MSC Cruises has revealed the new itinerary for MSC Magnifica. When Magnifica returns to sea she will offer an even richer and longer itinerary. These will include a series of seven cruises including an eight-night Christmas cruise. MSC has also extended MSC Grandiosa’s current sailings until the end of this year.
MSC Magnifica: new itinerary
MSC Cruises is further postponing the restart of MSC Magnifica until 19 October. Magnifica is the cruise line’s second ship to return to service following the restart of MSC Grandiosa on August 16. With the new return date, the cruise line has also revealed a new programme covering both the West and East Mediterranean. Magnifica will homeport in Genoa. During her voyages she will call at Livorno for Florence and Pisa, Messina in Sicily, Valletta in Malta, Piraeus for Athens and Katakolon for Olympia in Greece and Civitavecchia for Rome, before returning to Genoa.
The ten-night itinerary is designed for guests who prefer longer voyages that offer more destinations to visit and more time at sea – thanks to the popularity of protected excursions the cruise line introduced last month under its new health and safety protocol.
The longer sailing is also expected to appeal to guests flying from Schengen countries because of strong pan-European air links to both Rome and Genoa – which are, together with Messina, two of the ship’s three embarkation ports -, as well as ‘proximity cruising’ which is proving to be popular with MSC Cruises’ guests who live both in Italy and in neighbouring countries.
Longer sailings are also especially appealing to consumers who typically cruise during the Autumn and Winter months, with more time available and looking for a longer alternative to the 7-night cruises already available on MSC Grandiosa.
MSC Magnifica will also offer a special eight-night Christmas cruise departing on 18 December from Genoa, Italy.
Following the completion of her updated itinerary, MSC Magnifica is due to perform MSC Cruises’ trademark World Cruise in 2021, for the second consecutive year.
Also read: The trip of a lifetime on board MSC Magnifica
As a result of the ship’s updated and enriched schedule, MSC Magnifica’s four proposed seven-night cruises from Bari, Italy between 26 September to 24 October have been cancelled. Guests affected by the cancelled cruises will either be re-protected onto another cruise – in particular on MSC Grandiosa, which is currently sailing in the West Mediterranean – or will receive a future cruise credit where they have the opportunity to transfer the full amount paid for their cancelled cruise to a future voyage of their choice until the end of 2021
The successful return of MSC Grandiosa
MSC Magnifica will follow in the footsteps of the successful return to service of MSC Grandiosa, now on her fourth consecutive 7-night cruise in the Western Mediterranean.
MSC Grandiosa is offering seven-night cruises with embarkation in the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples and Palermo, plus calling at Valletta, Malta. Grandiosa will continue to offer these sailings until the end of this year.
The MSC Cruises flagship resumed sailing in August following the approval of national and local authorities in Italy, Greece and Malta of the Company’s new health and safety operating protocol which is designed to protect guests, crew and communities that the ship calls.
MSC Cruises’ new protocol, which will see its application also for the benefit of MSC Magnifica guests and crew, includes universal screening of everyone before they can board a ship, elevated sanitation and cleaning measures throughout the vessel, managed social distancing, wearing of face masks in public areas and technology to aid track and trace on board.
The protocol’s robust and rigorous standards towards health and safety are similarly applied for all excursions ashore where guests are contained in a ‘social bubble’ to protect their well-being and the communities being visited.