MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises announced a 45 day pause of all of its sailings until April 30, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The global nature of the COVID-19 outbreak has forced MSC Cruises to halt cruises across the fleet. MSC had already halted ship operations across all areas considered as high risk for the virus, in the Mediterranean, the Gulf and Asia. Ships still in operations in South America and South Africa will also end their operations at the end of their current itineraries.

MSC Cruises announced it has cancelled its March and April sailings in the Persian Gulf due to ports in the United Arab Emirates closing cruise ports due to Coronavirus fears.

The change affects two MSC Cruise ships, MSC Bellissima and MSC Lirica starting from March 14, including the Grand Voyages of MSC Bellissima on March 21 and that of MSC Lirica on April 18.

MSC Meraviglia was denied the necessary clearance to disembark guests out of concern a crew member with the flu might carry the coronavirus.

MSC Cruises USA has named Rubén Rodríguez as President and he will join the organization on March 18.

Mr. Rodríguez will work to grow the company's strategy in the United States region, both in terms of its commercial presence and brand awareness, and leverage long-term investments made in recent years. 

MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises and more have all had to cancel sailings from China due to the coronavirus outbreak.

MSC Cruises and shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique announced major fleet expansion plans.

MSC Cruises signed an agreement to build the third and fourth LNG-powered MSC World Class ships, which are slated to be delivered in 2025 and 2027. The cost of these ships will exceed EUR 2 billion.

The cruise line also signed two memorandums of understanding related to new ship prototypes.

MSC Cruises announced it will be the first major cruise line to become carbon-neutral. 

The cruise line will buy enough credits from companies that absorb carbon dioxide to offset all of the carbon emissions from its 17 ships.  They will begin this new initiative on January 1, 2020.

The credits purchased will cover activities at sea, and should be 2.2 million tons.

A 12-year-old boy from Germany has reportedly died aboard the MSC Divina cruise ship early Tuesday morning.

According to online reports, the child fell while the ship was sailing from Palermo, Italy to Cagliari, Sardinia. Despite the medical staff's best efforts, the boy died around 3 a.m. Tuesday.

MSC Cruises' Meraviglia arrived in New York City earlier today, marking her first ever visit to the United States and breaking the record for the largest cruise ship to port in Manhattan.

The ship can accomodate more than 4,500 passengers, and will offer two New England and Canada itineraries this fall from the city before she will move to her homeport in Miami for Caribbean itineraries during the winter.

The ship's pool includes a full water park with several slides. The ship also has more than 10 dining areas and a spa.