The pandemic has disrupted winter travel plans for holidaymakers all over the world this year but there is nothing to stop people dreaming and planning their much-needed break for next winter.
MSC Cruises has reconfirmed its winter cruise programme for 2021/2022 with a tantalising array of itineraries in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Gulf region as well as South America and South Africa as well as the Grand Voyages, with new itineraries across continents and different oceans.
Four ships sailing from North America
Following her inaugural season in the Mediterranean in summer 2021, MSC Seashore, the company’s newest ship, will cross the Atlantic towards the warmer waters of the Caribbean. The ship will offer alternating itineraries calling Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and The Bahamas with Ocean Cay or Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic and Ocean Cay.
MSC Armonia, homeporting in Miami, will offer a choice of 3 or 4-or 7-night cruises that include Ocean Cay, and on some itineraries offering an overnight stay at this stunning private island.
MSC Divina will start the season out of Port Canaveral and then move to Miami from December. This popular ship for the U.S will offer a range of itineraries with 3- 4- night mini-cruises to Ocean Cay, a range of different 7-night itineraries and an extended 11-night cruise that calls Jamaica, Aruba, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Ocean Cay.
For the first time MSC Meraviglia will homeport in Port Canaveral offering a mix of shorter cruises of three to four-night cruises as well as 6-, 7-and 8-nights with full day calls in the Mexican ports of Costa Maya and Cozumel.
MSC Seaview – new for the Antilles
MSC Seaview will also call the Caribbean home during the winter 2021/22 season, this time homeporting in Fort-de-France, in the shadow of Mount Pelée and a stone’s throw from the Jardin de Balata botanical gardens. She will sail from the capital of Martinique on through the Antilles and West Indies, with a series of seven-night cruises. Highlights include Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe and Antigua and Barbuda, where the mesmerising clear blue waters and white sandy beaches will appeal to sun-worshippers’ desires.
Strong Mediterranean heritage
MSC Cruises is renowned for its iconic Mediterranean cruises, with varied itineraries and the most embarkation ports of any cruise line in the region. For Winter 2021/2022, four ships will be deployed in this popular region.
MSC Grandiosa, will call in some of Europe’s most popular destinations. Genoa, with its numerous palaces and winding streets, will serve as a key embarkation port for guests, as well as the artistic and gastronomic wonderland of Barcelona and key to the South of France, Marseille. In addition to these gems, the ship will call in the beautiful Palermo, Civitavecchia for access to Rome, and the awe-inspiring old port of Valletta, Malta.
The glamourous MSC Fantasia will also sail a classic seven-night itinerary with the choice of multiple embarkation ports in MSC Cruises’ most visited destinations, Barcelona, Marseille and Genoa, as well as Italian cultural highlights, including La Spezia – with easy connections to Florence, Pisa and the Cinque Terre – and Naples – famous for their pizzas the world over, before calling in Palma de Mallorca, in the Balearic islands.
MSC Magnifica will offer extended 11-night cruises with two different itineraries for those looking for a little more adventure next winter. The first starts in Genoa and then to Greece, calling Katakolon, Piraeus and Rhodes before reaching Haifa in Israel where the ship remains overnight allowing a full day to discover ashore, then on to Heraklion, Civitavecchia and back to Genoa. The second itinerary visits five countries – starting in Genoa, Barcelona in Spain then on to Casablanca in Morocco for an extended stay, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Funchal in Portugal, Malaga in Spain and then Italy with Civitavecchia and Genoa.
MSC Poesia will offer 5- and 10-night cruises out of Genoa before embarking on the 2022 World Cruise from Genoa on 5 January.
Winter sun in The Gulf
The Gulf region will host two MSC Cruises ships for the winter season and guests will be able to attend the postponed Expo 2020 Dubai, which will now commence in October 2021.
MSC Virtuosa, one of the company’s newest ships, launching in April 2021, will spend her first winter season in the region, homeporting in Dubai. From there, the ship will sail to the nearby modern metropolis of Abu Dhabi, on to Sir Bani Yas Island, where guests will have a chance to discover an exotic array of wildlife or bask in the warm sun on the immaculate beaches, all exclusive to MSC Cruises on the days which the ships call. The ship also calls Bahrain, and Doha, the futuristic capital of Qatar, before returning to Dubai with an overnight in the city to discover all the marvels it has to offer.
MSC Opera, will offer a 7-night itinerary that includes two overnights in Dubai to allow guests to fully explore this incredible city as well as calling Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas and Muscat in Oman, one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the Gulf.
2022 MSC World Cruise
Sail aboard MSC Poesia on a brand-new 116-night itinerary around the globe departing on 5 January 2022. Don’t miss out on our offer of visiting 43 amazing destinations in 24 countries with nine overnight stays.
South America
The programme for Winter 2021/2022 in South America will feature four modern ships with embarkation in Brazil, as well as a fifth ship in the region with embarkations in Argentina and which will bring Latin American guests to visit the charming Brazilians destination.
- MSC Seaside will perform 6, 7, 8-nights from Santos, Brazil.
- MSC Preziosa will offer 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-nights from Santos, Brazil as well as 7, 8 -nights calling Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
- MSC Splendida will sail from Santos Brazil 7-night cruises also calling Uruguay, Argentina.
- MSC Sinfonia will homeport in Itajai, Brazil with 6, 7, 8, 9-night cruises calling Uruguay and Argentina
- MSC Orchestra will homeport in Buenos Aires, Argentina with 8, 9, 10-nights also calling Brazil and Uruguay.
South Africa
MSC Lirica will join MSC Musica in South Africa. MSC Lirica will homeport in Cape Town and MSC Musica in Durban between November 2021 and April 2022 to offer 14 different cruise itineraries that range in length from two to 14 nights. The two ships will alternate their routes to provide South African cruisers with a wider choice of options to suit their holiday needs.
MSC Grand Voyages 2021-2022 – 81 ports of call in 38 countries
Between October and November 2021, MSC Cruises will expand its already rich itineraries portfolio, with 11 new inspiring Grand Voyages across eleven ships. The new MSC Grand Voyages 2021/22 will depart from the major ports worldwide and will last from 18 to 27 days. In Spring 2022, 11 Grand Voyages, from 16 to 28 days, will be available with ships returning from the Gulf, Brazil and Argentina, South Africa, Martinique and the U.S, sailing to Europe for the start of the Summer 2022 Season.