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I love all things Cruise and add that to my hobby Photography I’m in dreamland, I’m an exTravel agency owner with the inside contacts, so I will try to keep you updated in all things travel related with a side serving of images and other maritime stories.
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    We Travel 2U-Weblog

    Where Are MSC’s Fleet of Cruise Ships?

    With six ships back in service, the MSC Cruises fleet is concentrated in Europe. Here is the location of every ship as of June 26, 2021:

    MSC Seashore
    Year Built: 2021
    Capacity: 4,560 guests
    Location: Monfalcone, Italy

    The MSC Seashore is currently in the final stages of construction at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. The third ship in the Seaside Class, its scheduled to enter service on August 1.

    MSC Virtuosa
    Year Built: 2021
    Capacity: 4,888 guests
    Location: United Kingdom

    One of the MSC ships in service, the MSC Virtuosa is currently cruising in the United Kingdom.

    MSC Virtuosa arriving in Liverpool, photo by Dave Jones

    MSC Grandiosa
    Year Built: 2019
    Capacity: 4,888 guests
    Location: Western Mediterranean

    Like the MSC Virtuosa, the MSC Grandiosa is back in service. The vessel is presently offering a 7-night itinerary to Italy, Spain and Malta with calls in ports such as Naples, Civitavecchia, Barcelona and La Valletta.

    MSC Bellissima
    Year Built: 2019 
    Capacity: 4,500 guests
    Location: Dubai, UAE

    Sailing in the Emirates when cruises were suspended in March 2020, the MSC Bellissima has been in Dubai for over a year.

    MSC Seaview
    Year Built: 2018
    Capacity: 4,140 guests
    Location: The Mediterranean

    After several months in Italy, the MSC Seaview is currently sailing in the Mediterranean en route to Germany. The vessel is poised to resume service in the Baltic Sea on July 3, sailing from Kiel.  

    MSC Meraviglia   
    Year Built: 2017
    Capacity: 4,500 guests
    Location: Florida Coast

    As part of its service return preparations, the MSC Meraviglia docked in Miami recently. The U.S.-based ship is set to resume guest operations in the region on August 2.

    MSC Seaside
    Year Built: 2017
    Capacity: 4,140 guests
    Location: Western Mediterranean

    Another MSC ship back in service, the MSC Seaside is presently sailing in the Western Mediterranean. The vessel offers seven-night cruises in the region, visiting Italy and Malta.    

    MSC Preziosa 
    Year Built: 2013
    Capacity: 3,500 guests
    Location: Naples, Italy

    The MSC Preziosa remains docked in the Port of Naples, Italy. Until late 2020, the Fantasia-class ship was spending the operational pause in the Bahamas, along other U.S.-based MSC ships.  

    MSC Divina
    Year Built: 2012
    Capacity: 3,500 guests
    Location: Civitavecchia, Italy

    After a visit to Augusta, the MSC Divina returned to Civitavecchia earlier this month.

    MSC Magnifica
    Year Built: 2010
    Capacity: 2,550 guests
    Location: Eastern Mediterranean

    The MSC Magnifica welcomed the passengers back on June 20, offering cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean. The vessel is currently sailing from Venice, on a seven-night itinerary with calls in Bari, Piraeus, Mykonos and Split.  

    MSC Splendida
    Year Built: 2009
    Capacity: 3,300 guests
    Location: Eastern Mediterranean

    Sailing from Trieste, the MSC Splendida resumed service on June 12. The Fantasia-class ship is now offering seven-night cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean, with calls in Greece, Croatia and more.

    MSC Fantasia
    Year Built: 2008
    Capacity: 3,300 guests
    Location: Malta

    The MSC Fantasia is presently in Malta. The vessel recently docked in the port of La Valletta, near the Palumbo Group Shipyard, which was partly acquired by MSC in 2020.

    MSC Poesia
    Year Built: 2008
    Capacity: 2,550 guests
    Location: Trieste, Italy

    The MSC Poesia is currently docked in Trieste, Italy, along with the MSC Sinfonia.

    MSC Orchestra
    Year Built: 2007
    Capacity: 2,550 guests
    Location: Eastern Mediterranean  

    On June 5, the MSC Orchestra became the first MSC ship to resume service in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Musica-class ship is currently sailing from Venice, offering a seven-night itinerary to Greece and Croatia.   

    MSC Musica
    Year Built: 2006
    Capacity: 2,550 guests
    Location: Genoa, Italy

    After some time in Augusta, in Southern Italy, the MSC Musica recently arrived in Genoa. The vessel is currently docked at the Ponte dei Mille Cruise Terminal.   

    MSC Opera
    Year Built: 2004
    Capacity: 1,712 guests
    Location: Augusta, Italy

    The MSC Opera is anchored off the Port of Augusta, in the island of Sicily, Italy. 

    MSC Lirica
    Year Built: 2003
    Capacity: 1,560 guests
    Location: La Valletta, Malta

    After suffering a fire incident in Corfu in April, the MSC Lirica is currently in Malta. The ship is docked near the Palumbo Group Shipyard, in La Valletta.

    MSC Sinfonia  
    Year Built: 2002
    Capacity: 1,554 guests
    Location: Trieste, Italy

    Along with the MSC Poesia, the MSC Sinfonia is docked in Trieste. The vessel arrived in Italy in December, from Brazil.

    MSC Armonia
    Year Built: 2001

    Capacity: 1,554 guests
    Location: Ocean Cay, the Bahamas

    The MSC Armonia is currently near Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas. As the other U.S.-based vessels of the fleet, it has been spending the operational pause in the region.  

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    Holland America Set for U.S. Cruising with 6 Ships from San Diego and Port Everglades

    Holland America Line announced it is set to restart cruising out of Port of San Diego in California beginning with a season of cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and along the California coast aboard Koningsdam and Zuiderdam.

    The cruise line has expanded the season with the addition of six new cruise departures for Zuiderdam and two new cruises on Koningsdam, offering a total of 40 cruises from San Diego from September 2021 through April 2022.

    Holland America Line also is looking toward cruising in the Caribbean with four ships, according to a press release.

    All sailing roundtrip from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the season will begin Oct. 23, 2021, with Nieuw Amsterdam. The ship will be joined by the new Rotterdam Nov. 3, Eurodam Nov. 14 and Nieuw Statendam Nov. 21.

    Caribbean cruises range in length from four to 14 days, span the entire region and include a call at Half Moon Cay.

    “San Diego has always been an incredible homeport for our ships, and we are eager to restart on the West Coast with two ships operating an expanded season, including the debut of Koningsdam on these itineraries and close-to-home California cruises that our guests are going to love,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We’ve also been anticipating announcing our plans for the Caribbean and we’re thrilled to have four ships in the region, including our new Rotterdam. Cruising is back and having vaccinated ships for these cruises in 2021 ensures that we can deliver the experience just how our guests remember and expect. We’re ready to cruise!”

     Highlights of the 2021-2022 San Diego Cruise Season:

    • Zuiderdam: Sept. 18, 2021, to April 22, 2022: 17 cruises from San Diego — eight Mexico, four California coast, three Hawaii and two Panama Canal.
    • Koningsdam: Oct. 10, 2021, to April 3, 2022: 23 cruises from San Diego — 15 Mexico, six California coast and two Hawaii cruises.
    • Seven-day cruises along the California coast include a new itinerary that calls at Catalina, Santa Barbara and San Francisco for a late evening stay, along with Ensenada, Mexico. Additional “Classic California Coast” cruises include California calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Avalon, and at Ensenada.
    • A new 21-day Panama Canal cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam from Seattle, Washington, to Fort Lauderdale departs Oct. 2 and includes calls at San Diego; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Fuerte Amador (Panama City), Panama;; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Half Moon Cay.
    • All seven-day “Mexican Riviera” cruises feature three Mexican ports of call: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.
    • “Mexico and Sea of Cortez” itineraries are between nine and 12 days and call at a combination of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, Guaymas, Topolobampo, Pichilingue (La Paz) and Loreto, Mexico.
    • “Circle Hawaii” cruises are 17 or 18 days and call at the Hawaiian ports of Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu, Nawiliwili and Kona, and Ensenada.
    • Two 14-day cruises through the Panama Canal from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale on Zuiderdam depart Jan. 2 and Jan. 30, 2022.

     Highlights of the 2021-2022 Caribbean Cruise Season:

    • Nieuw Amsterdam: Oct. 23, 2021, to April 7, 2022: 24 cruises to the eastern, western and southern Caribbean. All itineraries are seven days except a nine-day holiday cruise departing on Dec. 30.
    • Rotterdam: Nov. 3, 2021, to April 10, 2022: The ship kicks off its maiden season in the Caribbean with a series of 22 cruises, ranging from three to 11 days covering a wide offering of Caribbean ports.
    • Eurodam: Nov. 14, 2021, to April 10, 2022: 15 departures, including 12 10- and 11-day Panama Canal Sunfarer cruises featuring a partial Panama Canal exploration of Gatun Lake and three seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries.
    • Nieuw Statendam: Nov. 21, 2021, to March 27, 2022: 15 cruises to the eastern, western, southern and tropical Caribbean ranging from seven to 11 days.
    • All itineraries include a call at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island. 
  • We Travel 2U - Weblog

    We Travel 2U-Weblog

    P&O Announces 2021 Deployment and Plans for Future

    P&O Cruises has announced its expected deployment and phased re-start plan for the remainder of 2021 and into early 2022.

    According to a press release, the Britannia will begin the planned western Mediterranean itineraries on Sept. 25 and the Iona will start her Atlantic coast holidays from the same date. These cruises will follow the series of UK coastal cruises beginning in June.

    Ventura’s first cruises will be the planned programme of Atlantic islands holidays from Oct. 3.

    Following the Mediterranean season, running until October, the Britannia will reposition to the Caribbean for her winter season as scheduled, followed by the Azura which will begin Caribbean fly/cruises slightly later than published from Dec. 10, 2021.

    “We are very much looking forward to getting Britannia and Iona back to sea for the series of UK coastal cruises – staycations at their best – which are certainly proving very popular and then beginning our international re-start as we phase in each of the other ships,” said P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow.

    “As we know the UK Government has developed a traffic light system for holidays abroad this summer. The current situation means that whilst unfortunately there will be a number of cancellations of itineraries on some ships, we are looking ahead and planning for the future with vigour,” he added.

    Ludlow said that P&O is confident that “destinations will soon open up their borders both for UK travellers and also for cruise ships.”

    “Spain and its islands and the Caribbean are both looking very positive and we are seeing, one by one, countries publicly looking forward to welcoming us back,” he noted.

    The length and complexity of the Arcadia and Aurora’s planned long-haul cruises from January next year has forced their cancellation and these two ships will not begin sailing until next year. However, a replacement itinerary for the Aurora, with winter sun appeal, will be announced shortly.

    In addition, following ongoing guest feedback P&O Cruises has reviewed its vaccination policy. For all cruises departing from Sept. 25 to Dec. 31, 2021, all guests 18 years old and over will be required to have completed their vaccination course a minimum of 14 days prior to sailing.

    All guests 17 years old and below will need to have completed their vaccination course a minimum of 14 days prior to sailing or will require a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to travel. All guests will also require a negative COVID-19 test at the terminal. The PCR and COVID-19 test at the terminal will be provided on a complimentary basis. This vaccination and testing policy will be reviewed on a regular basis as the global situation continues to evolve.

    The vaccination policy for the UK coastal cruises until Sept. 24 2021, remains that all guests travelling, of all ages, must have completed their vaccination course a minimum of seven days prior to sailing (or 14 days prior to sailing if an approved single-dose vaccine).

    All guests who have had their cruise cancelled will automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit worth 125 per cent of the standard deposit terms, and 100 per cent of any additional monies paid.

    This Future Cruise Credit can be redeemed against any new booking made by the end of Dec. 2021, on any cruise on sale at the time of booking. Cruises currently on sale run through to Apr. 2023.