MSC Cruises launches new UK regional flights

MSC Cruises has launched a series of new regional UK flights to service Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh airports between April and September 2010. The flights have been launched to serve the growing popularity of cruising in the UK and will be operated by Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook, FlyBe and Jet2, and will coincide with Mediterranean departures from Barcelona, Venice and Mallorca.

Commenting on the new regional flights, Giulio Libutti, managing director of MSC Cruises UK and Ireland said: ‘As a result of the 50% growth in sales activity between 2008 and 2009 and continued predicted year-on-year growth in the UK, MSC Cruises has expanded its service offering with a range of regional flights. These flights will ultimately open up MSC fly/cruise holidays to a wider UK audience.’


Manchester

Between 2 April and 30 October 2010, flights between Manchester and Barcelona will depart every Friday with Monarch Airlines. UK passengers opting for fly/cruises onboard MSC Fantasia will be eligible for these flights.

Between 2 May and 26 September 2010, return flights between Manchester and Venice will depart every Sunday with FlyBe. UK passengers opting for fly/cruises onboard MSC Musica will be eligible for these flights.

Between 1 May and 25 September 2010, return flights between Manchester and Mallorca will depart every Sunday with Thomas Cook. UK passengers on fly/cruises aboard MSC Lirica will be eligible for these flights.


Birmingham

Between 1 May and 9 October 2010, return flights between Birmingham and Mallorca will depart on Saturdays with Monarch Airlines. UK passengers on fly/cruises aboard MSC Lirica will be booked on these flights.


Edinburgh

Between 3 May and 13 September 2010, return flights between Edinburgh and Venice will depart on Mondays with Jet2 airlines. UK passengers on fly/cruises aboard MSC Armonia will be booked onto these flights. Sphere: Related Content

Culinary poetry aboard MSC Poesia

Europe’s leading cruise line, MSC Cruises is partnering with Italy’s renowned Buon Ricordo Association to offer passengers seven fabulous gastronomic specialities on a Mediterranean cruise aboard MSC Poesia, 17-24 October.  Each evening passengers will have the opportunity to enjoy a different meal, each coming from one of the seven Buon Ricordo’s restaurants situated in Paris, France, Kanagawa, Japan, as well as in various regions of Italy. Sphere: Related Content

End of year newbuilding decision for MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises has given itself until the end of this year to decide whether or not to proceed with its delayed €1bn (US $1.4bn) order for two more cruise ships from STX France’s Saint Nazaire shipyard. The company, which announced the order for the two vessels last September, said in December that it wanted to renegotiate their price to take into account of the global recession.

Six months later, however, the company is still not in a position to place a firm order. Last week MSC Cruises took delivery of MSC Splendida from the French shipyard and if this new contract is not finalised the yard faces laying off a large number of workers.  Sphere: Related Content

MSC Cruises in maiden New York call

MSC Cruises’ made its maiden call last week at one of the world’s greatest port cities, New York, when MSC Orchestra called prior to a repositioning voyage to Copenhagen for the start of her European summer season.

MSC Cruises will start a programme of roundtrip cruises between New York and Quebec City in the autumn of 2010 using the company’s brand new MSC Magnifica, currently fitting out at the Saint Nazaire yard of STX France Cruise. The first cruise sails from Manhattan’s new Cruise Terminal on 22 September 2010. Sphere: Related Content

Mano buys MSC Rhapsody

Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime is believed to have bought MSC Cruises’ oldest ship, the 764 passenger capacity MSC Rhapsody for US $26.5m. Built in Denmark in 1977 as the Cunard Princess, this ageing vessel joins Mano’s existing three ship fleet of Golden Iris, Iris and Royal Iris. Sphere: Related Content

MSC Fantasia sets new levels in environmental measures

Last year Celebrity Cruises claimed that it latest vessel Celebrity Solstice was the world’s ‘most environmentally’ designed cruise ship in the world. This claim is now being challenged by MSC Cruises. The Italian operator says that its latest vessel, the 3,274 passenger capacity MSC Fantasia is the world’s ‘greenest cruise ship’. The STX France-built vessel has been awarded Bureau Veritas’ ‘Six Golden Pearls’ designation, the classification societies highest award. Sphere: Related Content

Israeli owner buys Rhapsody

Israel’s Mano Maritime has bought the 788 passenger capacity cruise ship Rhapsody from MSC Cruises. Following a winter season in South Africa the 1977-built vessel will re-deploy to Genoa from Durban on 25 March and will be handed over to Mano Maritime and renamed Golden Iris. Following a major refit, Golden Iris will join Mano’s two other vessels, Royal Iris ( ex Eagle, The Azur) and The Iris (ex Konstantin Simonov), in June. All three ships will operate a series of short Eastern Mediterranean cruises out of Haifa. Sphere: Related Content