“An important step in a long journey back:” MSC Cruises to restart operations in the Mediterranean

EUROPE. In encouraging news for the cruise sector, MSC Cruises will resume operations in the Mediterranean this month. MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will restart seven-day sailings from 16 and 29 August respectively, following approval from the governments of Italy, Malta and Greece.

The two ships will be the first to implement a comprehensive health and safety protocol that has been approved by the relevant national authorities. In line with the new standards in place across MSC ships, MSC Retailing has significantly adapted its own processes to ensure an enhanced level of safety, as reported.

Double boost: MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will restart cruises later this month, with new safety protocols promised for crew, travellers and onboard services including retail

MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “During the pause in our operations we focused on developing a comprehensive operating protocol that builds upon already stringent health and safety measures that have long been in place onboard our ships.

“We have worked closely with the relevant EU-level, national health and other authorities from the countries that MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will call along their Mediterranean itineraries to develop a comprehensive set of procedures designed to protect the health and safety of all passengers onboard our ships as well as ashore to ensure that local communities feel comfortable welcoming our guests.”


[Click on the YouTube icon to view a new video from MSC Cruises as it prepares for a return to the seas]

MSC Grandiosa, the company’s flagship, will offer seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean calling at the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, and Palermo and Valetta in Malta. MSC Magnifica will offer seven-night cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean departing from the Italian ports of Bari and Trieste, calling at the Greek ports of Corfu, Katakolon and Piraeus.

For this initial phase of the restart of operations, the two MSC Cruises ships will initially only welcome guests who are residents in Schengen Area countries. The itineraries have been designed according to the accessibility of the ports, reducing where possible, the need for guests to use public transport or flights and have been planned in conjunction with the authorities.

Adrian Pittaway: “We look forward working with the rest of the cruise retail sector to help steer the learnings and develop industry-wide best practice”

MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said: “We are very pleased to be able to start welcoming back guests for full-experience cruise holidays this summer, onboard two of our most popular ships including our flagship MSC Grandiosa, and in the Mediterranean, the very region where our company’s roots are and we have long been market leaders.”

Addressing the implications for retail, MSC Cruises Head of Retail Adrian Pittaway said in a note to partners: “We have created a comprehensive set of retail protocols with assistance from Duty Free World Council, Aspen Medical, our partners and our in-house experts, and we are ready to welcome our loyal guests to shop safely with us onboard.

“This really is the first important step in a long journey back for us, our onboard retail family and all our travel retail trade partners. We look forward working with the rest of the cruise retail sector to help steer the learnings and develop industry-wide best practice.”

MSC Cruises has cancelled all other cruises in the Mediterranean from 16 August through to and including 31 October. The company has also announced the cancellation of all US cruise departures up to and including 31 October.

This is in line with the announcement that Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) members will voluntarily extend the suspension of cruise operations to this date. MSC Cruises has also cancelled its Asian cruises from 10 September through to 26 October.

The cruise company has already announced details of services for the Winter 2020 and Summer 2021 seasons. Its ships will offer guests itineraries across the Caribbean, Mediterranean, the Gulf, South Africa, South America and Asia.


[Click on the YouTube icon to view the latest health & safety measures from MSC Cruises]

Gianni Onorato concluded: “We will closely monitor updates and new guidelines at a global, European and national level and will continuously review and update our health and safety protocol not only to make sure that its measures reflect the most updated medical know-how and technology as it becomes available but also to reflect in it the different phases in the evolution and spread of the virus and as social restrictions change over time.

“To this end, with time and in line with the development of the health situation ashore we are hoping to be able to relax certain measures while continuing to ensure that the health and safety of everyone onboard our ships remains our priority. At the same time, we will always make sure that our guests can enjoy and relax whilst on holiday on board one of MSC Cruises ships the way they always have – now including this summer.”

*MSC Cruises Head of Retail Adrian Pittaway is a speaker at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo (12-16 October). He will address retail recovery in the cruise sector, and joins a stellar line-up of speakers that will speak about the new world of travel retail during the week. Click here to register.

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