MSC Cruises has revealed the details of its brand new Red Sea itinerary onboard the Magnifica for winter 2021-2022.
According to a press release, the Magnifica will be the world’s first cruise ship to homeport in Jeddah. She will offer seven-night cruises, starting from Nov. 13, 2021, through to the end of March 2022. From Jeddah, the ship will call in Aqaba for Petra in Jordan, Safaga for Luxor in Egypt, then the Saudi ports of AlWajh and Yanbu before returning back to Jeddah.
MSC said that the Red Sea itinerary will provide guests with access to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Historic Jeddah, Al-Hijr Archaeological Site in AlUla, and Petra.
This itinerary will see MSC Cruises’ return to Egypt calling at Safaga, from where guests will be able to reach Luxor – the world’s largest open-air museum with world-renowned Ancient Egyptian sites.
Aqaba in Jordan is rounding out the itinerary. The port dates back to 4,000 B.C. and from here guests will be able to reach Petra – famous archaeological site and one of the new seven wonders of the world.
“As an international cruise line renowned for offering guests unique opportunities to explore and discover the world, it is only natural that we are now making more accessible for our guests yet another brand-new destination. The introduction of Saudi Arabia to our winter program is one of a kind itinerary as it also offers Egypt and Jordan in an unparalleled combination of sun, beach, tradition and culture. Our guests can discover the untouched beauty of this region to its fullest and go ashore and explore plenty of undiscovered destinations,” MSC Cruises’ CEO Gianni Onorato said.
“Not to mention that traveling through the Red Sea by cruise ship is one of the most spectacular ways to take in the stunning coastline and enjoy the region’s unique and still untouched beauty of sea and nature,” he added.
MSC said that the itinerary will also provide guests a chance to follow the inaugural Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021, which will take place on Dec. 5, 2021.
“The landmark partnership with MSC Cruises is a perfect starting point on our journey, and aligns with our vision to develop mainstream cruising along the Saudi coastlines with Jeddah as the key homeport that offers a wide variety of pre- and post-cruise stay options. Jeddah benefits from its proximity to Europe and is easily reachable by plane within five hours from most major cities on the continent. Due to its warm weather, Saudi Arabia is an ideal destination for winter holidays and has the potential for year-round cruising,” Chief Commercial and Operations Officer at Cruise Saudi Mark Robinson said. Sales will open on May 1, MSC said.
MSC’s Voyagers Club members will benefit from an additional 5 percent discount for a period of 10 days, on top of their usual 5 percent discount.
MSC said that Fly & Cruise preferred packages will be available to guests thanks to MSC’s dedicated partnership with the country’s national airline Saudia, a long-time member of SkyTeam.
