MSC Cruises announced today that it will restart its sailing operations in Germany on July 3 with the first deployment of an innovative Seaside-class ship, MSC Seaview, to operate in the Baltic Sea with a new itinerary for the region.
The ship will be based in Kiel until September and will offer 7-night trips, all with bubble excursions stopping in Visby, the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland; in the port of Nynashamn, to tour the Swedish capital Stockholm, and in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, before returning to the port in northern Germany.
MSC Seaview will be available to passengers of all ages from the Schengen area in Europe, as well as residents of Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria.
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, commented: “We look forward to the resumption of our cruises from Germany, an incredibly important market for us, and to offering our passengers a pleasant, relaxing and safe holiday on MSC Seaview, one of our most innovative ships.”.
“Visiting destinations and going ashore is an integral aspect of a cruise holiday and is now possible with our Baltic Sea cruises from Germany thanks to the general easing of health measures locally, as well as in much of Europe, and the confirmed opening of the ports and destinations where MSC Seaview will call,” he added.
Gianni Onorato concluded: “We are delighted that this new itinerary offers our passengers some exceptional destinations to visit where they can safely discover the beauty of the Baltic with the same high standards of health and hygiene as those on board MSC Seaview, as well as all our ships.”.
Visby, the capital of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning medieval buildings. Stockholm, known as the “Venice of the North,” is famous for its exceptional architecture and abundance of open waterways, while Tallinn is renowned for its monumental walls, towers, and remarkably well-preserved historic buildings.
The ship will adhere to the industry-leading health and hygiene protocol developed last year with input from international health experts, including ' COVID-19 Blue-Ribbon , and transport authorities across Europe. Measures include universal testing upon embarkation and throughout the cruise, weekly crew testing, social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing in public areas, and protected shore excursions.
MSC Cruises will closely monitor the situation on land at all destinations where MSC Seaview will call to see if new ports can be added.
MSC Seaview's Baltic Sea cruises are another step forward in MSC Cruises' broader plans to bring its entire fleet back to sea. MSC Grandiosa and MSC Seaside are currently sailing in the Western Mediterranean, and MSC Seashore will join them in August for its inaugural season. The company's newest addition, MSC Virtuosa, will also begin its own inaugural season later this week with UK itineraries.
Additionally, three more ships will soon begin their cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean: MSC Orchestra, MSC Splendida, and MSC Magnifica. Furthermore, given the limited number of ports open in the Baltic and North Seas for cruises this summer, MSC Cruises has been forced to cancel its planned summer season departures from the German ports of Warnemünde and Hamburg for MSC Preziosa and MSC Musica, respectively.
