Tag Archives: Mediterranean

MSC Updating Yacht Club Restaurants Across Fantasia-Class Ships

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MSC Updating Yacht Club Restaurants Across Fantasia-Class Ships

MSC Cruises announced upgrades to the MSC Yacht Club restaurants, part of the company’s “ship-within-a-ship” concept.

The company said in a press release that the refurbishment will be rolled out across its three Fantasia-class ships, set to undergo drydocks in December 2026, April 2027 and February 2028.

The restaurant onboard its fourth Fantasia-class ship, the MSC Splendida, has already been updated.

The new interior of the MSC Yacht Club restaurant features a modern layout with darker tones, soft textures and sophisticated lighting, the company explained.

Guests can choose from a variety of menus and have a dedicated 24/7 culinary staff as well as a sommelier on-hand, ensuring what MSC describes as an elevated dining experience.

Following her refurbishment at the Palumbo Malta Shipyard, the MSC Splendida began her winter sailings in the Mediterranean in early February.

Itineraries now available to book on the ship include:

Seven-night sailings from Barcelona (Spain) – February through May 2026

The voyages explore Marseille (France), Genoa, Naples, Palermo (Italy), and La Goulette for Tunis (Tunisia).

Seven-night sailings from Barcelona (Spain) – May through November 2026

The voyages visit Marseille (France), Livorno, Cagliari, Palermo (Italy), Valletta (Malta).

Eight-to-nine-night itineraries from Buenos Aires (Argentina) – November 2026 through March 2027

Destinations visited during the voyages include Rio de Janeiro, Ilhabela, Ilha Grande, Balneario Camboriu (Brazil), and Punta del Este (Uruguay).

Nine-night sailings from Trieste (Italy) – April through November 2027

These voyages include calls to destinations such as Split (Croatia), Piraeus (Greece), Kusadasi, Istanbul, (Turkey), Corfu (Greece), and Bari (Italy).

Additional enhancements to Fantasia class ships include a redesigned Future Cruise office onboard, where guests can plan and book their next cruise while on their current voyage.

Costa World Cruise Departs from Trieste on Deliziosa

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Costa World Cruise Departs from Trieste on Deliziosa

Costa Cruises announced that its 142-day World Cruise sailing departed on Friday from Trieste (Italy) aboard the Costa Deliziosa. The sailing will conclude on April 11, 2026, in Trieste.

The company said in a press release that the sailing will offer guests its most extensive world cruise ever, featuring over four and a half months of sailing to discover 51 destinations in 33 countries. The voyage will cross five continents and three oceans.

In 142 days, the Costa Deliziosa will complete a circumnavigation of the globe, sailing westward. From Italy, the ship will cross the Mediterranean and Atlantic to the Caribbean, visiting France, Spain, Morocco and the Canary Islands before reaching Barbados.

After transiting the Panama Canal, the ship will explore the heart of Latin America, including Peru, Chile and Easter Island.

The itinerary continues across the vast Pacific Ocean to the Pitcairn Islands, French Polynesia, the Samoan Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, as well as Australia.

From there, the route heads north to Papua New Guinea and Japan, including Tokyo, Kobe and Nagasaki, then onward to South Korea.

Sailing west again, guests will visit Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia.

The ship then sails to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius, and then heads to Southern Africa.

Costa added that it will offer a rich program of land experiences, with over 200 shore excursions. Iconic highlights include Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat and Victoria Falls.

Guests will celebrate Christmas and New Year on the festively decorated ship, with dedicated shows and musical parties, and the ship will offer an international culinary offering created exclusively for the World Cruise.

Each week, Costa’s Michelin-starred chef partners will serve a signature dish. There will also be entertainment inspired by the cultures of visited countries, themed lectures and wellness spaces.

Costa will offer two world cruises departing in 2026: In October, the Costa Serena will depart from Tokyo to Buenos Aires for a 66-day world cruise across Asia, Oceania and South America.

In November, the Costa Deliziosa will return with an exclusive 139-day itinerary featuring destinations in North America, Hawaii and the private island of Half Moon Cay.

MSC Meraviglia to Sail from Southampton in 2027

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MSC Meraviglia to Sail from Southampton in 2027

The MSC Meraviglia will sail from Southampton for the 2027 season, MSC Cruises announced in a press release.

According to the company, the 2017-built ship will arrive at the British port on May 18, 2027, kicking off a six-month deployment.

“We want to give our customers new experiences, so it’s wonderful that the MSC Meraviglia is sailing from the United Kingdom in Summer 2027,” said Antonio Paradiso, vice president of international sales at MSC Cruises.

Replacing the MSC Virtuosa, the Meraviglia will offer a series of six- to 14-night cruises to destinations in Northern Europe and the Norwegian Fjords.

The season also includes longer itineraries to the Mediterranean, which will feature visits to additional destinations, such as Ibiza in Spain, Tangier in Morocco and Gibraltar in the United Kingdom.

While the Meraviglia takes over the itineraries from Southampton, the MSC Virtuosa is set to operate a full season in the Western Mediterranean.

Paradiso said that the changes to the company’s deployment in the region follow guests’ feedback, noting that the two ships are part of the same class.

“We’re seeing strong demand from UK customers for Mediterranean cruises, so having the MSC Virtuosa there for Summer 2027 is a natural fit for us,” he added.

“We also offer great value Fly & Cruise prices with flights from many regional airports, so customers can relax knowing that flights, transfers and the cruise fare are all included in the price,” he continued.

Paradiso also highlighted the 2026-27 winter season in the United Kingdom, which will see the MSC Preziosa replacing the MSC Poesia.

“I’m delighted to have the MSC Preziosa back in the UK doing the longest season ever from Southampton,” he said.

The 2013-built ship is set to offer a series of seven-night cruises to England, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands between October 2026 and April 2027.

Bookings for the new 2027 itineraries onboard the MSC Meraviglia and the MSC Virtuosa are set to open on Oct. 14, 2025.