Msc Cruises News
MSC Cruises pulls out of Turkey following latest terror attack
MSC Cruises has announced that it has decided to suspend its calls in Turkish ports until further notice. The decision will impact MSC Magnifica’s itinerary as the ship will be based out of Venice, Italy as of March 26th.
MSC Cruises to launch exclusive marine reserve in Bahamas
MSC Cruises, the Geneva-based global cruise line, has unveiled ambitious plans to create an unprecedented exclusive marine reserve island experience in the Bahamas. The visionary project was officially launched in the Bahamian capital Nassau, where prime minister Perry Christie and MSC Cruises executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago signed a 100-year lease agreement that will enable MSC Cruises to occupy and develop the island, to be called Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
MSC Musica to homeport in Abu Dhabi for winter season
MSC Cruises has taken part in the inauguration of the new cruise terminal at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi, officially marking the beginning of the winter 2015/16 season with MSC Musica homeporting there for the duration of the season. MSC Musica will take guests from Dubai or Abu Dhabi on a series of seven-night cruises in a one of the most fascinating and diverse regions in the world.
CLIA to launch Summit at Sea In 2016
As part of ongoing enhancements to their Executive Partner Membership Program, Cruise Lines International Association is launching the Summit At Sea, a unique new networking and educational opportunity. The event, which will be hosted on-board MSC’s Preziosa, January 8th-11th, 2016, is exclusively offered to CLIA’s Executive Partner and Cruise Line Members.
MSC Armonia to homeport in Cuba from 2016
MSC Cruises is to strengthen its presence in Cuba by home-porting a second ship in Havana from the winter 2016-17 season. In a move that will quickly double the number of MSC Cruises Caribbean itineraries centred on Cuba, MSC Armonia will join MSC Opera in Havana, from November 2016, for the entire winter season.
MSC Cruises completes Renaissance overhaul programme
MSC Cruises has completed its Renaissance Programme, delivering four renewed ships that will spearhead the company’s push into new markets and further strengthen its position in those where it is the leader. MSC Cruises chief executive Gianni Onorato told a press conference aboard MSC Lirica – the final ship to complete the Renaissance transformation – that the project reinforced the elements that so distinguish the MSC Cruises experience.
Barrhead Travel launches flight connections with MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises and Barrhead Travel are giving Scottish guests the opportunity to fly straight to the Mediterranean sunshine in 2016, thanks to new regional departures from Glasgow. Scottish travel agency giant Barrhead Travel will operate its first dedicated Glasgow – Genoa service right through the summer next year, with flights perfectly timed for cruisers joining MSC Fantasia on its seven-night Western Med sailings from the Italian city.
MSC Cruises signs Caissa Touristic Group as Chinese partner
Caissa Touristic Group, China’s leading outbound tourism service provider, and Geneva, Switzerland-based MSC Cruises have entered into a strategic partnership. As part of the agreement, from May 2016, MSC Lirica will homeport in Shanghai to serve the Chinese home market. The strategic cooperation agreement between the two companies will be the longest-running and financially most significant between a cruise line and a tour operator in the history of cruising in China.
MSC Cruises becomes first line to homeport in Havana
MSC Cruises has revealed that, starting in December 2015, it will be the first mainstream cruise line to homeport in Cuba. Its 2,120-guest MSC Opera will homeport in Havana for the winter 2015-16 season to offer guests 16 Caribbean cruises.
Etihad Airways signs partnership with MSC Cruises to boost Abu Dhabi
MSC Cruises and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, have signed a new partnership agreement that will benefit MSC Cruises’ guests travelling to Abu Dhabi and the UAE. The partnership with Etihad Airways reflects MSC Cruises’ long-standing commitment to its guests and is testament to the company’s wish to always make its all-around offering a best-in-class experience, both at sea and in the air.
MSC Cruises pulls out of Egypt and Ukraine as unrest continues
MSC Cruises has suspended remaining 2015 calls in Ukraine and Egypt, replacing them with a number of choice Mediterranean alternatives. MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, MSC Fantasia and MSC Musica will, from autumn 2015 to winter 2016, incorporate Bulgaria, the Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete, as well as Cyprus and Israel into their sailings. The move has been taken in response to market demand and the on-going political unrest in Ukraine and Egypt.
MSC Divina to homeport in Miami year-round from 2016
MSC Cruises announced earlier it will deploy MSC Divina from Miami year-round in 2016. The decision will allow a global audience to benefit from added itineraries and increased availability of the unique MSC Cruises experience in the Caribbean. The stunning 3,502-guest MSC Divina had been set to return to Miami for its winter Caribbean season in November 2015 before returning to Europe again in April 2016.