Tag Archives: Greece

MSC Cruises aims to restart Greece sailings by Easter

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MSC Magnifica take by Dave Jones

MSC Cruises has announced that it is working closely with the Greek Ministry of Tourism and other relevant authorities for the reopening of local tourist services in time to serve cruise passengers visiting Greece, starting with the upcoming Easter holiday period.

In related news, the Company also announced that it is cancelling all of MSC Magnifica’s scheduled cruises through to April 29. MSC Magnifica will thus be replaced for voyages to the Eastern Mediterranean, including Greece, during the Easter period and throughout the summer season. 

Guests booked on MSC Magnifica through to April 29 will be offered the option to rebook their MSC Cruises holiday at sea on one of the line’s other ships due to call Greece or on its flagship MSC Grandiosa, which is currently at sea in the Western Mediterranean. Alternatively, guests will receive 125% Future Cruise Credit, valid for all sailings taking place on or before April 30, 2022. 

MSC Grandiosa is currently operating weekly cruises leaving every Sunday from Genoa, Italy and calling Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo/Cagliari in Italy as well as Valetta in Malta. Embarkation is available from each port in Italy.

www.msccruises.co.uk

TUI CRUISES ISOLATES CREW AFTER COVID SCARE

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Tui Cruises’ Mein Schiff 6 was the first cruise ship to dock in Greece since the pandemic. An initial dozen crewmembers tested positive but showed no symptoms. All were placed in isolation on board and re-tested, with the first six results proving negative.

 

Tui Cruises communications director Godja Sonnichsen said she expected all the second test results to be confirmed by Tuesday. She added all crewmembers were routinely tested before they boarded and entered 14 days self-isolation before starting work.

“On Monday morning we received positive test results from 12 crew members of Mein Schiff 6, currently sailing with guests in Greece, from an external laboratory.

“As a purely precautionary measure and in accordance with the strict procedures for resuming cruise operations, which have been agreed with the authorities in Greece, the persons concerned were immediately isolated on board.”

 

The ship, which was moored off the island of Milos with 922 passengers, was allowed to continue on its itinerary to Piraeus.

“Thanks to the extensive hygiene measures and clearance rules on board, there is no reason for neither guests nor crew to worry,” Sonnichsen said.

 

 

MSC Forced to Delay MSC Magnifica Program

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MSC Magnifica on the Firth of Forth

MSC Cruises announced today it will postpone the restart of MSC Magnifica until September 26, 2020 despite just having completed a first successful cruise with the MSC Grandiosa.

MSC cited the recent introduction of additional testing measures for residents of Italy having traveled to Greece.

“We are seeing cancellations and a softening in demand since the ship’s itinerary includes as many as three ports in that country. This has led to the decision to delay the restart of the ship by four weeks,” the company said.

MSC added that it believes that reservations will start to pick up again in the coming weeks due to the appeal of the itinerary.

MSC Magnifica’s sales are open to residents of the Schengen area, at the same time in this early phase of restart the majority of guests are expected to be Italian nationals and residents.

As a result, MSC Magnifica cruise departures from August 29 to September 19 have been cancelled. The first cruise will depart from Bari, Italy with an unchanged itinerary on September 26.

The MSC Grandiosa is currently offering seven-night cruises with embarkation in the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples and Palermo and also calling at Valletta, Malta.