A PROGRAM OF EXCURSIONS DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,
IN THE CONTEXT OF ITS COMMITMENT TO THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

MSC Cruises, the world's fastest growing cruise company, illustrates once again its continued commitment to protecting the environment by revealing today not only a series of carefully selected excursions designed to protect and preserve the natural beauty of the planet.

The new PROTECTOURS program offers the company's guests a unique way to discover their stopover destinations, while making a positive contribution to the planet through activities focused on protecting and preserving the environment.
More than 25 of these activities are available today, and the list continues to grow.

PROTECTOURS offers guests the chance to have an original point of view on nature while at the same time having the opportunity to preserve its beauty and help ensure a greener future.
These excursions are distinguished by offering the exceptional level of service and the whole concept of adventure specific to MSC Cruises, but above all they offer greater proximity to nature in varied environments around the world.

MSC Cruises has become the world's leading carbon neutral cruise company for all of its maritime operations since the start of the year.
This commitment to the environment is also deployed for dockside activities with PROTECTOURS.

According to a new trend report published by MSC Cruises, The future of the Guest Experience - climate change is causing more and more guests to seek more efficient and eco-responsible vacation options because sustainability, social impact and civic engagement are occupying an increasingly priority place in people's minds. More than half of Generation Z consumers (54%) say that the environmental impact of travel to their destination is an important factor in choosing a destination.

These excursions will be offered in many regions of the world,
and to name just a few:

PROTECTOURS - The animal paradise: hiking in the forest with rescued stray dogs, in Jamaica:
This half-day trip allows participants to not only go on a half-day hike in the company of dogs rescued by the teams of the "Montego Bay Animal Heaven".
The Montego Bay Animal Heaven refuge was created by Tammy Brown to raise awareness of the problem of overcrowding of street animals, and to save stray dogs.
As part of their mission, shelter teams provide local communities with sterilization and castration clinics, feeding stations, education programs and animal rescues.

PROTECTOURS - Discover the wonderful world of bees in Corfu, Greece:
The island of Corfu is renowned for its beautiful countryside, and there, in the middle of this idyllic landscape, guests can dive into the wonderful world of bees, and learn more about these insects whose role is vital for the planet.
Recently named "the most important living thing on earth" by the Royal Geographical Society, bees live in a rich and complex society that hosts will have the opportunity to discover in detail.

After leaving the ship, the hosts will head south towards beautiful Korission Lake and the Bioporos farm, where they will be able to observe honey bees up close.
All safety equipment is provided, and hosts will be able to meet this wonderful insect, learn about threats to their species, and the importance of their role in our ecosystem.

PROTECTOURS - Desert conservation in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:
Adventurers can opt for the Desert Conservation tour, which will give them the opportunity to spend six hours helping to preserve the unique landscapes of the United Arab Emirates.
Each year, thousands of locals and tourists visit the desert for moments of relaxation, leisure or adventure, and unfortunately, they leave behind traces of their passage such as litter, tires, car batteries and other wastes that harm this fragile ecosystem.

With this excursion, guests will have the chance to "save" the desert, driving far into the heart of this environment in the company of an expert guide.
They will not only be able to discover all the beautiful experiences that the desert has to offer with its natural splendor, but they will also be able to actively preserve it by collecting waste and restoring the environment.

PROTECTOURS - Iceland on horseback and tree planting in Reykjavik, Iceland:
Iceland is known for its extreme and unique landscapes, and guests will have the opportunity to explore the Icelandic countryside for themselves, on the back of an Icelandic horse once adopted by the Vikings.
They will trek through the wild beauty of lava fields and green hills, teeming with birds.
These very special horses are unique for their docility and friendly character, as well as their medium size and thick coat.
This breed is endemic to the island, and an ancestral law prohibits the importation of horses and permanently bans any horse that leaves Iceland, in order to preserve the purity of the breed over the generations.

Following the trek, the journey continues towards the forest of Guðmundarlundur to meet a forester from the "Kópavogur Forestry Association" who will guide the hosts to plant a tree by themselves, thus supporting the efforts of the foresters to conserve this unique space, and also contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.

For more information, go to: http://www.mscpressarea.com/fr_BE

About MSC Cruises

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is part of the cruises division of the MSC Group, also based in Switzerland, which is the leading conglomerate on the transport and logistics market belonging to the Aponte family.

As part of an unprecedented investment plan of 11.6 billion euros, the company's fleet will expand from 17 to 25 cruise ships by 2027.
In addition, the cruise division of the MSC Group has invested an additional 2 billion euros in a new luxury cruise brand comprising four super-yachts to be launched between 2023 and 2026, at the rate of one ship per year.

The MSC Cruises fleet is one of the most advanced in the industry in environmental matters.
The company is committed to protecting the environment, and continues to minimize and continually reduce the environmental impact of its fleet both at sea and on land, using the best maritime and environmental technologies more innovative.
With a long-term goal of achieving zero emissions, in 2020, MSC Cruises becomes the world's first carbon neutral cruise company by offsetting all of the CO2 emissions in its fleet that cannot be reduced to 'today thanks to existing environmental technologies.