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MSC Magnifica sailings suspended and world cruise cancelled, Grandiosa extends Med season, ups testing

MSC Magnifica’s sailings are suspended from November 8 through to December 18, owing to travel restrictions in France and Germany, both major source markets for MSC Cruises’ Mediterranean sailings, and the 2021 world cruise is cancelled. On MSC Grandiosa, COVID-19 testing and other measures will be increased.

Holly Payne, Editor Video Production and Deputy Editor

November 5, 2020

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

MSC Magnifica is planned to resume operations starting with an eight-night Christmas cruise, before returning to its typical 10-night itinerary across the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, calling at Italy, Greece and Malta until the end of April next year.

The vessel resumed sailings last month, with shore excursions carried out in protected ‘bubbles’ and passenger capacity reduced to 70%.

2021 world cruise cancelled

Next year’s world cruise on board Magnifica is cancelled due to the health situation ashore and the unavailability of most ports on the itinerary.

MSC Grandiosa

MSC’s flagship will extend sailings to March 27 and continue its seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean, with embarkations at Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples and Palermo, Italy, as well as calling at Valetta, Malta.

Passengers to be tested mid-cruise, crew weekly

In addition to last month being granted RINA’s Biosafe certification, Grandiosa will adopt new health and hygiene measures, including additional on-board testing for all passengers mid-way through the cruise and crew testing increased from twice a month to weekly. These measures are on top of universal pre-embarkation testing for passengers and crew.

Frequency of on-board sanitation, in particular of public areas and high touch points, will be escalated.

The definition of 'close contact' for tracing purposes will reduce the time from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.

About the Author

Holly Payne

Editor Video Production and Deputy Editor

Holly is Deputy Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review & Seatrade Cruise News and has experience managing a range of highly successful international business and consumer titles. With a flair for video reporting and a history of overseas work documenting people and places of diverse cultures, Holly brings a variety of skills to the Seatrade Cruise portfolio.

Holly’s academic credentials include oral and written Arabic language skills (intermediate-advanced), an MA Multimedia Journalism with NCTJ accreditation, and a BA (Hons) Degree in Classical and Archaeological Studies with English and American Literature.

 

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