MSC Cruises cruise line has decided to suspended remaining 2015 calls in Ukraine and Egypt, replacing them with a number of Mediterranean alternatives.
“These itinerary changes attest to MSC Cruises’ permanent focus on the safety of guests and crew – the number one priority at all times,” the company said in a statement.
As announced, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, MSC Fantasia and MSC Musica will, from autumn 2015 to winter 2016, variously incorporate the Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete, as well as Cyprus and Israel into their sailings.
As part of this communication MSC Cruises revealed that, in response to the high demand, MSC Opera will increase the frequency of her itinerary calling the archipelagos of the Canary Islands, Spain and Madeira, Portugal with an overnight stay in Funchal/Madeira for her schedule in the Canary Islands during the winter 2016.
Another sought-after destination in the region is Casablanca in Morocco, where MSC Cruises will call four times in the winter of 2016.
In addition, MSC Cruises announced its intention to strengthen its focus on the North American markets by deploying MSC Divina from Miami year-round in 2016.
The 3,500-guest MSC Divina will stay next summer to the USA to sail 26 seven-night itineraries from PortMiami to multiple Caribbean ports.
The sharpened Caribbean focus comes only a month after MSC Cruises revealed that MSC Seaside, the first of its next generation, under-construction “Seaside” generation of ships will also sail year-round from Miami to the Caribbean, starting November 2017.
MSC Divina will be replaced by the same class, 3,274 passenger MSC Fantasia on her Mediterranean itineraries.