MSC Cruises reconfirms 2021/22 winter programmes

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 08 December 2020 08 December 2020

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based company that had to suspend its Mediterranean programme due to Italian government advice regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, has reconfirmed its global programmes for the winter of 2021/22.

Further continuing a strong presence out of North America, MSC Cruises will deploy four ships in the region next winter– out of Miami and newly added Port Canaveral.

“Following her inaugural season in the Mediterranean in summer 2021, MSC Seashore, the first of the Seaside Evo ships and the Company’s newest ship, will cross the Atlantic towards the warmer waters of the Caribbean. The ship will offer alternating itineraries calling Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and The Bahamas with Ocean Cay or Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic and Ocean Cay,” the company said.

MSC Armonia, homeporting in Miami, will offer a choice of 3 or 4-or 7-night cruises that include Ocean Cay, and on some itineraries offering an overnight stay at this stunning private island.

MSC Divina will start the season out of Port Canaveral and then move to Miami from December. This popular ship for the U.S will offer a range of itineraries with 3- 4- night mini-cruises to Ocean Cay, a range of different 7-night itineraries and an extended 11-night cruise that calls Jamaica, Aruba, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Ocean Cay.

For the first time MSC Meraviglia will homeport in Port Canaveral offering a mix of shorter cruises of three to four-night cruises as well as 6-, 7-and 8-nights with full day calls in the Mexican ports of Costa Maya and Cozumel.

MSC Seaview will also call the Caribbean home during the winter 2021/22 season, this time homeporting in Fort-de-France, in the shadow of Mount Pelée and a stone’s throw from the Jardin de Balata botanical gardens. She will sail from the capital of Martinique on through the Antilles and West Indies, with a series of seven-night cruises. Highlights include Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe and Antigua and Barbuda, where the mesmerising clear blue waters and white sandy beaches will appeal to sun-worshippers’ desires.

 

Four ships in the Mediterranean

MSC Grandiosa, will call in some of Europe’s most popular destinations. Genoa, with its numerous palaces and winding streets, will serve as a key embarkation port for guests, as well as the artistic and gastronomic wonderland of Barcelona and key to the South of France, Marseille. In addition to these gems, the ship will call in the beautiful Palermo, Civitavecchia for access to Rome, and the awe-inspiring old port of Valletta, Malta.

MSC Fantasia will also sail a classic seven-night itinerary with the choice of multiple embarkation ports in MSC Cruises’ most visited destinations, Barcelona, Marseille and Genoa, as well as Italian cultural highlights, including La Spezia – with easy connections to Florence, Pisa and the Cinque Terre – and Naples – famous for their pizzas the world over, before calling in Palma de Mallorca, in the Balearic islands.

MSC Magnifica will offer extended 11-night cruises with two different itineraries for those looking for a little more adventure next winter. The first starts in Genoa and then to Greece, calling Katakolon, Piraeus and Rhodes before reaching Haifa in Israel where the ship remains overnight allowing a full day to discover ashore, then on to Heraklion, Civitavecchia and back to Genoa.

The second itinerary visits five countries – starting in Genoa, Barcelona in Spain then on to Casablanca in Morocco for an extended stay, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Funchal in Portugal, Malaga in Spain and then Italy with Civitavecchia and Genoa.

MSC Poesia will offer 5- and 10-night cruises out of Genoa before embarking on the 2022 World Cruise from Genoa on 5 January.

Two ships in the Arabian Gulf

The Arabian Gulf region will host two MSC Cruises ships for the winter season and guests will be able to attend the postponed Expo 2020 Dubai, which will now commence in October 2021.

MSC Virtuosa, which will enter service in  April 2021, will spend her first winter season in the region, homeporting in Dubai. From there, the ship will sail to the nearby modern metropolis of Abu Dhabi, on to Sir Bani Yas Island, where guests will have a chance to discover an exotic array of wildlife or bask in the warm sun on the immaculate beaches, all exclusive to MSC Cruises on the days which the ships call.

The ship also calls Bahrain, and Doha, the futuristic capital of Qatar, before returning to Dubai with an overnight in the city to discover all the marvels it has to offer.

MSC Opera, will offer a 7-night itinerary that includes two overnights in Dubai to allow guests to fully explore this incredible city as well as calling Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas and Muscat in Oman, one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the Gulf.

Four ships in South America, two in South Africa

The programme for Winter 2021/2022 in South America will feature four modern ships with embarkation in Brazil, as well as a fifth ship in the region with embarkations in Argentina and which will bring Latin American guests to visit the charming Brazilians destination.

MSC Seaside will perform 6, 7, 8-nights from Santos, Brazil.

MSC Preziosa will offer 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-nights from Santos, Brazil as well as 7, 8 -nights calling Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

MSC Splendida will sail from Santos Brazil 7-night cruises also calling Uruguay, Argentina.

MSC Sinfonia will homeport in Itajai, Brazil with 6, 7, 8, 9-night cruises calling Uruguay and Argentina

MSC Orchestra will homeport in Buenos Aires, Argentina with 8, 9, 10-nights also calling Brazil and Uruguay.

MSC Lirica will join MSC Musica in South Africa. MSC Lirica will homeport in Cape Town and MSC Musica in Durban between November 2021 and April 2022 to offer 14 different cruise itineraries that range in length from two to 14 nights. The two ships will alternate their routes to provide South African cruisers with a wider choice of options to suit their holiday needs.

Finally, between October and November 2021, MSC Cruises will expand its already rich itineraries portfolio, with 11 new inspiring Grand Voyages across eleven ships. MSC Poesia will offer brand-new 116-night itinerary around the globe departing on 5 January 2022, the company said.

 

The new MSC Grand Voyages 2021/22 will depart from the major ports worldwide and will last from 18 to 27 days. In Spring 2022, 11 Grand Voyages, from 16 to 28 days, will be available with ships returning from the Gulf, Brazil and Argentina, South Africa, Martinique and the U.S, sailing to Europe for the start of the Summer 2022 Season.

Royal Caribbean Group extends suspension of cruising

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 07 December 2020 07 December 2020

Last week Royal Caribbean Group provided an update of its cruise activities: "While we continue to work with the CDC and government authorities around the world towards the shared goal of safely returning to cruising, we will be extending the suspension of some sailings. The following schedule reflects adjustments to our upcoming itineraries.

Royal Caribbean International

– Most global sailings suspended through February 28, 2021.
– Australia sailings suspended through April 30, 2021.
– Spectrum of the Seas China sailings suspended through January 20, 2021.
– Quantum of the Seas resumed service in Singapore last week

Celebrity Cruises:

– All global sailings suspended through February 28, 2021.
– South America sailings suspended through April 7, 2021.

Silversea Cruises:

– Suspended through April 1, 2021, except for the February 6, 2021, sailing of Silver Origin.

Azamara:

– Suspended sailings through March 20, 2021.

Carnival Cruise Line updates itinerary cancellations, Mardi Gras inaugural on April 24, 2021

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 03 December 2020 03 December 2020

Carnival Cruise Line is informing that it has cancelled select itineraries for specific operations in 2021, as it implements its plans for the resumption of cruising in 2021, including cruise operations in February from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston and moving the inaugural sailing of Mardi Gras until April 24, 2021.

Mardi Gras will operate from Port Canaveral, and remains the most anticipated new ship to operate from North America in 2021. It will be the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ship in the Americas, and feature BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea. Carnival will take delivery of the ship from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland later this month and eventually sail to the U.S. and meet the requirements of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

Carnival is also cancelling the remaining itineraries scheduled to operate from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston through Feb. 28.

"We apologize to our guests but we must continue to take a thoughtful, deliberate and measured approach as we map out our return to operations in 2021," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Our commitment to the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is at the forefront of our decisions and operations."

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. extends suspension of voyages

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 02 December 2020 02 December 2020

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, today announces an extension of its previously announced suspension of global cruise voyages as the Company continues to work through its return to service plan to meet the requirements of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The suspension now includes all voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line embarking between January 1 through February 28 and select voyages in March 2021 and all voyages on Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises embarking between January 1 through March 31, 2021. The Company will continue to work in tandem with global government and public health authorities and its Healthy Sail Panel expert advisors to take all necessary measures to protect its guests, crew and the communities visited.

Guests who are currently booked on cancelled voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises are asked to contact their travel advisor or the cruise line for more information.