The UK boss of MSC Cruises has outlined plans to host agents on a series of fam trips on the line’s deployments in the Middle East and the Caribbean.
Although the line’s UK & Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso said nothing had been confirmed, he raised the possibility of hosting agents this winter or in spring 2022.
MSC Virtuosa, which has been based in the UK this summer, will reposition to the Mediterranean next month before offering itineraries out of Middle East ports Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai this winter.
From November 2021, MSC Seashore, the first of two Seaside EVO class ships, will offer Caribbean sailings, calling into the line’s private island destination Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
Paradiso (pictured) said: “As soon as the time is right, we would love to host some fam trips as there are some destinations that we want to promote.
“We’ll be looking at that in the coming months. We’re looking at winter but if that’s not the case we’ll push them back to spring.”
“We’re looking at Dubai, Caribbean and Ocean Cay. Ocean Cay is one of the fam trips that we had planned before the pandemic. There is so much here to tell people.”
He added: “MSC Seashore is new hardware and we also have new destinations and new itineraries.”
Asked about the number of agent places available, Paradiso added: “Depending on the destination, we’ve had groups of 30 to 50 people in the past.”
On Virtuosa, Paradiso said that the ship had “boosted confidence” among UK agents this summer, adding that the line had “never stopped supporting” the trade throughout the pandemic.
“Most of the agents are now starting to focus on their winter season,” he said.