MSC Cruises has announced that its flagship MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will resume operations in the Mediterranean, which includes a stop-off in Malta, starting from the 16th and 29th of August respectively.

In a statement, it said that the two ships will be the first to implement a “new comprehensive health and safety protocol” that has been approved by the relevant national authorities from the countries that the ships will call along their East and West Mediterranean itineraries this summer.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman said “the new procedures include universal Covid-19 testing for all guests and crew prior to embarkation, protected ashore visits at each destination only with an MSC Cruises excursion as added level of protection for our guests and the introduction of a COVID Protection Plan for further peace of mind for our guests. With all of these measures in place we aim to offer our guests the safest possible holiday.”

MSC Grandiosa, the Company’s flagship, will offer seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean calling at the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Palermo and Valletta.

MSC Magnifica will offer seven-night cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean departing from the Italian ports of Bari and Trieste, calling at the Greek ports of Corfu, Katakolon and Piraeus.

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 the company said.

It added that, “additionally, their itineraries have been designed according to the accessibility of the ports, reducing where possible, the need for guests to use of public transport or flights and have been planned in conjunction with the authorities.”

MSC Cruises also said that it has cancelled all other cruises in the Mediterranean from 16th of August through to and including 31st of October.

MSC explained that guests who are resident in Schengen countries, and subject to any restrictions imposed by the Italian authorities, booked on any MSC Cruises itinerary until 31 October can transfer their booking to either MSC Grandiosa or MSC Magnifica, receiving up to three complimentary shore excursions, depending on the category they book; alternatively, they will be offered a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that they can use on any ship with any itinerary in the MSC Cruises fleet sailing through to December 2021.

“Also, any other guests who are resident in Schengen countries and subject to any restrictions imposed by the Italian authorities, who already have an FCC voucher from previous cancelled cruises can also use their voucher on these two ships taking advantage of up to three complimentary shore excursions,” it said.

For non-Schengen residents, they will automatically be eligible for an FCC that can be used to transfer their bookings at no cost, to any ship on any itinerary in the MSC Cruises fleet sailing through to December 2021.

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