With the U.S. set to reopen to international visitors on November 8, 2021, it’s a huge boost for the cruise industry, including MSC Cruises, which is ready to welcome guests with its three U.S.-based ships.
MSC Cruises Ready for International Guests in the U.S.
The cruise industry in the U.S. has started to make a comeback since June 2021. There will be an even more significant boost thanks to the government’s announcement on reopening to international visitors on November 8, 2021.
MSC Cruises, the fastest growing cruise line in the world, is ready to welcome back guests onboard its three U.S. cruise ships from around the world. There will still be protocols to ensure everyone remains safe, something which the cruise line has been a leader in since resuming operations at the end of 2020.
Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said, “We have eagerly awaited the U.S. Administration’s date to reopen the country for fully vaccinated travellers from many parts of the world that love to cruise. The Caribbean is a popular destination for our guests from across Europe and other regions of the world, particularly during the winter, and many more of them will now be able to fly to both Miami and Orlando to board our three ships that offer a range of different itineraries in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico and our unique private island in The Bahamas, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve. This news means that the many guests who are already booked to sail with us out of North America can now have their cruise holiday fully confirmed.”
The cruise line makes it easier for guests in Europe to head to the U.S. for their MSC cruise vacation with “Fly & Cruise” packages. The offerings include flights from key hubs and locations across Europe.
Also Read: Things to Do on the MSC Meraviglia Cruise Ship
For guests and even general travelers to enter the U.S., they must be fully vaccinated with a World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine, including Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca.
Guests 12 years and above need to have a completed set of vaccinations at least 14 days before the ship departs. Those who are two years old and above have to have a negative test result for an MSC Cruise.
Julia Simpson, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) President & CEO said: “It is great news that the U.S. will reopen its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers from the UK and EU from Nov 8. It has been a long time coming, but Travel & Tourism businesses on both sides of the Atlantic will be breathing a sigh of relief.”
Simpson added: “Visitors from the EU and the UK contributed more than $46 billion to the U.S economy in 2019, showing just how critical this move will be to the U.S recovery. WTTC believe governments should axe red lists completely, and instead base the risk on individuals rather than entire countries.”
Guests who are not U.S. residents also have to take out a COVID insurance policy. This will then be checked along with any other requirements before being allowed to embark. It is always essential to read through all the details from MSC Cruises and check for any protocol updates.
The cruise line has three vessels based in the U.S., which international cruisers can enjoy from November 8. The new flagship, MSC Seashore, will begin cruises from Miami, Florida, on November 20, 2021. It follows a special one-time short voyage to the cruise line’s private island of Ocean Cay in the Bahamas, where the naming ceremony will take place.
MSC Meraviglia became the first in the fleet to resume operations in the U.S. in August 2021. the ship resumed out of Miami, Florida, but will shift to begin Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral from November 28.
MSC Divina is also based in the country and restarted operations in September out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The ship will move to Miami to offer three-, seven- and 11-night cruises. All three MSC cruise ships will be visiting Ocean Cay as part of a range of different Caribbean itineraries.
