by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:40 AM ET, Tue December 7, 2021
MSC Cruises has now mandated that all guests for its winter sailings must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and test negative prior to their cruises.
These measures have already been put in place for most of the fleet's ships and cruise regions, excepting the Mediterranean winter sailings onboard the MSC Grandiosa and the MSC Fantasia. These rules are now applicable to all winter sailings fleetwide, including destinations in Europe, North and South America, South Africa and the Middle East.
Guests twelve years and older departing on cruises in the Mediterranean onboard these two ships starting December 4 must now be fully vaccinated and test negative up to 72 hours prior to boarding.
Guests who do not get vaccinated can request refunds or reschedule their cruises for a later date.
"Our health and safety protocol has led the way in the industry not just because we were the first major cruise line to resume international operations but also because of its flexibility to adapt to the evolution of the pandemic ashore," said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. "This approach has reassured our guests, our crew and the destinations we visit with our ships and we saw last winter with our sailings in the Mediterranean that even during a new peak of the pandemic ashore we were able to adapt our health and safety measures appropriately and continue to offer the highest level of protection to our guests and crew."
"This is the case once more as some countries in Europe are seeing an increase in infection rates ashore and to ensure the wellbeing of those on board our ships and at the communities they call, our approach again demonstrates that health and safety is our number one priority," continued Onorato
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