MSC Cruises launches new itineraries

MSC Cruises has launched exciting new West Africa itineraries departing from Livorno in Italy and Durban in South Africa which combine the relaxation of a long ocean cruise with a tremendous variety of ports of call and special excursions.

The new routes represent decisive action by MSC Cruises to completely remove any threat to its passengers from Somali pirates, following a recent episode involving MSC Melody, which successfully evaded a pirate attempt some 600 nautical miles from the Somali coast on the evening of Saturday 25 April 2009.

Now none of MSC Cruises’s ships will pass through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, with all the company’s transoceanic cruises following the West Coast of Africa only, calling in Morocco, Senegal and Namibia en route to Cape Town and Durban. These itineraries will be served by the luxurious MSC Sinfonia for the 2009 Autumn and 2010 late Spring seasons.

MSC Sinfonia will sail South African itineraries, embarking from Durban and exploring the exotic coasts and seas.

The new West Coast itineraries and excursions have been carefully designed to offer a stimulating and varied combination of city life, ancient sites, wildlife, beaches and beautiful landscapes.

In Monte Carlo, for example, guests can choose from a wide range of panoramic excursions along the coast and walking tours inland, as well - of course - as visits to Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo itself, taking in cathedrals, museums and even a perfume factory.

Valencia is sure to dazzle with its spectacular cathedral, but in addition to the history and architecture, guests can enjoy a special tour focused on the arts and sciences, a scenic excursion that includes a visit by boat to the other-worldly San Jose caves, or a half day simply lazing around on the beautiful beach.

Malaga will enchant with its breathtaking historic city centre, yet also abounds in other attractions to which MSC Cruises naturally provides superb excursions. These include the atmospheric old port of Mijas, with its cobbled streets, dazzling white houses and handicrafts, the famous Nerja Caves - acclaimed as the most beautiful in Europe - and Marbella, the jewel of the Costa del Sol. There is also a Taste of Andalusia tour that allows you to explore everything from bullfighting to Flamenco dancing.

Casablanca offers the typical winding streets and bustling squares of friendly yet refined Morocco, with visits to the magnificent Mosque, second in size in the Islamic world only to Mecca, the beautiful cathedral of Notre Dame de Lourdes, and an impressive market, where there is many a traditional bargain to be found.

Tenerife offers excursions to the unspoilt inland mountains and their timeless villages, a gastronomic exploration of local wines, cheeses and other typical local products, a jeep adventure to some of the most remote parts of the island and a visit to the renowned Lorque Parque wildlife park, with its gorillas, tigers and even penguins.

The excursions in Africa concentrate as much on the incredible landscapes and wildlife as on the fascinating cities and villages. Dakar, for example, offers a city tour that includes visits to the local craft market and Presidential Palace, but also excursions to the desert dunes, Rose lake – which really is the colour rose - and baobab woods. In addition, Walvis Bay boasts flamingo watching and oyster tasting, as well as a whole array of excursions, including 4x4 tours to explore the desert.

These are just some of the exceptional heritage sites and areas of outstanding beauty that can be enjoyed on MSC Sinfonia’s new Autumn and late Spring itineraries, which also include a stop at Funchal. Offering the immense variety and choice locations you would expect of MSC Cruises, these leisurely cruises along the length of Africa and much of the Mediterranean enable guests to gain a full experience of the ocean and equator, not to mention the acclaimed luxury interiors and facilities of MSC Sinfonia, a holiday destination in its own right.

MSC Cruises’s decision to re-route all its African transoceanic cruises completely removes the possibility of any further pirate incidents, ensuring the company continues to be renowned not for its outstanding security on board, but for the inimitable experience of an industry-leading luxury cruise, travelling in Italian style on the most modern cruise fleet in the world.

For more information, visit msccruises.co.uk.