Three MSC Cruises ships will serve as hotel accommodations for the FIFA World Cup fans in Qatar. The MSC World Europa and MSC Poesia will be berthed next to the new Grand Cruise Terminal, and the third cruise ship, the MSC Opera, will be on the opposite side of the port.
At a maximum capacity, all three vessels can accommodate over 13,000 guests, significantly increasing the much-needed berths during the event.
In addition, two Ponant ships are expected to be berthed at a premium location in the heart of Doha Port, alongside the Golden Horizon which is set to host Croatian fans.
The 22nd edition of the competition which will take place from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18 is the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Arab countries. The host nation expects about 1.2 million fans to arrive in Qatar during the competition.
The Grand Cruise Terminal, which is at its final construction stage, is part of an ambitious project set by Qatar Tourism to attract over six million international visitors a year by 2030. The terminal building is set to be inaugurated at the naming ceremony of MSC Cruise’s newest ship the MSC World Europa.
The facility will have two cruise terminals with an aquarium in the middle section and an art gallery. The terminals are designed to simultaneously handle a complete passenger turnaround for two mega-size cruise ships.
With its structural and decorative functions, the building honours traditional Arab architecture and restores the historical link between Doha and the sea. The visually stunning architecture incorporates 1154 elegant arches, representing unity, purity, and glory.
Located in the heart of Doha, the new Grand Terminal is a stone’s throw away from the city’s most popular tourist attractions; the gorgeous promenade Corniche, the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, Msheireb Downtown and the traditional market Souq Waqif.
Constructed to expand the intended use as a cruise terminal and transform into a flexible multi-functional space for year-round public events, exhibitions and conferences, Doha’s Grand Cruise Terminal has the potential to become the city’s next landmark.
MSC Cruises has revealed the details of its winter 2022-2023 sailing program for 21 ships – including two newbuilds making their debut – to nearly 200 global destinations in 85 countries.
According to a press release, MSC next winter will introduce its first World-class of the ship and first LNG-powered vessel, the GT 205,700 MSC World Europa.
She will be based in Doha for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 football tournament to be staged during November and December.
The vessel will then offer cruises calling Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates and Doha, plus Dammam in Saudi Arabia, with a mini-cruise on Dec. 20 before starting seven-night cruises in the Gulf region.
The Seascape next winter will become the second new ship to join MSC Cruises’ fleet and the line’s second Seaside EVO class vessel. She will offer two different seven-night itineraries from PortMiami with the first sailing on Dec. 11.
Winter 2022/2023 Sailing Program:
Middle East
The MSC World Europa will offer seven-night voyages including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, Dammam and Doha.
The MSC Opera will also homeport in Dubai and sail to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island and both Muscat and Khasab in Oman.
The MSC Splendida will homeport in Jeddah calling at Yanbu and Al Wajh in Saudi Arabia, Aqaba in Jordan and Safaga in Egypt.
Caribbean Sea
The MSC Seascape will start her inaugural season from Dec. 11 from PortMiami. She will offer seven-night East Caribbean itineraries calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Nassau in the Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The ship will also sail 7-night West Caribbean itineraries calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica.
The MSC Meraviglia will offer three- to seven-night Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral including Nassau, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Costa Maya in Mexico, Cozumel and Belize City in Belize.
The MSC Divina will offer three- to 10-night sailings from PortMiami with all itineraries calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Other destinations include Belize City, Isla de Roatan in Honduras, Costa Maya, Ocho Rios, Cartagena in Colombia), Colon in Panama) and Puerto Limon in Costa Rica.
The MSC Seaside will sail seveb-night cruises from Fort de France in Martinique, Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe and Philipsburg in St Maarten. There will be two different itineraries that include calls to destinations such as Castries in Saint Lucia, Bridgetown in Barbados, Saint George in Grenada), or St John’s in Antigua and Barbuda, Basseterre in St Kitts and Nevis and Roseau in Dominica.
Mediterranean Sea
The MSC Grandiosa will sail seven-night cruises from Genoa, Civitavecchia and Palermo in Italy, Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille France.
The MSC Virtuosa is offering sailings from Genoa, La Spezia and Naples in Italy, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona in Spain and Marseille.
The MSC Lirica will operate 11-night voyages from Genoa to Civitavecchia and Messina in Italy, Rhodes in Greece, Limassol in Cyprus, Haifa in Israel and Heraklion in Crete (Greece). The ship will also operate 10-night sailings from Genoa to Marseille, Barcelona, Tangier and Casablanca in Morocco, plus the Spanish ports of Ceuta, Malaga and Alicante.
Northern Europe
The MSC Preziosa is to sail seven-night sailings from Hamburg in Germany, Zeebrugge in Belgium, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Le Havre in France and Southampton in the UK.
South America
The MSC Seashore will do the new seven-night itinerary from Santos calling Maceio, Salvador and Buzios in Brazil.
The MSC Seaview will homeport for the first time in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil between December to March. She will offer 3 to 8-night cruises with different itineraries including the Brazilian destinations of Buzios, Ilhabela, Ilha Grande/Angra dos Reis, Ilheus and Salvador, as well as to Uruguay and Argentina.
The MSC Fantasia is Homeporting in Santos with a range of 3 to 7-night cruises with domestic calls including Ilha Grande, Buzios and Ilha Grande/Angra dos Reis, plus Montevideo and Punta Del Este in Uruguay and Buenos Aires in Argentina.
The MSC Armonia will homeport in Itajai/Santa Caterina with 7-night itineraries to Uruguay, Argentina and Ilhabela in Brazil.
The MSC Musica will homeport in Buenos Aires with sailings to Brazil including Ilhabela, Rio de Janeiro, Buzios and Ilha Grande/Angra dos Reis.
South Africa
The MSC Sinfonia will homeport in Cape Town with sailings to Mossel Bay in South Africa, plus Walvis Bay and Luderitz in Namibia.
The MSC Orchestra will homeport in Durban for voyages to Pomene and Portuguese Island in Mozambique, Walvis Bay and Cape Town.
MSC World Cruise 2023
The MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia will both perform the MSC World Cruise 2023. The two ships, in an industry-first, will host more than 5,000 passengers for journeys around the world. Both vessels will depart from Civitavecchia and Genoa on 4 and 5 January 2023 respectively, Marseille one day later and Barcelona on 7 January. Once the two ships leave the Mediterranean Sea, they will part ways in the Atlantic Ocean for their separate global itineraries.
Variety Cruises has stepped up, using its 50-guest Variety Panorama to help repatriate 19 Cuban crew members from the MSC Preziosa, according to a statement.
Variety said it responded to call for assistance and made a 14-day diversion to bring the crew members home.
Having completed a winter season of cruising off the coast of Costa Rica and Panama, the Panorama was empty other than for the crew and en route to Europe for the summer.
Having stopped to bunker fuel in Barbados prior to crossing the Atlantic, she berthed near the MSC Preziosa. A request followed from the Cuban government, and the Panorama’s Captain, Vasilis Mazarakis, agreed to repatriate the Cuban crew members to Havana.
The voyage took seven days, with the ship then cruising back to Barbados for another week to refuel prior to her crossing.
Health declarations were provided by the Captain of MSC Preziosa and the Barbadian medical authorities, and the new addition of guests was thermo-scanned prior to boarding and on every subsequent day of the journey.
Upon disembarking his charges on April 4 in Havana, Captain Mazarakis said: “During these difficult times we are facing, it is important to help each other. Knowing that we were helping fellow seafarers by getting them back to their families makes us all proud. We wish and hope that all stranded crew and passengers alike manage to get home to their loved ones and that the world will return to normal soon.’’.
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