MSC Cruises has announced that it will restart South African holidays at sea on Dec. 6, 2021, from a new cruise terminal in Durban.

According to a press release, the green light follows approvals from the country’s government to resume ocean voyages with passengers onboard after a 21-month hiatus caused by the global pandemic ashore.

The MSC Orchestra will homeport at the new KwaZulu Natal terminal in Durban to be inaugurated in December for the winter 2021-22 season – as well as embarking passengers in Cape Town – and offer 41 voyages up to May 11, 2022, around South Africa, for the country’s citizens and residents, and Mozambique.

The vessel has recently undergone a major drydock refurbishment program and replaces the MSC Musica that was originally earmarked for South Africa in the upcoming cruise season.

MSC Cruises said that it plans to implement stringent health and safety measures onboard the Orchestra and all destinations that the ship will call based on its protocol introduced in August 2020 for the wellbeing of passengers, crew and the destinations served by its vessels.

The cruise line said that it is now waiting for the relevant authorities in South Africa to issue specific details of their health and safety guidelines that can be built into its own protocol, if required.