MSC CRUISES EXTENDS TEMPORARY HALTING OF CRUISE OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN EUROPE

 

 

Geneva, Switzerland, 2 July 2020 – In light of the current situation in connection with the development of the health pandemic ashore, MSC Cruises today issued an update regarding its cruise operations for the current Summer 2020 season in Northern Europe as well as the Mediterranean.

 

In Northern Europe, the Company will now extend its temporary halting of operations there through to the end of the current season, affecting cruises scheduled to depart between 1 August and 18 October, included. 

 

In the Mediterranean, MSC Cruises now expects to be able to announce by [10/15] July which ships and itineraries will operate in the region during the months of August and September. To this end, the Company is working with the relevant authorities from the countries that its ships plan to call along their itineraries in the region to finalise a new health and safety operating protocol that will also align with guidelines set forth by the EU Healthy Gateways directive as well as other relevant regional and national entities. MSC Cruises will announce these details once it receives the final validation to the operating protocol that will support the Company resume operations for the summer season in the Mediterranean.

 

Guests booked on cruises in Northern Europe will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) where they have the opportunity to transfer the full amount paid for their cancelled cruise to a future cruise of their choice – on any ship, for any itinerary -- through to the end of 2021. Guests will be able to request their FCC starting on [RM to confirm]. [Note: local versions of this press release will instead list specific details that apply to FCC and any OBC in their market]

 

For guests already booked on cruises in the Mediterranean and scheduled to depart between 1 August and 15 September they can choose to maintain their summer holiday with MSC Cruises and select it from the updated programme as soon as the details are confirmed in the coming days. For those who wish to reschedule, MSC Cruises’ Flexible Cruise Programme allows guests to reschedule their cruise to a future departure date through to 31 December 2021. Guests and their travel agents will be able to transfer any such bookings at no cost, to any ship with any itinerary in the MSC Cruises fleet. It is possible to reschedule up to 48-hours prior to the original cruise departure or for Fly&Cruise packages, up to 96-hours prior to the flight departure.

 

 

MSC Cruises previously announced the extension of the temporary halting of cruise operations out of the U.S. and across the Caribbean through to and including 15 September 2020. For these ships, the Company has indicated that they will return to service only once the necessary approvals have been received from the relevant local and national authorities in the U.S. as well as across the region where the ships will operate.