Sales opened today for the eagerly awaited inaugural season of MSC Cruises’ flagship MSC Virtuosa, offering a special range of sailings around the British Isles this summer. Starting from 20 May, the line’s latest and most innovative vessel will set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton with a four-night cruise and will then offer three- and four-night mini-cruises. From 12 June MSC Virtuosa will start to operate longer seven-night sailings through to mid-September, offering guests additional embarkation ports in Southampton, Liverpool and Greenock as well as calls at Portland in Dorset and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
All sailings are available to UK residents only and guests of all ages are welcome on board – both vaccinated and unvaccinated at the present time. Initially, and in line with the applicable requirements at the time of sailing, the ship will be operating with a reduced capacity to facilitate implementation of MSC Cruises’ industry-leading health and safety protocol.
Couples and friends looking for the ultimate long-weekend can enjoy three and four-night mini-cruises all departing from Southampton and calling at one of Britain’s most picturesque islands, Portland in Dorset, where guests can go ashore and discover this stunning part of the British coastline as part of a protected shore excursion. These mini-sailings include two days at sea so that guests can fully experience MSC Virtuosa’s innovative new facilities on board. With a late sail from Southampton and prices starting from £499, these mini-cruises will provide guests the perfect getaway with no hassle.
Those looking to take a longer break and families looking for a stress-free holiday, can join one of the seven-night sailings available on MSC Virtuosa. These week-long cruises will feature multiple ports of embarkation including Liverpool and Greenock, close to Glasgow, and port calls in Portland and the eclectic city of Belfast. The sailings will also offer a choice of excursions for guests to enjoy safe and protected visits ashore as part of a “social bubble” with the same high standard of health and safety measures as those implemented on board.
The seven-night cruises include three sea days so there is plenty of time for guests to enjoy all of the things they have missed during this last year, such as getting dressed up for an elegant dinner out on the ship, indulging in their favourite cocktail whilst watching the sun set at sea, reconnecting with the kids by having fun bowling, or even taking some much-needed time to relax and unwind in the MSC Aurea Spa.
Antonio Paradiso, MD MSC Cruises UK & Ireland commented: “We have seen real pent-up demand in the UK as people have been waiting to see where they can travel this summer and whether it is safe for them to do so. As holidays have become even more precious and important, we want to ensure that guests feel that they are getting great value for money, without the hassle of organising anything additional once on board.
“This is why we have introduced an All-Inclusive offering, which is always incredibly popular but now more than ever it’s important for guests to know that everything is taken care of. The All-Inclusive price includes service charges and a premium drinks package. We understand the need from guests to have a product that is great value, easy to understand but also it is important that it is flexible, which is why we have flexible booking terms. All we want guests to do on their MSC Cruises holiday is to relax, unwind, and feel safe.”
