For most cruise lines, getting all of their ships back into service is currently their biggest focus. That is definitely the case for MSC Cruises. However, the company has also seen a lot of other updates in recent times. Let’s take a look at everything that is going on with MSC as well as their plan for working towards a full restart.
Test cruise successfully completed
On July 20th, MSC became one of the first cruise lines to actually complete a test cruise. The voyage was in accordance with the CDC’s rules around simulated voyages, and it is an encouraging sign for other cruise lines that are hoping to sidestep the CDC safety recommendations on vaccines. The ship in question was the MSC Meraviglia, and it employed new safety measures such as social distancing and frequent sanitization of surfaces. The cruise apparently went quite well, and life for the guests onboard was relatively normal aside from new COVID-related restrictions that were put into place. The President of MSC gave a statement: “We are grateful to our volunteer guests who helped us complete this significant milestone, demonstrating the strength of our protocol to protect our guests, crew and the communities we visit, as well as the memorable cruise vacation we offer.”
A return to Valencia
Shortly after their test voyage was completed, MSC announced that they would be returning to the port of Valencia in Spain. MSC Grandiosa will begin sailing from Valencia on July 30th and will sail from there every week until the end of the summer season. The ship will also feature new safety precautions and will sail at 70% capacity rather than maximum capacity. This will allow the space for guests to practice proper social distancing. Other ships have been calling at Valencia for about a month now, so MSC is understandably feeling great that they are once again visiting the port.
The delivery of MSC Seashore
As if all of this wasn’t enough for the cruise line, MSC also took the delivery of their newest ship, Seashore, on July 26th. The vessel was built at the Fincantieri shipyard, and it is officially the largest ship to ever be built in Italy. The ship is largely known for its environmental focus, but an MSC spokesperson also revealed that “the MSC Seashore is the first cruise ship in the world to feature a new and ground-breaking air sanitation system. ‘Safe Air’ uses UV-C lamp technology, eliminating 99 percent of viruses and bacteria to guarantee clean and safe air for all guests and crew on board.” The ship’s inaugural voyage comes at the end of October, and it will begin sailing regular itineraries in the beginning of November.
While there has certainly been some bad news in the industry over the past year or so, it’s great to see companies like MSC doing so well despite the hardships. We’re looking forward to seeing what’s next for them.