MSC Cruises Extends Winter 2023-24 Sailings in the Middle East

MSC Cruises announced it would add new ports of call for two of its three sailing itineraries in the Middle East during the winter 2023-24 season.

On the MSC Virtuosa, passengers will sail 17 new seven-night voyages in the Arabian Gulf from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Doha in Qatar, the new port call of Manama in Bahrain, both Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island in the UAE and back to Dubai.

MSC Opera will also return to the region after a successful 2022-23 season with 22 separate seven-night sailings in 2023-24 from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, either Khasab in Oman or Fujairah in the UAE, the Omani capital Muscat and back to Dubai.

As for the MSC Orchestra, the cruise line will operate a new itinerary during the winter 2023-24 season from Safaga in Egypt with 20 seven-night sailings to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Aqaba for Petra in Jordan, a new port of call at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Sokhna Port for Cairo in Egypt and back to Safaga for Luxor.

MSC Cruises will continue to push as the region’s top cruise line by also expanding its ‘Fly&Cruise’ program with leading international airlines to provide winter sunshine. The company is adding 80,000 total return air seats, including more than 60,000 return seats throughout the season from Europe, South America and Canada.

Earlier this month, MSC Cruises received approval from the local government to expand and upgrade its Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve cruise destination in The Bahamas. The Bahamian Central Bank revealed in its Monthly Economic and Financial Developments report that MSC Cruises would dump around $100 million into Phase II of the project.