MSC CRUISES UNVEILS ITS PROGRAM FOR THE SUMMER SEASON 2021

MSC CRUISES UNVEILS ITS PROGRAM
FOR THE SUMMER SEASON 2021

SUSPENSION OF ITS CRUISE OPERATIONS UNTIL JULY 31, 2020

· In the summer of 2021, the entire MSC Cruises fleet, comprising 19 ships, will be in service, including two new ships currently under construction: MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore
The company will resume short-term operations for the Winter 2020/21 season when the time is right, by phase and by region, following the advice of the competent national and international health authorities and other regulatory authorities · MSC Cruises will announce soon implementation of a new operating protocol specially focused on health and safety covering the experience of the hosts, from booking to disembarking

Geneva, Switzerland, June 4, 2020 -
As the world continues to face the challenges of the pandemic and with significant travel restrictions still in effect in many regions, MSC Cruises announces today the extension of its temporary halt to operations across the board of its fleet until July 31, 2020.
MSC Cruises offers the customers concerned a voucher which offers them the possibility of transferring the total amount received by MSC Cruises for their canceled cruise to a future cruise, on the ship and the itinerary of their choice, until the end of 2021. Customers will be able to exchange their voucher for a future cruise from June 19 and thus reschedule their cruise to the date that suits them.
In addition, all passengers who have booked a cruise with a departure between August 1 and October 31, 2020, will have their reservations covered by an extension of the Postponement Flexibility Program.
This program allows hosts, for reservations made until May 31, to postpone their cruise to a later departure date until December 31, 2021, up to 7 days before the departure of the original cruise for cruises. alone, or for "Flight & Cruise" packages, up to 14 days before flight departure.
Today, the Swiss-based cruise company also unveils its program for the Summer 2021 season *, which will start in March 2021 and which will include two new ships currently under construction, a series of enriched itineraries and new home ports .

Gianni Onorato, CEO MSC Cruises:
“While today we have made the difficult decision to further extend the shutdown of all our vessels, it is also important to look to the future as we know that our customers dream of travel and are waiting to plan their vacation for next year.
For this reason, we have also endorsed our program for the summer season 2021 ”.

Mr. Onorato adds:
"In the shorter term, our vessels will not be returned to service until the time is right, by phase and by region, following the advice of national and international authorities competent in health matters and other regulatory authorities supported by a new operating protocol specially focused on health and safety, which we will announce soon.
In this way, gradually, all of our ships will return to sea by the start of our Summer 2021 season. "

Below are the main elements of the summer 2021 program, including the 17 ships of the current fleet as well as two new ships under construction, the MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore, for a total of 19 ships.

The summer 2021 program offers its guests a wide variety of choices and flexibility, so that everyone can find what they need for their vacation and book with confidence.

• Different cruise durations so that everyone can find what they need, from mini-cruises of 3 or 4 nights, from 7-night cruises to longer cruises of 9, 11 and 14 nights,
• With 19 ships, customers opt for more traditional and charming ships or for larger and modern ships with an abundance of outdoor spaces,
• A large number of embarkation ports for customers to find the one that suits them best in terms of accessibility and travel preferences.

In addition to a wide range of destinations, MSC Cruises ships offer a rich experience on board, including an award-winning family offer, world-class entertainment, international dining experiences, comfortable and spacious cabins, numerous public spaces and advanced technology.
Without forgetting the exclusive MSC Yacht Club present on the Fantasia, Meraviglia and Seaside class ships, for those looking for an even more personalized service and private facilities.

Iconic Seaside class ships set to become stars of the Western Mediterranean

The three innovative Seaside class ships, designed to bring passengers closer to the sea, will all be deployed for the first time in the Western Mediterranean.
These ships - MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview and MSC Seashore - have a large ratio of outdoor space, ideal for guests who want the sun and breathtaking sea views in this popular area.
The MSC Seashore will enter into service on August 1, 2021 due to the delay caused by the temporary closure of the shipyard following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MSC Fantasia will temporarily cover its itinerary during this period (guests will be offered an on-board credit of € 100 in compensation for this change).
The MSC Seashore will have the highest ratio of outdoor space per passenger of any vessel in the fleet and will offer stops in the Italian cities of Genoa; Naples to visit Pompeii; Messina in Sicily; Valletta in Malta; Barcelona in Spain and Marseille.
She will be joined by the twin ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview in their home port of Genoa and will undertake 7-night cruises on one of the most popular seas in the world.
The company will also make a stopover in Tunisia from August, when the MSC Fantasia will carry out seven cruises from Genoa to Marseille, Barcelona, the port of La Goulette in Tunisia, Palermo and Civitavecchia.
Cruises of 9 to 12 nights on board the MSC Poesia will also be available at the end of summer, departing from Genoa, in Italy to Morocco, the Canary Islands, Madeira and Portugal or to Greece and Israel with stopover in the magnificent port of Haifa.

Enhanced itineraries in the eastern Mediterranean
New for the summer of 2021, the MSC Lirica will be deployed from Venice, Italy, and will also offer the possibility of embarking in the port of Trieste, in the north of Italy, with a superb route calling at Zadar, Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia; Kotor in Montenegro and Corfu in Greece.

In addition, MSC Musica, MSC Orchestra, MSC Opera and MSC Sinfonia will offer 7-night itineraries from Venice with stops in the Greek Islands, Montenegro and Croatia.

Inspiring range of itineraries in Northern Europe
From May 8, the all-new MSC Virtuosa will make its first summer season in Northern Europe with cruises of 7 to 14 nights departing from the port of Kiel, in Germany, and will alternate between the fjords and the Baltic capitals, with itineraries offering the possibility of boarding in Kiel or Copenhagen.
Aboard the MSC Splendida, the famous fjords of the Norwegian west coast and the Baltic capitals can also be enjoyed on a 7 to 14 night itinerary which will also offer longer cruises of 10 and 11 nights in the Baltic capitals or to the North Cape.
The MSC Magnifica will be attached to the port of Southampton, in the United Kingdom and will offer different itineraries: 7 nights to the fjords of Norway, 14 nights to the Baltic capitals or the Mediterranean in mid-August, 12 nights to the Canary Islands and 7 nights to visit the Pearls of the North Sea (from Hamburg to Le Havre via Zeebrugge).
The MSC Preziosa will offer itineraries of 9 to 14 nights from Hamburg with stops in Ireland, Iceland, the North Cape and Spitsbergen in Norway.

Caribbean and Bahamas bathed in sunshine
Known as "the ship for all seasons," the MSC Meraviglia will offer 7-night cruises every Saturday from Miami, Florida, while the MSC Armonia will leave Miami on Mondays and Fridays for new cruises. short 3 and 4 nights with stopover at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Also new, the elegant MSC Divina will depart for the first time from Port Canaveral, Florida - a new home port for MSC Cruises - and offer a mix of 3, 4 and 7 night cruises with departures scheduled on Sundays and Thursdays.
With this new home port, MSC Cruises hosts will now have the opportunity to explore the Orlando area before or after the cruise to extend their vacation experience.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will remain a strong stopover for Caribbean cruises with three ships calling at the private island in the Bahamas.
Exclusively for MSC Cruises hosts, the private island - located just 100km from Miami and surrounded by 165km² of marine reserve - offers a unique opportunity to discover local marine life, to soak up the spirit of the culture of Bahamas and take the time to refocus.
With ships moored from early morning until late evening, guests spend a full day enjoying the 3km of white sand spread over eight beaches allowing a wide choice of activities around the ocean such as deep-sea fishing, diving snorkeling, stand up paddle and kayaking.
In the evening, the island comes alive with a light show, an authentic and energetic Junkanoo parade and a dance under the stars with music by Bahamian artists and DJs.

For more details, guests can contact their travel agent or visit the MSC Cruises website here

https://www.msccroisieres.be