MSC Virtuosa back to Southampton

Virtuosa just passing Seaforth Docks, Liverpool photo credit Space junkie2~

The line has announced that Virtuosa, which in May became the first ship to restart UK cruises since the pandemic, will replace the older and smaller MSC Magnifica which had been scheduled to operate.

 

Virtuosa, one of MSC’s newest ships and capable of carrying around 4,000 more guests than Magnifica, will offer a range of 20 itineraries including two-night mini cruises calling in Saint Peter Port in Guernsey to 12 nights exploring the Baltics or 14 nights exploring the Western Mediterranean.

 

MSC said, “high demand” for its summer 2022 sailings had led to the decision to bring Virtuosa back to UK shores. Passengers already booked on Magnifica will be automatically rebooked to the nearest like-for-like Virtuosa sailing.

 

Agents with booked guests and direct customers will be contacted with all information pertaining to the change.

 

MSC’s the UK and Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso said the line “couldn’t turn down the opportunity” to bring Virtuosa back to Southampton after the success of its 2021 summer season.

 

“The feedback from passengers has been that they loved MSC Virtuosa and are eager to get back on board and explore more of the world on this fabulous ship,” Paradiso said.

“Despite the challenges of 2021 we had a record-breaking year with passengers sailing from Southampton, and it was great to see so many new-to-cruise guests amongst them.

 

“We have listened to the feedback from consumers and travel agents and have delivered itineraries with more choice, new destinations and longer cruises to warmer climates – all departing from Southampton.”

MSC added that current booking trends also meant it would base a ship in Southampton year-round in 2022 with the vessel due to be announced later this year.

 

The ship will sail similar northern Europe itineraries in 2022-2023 to those currently being offered by Magnifica.

 

Paradiso added: “Five years ago we announced our intention to grow our business in the UK market and I am pleased to say that this announcement is further evidence of our commitment to this target.

 

“We have made a series of investments, from increasing the number of sailings from UK ports visiting new and exciting destinations, to supporting the building of the new Horizon Cruise Terminal in Southampton, that all help us achieve our goal to give UK guests the holidays they want, and travel agents the cruises they want to sell.”

 

The news comes as MSC confirms its full fleet of 19 ships will be sailing by summer 2022, with its requirement for all guests to be vaccinated remaining in place.

 

MSC said it would continue to implement “the appropriate measures” to ensure guests can “enjoy one of the safest holidays options out there”.

MSC holds out hope for UK passengers as the second ship sets sail

A second MSC Cruises ship has resumed service after Covid forced a pause in operations for much of the year.

MSC Magnifica follows MSC Grandiosa, which is on its ninth voyage, as the second ship to implement MSC Cruises’ comprehensive health and safety protocols.

MSC Magnifica departed Genoa on a 10-night Mediterranean cruise with calls at the ports of Livorno for visits to Florence and Pisa, Messina in Sicily, Piraeus for Athens, Katakolon for Olympia, Valletta in Malta, and Civitavecchia for Rome, before returning to Genoa. 

MSC Cruises UK managing director Antonio Paradiso said that the line was ready to welcome back British passengers when government guidance is relaxed.

He said: “MSC Cruises are ready to welcome British and Irish residents when the FCDO guidance changes.

“We are working closely with Clia and the relevant authorities to enable British and Irish guests to be welcome back on board our ships when the time is right.”

MSC Cruises to welcome UK passengers as soon as FCO allows

British passengers will be able to board MSC Cruises ships as soon the UK Foreign Office’s advice against all ocean cruising is lifted.

The line’s UK managing director confirmed the plan to Travel Weekly ahead of the line’s resumption of sailings in the Mediterranean from this Sunday.

Currently, only passengers from Europe’s Schengen Area, and Switzerland, can board the sailings.

Flagship MSC Grandiosa will launch seven-night cruises in the Western Med from August 16 and MSC Magnifica seven-night itineraries in the Eastern Med from August 29.

All other cruises in the Mediterranean from August 16 through to October 31 have been cancelled, and cruises departing the US have also been suspended to October 31 in line with cruise association Clia’s recommendation.

Confirming that Brits would be welcome on board as soon as Foreign Office advice against cruising is lifted, Antonio Paradiso said: “As far as I am concerned, that is the only blocker.”

MSC Cruises ‘very close’ to fulfilling UK market ambition

MSC Cruises ‘very close’ to fulfilling UK market ambition

MSC Cruises’ UK boss says the line is “very close” to fulfilling a long-term ambition to have a 10% share of the UK cruise market.

In late 2017, the line pledged to one-day sell one in every ten cruises taken by the UK and become “a leading international player” within five years.

Antonio Paradiso, the line’s the UK and Ireland managing director said MSC currently has 7.9% of the market but believes a lengthened MSC Magnifica would add a further 90,000 berths to the market in 2021.

Speaking on new Meraviglia-Plus class ship MSC Grandiosa in Southampton, Paradiso said: “I am really confident that by 2022, MSC will be the number one international cruise line in this country. We are getting very close to that.

“We’re are at about 7.9%, so we’re getting there. A big boost will be when MSC Magnifica will sail out of Southampton [in summer 2021].”

Southampton will be MSC Magnifica’s only embarkation port when it is based in the UK in summer 2021.

Paradiso said: “It is a great opportunity for the travel agents. [Magnifica] alone will boost our production by 90,000 passengers.”

The line also has plans to further bolster its growing sales team in 2020. Paradiso said he would recruit for a strategic account manager – a new role – early next year.

“The strategic account manager will help [head of retail] Andrea Stafford strengthen the relationship with all the head offices in the UK and some important key accounts,” he said.

Paradiso said the sales team expansion goes “hand in hand” with the growth the line was experiencing in the UK.

MSC launched MSC Bellissima earlier this year. MSC Grandiosa is 16 metres longer than the Meraviglia-class ship.

On Grandiosa, the line has exhibited an art collection on a ship for the first time, expanded its French Bistrot L’Atelier Bistrot and launched two exclusive Cirque du Soleil shows onboard.

The line has welcomed around 4,200 UK agents across its fleet since the launch of MSC Bellissima in Southampton in March this year.

Ship visits would be arranged when MSC ships called in the UK and Ireland, said Paradiso, who added: “One thing we do very successfully is fam trips every year which are normally fly-and-cruise out of Barcelona or Rome which allow agents to spend time onboard.

“The ex-UK sailings represent a good portion of our business. However, the Mediterranean is still the number one destination for the UK market.

“It is important that agents get to experience the ships that we have in the Med.”

From 2023, the line will launch four 64,000-ton luxury vessels which have yet to be named. Paradiso said the name would be announced between March and April next year.

“The first step would be to announce the brand,” he said. “We will disclose a bit more information about the luxury ships that we are building. The UK will be one of the first countries in the world to go on sale.”

MSC announces UK return with Magnifica season

MSC announces UK return with Magnifica season

by Natasha Salmon 
MSC will return to the UK in 2018 with Magnifica sailing its first full season ex-UK programme.

The ship, which launched in 2009, will make Southampton its home for eight months from April until November.

The company also revealed it will operate its first world cruise in 2019.

UK managing director Antonio Paradiso announced the ‘big UK comeback’ at their All Star of the Seas event held on Sunday November 13 onboard the MSC Fantasia in Barcelona.

Paradiso said: “We are coming back to the UK with our ship Magnifica for a whole season, it is a big comeback for us and we are very excited.

“It marks a new dedication from MSC to the UK market and how we want to be one of the most popular cruise lines in the country.

“We have created itineraries that make the most of the British Isles and the best of what are customers can experience out of their own country.

“I am really excited, this is game on for us. I want us to become one of the top three cruise lines in the UK.”

There will be five new itineraries out of Southampton including a 14-day sailing calling at Le Havre, La Coruna, Leixoes, Lisbon, Malaga then Amsterdam and Hamburg.

A North Sea sailing will travel to Stavanger, Bergen, Olden and Alesund in Norway plus a round-UK sailing calling at Southampton, Newcastle, South Queensferry in Edinburgh and Invergordon.

Following the UK sailings, the Magnifica will then host the company’s first ever world cruise from January 2019.

The 119-day itinerary will visit 32 countries with 49 ports of call with some destinations including Panama, San Francisco, Melbourne and Petra in Jordan.

Paradiso said: “This will open up a whole new market for us and it is something we have waited a long time to do.

“We wanted to reduce days at sea so during the 119 days there will be no more than five consecutive days at sea.”

Bookings for the ex-UK Magnifica sailings will be available in early 2017, no set date has been released yet.

Giles Hawke to leave MSC Cruises

Giles Hawke to leave MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises executive director Giles Hawke is leaving the cruise line.

Hawke, who joined the business almost two-and-a-half years ago, is due to leave in April.

He was originally appointed as managing director UK and Ireland back in November 2013, but was quickly promoted and within three months became executive director, also taking on responsibility for the South African and Australian markets.

He will be replaced by Antonio Paradiso, currently MSC’s executive director for emerging markets. Paradiso will relocate from the line’s Geneva base and will take up his new role on March 1.

Chief executive Gianni Onorato added: "Antonio will be a strong successor to Giles as we look to grow further our business in the UK and Ireland. To best prepare for this, over the next two months Giles and Antonio will be working closely together on a full handover and familiarisation of the MSC Cruises business, its partners and other key stakeholders across both markets.

"I wish to thank Giles for his contribution to the business during his time with MSC Cruises. At the same time, this is an exciting time for our UK and Ireland business and a great opportunity for Antonio to lead the next phase of our growth in both markets."

It isn’t currently known where Hawke is moving on to.

Paradiso will remain in change of emerging markets in the interim. Achille Staiano, currently head of commercial services, will assume market responsibility for Australia, Scandinavia and South Africa, three markets formerly part of Hawke’s portfolio, in the interim.

Hawke joined MSC after a long stint with Carnival UK where he was sales and customer services director.