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The Italian-Swiss shipping company MSC announced that it will launch its first two Mediterranean cruises this month after the suspension of routes in confinement due to the pandemic and will promote new security measures on board.
The ships “Great” and “Magnificent“They will begin operating from the ports of Genoa (north) and Bari (south) on August 16 and 29 respectively and will be” the first in the world to carry out full one-week itineraries, “the statement said.
The first will navigate the Mediterranean western, passing through cities such as Naples, Palermo or the Maltese capital, Valletta, while the second will travel through the Mediterranean orientated to visit Greek enclaves such as Corfu, Katákolo or Piraeus.
The company promises “innovative” health and safety measures against eventual cases of coronavirus created with the collaboration of a team of international experts.
This protocol foresees tests of the coronavirus to guests and passage before boarding, “protected” excursions, insurance in case of contagion “before, during or after” and a smaller number of passengers to avoid crowds on board, among other things.
The Italian Government announced on Friday night that from next August 15 cruise ships with tourists will be allowed to leave, a measure that was “warmly” thanked by the executive president of the shipping company, Pierfrancesco Vago.
MSC has canceled the rest of the cruises for the Mediterranean from August 16 to October 31, offering a bonus to its customers, also those in the United States until the last day of October, which will resume at the “right” time.
Routes through the far east between September 10 and October 26 have also been canceled.
In any case, the company does not exclude the possibility that other ships may re-enter service early this summer and for this it continuously monitors the evolution of the pandemic.
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