The reactivation of the tourism industry post-pandemic has positioned Spain as one of the most popular destinations in Southern Europe, and MSC Cruises has sought to respond to this market interest with an offering of itineraries and ships that adapts to all types of travelers.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 60 – March 2022
With a focus on Spanish destinations for 2022 and in accordance with its ongoing commitment to national ports, the company has scheduled more than 300 calls for next summer in 15 different ports across the country.
During 2022, the shipping company will make 414 calls in the country, representing a 2% increase compared to 2019. Of these, 311 will take place during the summer season on itineraries operated by more than 13 ships, including the MSC Meraviglia from Barcelona and the MSC Seaside from Valencia.
Some of the most significant ports it will call at are Barcelona, Cadiz, Alicante, Malaga and Valencia, as well as Mahon, Ibiza, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Vigo, Bilbao, Ferrol, Las Palmas, Lanzarote or La Coruña, among others.
Among these ports, Barcelona stands out, the port the company chose for its return to operations on June 26, 2021, making MSC Cruises the first cruise line to resume operations in Spain. In 2022, Barcelona will be the embarkation port for more than five different itineraries.
The MSC Orchestra includes four Spanish ports in its Mediterranean itinerary this summer, half of the eight scheduled stops for this 10-night, 11-day Western Mediterranean cruise: Málaga, Cádiz, Alicante, and Mahón. The cruise also includes visits to Olbia, Genoa, Marseille, and Lisbon, as well as full days at sea. Of these destinations, Málaga and Alicante will be the MSC Orchestra's embarkation ports a total of 12 times, bringing over 40,000 passengers and contributing to local commerce and business. According to CLIA data, the average daily expenditure per cruise passenger in a destination is €341, which represents a significant economic impact on the local economies of these destinations during the ship's season.
Barcelona, Palma, Valencia, Malaga, Alicante and Santa Cruz de Tenerife are the company's ports of embarkation in Spain.
The MSC Seaview will offer the best of the Western Mediterranean from Barcelona with stops in Marseille (France), Genoa (Italy) and visiting the historic ports of Naples and Messina in Italy and Valletta in Malta.
Meanwhile, the newly inaugurated MSC Virtuosa will set sail from Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca in winter of this year, stopping in Marseille, Genoa (France), La Spezia/Florence and Naples (France).
For the first time ever, the MSC Magnifica and the MSC Poesia will embark on MSC World Cruise's 2023 round-the-world voyage, departing from Barcelona on January 7. Prior to its departure from Barcelona, the cruise will also include embarkation in Civitavecchia and Genoa on January 4 and 5 respectively, and in Marseille the following day, just before arriving in Barcelona.
MSC Cruises is also developing a dedicated 11,670-square-meter cruise terminal in the Port of Barcelona, which it will operate and manage for a period of 31 years. This project represents an estimated investment of €33 million by the company, and the new terminal, designed by the late Ricardo Bofill, is expected to be operational in 2024.
Fernando Pacheco, Managing Director Spain MSC Cruises
: “Spain is one of the company’s most important markets, and therefore, the attention we give it is crucial, with a constant commitment to Spanish ports and destinations. We work hand in hand with port authorities and other partners to offer the best possible experience.”
“The terminal, which will be at the forefront of sustainability and innovation, will allow us to expand operations at the home port, bringing direct and indirect economic benefits to the city and the region as a whole. This will also allow us to dedicate more new ships to Barcelona, including the MSC World Europa, which will become one of the most environmentally friendly ships in the world when it enters service later this year and will be in Barcelona in the summer of 2023.”.
