The growing number of cases on shore in Europe have started to impact the tentative return of cruising.
MSC Cruises announced yesterday it will be temporarily suspending further sailings of MSC Magnifica given the prevailing pandemic situation in France and Germany and the travel restrictions imposed.
The temporary suspension will affect sailing from 8 November through to 18 December, included. France and Germany, here new restrictions have been imposed, are key source markets for the ship’s 10-night voyages across the Eastern and Western Mediterranean./
MSC Grandiosa will continue and extend her current sailings into next year.
Further to this, MSC Grandiosa will now see the application of newly activated measures under the MSC Cruises existing and comprehensive health and safety operating protocol, which include the following:
MSC Cruises has been forced to cancel its 2021 World Cruise on MSC Magnifica. Guests will be contacted separately with rescheduling options.
A music-themed Swiss river cruise by German line Scylla saw two thirds of the 92 passengers on board Swiss Crystal test positive for COVID.
Daniel Kissling was on board the ship and told Blick, a German news outlet, that after the trip he started to develop symptoms such as a cough and loss of taste and smell.
“We were in the same room for several hours and were allowed to take off the mask on the table while the brass band played, Monique sang and was yodelled,” he said.
Cases have been on the rise in much of Europe, including Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. England is also heading into a second lockdown.
“Europe is at the epicentre of this pandemic once again,” WHO’s regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said on 29 October.
Until very recently, Europe has been one of the few parts of the world where cruises have been able to resume in limited capacity.
Lines like MSC, AIDA, Costa, and TUI creating innovative health protocols to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and destination cities.
Carnival Corporation’s brand, AIDA, has temporarily suspended all sailings through November 30 due to new restrictions imposed by the German authorities on Wednesday.
CroisiEurope, which, with 43 boats in European waters is Europe’s biggest river cruise company, has also cancelled all cruises through 2020.
