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MSC Cruises branches out to Port Canaveral amid host of deployment changes

CRUISE MSC Divina.jpg
In summer 2021, MSC Divina will sail from Port Canaveral on three-, four- and seven-night cruises
MSC Cruises will expand to Central Florida in 2021 with MSC Divina sailing from Port Canaveral, amid a host of itinerary changes stateside and in Europe.

MSC Divina is currently based at PortMiami.

Near-term cruises canceled through July

MSC Cruises today extended its near-term suspension of operations through July.

It also announced plans for a gradual unspecified return to service, 'when the time is right,' with the intention of operating its full 19-ship fleet, including the new MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore, in summer 2021.

Virtuosa, Seashore delays

MSC Virtuosa, under construction at Chantiers de l'Atlantique and planned for delivery in the fourth quarter this year, is reportedly delayed, although Seatrade Cruise News was not able to confirm that. MSC Seashore, being built at Fincantieri, will now enter service in August 2021 instead of spring 2021.

'Our ships will return to service only when the time is right, in phases and by region, and following guidance from the relevant national and international health and other regulatory authorities and the support of a new operating protocol especially focused on health and safety, which we will announce soon,' said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.

'This way, gradually, all of our ships will return to sea between then and the beginning of our summer 2021 season.'

First Port Canaveral season, Tampa ship change

From Port Canaveral, MSC Divina in summer 2021 will offer three-, four- and seven-night cruises departing Sundays and Thursdays. This means the ship's sailings from Miami, March 28 to Aug. 22, and from New York, Sept. 3 to Oct. 23, are canceled.

MSC Armonia, scheduled to begin year-round Tampa service starting in November, will now operate short cruises from Miami beginning in May. That means Tampa sailings from May 2 to Oct. 31 are canceled. Instead, the ship will offer new three-/four-night getaways from Miami, departing Mondays and Fridays for Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas.

MSC Meraviglia will operate weekly from Miami, sailing Saturdays.

All three ships will call at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve on all itineraries.

MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview and MSC Seashore in the Med

In summer 2021, MSC Seaside (currently based in Miami), MSC Seaview and new sister MSC Seashore will sail in the Western Mediterranean. MSC Seashore will enter service Aug. 1 due to Fincantieri's temporary closure. Before that, MSC Fantasia will cover Seashore's itinerary; passengers will receive a shipboard credit of €100 due to this change.

MSC Seashore's itinerary includes Genoa, Naples, Messina, Valletta, Barcelona and Marseille.

The ship will be joined by sisters MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview on seven-night itineraries from their Genoa homeport.

Return to Tunisia

In August 2021, the line will return to Tunisia with MSC Fantasia sailing weekly from Genoa to La Goulette (Tunis), Marseille, Barcelona, Palermo and Civitavecchia (Rome).

Nine- to 12-night cruises will also be available from Genoa on MSC Poesia in late summer to Morocco, the Canary Islands, Madeira and mainland Portugal, Greece and Israel.

Eastern Mediterranean

New for summer 2021, MSC Lirica will be deployed from Venice with embarkation also available from Trieste. The itinerary includes Zadar, Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro, and Corfu, Greece.

In addition, MSC Musica, MSC Orchestra, MSC Opera and MSC Sinfonia will offer weeklong cruises from Venice to the Greek islands, Montenegro and Croatia.

MSC Virtuosa in Northern Europe

Starting May 8, MSC Virtuosa will operate an inaugural summer season of seven- to 14-night cruises from Germany's Kiel, alternating between the Norwegian Fjords and the Baltic capitals, with embarkations available in Copenhagen, as well.

MSC Splendida will also offer alternating seven-night Norwegian Fjords and Baltic capitals cruises, along with 10- and 11-night cruises to the Baltic capitals or North Cape.

From Southampton, MSC Magnifica will sail seven-night itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, 14-night cruises to the Baltic capitals or the Mediterranean in mid-August, 12-night cruises to the Canary Islands and a seven-night cruise to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge and Le Havre.

MSC Preziosa will operate nine- to 14-night itineraries from Hamburg to destinations in Ireland, Iceland and Norway (North Cape and Spitsbergen).

MSC Cruises USA policies

North American passengers on the canceled near-term sailings (through July) will automatically receive a 125% future cruise credit that can be applied sailings through 2021.

In addition, for those booked with MSC Cruises USA on departures from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31, their sailings are eligible for 'Cruise Assurance,' which allows cancellation up to 48 hours before departure, without penalty. They will receive a 100% FCC that may be used through 2021.