MSC Cruises Announces World Voyage

The MSC Magnifica in the Port of Hamburg in GermanyPHOTO: The MSC Magnifica will be embarking on an epic journey in 2020. (photo via Flickr/Sera Tu)
MSC Cruises announced the opening of sales for the cruise line’s second world voyage.

The world cruise will set sail in 2020 on the MSC Magnifica. MSC Voyagers Club members are eligible to start booking immediately, with all other customers able to book their spot on the voyage November 23.

For the 2020 MSC World Cruise, the new itinerary will include more than 40 ports of call in 23 countries. With four different embarkation ports and dates to kick off the three-month voyage, travelers can select their ideal starting point for a customized vacation experience.

Guests who embark on the world cruise from Rome, Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona on January 4, 5, 6 and 7, 2020, respectively, will cross five continents and visit 43 popular destinations, including Argentina, Easter Island, Australia, India, Oman and more. Eight destinations will include an overnight stay in port.

“Following the highly successful launch of our first MSC World Cruise last year, due to set to sail in January 2019, we are now delighted to open sales for a new world cruise for 2020 developed to offer guests experiences and destinations that they will never forget,” MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said in a statement.

“In addition, the experience onboard MSC Magnifica – one of the jewels of our fleet – has been designed to reflect the cultures and cuisines of the countries that the ship visits, giving guests the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a true around the world voyage of discovery both on board and on shore.”

MSC Cruises is also providing experiences through its wide range of 15 shore excursions included in the cost of the booking, plus the cruise line will offer additional excursions available to book in advance or during the voyage.

Some of the experiences offered during the world cruise include visiting Turtle Bay in New Caledonia, exploring the ancient city of Petra, climbing to the top of the Kuala Lumpur Tower and more.

On board the ship, passengers will be able to enjoy a complimentary Mealtime Restaurant Drinks Package, a 30 percent reduction on all laundry services, more than 90 shows performed in the ship’s Royal Theater and an activity schedule with theme evenings, language classes, cultural guest speakers and more.

Cunard Promises The World in 2019

Image result for queen victoria cruise ship in new york

PHOTO: Queen Victoria will see the world in 2019

Cunard is throwing one amazing opportunity at your feet: The chance to tour the world at a leisurely pace.

Cunard recently announced (h/t USA Today) its Oceans of Discovery program, which is an apt title for a set of voyages that will take myriad travelers to grand destinations.The downside is that you will have to be a bit patient, as the party doesn’t kick off until 2019.

That’s when The World Voyage aboard Queen Victoria launches.

This particular ship is no stranger to wading past some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. This past January, it became the largest passenger ship to have traversed the Amazon. 2019 will see it help Cunard once again offer a circumnavigation journey that will take several months and see 24 countries over the course of 107 nights.

Voyagers have a wealth of options when it comes to the 2019 program. Boarding the Queen Victoria alone will have you selecting from 37 voyage possibilities.

As the website states, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth will also embark on some truly remarkable adventures.

Josh Leibowitz, Senior Vice President, Cunard North America, states, via Cunard: “Across the fleet, Cunard’s Winter 2019 program covers the globe, including places that we have not visited for years. Our itineraries have been designed to offer enriching days in port as well as plenty of time on board for our guests to relax and enjoy all that our ships have to offer.”

While Queen Victoria sets sail to conquer the world, its sister ships will concentrate on “exotic voyages that offer richer, deeper and more regionally-focused itineraries than ever before.”

In the case of Queen Mary 2, this means a few fabulous firsts as it calls at Doha, Qatar; Mormugao, India; Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea and Chennai, India.

Queen Victoria’s world journey starts at $17,579 per person. So at just under $20,000, you are getting the absolute trip of a lifetime.

But if you want to save some bucks and are on this side of the pond, you can skip the trip to Southampton and start the journey on this side of the Atlantic. USA Today puts the price of a voyage from Fort Lauderdale at $15,799.