by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:29 PM ET, Thu October 19, 2017
Swiss-based MSC Cruises announced its MSC Lirica ship will homeport in Venice and serve a new itinerary in the Eastern Mediterranean for the summer 2018 season.
The MSC Lirica will depart for its first cruise on April 6, 2018, and offer embarkation in the cities of Venice or Bari with ports of call in several top Eastern Mediterranean destinations.
One of the top 2018 destinations for MSC Cruises is Greece. With the MSC Lirica scheduled to make stops in Mykonos, Heraklion (Crete) and the island of Corfu, travelers will be able to enjoy the serene beaches, famous restaurants and many historical locations throughout the country.
Dubrovnik, Croatia, will transport people back in time to the 16th-century town that is encircled by huge stone walls. The city also has a cable car system that will take people to the top of a mountain to overlook the region.
"Guest demand for cruise vacations in the Mediterranean continues to be strong. We have particularly seen boosted interest in the Eastern Mediterranean, with destinations such as the Greek islands and Croatia really capturing the imagination of travelers," MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said in a statement.
"This is why - as MSC Cruises is the leading brand when it comes to Europe and the Mediterranean - we are pleased to announce that as of today, guests are able to book cruises on MSC Lirica, offering an exciting itinerary that we have never offered before. This means that our guests will now have the greatest choice of summer cruises in the region in the always popular East Mediterranean, with a total of four ships in the region - now including MSC Lirica."
In addition to the new itineraries, MSC Cruises is offering travelers more time to explore the destinations with extended visits, including a longer stay in Corfu and a full day ashore in Mykonos.
MSC Lirica will offer the seven-night Eastern Mediterranean itinerary between April 6 and October 26, 2018.
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