Costa Forced to Cancel Christmas and New Years Cruises

Costa Diadema.

Costa has cancelled its holiday cruise program, citing a request from the Italian government. 

“This is a temporary stop that, as stated by the Government itself, has never questioned the reliability of the health protocols adopted in collaboration with the Italian authorities,” the company said, in a press release. “Those protocols represent a unique model in the tourism sector at an international level, and have proven their full effectiveness in the last 4 months of operation in Italy.”

Costa said that during the holiday period, its ships would be in various ports and it would offer a special food donation program. 

Costa also said, in a prepared statement: “The cruise suspension does not only affect the Company but the entire ecosystem that depends on cruises, such as travel agencies, shipyards, ports and local activities of destinations visited by ships the ports and local activities of the destinations visited by the ships, that the Company helped to restart in the second half of the year.

“The cancellation of Christmas and New Year’s Eve cruises, among the most popular of the year, therefore represents a further economic sacrifice for Costa Cruises and the entire industry, in a period that was already very difficult for the entire sector, that relied on these operations.”

Costa said it will resume service with the Costa Smeralda on January 7, 2021, with the one-week itinerary, dedicated exclusively to Italy, that can be divided into two short cruises of three and four days each, departing from Civitavecchia. The four-day mini-cruise sails to Central and Southern Italy, with stops in Naples, Messina and Cagliari. The three-day cruise voyages to Central and Northern Italy, and includes visits to Civitavecchia, La Spezia and Savona.

Second MSC Cruises ship to return later with longer sailings

MSC Magnifica photo credit Dave Jones

by Phil Davies

To view images of the MSC Magnifica visit MSC Magnifica images

A second MSC Cruises ship is to resume sailings with ten-night voyages in October rather than week-long departures from next week.

This is the second time MSC Magnifica has been delayed in restarting.  The 2,550-passenger ship was previously due to sail on September 26 after being delayed from August 29.

A new re-start date of October 19 has been set for MSC Magnifica with a series of seven cruises including an eight-night Christmas itinerary departing on December 18 from Genoa in Italy.

The ship’s four proposed seven-night cruises from Bari, Italy between September 26 to October 24 have been cancelled as a result of the new scheduling

Passengers affected by the cancelled cruises will either be re-protected onto another cruise – in particular on MSC Grandiosa, which is currently sailing in the western Mediterranean – or will receive a future cruise credit valid until the end of 2021.

MSC Magnifica will follow the return to service of MSC Grandiosa, now on its fourth consecutive seven-night cruise.

Sailing an industry back to hope” – MSC Grandiosa sets off from Genoa - The  Moodie Davitt Report - The Moodie Davitt Report
MSC Grandiosa

The flagship resumed sailing in August for the first time since the suspension of cruises due to the Covid-19 pandemic following approval by authorities in Italy, Greece and Malta of the company’s new health and safety operating protocol, designed to protect passengers, crew and communities that the ship calls.

MSC Grandiosa’s sailings have been extended through to the end of the year, including a Christmas cruise to depart from Genoa on December 20.

The vessel is running seven-night cruises with embarkation in the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples and Palermo, plus a calling at Valletta in Malta.

MSC Magnifica’s new programme covers both the west and the east Mediterranean from Genoa with calls at Livorno for Florence and Pisa, Messina in Sicily, Valletta in Malta, Piraeus for Athens and Katakolon for Olympia in Greece and Civitavecchia for Rome.

The ten-night itinerary is designed for passengers looking for longer voyages that offer more destinations and more time at sea.

The longer sailings are also expected to appeal to passengers flying from Schengen countries because of strong pan-European air links to both Rome and Genoa, which together with Messina, are two of the ship’s three embarkation ports.

The line also says ‘proximity cruising’ is proving to be popular with passengers who live both in Italy and in neighbouring countries.

Longer sailings are seen by the company to also appeal to consumers who typically cruise during the autumn and winter and those looking for a longer alternative to the seven-night MSC Grandiosa sailings.

MSC Magnifica is due to set off on a world cruise in 2021, for the second consecutive year, following the completion of the updated Med itinerary.

Feedback from some of the thousands of passengers who have so far sailed on MSC Grandiosa has been positive, with many calling their experience one of the safest holiday options available, according to the company.

Costa Cruises to restart sailings in September

Costa Cruises to restart sailings in September

by Samantha Mayling 

Costa Cruises plans to restart its sailings from Italian ports on a gradual basis from September 6, 2020.

On Monday, the Italian government approved the resumption of cruises and new health protocols developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

The first ship to set sail will be Costa Deliziosa (pictured), on September 6, offering weekly cruises from Trieste to Greece.

Costa Diadema will set sail on September 19, operating seven-day cruises in the western Mediterranean from Genoa.

Costa Cruises said it is working with authorities and the destinations to ensure a “responsible, smooth and well-organised application of the new regulations and protocols”.

Further details on the Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema itineraries will be announced in the coming days.

However, the cruise line is extending the suspension of its cruise season for other departures until September 30.

Costa Cruises’ new safety protocol is consistent with the health protocols defined by the Italian government and European (EU Healthy Gateways) authorities.

The UK Foreign Office last month advised against cruise ship travel.