MSC Cruises will offer Alaskan sailings for the first time with new itineraries now available for booking. Starting in summer 2026, the company will operate in this new destination with MSC Poesia, based in Seattle, USA. From there, the ship will depart weekly on seven-night cruises to Alaska and Canada, with the first departures scheduled for May 11, 2026.
Passengers sailing to Alaska will be able to enjoy the region's unparalleled beauty, its breathtaking landscapes, its magnificent wildlife, as well as experience the rich cultural heritage of Alaska Natives, visiting a wide variety of the region's most picturesque destinations, including Ketchikan, Icy Strait Hoonah, Tracy Arm, Juneau (Alaska, USA) and Victoria (British Columbia, Canada).
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, stated: “MSC Cruises offers an unparalleled selection of destinations and embarkation ports in every corner of the world, and with the introduction of sailings to Alaska, we are further expanding our global offering and giving our guests the opportunity to discover this wonderful region. These new itineraries also mark the introduction of a new homeport in the USA, Seattle.”
MSC Poesia will be dedicated to sailing itineraries from the US, spending the summer of 2026 cruising to Alaska and then moving to Miami for the winter, which means we will also offer travelers the opportunity to experience two transit cruises through the Panama Canal when the ship sails between the east and west coasts.”.
For his part, Fernando Pacheco, Managing Director of MSC Cruises in Spain, added: “At MSC Cruises, we continue to advance our commitment to offering new experiences to Spanish passengers.We are very proud to present Alaska as a new destination that our Spanish passengers have been waiting for, and we are delighted to be able to offer them a unique experience to explore the special nature and culture of this region.”
MSC Poesia is a mid-sized ship with a large number of balcony cabins, perfectly designed for exploring the narrow channels of Alaska's Inside Passage and its breathtaking glaciers up close. It boasts a wide variety of bars and lounges, restaurants, and numerous leisure facilities, including sports courts, a gym, mini-golf, swimming pools and hot tubs, a casino, and its award-winning Kids Club.
Their seven-night itineraries include stops at:
- Icy Strait Point, Alaska: Alaska's first indigenous-owned cruise destination is situated amid more than 23,000 acres of private beach and temperate rainforest, one mile from Alaska's largest Tlingit village, Hoonah.
- Juneau, Alaska: The state capital is only accessible by air or sea, making a cruise the perfect way to experience Juneau's snow-capped mountains, historic landmarks, and stunning views.
- Ketchikan, Alaska: Alaska's top fishing town offers excellent opportunities to fish for or eat wild salmon, as well as spotting the abundant population of bald eagles.
- Tracy Arm, Alaska: The journey along Tracy Arm is as amazing as the destination, as every bend in the road to Sawyer Glacier reveals something new.
- Victoria, British Columbia: The tranquil waters of the Salish Sea and the towering rainforests of Vancouver Island surround a city known for its British heritage, colorful gardens, and magnificent architecture, with architectural marvels such as the famous Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel, as well as its wildlife, cuisine, and rich cultural history.
A range of shore excursions will also be offered to suit the needs of all types of travelers, whether they seek adventure, culture, or culinary delights
And for Spanish passengers, MSC Cruises is working to offer flights to Seattle to continue providing the most complete and comfortable vacations to its passengers.
Cruises through the Panama Canal
With the departures in this new region for MSC Cruises, two truly unique "Grand Voyage" itineraries are also being launched, sailing through the Panama Canal on either side of the Alaska season.
New for Spanish passengers, the company will offer a 32-night cruise from Barcelona to the West Coast of the United States, ending in Seattle. This cruise departs on April 9, 2026, and will serve as a prelude to the inaugural season of MSC Poesia in Alaska, featuring a spectacular itinerary with notable stops such as Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (Bahamas), Cartagena de Indias, Cabo San Lucas, and Los Angeles, among others. The itinerary also includes a transit of the Panama Canal.
Follow cruise news at Cruisesnews.es
