After more than two years, MSC Cruises will reach a major milestone on its resumption of cruise operations on Sunday. The cruise line is returning to full operations as MSC Musica becomes the latest and last MSC cruise ship to return to passenger operations.
MSC Cruises has been an essential part of the worldwide resumption of cruising, as the company became the frontrunner in operating cruises during the pandemic.
It did so with health and safety measures that have changed the cruise industry and how we look at cruise ships as an extremely safe way to travel.
MSC Musica Returns To Service
In a time that most cruise lines have nearly resumed service with most of their ships, the crew and officers onboard MSC Musica will be happy they finally get their chance this weekend. Sailing from Monfalcone, Italy, the MSC cruise ship will be operating a series of 7-day Mediterranean cruises.
Departing from Monfalcone, Italy, she will be heading to Katakolon, Greece, where guests can visit the famous and historic Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics. After that, there are two more stops in Greece, Iraklion, and Santorini, before the vessel sails to Bari, followed by Monfalcone.
MSC Musica will have some excellent company as she sets sail on Sunday, June 5. She departs from the same port where two more MSC ships are under construction, MSC Seascape and Explora I.
The return of MSC Musica means 19 ships are now operational for MSC Cruises. Most vessels are currently in the Mediterranean, except for MSC Divina and MSC Seashore operating in the Caribbean, MSC Magnifica in Iceland, and MSC Bellisima in the Persian Gulf.
The End Of The Pandemic For MSC
MSC Musica’s return marks the end of a busy and exciting time for MSC Cruises. Not only did the company make serious inroads by expanding its fleet from 17 to 19 during the pandemic, but there are also even more ships set to be released in 2022 and over the coming years.
While most of the cruise industry had to sit on the sidelines and wait, MSC Cruises convinced the Italian government to allow the cruise line to sail.
To achieve this safely, MSC developed a series of health and safety measures that are still followed by almost all cruise lines operating worldwide.
Cruises onboard MSC Grandiosa, sailing from Genoa, proved to be extremely popular and safe, prompting more cruise lines and countries to follow the same example. MSC Cruises brought cruising back safely during the pandemic.
It hasn’t been plain sailing all the way through. During the winter of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, surges in cases in Italy and Europe forced MSC Cruises to suspend operations multiple times, particularly for MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica, right before the holidays.
With cruise bookings surging for the Geneva, Switzerland-based cruise company, the focus can now go towards the release of four new ships in the coming months.
One of the most exciting new ships is MSC World Europa, which will set sail later this year. Packed with environmental features and running on LNG, she is also the largest ship to ever sail for MSC Cruises.
