MSC Cruises is Sailing Again and Has a New Ship on the Horizon

MSC Cruises is moving forward with their company by getting their ships sailing again and continuing progress on a new vessel. Like all other cruise lines, their operations were suspended for quite a bit due to COVID-19. They have now been able to safely return to business, however, with the help of some new health protocols. It seems that the tides are turning for MSC! Here are the updates you need to know about their present situation, as well as what their future looks like.

Back to sailing

MSC suspended their operations back in March and have since been waiting for the coronavirus situation to improve. Because they largely cater to an Italian market, they were able to capitalize on the decreased spread of coronavirus in the area by restarting sailing on August 16th. Their first cruise ship to sail since the pandemic began was the MSC Grandiosa, which sailed out of Genoa, Italy. It then docked at the Valletta Cruise Port on August 21st, making it the first ship to call there since March.

New health protocols

In order to get back to cruising again, MSC has incorporated some new measures to help ensure the safety of their guests and the communities at which they will be calling. First and foremost is a set of health checks that guests must undergo before boarding. This includes a questionnaire, a temperature check, and a COVID-19 swab. Guests will also have their temperatures re-checked every day that they are onboard. Second is their new capacity limits on their ships. The Grandiosa sailed with a far lower capacity than normal, with some other rooms left empty to allow for people to isolate if the need arose. Third is their new sanitation process, which involves frequent deep cleans and UV light being used to sanitize surfaces.

The new ship

MSC’s newest ship is currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. It will be called the MSC Seashore and is set for a delivery in July 2021. It was floated out on August 20, and now interior work will be done until the vessel is finished. Not much is known about the ship right now aside from the fact that it will be an updated, more modern version of MSC’s Seaside and Seaview ships. According to the executive chairman of MSC, Seashore will be “the largest and most innovative cruise vessel ever built in Italy.”

Just in case all of this news wasn’t enough to convince you that MSC is doing well, they have another ship planned for delivery in 2021 as well!