- The CEO of the Barceló Viajes group, Gabriel Subías, has signed an agreement with his counterpart at MSC Cruises, Gianni Onorato, to incorporate more routes from the leading company in the sector in Europe into the B the travel brand catalog
- Thanks to exclusive flights from its airline Evelop!, B the travel brand will offer, as a new feature, embarkations in Bari (Italy) and Rostock (Germany) for cruises in the Mediterranean, the Norwegian fjords and the fascinating cities of the Baltic, in addition to the entire MSC Cruises product range
- Venice and Stockholm, exclusive visits when you book with B the travel brand
- B the travel brand will also facilitate direct flights from Madrid to Havana through Evelop! for 8-day, 7-night Caribbean cruises with two days in the Cuban capital.
B the travel brand and MSC Cruises—a leading cruise line in Europe, South Africa, and South America—will strengthen their offerings for the 2015-2016 winter and 2016 summer seasons after signing a close collaboration agreement to market the Swiss company's cruises through the Barceló Viajes group's network of travel agencies. This initiative stems from an agreement signed between the CEO of the Barceló Viajes group, Gabriel Subías, and his counterpart at MSC Cruises, Gianni Onorato. Under this agreement, B the travel brand will incorporate all MSC Cruises voyages into its travel catalog, including three new summer routes departing from Bari, Italy, and the Baltic port of Warnemünde—near the German city of Rostock—offered exclusively via direct flights from Madrid with Evelop !
Thanks to this new agreement, cruise passengers will have exclusive access to one of Italy's jewels, Venice, a world-renowned city famous for its canals and bridges, its multitude of palaces, and its colorful, narrow streets. They will also have the opportunity to visit Stockholm, one of Europe's most beautiful cities, which will surprise them with its cosmopolitan spirit, modern Scandinavian architecture, palaces, and expansive green spaces. Furthermore, the Norwegian fjords and glaciers will be featured in one of the most unique itineraries for cruises departing from the Baltic Sea this summer, among their various tours of Northern Europe.
Among the new features of these latest proposals, which add to the brand's extensive travel catalog, is the option to board directly from Madrid, as B the travel brand will facilitate the connection of each of the boarding cities with direct flights from the airport of the Spanish capital.
During the signing of the agreement in the port of Barcelona aboard the MSC Fantasia ship, Gabriel Subías highlighted that this “exclusive alliance” allows B the travel brand to diversify its vacation package offerings with “a differentiated product for customers” that includes, as a novelty , “the great advantage of visiting cities like Stockholm or Venice that can only be visited during a stopover on the voyage if embarking from Rostock or Bari, respectively,” resulting in “an exclusive B the travel brand package that can only be obtained through our network of agencies.”
For his part, Gianni Onorato emphasized that “MSC Cruises’ itineraries in the Baltic, the fjords, and the Mediterranean stand out for their scenic, historical, and cultural appeal.” He affirmed that the company “remains committed to offering its customers the most attractive destinations, with the goal of providing the best travel experiences in its category.” The new collaboration agreement “will lead to a wider reach for our products and services, as well as increased brand awareness, resulting in greater global visibility.”
The Caribbean, even in winter
On December 22, MSC Cruises will begin its new winter itinerary through the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, a circuit that will last until April 2016. From Havana, where the ship will stay for two nights, the 275-meter-long MSC Opera will set sail and travel for eight days to the ports of Montego Bay (Jamaica), George Town (Cayman Islands) and the island of Cozumel (Mexico), before finally docking back in Cuba.
This voyage will take place aboard the MSC Opera, built in 2004 and remodeled this year as part of the Renaissance Program, which has 1,075 cabins, a new solarium and extensive common areas for dining, leisure and recreation to make the voyage a pleasant journey.
Fjords, Baltic and Mediterranean, the cruises of the summer
The same MSC Opera ship will begin sailing in June 2016 on the waters of the Baltic Sea to connect northern Germany with Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), and Copenhagen (Denmark) by cruise, as well as the Norwegian fjords depending on the weekly schedule, with several itineraries available.
Meanwhile, the luxurious MSC Magnifica will bring forward the summer season to March 27, 2016 and will be destined to sail the waters of the Mediterranean from the port of Bari, in the heart of the Adriatic, with stops in Katakolo (Greece), Izmir and Istanbul (Turkey), and Dubrovnik (Croatia), as well as a full day in Venice (Italy) before its return to Bari.
Entertainment lovers will enjoy top-notch shows on board which, together with award-winning cuisine and excellent service, will make the experience with MSC Cruises and B the travel brand a truly unforgettable journey.
A modern and luxurious Italian-style fleet
MSC Opera is the third ship in the MSC Cruises fleet to introduce dedicated children's areas, thanks to partnerships with Chicco® and LEGO®. These enhancements are a fantastic complement to the existing facilities on MSC Opera, such as the three outdoor pools, bars, and restaurants. MSC Opera offers 20 hours of daily entertainment for all ages. More than 20 hours of shows and activities are inspired by the countries and fascinating cultures of the ports of call. The ship also features separate areas for children and teenagers, segmented by age: Baby (0-3 years); Mini Club, Juniors Club, Young Club, and Teens Club.
The MSC Magnifica, measuring 294 meters in length, has 1,259 cabins and displaces 65,591 tons. Its facilities include three swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, a 1,200-seat theater, a cinema, a casino, a nightclub, a cigar lounge, and numerous bars, among a wide range of leisure activities. The ship also boasts an extensive outdoor area with a large sundeck and a giant screen showing music videos, sporting events, and films. The onboard dining options cater to all tastes in its five restaurants: two main restaurants, L'Edera and Quattro Venti, offering the best of Mediterranean cuisine, as well as an Asian restaurant, Oriental Plaza, the Sahara Buffet, and an à la carte restaurant, L'Oasi.
