MSC Cruises has confirmed that four ships will be deployed in the Mediterranean in winter 2021-22.
Confirmation came just days after new Italian Covid restrictions caused the cancellation of cruised over this Christmas period.
The line now believes disruption to this winter’s travel plans due to the pandemic will encourage people to look forward by 12 months.
Ships scheduled for the Med are MSC Grandiosa, MSC Fantasia, MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia running five to 11-night itineraries.
A further four vessels including the nee MSC Seaside will sail from Miami and Port Canaveral to the Caribbean, Mexico and other countries in South America.
MSC Seaview will be based in the Caribbean island of Martinique with a series of seven-night cruises including St Lucia, Guadeloupe and Antigua and Barbuda.
MSC Virtuosa, due to enter service in April 2021, will be based in Dubai next winter alongside MSC Opera, allowing passengers to attend the postponed Expo 2020 Dubai, which has been rescheduled for October next year.
South America will be covered by five ships, including four from Brazil and one from Argentina.
MSC Lirica will join MSC Musica in South Africa to run sailings from Cape Town and Durban between November 2021 and April 2022 on 14 different itineraries.
A series of 11 new grand voyages have been organised across 11 ships to give a total coverage of 81 ports of call in 38 countries
Departures from major ports worldwide and will last from 18 to 27 days.
Eleven repositioning voyages from 16 to 28 days in duration will be available in spring 2022 as ships return from the Gulf, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Martinique and the US to Europe for the start of the summer 2022 season.