MSC Cruises will bring
two ships to South
Africa’s shores for the
2020/2021 cruise season.
This will mark the first
time that two different
classes of MSC Cruises
ships (Lirica and Musica) will
be deployed in the country
simultaneously, translating to
50 000 additional cruise
passengers.
From December 2020 to
March 2021 MSC Opera,
which will be homeported
in Cape Town, will join MSC
Musica, homeported in
Durban.
“Our decision to increase
the number of ships for the
South African cruise season
in 2020/2021 is due to the
significant growth in demand
we have seen in our guest
numbers over the past few
years,” says Ross Volk, md
of MSC Cruises South Africa.
MSC Opera, which can
host 2 500 guests and
was completely refurbished
in 2014 as part of the
company’s Renaissance
programme, will offer 22
departures next season.
MSC Musica can cater for
3 200 guests and will offer
40 departures.
“Our most recent season
saw a 25% increase in
guests compared with the
same period in 2017-2018.
MSC Cruises has been
bringing bigger and better
ships to this country and
enriching our itineraries as
more South Africans are
realising that a cruise is an
affordable, convenient and
exciting holiday option.”
The ships will alternate
routes, providing South
African cruisers with a wider
choice of options.
A highlight of the 2020-
2021 season is the 14-day
New Year cruise around
Southern Africa.
It will depart from Durban
on December 26 and take in
Portuguese Island; Nosy Be,
Madagascar; Port Victoria,
Seychelles; and Port Louis
in Mauritius, returning to
Durban on January 9.
This will be the first time
Port Victoria has been
included in the cruise
offering from Durban,
outside of MSC’s Grand
Voyage.
