Geneva, Switzerland, August 8, 2020 – MSC Cruises announced today that its flagship ships, MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica, will resume operations in the Mediterranean on August 16 and 29 respectively, offering passengers a complete vacation experience with the opportunity to discover five destinations during their 7-night cruise. The two ships will be the first to implement a new health and hygiene protocol approved by relevant national authorities in the countries where the ships will call on their Mediterranean itineraries this summer.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, commented, “During the pause in our operations, we focused on developing an operational protocol that builds upon the existing health and hygiene measures on board our ships. We have worked closely with European authorities and health and other relevant authorities in the countries where MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will call on their itineraries this summer to develop a series of procedures designed to protect the health and safety of passengers on board our ships and also ensure that local communities feel comfortable welcoming our passengers.”
Pierfrancesco Vago continued, “The new procedures include universal COVID-19 testing for all passengers and crew before boarding, safe excursions in each destination exclusively with MSC Cruises, an additional level of protection for our passengers, and the creation of a new COVID-19 Protection Plan for greater peace of mind. With all these measures, we want to offer our passengers the safest possible vacation.”
MSC Grandiosa, the company's flagship, will offer seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean, calling at the ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Palermo, and Valletta. Meanwhile, MSC Magnifica will offer seven-night cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean, departing from the Italian ports of Bari and Trieste, and calling at the Greek ports of Corfu, Katakolon, and Piraeus (Athens).
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, commented: “We are delighted to begin welcoming our passengers this summer to provide them with a complete holiday experience, aboard two of our most popular ships, including our flagship, MSC Grandiosa, in the Mediterranean, the same region where our company's roots lie and where we have long been market leaders.”
MSC Cruises' new operating protocol has been designed to protect the health and safety of passengers, crew, and the local communities that visit the company's ships. For this reason, it meets and exceeds the guidelines issued by regional and international regulatory and technical bodies, as well as the regulations established by governments in the countries where MSC Cruises ships operate. Furthermore, RINA, the independent maritime certification corporation, has verified that the protocol complies with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and other additional health standards, including those of the EU Healthy Gateways Joint Action. MSC Cruises has worked to encompass all aspects of the passenger journey, from booking and embarkation to onboard life and the return home, while preserving the unique passenger experience.
For this initial phase of resuming operations, the two MSC Cruises ships sailing in the Mediterranean this summer season will only accept passengers residing in Schengen countries, for the time being. Furthermore, these itineraries have been designed in conjunction with the relevant authorities and in accordance with port accessibility, minimizing, where possible, the need for passengers to use public transportation or flights.
MSC Cruises has today cancelled all remaining Mediterranean cruises from August 16 through October 31 inclusive. Therefore, passengers residing in Schengen countries – and subject to any restrictions imposed by Italian authorities – who have booked any MSC Cruises itinerary up to October 31, can transfer their booking to MSC Grandiosa or MSC Magnifica and will receive up to three complimentary shore excursions, depending on their original fare category. Alternatively, they will also be offered a Future Cruise Voucher, which can be used on any MSC Cruises ship or itinerary until December 2021. Furthermore, other travelers residing in Schengen countries – and subject to any restrictions imposed by Italian authorities – who already hold a Future Cruise Voucher due to the cancellation of a previous cruise, can use their voucher on these two ships and take advantage of the up to three complimentary shore excursions.
Residents of countries outside the Schengen area will be able to receive a Future Cruise Voucher that they can transfer to any ship and any itinerary of the company until December 2021.
MSC Cruises has also announced the cancellation of all its cruise departures from the United States through October 31, in line with CLIA members' announcement that they will voluntarily extend the suspension of cruise operations until that date. CLIA stated that “this proactive action further demonstrates the cruise industry’s commitment to public health and willingness to voluntarily suspend operations for health and safety, as has occurred twice before.” MSC Cruises will only restart its cruise operations in the United States when the time is right and following approval from the CDC and other relevant authorities throughout the region, in compliance with their requirements and guidelines.
Beyond the summer itineraries announced today, MSC Cruises is monitoring the evolution of the pandemic and analyzing the gradual introduction of other ships that may potentially enter service this summer.
Today's announcement follows the confirmation of all the details of MSC Cruises' programs, running from the end of October this year until November 2021, covering the 2020/2021 winter and 2021 summer seasons. The ships will offer itineraries in all the regions where MSC Cruises traditionally operates, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, South America, and Asia.
Regarding MSC Cruises' itineraries beyond the current summer season, Gianni Onorato concluded: “We will continue to closely monitor updates and new guidelines at the national, European, and international levels and continuously update our health and hygiene protocol. This is not only to ensure that the measures reflect the latest medical knowledge and technology as they become available, but also to reflect the different phases of the virus's evolution and spread, as well as any social restrictions that may change over time. To this end, and in line with the evolving health situation on land, we hope to be able to relax certain measures while continuing to ensure that the health and safety of everyone on board our ships remains our top priority. At the same time, we will always ensure that our passengers can enjoy and relax while on holiday aboard one of MSC Cruises' ships, just as they always have, including this summer.”.
