UPDATE 12 MARCH 

   

In light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak that originated in China, MSC Cruises has undertaken a series of global actions since 24 January to secure the health and well-being of all guests and crew. As the situation continues to evolve, we continue to update our precautionary measures and further enhanced them to protect everyone on board as per below.

For European guests cruising from the USA. Entry in USA is closed to most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. These countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. This does not apply to legal permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation.  This restriction comes into effect at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 13, 2020 and it’s expected to be in place for at least 30 days.

Guests forced to cancel their cruise because of the above will receive a voucher equal to the value of the cancelled cruise, to be used for any future sailing departing before the end of 2021 plus an on board credit of €100 per cabin for cancelled cruises up to 6 nights and €200 for cruises of 7 nights or longer. This credit is refundable, valid for any period of the year and can be combined with any existing promotion.

We are denying boarding to anyone from high-risk areas: 

•            Anyone who has travelled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Iran, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Macau or Italy in the past 14 days (this includes transit flights in the aforementioned  geographies. The same rules apply to such guests’ travel companions (parent, spouse, child, siblings, or a companion who shares a cabin).
•            For the Caribbean area only: Japan is considered a high risk area by local authorities. Therefore, anyone who has travelled to, from or through Japan in the past 14 days (this includes transit flights) will not be allowed on board of the ships (currently MSC Meraviglia, MSC Divina, MSC Armonia, MSC Preziosa and MSC Seaside.

•            For all ships embarking in Miami. Starting from Saturday 14 of March we are further elevating our health measures, in line with the recommendation of the Cruise Line Association and the USA Government.
•            We will deny embarkation for:

•            All guests with severe chronic medical condition (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) as specified by the U.S. CDC
•            All guests 70 years of age or older at embarkation date or who turn 70 within the duration of the cruise, unless provided written verification from their qualified treating physician certifying no severe chronic medical conditions and otherwise fit for the cruise
•            We started thermal temperature check on all Ports and all Gangways
•            We started weekly health screening for all crew members 

Rigorous pre-embarkation illness screening:

Guests with signs or symptoms of illness such as fever (equal to or above 37.5 C°/99.5 F° in vessels worldwide; equal to or above 38 C°, 100.4 F° in vessels sailing in the USA waters) or feverishness, chills, cough or difficulty breathing have been will be denied boarding. The same rules applied to their travel companions;

•            Anyone who, within 14 days before embarkation, has had close contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected or diagnosed as having coronavirus, or who is currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure to novel coronavirus, has been denied boarding;
•            MSC Cruises has conducted and continues to conduct pre-boarding screening to exclude persons who may be at risk;
•            Guests with Chinese passports who have not travelled mainland China Hong Kong or Macao in the last 14 days and are in good health may board the ship. However in some countries local may deny access to holders of Chinese passports or who have travelled through some affected countries.

 
Keeping the ship free from infectious diseases:

•            Throughout the cruise, at ports of call, guests and crew embarking and disembarking will be frequently checked by thermal cameras for fever symptoms;
•            In addition, there has been and will continue to be an elevated deep-sanitation on every ship in our entire fleet. There is increased hand-washing for guests and crew, alcohol-based hand-sanitizers across the ship, increased continuous disinfection of public areas – especially frequently touched areas such as handrails, elevator buttons, door handles and reception desks.

At this point we can confirm there have been no cases of coronavirus on board any of our ships but we need your help to reduce the risk of infection by exercising the following routine precautions:
•            Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. Where soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
•            Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. If a tissue is not immediately available, cough or sneeze into your upper arm.
•            Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

•            Avoid personal contact, such sharing cups or eating utensils, with sick people.

For more information please download the full screening procedures infographic. 

 

UPDATE: 9 MARCH 2020 

We want to reassure you that everyone’s health and safety on our ships is our top priority and we can confirm there have been no cases of coronavirus on board any of our ships.
Guests embarking on a cruise are requested to take the following into account:

Rigorous pre-embarkation illness screening:

• Anyone who has travelled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Iran, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam or Macau, or any of the following regions and provinces in northern Italy (region Lombardy/Lombardia, and the provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro Urbino, Venice/Venezia, Padova, Treviso, Asti, Vercelli, Novara, Alessandria and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola or any other areas subject to restrictions as indicated by the Italian authorities) or transited via airports, in the past 14 days will be denied access to the ship. The same rules apply to such guests’ travel companions (parent, spouse, child, siblings, or a companion who shares a cabin);

• For MSC Armonia, MSC Divina, MSC Seaside, MSC Preziosa and MSC Meraviglia only. Anyone who has travelled to, from or through Italy (any place) in the past 14 days, or visited, will be denied access 

• Guests with signs or symptoms of illness such as fever (≥37.5 C°/99.5 F°) or feverishness, chills, cough or difficulty breathing have been will be denied boarding. The same rules applied to their travel companions;

• Anyone who, within 14 days before embarkation, has had close contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected or diagnosed as having coronavirus, or who is currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure to novel coronavirus, have been will be denied boarding;

• MSC Cruises has conducted and continues to conduct pre-boarding screening to exclude persons who may be at risk;

• Guests with  Chinese passports who have not travelled mainland China Hong Kong o Macao in the last 14 giorni days and are in good health may board the ship. However in some countries local may deny access to holders of Chinese passports or who have travelled through some affected countries.

 
Keeping the ship free from infectious diseases:
 

• Throughout the cruise, at ports of call, guests and crew embarking and disembarking will be frequently checked by thermal cameras for fever symptoms; 

• In addition, there has been and will continue to be an elevated deep-sanitation on every ship in our entire fleet. There is increased hand-washing for guests and crew, alcohol-based hand-sanitizers across the ship, increased continuous disinfection of public areas – especially frequently touched areas such as handrails, elevator buttons, door handles and reception desks.

 
At this point we can confirm there have been no cases of coronavirus on board any of our ships but we need your help to reduce the risk of infection by exercising the following routine precautions:
  
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. Where soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
 
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. If a tissue is not immediately available, cough or sneeze into your upper arm.
 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
 
• Avoid personal contact, such sharing cups or eating utensils, with sick people.
 

UPDATE:  6 March 2020  

We have today updated our precautionary health measures for all guests and all crew who are due to travel on any of our cruises.  
   
The enhanced changes are to ensure the health and well-being of everyone on board every one of our ships.  


These are additional measures to the ones we introduced on 24 January in light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak that originated in China.   
    
We want to reassure you that everyone’s health and safety on our ships is our top priority and we can confirm there have been no cases of coronavirus on board any of our ships.In line with CLIA guidelines, guests embarking on a cruise are requested to take the following into account: 

 
We are refusing people who come from high-risk areas:

• For more than a month we refuse embarkation to people coming from high-risk areas. Anyone who has travelled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Iran in the past 14 days, or visited or transited via airports, are denied access to the ship. The same rules apply to such guests’ travel companions (parent, spouse, child, siblings, or a companion who shares a cabin);

• Anyone who has travelled to, from or through any towns under lockdown (quarantine) by the Italian Government, as designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the past 14 days, are also denied access;

• Anyone who, within 14 days before embarkation, has had close contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected or diagnosed as having coronavirus, or who is currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure to COVID-19, are denied boarding.

• For guests embarking on MSC Bellissima and MSC Lirica from Dubai only. On top of the restrictions above we are denying boarding also to anyone who lives in, or has travelled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Iran. This restriction does not apply if guests have only transited in sterile areas of relevant South Korea and Iran airports as coming from other non affected areas.

 

Rigorous pre-embarkation illness screening:

• MSC Cruises conducts pre-boarding screening to exclude persons who may be at risk. Guests with signs or symptoms of illness such as fever (≥38 C°/100.4 F°) or feverishness, chills, cough or difficulty breathing are denied embarkation. The same rules apply to their travel companions;

• Additionally, we conduct enhanced illness screening including symptom history checks for fever, cough and difficulty breathing, to all persons who have travelled from, visited or transited via airports in any destinations listed on the United States Centers for Disease Control ‘Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel’ page within 14 days before embarkation. At the moment those destinations include China, Hong Kong, Iran, South Korea, Italy and Japan. Because we are denying embarkation to individuals travelling from or through China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea and quarantined municipalities of Italy, this enhanced illness screening requirement only currently applies to individuals travelling from or through Japan and the rest of Italy.

 
Keeping the ship free from infectious diseases:

• Throughout the cruise and at ports of call, guests and crew embarking and disembarking are frequently checked by thermal cameras for fever symptoms;

• In addition, we conduct elevated deep-sanitation activities on every ship in our fleet. There is increased hand-washing for guests and crew, alcohol-based hand-sanitizers across the ship, increased continuous disinfection of public areas (especially frequently touched areas such as handrails, elevator buttons, door handles and reception desks);

• All our ships go through an additional deep sanitisation process before and after every cruise.

 
Guests who have any further questions, should not hesitate to contact their Travel Agent or the MSC Cruises contact centre.

For more information please download the full screening procedures infographic. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

TRAVEL ADVICE UPDATE: 14 February 2020

  

To protect the health and safety of our guests and crew onboard, MSC Cruises has taken a series of precautionary actions since 24 January across its fleet with respect to the novel coronavirus that originated in China. While there are no cases of coronavirus on board any of MSC Cruises’ ships these measures are additional steps to secure the health and well-being of all guests and crew. 

Guests who are embarking on a cruise are requested to take the following into account:
 

• Anyone who has travelled to, from or through Chinese mainland, Hong Kong or Macau in the past 30 days, or visited or transited via airports, will be denied access to the ship. The same rules apply to such passengers’ travel companions (parent, spouse, child, siblings, or a companion who shares a cabin);

 

• Passengers with signs or symptoms of illness such as fever (≥38 C°/100.4 F°) or feverishness, chills, cough or difficulty breathing will be denied embarkation. The same rules apply to their travel companions;

 

• Anyone who, within 14 days before embarkation, has had close contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected or diagnosed as having coronavirus, or who is currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure to novel coronavirus, will be denied boarding;

 

• MSC Cruises will continue to conduct preboarding screening necessary to effectuate these preventative measures;

 

• Passengers with a Chinese passport who have not travelled from or through Chinese mainland, Hong Kong or Macau, in the past 30 days, and who are in good health, can access the ship. However, authorities in certain countries are temporarily not allowing holders of a Chinese passport to travel into their territories. At the date of publishing, holders of Chinese passports are not allowed to travel into: Singapore, Malaysian ports and Thailand. Please note this list may change based on future government regulations;

 
Guests who are restricted by any of the above measures are requested to contact their travel agent or the MSC Cruises contact centre number at the top of this page.
 
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, MSC Cruises has been closely monitoring the public health and safety situation in each of the regions its ships sail. The company has been consulting with international and local health authorities to follow their advice and recommendations. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

31 JANUARY 2020

Dear embarking guest, please note that if you have traveled from or visited Chinese mainland, Hong Kong or Macau over the 30 days prior to your embarkation date, or have fever (≥38 C°/100.4 F°) or symptoms of illness we will unfortunately be unable to allow you on board our ship. This is a precautionary measure that we have taken to protect our guests and crew in connection with the corona virus situation (click here for more information).