Tag Archives: MSC Splendida

Royal Caribbean and MSC cancel sailings over coronavirus fears

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MSC Splendida in Valletta \Harbour photo credit Dave Jones

This story was updated on Monday, January 27 at 8.30am.

Royal Caribbean International and MSC Cruises have cancelled sailings from Shanghai amid concerns over the Chinese coronavirus outbreak.

Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas’ departure on Monday and an MSC Splendida sailing on January 28 have both been pulled.

Quantum-Ultra class ship Spectrum of the Seas was due to sail a four-day Best of Okinawa cruise, but the line has decided to suspend the voyage and is offering affected passengers “full refunds for the cancellation”.

The coronavirus has killed at least 81 people, infected around 3,000 and spread to as many as ten countries outside China.

There have been at least 44 confirmed cases outside China, including in Australia, the USA, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and France.

The FCO hardened its travel advice over the weekend advising against all travel to Hubei Province, the course of the outbreak. “If you are in this area and able to leave, you should do so,” it said.

Royal Caribbean said on Friday that passengers who had travelled through or were from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first broke out, would not be allowed to board its ships.

However, the line has now adopted a tougher stance in a bid to protect passengers.

More:  Updated: FCO issues travel advice after coronavirus cases in China
Heathrow monitors flights from China amid coronavirus outbreak
Operators monitoring coronavirus crisis as people in the UK are tested

“In light of the latest developments with the coronavirus outbreak in China, we are suspending the January 27 sailing of Spectrum of the Seas, currently our only ship homeported in China,” a spokesperson for the line said.

“We are working with our guests to provide full refunds for the cancellation.

Image result for world health organisation logo

“The health and safety of our guests and crew is our primary concern, and we continue to work with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and government health authorities to monitor the situation.”

The spectrum of the Seas is scheduled to operate a mix of itineraries across the Far East until midway through 2021.

It is not known whether Royal will cancel more of Spectrum’s sailings beyond Monday due to the virus.

MSC Cruises said: “Due to urgent guidelines from the Chinese government to combat the spread of the coronavirus, MSC Cruises is required to cancel the upcoming cruise with MSC Splendida on 28 January.

“Guests booked on this cruise have the option to receive a full refund of their cruise ticket and port charges, or book an alternative sailing with an equivalent price and receiving additional onboard credit – with an embarkation date before the end of the year.

“At the time of writing, MSC Splendida is planned to remain in port for the duration of the cruise from 28 January until 1 February.

“We will continue to closely monitor the public health and safety situation in China and are consulting with international and local health authorities, as well as the ministry of transport of the People’s Republic of China, and strictly follow their advice and recommendations.

“Guests and travel partners have been informed and will be kept abreast of any further changes as the situation evolves.”

All transport hubs including airports, railway and bus stations, have been closed in the city of Wuhan and travel restrictions are in place in other cities in Hubei Province.

FCO advice states: “Public Health England has offered advice to travellers. You should comply with any additional screening measures put in place by the local authorities.

“For more information and advice, visit the TravelHealthPro website.”

In a further update today, the FCO said: “We are working to make available an option for British nationals to leave Hubei province. If you are a British national in Hubei Province and require assistance, please contact:

· our 24/7 number +86 (0) 10 8529 6600
· or the FCO (+44) (0)207 008 1500

“We continue to monitor developments closely and are in close touch with the Chinese authorities. The safety and security of British nationals is always our primary concern.”

MSC Cruises seals joint venture deal for Tunisian port operator

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MSC Splendida in La Goulette taken in 2010, Photo credit Dave Jones

A joint venture involving MSC Cruises has finalised the takeover of the operator of the cruise port for Tunis.

The European cruise line teamed up with independent cruise ports owner Global Ports Holding last year to bid to run La Goulette.

The deal to acquire Goulette Shipping Cruise, the company that runs the cruise terminal at the Tunisian port, has now been completed for an undisclosed sum.

The concession to operate the cruise port was awarded to Goulette Shipping Cruise in 2006 on a 30-year basis, with a right to extend the term for an additional 20 years.

Cruise ship calls into the port declined for four years after the terrorist attack on the Bardo Museum in the Tunisian capital in 2015, which killed 22 tourists.

Regular stops in the port resumed in November with at least ten ships expected this year and more forecast in 2021.

Global Ports Holding said La Goulette handled around 900,000 passengers in 2010 and an average if 441,000 a year between 2011-14.

However, the company admitted that “passenger volumes have been low in recent years”.

MSC TO BUILD FOUR 1,000 GUEST LUXURY CRUISE SHIPS

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MSC Seaview in Valletta, Malta
MSC Cruises is continuing its impressive growth in the cruise industry as the company today announced an agreement to build four ultra-luxury cruise ships at Fincantieri.
The 1,000-guest, 64,000-ton ships will enter service in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. The memorandum of agreement is for a total value in excess of two million euro, MSC said and marks the company’s first dedicated luxury ships.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “It is off the back of the great success of our ship-within-a-ship luxury concept that our guests asked us to enter into the ultra-luxury segment, as a natural evolution of the MSC Yacht Club. These ships will be able to offer unique itineraries, thanks to their size, and the guest services will be taken to another level, including our personalized MSC Yacht Club butler service, available 24/7.”
By 2027, MSC will have 25 mega ships in service, up from 15 today. The additional four ships will put the MSC fleet at 29 ships by 2027 with over 98,000 berths and a market capacity of over 5 million guests annually, according to Cruise Industry News estimates.
“I am especially pleased to be able to further extend our partnership with Fincantieri through this new order. The award-winning Seaside and Seaside-Evo class have already been recognized as ground-breaking and innovative designs. We are now introducing another new class, which will establish a new standard of ultra-luxury at sea with ships that will showcase the quality and highest standards that are associated with Made in Italy,” Vago said.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “It is with pride that two great brands – an Italian one and one with a strong Italian DNA -, well-known all over the world, today announce an important construction program. We are extremely satisfied that to launch a new class of ships in the luxury segment, MSC Cruises has acknowledged that our project will allow creating a new generation of cutting-edge units from both a technological point of view, safety and with particular attention paid to passenger comfort. With this project Fincantieri can count on 53 cruise ships in its order book, confirming to be an absolute market leader in all the cruise shipbuilding segments.”