Are you looking for the best cruise itineraries offered by MSC Cruises? You have plenty of options.
The world’s third largest cruise line by passenger capacity offers voyages to nearly every corner of the globe, from Asia and Europe to the Caribbean and South America.
MSC Cruises currently operates 22 cruise ships, more than all but a handful of other major cruise lines.
This allows it to deploy ships on all classic cruise routes in the Caribbean and Europe, while still leaving ships for more exotic routes.
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That said, MSC Cruises has a clear focus on Europe, where it is the largest cruise operator. In a typical summer, the Swiss-based line deploys the vast majority of its ships in the Mediterranean or Northern Europe, and many of MSC Cruises’ best itineraries are in Europe.
Even in winter, when many lines move all their ships out of Europe to warmer climes, MSC Cruises will keep several ships in the Mediterranean and often at least one ship in Northern Europe.
During the summers, MSC Cruises usually only has a few ships based outside Europe, mostly in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
During the winter, the line adds more ships to the Caribbean and Bahamas and also sends a significant number to South America, South Africa and the Persian Gulf. The line is the largest cruise operator in terms of capacity in all three of the latter destinations.
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In addition, MSC Cruises usually offers a round-the-world cruise on one ship in winter.
Here are the five best destinations you can visit on an MSC Cruises trip.
Europe
MSC Cruises has started offering cruises in Europe, mainly to a European audience, and Europe remains its biggest focus. The line offers a wide range of routes across all corners of the continent, from the Mediterranean to the far reaches of Northern Europe.
The line’s signature itineraries include seven-night sailings in the Western Mediterranean, offering the chance to see iconic destinations such as Barcelona, Rome and Cannes, France, in a single cruise. Or you can sign up for a Mediterranean cruise, focusing on the Greek islands and Turkey.
In Northern Europe, MSC Cruises takes you to famous Baltic cities such as Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn, Estonia, in a single voyage. Until recently, such trips often also included a stop in St. Petersburg, Russia, but due to the war in Ukraine, calls in St. Petersburg are on hold indefinitely.
There are also several routes available that focus on the Norwegian fjords.
In total, the line traditionally deploys a dozen ships to the Mediterranean during the summer months, and another five to Northern Europe. Trips range from four to ten nights.
Among the longest sailings offered by MSC Cruises in Europe are 10-night voyages from Marseille, France, with visits to Malaga, Cadiz, Alicante and Port Mahon, Spain (located on the Balearic Islands of Menorca); Lisbon; and Olbia (on the island of Sardinia) and Genoa, Italy.
In Northern Europe, MSC Cruises ships mainly sail from Southampton, England; Copenhagen; and Kiel and Hamburg in Germany.
In the Mediterranean, the main junctions of the line are Ancona, Venice, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Bari and Civitavecchia (the port of Rome) in Italy; Barcelona, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca in Spain; and Marseille, France.
Please note that MSC Cruises’ voyages in Europe are often heavily populated with Europeans speaking Italian, German, Spanish and French, as well as some English speakers.
In Europe, the line offers onboard programming in all five of these languages (all crew members speak English wherever the ships sail).
Reality check: Due to the diverse origins of passengers on European sailings, the line also typically makes announcements in all five of the above languages during these voyages. This can sometimes result in extremely long announcements, which can be a distraction for some cruisers.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to MSC Cruises Ships and Itineraries
The Caribbean and the Bahamas
MSC Cruises is not the biggest player in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. But its footprint in the region has grown significantly in recent years as it has rapidly expanded its fleet and pursued a strategy to woo more Americans.
In 2017, the line had just one ship in North America for sailings to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. But that number has grown to three in recent years and will increase to five this winter with the addition of two more ships (MSC Magnifica and MSC Divina) sailing from U.S. ports.
The five ships – MSC Magnifica, MSC Divina, MSC Seashore, MSC Seascape and MSC Meraviglia – will primarily operate seven-night sailings in the region focusing on the eastern or western Caribbean.
MSC Cruises’ Eastern Caribbean itineraries typically call at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Nassau, The Bahamas; and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the line’s private island in the Bahamas.
MSC Cruises’ Western Caribbean itineraries typically call at Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico; and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
In North America, MSC Cruises ships have historically sailed from Miami to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. But the line recently added trips from Port Canaveral and New York City.
Related: This New New York Cruise Ship Is Bigger Than the City’s Largest Hotel
Specifically, the five MSC Cruises ships in North America will depart for the coming winter of 2023-2024 from:
- MSC Seascape: Miami
- MSC Divina: Miami
- MSC Magnifica: Miami
- MSC Seashore: Port Canaveral
- MSC Meraviglia: New York City
In addition, the line offers cruises to the Caribbean from the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
The relatively recent opening of the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was a significant development for the line – the first private island in North America.
With beaches, water sports, eateries and bars, it is a major stop on many MSC Cruises sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas.
Note that MSC Cruises’ North American-based ships are heavily marketed to Americans, and the line has tailored a number of features and activities on its ships sailing in the region to a North American audience.
In particular, on MSC Cruises sailings from US ports, safety announcements are only made in five languages. Other announcements are in English only.
Related: The 6 Types of MSC Cruises Ships Explained
Bermuda
MSC Cruises significantly expanded its footprint in North America in 2023 with its first regular sailings from the US East Coast to Bermuda.
The line now operates six-night voyages to the destination from New York City every summer on one of its newest, largest ships: the 4,500-passenger MSC Meraviglia. The ship began sailing from New York City in April 2023, becoming the first MSC Cruises ship to sail year-round from the city.
The new sailings to Bermuda begin at New York City’s Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, where MSC Meraviglia is based, and include three full days docked at Bermuda’s King’s Wharf. They take place seasonally in August and September.
Like MSC Cruises’ sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas, the Bermuda voyages target a North American audience, primarily travelers in the Northeast who can reach the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal by car.
Eastern Canada and New England
Also new from 2023 are MSC Cruises’ first sailings in four years from New York City to Eastern Canada and New England.
These sailings are operated by MSC Meraviglia and range from 10 to 16 night voyages, coinciding with the region’s leafy season, with departures in September and October. The ship also offers select sailings to Eastern Canada and New England in April and May.
At the shorter end of the itineraries are 10-night trips with stops in Newport, Rhode Island; Boston; Portland, Maine; St. John’s, Newfoundland; Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
An 11-night itinerary adds Halifax, Nova Scotia to the above schedule, and a 16-night itinerary adds a three-day stay in Bermuda.
The latter itinerary is actually a combination sail that combines the above-mentioned 10-night Eastern Canada and New England sailing with a six-night Bermuda sailing.
Like MSC Cruises’ new Bermuda sailings from New York City’s Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the new voyages to Eastern Canada and New England are primarily aimed at North American travelers.
Eastern Canada and New England are a relatively new destination for MSC Cruises. The line offered short-season trips to the region from New York City in 2019.
Related: MSC Cruises’ MSC Voyagers Club loyalty program: everything you need to know
The Persian Gulf
In recent years, MSC Cruises has become a major player in the growing market for winter sailings in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf. The trips include stops in destinations such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as nearby Oman.
The trips attract Europeans and some Americans in addition to local residents of the region, offering a warm-weather escape from colder climates in winter. They also offer a chance to explore local cultural sites such as the Muttrah Souk and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman.
In a normal year, MSC Cruises deploys two ships to the region in winter for a series of three- to nine-night voyages from Dubai.
Among the line’s most common routes in the region are seven-day sailings from Dubai, with stops in Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates; and Muscat and Khasab, Oman.
In addition, the line offers seven-night winter sailings from Dubai with stops in Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates; Damman, Saudi Arabia; and Doha, Qatar.
Note that the line has canceled many of its Middle East sailings for the winter of 2023-2024 as a security measure due to the outbreak of war between Israeli and Hamas forces in the region.
In short
MSC Cruises has one of the largest fleets of ocean cruise ships in the world, allowing it to offer a wide range of itineraries.
If you’re looking for the best MSC Cruises itinerary, you’ll have no shortage of choices.
The line is perhaps best known for its European sailings; At certain times of the year it deploys almost all its ships in the region. But you’ll also find a solid lineup of MSC Cruises itineraries in the Caribbean and Bahamas, and the line is diversifying its offering in North America with new voyages from New York City to Bermuda and New England.
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