MSC Cruises has announced that one of its most innovative ships, MSC Seaside, will be in Europe for the first time since its launch in 2017, joining the company's flagship, MSC Grandiosa, in the Mediterranean from May 1st. MSC Seaside will offer a completely new itinerary, complementary to that offered by MSC Grandiosa, with 7-night cruises calling at Genoa, Valletta in Malta, and either Civitavecchia or Naples, plus two new ports of call for the first time: Syracuse in Sicily and Taranto in Puglia. Embarkation will be available at all Italian ports.
MSC Seaside will implement its industry-leading health and hygiene protocol, which has been in place since August 2020, to protect its passengers and crew. Measures include universal testing upon embarkation, as well as mid-cruise and weekly crew testing, social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing in public areas, protected shore excursions, and enhanced deep cleaning and ongoing cleaning procedures.
MSC Grandiosa's current successful itinerary will run until May 30, with the ship calling at the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo, and Valletta in Malta. MSC Grandiosa has been welcoming passengers since August of last year and has since safely and responsibly transported more than 40,000 people as they enjoyed their holidays at sea.
The MSC Seaside and MSC Grandiosa itineraries are currently available to residents of Schengen countries and Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania[1].
At the two new destinations that MSC Seaside will visit, MSC Cruises will offer a variety of protected shore excursions to ensure that passengers can disembark and discover the sites while remaining in a safe social bubble.
The Sicilian port of Syracuse makes its MSC Cruises debut, offering a selection of protected shore excursions so passengers can discover the rich historical and archaeological sites in the area. For those seeking breathtaking scenery, MSC Cruises will offer visits to Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, with thrilling and unforgettable views, and the ancient splendors of beautiful Taormina.
The southern city of Taranto in Puglia offers something truly special for those seeking a relaxing day while making the most of this historic region. Discover Taranto's old town, with its dozens of churches and palaces, and the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto. Passengers can also explore the Puglia region and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello or travel to beautiful Baroque towns like Martina Franca or Grottaglie, renowned for their pottery.
MSC Seaside rewrote the rulebook of cruise ship design, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces to connect passengers with the sea like never before. It boasts generous outdoor areas with ample open-air deck space and swimming pools. The ship features the MSC Yacht Club for those seeking exclusivity and privacy, offering private club facilities and 24/7 butler service. Specifically designed for warmer weather and best enjoyed outdoors, this ship is the perfect choice for the start of summer in the Mediterranean.
MSC Cruises has also updated its itineraries for the start of its summer season today as a result of the delayed return to availability of certain ports across Europe and is cancelling all other Western Mediterranean itineraries for April and May. Cruises will resume from June as planned.
On the other hand, the cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean scheduled for April have been cancelled and will resume in May, as planned.
In Northern Europe, all April itineraries have been cancelled.
In addition, cruises in the Caribbean have been cancelled until May 31.
