MSC Cruises, the world’s fastest growing cruise line, has announced plans to resume cruises in the Mediterranean on two cruise ships in August.
MSC Cruises will return to service in the Mediterranean this summer with MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica resuming on August 16 and 29, 2020. For this initial phase of the restart of operations, the two MSC Cruises’ ships operating in the Mediterranean for the current summer season will initially only welcome guests who are residents in Schengen countries.
Additionally, their itineraries have been designed according to the accessibility of the ports, reducing — where possible — the need for guests to use public transport or flights, and have been planned in conjunction with the authorities.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman commented, “During the pause in our operations we focused on developing a comprehensive operating protocol that builds upon already stringent health and safety measures that have long been in place on board our ships. We have worked closely with the relevant EU-level, national health and other authorities from the countries that MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will call along their Mediterranean itineraries to develop a comprehensive set of procedures designed to protect the health and safety of all passengers on board our ships as well as ashore to ensure that local communities feel comfortable welcoming our guests.”
MSC Cruises’ new operating protocol has been designed to protect the health and safety of guests and crew as well as the local communities that the cruise line’s ships visit. For this reason, it meets and goes beyond guidelines provided by key international and regional regulatory and technical bodies, as well as regulations set forth by the governments in the countries in which MSC Cruises’ ships operate.
Additionally, RINA, the independent maritime certification corporation, has verified that the protocol meets the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Guidance, which incorporates additional health standards including those from the EU Healthy Gateways Joint Action.
MSC Cruises has worked to encompass every aspect of the guest’s journey from the moment of booking, embarkation and life on board through to disembarkation and the return home, while preserving the uniqueness of the guest experience.
MSC Cruises has cancelled all other cruises in the Mediterranean from August 16 through to and including October 31, 2020. In addition, MSC Cruises announced the cancellation of all U.S. cruise departures through to and including October 31, 2020, in line with the announcement that CLIA members will voluntarily extend the suspension of cruise operations to this date.
Guests booked through MSC Cruises USA or affiliated US-based travel advisors on Mediterranean sailings between August 16 and October 31, Caribbean sailings between October 1 and October 31 and impacted Far East cruises through October 26, will receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit of the original cruise fare to be used on a sailing on or before December 31, 2021.
Guests who prefer to receive a refund instead of a Future Cruise Credit can visit MSCCruises.com for more information on how to complete their request with an easy to use online form.
