The Port of Malaga welcomed the MSC Virtuosa, one of MSC Cruises' most modern ships, which made its first call at the city. The ship, delivered in February of this year, arrived in the city after spending the summer on domestic cruises in the United Kingdom.
Málaga is on the route that MSC Virtuosa has been operating since September 22nd, offering four departures with a 10-day, 9-night itinerary through the Western Mediterranean until mid-November, when it will sail to Dubai. Departures from Málaga will take place on October 3rd, 12th, 21st, and 31st, in addition to today's departure. During the voyage, passengers from Málaga will be able to enjoy tourist gems such as Cádiz, Lisbon, Barcelona, Marseille, and Genoa, as well as three full days at sea.
This first port of call was accompanied by the traditional exchange of plaques. The event took place in the Port of Malaga with all necessary safety measures in place, and was attended by representatives from MSC Cruises, the ship's captain, the Malaga Port Authority, the Malaga City Council's Tourism Department, Costa del Sol Tourism and Planning, the Andalusian Regional Government's Ministry of Tourism, and Malaga Cruise Port, along with the shipping agent, Cabeza Marítima.
This was the first of several calls by an MSC Cruises ship in Malaga during 2021. The company has scheduled a total of 14 calls by 5 different ships through the end of the year. Furthermore, the cruise line anticipates a total of 27 calls in 2022, representing a 42% increase compared to the 19 calls in 2019. This demonstrates MSC Cruises' commitment to the Port of Malaga and the city itself, and its intention to revive activity after the cruise industry's standstill caused by the pandemic.
Fernando Pacheco, Managing Director of MSC Cruises in Spain, stated, “We have long desired to return to the Port of Malaga, not only to showcase this wonderful city to our cruise passengers but also to resume working with all the authorities, companies, travel agencies, suppliers, and local entities with whom we have a long-standing and close professional relationship. Our commitment to the port and the city of Malaga is unwavering, as evidenced by our planned 27 port calls in 2022, representing a 42% increase over those made in 2019 before the pandemic. Undoubtedly, Malaga's climate, lifestyle, and rich cultural offerings will be a major draw for our passengers, who will be able to enjoy one of the best cities in the Mediterranean while adhering to our health and hygiene protocols.”.
The CEO added that “Málaga makes it very easy for us as a destination to implement our rigorous health and hygiene protocol, a pioneer in the industry that has been guaranteeing safe holidays for tens of thousands of travelers worldwide for over a year. Key to this is, for example, the quality and professionalism of the local suppliers we work with to organize group excursions on land in small bubbles.”.
For his part, the President of the Port Authority, Carlos Rubio Basabe, highlighted “the importance of MSC Cruises to our port, a shipping company with which we have always maintained a close collaboration, especially during the pandemic, during which we worked together to organize and implement safety protocols.” Rubio added that “we hope this relationship will continue and grow in the future, as it will undoubtedly be very beneficial for the port, the destination, and the company itself.”.
The MSC Virtuosa won't be the only ship in the fleet offering residents of Malaga and Andalusia the opportunity to embark on a comfortable and convenient dream vacation. In addition, the MSC Splendida will be offering regular departures throughout the autumn, with extensive 12-day itineraries sailing to attractive destinations such as Civitavecchia (for a visit to Rome) and Genoa in Italy, Barcelona, Lanzarote, Tenerife, and Funchal, the capital of Madeira (Portugal). These departures are scheduled for October 12th and 23rd, November 3rd, 14th, and 25th, and December 4th.
Furthermore, as proof of this commitment not only to the city of Malaga but also to the region of Andalusia, MSC Cruises has confirmed its attendance at CITCA, the 2nd International Cruise Tourism Congress in Andalusia, which will take place at the Auditorium of the Provincial Council of Malaga on October 21 and 22 and will serve for the cruise sector to jointly define all the challenges of 2022.
MSC Virtuosa, one of MSC Cruises' most innovative and environmentally advanced ships
MSC Virtuosa was delivered in February and is one of MSC Cruises' most innovative and environmentally advanced ships. It belongs to the Meraviglia-class generation of ships, characterized by an iconic 112-meter-long promenade with a stunning LED dome at its heart. The 19-deck ship will offer passengers of all ages the very best in dining, entertainment, bars and lounges, boutique shops, a spa and fitness center, a water park, and clubs for toddlers and teens. In addition, the new MSC Starship Club, featuring the world's first humanoid robotic bartender in a futuristic setting, is sure to be a major attraction for passengers.
These voyages aboard MSC Virtuosa are conducted in the safest way possible. MSC Cruises' industry-leading health and hygiene protocol has been ensuring the safety of tens of thousands of travelers aboard MSC Cruises ships since August 2020, when the company restarted operations in Italy.
This protocol includes testing all passengers at least twice on their cruise (before boarding and during the cruise), although those passengers with a complete vaccination schedule only need to undergo the pre-boarding test; testing the entire crew at least three times before boarding and once weekly on board; limiting shore excursions to protected "social bubble" groups; ventilation with clean air via an HVAC system; a contingency plan that, in the event of a positive case, would not overload local health infrastructure; isolation space on board and contact tracing using wristbands; the obligation to wear masks in public areas; the enforcement of physical distancing, achieved through reduced capacity on the ship, as well as constant COVID-19 monitoring.
