In opposite outcomes, MSC Cruises announced on Sunday that MSC Grandiosa will return to sea starting on January 24, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings on Tuesday extended its "operational pause" for all three of its brands—Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
MSC Grandiosa Returns
Following the latest ministerial decree issued by the Italian government and related updated health measures, MSC Cruises' flagship, MSC Grandiosa, will resume weekly cruises departing on Sundays from Genoa, Italy, starting January 24.
Ports of call will include the other Italian ports of Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Palermo in Sicily, as well as Valetta, Malta. Guests will be able to embark at any of the Italian ports.
The latest ministerial decree authorized the resumption of cruise operations under the protection of the health/safety protocol developed last summer with and authorized by the Italian health, transport and safety authorities. Since then, MSC Cruises has safely welcomed over 30,000 guests on board its two ships based in Italy.
During the holiday season and into early January, the Italian government's temporary, more restrictive measures related to movement of travelers within Italy had resulted in MSC Cruises' temporarily suspending its cruises. Now, that decree has been lifted.
Extension of Pause
Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. today extended its previously announced suspension of cruise operations for the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, saying it was continuing to work through its return-to-service plan to meet the requirements of the "Framework for Conditional Sailing Order" issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The suspension now includes all voyages on ships of those brands embarking through April 30, 2021. NCLH said it will continue to work in tandem with global government and public health authorities and its Healthy Sail Panel's expert advisors to take all necessary measures to protect its guests, crew and the communities visited.
Guests who are currently booked on cancelled voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises are asked to contact their travel advisor or the cruise line for more information.
This article originally appeared on www.travelagentcentral.com.
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