MSC Lists 5 Reasons to Choose its Winter 2026-27 Sailings

MSC Lists 5 Reasons to Choose its Winter 2026-27 Sailings

MSC Cruises has spotlighted its 2026-27 winter season, featuring 168 destinations across 72 countries.

In a press release, the company highlighted five reasons to pick its itineraries this winter:

1. MSC World Asia’s Inaugural Season

MSC Cruises’ newest ship, which recently embarked on sea trials, will set sail for her inaugural season from December 4, 2026, offering seven-night Mediterranean itineraries to Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia for Rome, Messina and Valletta.

Guests can look forward to more than 40 bars, lounges and restaurants, a new Pan-Asian street food concept, the longest dry slide at sea at 81.3 meters and The Harbour outdoor destination, among other things.

2. Iconic Mediterranean Destinations at a Slower Pace

Six ships will sail in the Mediterranean during winter, allowing guests to explore the region without crowds. These are the MSC World Asia, MSC Euribia, MSC Magnifica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Lirica and MSC Orchestra

Seven-night sailings will be offered to Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey, with highlights including Barcelona, Civitavecchia for Rome, Istanbul, Valletta and Piraeus for Athens.

Longer options include 10- to 12-night sailings on the MSC Lirica to Cyprus, Egypt, Croatia and Greece and 10-night sailings on the MSC Magnifica to Morocco and Spain, visiting destinations such as Pyramids of Giza, Dasoudi Beach and Krka National Park.

3. Holidays in Northern Europe

The MSC Preziosa will offer seven-night sailings to Northern Europe, calling at Hamburg, Rotterdam for Amsterdam, Cherbourg, Zeebrugge for Bruges and Brussels, Le Havre for Paris and Southampton for London.

The ship recently kicked off a new year-round deployment in the region, allowing guests to discover landmarks in London and Paris, Amsterdam’s canals, Bruges’ medieval streets and the festive atmosphere of Brussels and Hamburg’s Christmas markets.

4. Sunny Caribbean Winter

Guests looking to escape the cold can choose mini-getaways, seven-night adventures and extended sailings to the Caribbean and Antilles and visit destinations including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Grand Turk Island and The Bahamas.

This season will mark the line’s first departures from La Romana in the Dominican Republic, and many itineraries also feature Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises’ private island in The Bahamas.

Operating the itineraries will be nine ships: the MSC World America, MSC World Europa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Opera, MSC Poesia, MSC Seascape, MSC Seaside and MSC Seashore.

5. Winter Sun in the Canary Islands

The MSC Fantasia will offer seven-night itineraries to the Canary Islands and Madeira, calling at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Puerto del Rosario, Funchal, Arrecife and Las Palmas.

Guests can discover Lanzarote and La Palma’s volcanic landscapes, relax on Gran Canaria’s Maspalomas Beach, or explore Funchal, Madeira.

Stornoway Port Set for Major 2026 Cruise Season

Stornoway Port Set for Major 2026 Cruise Season

Stornoway Port is preparing to welcome 89 cruise ship calls during the 2026 season, reinforcing its growing prominence as one of Scotland’s premier cruise destinations, according to a press release.

The season is expected to bring approximately 60,000 passengers to the Outer Hebrides, contributing an estimated £7.8 million to the local economy.

“The 2026 cruise season represents another major milestone for Stornoway Port, with 89 scheduled calls highlighting the continued growth in demand from international cruise operators,” said Kirsty Hutchison, cruise and marketing manager at Stornoway Port.

“The return of high-profile vessels such as Queen Anne, alongside visits from MSC Preziosa and Carnival Legend, demonstrates the strength of Stornoway’s reputation as a world-class destination.”

Among the headline arrivals in 2026 are globally recognized vessels. These include the MSC Preziosa, the Carnival Legend and Cunard’s newest flagship, the Queen Anne, which will return to Stornoway following its successful maiden visit in 2025.

The MSC Preziosa and the Carnival Legend will each bring substantial visitor numbers to the island.

Their inclusion in the schedule demonstrates sustained confidence in Stornoway’s facilities, particularly the £59 million Deep Water Terminal, which has significantly expanded the port’s ability to accommodate larger, modern cruise ships.

Hutchison said the Deep Water Terminal continues to transform what the port can offer, strengthening its ability to accommodate larger vessels and enhancing the overall visitor experience.

The port is progressing plans for the next phase of development at the terminal, alongside the ongoing development of Arnish Road, to further build capacity and resilience across the estate, she said.

MSC Meraviglia to Sail from Southampton in 2027

MSC Meraviglia to Sail from Southampton in 2027

The MSC Meraviglia will sail from Southampton for the 2027 season, MSC Cruises announced in a press release.

According to the company, the 2017-built ship will arrive at the British port on May 18, 2027, kicking off a six-month deployment.

“We want to give our customers new experiences, so it’s wonderful that the MSC Meraviglia is sailing from the United Kingdom in Summer 2027,” said Antonio Paradiso, vice president of international sales at MSC Cruises.

Replacing the MSC Virtuosa, the Meraviglia will offer a series of six- to 14-night cruises to destinations in Northern Europe and the Norwegian Fjords.

The season also includes longer itineraries to the Mediterranean, which will feature visits to additional destinations, such as Ibiza in Spain, Tangier in Morocco and Gibraltar in the United Kingdom.

While the Meraviglia takes over the itineraries from Southampton, the MSC Virtuosa is set to operate a full season in the Western Mediterranean.

Paradiso said that the changes to the company’s deployment in the region follow guests’ feedback, noting that the two ships are part of the same class.

“We’re seeing strong demand from UK customers for Mediterranean cruises, so having the MSC Virtuosa there for Summer 2027 is a natural fit for us,” he added.

“We also offer great value Fly & Cruise prices with flights from many regional airports, so customers can relax knowing that flights, transfers and the cruise fare are all included in the price,” he continued.

Paradiso also highlighted the 2026-27 winter season in the United Kingdom, which will see the MSC Preziosa replacing the MSC Poesia.

“I’m delighted to have the MSC Preziosa back in the UK doing the longest season ever from Southampton,” he said.

The 2013-built ship is set to offer a series of seven-night cruises to England, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands between October 2026 and April 2027.

Bookings for the new 2027 itineraries onboard the MSC Meraviglia and the MSC Virtuosa are set to open on Oct. 14, 2025.

MSC Cruises Celebrates 10th Anniversary of MSC Book Platform

MSC Cruises Celebrates 10th Anniversary of MSC Book Platform

MSC Virtuosa in Liverpool Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 - Flickr images

MSC Cruises marked the 10th anniversary of MSC Book, its online reservations platform for travel agents, highlighting its success with the support of 120,000 agents worldwide.

Since its launch in 2014, the platform has helped agents book over 10 million guests on MSC voyages. The company expressed gratitude to agents for a decade of collaboration and reaffirmed its commitment to growing partnerships with current and new agencies.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, MSC Cruises is offering digital gifts to agents who complete a short survey to gather feedback on MSC Book. The company will also host webinars to showcase planned upgrades to the reservations platform.

MSC Cruises’ local sales teams will lead these online sessions in collaboration with senior representatives from the headquarters-based e-commerce team. Additionally, MSC Book’s home and promotions pages have been redesigned to reflect agent feedback and improve the platform’s functionality.

MSC Opens 2024-25 Cruise Deployment for Sale

MSC Opens 2024-25 Cruise Deployment for Sale

MSC Virtuosa in Flam Norway to view the inside images of MSC Virtuosa click the link (Flickr) or Image

MSC Cruises today opened sales for a range of its winter 2024-25 season sailings. The line will soon provide details for its winter 2024-25 sailing programs in South America, Southern Africa and the Far East but today unveiled the voyages now available to book, according to a press release.

Highlights include six ships serving the Caribbean Sea and MSC Cruises’ flagship MSC Euribia operating for the first time in the Middle East.

Details are:

NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

The MSC Meraviglia will operate from New York with seven- to 11-night itineraries to Port Canaveral for Orlando, Nassau in the Bahamas and MSC Cruises’ private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

The MSC Seascape will sail every Saturday from Miami with either 7-night cruises to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Ocean Cay or to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico and Ocean Cay.

The MSC Seaside every Sunday will offer 7-night voyages from Miami, alternating between the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic or Mexico, Honduras or Belize, and the Bahamas.

The MSC Divina will also be based in Miami and offer an array of three- to 10-night itineraries, all including calls to Ocean Cay.  Longer sailings will take guests to Jamaica, Aruba, Curaçao, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

The MSC Seashore will homeport in Port Canaveral for three- to four-night mini cruises to the Bahamas, including calls at Ocean Cay, and also sail seven-night voyages with additional stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico.

The MSC Virtuosa will homeport in Fort-de-France, Martinique and embark on back-to-back 7-night itineraries including Guadeloupe, the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Barbados, Grenada, and Saint Lucia.

ARABIAN GULF

The line’s newest flagship the MSC Euribia will make her debut in the region from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It will offer seven-night sailings to two other UAE destinations, Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island, plus Doha, Qatar and Manama in Bahrain.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

The MSC World Europa will sail every Sunday from Genoa for a seven-night voyage with calls at Civitavecchia for Rome, Messina in Sicily, Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France

NORTHERN EUROPE

The MSC Preziosa will operate seven-night voyages every Sunday from Hamburg, Germany with calls at Zeebrugge for Bruges and Brussels in Belgium; Rotterdam in the Netherlands; Le Havre for Paris and Southampton for London. Additionally, one 21-night long cruise from Southampton will visit the Canary Islands, Madeira and Morocco.

RED SEA

The MSC Musica will offer seven-night sailings from Safaga, Egypt to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Aqaba for Petra in Jordan, Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt and Sokhna Port for the country’s capital Cairo before returning to Safaga for an opportunity to visit Luxor.

MSC Preziosa Turns Ten Years Old

MSC Preziosa Turns Ten Years Old

The MSC Preziosa is completing ten years this month. Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, the 140,000-ton vessel was delivered to MSC Cruises on March 13, 2013.

After leaving the French facility, the vessel offered a pre-inaugural cruise to the Mediterranean. Sailing to Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco and Italy, the one-way voyage ended in Genoa – where the ship was christened before officially entering service.

The ship was joined by the MSC Lirica and the MSC Splendida during the ceremony, which took place on March 24, 2013, and was attended by Sophia Loren, the Italian actress that served as godmother of the Preziosa and most of MSC’s newbuilds.

According to MSC, the event also included a high-profile gala dinner, and entertainment from top Italian and international performers in the company of celebrities, media, authorities and the company’s top management.

Following the ceremony, the MSC Preziosa kicked off its inaugural season in the Western Mediterranean.

Sailing from Genoa through the end of the European summer, the vessel offered a series of weeklong cruises during its maiden program.

Visiting Italy, Tunisia, Spain and France, the itinerary featured Naples, Messina, La Goulette, Barcelona and Marseille as ports of call.

In November, the MSC Preziosa crossed the Atlantic for the first time ahead of a winter season in Brazil.

Sailing from the Port of Santos during the entire 2013-2014 season, the vessel became the biggest and one of the newest cruise ships ever to sail from the South American country.

Completing MSC’s Fantasia Class, the MSC Preziosa offers most of the amenities of its sister ships, including a three-deck theatre, three pool decks, five restaurants, a complete wellness centre and more.

The 3,500-guest vessel also introduced new features such as Vertigo, a 120-meter-long waterslide, and the Doremi Castle Aqua Park, a water park for children.

 

MSC Celebrates the Arrival of the MSC Seashore in Brazil

MSC Celebrates the Arrival of the MSC Seashore in Brazil

MSC Cruises marked the arrival of the MSC Seashore to Brazil earlier this month with a special celebration onboard the vessel.

In the presence of over 2,000 invitees, the company staged a “Brazilian christening ceremony” for the 2021-built ship, which will spend the entire winter season sailing in the country.

The company’s local operations director, Márcia Leite, served as the godmother during the ceremony, which took place at the ship’s theatre.

“We are very proud to celebrate the arrival of another new MSC Cruises ship,” said Adrian Ursilli, MSC Cruises Brazil country manager.

According to Ursilli, MSC has a “trademark tradition” of sending a different vessel to debut in the Brazilian market every year.

“This time it’s the MSC Seashore, a ship that was the newest of our fleet just 15 days ago,” Ursilli said.

Taking the title from the MSC Seaside, which debuted in the region for the 2021-2022 season, the MSC Seashore also became the largest cruise ship to ever sail in Brazil.

“We continue to work to evolve and improve our services with a quality offer for the Brazilian market, as a leader must do,” he added.

One of the five MSC Cruises ships serving the Brazilian market during the 2022-2023 season, the Seashore is now offering cruises from Santos, Salvador and Maceió.

Along with the MSC Seaview, the MSC Preziosa, the MSC Fantasia and the MSC Armonia, the 4,560-guest ship continues to sail in the country through March, offering a record capacity in the local market.

“We’ll have an increase of over 68 per cent in the number of cabins when compared to the 2019-2020 season,” said Ursilli.

According to him, MSC is set to offer 130 cruises sailing from five different Brazilian ports, such as Rio de Janeiro and Itajaí.

MSC’s winter season in South America started in November, with the arrival of the MSC Fantasia to Santos.

MSC to Base 6 Ships in South America for the 2023-2024 Season

MSC to Base 6 Ships in South America for the 2023-2024 Season

MSC Cruise in Port Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

MSC Cruises will base six ships in South America for the 2023-224 season the line announced today as it started its 2022-2023 sailing season from the port of Santos in Brazil with the departure of the MSC Fantasia, according to a press release.

MSC said it will deploy five vessels in Brazil and one in Argentina next season to reinforce its position as the ocean cruise market leader in South America.

The MSC Grandiosa, MSC Preziosa and MSC Armonia will homeport in Santos, the MSC Seaview in Rio de Janeiro, the MSC Lirica in Itajai and the MSC Musica in Buenos Aires.  

The announcement today was made ahead of MSC Fantasia’s first of 132 seasonal sailings MSC Cruises that will operate in South America during 2022-2023 with four ships offering a 68 per cent increase in cabins compared to the 2019-2020 season.

The MSC Fantasia will be joined this season by the MSC Seashore – which MSC said was the largest and most modern cruise ship ever operating in the region.

The MSC Seaview and MSC Armonia will off a range of cruises in South America including 10 destinations in Brazil, Buenos Aires in Argentina and both Montevideo and Punta Del Este in Uruguay.

MSC Cruises forecasts that it will welcome nearly 400,000 guests for its 2022-2023 South American season including 50,000 international travellers.

Sales for MSC Cruises’ 2023-2024 South American season go on sale on Dec. 1.

MSC Euribia to Homeport in Southampton in 2023/24

MSC Euribia to Homeport in Southampton in 2023/24

MSC Euribia will take over from the sucsesfull MSC Virtuosa

MSC Cruises has just announced a brand new ship launching in October 2023, the MSC Euribia. This ship offers sailings from October 2023 through winter 2023 and 2024 based in Southampton. Its homeport in the UK comes after huge demand for no-fly cruises on MSC Virtuosa. MSC Euribia is the second ship in the MSC fleet which will be powered by liquid natural gas fuel. It is set to be a confidently sustainable ship. 

This brand-new vessel boats incredible new features including original artwork on the decks and design aspects throughout. Alex Flämig has produced the iconic design coined #SaveTheSea. This message accurately reflects MSC Cruises’ commitment to protecting the marine environment. 

Guests will be offered a wide variety of entertainment on MSC Euribia, from theatre shows and casinos to the Coral Reef Aquapark, one of the biggest waterparks at sea. MSC Euribia boasts ultimate relaxation with five swimming pools and the MSC Aurea Spa onboard. The gastronomic escapades are endless with the option of 10 dining venues and 21 bars with global and regional-inspired menus to enjoy. 

MSC Virtuosa resumed cruising with a UK itinerary during the startup of cruising from Southampton and with a successful Summer season, she sailed to the Middle East for the winter 21/22 season and then replaced the Magnifica and Preziosa with an all-year-round summer/winter homeporting in Southampton. 

MSC Cruise will Deploy the MSC Virtuosa all year around 22/23 seasons.

MSC Virtuosa in Rotterdam photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

MSC Cruises has confirmed MSC Virtuosa will offer ex-UK cruises out of Southampton for winter 2022/23 and summer 2023.

This will be the first time the line has continuously operated one of its vessels from the UK year-round.

 

Virtuosa – which launched in 2021 and became the first ship to restart UK cruises in May of the same year – will now replace MSC Preziosa’s itineraries this winter offering the newly introduced Northern Pearls itinerary.

 
Antonio Paradiso, managing director of UK and Ireland of MSC Cruises, said since Virtuosa first came to the UK, the feedback from the company’s guests has been "incredible" and the ship has been a "huge hit".

 

"The increased appetite for stress-free no-fly cruises out of the UK combined with the benefits of the new state-of-the-art Horizon Terminal has resulted in huge demand," he added.

 

"The continued deployment of one of our newest and most innovative ships out of the UK is just further proof of the continued importance of the UK market, which began with our first full ex-UK season back in 2018.

 

"Since then, we have gone from strength to strength and we are committed to offering the best possible experience for our guests from the UK and Ireland."

In summer 2023, Virtuosa will replace MSC Grandiosa offering a range of itineraries from mini cruises, and seven-night sailings to longer cruises. Further details of the full programme will be released soon.

MSC Cruises has suspended upcoming calls to St Petersburg amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

MSC Virtuosa photo credit Spacejunkie2

From the end of May until October, the line’s four ships were due to operate Baltic Sea sailings which include St Petersburg – MSC Preziosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Poesia and MSC Virtuosa – will all suspend their calls to the city.

 

No MSC ships are currently calling at St Petersburg.

 

MSC said the health and safety of its passengers and crew was “a top priority” and that “since the onset” of the conflict in Ukraine, it had been in touch with alternative ports – such as Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn – to confirm new calls.

 

The decision comes after Riviera Travel cancelled all tours and cruises to Russia "for the foreseeable future".

 

Carnival Corp brands P&O Cruises and Cunard amended their Baltic cruise itineraries in response to the escalating conflict, while other cruise lines and operators said they were "monitoring the situation closely".

 

Viking Cruises cancelled all of its 2022 Kyiv and Black Sea departures and said it was evaluating all 2022 itineraries featuring calls in Russia.

 

MSC said it would communicate the details of changes on each individual sailing to travel agents and customers “as soon as possible”.

 

MSC’s website will also be updated to reflect the confirmed details of new itineraries to “provide maximum clarity” for existing guests and future guests looking to book Baltic Sea sailings.

MSC Preziosa will sail a winter season of northern European cruises from Southampton

MSC Preziosa will sail a winter season of northern European cruises from Southampton

MSC Preziosa in Southampton

Preziosa will arrive in early October offering itineraries visiting five European cities, with its 2022/23 winter season due to run through to April 2023.

Sales will open in the coming days, said MSC. Preziosa will replace MSC Virtuosa, which will sail in summer 2022 from Southampton.

Virtuosa’s season will get underway with a Guernsey mini-cruise departing 29 April and will wrap up with a final Mediterranean sailing scheduled to depart on 4 November.

MSC managing director the UK and Ireland, Antonio Paradiso, said Preziosa’s deployment from Southampton underlined MSC’s commitment to the UK market and travel trade.

"We are proud that we are providing agents with such a variety of products to sell in the ex-UK space this year," said Paradiso. "Sailing MSC Virtuosa from Southampton last year allowed us a great opportunity to access the new-to-cruise market, which made up 50% of our sales for summer 2021."

Preziosa will offer a seven-night winter itinerary featuring five European city destinations, with calls in Hamburg, Zeebrugge (for Bruges and Brussels), Rotterdam (for Amsterdam) and Le Havre (for Paris).

Brazilian Health Agency Warns Against Cruise Ship Travel

Brazilian health agency Anvisa on Sunday warned passengers against boarding cruise ships operating along the Brazilian coast after outbreaks of COVID-19 affecting crew and customers, according to a statement on its website.

The move follows a call for the “immediate temporary interruption of the cruise ship season in Brazil” as they pose a risk to public health.

“In view of recent events, Anvisa does not recommend the embarkation of passengers who have trips scheduled on cruise ships for the next few days,” the statement said.

“This recommendation takes into account the rapid change in the epidemiological scenario, the risk to the health of passengers and the unpredictability of operations at this time.”

There are five cruise liners operating on the Brazilian coast being monitored by Anvisa, the agency said.

MSC Splendida and Dawn in Palma Photo credit Spacejunkie2

The MSC Splendida, anchored at Santos, was banned from embarking new passengers from late Saturday and the vessel was quarantined from Sunday. The Diadema was ordered to suspend service and all passengers will need to disembark when it arrives at Santos, Anvisa said. 

The other three are the MSC Preziosa, Costa Fascinosa, and MSC Seaside, which face a potential boarding ban and service suspension pending further epidemiological investigation, Anvisa said. (Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Stephen Coates)

Strong Growth Prospects for Hamburg

Strong Growth Prospects for Hamburg

Traffic is up 12 percent year-over-year for the port of Hamburg, with 800,000 passengers expected this year.

The widening of the harbor basin adjacent to the Altona terminal has been among the items driving the good news, with additional berth assignment options now available for large ships according to Kathrin Schweppe-May of Cruise Gate Hamburg.

First time callers include the MSC Preziosa, the Norwegian Jade and Independence of the Seas.

“This year’s Hamburg Cruise Days and Blue Port are expected to see record participation of ten cruise ships calling over the weekend. Participating ships will include AIDAprima, MSC Preziosa, Hapag Lloyds’ Europa and the Europa 2, the Mein Schiff 3 from TUI Cruises, Albatros and Amadea of Phoenix Reisen, Silver Wind, as well as Norwegian Jade and Plantours’ Sans Souci – which will be the first appearance of a river vessel at the event,” said Schweppe-May.

The parade takes place on September 9, with six cruise ships leaving the port jointly.

The port has also been able to drive winter business, with the AIDAprima homeporting year-round, but set to take a break this coming winter.

There are also regular calls, as 2017 started with the Queen Elizabeth docking on Jan. 5 and is going to close with the Aurora, which calls on Dec. 31.

December has also been a hit with Hamburg’s Christmas markets and calls from British cruise lines, said Schweppe-May.

“There is a good potential for new partners for regular calls during the weekdays as we have proven with this year's debut of Norwegian Cruise Line that there is much more to come out of the world’s second largest source market,” noted Schweppe-May . “With the proof that the winter season is able to attract large numbers of passengers we are optimistic that this concept will develop further. Prime locations will with regard to the number of ships on order have to extend its seasons.”

A new cruise terminal is set to open in 2021, and will be integrated into a real estate complex including shopping, hotel, and entertainment options.

The 10 Best Cruise Ship Water slides

The 10 Best Cruise Ship Water slides

PHOTO: The AquaDuck water slide aboard the Disney Fantasy. (Photo courtesy of Disney Cruise Line)

AquaDuck ~ Disney Cruise Line

Probably the most elaborate water slide on a cruise ship today is the AquaDuck aboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Not only is it a single or tandem raft slide, it’s also a full-blown water coaster with exciting dips and turns cantilevered out over the side of the ship leading to uphill sections before a leisurely return to the deck below.

AquaDunk ~ Disney Cruise Line

Like the AquaDuck, the similarly named AquaDunk tells the story of Donald being subjected to the water slide experimentation of his mischievous nephews – Huey, Dewey and Louie. Only this time on the Disney Magic, the raft variety has been replaced with a free-fall one where the floor drops out from under riders before a speedy descent.

Aqua Racer ~ Norwegian Cruise Line

Photo credit Dave Jones. Aqua Racer

As raft water slides go, most only accommodate one set of riders at a time. However, the Aqua Racer aboard the Norwegian Escape can accept two as the tube widens out in sections to see if one might pass the other. All the while, a translucent portion overlooks the ocean below while lit coloured patterns activate the rest.

Free Fall ~ Norwegian Cruise Line

Also on the Norwegian Escape, as well as the Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, are two side-by-side Free Fall water slides, not entirely dissimilar to the AquaDunk on Disney. Except, this time there is so much momentum gained that riders are catapulted uphill for a portion of the loop before finishing off in a dramatic trough splashdown.

Green Thunder ~ Carnival Cruise Line

The last free-fall variety on this list is Carnival’s Green Thunder on the Carnival Legend, Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit, which is nearly identical to the AquaDunk on Disney, making it a thrilling but quick seven-second or so ride.

Kaleid-O-Slide ~ Carnival Cruise Line

More unique to Carnival is the Kaleid-O-Slide aboard the Carnival Vista. This raft water slide features an enclosed section with translucent colored stripes that are illuminated by the sun and create a chromatic strobing effect as riders approach a final open-air stretch before coming to the finish line.

Slideboarding ~ MSC Cruises

While not yet sailing, the Slideboarding water slide anticipated aboard the MSC Seaside will be a very unique attraction that will combine a board riders sit in with video game-like controllers. As riders traverse the wet path, lighting effects will prompt them to respond with the onboard buttons, and scores will be ranked upon each guests arrival below. 

Tidal Wave ~ Royal Caribbean International

As dramatic water slides go, Royal Caribbean International features the Tidal Wave as part of its Perfect Storm trio aboard the Liberty of the Seas. This raft slide starts out in a tube that slingshots riders down a fast descent prior to opening up to a half-pipe-like structure that boomerangs riders up and down the sides before levelling off.

Ultimate Abyss ~ Royal Caribbean International

While not technically a water slide, the Ultimate Abyss aboard the Harmony of the Seas must be included as an impressive addition on a cruise ship. This dry slide has riders sit in burlap bags to avoid rug burn as they spiral swiftly down an astounding 10 decks from the FlowRiders above to the Boardwalk district below.

Vertigo ~ MSC Cruises

One final entry aboard the MSC Preziosa is what the line touts as the longest single-rider body water slide at sea. It measures in at 394 feet long and 42 feet high after all, complete with a translucent 30-foot pass suspended over the side of the ship for even more thrills.

MSC Cruises partners with Jean Louis David hair salons

Hairdresser Jean Louis David has taken over the salons on several MSC Cruises ships, and the brand will be expanded fleetwide under a new partnership agreement.

Jean Louis David, founded in 1961 in Paris, has over 1,000 salons internationally. It will expand to 11 existing MSC ships and to new ships, beginning with the MSC Meraviglia in June 2017.

The first Jean Louis David salons are already open on the MSC Preziosa, MSC Fantasia and MSC Poesia. 

MSC’s agreement with Jean Louis David is the latest in a string of partnerships with brands that include Lego, Samsung, Cirque du Soleil and chocolatier Jean Philippe Maury.

Jean Louis David is owned by the Provalliance Group of Paris. 

MSC rolls out new faster internet and social media packages

MSC Cruises has worked with business communications provider Marlink to develop new faster, more reliable and cost-effective internet and social media packages for guests.

Now live onboard MSC Preziosa and MSC Divina, the high bandwidth internet packages are available via the Marlink Sealink Cloud and will be rolled out across all 12 MSC ships over the coming months. The packages will also be available on the line’s next-generation ships that are currently under construction, including MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seaside.

“We are constantly seeking new ways to innovate and enhance the guest experience aboard what is already the most modern fleet at sea,” said Gianni Onorato, MSC’s CEO. “We know that staying connected while on holiday is increasingly more important to our guests hence we are rolling out state-of-the-art technology to allow them to stay connected whether they are looking to share experiences and memorable moments, stay in touch with friends and family, need to stay on top of work e-mails or simply catch up with daily news.”

Aimed at those who want to be connected 24/7 to social media, the Social Package allows guests to post pictures and chat with friends via popular social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Snapchat, WeChat and Pinterest. Prices start from €3.90 per day or €14.90 for a seven-day cruise.

The Surfer Package is designed for moderate internet users who want to read news, sports scores and catch up on e-mails. It also includes access to social media platforms as per the Social Package. Prices start from €9.90 per day or €29.90 for a seven-day itinerary.

Meanwhile, the Streamer Package has been created for heavy internet users who need access either for work or for personal use and enables full internet and social media access, including audio and video. Prices from €19.90 per day or €59.90 for a full seven-day voyage.

Guests will be able to select their package prior to embarkation and will be easy to upgrade or top up.

MSC sets out plans to triple UK passengers

MSC Cruises has set out ambitious plans to grow the number of UK passengers it serves.

According to chief executive Giles Hawke, the company reckons it can attract 200,000 Britons per year by 2017 - up from 60,000 today and an almost threefold increase.

Mr Hawke made these comments in an interview with Travel Weekly, mentioning a raft of new marketing initiatives intended to support the campaign.

MSC, which mostly serves the Mediterranean cruise market and recently announced it will add a further four ships to its fleet, also plans to charter three flights per week from Heathrow to ferry Britons into Italian ports.

Two of the planes will fly to Genoa, with the other landing in Venice.

In time, though, MSC wants to reintroduce Mediterranean cruises that actually depart from the UK itself, potentially by launching a Fantasia-class ship in 2016.

MSC maintains market presence and touts return to ex-UK

By Phil Davies 

MSC Cruises is maintaining capacity in the UK market despite withdrawing departures from Southampton after this year.

The Italian line is concentrating on fly-Med sailings in 2015 with dedicated charter flights to serve five ships from Venice and its two biggest vessels MSC Fantasia and Preziosa sailing year-round from Barcelona and Genoa.

Regional connecting flights will be commissionable at 5%.

But UK, Ireland and Australia executive director Giles Hawke (pictured) does not rule out a return to ex-UK cruises in the future.

Hawke, speaking ahead of the 2015/16 programme going on sale on Wednesday - the earliest date ever - revealed that the company aims to more than triple UK passenger numbers from 60,000 this year to 200,000 by 2017.

He would not be drawn on when or if MSC would return to ex-UK departures, but said there would be eight calls in either Southampton or Dover next year which will allow agents to make ship visits.

"We will more than replace our ex-UK capacity with our fly-Med programme," he said, indicating that MSC would be the biggest player in the sector in 2015 with departures covering both the western and eastern Mediterranean.

The company has taken 500 pre-registrations from consumers ahead of the on-sale date and expects strong trade support, with early booking offers such as discounts of up to £200 off the brochure price and free cabin upgrades for bookings made between April and June.

Prices lead in at £499 per person based on a seven-night fly-cruise from Barcelona on newest ship MSC Preziosa on December 6, 2015.

Other options include the first ship with upgraded MSC Yacht Club facilities - MSC Splendida - sailing in northern Europe.

Hawke said: "I believe we will return to ex-UK cruising but first we want to build the brand and consumer demand to justify us having one of our biggest ships operating out of Southampton.

"We want to build a brand that the consumer understands and one that commands the kind of prices it deserves."

MSC Opera is being withdrawn to be stretched in size alongside three other Lirica-class ships following this year's season of departures from Southampton.