MSC Musica Completes 20 Years of Service

Posted on 10 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

MSC Musica Completes 20 Years of Service

The MSC Musica recently completed 20 years of service for MSC Cruises, having been delivered on June 19, 2006.

Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the 2,550-passenger ship debuted as the first in a series of four ships known as the Musica class.

After repositioning to the Mediterranean, the vessel was christened in the Italian city of Venice on June 29, 2006. Actress Sophia Loren served as godmother of the ship during the ceremony.

For its maiden season, the MSC Musica offered a series of seven-night cruises from its homeport in Venice, visiting Greece, Croatia, Italy and Turkey.

The weeklong itineraries were highlighted by visits to a range of destinations, including Katakolon, Izmir, Istanbul, Dubrovnik and Bari.

While plans initially called for the ship to reposition to North America for the winter, it remained in Europe year-round until late 2008.

For its first winter, the MSC Musica offered longer itineraries that combined destinations in the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

In 2026, the ship is offering seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean that sail to France, Spain and Italy.

The vessel’s regular itinerary includes visits to Civitavecchia, Genoa, Cagliari, Marseille and Valencia, as well as Ibiza.

Later this year, the MSC Musica is scheduled to enter drydock in Malta for the largest refurbishment of its sailing career.

As part of a fleet modernization project that will see all Musica-class ships undergoing similar updates, the 92,400-ton vessel will spend approximately two months in the shipyard.

The ship is scheduled to emerge from drydock with a new MSC Yacht Club space, as well as new specialty dining venues and updated public spaces.

After sailing to South America with no guests onboard in November, the MSC Musica will introduce the new features during its 2026-27 winter season in Brazil.

As part of MSC’s five-ship deployment in the region, the Musica is scheduled to offer three- to seven-night cruises departing from Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranaguá and Itajaí.

Santorini Old Port Pathway Reopens

Posted on 9 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Santorini Old Port Pathway Reopens

The stepped pathway that links the old port of Santorini with the town of Fira reopened in early August, according to Atlantea.

Serving as one of the main access pointsto the Greek island for cruise passengers, the Karavolades Stairs had been unavailable since late July.

As reported by Cruise Industry News at the time, local authorities closed the 558-step staircase due to the collapse of a wall of a private building.

Atlantea said that the incident caused a small landslide, which effectively blocked the passage of pedestrians and donkeys.

Santorini’s old port is the traditional gateway for cruise passengers visiting the island, serving as a starting point for most tours.

As the largest and most developed settlement on the island, Fira is located approximately 250 meters above the port and can be accessed via the Karavolades Stairs or a cable car system.

With the closure of the pathway, Santorini authorities suspended regulations that limit the number of cruise passengers arriving via Athinios Port.

Located on a different part of the island, the pier offers better infrastructure and can also be accessed via cars and buses.

Cruise lines were temporarily authorized to disembark more passengers in Athinios, facilitating organized shore excursions to other parts of Santorini.

With Karavolades reopening, the limitations were reinstated, capping the daily number of guests arriving at the new port at 30 percent.

The regulation entered into effect earlier this year due to what the Municipal Port Fund of Fira called civil protection measures.

Introduced after a seismic crisis that affected the island in early 2025, the measure is said to be aimed at keeping roads clear for potential emergencies.

Santorini is one of the main destinations for cruise ships in Greece, welcoming vessels from a wide range of cruise lines.

Barcelona Approves 24 Euro Tax for Cruise Passengers

Posted on 20 July, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Barcelona Approves 24 Euro Tax for Cruise Passengers

The City of Barcelona will raise its fees for cruise passengers to 24 euros per person in municipal taxes, according to a report by Metropoli Aberta.

The local news source said that the decision was approved by Barcelona’s City Council following a meeting of the Committee on Economy and Finance.

Guests staying in the city for less than 12 hours will be required to pay the increased fee, which was proposed by Mayor Jaume Collboni earlier this year.

The initiative will triple the current tax, an increase that was originally set to be applied gradually through 2029.

While the immediate increase was green lit by local authorities, it is expected to be enacted into law following the upcoming fiscal ordinances meeting, scheduled for the end of the year.

A supporter of the measure was quoted as saying that cruise tourism is currently unsustainable for Barcelona, impacting the day-to-day life of the city’s neighborhoods.

Representing the BComú political party, Marc Serra said that the change serves as a tool to send a message to cruise lines, pushing them to “seek other destinations.”

The increase is also expected to incentivize homeporting operations, reducing the number of port of call guests arriving in the city onboard cruise ships.

In addition to paying the 24- Euro municipal fee, passengers will also pay an additional 6 euros in regional taxes.

Barcelona has also been reportedly discussing limiting the number of cruise guests arriving in the city, considering an annual cap of 3.5 million passengers.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the city approved a plan to reduce the number of cruise terminals in its port.

In an effort that also aims to modernize the city’s infrastructure, three cruise terminals are expected to be demolished to make room for a newer and larger facility.