are now in service again.

Sailing from Monfalcone every Sunday, the 2006-built vessel will offer week-long cruises to the Greek Islands and Italy through November.

Passengers will also be able to board the ship in Bari before sailing to Santorini, Katakolon and Heraklion.

After completing its European deployment, the vessel is set to cross the Atlantic, ahead of a winter program in South America.

Starting in December, the vessel will serve the Argentinean market, with cruises to Brazil and Uruguay departing from the Port of Buenos Aires.

The MSC Musica originally entered service in 2006, introducing a series of four ships known as the Musica Class.

Built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, the 92,400-ton cruise ship can carry 2,550 passengers in double occupancy and features more than 236,800 square feet of common areas.

Among them are five different dining venues, including two main dining rooms and a Japanese speciality restaurant.

The vessel is also equipped with two outdoor pool decks, a large spa, a two-deck theatre, a mini-golf course, a nightclub, a casino, a cigar room and several lounges and bars.

As the second ship to resume service for MSC Cruises this month, the MSC Musica follows the MSC Orchestra.

After a winter season in South Africa, the vessel returned to Europe on June 4, kicking off a summer program in the Western Mediterranean.