MSC Cruises’ ship MSC Preziosa will offer northern European sailings out of Southampton during the 2022-23 winter season.
The 4,345-passenger vessel will operate seven-night sailings calling into Hamburg, Germany; Zeebrugge, Belgium; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; and Le Havre, France, until April 2023.
Preziosa (pictured) will arrive in Southampton on October 3 – just over a month before MSC Virtuosa departs from the UK after its extended summer programme.
The line said Preziosa’s sailing will be available to book “in the coming days”.
Antonio Paradiso, the line’s UK and Ireland managing director, said: “Our commitment to the UK market continues to grow and we are proud that we are providing agents with such a variety of products to sell in the ex-UK space this year.
“Sailing MSC Virtuosa from Southampton last year allowed us a great opportunity to access the new-to-cruise market who made up 50% of our sales for summer 2021.
“The impact the ship made in the UK was clear to see. I am delighted to be bringing MSC Virtuosa and MSC Preziosa to the UK in 2022 allowing us to offer more choice than ever before for guests seeking a no-fly adventure.”
MSC will launch two ships – MSC World Europa and MSC Seascape – this winter. World Europa, first ship in the line’s fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas, will be based in Doha, Qatar, for the Fifa World Cup.
Ports of call include Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island, all United Arab Emirates; and Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
World Europa’s season starts on December 20 with a mini-cruise before a regular schedule of seven-night cruises.
The ship will be joined by MSC Opera and MSC Splendida in the Middle East.
Starting on December 11, EVO class vessel MSC Seascape will offer two seven-night Caribbean itineraries from PortMiami in the US.
The vessel will offer Caribbean sailings alongside three other vessels – including MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seaside.
MSC Grandiosa; MSC Virtuosa and MSC Lirica will all be based in the Mediterranean during the winter.
MSC Virtuosa will offer sailings from Genoa, calling into La Spezia, Naples, both Italy; Palma, Barcelona, both Spain; and Marseille, France.