MSC Poesia Resumes Service Ahead of Summer Program in Northern Europe

Dawn and the Wonderful MSC Peosia Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Another MSC Cruises ship is resuming service today as the MSC Poesia welcomes guests back in Civitavecchia, Italy.

Returning after a two-year absence, the 2008-built vessel is kicking off a summer season in Northern Europe with a repositioning voyage to Warnemunde.

The 14-night cruise features visits to 12 different ports in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

A highlight of the port-intensive itinerary is a visit to El Ferrol. Located in Northern Spain, the unusual cruise port also serves as a getaway to other cities in the region, including Santiago de Compostela.

Continuing its summer schedule, the Poesia offers a series of cruises to the Baltic and Scandinavia departing from Copenhagen and Warnemunde.

Ranging from seven to 21 nights in duration, the itineraries feature visits to Norway, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and more.

The program – which stretches through mid-September – also includes a one-time cruise to Iceland and Greenland. The 21-night voyage visits seven ports in the region, such as Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Reykjavik and Akureyri.

The MSC Poesia was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The 93,300-ton vessel entered service in 2008, as the third ship of MSC’s Musica Class.

According to the company, the ship features sophisticated and elegant décor and features 236,000 square feet of public spaces.

Among its many public areas, the Poesia offers two swimming pools, four hot tubs, a 13,000-square-foot spa, and four restaurants – including a Sushi Bar alternative dining restaurant.

With a capacity of 2,550 guests, the vessel boasts 1,275 staterooms, of which 80 per cent face the outside and 65 per cent are equipped with a private balcony.

With the MSC Poesia, a total of four ships resumed service for MSC Cruises in April.

AIDA to Add Capacity from German Citing Cruise Demand

Citing strong demand for voyages from northern German ports, AIDA Cruises will deploy another Sphinx-class ship from Kiel, according to a press release. 

On August 15, 2021, the first four-day short cruise to Gdynia will start followed by a three-day cruise to Gothenburg.

Both voyages will be offered alternately through Oct. 14.

The name of the ship will be announced shortly, the company said, and all cruises are already open for bookings.

On the four-day voyage, the ship calls at the Polish port of Gdynia after a relaxing sea day passing the island of Gotland, among others.

AIDA started operating from Kiel in May with the AIDAprima sailing every Saturday on week-long cruises in the Baltic, calling in Gothenburg, Visby on the island of Gotland, and Stockholm.

Lindblad ship to be called National Geographic Resolution

Design drawing of the National Geographic Resolution.

Lindblad’s new expedition vessel due in 2021 will be named the National Geographic Resolution.

The name reflects the favourite ship of Capt. James Cook, the British explorer and sea captain who made his second and third voyages of exploration aboard the HMS Resolution.

Lindblad Expeditions announced the name at the keel laying of the ship at the Crist shipyard in Gdynia, Poland.

Norway’s Ulstein Group is overseeing the design and construction of the 126-guest ship, which will have the ability to sail in polar waters. The Resolution will have a Polar Class 5 designation, meaning the ship will be able to navigate medium first-year ice year-round.

The Resolution is a sister ship to the National Geographic Endurance, due in April 2020.