As well as handing over plaques, books and other gifts during MSC Poesia's maiden visit to Southampton this week, MSC Cruises UK and Ireland MD Giulio Libutti took the opportunity to remind everyone that MSC Opera's no-fly cruises next summer will depart from Southampton.
They are switching from Dover because Southampton has better road, rail and air links - a fact passengers seem to agree with as bookings for 2011's no-fly cruises are 100% up on the same time last year.
I reckon they are also making the move because they can now offer cruises to France and Spain instead of only going to the Baltic and Norwegian fjords.
MSC Opera, pictured here going through a fjord, will be sailing nine eight-night cruises that call at Amsterdam, then spin around and go to La Rochelle and Cherbourg in France, and Bilbao and La Coruna in Spain.
Passengers can embark at any of the ports - a clever move which allows MSC to tap into the Dutch, French and Spanish markets as well as the UK.
Britons taking no-fly cruises from Southampton can expect traditional afternoon tea, free tap water with their meals and tea or coffee afterwards (you don't get any of that on MSC's other cruises) and some Brit dishes on the menu.
I'm intrigued to know what Italian-style cottage pie is like!
Jane Archer
Comments (3)
Interesting point about people embarking at different points along the way. Do they have a safety briefing every day then ?
Posted by Jame | September 12, 2010 8:04 PM
Posted on September 12, 2010 20:04
Good question. I am sure that according to SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations they have to but maybe someone from MSC would like to comment further?
Posted by Jane Archer
|
September 13, 2010 7:40 AM
Posted on September 13, 2010 07:40
MSC Cruises has a safety briefing every time a passenger or a group of new passengers embark. The safety briefing takes place before the departure, it is always carried out within 24 hours after the embarkation of new guests according to the SOLAS - Safety of Life at Sea rules.
In the case when all passengers disembark at a homeport, such as Genoa for example, the new passengers are given an emergency drill involving everyone, crew members included.
Posted by Giulio Libutti: MD MSC Cruises UK and Ireland | September 17, 2010 2:03 PM
Posted on September 17, 2010 14:03