MSC Cruises Expands Saudi Arabia Itineraries

MSC Cruises will expand its offerings around Saudi Arabia this summer.

The line will sail 21 Red Sea voyages from Jeddah, the commercial hub of Saudi Arabia, between the end of July and late October.

The Meraviglia-class MSC Bellissima, which first came to service in 2019, will offer 3- and 4-night cruises to Safaga near Luxor, Egypt, or Aqaba near Petra, Jordan before returning to her Saudi homeport.  MSC Bellissima will be the largest cruise ship ever to sail the waters of the Red Sea.

The summer sailings will add to MSC Cruises’ previously announced winter 2021/22 Red Sea voyages from Jeddah starting in November.

MSC Bellissima was delivered in 2019, fitted with a wide range of environmental features and technology to reduce the ship’s environmental footprint.

Onboard amenities include a 975-seat main stage theater and an aft Carousel Lounge, as well as a Grand Canyon theme for the aquapark with three water slides, a full-size bowling alley, F1 simulator, and XD cinema. MSC Bellissima also features a Mediterranean-style promenade with a 262 feet LED sky screen as the social hub of the ship and a shopping gallery with more than 200 brands. The Balinese MSC Aurea Spa offers 79 different body and facial treatments along with a stunning thermal area.

“As the tourism industry of Saudi Arabia grows progressively for its own residents and international visitors, we at MSC Cruises are looking forward to make a positive and lasting contribution as more people explore and discover the rich heritage and incredible cultural attractions it has to offer,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises.

“With our cruises this summer from Jeddah of MSC Bellissima and a ship dedicated for the winter season in the Red Sea we are committed to serve holidaymakers with the very best cruise experiences.  This, we believe, will accelerate the attractiveness of holidays at sea in the region and significantly help in the growth of tourism.”  

MSC Cruises recently announced it will partner with Fincantieri to build a new cruise terminal in Miami that will be able to accommodate three cruise ships at a time. The new $414 million mega-terminal will be able to process up to 36,000 passengers in one day with four-passenger embarkation decks.

In addition to the cruise terminal, a new parking garage will be built for at least 2,400 vehicles.

MSC said the development will support and sustain the expansion of its cruise division across the region and in the Caribbean.

The terminal will be located next to Royal Caribbean’s Terminal A at PortMiami and is scheduled to open in December 2023.